Book Chat - CLOSED by original moderator discussion

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Curious minds want to know:

What are you reading?

How many stars?

Synopsis?

Did you like it?

Why?

Why not?

A Night to Remember – Walter Lord – 5*****
This is a first-hand account of what the people aboard the Titanic recall of the night she sank. It’s a gripping story, and Lord does a great job of bringing all these people to life. I get a real sense of the confusion and disbelief when the ship first strikes the iceberg. And later, of the chaos and panic when it is clear she will go down.
LINK to my review

His Majesty's Hope, Susan Elia MacNeal

★

I put this book down, all the explanation of the Nazi murders, what they did to Jewish men married to Aryan women and the description of Kinder-Euthanasie (Child Euthanasia) made me sick.

I also did not like the characters....

The Prime Minister's Secret Agent Susan Elia MacNeal

★ ★ ★

Maggie (A British WWII Spy) is recovering and retraining in Scotland when 3 ballerinas fall deathly ill in Glasgow.... They have the same symptoms of a dead sheep that Maggie found washed up on the beach....

Interesting look at chemical warfare, spies, covert government operations...

The story was interesting and the characters realistic

Mrs Roosevelt's Confidante Susan Elia MacNeal

★ ★

Mr Churchill is wanting the u.s. to join forces with England against the Nazi's, but President Roosevelt is not willing to do so. What changed Roosevelt's mind was the bombing of Pearl Harbor. This book examines the break down of the Japanese-American negotiations that led to the bombing, which brought the u.s. into WW II.

Maggie accompanies the Prime Minister to the White House only to find herself involved in the cover up of the murder of one of Mrs. Roosevelt's secretaries, who was claiming to have had received unwanted advances from the First Lady.

The murder & cover-up was the most interesting part, the on-going narration of the Japanese-American negotiations was boring.

The Queen's Accomplice, Susan Elia MacNeal

★ ★

First off, the title gives the impression that Maggie was working for the Queen, which she wasn't... she actually had been invited to tea & then dinner with the Queen and was in need of a favor....

Women on assignment for the government are falling victim to a Jack-the-Ripper copycat, it is Maggie who recognized the murder victims and helps to capture the murderer by offering herself up as bait....

Rather gruesome....

This series seamlessly segues from one book to another as if they were all just chapters in one larger book.

Normally I ♥ Annette Blair and her books. As I was out of things to read (meaning I wasn't interested in any of my TBR), I spied these three books on the Library's catalog and I thought: "Sure why not!"







After beginning all three and immediately putting all three down, the question became: "Why?"

They were light, inane, & filled w/ thoughtless chatter from both the men & women involved.

I didn't like any of the triplets nor their boyfriends/husbands....

There really was no story, nothing that held my interest.

44 Scotland Street – Alexander McCall Smith – 3.5***
I love this kind of ensemble piece. Not much happens, and everything happens: love found, lost and found again, awkward encounters, a hidden masterpiece, a new job and therapy sessions. I want to know more about them, especially Pat and Matthew
LINK to my review

April 7 - Currently Reading

TEXT - Gutenberg's Apprentice by Alix Christie
AUDIO in the car - The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
MP3 Player AUDIO - Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Finished "Holy War" by Nigel Cliff. This is the story of Vasco da Gama (the explorer who found India who we may have studied in high school). It is quite amazing that little Portugal was able to upend the world order by wresting the spice trade away from Venice and the Muslims by sailing around Africa.

Gutenberg’s Apprentice – Alix Christie – 3.5***
In her debut novel, Christie explores one of the most momentous events in history: the invention of the printing press. I did find the information about the conflicts between the guilds, the ruling class, and the Church interesting, but it went on for so long that I grew tired of the political and personal intrigue. Still, in this age of digital print, it is all the more wonderful to imagine the creativity, skill and hard work that went into this marvelous invention.
LINK to my review

The Penelopiad – Margaret Atwood – 3***
Atwood takes the story of the faithful Penelope, waiting 20 years for Odysseus to return from the Trojan War, and reimagines it. I liked this intelligent, savvy woman.
LINK to my review

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell – Susanna Clarke – 3.5***
Fantasy is really not my thing, but I did enjoy this book. I liked the play / counter play between the two magicians, and particularly enjoyed the scenes where they are influencing the Napoleonic Wars. That being said, however, this was just way too long. I found my mind wandering as much as the plot did. I certainly understand the popularity of the novel, but I wouldn't go out of my way to read another novel by Clarke.
LINK to my review

The Coincidence of Coconut Cake – Amy E Reichert – 4****
What a deliciously delightful foodie romance! I liked the characters, and was invested in their story from beginning to end. The food descriptions made me hungry, and I loved the way Reichert described the joys of Milwaukee (my home town).
LINK to my review

West With the Night – Beryl Markham – 5*****
Markham was an independent woman who lived life to the fullest, and on her own terms. While there has been significant controversy over whether she actually wrote this memoir (vs her third husband ghost-writing it for her), I still highly recommend it! Full of vivid imagery and really gives a sense of what life was like for the colonialists in Kenya in the early part of the 20th century.
LINK to my review

Baking Cakes in Kigali – Gaile Parkin – 4****
This is a delightful debut novel. I love Angel – she’s wise, discreet, confident, compassionate, decisive and a great friend and mentor. There are several humorous episodes and several touchingly sad ones, but Angel deals with any situation with aplomb and compassion. Parkin peoples the novel with a wide array of characters who form a community and celebrate together with one of Angel’s excellent cakes.
LINK to my review

Epitaph – Mary Doria Russell – 4****
In a sequel to her earlier novel, Doc, Russell explores what REALLY happened at the OK Corral. I love Russell’s writing. She does extensive research and is not content to give us only one side of the issues, or one facet of the characters. The novel focuses on Josie Marcus and Wyatt Earp, but every character fairly leaps off the page.
LINK to my review

The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy – Rachel Joyce – 5*****
Oh, I love Queenie! She admits that her first instinct when faced with a difficult situation has always been to flee. Now, at the end of her life she faces the secrets she has been hiding, and hiding from, with courage and grace, and pours out her heart in a long letter of love and forgiveness.
LINK to my review

The Mighty Miss Malone – Christopher Paul Curtis – 4****
In Bud, Not Buddy, Bud met a precocious girl at a camp next to a railroad track near Flint, Michigan. That girl was Deza Malone and this is her story. I just love Deza Malone! She’s smart, courageous, resilient and big-hearted. The family’s journey is perilous at times, and Mrs Malone’s worry is well-founded. But they also have moments of joy, and meet with kindness and compassion from total strangers. Curtis doesn’t shy away from the tragedies of the era, but he also gives a strong message on the power of family unity, and of never giving up your dreams.
LINK to my review

Eligible – Curtis Sittenfeld – 4****
The subtitle is all the synopsis you need: A Modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice. This is the fourth installment of the planned retellings that comprise The Austen Project, wherein contemporary authors tackle one of Austen’s works and reimagine it in a modern setting. All told, I found it entertaining and fun. Definitely helps if you’ve read the original, though it spoils any surprises as you anticipate “when will they …?” or “how will she include …..?”
LINK to my review

Stargirl – Jerry Spinelli – 5*****
I’m long past high school, but I still remember the “pack” mentality that required conformity. It’s painful to revisit that, but Spinelli does a great job exploring what might happen, and how the events might affect some of the students.
LINK to my review

Fearless Fourteen by Janet Evanovich
5 Stars

This is book #14 in the Stephanie Plum series. In this one, Stephanie is on the hunt for a missing 9 million dollars. Along the way she encounters a has been celebrity that wants another shot at fame, a monkey gone crazy, and a stoner turned crime fighter.

I really like this series. I'm surprised that I've made it this far into a series because normally the books start lacking after a few. I'm looking forward to what the future holds for Stephanie.

Fates And Furies – Lauren Groff – 4****
The book is told by the two central characters: Lotto (Fates) and Mathilde (Furies). Groff is masterful building these characters, with qualities that draw the reader into their circle. One revelation breaks the bond. Forcing first Lotto, and then Mathilde to examine their relationship. By the end I’m left feeling battered and bruised and stunned. I want to start reading it again from the beginning so I can pick up any clues Groff may have buried.
LINK to my review

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart - 3 Stars

A rich family on a private island. Four friends whose friendship turns destructive. The liars is what they call themselves. One secret behind many, many lies.

Cady, 2 cousins, and a friend are the 4 liars who have grown up spending the summers on grandfather's private island. One summer changes everything, but Cady can't remember the events. The story goes back and forth from the present to the past while Cady slowly remembers what truly happened that summer. There was an unexpected twist at the end that helped boost my rating, but over all I really didn't care for the book.

Murder is for Keeps, Duncan

★ ★ ★

This was a light and easy read...

The main character (see I don't even remember her name) is an artist. Her male friend is the former CID of the town.

They are volunteering together in the ruins of the local Castle Keeps when she discovers the body of a well known garden expert & renovator. He was working there in order to get to know his special needs estranged son.

His son makes friends w/ the protagonist & the former CID, then he disappears....

Meanwhile there comes the question: "What happened to the marble staircase?" The staircase was the focal point of the castle, w/ 55 steps, 2 landings, & a red carpet ending at a stained glass window.

It took me a while to get into the book, because it is a semi-cozy, but when I did, I found it enjoyable.

There isn't gratuitous violence, but there is a back story about the castle and its destruction by "new age travelers" and the nifty solution of the staircase

The World of Downton Abbey, Fellows

★ ★

After watching the entire series in less than 6 weeks, I was looking forward to reading this book, but I was disappointed.

I wanted to know more about Downton Abbey itself & the characters.... I wanted more photos of the clothing.

What I got instead was a glossing of the characters, little on the clothing and more about the history of the eras in which the show took place.... and the blinking book ended after season two!

Example: "Lady Mary would have done this, as at the time in England: blah, blah, blah, blah, blah....." I found that tedious, I wanted more of the story!

The photos are nice, many have interesting side stories, but they are inserted right in the middle of a main idea and tend to be an interruption. Example, I'm reading about Lady Mary & the women of the time, and all of a sudden where the continuation of Lady Mary's story should be there is a photo of Elsie Hughes and a short blurb about her & her job, which completely cuts off Lady Mary's story and derails my train of thought.

I was disappointed... so much so, that I will forgo the glossy presentation of the complete series.

22 Britannia Road – Amanda Hodgkinson – 4****
Hodgkinson’s debut novel is a beautifully told story of how a family torn apart by war slowly comes back together. Hodgkinson divides her chapters by location/time and by character, telling parallel stories: Poland during the war, England after the war. I was engaged and interested in the story from beginning to end.
LINK to my review

The Whole Town’s Talking – Fannie Flagg – 3***
This is Flagg’s fourth book about the residents of Elmwood Springs. In this volume, she tells the history of Elmwood Springs, beginning with the 1889 founding of the settlement and up to about 2020. This isn’t great literature, but Flagg spins a darn good yarn. It’s entertaining and full of lively characters.
LINK to my review

Columbine – Dave Cullen – 4****
Gripping, fascinating, and horrifying. Cullen has done extensive research and made every effort to remain an impartial journalist, ferreting out facts and revealing them without judgment. The result is perhaps even more disturbing than what I thought I knew about it.
LINK to my review

Downton Abbey: a Celebration, Fellows

★ ★ ★ ★

I know I said that I absolutely did not want to read this, but my friend brought it home for me.

All I can say is it was a 100% improvement: It dealt with all the major characters, their rooms, the town, the living & gathering areas...

I would have liked to have seen much more of the costumes, but this was a lovely book.

Emma: a Modern Retelling, Alexander McCall Smith

★

Too boring for words, affected, and flighty.

IMO: Rather pointless

Kimberly wrote: "

Emma: a Modern Retelling, Alexander McCall Smith..."

I gave it 3 stars.
Snipped from MY REVIEW
I enjoyed this light romantic comedy, but it is not as good as the original. That is probably entirely to do with the time frame. Austen’s Emma was exasperating as she meddled in others' affairs and acted on the basis of misread social cues. However, I could understand her in the time frame of the Regency period. She was merely a product of her situation and social class; and her final realizations, however slow to come about, were all the more rewarding. But the modern Emma just has no such excuse for her superior manner. I cannot imagine how a college-educated young woman (even one from such a high social standing) would be so blind to the differences in people, and so clueless as to how snobbish she was being. I just could not like her at all.

Farwell My Lovely – Raymond Chandler – 3***
I came late to Chandler’s series about P.I. Philip Marlowe, but I sure am enjoying them now! The action is non-stop, and the characters so vivid they virtually jump off the page. I’ll definitely keep reading the series.
LINK to my review

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry – Gabrielle Zavin – 3***
One snowy December evening A.J. Fikry finds that someone has left a baby between the shelves in his bookstore. This is a fable about second chances and the redemptive power of love. It’s a somewhat quiet story, as novels go, but it is full of the drama of every day existence. I also loved all the literary references.
LINK to my review

I Was Here by Gayle Forman - 3 1/2 stars

Cody and Meg were best friends. They did everything together. So when Meg drinks a bottle of industrial strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is as shocked as everyone else is. But when Cody starts to dig in to Meg's past she discovers that there's a lot she really didn't know about Meg.

This was hard to read at times, but over all not too bad. The story focuses more on Cody's life after Meg than it does on Meg's suicide. I've heard mixed reviews on Forman's other books, so I'm not sure if I'll pick up anything else by her or not.

The Perks Of Being a Wallflower – Stephen Chbosky – 4****
This is a coming-of-age novel featuring 15-year-old Charlie, who tells the story via letters he writes to an unnamed friend. I like YA fiction like this. Charlie is very real. He is a great observer of teenage and family life. As he describes events and how he reacts to them, he gives the reader a pretty accurate view of high-school dynamics. This is Chbosky’s debut novel. I hope he writes another novel; I would definitely read it.
LINK to my review

Love Walked In – Marisa de los Santos – 3.5***
Cornelia, the “under-achiever” in her family, is the manager of a café. One day a Cary-Grant-look-alike walks in and her life changes. This is a chick-lit, romance novel with great heart. The novel is told in alternating points of view: Cornelia, and Clare, an eleven-year-old with a chaotic home life. I loved them both, though I was somewhat incredulous at several plot points.
LINK to my review

The Agony and the Ecstasy – Irving Stone – 4****
Stone’s epic historical novel tells the life story of Michelangelo. Additionally, the novel includes much of the politics of the times, from the Medicis in Florence to the various Popes in Rome, it’s a fascinating history of the era. This was a re-read for me, but my rating reflects my original reaction (circa 1965).
LINK to my review