Welcome to Thursday, and “What Are You Reading?” I can’t wait to find out your book choices this
week.
Don’t judge Jess Montgomery’s book, The Widows, by the fact that I’m still reading it. I was sick for three days, and didn’t read much of anything. I’ll finish this and have a review on Saturday. Actually, it’s an intriguing book featuring two strong, wonderful women. I’m recommending this book to my best friend, which I wouldn’t do unless it was a terrific book.
I’m finishing The Widows. What are you reading this week?
I'm reading the new Serge Storm book – NO SUNSCREEN FOR THE DEAD – by Tim Dorsey. I was already smiling and giggling to myself as I turned the first page. Love that wacky Florida genre.
I am reading A Murder For The Books by Victoria Gilbert.
I finished Once Upon A River by Diane Setterfield which was really good.
Now I am reading Harry's Trees by Jon Cohen. On her blog Anne Bogel, the author of I'd Rather Be Reading, said it was probably her favorite book last year. I am not sure I would say that but I am only halfway through. I am really enjoying it.
Winter has come back to Columbus, Ohio where I live so there will be lots of reading time while I stay indoors to keep warm.
Happy Reading!
I read a very good first mystery that I'm sure many of the readers here (especially dog lovers) would enjoy, A BORROWING OF BONES by Paula Munier. When Mercy Carr was 14, she had a crush on the lifeguard at the local pool, Troy Warner. Fifteen years later, Mercy is home from Afghanistan after being wounded and losing her fiance. She has his bomb-sniffing dog, Elvis (a Belgian Malinois), who has PTSD. Troy is now a game warden in their native Vermont, along with his rescue Newfoundland, Susie Bear. It starts when Mercy and Elvis find a baby in the woods. I see romance in the future.
A couple of years ago, my favorite book of the year was Lou Berney's THE LONG AND FARAWAY GONE. Now I'm reading his excellent NOVEMBER ROAD, set in 1963 and involving the JFK assassination. It is extremely well written and really pulls the reader along.
The latest in the 100+ year old short stories I've been reading is a collection from mother and son K. and Hesketh Pearson (published as E. and H. Heron), FLAXMAN LOW, OCCULT PSYCHOLOGIST. He was supposed to be the first "occult detective" but that hardly makes him the best. Readable, but I'd recommend CARNACKI THE GHOST FINDER by William Hope Hodgson instead.
I just finished A BORROWING OF BONES by Paula Munier, and I agree with Jeff. Very, very good. Right now I'm reading BECOMING by Michelle Obama and AN ELDERLY LADY IS UP TO NO GOOD by Helene Tursten.
Sandie, You might have even been the one who first introduced me to Tim Dorsey so many years ago.
Deb, I have that book someplace on a pile.
Yes, we don't have the snow yet here, Sharon, but we have the winter temperatures. Good reading environment.
I really liked A Borrowing of Bones, Jeff. It's nice to see that several of you have read and enjoyed it.And, I'm glad Lou Berney's book moved up on your TBR pile.
I need to get back to Becoming, Karen. I enjoyed it when I started it, had to take it back to the library, and, after buying my own copy, haven't picked it up again.
Recently finished Death Under Stairs by Jennifer Ashley set in London in the late 1800's. It was the first in a series and am looking forward to the second one. Then on to Pacific Homicide by Patricia Smiley – the first in a series and as much a mystery as a charterer driven book.
Next up is the newest Cackleberry book by Laura Childs – Eggs on Ice. They are always silly fun.
Love the Victoria Gilbert books and I see there is a new one coming out in February. Have the Burrowing of Bones in my pile from the library, will move it up.
Finished:
An Aegean April by Jeffrey Siger
Hamburgers, Homicide and a Honeymoon (book 5) by Sherri Bryan
Reading:
Pacific Homicide by Patricia Smiley
Crab Cakes, Killers and a Kaftan ( book 6) by Sherri Bryan
I read a cozy mystery, TWAS THE KNIFE BEFORE CHRISTMAS by Jaqueline Frost
THE DREAM GATHERER by Kristen Britain, a very short book of fantasy stories set in her Green Rider world. If I had paid $14 for it I would have been annoyed since it was only about 150 pages but it was a library book. It was a read once type of book.
BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE by Sara Driscoll. This is the second book in her FBI K-9 series. Both my Mom and I are enjoying them. These are not cozy since the two I’ve read deal with serial killers.
THE AMISH SWEET SHOP which features 3 short romances by Emma Miller, Laura Bradford and Mary Ellis. Not my usual read but I’d read Emma and Laura’s Amish mysteries so I gave this a try. It was a good break from all of the mysteries I’ve been reading.
Not sure what I’m going to start next.
It's been a rough week, but I did manage to finish one book, Juliet Blackwell's THE LOST CAROUSEL OF PROVENCE. I always find Blackwell's Paris-themed books delightful. In one of two parallel stories, a company of artists creates a custom carousel in Provence for a wealthy family at the turn of the century. In the present, a young photographer with a troubled past and an inherited damaged carousel animal travels to Paris to create a book of photographs of French carousels and stumbles on a family who may be the descendants of members of that same company of artists. If this sounds familiar, it's because Lesa has already reviewed it.
I'm currently reading E.J. Copperman's BIRD, BATH AND BEYOND, which has a lot of the author's signature humor. Just what I need right now.
To all who mentioned Paula Munier's book, I heartily agree. I'll look for her next one. Sharon, I have also started following Anne Bogel's blog and almost got HARRY'S TREES from the library, but I'm just too behind in my reading right now. You'll have to tell us how you liked it after you finish it. You and I seem to have similar tastes.
I love to get all these recommendations! I've got a copy of A BORROWING OF BONES and will pull it off the shelf so I can remember to start it before long. And I've done the same for Aimee Hix's first book, WHAT DOESN'T KILL YOU as the second in the series, DARK STREETS, COLD SUBURBS just came out on Tuesday. So many lovely books.
I finally finished the 2-book saga by Herman Wouk about WWII yesterday (WINDS OF WAR and WAR AND REMEMBRANCE). I'm leading a group discussion of books by this Pulitzer Prize winner (who is still around at the age of 103) next Tuesday. I started KINGDOM OF THE BLIND by Louise Penny last night and will take my time with it. I savor those.
I should be finishing up Not a Creature was Stirring by Christina Freeburn today. I’ve been enjoying it.
I finished THE MUSIC SHOP (Rachel Joyce) and would especially recommend it to any music lover (I'm a retired independent piano teacher). Frank runs a record shop – vinyl only! – somewhere in England. I love the cast of eccentric characters but mostly I love Frank's recommendations of what to listen to for his customers. The mix of music genres is interesting. Now I've started ANATOMY OF A SCANDAL (Sarah Vaughan). The author's name reminds me of the singer with the same name. In the 1950's my favorite aunt used to see her often in her neighborhood in NYC.
I read more books than i have been reading lately.
Blood and Thunder's Cliffhanger Classics volume 1 and 2 by Ed Hulse; Collections of essays written about movie serials. Some of the most interesting stuff was on the silent era.
Monster Mash by Mark Voger; About the monster fad that lasted from 1957-1972; I always felt like I just missed this.
The League of Regrettable Sidekicks by Jon Morris; Third book in the Regrettable series. Morris doesn't know the difference between a sidekick and a henchman.
5 Minute Mysteries by Ken Weber;A lot tougher than the Sobol book.
Affair for the Baron by John Creasey; Written in 1967, and you can tell it.
Cowboys Creatures and Classics; The story of Republic Pictures, bankrupted by CEO dubness.
1916: The Blog; a sort of parody about a primitive internet in 1916. The author either forgot or didn't know that the humor of these things comes not only from what we know that those in the past don't, but what those in the past know that we've forgotten.
A Good Bunch of Men; Sort of a buddy cop book, only you're not quite sure which one is Murtaugh and which one is Riggs.
Fish Among Water; An Australian military thriller.
WCW The Alternate Timeline; Explores how the wrestling company WCW could have staved off bankruptcy after the Monday Night Wars.
Majic Man by Max Allan Collins; Heller goes to Roswell. I like these better when I agree with Collins's theory, and in this case, I'm on the fence.
Lost Colony by T.V. Olson; Lost Race novel set in the Arctic. Archaic even for the 1930's.
Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann; Most chilling True Crime book I've read in a while. The more the FBI changes, the more they stay the same.
White Ninja by Eric Van Lustbader; Nicholas Linnear is a lot like Agent Pendergast, only Nick gets a lot more sex.
Thank you everyone for sharing your reading lists. I appreciate it when we find what we need to read, what fits our mood. Margie needed some humor and escapism. It looks like you're reading a lot of TV and Hollywood right now, Glen. It looks like we've moved beyond the holidays. Everyone is back to reading something, and it looks like we all found something that suited our mood. Good for us!
Happy Reading, everyone. As always, thank you for talking books!
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