Weekly Reading Round-Up
Hi, all! I have to confess, I’ve been rather stagnant on the reading front recently. I’m deep in the throes of writing the new book, so I’ve been re-reading a mix of Dorothy Sayers and Jen Lancaster, with a couple of old John Bellairs book thrown in. (When I’m in heavy duty writing mode, I need old, familiar books I can pick up and put down again after four pages, having not processed more than half the words on any given page.)
I will, however, eventually come out of my writing coma and need new books to read, so….
What have you been reading?
I read “Before I Go to Sleep” last week in about 4 hours and LOVED it. Just started “Naughty in Nice,” the latest Royal Spyness book, and it’s great so far.
Who wrote “Before I Go to Sleep”?
Venetia by Georgette Heyer. So lovely so far!!
S.J. Watson wrote “Before I Go to Sleep.” It’s about a woman who had a traumatic accident that caused amnesia – every time she goes to sleep for the night, most of her adult memory gets erased so she wakes up thinking she’s in her 20s when he’s really in her late 40s.
Just started Rules of Civility by Amor Towles. I am really enjoying it.
Since your next book sounds like a stand alone, does that mean the Pink Series is being coming to an end? Or is it just a hiatus?
Hi, Georgia! I should have an answer to that by next week.
A Rather Charming Invitation by C.A. Belmond.
The Saturday Big Tent Wedding by Alexander McCall Smith, the latest in the #1 Ladies Detective Agency series. Love this man’s writing.
I finished The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer and it’s now one of my favorites of hers. A really fun read with a dashing hero, spunky heroine, and lots of adventure, mistaken identities, interfering third parties, etc.
I had a tough time with Bellfield Hall, the first Dido Kent mystery, by Anna Dean. I found it rather dull and never connected with the spinster heroine. Almost all of the supporting characters were just vile, which didn’t help matters.
I blew through Beauty by Robin McKinley in less than two days! She’s a very engaging writer and I thought she did a wonderful job with her descriptions of the enchanted castle and all that went on there. The ending was a bit abrupt, albeit very sweet and romantic. I was just sorry that I didn’t get to learn more about the Beast and his backstory.
Just read “Then Came You” by Jennifer Weiner (have your tissues handy) and I’m starting a biography of Amelia Earhart.
Which Jen Lancaster? Don’t tell me you saved “If You Were Here” for nearly 6 months! I couldn’t last two weeks to take it on our trip to Brazil and rationalized with the fact that it was hardcover and thus less packing-efficient than several paperbacks.
“A Stolen Life”, Jaycee Dugggard”s harrowing story of her 18 year captivity.
“Two L”, really enjoyed it.
“The Tower, the Zoo and the Tortoise”, by Julia Stuart. This is a moving story of loss, love found and re-found, wacky animals and human foibles, all set in the modern day Tower of London, ghosts and all. I liked it very much.
The phrase “deep into writing ” is wonderful, but I do hope we will have a mere hiatus in the Pink series, not a stopping point !
I just finished “To the Moon and Back”
by Jill Mansell. I LOVED it!
“Naughty in Nice” by Rhys Bowen. I was
so bored I didn’t finish it. Really tired of Lady Georgie’s schick.
Just started Jude Deveraux’s
“Lavender Morning”. So far it’s pretty good.
I just finished reading Object of virtue by Nicholas B.A Nicholson…..
I too read Naughty in Nice (new Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen) this week and I thought it was really fun, though I do think that Bowen is running out of fresh material.
Now I’m reading student papers… 🙁
I read The Secret Governess by Julie Klassen. I absolutely loved it! It was a wonderful, sudsy (yes, very) gothic novel. It is also Inspirational romance, but I highly recommend it!
🙂
Sorry I got the title wrong its The Silent Governess!
Pink possibly concluding? Say it ain’t so!
I’m sorry Tracie didn’t enjoy the Dido Kent book. I have it in my Kindle TBR, but I guess there’s no hurry now.
I read a bunch (4) of Leigh Michaels’s books. I’d never heard of her before and just did a mini-binge.
Lisa Kleypas’s Love, Come to Me.
Ilona Andrews’s Silver Shark.
Catriona McPherson’s After the Armistice Ball (Dandy Gilver #1). Loved some things about the book, but other things not so much. Took me an unheard-of 4 days to get through. I’ll read the others, tho (the ones in e-format, at least).
Ann Aguirre’s Grimspace. Reading the next in the series, Wanderlust, now.
In addition to my overloaded Kindle, I have sacks full of “real” books from the Borders closing (boo hoo) to get to. Not enough time!
Yankee Doodle Dixie by Lisa Paton. This is her sequel to Wistling’ Dixie in a Nor’easter. Both great books and very funny. I have also been reading L2. Starting this time of year work gets crazy and my mind turns to much when I get home. I will be glad when January comes.
Finished Age of Innocence and just starting Villette by Bronte. I think it might take awhile to get through it but I am hopeful.
I’ve been really into biographies lately. Right now I’m reading Henry Clay: the Essential American. It’s very engaging & interesting, and I’m enjoying it very much! The only thing is, when I’m reading it around him, my boyfriend asks me if Henry Clay was the one who “invented the railroad spike.” 🙁
I finished reading the SOokie Stackhouse companion which I have a feeling should only be read by die hard fans… which I don’t think I can classify myself as anymore considering how poorly I did on the quiz section.
I also read the new book Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick. He wrote The Adventures of Hugo Cabret (soon to be a movie). I was simply wonderful! A must read for anyone wanting to run away to a museum or a fan of David Bowie, or someone who loves writing with beautiful drawing to accompany it.
I just finished Cotillion by Georgette Heyer (I’ve lost track but that is around # 18 for me)because it was so highly praised around the internet and I wasn’t disappointed. It is one of Heyer’s very BEST. Next up? Water For Elephants, I think.
Lauren,
Four books!! It is a fabulous deal. Gwen diffently needs a story of her own and I can hardly stand the wait to read what happens to Jane and Eloise. I love Eloise!
I want to thank you so much for this wonderful website. I get so much pleasure logging on and reading all the great comments and suggestions. It’s a GREAT site. Always brightens my day.
Cheers!
This week I read Assassination Vacation and Wordy Shipmates, both by Sarah Vowell. Then I read Passionate Sage by Joseph J. Ellis, a character study of John Adams focusing on his post-presidential years. Now I’m reading Unclaimed by Courtney Milan.
This week I finished off Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. It was everything everyone said it would be and more. I knew all of you wouldn’t lead me astray. 🙂
Next up was “I Love You, Ronnie” which is a book of letters Ronald Reagan wrote to Nancy over almost 50 years and bits of memoir written by Nancy in between. I found it to be a sweet and heartwarming glimpse into their love story.
I finished the week out with Two L. Having never read Measure for Measure or been to law school I was interested to see how much I would like it (there was no doubt that I would like it as Lauren wrote it). I really enjoyed it. And I think I’ll even read Measure for Measure in the future…
After I read The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova, which is next on my to read list.
Since I’ve read everything else by M.M. Kaye I finally decided to read the one everyone always talks about – The Far Pavilions.