Janet’s Comments (group member since Dec 20, 2018)

Janet’s comments from the Devon Book Club group.

Hi Shona,
Good to meet you. What fantasy books have you read that you enjoyed? Oh! and what type of fantasy? I am not exactly into vampires and werewolves. I love fantasy that challenges one's prejudices and sense of what is possible.

Thank you!!! Shall check them out right away.

How are the first two books you mentioned? I greatly enjoy good fantasy writing.

Nascent wrote: "Hi all, I'm Lucy. I moved to South Devon 3 and a half years ago.

I've been a reader on and off throughout my life. I go through huge spurts and then dry spells.

This year has been a good one read..."

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Welcome to Devon and to the Devon Book Club, Lucy!

Ian wrote: "Janet wrote: "I am now zipping through Martha Wells' Murderbot series.
Great fun these and she is an engaging writer. I am completely (and so easily) drawn into the world she created for this seri..."
"Now I don't do that. In fact I try to read a new author A-Z every year to ensure I don't get stuck in a particular writers work. Again, interesting how we read so diffeerntly"

I should have mentioned I also read several books at once...
as in, currently, I am in the midst of eight books by eight different authors!
Absurd, I know. But each genre and unique story is like playing at a massive buffet table. Which is most delectable tonight? Hrmmm... that is a good place to stop and let those chapters seep in.... while I get back to this author's tale... or maybe I shall look up some of my favorite science guru's topics right now.
xD

Thanks for this personal share around your reading. I appreciate the subjective touch... makes me feel more like we are in conversation.
As a result of your ruminations, I am going to look into Colson Whitehead's The Underground Railroad. A part of my family (the Welsh part) helped the underground railroad by allowing the pack horses and people hide out in the caves on their land. I came across many books on the underground railroad through this life.... but it is your remark that this one holds more detail than you had previously read on this subject that makes me want to give it a go.
Thank you sincerely.
x j

Hello Geoff,
lovely to 'meet' you and to read your introduction.
I relate to your sharing about few contacts in the literary world. I am much the same.
Just curious, is Romansleigh where you lived before? If not, what made you choose the area? I ask because I still have not seen as much of Devon as I would like. My favorite attribute of Devon is the farms.
I've been something of a 'traveler' most of my life but my family heritage was our family farm...self-sustainable it was and it fed the whole clan! five generations of the clan.
A farm is a lovely place to find peace (and quiet) to write.
Many thanks to you for sharing.

I am now zipping through Martha Wells' Murderbot series.
Great fun these and she is an engaging writer. I am completely (and so easily) drawn into the world she ceated for this series.
In the past, I read one of her fantasys and enjoyed it, but there were other books calling to me. Now I am relooking over her works to see what else I might give a try.
I have this peculiarity where, once I enjoy an author, I want to read ALL of her work.

Went over & "liked" your page, William...(& a few of the live posts). Hopefully fb will let me know when new livestreams come up.

Thank you so much, Ian, for ALL that you are doing. Quite a bit! So please be certain to care for yourself through this as well.

I've had the same thought about our local bookshops too.
My husband and I also plan to utilise the library's e-book service because we do not want anyone saying that is not a valuable service!

We have been trying to be present for our neighbours, but so far, the situation is strange to people (as in what to ask for help on), plus they can still get to shops in towne (we're in Tavistock), so even the elderly in our neighbourhood keep doing their best to stay active.

Keeping an eye and ear out all the same. The weather has changed to lovely, sunny, here. Hoping that bodes well for everyone's health!
j

Karen wrote: "I feel like I did a disservice to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, so want to set the record straight. It's based on well researched fact and written by an interesting woman fro..."

Thanks for your update on this book, Karen.
I did not see your original message, but this recent message.
For an obstetrics/midwifery degree at the oldest midwifery service in the usa (in Kentucky), this story was required reading. Not this version however. The Kentucky librarians assisted those early nurse-midwives to know about impending births or troubles with mothers, babies, or family. They were like a news service of sorts due to their wonderful & amazingly heroic service to readers & writers!
So I should check out this version. The author is touted & I seem to recall being aware of her for other reasons.
Much gratitude for your followup message.
~j

Angela wrote: "I've just read two brilliant books of 'culture'. The Girl With The Louding Voice by Abi Dare - set in a rural village and Lagos, Nigeria. And 10 Minutes And 38 Seconds In This Strange World by Elif..."

These sound intriguing, Angela. Thank you for this share. I shall definitely try the The Girl With The Louding Voice, because I read some others in social media mentioning it.

Ian wrote: "Hi,
I have started this group as I am keen to hear from other book-lovers in Devon - to get recommendations, to discuss/debate our perspectives on what we are reading and to have a bit of virtual f..."

Hello dear Ian,
and thanks for starting this group. So glad to have found fellow readers.
I moved to Devon in 2014 to care fulltime for my mum-in-law whilst she gently died from Alzheimers and other chronic conditions over four and a half years. So, I did not get about much or meet anyone during that time. I am only now just spreading my wings.
As a child, my closest sister and I read many books that took place in this countryside and we fell in love with it from afar. ..though never far from our imagination!
She and I also write...poetry, short stories, novels, essays... on and on. She leads a popular ghost story tour in the Smokey Mountain region these days and owns a book store.
I am finishing up the last chapters of a scifi novel that I began writing prior to our realization that Mum could no longer manage her care independently and needed home bedside care.
...Writing this scifi, (nearly finished) and having a private alpha reader group reading it chapter by chapter as I proceed.
I appreciate all the suggestions of good books... I read around 40 to 50 books a year of all genres. But I ought to be upfront and say that speculative fiction is my fave, fantasy and scifi, mysteries old and new (I've lost count how many times I've read Agatha Christie's books), anything with hard science. Lynn Margulis being my beloved science hero, I keep reading her work too.
Hello hello, one and all, fellow readers!
...and again, thank you so much, Ian.

Ian wrote: "Jane wrote: "Hi Ian and all members of Devon Book Club

I moved to Devon July 2019 - looking forward to exploring the libraries, museums and locality. I have been an author since 2000.
I write self..."

Hi Jane! welcome to Devon...a more beautiful place to live I cannot imagine.
~janet

Finished : All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries #1) by Martha Wells .. last night. And began The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
(Inheritance Trilogy #1) by N.K. Jemisin last night as well!