Weekly Reading Round-Up
Happy 2019, all! I hope everyone’s holiday was merry and bright and the new year has started off as new years ought to do: full of promise and sparkle.
I began the new year by finally, finally reading a book I impulse bought months ago: Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows
What have you been reading this week?
I read An English Murder by Cyril Hare, which was short and lovely and perfect for a quick holiday break indulgence. Now I’m reading Death in St. Petersburg by Tasha Alexander, which again feels very seasonally appropriate. With work getting more and more insane, I’m trying to carve out a brief but consistent reading time to wind down each night.
Read The Pale Horseman & Lords of the North, #2 and 3 of the Saxon Chronicles by Bernard Cornwell–both fantastic!
Then took a break from the great unwashed of Saxon England and spent some time in Lisbon in the 1960s, with Elsie Lee’s romantic suspense The Curse of Carranca, which is light and fun and has an old school hero (think a la Mary Stewart novels). Great fun!
I love Elsie Lee so much! My favorites are “Mansion of the Golden Windows” and “Satan’s Coast”– although recently I find myself re-reading “Wingarden” and “Season of Evil” a lot.
I’ve been rereading some of my all-time favorites this week. I just finished the incomparable *The Young Visiters* by Daisy Ashford. (I reread it at least once a year. Are there any other fans here?) Now I’m launched on Sarah Caudwell’s magnificent *Thus Was Adonis Murdered*. Happy 2019 to all!
I really must find a copy of “The Young Visitors”! And I’m with you on loving Sarah Caudwell. Back in my plaid skirt grad student days, I used to haunt the defunct Wordsworth’s in Harvard Square waiting for new releases from her and Stephanie Barron (I can still picture that “New Paperback Mysteries” shelf.) I was so sad when I learned that Caudwell had died and there would be no more books!
There was also a delightful BBC adaptation years ago with Hugh Laurie and Jim Broadbent.
Happy 2019 to you too, Lauren!!!
I’ve been reading French books recently, but I am considering a reread of the Pink books, and a reread of The Bronze Horseman, by Paulina Simmons. I loved it so much!
I am so ashamed to admit that I still haven’t read “Bronze Horseman”. Move that up in the queue?
Oh yes, move it up!!!! It’s a beautiful novel of love and war!!!
This week I was reading ravenously! I finished the wonderful “Glass Ocean” by the three W’s. I read Charles Martin’s “Send Down the Rain” and Amy Meyerson’s “The Bookshop of Yesterdays”. Today I’m starting the third Maisie Dobbs book “Messenger of Truth” by Jacqueline Winspear.
I’m so glad you enjoyed “Glass Ocean”! Thanks, Margaret!
I just finished The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by MacKenzi Lee (sequel The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue) and it was amazing. It got off to a bit of a slow start but really picks up in the last half. There are pirates AND dragons!!!
I’ve been racing through my backlog of comics issues that I’ve fallen behind on, everything from Labyrinth to Firefly, as for books I was feeling in a dark mood so I grabbed N0S4A2 by Joe Hill, possibly immortal kidnapper of children who whisks them away to “Christmasland.” Not sure if I like it yet or not…
I have read Mask Of Duplicity and am now reading The Mask Revealed books 1 and 2 of the Jacobite Chronicles by Julia Brannan. There are 6 books in the series and I’ve already ordered 3 through 6 and can’t wait to read them. Excellent!!
Those sound great!
Hope you’re all feeling better Lauren! I finally got my hands on Seven Days of Us and loved it 🙂
I am happy to report I finally got time to read The English Wife and it was truly the best! Lauren, I loved the Pink series and liked a couple of earlier stand-alones. But this was outstanding – wonderful defined characters and enough plot twists to make me dizzy. And I didn’t spot the killer until the last 50 pages or so. I’ve recommended it to a number of friends who love historical mysteries because I loved it so much! Thanks for a beautifully written book.
Lynne, thank you so much! That makes me so happy!
I’m reading The Red Coat: A Novel of Boston by Dolley Carlson. Includes Lots of interesting photos of the “southie” area in the WWII era.
Next up is The Gown by Jennifer Robson (a Novel of the Royal Wedding). Yay!!
I’m reading the third book in the Hetar series, the one Sci-Fi/Fantasy series by Bertrice Small, called The Twilight Lord. Dark vs. light, good vs. evil, and lovers are separated but will be reunited 🙂
I have immersed myself in your Pink Carnation series and am in love!! Currently on book 4 and am just tickled pink!!
Huzzah! I’m so glad you’re enjoying it!!