Weekly Reading Round-Up
Among this week’s haul, I’ve read:
— Rhys Bowen, Royal Flush
The third in the lighthearted, 1930’s-set Lady Georgiana series.
— Elspeth Huxley, Murder on Safari
Not quite as M.M. Kaye as I’d hoped, but very eye-opening in terms of the mechanics of big game hunting in the 1930s.
— Stella Gibbons, Nightingale Wood
I am both charmed and perplexed by this book. For those who have read Cold Comfort Farm, this is simultaneously more cynical and yet more sentimental, which is an odd and intriguing combination.
— Harriet Evans, Love Always
Going back and forth between the present day and 1960s Cornwall, a family secret is about to be revealed…. I’m in the middle of this one right now and absolutely hooked.
What have you been reading?
I finished Little Black Dress by Susan McBride this weekend. Just started Naughty in Nice by Rhys Bowen and am enchanted so far.
Since the last time I posted, I’ve read Deanna Raybourn’s The Dark Enquiry, Pam Jenoff’s The Things We Cherished, and Jennifer Lee Carrell’s Haunt Me Still.
Glory in Death by JD Robb
The second in the Eve Dallas books. I liked this book as a mystery, the crime was well-thought out. I didn’t like the romance elements Roarke was too controlling and angry when he couldn’t buy her love. There were a lot of strange ideas about love in the book. Didn’t buy any of ’em.
I am also reading a few other books including an Inspirational Gothic novel, which I will probably recommend next week.
Reading: The Honourable Scoolboy by John Le Carre, The Quiet American by Graham Greene, A Division of the Light by Christopher Banks, and a few ms.
Two-L, which I thought was really entertaining and cleverly done.
Dancing with Mr. Darcy, which are short stories that won the Chawton House Jane Austen competition and edited by Sarah Waters. Most of these are charming and thoughtful takes on some of the “truths universally acknowledged” by Miss Austen. The winning entry, “Jane Austen Over the Styx,” imagines her being judged in the underworld by some of her female characters (Lady Catherine, etc.).
Now I’m reading Faithful Place by Tana French; #3 in her Dublin Murder Squad series, though each book can easily be a stand-alone. Her writing is really lyrical and the mysteries are gritty and complex. I’ve been excited about reading this for over a year and so far it does not disappoint.
P.S. I love the Royal Spyness series!
Reading Grave Mistake by Ngaio Marsh–felt in the mood for a bit of a mystery cozy. Also just recently finished a Storm of Swords (ASOIAF #3) and Furious Love about Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Wow!
The Colonel’s Lady by Laura Frantz…a really lyrical and well-written historical romance set during the American Revolution.
Sins of The House of Borgia by Sarah Bower. I was very captivated by this novel! The first I’ve read set in renaissance Italy. I am now on The Scarlet Contessa by Jeanne Kalogridis. Another set in Italian Renaissance!
Oh, I loved Haunt me Still!
Since last Friday, I read the Out of Print book by Dodie Smith, The Girl in the Candle-Lit Bath, and let me say, understandably out of print. I’m starting to wonder if I Capture the Castle was a one hit wonder… I will repoart back once I read the next one from the library.
After that I needed something that was total fluff, so I read A Charmed Death, the second in Madelyn Alt’s Bewitching mysteries. Kind of a cozy set with some magic in Indiana. This one had a bit of a Twin Peaks overtone, which I liked.
Following a suggestion by Lauren, Juliet Nicolson’s “The Perfect Summer”, to be followed by Winston Churchill’s “The World Crisis”, and maybe rereads of Barbara Tuchman’s “The Guns of August” and “The Proud Tower”. These may take awhile. How long before JAMMD comes out?
@ Miss Eliza
I think Dodie Smith’s most famous hit is
101 Dalmations.
You could read that one next.
True, perhaps I should say two hit one 😛 One for the kids and one for the adults.
I just finished Persuade Me by Juliet Archer and will do a book review of it on a neighboring site on Sep 16th. This is a contemporary retake of Jane Austen’s classic romance Persuasion and it is excellent. In my night stand are Water For Elephants and Cotillion. (flipping a coin….)
Lauren: You are quite the reading machine! Do you read all of those books one-after-the-other or simultaneously moving back and forth between them? Multi-tasking is not a part of my masculine nature so I can only manage one-at-a-time(!)
This week, I read Heartless, the 4th installment in the Parasol Protectorate by Gail Carriger, and surely one of the best in the series! I highly recommand this series, to anybody and everybody! Just pure fun !
Then, I read From Notting Hill with Love… actually, by Ali McNamara, the perfect “romantic comedy” chick lit book for anyone who knows his/her romcoms!
And I’m in the middle of The Duke and I, the 1st installment in the Bridgerton chronicles by Julia Quinn and I’m totally in love with her books. A very good mix of romanticism and fun, pure joy too!!!
Read “Postcard Killers” by James Patterson and a European Author that I can’t remember the name. Took a break and spent the weekend at the Baltimore Grand Prix (VROOM!). Just started Edith Wharton’s “Age of Innocence”. Have been saving “Mischief” for something special but Lauren’s getting ahead me. The Darcy short stories sound interesting – I should try Austen.
After seeing it pop up here repeatedly on weekly reading round-up with excellent reviews I’ve started Outlander. I’m not very far into it, but so far I’ve enjoyed it immensely.
C.A. Belmond’s latest book in her “Remarkable” series came out on Tuesday. “A Rather Remarkable Homecoming” is the 4th book and an interesting installment. My favorite is still the first book, “A Rather Lovely Inheritance”, but y’all should give her a read.
One of your recommends from a month or so ago, The Bake-Off. I’m having trouble doing my work right now because I want to read the next chapter!
I also picked up Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Single by Heather McElhatton (sp?). The first five pages look really promising.