Weekly Reading Round-Up

I’ve been having such a good run of new books recently. On tap for this week was:

— Francine Matthews’s Death in Rough Water, the second of her Nantucket-set Merry Folger mysteries. The more I read this series, the more I love it– particularly the developing relationship between the detective and another character, which reminds me so much (in the best possible way) of Harriet Vane and Lord Peter Wimsey;

— Lynda Cohen Loigman’s The Two-Family House, a book that kept me up reading long, long after I’d meant to go to sleep, set in 1950s and 60s Brooklyn, about the way one decision made on one snowy night shapes the fate of two families for a generation to come (and don’t you love those books where you can absolutely understand and sympathize with why characters do something or other, but also the unexpected repercussions that fan out from it?);

— and did I mention that I’m a little obsessed with the Merry Folger books right now? I’d meant to do some work reading after my Two-Family House book binge, but instead couldn’t resist moving on to Book III, Death in a Mood Indigo.

What have you been reading this week?

19 Comments

  1. Virginia on July 28, 2017 at 10:06 am

    Babylon’s Ark- The story of how South African conservationalist Lawrence Anthony tried to save the animals of the Baghdad zoo during and immediately after the invasion in 2003.

    Also just started The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. I’ve been looking forward to reading that for awhile now.

  2. Cecile on July 28, 2017 at 10:29 am

    Just finished Murder At Marble House by Alyssa Maxwell. Now I’m reading a freebie Nook entitled The Irish Cottage by Juliet Gauvin. Bidding time until I get my next read in the mail.

  3. Cecile on July 28, 2017 at 10:35 am

    Just finished Murder At Marble House by Alyssa Maxwell. Began a freebie from Nook entitled The Irish Cottage by Juliet Gauvin. Bidding time until my next read comes in the mail.

  4. carla on July 28, 2017 at 11:31 am

    I just now finished “The Finishing School ” really good! A page turner set in Switzerland

  5. Sheila on July 28, 2017 at 11:52 am

    A Duty To the Dead, Charles Todd

    The Know it All, a memoir by A J Jacobs, a sorta memoir, fun

    Camino Island, Grisham. it’s a mystery about books!

    Swimming Lessons, Claire Fuller

    Each one quite different from the others, very enjoyable reading week.

  6. Diane on July 28, 2017 at 1:02 pm

    Just finished Liane Moriarity’s Truly Madly Guilty–a good summer read. Started “Born a Crime” by Trevor Noah this morning. It’s been on my radar for awhile. I don’t generally read biographies (or autobiographies) but I appreciate his satire, wit, and outlook. And the title alone is enough to hook me–all the more intriguing because it is a true statement! How can a person be a crime? Apartheid was truly evil. Sometimes I think all people should be required to read Dr. Seus’s “The Sneetches” and reread it until the message sinks in.

    Ok–tmi! Rant over.

    Happy reading!

    • Amy on July 28, 2017 at 7:31 pm

      I also enjoyed Born A Crime, although I hadn’t quite finished it.

  7. Diane on July 28, 2017 at 1:02 pm

    Just finished Liane Moriarity’s Truly Madly Guilty–a good summer read. Started “Born a Crime” by Trevor Noah this morning. It’s been on my radar for awhile. I don’t generally read biographies (or autobiographies) but I appreciate his satire, wit, and outlook. And the title alone is enough to hook me–all the more intriguing because it is a true statement! How can a person be a crime? Apartheid was truly evil. Sometimes I think all people should be required to read Dr. Seus’s “The Sneetches” and reread it until the message sinks in.

    Ok–tmi! Rant over.

    Happy reading!

  8. DJL on July 28, 2017 at 1:13 pm

    Read A Most Extraordinary Pursuit, by Juliana Gray (aka Beatriz Williams), and *really* enjoyed it. Starts off standard turn of the (20th) century British mystery/suspense caper, with educated independent Englishwoman and handsome, rakish, titled aristocratic Enlgishman heading off to Greece to look for lost heir to a dukedom (so far, all my boxes checked). There is a really unique twist to the whole thing that makes me very interested in the next one, which comes out in September.
    Now reading What the Dead Leave Behind by Rosemary Simpson, which has a very gothic, Victoria Holt-type feel to it.
    Also now very much interested in Merry Folger series–anything that smacks of Lord Peter Wimsey/Harriet Vane dynamic is right up my alley!
    Good times!

  9. Pat Dupuy on July 28, 2017 at 1:21 pm

    The Chalk Pit by Elly Griffiths. Devil’s Breath by G M Malliet. Fudging the Books by Daryl Wood Gerber. The Girl With the Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn. I’m currently immersed in The Day of the Duchess by Sarah MacLean.

  10. Dianna on July 28, 2017 at 3:50 pm

    Didn’t realize that Francine Matthews (author of the 5 Merry Folger mysteries) also writes as Stephanie Barron author of the being Jane Austin mysteries!!!

  11. Miss Eliza on July 28, 2017 at 6:28 pm

    I haven’t had much time to read but every time I pick up my current read I know I’m in for lack of sleep tomorrow because I seriously can’t put down The English Wife! I have two birthday parties to go to this weekend and I’ll I’m thinking is how long do I have to stay before I can sneak home and read!

    • Lauren on July 31, 2017 at 1:13 pm

      I am so SO happy to hear that! It’s always hard to tell how a book will read… and if anyone will want to read it!

  12. Margaret on July 28, 2017 at 6:46 pm

    Just finished The Muse by Jessie Burton. I loved the story that takes place in 1936 Spain and 1967 London. I’m now reading my first book by Susan Meisner because of a recommendation read on this site.

  13. Christine on July 28, 2017 at 7:20 pm

    I finally finished “Food Whore” – which I got for Christmas. I couldn’t really get into it but it really picks up about halfway through. It’s like “The Devil Wears Prada” meets the food industry. It was ok. There were too many minor characters that weren’t developed enough. I would’ve rather had half as many characters and gotten to know them better.

  14. Lynne on July 29, 2017 at 12:16 am

    I just started a reread of a favorite mystery series that I began years ago – Barbara Cleverly’s Joe Sandiland’s mysteries. They’re set in 1920’s India – at least in the first few books – and have more twists and turns than any other series I can think of. I’m half way through the second book and cannot put it down! Perfect for hot summer days when you can’t stand to even move. Highly recommended!

  15. Tara on July 29, 2017 at 7:58 am

    After finishing the most recent book in the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas, I am reading the prequel to the whole series called The Assassin’s Blade.

    When I come to a book series late, I love to read all the books, but save the prequel to read last. You get to revisit the characters and get a background why they did certain things in the story. Anyone else?

  16. Jean on July 29, 2017 at 11:07 am

    Reading Death in the Off Season at your suggestion!

  17. Rachel Adrianna on July 31, 2017 at 6:45 pm

    “A Girl Walks Into a Book: What the Brontës Taught Me about Life, Love, and Women’s Work” by Miranda Pennington… SO GOOD! Really reminded me of how I felt the first time I read “Jane Eyre” and how magical the story was. I also just started “Bad Housekeeping” by Maia Chance, the first in a new mystery series of hers. (She has written “Come Hell or Highball”, etc and “Snow White Red-handed”, etc.) Slow reading week, high Netflix week :/

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