A Book(s) Thread

[VRBeauty]

The other series I'm currently reading is the Miss Julia series by Ann B. Ross - these are fun to read, and a bit akin to the Mitford Series (with the Miss Julia books more "light" in my opinion).

I like that series too - definitely in the dessert (fluffy and sweet) category, but lots of fun! I'm waiting for the library to get the latest addition. If you like Miss Julia you there are two other series you might also enjoy: Rita Mae Brown's "Squeaky Pie Brown" books and Earline Fowler's quilt series mysteries. The Squeaky Pie Brown books are very cozy mysteries and probably closest to the Miss Julia books. The quilt series mysteries are generally a bit more traditional mystery, but every fourth book or so is "Miss Julia" sweet.

 

[violet3]

Today's the first day of summer vacation for me and I just got The Interestings from the library. I've heard it's really good and I can't wait to begin reading.

LOVED "The Interestings!" Please come back and say what you think of it as you progress. I loved the relationships between the characters in that book, and found them to be really real in their description. It was funny, sad, and moving all at the same time.

So far, so good, although I'm still at the beginning. I'm just getting to the part where the author describes each character's adult life. I'm the "Christmas letter" part, if you remember that. I'll let you know what I think as I read. I'm glad you liked it, Violet! Have you (or anyone else) read Meg Wolitzer's other books?

The Interestings just gets so great as it progresses! I liked the beginning, but I LOVED the middle to the end. I have not yet read her other books, but I want to!

 

[packrat]

I enjoyed Under the Dome. There was a time or two that I thought it dragged for a few pages, but then there were times I couldn't bear to put it down, and still other times I *had* to put it down b/c there was so much going on, I had to digest it. 11/22/63 I loved. There are a few newer ones I need to read, then I have a few of his I want to read again, Duma Key, Lisey's Story, a couple short story collections.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

I had an interesting bibliographical coincidence this week.

First, I was rereading Le Guin, including some of her short stories and novellas. One of them I particularly like is "Old Music and the Slave Women", about a slave society where a small number of masters enslave most of the population in large plantations. There is a huge slave uprising (similar to Haiti's, perhaps) and the story is centered on a group of slave women in one of the old plantation. They are despised by the masters who still hold the farm (completely devastated by the war and no longer productive) and by the rebels, who think they are cowards simpering to the masters. But they are just people, with their own fears and their own bravery. It is a very interesting story, about the horrors of wars and societal collapse, and how revolutionary ideals change when rebels must stop being rebels and start their own government.

Then, I picked up Mistborn, looking for some fun fantasy to lighten the mood. This book had been recommended several time to me, so I just picked it up without really reading the back or anything. Guess what it is about? A group of ideological rebel slaves trying to topple a society based on large slave populations on farms. It was weird reading a story that could almost be a prequel to Old Music (well, except the magic and things like that). I also had a hard time getting into it, since I kept thinking - "and just how are you going to deal with the mayhem afterwards?", specially since one of the character states that part of the plan is to incite war and let the noble houses start fighting between themselves until everything collapses.

 

[mochiko42]

The Great Game by Peter Hopkirk is a good nonfiction read for history buffs. It's one of my favorites.

 

[VRBeauty]

The Great Game by Peter Hopkirk is a good nonfiction read for history buffs. It's one of my favorites.

What's it about? In 25 words, more or less?

 

[VRBeauty]

Books have been a necessary escape for me in these past two months, so... I'm all caught up on the Louise Penny's "Chief Inspector Gamache" mystery series, at least on the books that have come out in paperback. I'm a power library user which is where I initially got the first book, Still Life. But I realized pretty much right away that these are books I'd want to re-read, so I bought the rest. These books are murder mysteries set in Quebec, where Chief Inspector Gamache heads a homicide investigation unit in the SUrete, which appears to be the Canadian equivalent of the FBI or Scotland Yard. Most of the murders in the books take place in the tiny village of Three Pines, which doesn't have a police force even though murder appears to be, as one character put it, "a cottage industry" there. The mysteries and the stories are multi-layered, and each book also explores some aspect of human nature. I tend to read mysteries pretty quickly, but I suspect I'll get more of the deeper context when I re-read the books later. I've really enjoyed them - all eight of them - though of course there are some I like more than others. I think the author intends each book to work as a stand-alone despite the fact that there's also an on-going narrative and some story lines that span two or three books. So there are plot elements that unfold in one book and are synopsized in another, and descriptions of characters that are repeated from book to book, that get kind of old. Then again, I probably wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't read all eight books in the space of two months or so! Anyhow, I'm now waiting for September, when the latest book comes out in paperback. I'm anxious to see how one of the ongoing narratives is resolved!

I just finished Debbie Macomber's "Starting Now," a recent entry in her "Blossom Street" series. It was a fun quick read, but the story telling is pretty glib and the ties to Blossom Street (another favorite series of mine, and about as close as I get to romance novels) are pretty tenuous. I should probably have known better than to juxtapose this book with the Louise Penny book, with their slower and richer story telling and character development, but I think the problem runs deeper than that. I haven't checked what other readers are saying yet, but I suspect that other Blossom Street fans will also have found this book lacking a bit.

I'm about to start "The Pink Suit," a novel by Nicole Marry Kelby. The title refers to the pink suit that Jacqueline Kennedy was wearing when President Kennedy was shot in Dallas, though the story is told through a (I assume fictional) seamstress who helped make the suit. I'm looking forward to reading it.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

For all the King freaks in the thread: What did you think of Under the Dome? Should I give it a shot?

I liked Under The Dome and would recommend checking it out!

 

[mochiko42]

The Great Game by Peter Hopkirk is a good nonfiction read for history buffs. It's one of my favorites.

What's it about? In 25 words, more or less?

Real life story of spies, intrigue, shahs, and British & Russian power games in 19th century Central Asia!

Hopkirk's book on the Silk Road is also worth checking out.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

The Great Game by Peter Hopkirk is a good nonfiction read for history buffs. It's one of my favorites.

What's it about? In 25 words, more or less?

Real life story of spies, intrigue, shahs, and British & Russian power games in 19th century Central Asia!

Hopkirk's book on the Silk Road is also worth checking out.

I was recently reading about Richard Burton and some of this is mentioned very much in passing but it got me curious.

 

[VRBeauty]

The Great Game by Peter Hopkirk is a good nonfiction read for history buffs. It's one of my favorites.

What's it about? In 25 words, more or less?

Real life story of spies, intrigue, shahs, and British & Russian power games in 19th century Central Asia!

Hopkirk's book on the Silk Road is also worth checking out.

That sounds like fun - I might have to check it out!

 

[mochiko42]

The Great Game by Peter Hopkirk is a good nonfiction read for history buffs. It's one of my favorites.

What's it about? In 25 words, more or less?

Real life story of spies, intrigue, shahs, and British & Russian power games in 19th century Central Asia!

Hopkirk's book on the Silk Road is also worth checking out.

That sounds like fun - I might have to check it out!

On a more serious note, reading about the Great Game (the 19th century political shenanigans in Afghanistan by the Russians and the British) makes me very sad and depressed for the Afghans. It makes you realize that their country has been a playing ground for a tug of war between other countries for over 100 years. First the British and Russians in the 1800s (due to the power struggle over colonial India) , then the Americans and Soviets during Cold war 1970s, and it continues to the present day.


As a young girl I also loved reading epic historical fiction like The Far Pavilions by MM Kaye and the Roman books of Colleen McCullough (Grass Crown etc) and I Claudius by Robert Graves. (OK I admit I also read The Thorn Birds, lol.... )

I also strongly recommend Marcel Pagnol's semi autobiographical novels set in Provence and Alain Fournier's Le grand Meaulnes.

 

[VRBeauty]

I thoroughly enjoyed "The Pink Suit." It tells the story of Jacqueline Kennedy's pink suit - the one she wore in Dallas - through the story of the young woman who made it in a Manhattan couture design shop. The young woman's account is fictional (although the author did use the name of a young woman who worked on the suit) but much of the story of the suit itself is based on reality... and probably some educated conjecture, since the suit is not available for examination. Anyhow, I thought it was an enjoyable book. (I should add that I've always loved fashion and have taken a few dressmaking classes, so I enjoyed the technical details in the book. These details don't overwhelm the book though - if the mechanics of couture construction aren't your thing, you could easily gloss over them without and still enjoy the book.)

 

[missy]

My parents were over visiting us and my mom recommended "Me Before You" by Jojo Moyes. She thought I would like it. It's a love story about 2 very different people one of whom is now wheelchair bound. Gee thanks mom LOL. I am telling you she doesn't even realize sometimes that her good intentions occasionally fall short. I mean I will wait till I read it and just added it to my Kindle collection but I hope I am not going to be aggravated. LOL.

She was also admonishing me for ordering new shoes yesterday online because my foot might change size after I heal. I know that is a possibility but I am focusing on the positive and these J Crew ballet flats were 50% off!!!! So I got 3 pairs. It's an amazing price and I love their ballet flats. But I digress. Just explaining that though my mom recommended the book not sure if it will be a good book for me to read. She can make my mood change for the worse at times sigh. But I love her and I know she loves me and just adding it to the book thread for others who might be interested.

Plus she does know I love a good tragic love story. Not sure if this fits the bill but I will come back to review after I read it.


VR-"The Pink Suit" sounds fascinating. I am adding it to my list, thank you.

 

[zoebartlett]

I finally finished The Interestings, and I thought it was just okay. I wanted to really love it because it's gotten great reviews, but I didn't. I found it hard to follow because the story kept jumping back and forth in time. Also, I don't tend to love books that take place over several years, and I think this story spanned 40 years or so. The writing was good and I do still want to check out Meg Wolitzer's other books, though.

 

[violet3]

My parents were over visiting us and my mom recommended "Me Before You" by Jojo Moyes. She thought I would like it. It's a love story about 2 very different people one of whom is now wheelchair bound. Gee thanks mom LOL. I am telling you she doesn't even realize sometimes that her good intentions occasionally fall short. I mean I will wait till I read it and just added it to my Kindle collection but I hope I am not going to be aggravated. LOL.

She was also admonishing me for ordering new shoes yesterday online because my foot might change size after I heal. I know that is a possibility but I am focusing on the positive and these J Crew ballet flats were 50% off!!!! So I got 3 pairs. It's an amazing price and I love their ballet flats. But I digress. Just explaining that though my mom recommended the book not sure if it will be a good book for me to read. She can make my mood change for the worse at times sigh. But I love her and I know she loves me and just adding it to the book thread for others who might be interested.

Plus she does know I love a good tragic love story. Not sure if this fits the bill but I will come back to review after I read it.


VR-"The Pink Suit" sounds fascinating. I am adding it to my list, thank you.

I read "Me Before You," and I liked it - it was a fast read and a good story!

 

[packrat]

I enjoyed Me Before You a lot. I found her first book, Sheltering Rain, at the library book sale a couple weeks ago. It was ok. Not as good as Me Before You, tho.

 

[Circe]

For all the King freaks in the thread: What did you think of Under the Dome? Should I give it a shot?

I'm only halfway through the thread - been seeing it for ages, but just never poked my nose in - but if it's not too late, DON'T DO IT. Worst King book I've ever read, and a candidate for worst book, period. It follows a recent pattern in his work of random sadism ... odd description for a horror writer, I know, but King generally doesn't do splatter-punk-level gross, and I can list three recent work that just randomly have nipples being torn off. This is one if them, with a bonus gratuitous rape scene that came out of nowhere and left a nasty taste in my brain for days (as did the ending, because, apparently, I just do not know when to quit). My seasoned critical opinion: bleurgh.

 

[Circe]

... and then I saw that several people had loved it - d'oh! Different strokes, etc. for what it's worth, I loved 11/22/63, and thought _Duma Key_ was one of the best books of the year.

Klewis, _Precious Bane_ sounds like something I should check out: in turn, have you read _Lolly Willowes_? One of my very favorite books, and with a similar style, from the sound of it! I tend to like that kind of writing best, whenever it may date from ... I think modern parallels can be found in Donna Tartt's _Secret History_ (and _The Goldfinch_, though I, a) dislikes the unnecessarily & unbelievably "happy ending" and, b) thought Boris was the safest 2D character since the judge from "Who Killed Rodger Rabbit?"), Tanya French's _The Likeness_, and Michael Faber's _The Crimson Petal and the White_.

 

[missy]

My parents were over visiting us and my mom recommended "Me Before You" by Jojo Moyes. She thought I would like it. It's a love story about 2 very different people one of whom is now wheelchair bound. Gee thanks mom LOL. I am telling you she doesn't even realize sometimes that her good intentions occasionally fall short. I mean I will wait till I read it and just added it to my Kindle collection but I hope I am not going to be aggravated. LOL.

She was also admonishing me for ordering new shoes yesterday online because my foot might change size after I heal. I know that is a possibility but I am focusing on the positive and these J Crew ballet flats were 50% off!!!! So I got 3 pairs. It's an amazing price and I love their ballet flats. But I digress. Just explaining that though my mom recommended the book not sure if it will be a good book for me to read. She can make my mood change for the worse at times sigh. But I love her and I know she loves me and just adding it to the book thread for others who might be interested.

Plus she does know I love a good tragic love story. Not sure if this fits the bill but I will come back to review after I read it.


VR-"The Pink Suit" sounds fascinating. I am adding it to my list, thank you.

I read "Me Before You," and I liked it - it was a fast read and a good story!

I enjoyed Me Before You a lot. I found her first book, Sheltering Rain, at the library book sale a couple weeks ago. It was ok. Not as good as Me Before You, tho.

Thanks guys. Any recommendations as to any of her other books that are as good? I only have 10% of the book left and now I am just slowing it down as I don't want it to end lol. There are a lot of her books in the amazon kindle store but not sure which is the best one to purchase next. Last Letter from your Lover looks interesting but so does The Girl You Left Behind and One Plus One so any suggestions as to which one to read next? Thanks!

 

[AGBF]

I just read Field of Prey by John Sandford (John Camp); it is one of his Lucas Davenport books. I tore through it because I love those books and they have gotten better and better over time.

Right before that I read If Fried Chicken Could Fly, which is a "Country Cooking School Mystery" by Paige Shelton. I have discovered, very recently, that there is a whole genre of books that revolve around cooking and/or baking and murder mysteries. They are all very comfy and cozy, but they all-unfortunately-follow more or less the same formula. In each one a young woman returns to her home town after being away-to found a food establishment or work in one of her family's food establishments-and she encounters a handsome man who was the love of her life when she was young. There may be some magic or ghosts (which I wasn't counting on) or there may be nothing supernatural. There will be a murder. Recipes will be discussed. There will be some older, supportive females who help the young woman in her adventures.

I have started to read the next book in Paige Shelton's series, If Mashed Potates Could Dance. Like the last one, it is set in Broken Rope, Missouri. There is one more book after this one: If Bread Could Rise To The Occasion. I think you get the idea.

Deb

 

[packrat]

I enjoyed Field of Prey. ha, I went to the library a few weeks ago and only one of the books I was looking for (from another PSers Goodreads reviews) were available, library doesn't carry the others, but there were 6 books between the authors I'm always checking (Sanford, Patterson, Kellerman and a couple others) that I hadn't read and were all checked out so I filled out slips for them. I'll be danged if I didn't go home w/three randomly picked books that day and get called for the other six in just the next couple days. I ended up w/so many I had to renew a couple.

I finished Jojo Moyes' Sheltering Rain. It was her debut novel. It was ok. Didn't grab me the way Me Before You did.

Tried to start SK's Mr. Mercedes but just not in the mood, so re reading Just After Sunset. Then moving on to...I don't know. Duma Key again or Lisey's Story again. Lisey's Story scared me tho, so I'm not sure. Spent a loooong time making a conscious effort to not look in mirrors at night.

My brother's going to be ticked. He's gotten me Forgotten Realms books for Christmas the last three years and I've not read them yet.

 

[baby monster]

VRBeauty, I love good mysteries. Thanks for recommending Louise Penny's books. I put couple of them on hold at the library.

Missy, have you read any of Liane Moriarty's novels? What Alice Forgot was excellent. I loved the plot and character development. Don't want to get into spoiler alert category but it was an interesting story to read for someone who's been married a long time. Husband's Secret was also good but much darker. It left quite an impression on me. Her new book just came out but I'm hesitating to read it just because I get so completely engrossed in her books.

 

[VRBeauty]

I recently finished the most recent Miss Julia book - Miss Julia's Marvelous Makeover (I think). It was a bit flat for me... the main plot was kind of "meh" and there wasn't much happening with the ongoing story lines. Oh well. These are not books to savor or re-read so I checked it out of the library, and there should be another installment out in a year or so!

 

[missy]

VRBeauty, I love good mysteries. Thanks for recommending Louise Penny's books. I put couple of them on hold at the library.

Missy, have you read any of Liane Moriarty's novels? What Alice Forgot was excellent. I loved the plot and character development. Don't want to get into spoiler alert category but it was an interesting story to read for someone who's been married a long time. Husband's Secret was also good but much darker. It left quite an impression on me. Her new book just came out but I'm hesitating to read it just because I get so completely engrossed in her books.

Hi Baby Monster, I haven't read either of those. I love dark reads so thank you for the recommendations! I will be checking it out and hopefully can purchase them for my kindle. Getting completely engrossed in books is something I want to be able to do and have not been able to concentrate enough these days to do so. I am looking forward to getting swept away into another world!

ETA: Woohoo her novels are on kindle. Purchased and ready to read thank you!

 

[missy]

I enjoyed Crime and Punishment very much, but wanted to discuss it with someone. It might have been a good book to read with a book club if the book club were filled with intelligent people! I did speak about it with my husband over the phone on several occasions, and may again, but that wasn't enough. I found myself reading essays and blurbs about it on the Internet. I do not think that I am ready to take a major plunge and to read an entire book about it, but I know that I have not scratched its surface yet. I read a good translation and it had footnotes, but I certainly did not stop reading at every footnote, thereby breaking the flow of the narrative, just to read it! And even if I had pored over every footnote, I would have missed a huge amount of what Dostoyevsky wrote! It was, however, fascinating and I am very glad that I read it.

I have my usual store of "trash" (i.e. comfort reading) put by. I have The Shooting Party ordered. I also went onto Amazon and ordered two books by Angela Thirkell from her Barsetshire Series (the first two books): High Rising and Wild Strawberries. I had never heard of her before, but she appears to write books that are readable (i.e. more "comfort reading"). While looking at her books I was pointed to Barbara Pym, whom I had totally forgotten! As a young woman I went through a Barbara Pym stage and read everything she wrote. Now I don't even recall why I liked her, just that I loved her books and that they were about women. So I ordered Jane and Prudence, which I remember once owning before, and will have to reread it! I hope that my taste hasn't changed and that I like her as much as I did when I was young!!!

Deb/AGBF
Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend

Hi Deb! I read Crime and Punishment so very long ago and I enjoyed it as well. I am going to have to reread it though in order to have an intelligent discussion about it as it has been too long since I read it. As soon as I am up to rereading it (need to be able to concentrate for more than a few minutes at a time) I will and perhaps we can discuss it if you are up for it.

 

[Gem Queen]

I LOVED the Husband's secret. I love books like that. I loved 12 years a slave. Written in, I believe, in 1880. So sad to see how humans... animals, treated other humans. Orphan Train was pretty good also. I have to say the Husband's secret was one of my favorite so far this summer. I don't love to read love stories that much. They are too predictable. I love historical epics. The Jews was a great, great book. It's pretty old now. One lavendar ribbon was a pretty great book also. OH, and Wuthering Heights was awesome. It is amazing that someone can write like that.

 

[missy]

VRBeauty, I love good mysteries. Thanks for recommending Louise Penny's books. I put couple of them on hold at the library.

Missy, have you read any of Liane Moriarty's novels? What Alice Forgot was excellent. I loved the plot and character development. Don't want to get into spoiler alert category but it was an interesting story to read for someone who's been married a long time. Husband's Secret was also good but much darker. It left quite an impression on me. Her new book just came out but I'm hesitating to read it just because I get so completely engrossed in her books.

Hi Baby Monster, I haven't read either of those. I love dark reads so thank you for the recommendations! I will be checking it out and hopefully can purchase them for my kindle. Getting completely engrossed in books is something I want to be able to do and have not been able to concentrate enough these days to do so. I am looking forward to getting swept away into another world!

ETA: Woohoo her novels are on kindle. Purchased and ready to read thank you!

Baby Monster I finished What Alice Forgot and I enjoyed it very much! Thank you for recommending this author and her novels. I am looking forward to reading Husband's Secret next. Thank you because it takes me away for a lovely bit from everyday and that is much appreciated.
SPOILER ALERT stop reading if you want to read the novel...


And of course I loved the ending. Hopeless romantic that I am.

I LOVED the Husband's secret. I love books like that. I loved 12 years a slave. Written in, I believe, in 1880. So sad to see how humans... animals, treated other humans. Orphan Train was pretty good also. I have to say the Husband's secret was one of my favorite so far this summer. I don't love to read love stories that much. They are too predictable. I love historical epics. The Jews was a great, great book. It's pretty old now. One lavendar ribbon was a pretty great book also. OH, and Wuthering Heights was awesome. It is amazing that someone can write like that.

Ooh Gem Queen, thank you for those recommendations. Next on my list.
And I agree Wuthering Heights is an awesome novel. I might just have to reread it when the mood strikes.

 

[missy]

So I am about 25% into The Husband's Secret and I think I already guessed what his secret is! I hope I am wrong though because I love being surprised. I am really enjoying this book no matter if I guessed correctly or not. Though I hope I guessed wrong because I want to be surprised. Very surprised. But we shall see...very excited to find out but also want the book to last longer so I am going to try doing other things in between reading it so I don't finish it so fast!

 

[missy]

Darn! I guessed right. I cannot believe it lol. Perhaps something else will be revealed that will be surprising or shocking... Still enjoying the book though. Not yet halfway (44%) through.