What Are You Reading Part 3

[elf1590]

It's been way too long since I updated this lol Since There Will Come a Darkness I've read:

The Last Place You Look (Mystery/Thriller)
What You Want to See (Mystery/Thriller)
Dizzy Spells (Cozy Mystery)
My Lovely Wife (Thriller)
Again, but Better (NA Contemporary)
City of Ghosts (Middle Grade)
Tunnel of Bones (Middle Grade)
The Stories You Tell (Mystery/Thriller)
Waking the Witch (Nonfiction)
Mud Vein (Dark Romance)
Year One (Adult Fantasy/Dystopian)
Of Blood and Bone (Adult Fantasy/Dystopian)
Witchy Business (A Terrible, Awful, No Good, Cozy?)
The Recovery (YA Dystopian)
The Babysitters Coven (YA Fantasy) HIGHLY RECOMMEND
39 Clues: The Black Circle (Middle Grade Adventure)
Secondborn (YA Fantasy)
Traitor Born (YA Fantasy)
Rebel Born (YA Fantasy)
The Last House Guest (Thriller)
An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good (Short Stories)
Quackery: A brief history of the worst ways to cure everything (Nonfiction)
Someone We Know (Thriller)
The Flight Attendant (Thriller)
My Sweet Audrina (Whatever VC Andrews Genre is lol)
Spellbook of the Lost and Found (YA Fantasy) Terrible book lol
Whisper Network (Not great murder mystery. I think they were going for Big Little Lies vibes)
Lock Every Door (Thriller)
Stalking Jack the Ripper (YA Historical Fiction)
Hunting Prince Dracula (YA Historical Fiction)
Escaping from Houdini (YA Historical Fiction)

And currently reading Capturing the Devil

[viii]

Thank you, @elf1590! I was just thinking I need some new reading ideas and you provided me with a great list!

[elf1590]

56 minutes ago, viii said:

Thank you, @elf1590! I was just thinking I need some new reading ideas and you provided me with a great list!

Oh good! Which of those sounded good to ya?

Instead of double posting I'll go ahead and post my reads since my last post

Finished Capturing the Devil (YA Historical Fiction)
Stay Sexy & Don't Get Murdered (Nonfiction, from the ladies that make the podcast)
Winter in Paradise (Family Saga)
What Happens in Paradise (Family Saga)
Every Thing You Are (Dark Family Saga)
The Vine Witch (A darker cozy witchy mystery)
Witch You Well (Cozy Mystery)
Rags to Witches (Cozy Mystery)
Witch and Famous (Cozy Mystery)

Edited October 22, 2019 by elf1590
typo, Famouse isn't a real word lol

[clueliss]

Just finished The Long Way Home (Louis Penney) on audio.  

[viii]

2 hours ago, elf1590 said:

Oh good! Which of those sounded good to ya?

My Lovely Wife
Year One
Babysitters Coven
The Last House Guest
The Flight Attendant 

[elf1590]

On 10/22/2019 at 4:05 PM, viii said:

My Lovely Wife
Year One
Babysitters Coven
The Last House Guest
The Flight Attendant 

Those were some of my favorites of that big list Babysitters Coven and My Lovely Wife are probably my #1 and #2

 

[CTRLZero]

On 10/14/2019 at 11:14 AM, church_of_dog said:

Re the Great Basin, I can recommend three books:

Thanks for all your recommendations.  I've read a book by McPhee a few months ago (can't think of the title right now) and enjoyed it, so I'll look for "Basin and Range."

I just finished Wallace Stegner's "The Gathering of Zion."  This book is mostly restricted to the development of the Mormon Trail.  Talk about hardship!  It's a good way to learn about the cast of characters and landscape that set up the church emanating from Utah. 

A couple interesting side notes by the author.  He comments that while the early emigration to Salt Lake City is thoroughly documented by journals, some of the journals are restricted and not for public view, so Stegner had no access to those.  The book is copyrighted 1964, and I wonder if that is still the case today.  He also includes a Word on Bibliography which is worth reading.  He notes, "I write as a non-Mormon but not as a Mormon-hater...If I have a home town, a place where a part of my heart is, it is Salt Lake City...Nevertheless, I write as an outsider, and I make no attempt to whitewash the Mormon tribal crimes, which were as grievous as their wrongs..."

[elf1590]

Since my last post I finished Christmas Witch List (the last of a witchy cozy mystery series). And started American Predator (True Crime)

[CTRLZero]

I finished an audio book "Burning Paradise" by Robert Charles Wilson.  This is a sci-fi novel about alien beings that set up house in humans.  Remember the movie "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" -- something like that.  It's well written, and is worth reading for not only a decent plot, but also the social commentary and ethical dilemmas.  It's also one of those novels that I can't explain too much without spoilers, so suffice it to say it moves right along and has a few unexpected moments. 

 

[CTRLZero]

My latest audio book is "The Gone World" by Tom Sweterlitsch.  It's about a time traveling NCIS agent who pops into the future to see if she can figure out how to prevent the end of the world.  The plot is very good, but as with many time traveling novels, it can get a little confusing following all the threads as history gets rewritten.  Lots of cruelty, so be forewarned.  There are some not very nice humans rampaging through the timelines.  

I'm planning to check out his other novel, which appears to be post-apocalyptic.

[sparkles]

Just finished the audiobook of "She Said" by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, one of two recent books about the Weinstein investigation. It did an excellent job of covering how exhaustive and meticulous the investigation was and I highly recommend it. I also got about halfway through Ronan Farrow's "Catch and Kill" but gave up and got the Kindle version because his narration was so distractingly bad. For some reason, he decided to act out the various players and trust me, he didn't inherit Mia's acting chops. When he was speaking a female part, he got all breathy and almost simpering. His various accents (which he kept losing) were  cringeworthy. Italian, Eastern European, Russian, whatever, they all sounded the same and the effect was so bad, it nearly trivialized the material. I wasn't sure if he was trying to uncover a serial sexual predator or plot to capture Moose and Squirrel. I'll definitely finish it though and it will be interesting to compare. Both books reach the same end, but from different perspectives.

Another recent audiobook was "Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia" and "The Radium Girls." Both were excellent; the later was infuriating, heartbreaking and empowering.

Currently listening to Daniel Okrent's "The Guarded Gate: Bigotry, Eugenics and the Law That Kept Two Generations of Jews, Italians, and Other European Immigrants Out of America," which couldn't be more timely. Also reading "God Land: A Story of Faith, Loss, and Renewal in Middle America" by Liz Lenz.

I'm not much for fiction, as you can probably tell.

[CTRLZero]

12 minutes ago, sparkles said:

I also got about halfway through Ronan Farrow's "Catch and Kill" but gave up and got the Kindle version because his narration was so distractingly bad.

I understand!  I am new to audio books and my first few experiences were excellent.  Then, I tried listening to a book where the narrator's voice just grated like fingernails on a chalkboard.  It was a shame, too, because the short stories were absorbing, but I couldn't get past the squeaky voice.  I'll eventually try to get my hands on a hard (or Kindle) copy.

15 minutes ago, sparkles said:

"Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia"

I looked at the description on Amazon, and it looks like my type of book.  I've been browsing trying to find a book on worldwide human migration patterns, and this one seems interesting.  A couple of years ago I got interested in that area of the world and read all sorts of books of early [European] exploration of that area.  Thanks for the recommendation!

[vspielman]

4 hours ago, CTRLZero said:

  Then, I tried listening to a book where the narrator's voice just grated like fingernails on a chalkboard.

This reminded me of a book trilogy that I LOVED (not FSOG).  And then I tried listening to the audible version and the narrator's voice was so dreadful that it actually ruined the books for me.  I only got through the first couple chapters and I haven't read the books since because now I hear her voice when I try.  I never knew how sensitive I am to voices until this happened.  I will stick with using Alexa to read my books to me. It's just safer.

[CTRLZero]

I finished the audio book "Spying on the South" by the late Tony Horwitz.  Horwitz is a favorite author of mine, and it was a treat that he read the prologue before turning over the remainder of the book to a professional narrator.

As with his other books, he follows the path of a notable individual, in this case Frederick Law Olmsted, who wrote about his travels into the American south just prior to the Civil War.  I found the book interesting and timely, because the politics of the time were not far off from what has happened today.  Be forewarned that there is a lot of racism discussed.  If I hadn't been hardened by Trump & Co., I would have been even more shocked than I was.  The book concludes with Olmsted's legacy, which was designing and constructing New York City's central park, among other accomplishments.

Since this was his last book published before his death, I got a little teary eyed in a couple places and probably read too much into some of the scenes as a foreshadowing of what was to come.  Who knew I was the sentimental type?  I asked my husband to buy this book in hard cover to add to our Horwitz collection, so it's a keeper.

In other reading, I am halfway through "Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia," which is utterly fascinating (recommended above by @sparkles). 

[AnnC]

Love the reads list, always looking for ideas to get out of a rut.

Becoming - (Michelle Obama)
In Plain SIght (CJ Box - Western Mystery)
Every Tools a Hammer (Adam Savage)
What If (Randall Munroe - of XKCD)
Kid Lawyer (john Grisham YA)
The Wild Robot Escapes (YA)
The Department of Sensitive Crimes (Alexander McCall Smith)
Out of Oz (Gregory Maguire)
Food, a love affair (Jim Gafigan)
A Higher Loyalty (James Comey)
Stories I only tell my friends (Rob Lowe)
Ready Player One

... Been trying to catch up on books that seem to be languishing on the "maybe check it out" list before they end up remaindered.

 

[sparkles]

Finished Daniel Okrent’s “The Guarded Gate,” which was excellent (he narrated as well and was quite good). It’s one of those books I can’t say I actually enjoyed, because the subject matter was so infuriating. As I commented to my friend, when people make the statement “This is not who we are!” In response to the horrific abuses and ideas of this current administration, my reply is “Historically speaking, it most certainly is who we are.” As I was listening to this, I kept visualizing none other than the dead-eyed, soulless mug of Stephen Miller. The racists who shaped our immigration policies in the 20th century are surely his heroes.

I took a break from my usual fare and actually read/listened to some fiction. Usually not my thing and it probably accounts for less that 5% of my reading but I love a good dystopian story and Yoko Ogawa’s “The Memory Police” fit the bill. I wasn’t sure about it until I got about halfway through but it really took hold and ended up making a very deep impression on me. Definitely one I’ll be thinking of for a long time. It builds up quietly, chillingly to its conclusion and it’s quite an effective horror story (not in the Stephen King horror sense though). If I had to compare it to anything—although it’s totally unlike either—it would be to “The Handmaid’s Tale” and Harlan Ellison’s “I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream,” mainly for the increasing sense of despair, hopelessness and dread as you get into the story. I would, however, recommend reading it as opposed to listening to it. Not that the narration was bad, but I think silent reading only heightens those feelings.

Edited November 26, 2019 by sparkles

[church_of_dog]

Since my last post in late September:

Regular Fiction:

"The Testaments" by Margaret Atwood

 

Cozies:

Cleo Coyle's Coffeehouse Mysteries #s 6, 7, 8 & 9, titled "French Pressed", "Espresso Shot", "Holiday Grind", and "Roast Mortem"

Susan Wittig Albert's "Darling Dahlias and the Poinsettia Puzzle" and "Queen Anne's Lace"

Shirley Rousseau Murphy's "Cat Chase the Moon"

Sue Grafton's "K" and "L" (probably not considered cozies, but I consider them "easy listening" in the same category)

 

Nonfiction, science/psychology/self-help:

"My Stroke of Insight" by Jill Bolte Taylor

"Natural Causes" by Barbara Ehrenreich

"Good Habits, Bad Habits" by Wendy Wood

"The Disappearing Spoon" by Sam Kean

 

Nonfiction, history/memoirs

"Once You Go In" by Carly Gelsinger

"Me" by Elton John

"Catch and Kill" by Ronan Farrow

"Inheritance" by Dani Shapiro

"The Day the World Came to Town" by Jim Defede

 

Currently listening to: "The Institute" by Stephen King.  

I've successfully made the switch from listening while working in the yard, to listening while knitting by the fire.  Now just need to revive the habit of listening while walking on the treadmill!

[sparkles]

What did you think of “The Testaments,” @church_of_dog? I went to a talk with Margaret Atwood (and Samantha Bee) where she discussed how she incorporated elements from the series but I’m not sure what those were since I hated the show and stopped watching after episode 3 of the second season. I didn’t have any expectations that the sequel would have the same impact as the original but I’m Still not sure if I was disappointed in it or not. I’ll probably revisit it at some point, but I’ll read it rather than listen. I was 60/40 positive/negative on the audiobook. Ann Dowd read Aunt Lydia and she was fabulous (as she always is) but the actors (Bryce Dallas Howard and Mae Whitman) who read the other two main characters had such similar voices, I found it easy to get confused if you missed the very brief intros to their segments.

”Inheritance” was fascinating, especially since I know someone who made the same discovery (unfortunately, she didn’t have the same resolution and she wishes she’d never found out.) Audiobook again, read by the author, who did a good job of it. 

[CTRLZero]

2 hours ago, church_of_dog said:

Sue Grafton's "K" and "L"

I am working through the alphabet, too.  I just finished "J" and will check out "K" after I get back from a bit of traveling.

I just finished an audio book "The Richest Woman in America:  Hetty Green in the Gilded Age" by Janet Wallach.  Hetty Green was quite the investor, particularly railroads, and was an anomaly at a time when most speculative business was done by men.  I liked how the author tried to weed out the reality of Hetty from the tons of gossip about her at the time.  She was quite the character among a lot of wealthy characters (Astors, Goulds, Vanderbilts, etc.). 

Next up, "People of the Book" by Geraldine Brooks.  I read this a number of years ago, so now I'm trying the audio book.

[church_of_dog]

33 minutes ago, sparkles said:

What did you think of “The Testaments,” @church_of_dog? I went to a talk with Margaret Atwood (and Samantha Bee) where she discussed how she incorporated elements from the series but I’m not sure what those were since I hated the show and stopped watching after episode 3 of the second season. I didn’t have any expectations that the sequel would have the same impact as the original but I’m Still not sure if I was disappointed in it or not. I’ll probably revisit it at some point, but I’ll read it rather than listen. I was 60/40 positive/negative on the audiobook. Ann Dowd read Aunt Lydia and she was fabulous (as she always is) but the actors (Bryce Dallas Howard and Mae Whitman) who read the other two main characters had such similar voices, I found it easy to get confused if you missed the very brief intros to their segments.

”Inheritance” was fascinating, especially since I know someone who made the same discovery (unfortunately, she didn’t have the same resolution and she wishes she’d never found out.) Audiobook again, read by the author, who did a good job of it. 

I really enjoyed "The Testaments", to the extent that one can "enjoy" such a  scenario.  However, for perspective, my only other experience of Gilead is having listened to the audio of "The Handmaid's Tale", and only just last year at that.  I had never read it before, and have never seen any of the video productions -- no netflix, tv, movies, whatever else it's been made into.

So last year listening to THT, it took me quite a ways into the book to grasp what was happening and who the different players/categories were.  With TT I caught on much faster, and that was part of my enjoyment.  Yes, it did take me a while to realize there were two young characters rather than one -- if I had been reading the paper version, the "A" and "B" following their assigned numbers at the beginning of each chapter would have jumped out at me right away, but in audio version I missed that for a while and had to use the context of the story to recognize there were two different stories being followed.

ETA: ironically, I was able to use context to distinguish between the two young characters because of their different style of language, one being inside Gilead, speaking in their "jargon" and of their world, and one out in the world, speaking the casual and slangish way we all do...

Also, your comment about the similar voices reminded me of something I meant to mention in my post -- someone else -- oh, that was you!  lol -- recently posted on this thread about abandoning the audiobook of "Catch and Kill" because of the awful accents and affectations Ronan Farrow used with various characters.  I have to agree that was annoying, but for me it wasn't enough to make me shut it off, just to wonder why he was doing the voices so oddly.

I'm quite jealous you were able to see Margaret Atwood speak!

Edited December 2, 2019 by church_of_dog

[neuroticcat]

I just read “Smoke Gets in your Eyes” byC Doughty. It was a great read - lots to think about regarding our cultures denial of death. Also she writes with just the right amount of dark humor. 

[CTRLZero]

Happy New Year, readers! 

I am up through "N" in the Sue Grafton sentimental journey I embarked upon earlier. 

My resolution for 2020 is to comb through the posts above for more ideas in reading adventures.  You all have such varied and interesting literary tastes.  Keep the suggestions coming!

I am currently starting a series by an author @Marly recommended, Alastair Reynolds "Revenger" series,  Marly had mentioned that the author doesn't use FTL (faster than light) travel methods, and I wondered about that.  Right now I am reading the explanation of the sails method (for lack of better term) and trying to understand the concept. 

I really want to get my hands on books by Caitlin Doughty, John McPhee, and various polygamy escapees.  Happy reading, all!

[Kailash]

I started listening to A Hundred Years of Solitude on Audible last night. I loved reading Love in the Time of Cholera and might have to read A Hundred Years of Solitude to really grasp it. My mind wanders when I’m supposed to be listening. 
I haven’t been reading as much the last few months. I’d like to read more in 2020.

[MarblesMom]

Love these lists! 

I am also working my way thru the Sue Grafton alphabet ... great story lines, lots of action.

I just finished "Upstairs in the White House" by JD West - he was an usher and then Chief Usher in the WH for decades.   Really interesting!

And, today I finished, with (spoiler alert) lots of Kleenex, "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein.  THEN, because I hadn't used up ALL the Kleenex, I downloaded the movie.  

I am on the waitlist for "Where The Crawdads Sing" - I am #170 with 16 copies, so it will be a while.  In the meantime, I am reading lots and lots of cookbooks to make the most use out of my Instapot.

 

[Sky with diamonds]

Currently reading Crying For The Moon by Mary Walsh. I'm always on the look out for Newfoundland  books, either Newfoundland authors or Newfoundland books based in Newfoundland. It gives me a little  piece of home.

Edited January 20, 2020 by Sky with diamonds