Thursday! I’m at my Mom”s. Christie, Mom, and I are heading out today for a day together. We have a scheduled high tea. I know we’re all looking forward to it. Tomorrow night, we’re going to walk across the street to see the musical play “1776”. The local historical society are sponsoring it. There is a professional orchestra. I enjoy the musical, and we’re excited about seeing the show.The school where it’s being performed is across the street from Mom’s house. So, that’s what I’m doing this week. What about you? And, what are you reading?
I’m just starting Maggie and Arthur’s Magic Moment by Leslie Rene. Since I haven’t read it yet, here’s the summary. A dangerous spell gone wrong forces the passionate professor of incantations to share tight quarters with her magical college’s leading—and most brooding—alchemist.
Despite the college’s budget cuts that slashed her syllabus, Linguistics and Incantation Translation professor Maggie Linden has almost made it to the end of the spring semester. To celebrate, Maggie attends a magical masquerade on Beltane. Maybe the end-of-year frenzy explains why she kissed a masked stranger at the festival, though her celebration may have come too soon….
An accident in the lab of famous (and famously broody) alchemist Arthur Taliesin sets loose a dangerous, haunting magic called a pall that renders the nicer parts of their academic building uninhabitable. Maggie is assigned to share her tiny basement office with none other than Taliesin himself. With his insufferable attitude and unfortunate good looks, Arthur makes it impossible for Maggie to concentrate on anything—her research, her students’ final exams, or tracking down her mysterious Beltane suitor.
She’ll do anything to get Arthur out of her office, including offering to help him reverse the magic that threatens the school. But Maggie is starting to realize her officemate may not be the conceited grump he pretends to be. In fact, much of what she thinks is true about Arthur is merely a mask….
This should be fun. What about you? What are you reading this week? What have you been doing?
A quiet week over here. Friday was the final one of three consecutive Fridays that we were in charge of looking after our daughter’s dog. Their whole family was on a cruise in the Mediterranean and care had been arranged for their dog for all the days except the Fridays, The dog requires lots of love and to be around people, so David and I stayed for hours. She was fine, although disappointed when we refused to give her some of our dinner when she came to the table begging. She took defeat gracefully and trotted over to her dinner bowl where I’d added a few of her special treats to her kibble, and she ate it all.
It was David’s birthday on the weekend and our son and family came to visit, which was enjoyed by all. I happened to have two different brands of strawberry ice cream in the freezer so I had Evelyn do a taste test while blindfolded. She thought it was a lot of fun, and I was interested to see that she very clearly liked one of the two better – when she tasted that one her whole face became one of pure bliss, and her little thumb went up to indicate that that was the winner. Anyway, little joys.
Books this week:
KILLER VIBES by Jack Friday (the first Peter Key mystery)
Not sure how to rate this book. It’s not the type of thing I normally choose and it did make me uncomfortable sometimes just because it’s so far from anything in my life, containing as it does scenes of bi-sexuality and the apps that go along with that life, and the scenes of violence and yet there was something about this easy to read, fast-paced story that drew me along for the ride.
Definitely at the start of the book Peter was not someone I liked. He was lazy, he bought and sold marijuana, putting in the barest amount of effort to support himself as he crashed in the homes (or garages) of friends. Just as he hits rock bottom, he discovers his uncle has died and that he’s inherited a house in a rich part of Austin, Texas. The opening line of the novel is ‘Considering how badly I needed a place to stay, my uncle couldn’t have died at a better time.’
But all is not as it should be. The house is in terrible condition. Turns out he’s also inherited a massive amount of debt. People are tripping over themselves to get him to sell the house. And he’s being threatened. He thinks there’s more to his uncle’s death than a car accident, but his questions are putting him in the crosshairs of some very nasty people.
There’s a large cast of characters but it’s not confusing keeping track. A sense of menace is always present in the narrative, as well as twists I didn’t see coming. As the book progresses it becomes apparent that there’s more to Peter than I first thought. He’s not a bad person; just aimless up till now and hasn’t figured out what to do with his life. He ends up ‘working’ for Grady, a private investigator and it seems this may be where Peter might have some natural abilities and skills. I liked Grady’s character a lot. And Brutus the dog was great, as he was one of the few characters that displayed emotions and feelings and was always genuine.
Overall, I was entertained and certainly wanted to see it all through to the end.
THE CALIPH’S HOUSE by Tahir Shah
This book was published twenty years ago and has probably been on my shelves for almost that long, and finally had its turn to be read this week.
It’s a memoir of the author’s move in 2003 from London to Casablanca with his young family in tow, and covers their first tumultuous year there.
They buy Dar Khalifa, a huge house – several courtyards, ‘salons, studies, laundry rooms and kitchens, staff quarters, pantries and at least a dozen bedrooms’ that has been abandoned for the past decade and is sorely in need of an overhaul. A burst pipe, dirty broken tiled floors, termites, damp patches and algae indoors are just the beginning of their troubles. And yet, the house feels amazing. Oh, and it comes with three men – guardians of the house and of those who reside in it. The guardians are full of warnings about the Jinns (invisible spirits) apparently living in the house, that need to be appeased in complex ways so as not to invoke their wrath lest all manner of bad things come to pass.
Full of anecdotes, in turn funny or terrifying or touching, the book is entertaining and is a fun way to learn a little bit about traditions and beliefs from both Islamic and African cultures. I also learned about the various types of tiles, plaster, mosaics; and about the deep belief in the presence of Jinns and how one’s life completely revolves around them; and the utter frustration of the pace, or lack thereof, of finding people and then getting them to actually do work of any kind. What with the gangster neighbour, the midnight forays to find the one person that might have a solution to the latest problem, and a ritual involving the sacrifice of goats, I’m certain I would not have survived the year with my mental faculties still in a functioning state – and yet not only did this family manage to survive their first year in Casablanca, they live there to this day.
I wish though that the author would have included more about his wife and her experiences and thoughts. It would have added to the story and made it even more interesting. As it was, she was barely mentioned.
I like those quiet weeks sometimes, Lindy, a week when I don’t have appointments, and don’t have to run a lot. Love the story about Evelyn and the ice cream.
Thank you for your reviews of both books. I have Killer Vibes on a pile. And, your other book sounds very interesting. I’m glad you mentioned both of them.
Sending hugs and good wishes for your next week!
I am reading The Strength of the Few by James Islington. It’s the second book in the Hierarchy Trilogy. I just finished listening to The Shampoo Effect and am now listening to Judy Blume: a Life.
This week has been busy for me. I’m preparing to go on vacation next week and that means that things are crazy busy.
Well, we might not hear from you next week, Melissa, but we expect to hear about your vacation when you get back. Enjoy your trip!
We went to a memorial service for my sister-in-law this past Saturday and while we finally had a few days where it wasn’t either in the hundreds or rainy we’ve been catching up on yard work and building a couple of new garden beds so I haven’t been reading much.
I finished a Japanese translation, Tales From the Cafe by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. It’s the second book in his series about a coffee shop where you can travel in time, but only within the shop, and you have to return before your coffee gets cold or you die. I enjoy this series and just found out there are several more books.
I just started Divided in Time by Susan Reiss so this is the synopsis from Goodreads. I’ve liked the other books in this series so I’m sure I’ll like this one.
From the author of the award-winning IN TIME series comes a new novel that links the turbulent times of year 1774 as the time of the American Revolution ears and the present day.
When Emma Chase Dorset discovers a long-forgotten diary hidden at Waterwood, she is drawn into the life of Priscilla Turner Galloway—a young woman whose world is unraveling as the American colonies move toward revolution. What begins as the intimate reflections of a devoted wife soon becomes the story of courage, sacrifice, divided loyalties, and family secrets buried for generations.
As Emma follows Priscilla’s remarkable journey, she uncovers truths linking three families whose lives have been intertwined for centuries. Those discoveries not only reshape Waterwood’s past—they threaten to change the futures of her friends and family.
Rich in historical detail, compelling mystery, and unforgettable characters, Divided in Time is a story of love, loyalty, and the choices that define generations.
Sandy, Divided in Time sounds like a good book. Enjoy!
I’m sorry to hear about your sister-in-law.
Hot and getting hotter over the next few days, just what one expects in summer. My wildflowers have reached their peak, and the roses are doing well, a very colorful year. Unfortunately, it’s the peak pollination time for ragweed, too.
Starting off the reading week with COUNTRY CHRISTIE: Country Tales from the Queen of Mystery (reviewed here July 22nd).
A dozen previously published short stories, always dependable entertainment. I find it fascinating to find the bits and pieces in these short stories that echo other Christie works.
Romance in a bookstore trope, STORYBOOK ENDING is a 2025 debut by Moira Macdonald. The plot centers on mistaken identity in a Seattle bookstore that creates a delightful, rom-com-style love triangle between a lonely tech worker (April), a busy single mom (Laura), and a bookstore clerk (Westley). The novel begins with an anonymous note in a used book. Charming with well-defined characters.
THE RED HOUSE MYSTERY is A. A. Milne’s only murder mystery novel. Published in 1922, it features amateur detective Antony Gillingham investigating a “locked-room” murder at an English country house. Witty and playful, blending humor with suspense.
A.A. Milne wrote the story for his father, who thought there weren’t enough detective stories.
More words, but of a nonfiction variety, WHY WE TALK FUNNY: The Real Story Behind Our Accents
The author, Valerie Fridland, is a professor of linguistics at the local university. It explores how the twin forces of physiology and psychology change the trajectory of speech. It all comes down to our desire to fit in.
My Mom loves roses, MM, and has some beautiful ones, too.
Storybook Ending is the one that calls to me. I love books about bookstores. It’s funny because I like them more than books about libraries.
MM, I have Storybook Ending on my shelves at home! Who knows why I haven’t read it yet, but your review makes me want to read it soon.
I felt like the book’s characters were all real people to the author. That gave the book a certain uniqueness.
Oh my! I found a hardback copy of Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant by Roz Chast at Half Price Books and I had to get it. I did not want it to end, and I wish I could afford her other books. It is a graphic book with crazy fetching, sometimes laugh out loud, sometimes very sad cartoons with a storyline. Her parents in Brooklyn were getting old and she was married with children in Connecticut. She is wonderful at making in depth characters of her father and mother. Close to her father, he declined the fastest and had dementia. Her mother was an authoritative, I am right person. It is a tale of losing your parents, their experiences at an assisted facility, and so much more. I recognized myselt in some of it, like not getting out so much and also being a daughter having to clean out her parents apartment that they had lived in for several decades. I love this books so much!!!!!”
Also started The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky, a new translation by Michael Katz. I have never read this one before, and I must say I feel a little brave for starting it because it is almost 800 pages long. But the first 89 pages are wonderfully character-driven. The main character is a mixture of Dostoevsky himself; both had epilepsy, and some personal details about him are in the book. Both the character and the author went to Switzerland for treatment of epilepsy, and he tells a little about what he saw and experienced there. The second part of the mixture was Don Quixote; the author was fascinated by that book. I was so happy because I loved that book too. And the last part of the mixture of this character is Jesus. I am enjoying it immensely; can I make it through the almost 800 pages? I am thinking yes, but it will take time.
I’ve said this before, Carol, but you read some difficult books. Good for you!
Carol, I am going to look for a copy of Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant! It sounds wonderful. And I’m sure both David and I will be able to relate to the parts about cleaning out parents’ homes.
Good morning, all. Weather has been pretty good here – we had four days in a row of cooler and much less humid days, unusual for July – and even when the area was inundated with rain, our neighborhood got off easy. It’s getting warmer again, but low to mid-80s is normal and nothing like the 100 we had a couple of weeks ago.
Lesa, as you know, we love 1776. We saw the original Broadway production back in the dark ages before we were married, and saw the revival with Brent Spiner (Data in Star Trek) in 1997, and we watch the movie version every July 4.
We’re not seeing Lesa’s favorite Ramin Karimloo (Alfie Boe is starring) but we are seeing the Arena Spectacular World Tour of LES MISERABLES on Saturday at Radio City Music Hall, where it is ending it’s nearly two years long Tour. We saw the show in London’s Palace Theatre in 1986, 1992 and 1999. The Palace seats 1400. Radio City’s capacity is nearly 6,000. There will be a full orchestra and a cast of 100.
Up next: books.
Also, for those who haven’t seen it, Radio City is a gorgeous art deco theater- the biggest in the world when it opened in 1932. KING KONG premiered there in 1932. I remember going to see A MAJORITY OF ONE (starring Rosalind Russell) with my mother and grandmother in 1961, and in the ’70s Jackie and I saw some mediocre movies there as the rumors of closing spread. I believe there are tours backstage these days.
Sounds as if the weather is much better, Jeff.
I like Alfie Boe. He starred in the version I have on dvd. But, Ramin will always be my favorite. He’s been starring as Sweeney Todd in Birmingham, England to rave reviews. I’d go see this touring version if I was there.
I’ve been to Radio Music Hall for the Christmas show. So impressive!
I was going to mention the Christmas Show and the Rockettes.
Boe played Jean Valjean in London and the 25th Anniversary Concert and the 2014 Broadway revival, so he certainly knows the role.
Good morning, all! This week I put the finishing touches on the quarterly newsletter I produce for Sisters in Crime of NorCal–all 38 pages of it! I have to say that some of the articles are quite different from the norm–about cannabis crimes, the psychology of serial killers, aging, becoming a SF deckhand, and psychedelics. More “normal” articles included how writing cozies had led the author to decide what kind of retirement he wants and what an author learned from the first time she read an excerpt from her new novel at our twice-a-year author showcase. Plus, we had a lively member profile of author Lynda McDaniel, who writes the Appalachian Mountain Mysteries, a nonfiction series, and 1200+ articles for major magazines and newspapers (I supply the questions by email and the author responds by email). I still managed to finish three books.
WE CHASE SHADOWS is the second in Richard Osman’s We Solve Murders series. Retired cop Steve, experienced professional bodyguard (and Steve’s daughter-in-law) Amy, and their former client, celebrated crime fiction author Rosie, have officially opened an investigation business together, and they finally have their first client. Vern is a low-level gangster whose bodyguard (one of three) has been murdered, leaving a note identifying the killer. Vern is desperate to find out who has targeted him and his security agent before it’s too late, which launches an investigation that spans numerous venues, including Italy, Sweden, Palm Springs, Spain, and England. I enjoyed the quirky characters in the first book, but they wore a bit thin for me in this one. I didn’t succeed in engaging with any of them, although some dashes of humor were entertaining. The case felt cluttered with too many characters and too much meandering conversation, much of which had nothing to do with the case. I am a huge fan of Osman’s Thursday Murder Club books, which have a much different tone and more appealing characters, and will continue to follow that series. I wish I were more motivated to keep reading this newer series. I have to say that there are tons of very positive reviews for this book so I must conclude that it’s just not the right series for me.. (September )
Middle grade/YA author Susin Nielsen’s first adult novel, SNAP, is the entertaining story of three downtrodden people who meet in an anger management class in Canada and build a relationship as they are forced to pick up trash on the side of the road. Frances, 55, is a successful YA author who snaps when a 12-year-old boy intentionally interrupts and disrespects her as she makes a presentation to his class and a classmate films her over-the-top reaction. Parker, a costumer and creative designer in her early twenties, snaps when she is accosted by two persistently lecherous men–one on the job and one in a mall. And auto mechanic Geraint, 41, snaps when his boss steals his money and his wife and limits his time with his beloved young son. What each of these people did when they snapped caused criminal charges to be filed, but their lawyers were able to divert them into an alternative program requiring a written apology and an 8-week program of anger management classes and community service. Each of them had good reason to be unhappy, even before they snapped, but this might be the last straw for their personal lives and careers. They dream of getting even with their tormentors but know that they need to stick with the program to clear their records. Assistance appears from diverse resources–old friends and associates, new and unexpected friends (including each other), even the officer with a tough reputation who monitors their progress. I enjoyed and empathized with all three protagonists and rooted for them to succeed in both learning how to handle their emotions in a more positive way and triumphing over their antagonists. I found this to be a fun, heartwarming, often humorous, and uplifting book and a fast read. I hope the author writes more adult books in the future. My thanks to Lindy and Sharon for recommending this one! It was the right book at the right time for me.
I really enjoy Ellen Byron’s Vintage Cookbook Mysteries, and I think I like book #5, A MURDERER’S GUIDE TO MARDI GRAS, the most (so far). I guess that’s because, as someone who has never been to New Orleans, I was excited to be immersed in the annual festival and to learn a lot about it in this book. Who knew that there is a “Lundi Gras,” the Monday just before Fat Tuesday?. That there are so many krewes (social organizations) that participate, some of them with their own royalty and parade? That participation in some of the events can be quite costly, including the rental or purchase of formal clothing? That passengers on the upper level of a parade float need to watch out for low-hanging tree branches?. I’d never heard the word “throw” as a noun that describes what is tossed to parade bystanders from floats–beads, of course, and specialty items, some of which are highly coveted–but I am in now in the know. Author Ellen Byron says she researched the book by participating in several krewes, so I trust that most or all I read is true. Except for the murders, of course, and the mystery is well constructed and presented. I also enjoy Ricki Diaz-James, the proprietor of Miss Vee’s Vintage Cookbook and Kitchenware Shop, and her circle of friends, each one a distinct and (mostly) relatable character. The book is thoroughly entertaining, informative, and just plain fun. I look forward to more entries in this series. (August 4)
Margie, I’m happy you enjoyed reading Snap. It had been on my shelf for quite some time before I finally picked it up myself. I was annoyed I hadn’t read it earlier since I liked it so much when I finally read it. I love being surprised by a book!
I remember thinking “the pub trivia was my favorite part” when I finished the first in the We Solve Murders series. Not a series I’m going to continue.
I agree, MM, and it only had a brief reference in the second book!
The sad thing, Margie, is I can see myself “snapping”.
I feel the same way you do about the other two books. I didn’t like Richard Osman’s first in the new series! So didn’t read the second. And, really enjoyed the latest in Ellen Byron’s series.
Books at last.
I can tell when Jackie really likes a book when she keeps talking about it or reading me excerpts. She really liked Abby Jimenez’s SAY YOU’L REMEMBER ME.
Samantha is a “social media manager” (writing about mustard!) and Xavier is a veterinarian. But soon after they get together she has to leave Minnesota for California to help take care of her mother, who has early onset Alzheimers.
She loved the book.
In 2021I discovered Antonya Nelson and read her seven short story collections that year. This year I found her husband, Robert Boswell. THE HEYDAY OF THE INSENSITIVE BASTARDS is the first if his collections I’ve read. I enjoyed several of the stories lot, others not so much. So far, I prefer Nelson.
I know I wrote about THE TRAVELER (by Joseph Eckert) last week. He did go on traveling further and further into the future, as each daily jump doubles the previous one. Let’s just say there was NOT a happy ending, nor was it an “it was all a dream.” He does get an answer as to why him and who was doing it, but trust me, that doesn’t help. I am not sorry I read it, but I would hesitate to recommend it to others.
A few weeks back I started E. A. Jackson’s first mystery, MISSING, but had to put it aside for THE TRAVELER. I found the first section a little slow (if interesting).at times. In a 1990 London heat wave, baby Bella is stolen from the open window of her parents’ hotel room. Inspector Martha Allen is in charge of her first major case, but things move slowly. There aren’t many clues and there is no ransom demand. The father seems her prime suspect.
Then an 28 year old woman turns up with a baby she says she found on a park bench. Is it Bella (the parents say it is) and what’s the real story? The girl disappears and Martha is ordered to drop the case.
The second- better- half takes place 30 years later. Martha is now a Superintendent when she gets a call from her former PC that the girl who found the baby has turned p murdered in Bristol. This leads to a much more fast paced investigation as Martha is determined find out what happened before, while trying not to run afoul of the Old Boys Club still running the police. I know some may object to the final twist, but I thought it worked in the context of the story. I would definitely read another of her books.
Current reading:
Craig Johnson, THE BROTHERS McKAY. The latest Walt Longmire book. I must admit that I never read THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV he used as a model, but good so far.
Janet Fash, LIFEGUARD: A Love Story. Fashion was the first female lifeguard chief at Rockaway Beach, the only real ocean beach in New York City. She tells er memoir in a straightforward but compelling way. Recommended.
You probably should have stuck with Missing, Jeff, instead of The Traveler. I agree with you. I thought the ending was just right.
Now, I don’t feel bad that I never read The Brothers Karamazov.
I’ve never read one of Abby Jimenez’ books, although my sister has. Maybe I should check this one out if Jackie loved it.
Linda, loved the story of Evelyn’s ice cream taste test. Jackie wants to know; what were the brands ( not that she is likely to know them).
MM, I read the Milne RED HOUSE MYSTERY 50 years ago.
Carol, I love Roz Chast and I loved that book. I live in Brooklyn and I grew up not too far from the area where her parents lived.
And speaking of Dostoevsky, my brother- in his druggie days – gave my youngest sister a copy of CRIME AND PUNISHMENT for her eighth birthday!
Margie, SNAP sounds good, and it reminds me of a British TV show, THE OUTLAWS, that also involves a diverse group sentenced to community service. I think it’s on Amazon Prime.
Lindy, again I must apologize for Autocorrect changing your name to Linda.
Jeff, the brand of the runner-up strawberry ice cream is Organic Meadow (based in Guelph, Ontario) and the winner is ‘strawberry and cream’ from Avalon Dairy (just a 45 minute drive from my house, except that it’s widely available in the grocery stores here). If you and Jackie are ever out this way you must try some!
I dislike Auto-correct with a passion myself, so no apologies necessary!
Enjoy 1776, Lesa! We loved our production of it last month at the Incline Theater. Last weekend we saw Love, Patsy Cline. We had a live band on stage which made it even more enjoyable.
None of my books were stellar this week. I gave up on and the other three were only okay.
I Used to Be Fun by Melanie Summers was a about a woman’s midlife crisis. I could not agree to her choice of chucking it all and applying to take the LSAT without at least consulting her husband, then there was the entitled teenage daughter who spent the book angry at her mother for using her college fund for her own selfish reasons. I loved the 15-year-old son and schemes to plan the most epic Halloween party so there was that highlight. The ending while plausible was way over the top for me.
Moving on. Little One by Olivia Muenter was about Catharine West raised in a cult. It was told in alternating chapters from when she was in the cult to 10 years later after she escaped. She is being pursued by a journalist to tell her story. I actually kept turning pages until it got to the last fourth and then it was rather anticlimactic even thought I should have gasped at how she escaped.
My last book was The Queen’s Coronation by Jennifer Ryan. I usually like her books, but this one felt flat to me. Perhaps if she had spent more time on the actual coronation instead of the three main characters. Her author’s note explained the rationale for each character which made sense, but I found it rather boring.
Another cooler day for us before rain and the heat wave return.
Enjoy your visit with you Mom.
Happy Reading!
Oh, I’ve seen Love, Patsy Cline, Sharon. I really enjoyed it. Looking forward to 1776 tomorrow night.
You’re right. The books sound okay, but not great.
Enjoy your next week of reading!
We’ve had some great weather here this week – sunny, 70’s and no smoke. My husband has been traveling so I am home with the dog. I took a real vacation day yesterday and read most of the day, outside. It was heavenly!
This past week I finished Poppy Montgomery Gets Even by Gordon Jack. I thought that this was a fun book I appreciated old people depicted as having spunk and intelligence. Especially liked how much Poppy swore! Women in a senior home are getting scammed online inside a dating app called Senior Moments. Poppy’s BF Ginny is one if these women. She has allowed a man access to her banking account to launder money. Poppy, with the help of her basement living grandson, scam the scammers. There are wonderful moments of friendship, building self awareness, and family dynamics that end well.
Mary, Poppy Montgomery is my current book. I agree it’s lots of fun!
Mary M, Gordon Jack wrote an article in the August 2026 issue of The Stiletta, the Sisters in Crime NorCal newsletter, of which I am the editor. It’s titled “Retire at Your Own Risk: What Writing a Cozy Mystery Taught Me About Community.” The August issue should be posted in the next couple of days and can be found at https://www.sincnorcal.org/newsletter/.
Thanks Margie. I’ll keep an eye out for it!
The issue is available now.
Mary, I hope you and the dog enjoyed your day off. I’m glad you didn’t have smoke.
Poppy Montgomery does sound like a fun book. Thanks for talking about that one!
Ooh, this book sounds good Mary! Onto my list it goes.
Will look forward to hearing if you like it, Lindy!
Hello! Nothing exciting to tell, except that today my husband Peter and I have been married for 38 years. We decided to go out to dinner tomorrow night to a favorite restaurant, and today was a perfectly normal, pleasant day. For me, it has been a week of writing slowly but steadily on my novel (which is not a mystery) and taking walks alone, with Peter, or with friends.
I’ll start by raving (as everyone else does) about WHISTLER, Ann Patchett’s newest book. I still have an hour more to listen to, but I’ve loved every word so far, and I can’t imagine how the last few chapters can change that. It’s wonderfully written, full of delightful and realistic people talking to each other about life and books and remembering their pasts together. The people who aren’t likable are also realistic yet fascinating in their unlikableness! It is a happy, funny, and very moving story. I’ll tell you what it’s actually about next week when I’ve finished it.
I’m reading the third of a new mystery series I started last week, which is set in Regency England. The hero who ends up solving unexpected problems and finding the answers to important questions is Lord Julian Caldicott, the brother of a duke and a former spy who was captured and badly tortured by the French during the Napoleonic Wars. Don’t worry; we don’t have to hear the details of the torture, but we know that’s why he’s taking a long time to recover his normal health, mental and physical. In each book (I’m halfway through the third of 13–hurray, still ten to go), someone disappears, or is attacked, or behaves in a totally unexpected way, and Lord J has to figure out what’s going on. So far, I find them clever, amusing, surprising, and lots of fun to read. The first one is A GENTLEMAN FALLEN ON HARD TIMES, and the series is by Grace Burrowes. Lesa, you’ll be pleased to hear that so far they are all under 300 pages!
Lesa, it’s great to hear that you, your mother, and your sister are treating yourselves to a high tea. I hope it’s delicious and a little bit sinful!
Oh yes, we’re going to the ODYSSEY movie on Sunday. It’s amazing what a fuss the media (even in Switzerland) is making about that movie. Even if it’s awful, I’ll be glad to have seen it just to have my own opinion!
I really liked Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant by Roz Chast. I enjoy that style of graphic novel and thought she handled the material well. Thanks for reminding me of it!
Happy anniversary! I loved the audiobook of Whistler (read by Ann Patchett herself) and look forward to hearing what you say about the book next week.
Happy anniversary, Kim! I’m glad to hear you loved Whistler. It will be the selection of my book club in a couple of months, and I am really looking forward to it. I requested it on NetGalley, but my request stayed pending past the pub date, so I gave up there. Hopefully I can get it from the library when the time comes.
Happy Anniversary, Kim! 38 years is quite an accomplishment.
The people in my family who saw The Odyssey liked it. I’ll be interested to hear your opinion.
We had a wonderful time, and good food. I’ll try to post a photo next Thursday.
Kim, Happy Anniversary.
Happy Anniversary to you and Peter! I hope you enjoy your special dinner out together tomorrow.
I hope you are having a great day with your Mom and Christie. I would love to see 1776 live. We have only seen the film. We have watched it many times, and we enjoy it every time.
We continue to have excessive heat warnings here in Santa Barbara / Goleta, but it never gets as hot as the warnings say. Maybe because we are relatively close to the beach? Earlier in the day we have had overcast skies, but later in the day it is sunny and hot enough to keep up indoors and we are not getting much done. Tomorrow I have a return visit to the doctor to check on how I have been feeling after the urgent care visit 6 weeks ago and the tests that followed, and mostly I feel better, not as fatigued.
Glen is still reading HOUSE OF FICTION by Phyllis Richardson but he decided to take a break from that and is now reading HITMAN by Parnell Hall. That book is #16 in the Stanley Hastings series and then he will only have four more books to read in that series. He has also read two books in the Steve Winslow series by Parnell Hall, writing as J.P. Hailey, and he can return to that series.
This week I read WELCOME TO THE HYUMAN-DONG BOOKSHOP by Hwang Bo-Reum, translated from Korean by Shanna Tan. Set in South Korea. The main character opens a bookshop after leaving a high stress job, and the story focuses on the effort she makes to set up the bookshop and improve on it. She isn’t sure whether it will succeed or even whether she will want to keep it running. And there is a lot of emphasis on developing new relationships and the employees and customers. I loved it.
I wanted to immediately start reading a nonfiction book by the same author, titled EVERY DAY I READ, but I also want to finish the books on my 20 Books of Summer challenge, so I guess I will wait a month or two. Glen has read both of Bo-reum’s books and liked them a lot.
I have just started reading COUNT THEM ONE BY ONE: BLACK MISSISSIPPIANS FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHT TO VOTE by Gordon A. Martin, Jr. It is a nonfiction book written by a lawyer who went to Mississippi and worked on a lawsuit against a voting registrar who refused to register black citizens to vote in Forrest County, Mississippi in the early 1960s. The books was published in 2010.
Tracy, I enjoy the film of 1776, too. I hope the play is just as much fun.
Bo-Reum’s books do sound good. I’ll have to look for them. Thank you!
I’m happy to hear you’ve been feeling better. I hope it stays that way!
I am so late today, sorry! I spent the last week in Philadelphia, which was really fun. Friday night we went to see the Yankees play the Phillies, and this Yankee fan enjoyed that the Yankees won. Everyone, including the Philly Phanatic, was super-excited about LeBron coming to play for the Sixers. I was able to get a veggie dog at the stadium but it was super overcooked and not very good.
Saturday we took Amtrak to Lancaster to shop for Amish-made furniture. We went to a place we’ve ordered from before and picked out a nice media center that will be delivered to our home in RI in January. Sunday I surprised an Episcopal priest friend at his church, where they had the most Philly coffee hour ever—hoagies and tastycakes.
I took a 5 mile walk along the river and ended up having a lot of foot pain, so the rest of the trip mostly involved reading and eating. I had some tasty Salvadoran food and decadent donuts at the Reading Terminal Market and went to a fun English pub.
And on to the reading! Emma Straub’s American Fantasy, about a middle-aged woman taking a cruise centered on her teenage boy band obsession was fun and touching. At one point the protagonist mentions reading a dragon book, so I started rereading the Iron Wing series.
My son wants to see the Odyssey in IMAX, and I enjoy our film discussions. (Once at the end of the year when he was in high school we had a little Studio Ghibli film festival.) To get ready for going on Monday I’ve been reading Emily Wilson’s translation and listening to the audio version narrated by Clare Danes. I’ve listened to/read The Odyssey before, but it is still strangely compelling.
Have a great week!
Trisha, I just love the account of your coffee hour at the Episcopal church. That is so funny. And, an English pub! I’m in.
I’m sorry you hurt your foot in order to have more reading time.
My niece’s wife owns about four copies of The Odyssey. I only read it once. As I said earlier to Kim, everyone in my family who saw it liked it.
You’ve had a busy week Trisha. It’s a long wait till January for your new media center!
And that’s quite a long walk you took, but I bet it was beautiful.
I haven’t been doing a whole lot, because it’s hot. Mainly trying new boba places. You just know someday, there’ll be a crash and most of them will disappear, probably the ones I like best.
This week I read:
Paper, Scissors, Death by Joanna Campbell Slan; Apparently there are over 20 books in this series, but this may be the only one I read. Our sleuth spends the first six chapters whining about how she doesn’t fit in with her hoity toity neighbors. Then, her husband dies mysteriously while naked in a hotel room, and she loses everything. She whines about that even more. She’d complain if she got hung with a new rope.
Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn; Everyone else has read this, I think. It’s a pretty good espionage novel for fans of the Pickles comic strip.
Sacred Blood by CT Clark; basically a comic book in print, an X-men type riff, but not a very good one.
Responsible RVing by by Dave Letterfly Knoderer; a book about how to live in an RV and not spend all your time at the repair shop or the gas station. Useful for some.
It actually sounds, Glen, as if the boba places were the highlight of your week. It’s tough to relax and read when it’s so hot.
Sounds as if Killers of a Certain Age wasn’t quite your type of book. That one was much better than the second one.
Lesa,
Well, I’m really more of a Fusco Brothers fan, so I probably wasn’t the target audience.
I do get a kick out of the Pickles strip, but think I’ll skip the Raybourn book.