Weekly Reading Round-Up
This has been another exceedingly eclectic reading week, from YA to non-fiction with some romance in between. Here’s the week’s haul:
— Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society
I have to admit, it was the cover that caught my eye on this one, a rickety old mansion. A young adult novel, it’s a little bit Harry Potter and a little bit The Westing Game
— Eloisa James, The Duke Is Mine
I’ve really been enjoying Eloisa James’ new fairy tale series (I’m particularly looking forward to the next one, The Ugly Duchess). This one is a take on the Princess and the Pea story. It’s also the origin of the Lucky Duck Club… but that’s a side point.
— H.G. Bissinger, Friday Night Lights
This was the week’s unexpected treat. My little sister has been to telling me I have to have to watch Friday Night Lights, the television show. Being me, I wound up reading the book it was based on instead. Since my interest in football is roughly commensurate with watching paint dry (and the paint might have a slight edge there), I’d expected to fling it aside after a few pages. Instead I sat up half the night. It’s a compelling and beautifully written portrait of a particular place, its culture, its people, its ups and downs. In short, nonfiction as it should be.
I have so far been thwarted– thwarted!– in my attempt to get my hands on Loretta Chase’s Silk Is For Seduction
What have you been reading?
I purchased Entwined by Heather Dixon after reading about it here in the fairy tale thread and I was utterly enchanted by the book. I read it in just a few days and hated for it to end! The writing was very clever and engrossing and I was amazed by how well the author was able to distinguish all of the characters (the 12 dancing princesses, love interests, parents, villains.) I experienced a whole gamut of emotions while reading this story (I laughed, I cried, I was scared) and the ending just made me smile. I hope to read more wonderful books from Heather Dixon in the future.
LOVE The Westing Game!
I lucked out and have a snow day since my office closed … So I’m thinking I may finally get to JAMMDI … Yes. I am embarrassed at how long I’ve has it on my TBR pile …
Lauren: You also need need to watch the movie and the tv show of Friday Night Lights. While the TV is loosely based on the book (different people, town, etc)…the acting, stories, and videography are excellent. I miss the show (but I am a football freak too. 🙂
On for my books:
I read the first 5 books of Gemma Holidays’ High Heels Mysteries during my forced weekend in bed. (Spying in High Heels, Killer in High Heels, Undercover in High Heels, Alibi in High Heels, and Mayhem in High Heels). Fun books. I love Maddie…tho I’m not 100% sold on the romance with her cop…I was kinda rooting for the tabloid Lord. Need to grab the 6th book – Fearless in High Heels. I find it interesting that the series didn’t end with the “Happy Ending” but actually continues n.
Sins of a Wicked Duke – Sophie Jordan
And Then He Kissed Her – Laura Lee Guhrke
Maid to Match – Deeanne Gist
I am now reading Life, Love and a Polar Bear Tattoo by Heather Wardell
Forgot to mention last week that I finally finished Tracy Grant’s Imperial Scandal and loved it. This week I read Laura Lippman’s The Most Dangerous Thing. I was disappointed.
Lauren: Your sister is right..you still need to watch the TV show, which is loosely based on the book. Everything about that show is wonderful. All five seasons are on Netflix.
My reading:
Gemma Holiday High Heel Series 1-5. Great fun. Drooled over the shoes and ‘Charlies Angels.’ Even a guest appearance by Austin Scarlett (for us Project Runway geeks). Looking forward to book six…which.continues after the ‘happily.ever after’ of book 5.
Maid to Match – Deeane Gist: late 19th century story set at Vanderbilt estate in NC.
Sins of a Wicked Duke-Sophie Jordan: The duke is a true rogue
And Then He Kissed Her-Laura Lee Guhrke: Also fun as it adresses the conditions for single.working women in late 19thcentury. I want to read the rest of the series.
Currently reading Life, Love and a Polar Bear Tattoo by Heather Wardell.
First Comes Marriage, Mary Balogh. Love the conversation! Her banter is so sharp. I get lose myself in the grey days of winter with balls and beautiful great house houses.
I am in a reading slump. I am about a third of the way through The Rossetti Letter by Christi Phillips.
This week, I finished Persuade Me, by Juliet Archer, a modern retelling of Persuasion. I did not understand why she fet compelled to change some major events, but all in all, I absolutely loved it! Then I re-read with some friends Every Boy’s Got One, by Meg Cabot (always such a fun read) and I’m making my way through Ain’t She Sweet by Susan Elizabeth Philips, and pretty much loving it so far!
I meant to ask you Lauren… you said last week that you had started Madame Tussaud… Did you finish it? Was it good?
I downloaded Eloisa James’s VERY creative promotional bundle on my Kindle featuring her short story Winning The Wallflower and teasers from 3 other current offerings. The Duke Is Mine has me burning with curiosity. I gotta-gotta read that one!
I finished and re-read I Thee Wed by Amanda Quick, Vanza #2. It’s adorable and sweet and yet there are enough serious moments to keep it from being a toothache. Love, love, Love! (Note: This is a total stand alone book.)
Second Midnight Angel by Lisa Kleypas (Stokehursts #1.
This is an earlier Kleypas which reflects an more over the top style, (Her later books look more sedate.)I liked the unusual setting- different time period and international elements.
This one started slow but the ending was awesome. I will totally read the sequel, when I get to it.
Started I Capture the Castle. My sister’s favorite. Not sure how I feel yet.
I loved the Friday Night Lights book, never saw the tv show…
Reading list:
Amy Dickinson’s Mighty Queens of Freeville, her memoir of growing up in a loving family of single moms. Very enjoyable.
Another Nicola Cornick, Unmasked…good grief, it’s the beginning of yet another series….
The Desert Crop, Catherine Cookson’s last book. If I could just write one book as good as hers…and she ended up writing over ninety !
I have just started re-reading Heyer’s The Civil Contract, and realized it has one of my favorite minor characters, Mr Chawleigh. Tkt44his edition has a great intro by Jo Beverly, and now I want to go look her up, as I don’t think I have read any of her books yet.
Based on last week’s roundup, I nabbed the new Patti Callahan Henry from the library, along with the newest Carolly Erickson novel and a novel set in WWII era England, Their Guilty Pleasures. Just started the latter, so far so good.
I am working my way through And Only to Deceive…..and loving it!!!!
I’m with Jessica, on a Tasha Alexander bender, just finished And Only to Deceive and started A Poisoned Season five minutes later… should finish that today or tomorrow…
Lauren: You need to still watch the TV show. Excellent acting, storylines, characters, videography…the works. Kyle Chandler and Taylor Kitsch…sigh… 🙂
Oh yeah…books…haha
I had lots of time to read last weekend as I was stuck in bed…
Spying in High Heels, Killer in High Heels, Undercover in High Heels, Alibi in High Heels, Mayhem in High Heels
all by Gemma Holiday. Fun series. Lots of shoes (yea!), mysteries, silliness, hunky guys, a tabloid Lord and guest appearance by Austin Scarlett (for you Project Runway geeks). I’m going to read Fearless in High Heels this week as I’m interested to know how a the romance in the series continues after the wedding.
Life, Love & and Polar Bear Tattoo by Heather Wardell. Too much crying and whining.
And Then He Kissed Her by Laura Lee Guhrke. Fun book. A nice take on independent woman (aka Girl Bachelor) in late 19th century. Plan on reading more of series
Sins of a Wicked Duke by Sophie Jordan. This guy was a real rogue.
Maid to Match by Deanne Gist. Mentioned this in the ‘If you Like’ thread this week. Very nice story. A good read if you like Downton Abbey’s servants.
This new thing just doesn’t like me….Last try.
Lauren: You need to still watch the TV show. Excellent acting, storylines, characters, videography…the works. Kyle Chandler and Taylor Kitsch…sigh… 🙂
Oh yeah…books…haha
I had lots of time to read last weekend as I was stuck in bed…
Spying in High Heels, Killer in High Heels, Undercover in High Heels, Alibi in High Heels, Mayhem in High Heels
all by Gemma Holiday. Fun series. Lots of shoes (yea!), mysteries, silliness, hunky guys, a tabloid Lord and guest appearance by Austin Scarlett (for you Project Runway geeks). I’m going to read Fearless in High Heels this week as I’m interested to know how a the romance in the series continues after the wedding.
Life, Love & and Polar Bear Tattoo by Heather Wardell. Too much crying and whining.
And Then He Kissed Her by Laura Lee Guhrke. Fun book. A nice take on independent woman (aka Girl Bachelor) in late 19th century. Plan on reading more of series
Sins of a Wicked Duke by Sophie Jordan. This guy was a real rogue.
Maid to Match by Deanne Gist. Mentioned this in the ‘If you Like’ thread this week. Very nice story. A good read if you like Downton Abbey’s servants.
i just finished Mary Balogh’s Simply Unforgettable, it was great! i can’t wait to get my hands on the rest if the Simply series.
For now Im perusing through the illustrated copy of Lark Rise to Candleford.
I read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Stieg Larsson), after much nagging from my usually very literary family. I thought it was interesting and diverting enough but it definitely didn’t live up to all the Greatest Book Ever OMG hype. The writing is pretty painful in places. I’ll try his next one, though.
Now I’m rewarding myself with Death Comes to Pemberley! (Tess of the d’Urbervilles will just have to stay on that back-burner for another few days.)
Vanessa before you read the next book in the series “Simply Love” you might want to read “A Summer to Remember”. The wonderful Syd makes his first appearance and it’s the book that started it all off for Mary Balogh.
Plus it is one of her best and most beloved by fans.
Thanks Leslie, it makes sense to read that book now!
OMG…so sorry about the multiple posts. I kept trying and it never showed up…now they are all here. Sorry.
Ha! I just read Silk is for Seduction and it was GREAT.
Lime Pam, I just read The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. The book seems like a mess of unconnected stories for the first half; then everything comes together and it suddenly gets interesting. I then read the sequel and, yep, same pattern. So I guess it was Larsen’s thing.
I wouldn’t recommend GWTDT to everyone – there’s a fairly brutal and graphic rape scene that I think could be tough for a lot of people. In fact, when my assistant said she didn’t think she could cope with that kind of brutality, I directed her to Pink Carnation instead!
The other book I just read was Jasper Fforde’s “The Big Over Easy.” It was funny (in that British humor, Monty Python way) but also had a really good plot filled with twists and turns, and characters that were engaging. If you aren’t familiar with Fforde’s universe, it is a world in which many literary characters live in the real world, including Detective Jack Spratt and his police partner Mary Mary (who is quite contrary). I’m looking forward to the next book, The Fourth Bear.
Okay, captcha code got my post! For Christmas my hubby got all seven books on my list including Orchid Affair, The Lost Dauphin and “Marie-Therese, Child of Terror: The Fate of Marie Antoinette’s Daughter” by Susan Nagel. Finished the first two and 1/2 thru Marie-Therese. I’m hooked on the personalities of the Revolution era. Perhaps I should read “A Tale of Two Cities”? I, too, would like to read the book about Madame Tussaud recommended by Lauren. Please mention the name and author again or I’ll have to scroll backwards. Saving Garden Intrigue for Spring Break.
Help me help me! My hem is caught in the SPAM filter — Send Lord Vaughn to liberate me~ (If he can’t be bothered with my plight please send Turnip…)
AmyN, the name of the author of the book about Madame Tussaud is Michelle Moran, and the name of the book is
Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution !! 🙂
@Celine- Thanks!