75 Books...More or Less! discussion

Going to shoot for 100. Last year I read a lot of cozies - fast and fun - but I think I need a bit of a break from them. Hope to venture into a little more fantasy. Also going to try the audio route a bit.

1. The Dutch House - Ann Patchett 3 stars
2. Olive, Again - Elizabeth Strout 5 stars

Connie wrote: "1. The Dutch House - Ann Patchett 3 stars
2. Olive, Again - Elizabeth Strout 5 stars"

I want to read both of these Connie! I'm glad to see you gave Olive, again 5 stars.

3. Sizzling Sixteen. Only 3 stars - maybe audible isn’t the best way for me to enjoy reading. I’ll give Stephanie Plum another go - I still have 10 to read in the series.

Connie wrote: "3. Sizzling Sixteen. Only 3 stars - maybe audible isn’t the best way for me to enjoy reading. I’ll give Stephanie Plum another go - I still have 10 to read in the series."

Yet another series I want to read someday. lol. Add it to the list!

Connie wrote: "3. Sizzling Sixteen. Only 3 stars - maybe audible isn’t the best way for me to enjoy reading. I’ll give Stephanie Plum another go - I still have 10 to read in the series."

Connie wrote: "1. The Dutch House - Ann Patchett 3 stars
2. Olive, Again - Elizabeth Strout 5 stars"

OH I want to read The Dutch House. I absolutely love that cover.

About audiobooks - sometimes you get a great narrator and sometimes you don't [and that unfortunately happens more often than not, just ask any of here that listen on a regular basis]. I went and listened to a sample of the book you just read and MEH. I wouldn't have loved the book either with that narrator [I disliked two WILDLY popular books simply because the narration was crap*]. Don't give up on audiobooks; I promise that there are amazing narrators out there [if you'd like a list of ones that I personally love and look for, I would be happy to share - just let me know].

*A friend and I read Pachinko by Min Jin Lee and she read the book and I listened. She loved it, I did not. We then went and saw the author at an event and she did a reading of a passage I had just listened to a couple days previously [and had felt NOTHING while listening to it on audio] and when she was done, we were ALL weeping and I was wishing that the author had narrated this book. Her ability to put all the emotion into it - it was amazing. And then I had to go back to the narrator and it was just meh. That reading and how amazing it was stayed with me for a long time.

thanks for that insight. I will keep trying and would love to see your list of amazing narrators.

I expected to like The Dutch House more, about half way through, I grew tired of the protagonist's 'voice' - and I was reading it!

Andrea wrote: "Connie wrote: "1. The Dutch House - Ann Patchett 3 stars
2. Olive, Again - Elizabeth Strout 5 stars"

I want to read both of these Connie! I'm glad to see you gave Olive, again 5 stars."

Olive Again, blew me away. Questions I have been asking myself lately were addressed by Olive and her life.

Elyse wrote: "Connie wrote: "3. Sizzling Sixteen. Only 3 stars - maybe audible isn’t the best way for me to enjoy reading. I’ll give Stephanie Plum another go - I still have 10 to read in the series."

Yet anoth..."

I enjoyed them up to about #15 and now, not so much. I took a break for several years and am hoping the last 8-9 are back to same enjoyment level as the first 15. There are 26 (27 in November) books in the series.

Connie wrote: "thanks for that insight. I will keep trying and would love to see your list of amazing narrators.

I expected to like The Dutch House more, about half way through, I grew tired of the protagonist'..."

Uh oh. That is never good when that happens.

Amazing narrators:
James Langton

Susie Bernais [I CANNOT recommend this one enough. She narrated Uncle Tom's Cabin and WOW. Just amazing. I'd listen to anything she narrates]

Nicola Barber

Simon Vance [I LOVE him. He is narrating A Tale of Two Cities and is just making that book come alive for me]

Simon Prebble

Tim Curry [he does a narration of Dracula, which Simon Vance and Alan Cumming and an assorted cast that is just amazing and he also does an narration of The Christmas Carol that made me swoon and look at that story in a completely new way]

John Lee

Bahni Turpin

Elizabeth Knowlden

Orlagh Cassidy

Sophie Thompson [she narrates several the Mary Poppins books and is just delightful]

Dan Stevens

Suzanne Toren [though I would use her only OUTSIDE of cozies - I have not liked her cozy narration at all. She narrated Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin {a NF book about Lincoln} and it was amazing]

Ralph Lister

Will Patton [he narrates The Raven Cycle books and WOWSERS. I love his voice - though there are many that don't so this one especially is a personal preference]

Neil Shah

George Newbern

Ralph Cosham [though he was rude and went and died so no new stuff by him. ;-) ]

Miriam Margolyes [she was Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter movies and is an excellent narrator]

Jim Dale

Jayne Entwistle [she narrates the Flavia De Luce series and is just fantastic. She is a huge favorite]

George Guidall

Stephen Fry

Scott Brick

Nick Offerman

Gemma Dawson

Wil Wheaton

Alison Larkin

Rosamund Pike

Nicholas Guy Smith

David Suchet

Hugh Fraser

Juliet Stevenson

Dawn Michelle wrote: "Connie wrote: "thanks for that insight. I will keep trying and would love to see your list of amazing narrators.

I expected to like The Dutch House more, about half way through, I grew tired of t..."

Thanks! I'll check out some of these narrators.

Dawn Michelle wrote: "Connie wrote: "thanks for that insight. I will keep trying and would love to see your list of amazing narrators.

I expected to like The Dutch House more, about half way through, I grew tired of t..."

I second Wil Wheathon, Nick Offerman, Scott Brick (for nonfiction only for me), Stephen Fry, Nicola Barber, and Bahni Turpin. And Julia Whalen is good but not the best at doing male voices. lol.

4. The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. 5 Amazing stars. Borrowed this from the library, but I am going to have to own this one.

Connie wrote: "4. The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. 5 Amazing stars. Borrowed this from the library, but I am going to have to own this one."

I have a hold on this one, can't wait until it's my turn!

Charleen wrote: "Connie wrote: "4. The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. 5 Amazing stars. Borrowed this from the library, but I am going to have to own this one."

I have a hold on this one, can't wait until it's m..."

I hope you like it!

Connie wrote: "4. The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. 5 Amazing stars. Borrowed this from the library, but I am going to have to own this one.
"

The bestie read this and loved it. I so want to get this and dive in. So glad it was an excellent read for you!!

5. Dreamland. - Nancy Bilyeau


3.5 stars - Started out slow for me, but eventually the action caught up with the story, although the murderer was obvious from the start.

6. The Ten Thousand Doors of January - Alix M. Harrow 5 stars


7. The Water Dancer - Ta-Nehisi Coates 4 stars

Connie wrote: "6. The Ten Thousand Doors of January - Alix M. Harrow 5 stars


7. The Water Dancer - Ta-Nehisi Coates 4 stars..."

Both of these are in my TBR! Glad you liked them!

8. Birds of a Feather - Maisie Dobbs #2 Jacquline Winspear . 4 Stars Love Maisie!

9. Death at Victoria Dock - Phryne Fisher #4 Kerry Greenwood Death at . 3 Stars

10. Good Girls Lie - J.T Ellison, 4 stars
I liked the way this story was told in the first person by each character. Sometimes it was hard to tell which character was speaking, but that only added to the mystery and I enjoyed the confusion.

Deja Dead - Kathy Reichs (Temperance Brennan #1)
3 stars
ebook from library
Did not realize this was the basis for the TV show Bones (which I don't necessarily care for). I found myself dreading the descriptions and procedural analysis of each new crime scene and so skimmed through about 1/3 of the story.

12. The Beekeeper's Apprentice - Laurie King 3 Stars
13. The Paper Magician Charlie Holmberg . 3 Stars
14. The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up Marie Kondo . 3 Stars
15. The Glass Magician - Charlie Holberg. . 3 Stars
16. The Quilter's Apprentice. Jennifer - Chiavelini. . 4 Stars

These are all library books - finally broke out of a 3 star slump with the Quilter's Apprentice.

17. Round Robin - Jennifer Chaivelini ****

Connie wrote: "12. The Beekeeper's Apprentice - Laurie King 3 Stars..."

I read the 12th or something book in this series and enjoyed it. I really need to circle back and start from the beginning.

18.
The Cross Country Quilters (ECQ#3) Jennifer Chiavelini
4 star

Dawn Michelle wrote: "Connie wrote: "3. Sizzling Sixteen. Only 3 stars - maybe audible isn’t the best way for me to enjoy reading. I’ll give Stephanie Plum another go - I still have 10 to read in the series."

Connie wr..."

Wow! What an experience. I split my time between reading and listening and actually enjoyed the listening over the reading (which basically never happens for me!).

Maybe it will grow on me.

Connie wrote: "Maybe it will grow on me."

Fingers crossed ....

19. . Interpreter of Maladies - Jhumpa Lahiri 4 stars
20. In the Bleak Midwinter - Julia Spencer Fleming 4 stars
21. . The Book of Candlelight - Ellery Adams - 4 Stars
22. The Fifth Avenue Story Society - Rachel Hauck 4 Stars
23. The World That We Knew - Alice Hoffman. 4.5 stars
24. . An Incomplete Revenge - Jacqueline Winspear 4 Stars

Connie wrote: "19. . Interpreter of Maladies - Jhumpa Lahiri 4 stars
20. In the Bleak Midwinter - Julia Spencer Fleming 4 stars
21..."


I love ANYTHING by Jhumpa Lahiri, She is an amazing writer.
I am so glad that "In the Bleak Midwinter" worked for you - I was not crazy about that one, but knew it was just me because so many people love this series.
The "Book of Candlelight" was amazing. I think that its the best one of that series so far.
I have like 5 Rachel Hauck books to read. I really should bump them up.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Maisie Dobbs books. Even when they make me ugly cry,
My bestie read the Alice Hoffman book and loved it. I will be adding that one soon!

Have you been able to start Shogun?

Dawn Michelle wrote: "Connie wrote: "19. . Interpreter of Maladies - Jhumpa Lahiri 4 stars
20. In the Bleak Midwinter - Julia Spencer Fle..."

I ordered Shogun from the library only to realize I ordered volume 2 and it started on chapter 35! My desire to read it has diminished. I was going to read it for the MMD 2020 Challenge as a re-read. I think I will switch to another book TBD.
Yes, Maisie Dobbs is always a welcome read.
Interpreter of Maladies was my first Jhumpa Lahiri book, I will read more from her. The last few stories in Interpreter really bumped my rating, not because they were the best, but because of the balance they brought to the other stories.

25. The Plastic Magician - Charlie Holmberg 4 stars - one star better than the first 2 books in the series
. 26. The Witch Elm - Tana French 3 stars - Story was good, but there were a lot of lengthy exchanges that seemed to have no purpose.
27. Midnight at the Bright Ideas Book Store - Matthew J. Sullivan 3 1/2 stars - another good story but there were loose ends that remained when all was said and done.

28. A Suitable Vengeance Elizabeth George 4 stars - Inspector Linley series. Even though reading these in sequence, their timeline is all over the place!

29. In the Woods Tana French 3 stars - this book had me mad and disgusted at the narrator and disappointed in the way things turned out. This is the 2nd book for me by Tana French, and I felt the same way about The Witch Elm.

30. Ninth House - Leigh Bardugo - 5 stars - Truly loved this story, and am finding a love for this type of fantasy.

31. For the Sake of Elena - Elizabeth George - 4 stars - Inspector Linley again, continuing on in the series.

. 32. The Master Magician - Charlie Holmberg 3 stars.

. 33. And Then There were None Agatha Christie 4 stars Intriguing!

. 34. The Bear and the Nightingale Katherine Arden 5 stars. Russian folklore and fantasy.

Glad you liked Ninth House! I haven't read any Bardugo yet and it's the first one I own. I really enjoyed The Bear and the Nightingale trilogy!!

I am looking forward to The Girl in the Towrr

Connie wrote: " 28. A Suitable Vengeance Elizabeth George 4 stars - Inspector Linley series. Even though reading these in sequence, their timeline is all over the place!

[b..."

I love Bardugo's books but I cannot get into Ninth House! I'm so disappointed that I can't.

too bad! Could just be the times we're living in. LOL

Connie wrote: "too bad! Could just be the times we're living in. LOL"

Probably!

Haven't posted my reads in quite a while, not sure why!!
But I have been reading...
35. Murder in Belgravia - Lynn Brittney ****
36. Agatha Raisin and the Walkers of Dembley - MC Beaton ****
37. Agatha Raisin and the Murderous Marriage - MC Beaton ****
38. Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk - Kathleen Rooney ****
39. Thereby Hangs a Tail - Spencer Quinn - **** IF YOU LOVE DOGS, THIS IS S A FUN SERIES
40. To Fetch a Thief - Spencer Quinn ****.
41. Among the Mad - (Maisie Dobbs #6) Jacqueline Winspear **** WORKING MY WAY THRU THIS SERIES THIS YEAR
42. Missing Joseph - Elizabeth George ***
43. The Gauguin Connection (Genevieve Lenard, #1). Estelle Ryan ****
44. The Mapping of Love and Death (Maisie Dobbs #7) Jacqueline Winspear****
45. A Treacherous Course -Veronica Speedwell #3 Deanna Raybourn ***
46. A Dangerous Collaboration Veronica Speedwell #4 DeannaRaybourn ****
47. A Murderous Relation Veronica Speedwell #5 Danna Raybourn **** DONE WITH THIS SERIES UNTIL #6 IS RELEASED
48. The Sentence is Death - Anthony Horowitz ****
49. A Death in Chelsea - (Mayfair 100) Lynn Brittany ****
50. The House of Silk - (Sherlock Holmes) Anthony Horowitz *****
51. The Anatomist’s Wife (Lady Darby #1) Anna Lee Huber ****
52. A Lesson in Secrets - (Maisie Dobbs #8) Jacqueline Winspear ****
53. Silent in the Grave (Lady Julia Gray 1) Deanna Raybourn ****
54. All Shall Be Well - (Duncan Kincaid #2) Deborah Crombie ****
55. Her Royal Spyness - Rhys Bowen ***
56. Leave the Grave Green (Duncan Kincaid #3)-Deborah Crombie****
57. Elegy for Eddie - (Maisie Dobbs #9) Jacqueline Winspear ****
58. Leaving Everything Most Loved (Maisie Dobbs #10) Jacqueline Winspear****
59. A Dangerous Place (Maisie Dobbs #11) Jacqueline Winspear
60. A Beautiful Poison - Lydia Kang ****
61. Opium & Absinthe - Lydia Kang ****
62. A Beautiful Blue Death (Charles Lenox #1) - Charles Finch ***
63. A Duty to the Dead - (Bess Crawford #1) Charles Todd ****
64. Molokai - Alan Brennert *****
65. Journey to Munich (Maisie Dobbs #12) Jacqueline Winspear

Wow you've read a lot of good books in the past 3 weeks! I really enjoyed the Veronica Speedwell novels and hope to read Lady Julia Grey soon!

I enjoyed Veronica Speedwell also, was glad to see a new book is coming out. Lady Julia Grey proves to be a good read also.

Connie wrote: "Haven't posted my reads in quite a while, not sure why!!
But I have been reading...
35. Murder in Belgravia - Lynn Brittney ****
36. Agatha Raisin and the Walkers of Dembley - MC Beaton ****
37. A..."

Whoa, you jumped up to 65 books like that ....!

It’s the heat!😂

July was a good reading month at my house. For the most part I am working my way through select mystery series. They are normally, fast, fun reads and like visiting with an old friend. Only two more to finish up the Maisie Dobbs series; eagerly waiting for the latest from Louise Penny's Armand Gamache and Deanna Raybourne's Veronica Speedwell, One my radar is Rachel Caine's Gwen Procter series starting with Stillhouse Lake. Has anyone read that?

Gwendy's Button Box was an unexpected addition to July's reading that I thoroughly enjoyed, written by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar.

66. Carter St. Hangman (Charlotte & Thomas Pitt #1) Anne Perry ****
67. Callander Square (Charlotte & Thomas Pitt #2) ****
68. The Green Mill Murder -(Phryne Fisher #5) **** Kerry Greenwood
69. Mortal Arts - (Lady Darby #2) Anna Lee Huber ****
70. Gwendy’s Button Box - Stephen King & Richard Chizmar *****
71. Fellowship of Fear (Gideon Oliver) #1 Aaron Elkins ****
72. The Dark Place (Gideon Oliver #2) Aaron Elkins. ***
73.. The Secrets of Lost Stone -Melissa Payne *****
74.. Mourn Not Your Dean - Duncan Kincaid & Gemma James #4) Deborah Crombie ****
75. Dreaming of the Bones (DK & GJ #5) Deborah Crombie ****
76. Paragon Walk - (C&T Pitt #3) Anne Perry ***
77. Kissed a Sad Goodbye (DK&GJ#6) Deborah Crombie - 2nd read ***
78. In This Grave Hour (Maisie Dobbs #13) Jacqueline Winspear ****
79. The Eighth Sister - (Charles Jenkins #1). Robert Dugoni ****

You are zooming, Connie! Gwendy has a new sequel! Gwendy's Magic Feather

Have you read it yet? I may pick it up.

Connie wrote: "Have you read it yet? I may pick it up."

I haven't. I bought it but I'm saving it for October.

August!
79. An Impartial Witness (Bess Crawford #2) Chrles Todd ****
81. The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell - Robert Dugoni *****
82. I was Anastasia - Ariel Lawhon ****
83. To Die But Once - (Maisie Dobbs #14) Jacquline Winspear ****
84. Blood and Circuses (Phryne Fisher #6) Kerry Greenwood ****
85. Gods of Jade and Shadows Silvia Moreno-Garcia ****
86. Ruddy Gore (Phryne Fisher #7) Kerry Greenwood
87. The Last of the Moon Girls -Barbara Davis - *** fooled me into reading a Romance
88. A Finer End (DK & GJ #7) Deborah Crombie ***
89. The House in the Cerulean Sea TJ Klune ***
90. A Morbid Taste for Bones (Brother Cadfael#1) Ellis Peters ****

91. The Naturalist (The Naturalist #1) Andrew Mayne ****
92. Six of Crows (The Six of Crows #1) Leigh Bardugo ****
93. All the Devils are Here - (Armand Gamache #16) Louise Penny ***** Best one so far!
94. Auntie Poldi and the Handsome Antonio (Auntie Poldi #3) Mario Giordano ****
95. Silent in the Sanctuary (Lady Gray #2) Deanna Reabourn ***
96. A Grave Matter - (Lady Darby #3) Anna Lee Huber - ***
97. The American Agent - (Maisie Dobbs #15) J. Winspear ***
98. The Moon is Missing - Jenni Ogden ***
99. Tea with the Black Dragon - R.S. MacAvoy ****