What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? Please share! We’d love to know.
Let’s see… So last week I was fortunate enough to read two absolutely wonderful novels.
The first, The Young Will Remember by Eve J. Chung, won’t be out until May - but be on the lookout for it! It’s about a Chinese-American woman who is a correspondent during the Korean War. She gets stranded behind enemy lines, and the main driver for the novel is her attempt to make it back to American-controlled territory so she can go home. Along the way, she meets others who protect her. I enjoyed Daughters of Shandong and thought it very good, but this one is knock-your-socks-off marvelous.
The second was This Here is Love for an upcoming interview with Princess Joy L. Perry. (She’ll be here next week, BTW!) I’m not really sure what to say about it other than “Wow.” From the title and cover I guess I thought it was going to be a romance, but it’s definitely not; it’s about the early days of slavery in the United States, particularly how it impacted Black families. It was a very painful book, but eye-opening, touching, human. Definitely one of those hard-to-read novels, but a part of history that needs to be remembered. The characters are among the most memorable I’ve encountered.
Today I’ll be starting Haven’t Killed in Years by Amy K. Green for the online discussion coming up next week, then probably Theo of Golden by Allen Levi for review. The two books I just finished were so intense I’m hoping Green’s novel will be a bit lighter.
In audiobook format, I finished The Cider House Rules by John Irving, which I loved. Coincidentally, the author’s latest novel, Queen Esther, came out this week, and while it “returns to the world of Cider House Rules” in reading reviews it seems like it only touches on the earlier novel tangentially. Probably won’t jump into that one any time soon. Instead, I’ve moved on to King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby. I’m not very far along but enjoying it so far. I’m delighted that Adam Lazarre-White, who’s narrated Cosby’s other books, is back for this one.
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Trying to take my mind off current president, I opted for what I found out was a “cosy” mystery. I chose the book out of our residents’ library because so many of my friends knit or crochet. “Yarned and Dangerous” by Sadie Hartwell is hilarious. Not only is she a facile writer, her metaphors are so right on I laugh out loud. Josie is a NY city gal constrained to come take care of a crochety old uncle in a small Connecticut town that is fading. But all the old folks are not fading. They are aggresively trying to replace Uncle Eb’s late rich wife, the yarn shop owner, while Josie tries to evade their attempts to buy up the shop and all its yarn. Best part, several particularly cranky old biddies have so far died – by murder!!
I’m still reading There Are Rivers in the Sky. The Black Wolf awaits.
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I am reading ‘The Midnight Library’ by Matt Haig for my new neighborhood book club (formed from our Buy Nothing group.) So far, I’m really liking it.
Last week I read ‘The Land of the Sweet Forever’ by Harper Lee. This is a collection of short pieces she wrote before ‘To Kill a Mockingbird.’ TKAM is my all-time favorite book (I didn’t read it until I was in my 30s, and have probably read 3-4 times in total), and I just can’t imagine another book taking that top spot (though Lonesome Dove and Hamnet come close)
My favorite piece in this new collection is the true story of how Lee was finally able to become a full fledged writer, thanks to a couple who were her dear friends. (it’s very touching)
If you are a fan of TKAM, this new collection is a fast read and a different look at the formation of this great novelist.
I just finished Black Wolf and it is a banger!
Now reading The Improbable Victoria Woodhull by Eden Collinsworth and listening to The Sinners All Bow by Kate Winkler Dawson.
Adding to the discussion from last week about King of Ashes. I think each of Cosby’s books has gotten progressively darker. (My favorite is Razorblade Tears.) What I wrote in my review about what I was missing from King of Ashes was HEART. In each of the previous books there was at least one character that had a big heart or compassion for others. I did not get much of any heart in King of Ashes. I still liked it and SA Cosby is one heck of a storyteller but I like some of his stories more than others.
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Reading and loving THE WORLD AT HOME by Ginny Kubitz Moyer.
I’m reading too many books at once. Today, I have focused on By the Fire We Carry by Rebecca Nagle. I’m finding it an interesting history surrounding the Indian Removal Act in 1830. The author reveals her personal family history as it relates to decisions made my a divided Cherokee nation. The impact of their relocation on a 21st century murder case is dramatic.
I am also reading Claire McCardell: The designer who set women free. Loving it so far.
For fiction I’ve just started The Things We Didn’t Know by Elba Iris Perez and also Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie. Both of these are for book clubs at the end of the month.
I read The Daughters of Shandong during the interview with the author Eve Chun. Not only did it enrich my knowledge of the Red Communist Revolution but it exposed the horrific conditions which made the story very compelling.
Last night I read Grape Juice by Eliza Dumas, a short romance story about an American woman and a Frenchman falling in love while working on a vineyard during the harvest season. I even indulged myself drinking a glass of Chardonnay while reading.
Today I started The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis, a historical fiction about a book thief that connects two generations of women.
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I finished “King: A Life” by Jonathan Eig tonight and loved it. It really does exactly what a biography should do. I started “Native Nations:A Millenium in North America” tonight and am cautiously optimistic.
It’s really interesting to hear everyone’s feedback on Cosby’s novels. I think it’s really cool that so many people here are familiar with his work. I feel like his thrillers are a cut above most of what’s out there now, and I’m really curious about how I’ll feel about this one. Thanks for the comments!
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I’m at the start of two big fat books. Reading (finally!) Lonesome Dove by McMurtry and listening to Benjamin Franklin: an American Life by Walter Isaacson. Both are excellent
I hope you like Lonesome Dove as much as I did. It’s my all-time favorite novel.
I just finished the audiobook of The Nazi and the Psychiatrist by Jack El-Hai and am anxiously awaiting the movie, Nuremberg, which is adapted from the book. Almost finished with Queen of All Mayhem by Dane Huckelbridge which is about the outlaw Belle Starr. It’s fairly obvious I like nonfiction and history. I’m trying to figure out what to read next as I have two book club books I need to read this month and some book challenges I’d like to complete before the end of the year.