Weekly Reading Round-Up
I started off the week with two books from my college roommate’s care package, both by an author unfamiliar to me, Anna Barrie. They were very different from each other– and I loved them both. They were:
— The Linden Tree
— and Briar Rose
Once I’d finished those, it was on to my Tucson Book Festival finds:
— Napoleon’s Pyramids
I had the great privilege to be on a panel with William Dietrich at the Tucson Festival of Books, where we discovered that we liked to hang out with the same quirky cast of Napoleonic characters (the device that Augustus finds in The Garden Intrigue
— The Orchid House
As Deborah Crombie said in yesterday’s Jungle Red Writers post, when Barbara Peters of the Poisoned Pen tells you to read something, you read it. So when Barbara handed me The Orchid House, it went straight to the top of the To Read pile (as in the book sticking out of my bag on the flight home). It goes back and forth between modern England and the hectic days of World War II, tracing the complicated relationships between the members of the Great House and the gardener’s granddaughter. Thematically, it’s very similar to my Kenya book– something in the air, perhaps?
What have you been reading this week?
I finally got around to “A Discovery of Witches.” I’m not that far into yet but I’m loving it so far.
I need to add “The Orchid House” and “Briar Rose” to my list of books to read. Those sound right up my alley!
Oh, I read Briar Rose it was a very interesting read.
Alas it sounds like you are reading something better than me (or is it I?). I’ve been trudging through the Dreamhunter Series, I am only about 100 pages into book 2 and it has really slowed down. Sci/Fi is one of my weeknesses, but I normally read them with a romance line and there is no romance here, perhaps that is my issue, because the story is actually quite original.
I just finished “Temptation of the Night Jasmine.” 😉 I’ve been reading Pink books non-stop for a while now.
Loved The Garden Intrigue. Also finished Cat’s Claw by Susan Wittig Albert.
I just finished “Heartless” by Gail Carriger. Crazy!
I have Sophie Kinsella’s new one and the latest J.D Robb for the weekend.
I also read Jo Beverley’s “Scandalous Countess”, it was okay.
A Red Herring Without Mustard – Alan Bradley’s third book in the charming Flavia de Luce series. There’s something enchanting about the eleven-year-old protagonist. Some of the chemistry references make my eyes cross, but overall I’m enjoying the ride.
Looking forward to starting Charles Mann’s 1491. I’ve heard great things about it.
Started Tears of Pearl. Absolutely loving Tasha Alexander’s books!! I need to order the remaining books of the series.
After that I’m looking forward to starting Deanna Raybourne Silent in the Grave.
Trail of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz. I love this series. The newest one does not disappoint!
I just started Vienna Waltz. After a year on my to be read pile it finally made it to the top. Loving it! 🙂
I have been drowning my dissertating sorrows in chick-lit (about all my brain can handle right now). This week is my first foray into Katie Fforde. I read Restoring Grace and am now working on Wild Designs. They’re both enjoyable and cute, if predictable. Interesting that these both feature heroines who are divorced and discovering their “second” shot at love, which might account for the slightly more jaded tone.
Briar Rose and The Linden Tree sound like I’ll need to give them a whirl.
I just finished Midnight In Austenland and now I’m reading Jane Austen Made Me Do It- it’s good!
Just finished an ARC of Kathy Hepinstall’s new title, The Blue Asylum. Mostly loved the setting, an asylum in Sanibel Island in FL during the Civil War. It was intense and tragic and I’m going to need something light next.
After finishing Timeless, the latest (and last) in the Alexia Tarabotti series (loooved it), I read Princess of the Midnight Ball, by Jessica Day Ball, a retelling of the 12 dancing princesses tale, which was really really good!
And now, I’m half way through The Scarlet Pimpernel and I have to admit, Lauren, that I love recognizing where you took your inspiration for some of our beloved characters! 🙂
Shows what I know: I read Dietrich’s “The Dakota Cipher” a couple of months ago, but, in spite of the fireworks at Malmaison, I thought no one here would be interested in Ethan Gage. So, I didn’t mention it.
That forces mention of Stephen Hunter’s “Soft Target”, and Lee Child’s “The Affair”. Have been re-reading the Lord Peter Wimsey novels by Dorothy L. Sayers.
Yeah for Flavia/Spellman/Alexia fans! I finished my re-read of A Feast for Crows, and now I’ve been reading the newest GRRM, A Dance with Dragons.
I also read the Soulless Manga, which was really fun, far better than I thought it would be.
Also for school, I swear it’s actually for school… or I finagled it so I could read it for school, Agatha Christie’s Sparkling Cyanide.
I FINALLY finished Elizabeth the Queen by Sally Bedell Smith on audiobook (it’s 21 hours long!), and read The Auslander by Paul Dowswell (YA set in Nazi Germany).
Yesterday I read The Little House on the Prairie and today I plan to start Farmer Boy. (I needed some light, quick reads after Elizabeth!)
>8 I heard Lisa Lutz speak on a mystery panel at the Public Library Association conference this morning? She shared some very entertaining e-mail from fans who don’t love the series as much as you do.
I’ve been reading The Heights of the Depths by Peter David, at long last. Then I started on the ARCs from the conference with The Shape of Desire by Sharon Shinn. I’ve read all her Samaria books and Heart of Gold, but I think I’m going to have to read her other shape shifter stories now.
Read Rob Thurman and Kim Harrison’s latest paranormals, plus CS Harris’s latest Sebastian St. Cyr.
I just bought The Orchid House on someone else’s reccie this past week. My TBR pile is outrageous right now, tho, so I’m not sure when I’ll get to it. Hope you’ll tell us what you think about it.
I promised my grand daughter I would read Little Women and I have just finished. It is not too difficult to realize the widespread appeal of this novel. It is NOT just for girls and young women! It is indeed a story for the ages that anyone would love. One of my best reads ever.
I am working my way through the Horatio Hornblower series. Rather addictive.