It’s Thursday! Let’s talk about books! I get to talk books for Ask a Librarian on Twitter today, and I love to read what you’re all reading or listening to this week.
I’ve just started a July release. AJ Pearce’s debut is Dear Mrs. Bird. Here’s the quick summary since I’ve only read the first chapter. “An irresistible debut set in London during
World War II about an adventurous young woman who becomes a secret advice
columnist— a warm, funny, and enormously moving story for fans of The Guernsey Literary and
Potato Peel Pie Society and Lilac Girls.” I’m looking forward to this one.
I hope you’ve found a book or two to enjoy in the last week. Tell us about them, please.
A book, or two? Maybe five or six? I'm pretty out of control at the moment, with so many books going at once I am jumping from one to the other to the next. Starting with short stories, then:
Robert Sheckley, Store of the World. Collection of his science fiction stories.
Elaine Viets, Deal With the Devil and 13 Short Stories. Mysteries,
Edward D. Hoch, The Night My Friend. Collection of his earlier non-series stories.
I'm reading one story from each of these every day, before I read anything else. And I have one more collection (this one downloaded from the library, so I'm going to have to add it to the mix), Allen Steele's first SF collection, Rude Astronauts.
I also read HOODOO HARRY yesterday, a Hap & Leonard novella by Joe R. Lansdale.
In non-fiction: while waiting for his new book to come in at the library, I'm reading David Sedaris's Theft By Finding: Diaries 1977-2002. He was 20 when this started. (This is a library download.)
Also reading Jamie Freveletti's exciting Blood Run, her fifth Emma Caldridge book, plus I've started (since his death) Philip Roth's American Pastoral, which many people consider his best book.
Plus I have two more books waiting at the library for me to pick them up – more short story collections, by Robert Aickman and Jim Butcher. We'll see if I get to them. There are eight other books on hold as well.
Oh, I do hope you enjoy Dear Mrs. Bird! I loved it! I'm reading Christine Trent's Lady of Ashes. First book in her Victorian lady undertaker series. Lots of interesting Victorian life and trivia. And I'm probably going to be doing rereads on audio this summer. I like doing that periodically. Right now, I'm listening to Kelley Armstrong's The Summoning – a fun YA book.
I finished the following:
The Koala Death by Betty Webb
Death by Rum balls by Colleen Mooney
Now reading the following:
Murder with Lemon Tea Cakes by Karen Rose Smith
I will start a new book by either Betty Webb or Jeffrey Siger.
Lesa, you wrote that you were going to a wedding this weekend. Have a safe trip. Enjoy your time with family and friends.
May all your books be enjoyable this week.
📕📕📕📕📕📕📕☕️
Ha, Jeff! Well, I was giving people a chance if they didn't get to as many books as you do every week. Unfortunately, my TBR pile probably looks a lot like yours – piled high & I read a chapter or two before moving on to the next book. I do love to read, though, about all of you who are getting your books at the library. Thank you!
Kay, I think I'm going to like Dear Mrs. Bird. I've only read a chapter, but I like the voice. As to audio books, I should probably listen to books I've already read and enjoyed. My sister said she has the same issue I do with them. We can read so much faster. She listened to one in the car when she came to visit me, but knew she wouldn't finish it. She said she was going to check out the book and finish reading it.
Thank you, Charlotte! Yes, one of my nephews is getting married. Rooming with my mom & youngest sister, so I'll have extra family time, which is always nice.
I'm so glad you're enjoying Betty Webb's series!
I love Amanda Flower's Magical Bookshop and Amish Candy Shop Mysteries, so I was looking forward to her new Magic Garden Mystery series, starting with Flowers and Foul Play. Former florist Fiona has visited small-town Scotland several times over the years and stayed with her godfather, Ian McCallister. But now Ian is dead and has left her his home and his walled garden, which has fallen into ruin. Although the garden starts reviving upon Fiona's arrival, it is also the site where she finds a dead body. There are some charming elements and the series shows promise.
Thanks to Dorothea Benton Frank's beautiful writing and attention to detail, By Invitation Only is an elevated feel-good book. Diane, a divorcee who is running the family farm in South Carolina with her brother, and Susan, the spoiled and elitist wife of a Chicago millionaire, are about to become in-laws, as their only children become engaged. Both sides of the family-to-be suffer culture shock, to say the least. The book is about family, its joys and challenges, wonderfully portrayed and heartfelt, and never overplayed. It is intriguing to see the characters evolve, and the end couldn't be more satisfying. I highly recommend it.
Thanks to Lesa's recommendation, I picked up a book in the Reverend Mother Mystery series by Cora Harrison–Beyond Absolution–and enjoyed the portrayal of Irish politics in the 1920s and Reverend Mother's involvement in investigating a murder.
I've started Stephen King's new book, The Outsider, and at page 188 (over over 500) am speeding through it. More on this next time.
Dear Mrs Bird sounds great.
Just started Thrice the Brindled Cat Hath Mewed.
I need to read Dorothea Benton Frank's book before next Saturday, Margie. She's appearing here at our library! I think I've done more for Cora Harrison's series than anyone. But, I really like those books.
Ah, an Alan Bradley fan, Liz?
I finished COLOR ME MURDER by Krista Davis and really enjoyed it. It takes place in a book store in Georgetown where the main character works as well as publishes adult coloring books. Not too many characters to keep track of and no love triangle both of which are bonuses for me 🙂
Now I am reading BEACH HOUSE REUNION by Mary Alice Monroe. I've loved them all and so far this one is pretty terrific as well.
Happy Almost Weekend!
The NY Times had a "By the Book" today (features various authors telling what they read) featuring Bill Clinton. When asked where he reads, he said "everywhere. At my work table, in my easy chair, in bed and on the plane. Even in the car when I'm not too tired."
I read American Detective by Loren D. Estleman; Ivan Monk tries to stop the wedding of the daughter of a Hall of Fame pitcher.
Luck Be A Lady, Don't Die by Robert Randisi; A Rat Pack mystery. To be honest, I thought the Rat Pack would be detectives, but instead, it's about a pit boss doing favors for the Rat Pack.
Shockwave by James D. Born; a Florida novel about the pursuit of a bomber, but mostly about the bumbling interagency politics involved.
South of Shiloh by Chuck Logan; a novel about a murder during a Civil War re-enactment. Maybe people from Minnesota shouldn't be writing about the South.
Dino Wars; a terrible book about a war between dinosaurs and humans.
A Lethal Spectre, a Victorian mystery novel, where there was so much talking and discussing manners, I lost track of what the story was supposed to be about.
Ghosts in Macau; I'd like to visit Macau, and that's why I read this spy story that didn't dissuade me.
Indeed. Have read all of the Flavia series to date, and gave several to a friend with a science oriented preteen.
I haven't read that series by Krista Davis, Sharon. But, I like her books. And, I agree about the no love triangle. I like not having one.
Jeff, Thanks for including the note about Bill Clinton as a reader. I'm with him. I used to read at traffic lights until my husband hollered at me.
Sharon, thank you for mentioning Mary Alice Monroe's Beach House series. I haven't read any of them but they sound like something I would like, so I just bought the first one on Kindle for $1.99. I didn't want to read "Reunion" until I knew something about the people having the reunion!
Thank you all for you posts. I added a couple of them to my library lists.
You are welcome Margie. I hope you enjoy the Beach House series as much as I do.
This looks like my cup of tea. Adding to my Goodreads list.
Finished We Were Strangers Once last night. Reading The Science of Breakable Things by Tae Keller and will start The Murder That Never Was by Andrea Kane.