Since I’m judging for a contest, most of this week’s reading falls into the “classified” category.
But I can tell you that I finally read Connie Willis’s Doomsday Book
, about a grad student thrown back into the (fourteenth century) past and an epidemic in the present. So compelling but so very, very emotionally draining.
Right now, I’m just starting on Laura Resnick’s Disappearing Nightly
, a gift from my college roommate, who informed me that it was like vintage Elizabeth Peters, but with magic (and, yes, yes it is, and just what I needed). I also have Jennifer Robson’s new historical novel, After the War Is Over
, in the queue.
What have you been reading this week?
Just started on Meg Cabot’s adult historical romances, which just came out in e-book. Super fun!
I haven’t read Doomsday Book, but I LOVE To Say Nothing of the Dog, which I think is a companion, and is so much fun — and not dark!
I’m reading After The War is Over as well, and really enjoying it so far! Post-WWI/pre-Jazz Age Britain is kind of an overlooked time so nice to get a perspective on that. Up next is finally reading Wild by Cheryl Strayed.
I continued reading the Transplanted Tales series by Kate SeRine with Grimm Consequences. It’s a novella sequel to the first book in the series and I didn’t love it as much as the other books. Now I’m taking a break before reading the last book of the series to read some books that are due back at the library soon. I’m about 40 pages into Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein. I think I will love it once I really get into it.
I just finished After the War is Over. Great book, but I liked Somewhere in France more. I’m currently reading Snow Angel by Melanie Shawn (free on iTunes). But can’t wait until The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy comes out next week!
After finishing An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin, I read an ARC of Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman and now I’m reading one of The Only Words that are Worth Remembering by Jeffrey Rotter.
I’m in the midst of reading Heather Webb’s Rodin’s Lover. I also just finished Priya Parmar’s Vanessa and her sister about Vanessa Bell and Virginia Woolf which was fabulous.
It has been a busy week for reading. Every Day is a Holiday by George Mahood was a hysterical retelling of his attempts to celebrate all the odd ball holidays that turn up.
Lost and Found by Carolyn Parkhurst was much better than I thought it would be, highly recommended if you are a fan of the Amazing Race.
The Marriage Masquerade by Teresa DesJardiens was a little disappointing.
Me Before You by JoJo Moyes was very good.
Laura Resnick is fantastic. Her books are funny and madcap and serious, all in one. Esther might be over her head, but she’s smart. I’m currently reading the latest of hers, Abracadaver.
Due to my horrible schedule and other commitments, I’m only actively reading one book right now. I can’t remember the last time that happened. Oh, the horror.
Lauren, if you enjoyed Connie Willis you might enjoy Jodi Taylor’s St. Mary’s series, which is set in Britain at some time in the future and centered around the St. Mary’s Institute for Historical Research. At St. Mary’s they have mastered time travel and historians go back in time to observe key events and then present their findings through legitimate channels. Towards the end of the first book they realize that the laws of the universe/time that prohibit them from removing/interfering objects from the past don’t seem to extend to things that are about to be destroyed, like the Library of Alexandria. You can imagine where it goes from there. They’re funny, though surprisingly violent and a bit crass at times, and the premise is any historian’s dream (think of the footnotes!).
This week I (finally) read That Summer and just adored it. It was so beautifully written and plotted and emotionally keyed–I found it completely heartbreaking. And I was so pleased to see art history/art historians as the heroes instead of the villains! (I’m thinking of the boyfriend-stealing Pink Carnation art historian and horrible Dempster, in particular.) I really, really loved it.
Now I’ve just started The Flight of Gemma Hardy (Margot Livesey).
I finished ‘My Family and Other Animals” which I think was uneven overall, but got better as you read, so it really ended on a high note. If it wasn’t for my enormous TBR pile I think I would have picked up the sequel immediately.
Then I moved onto the new Australian epic by Collen McCullough, ‘Bittersweet’ which was far more bitter then sweet. It was a struggle to get through this book about two sets of twins who are all siblings. It had formulaic writing and reverted to stereotypes, and is just best avoided unless you like rage reading.
Now I’m reading Daisy Goodwin’s book ‘The Fortune Hunter’ about Sisi, the Empress of Austria and her visit to England. So much fun, just flying through this book, but then again, I loved her first book ‘The American Heiress.’
I finally read Nelson DeMille’s The Panther. I love his John Corey series. The sarcasm makes me laugh out loud and you also learn a lot about what is currently going on in the world. Really good. Based on recommendations here, I read Red, one of the transplanted fairytale books. I very much enjoyed it! I will definitely read others in the series. I love weekly reading roundups!!!
Red was my favorite of the Transplanted Tales but they were all entertaining reading!
I am re-reading the Pink books and am up to Emerald Ring at the moment. It is several years since I read the early ones and I am really enjoying them. I am picking up on things like the dialogue and the setting much more on the second reading. They are really fabulous.
I finished The Soldier, second book in Grace Burrowes’ Windham series and enjoyed it. I loved the character of St. Just, but got a little tired of waiting for Emmie, his love interest to finally reveal her ‘secrets’. Good interaction between supporting characters.
I read Messenger of Truth, Maisie Dobbs #4 by Jacqueline Winspear, which was excellent.
I also read Getting Rid of Bradley by Jennifer Crusie, which was a lot of fun.
I just finished “Kushiel’s Dart” by Jacqueline Carey, and started “Cotillion” by Georgette Heyer. I’m about to start Chapter 4, and am loving it so far! Once that’s done, I’ve got the newest Julia Quinn, “The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy” to dig into.
The Raven. E.A. Poe
Doomsday Book was great, but even better is Willis’s two-part World War II series–Blackout and All Clear. Still the same time-travel department, very gripping, and very satisfying.