Weekly Reading Round-Up

Do you ever get to the end of the week and find yourself completely incapable of remembering what you read– or did– earlier that week? That’s me right now.

Somewhere in the mix was Bill Bryson’s essay collection, I’m a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America After 20 Years Away, about returning to America after decades in England, which I still find snort and chortle out loud funny, even after multiple re-reads. (Note: not the best thing to read while holding a sleeping baby. And by sleeping baby, I mean formerly sleeping baby, now awake and irate baby, due to sudden, abrupt movement of sleeping surface. See snort and chortle, above.)

I have some rather tempting ARCs waiting for me, but my brain needed a break, which meant… familiar re-reads. Since it’s finally starting to feel like fall (almost, ish), I moved on to one of my favorite autumn re-reads, Barbara Michaels’s classic ghost story, Ammie, Come Home, set in an old house in Georgetown. With Barbara Michaels, once I pop, I can’t stop, so, of course, then it was on to the sequel, Shattered Silk, which is, rather cleverly, not a ghost story, or in any way paranormal, but a murder mystery revolving around vintage clothing.

What have you been reading this week?

25 Comments

  1. DJL on September 29, 2017 at 11:02 am

    I finished A Strange Scottish Shore, which was a great follow-up to Juliana Gray’s first in her Emmeline Truelove series. Started Anna Lee Huber’s gothic release from last year, Secrets in the Mist, which seemed appropriately October/Halloween-ish, and am enjoying so far. Also bought Huber’s first in new series, This Side of Murder, and picked up a copy of Killing England, which should keep me busy for a little while 🙂

  2. Jean on September 29, 2017 at 11:44 am

    Just about to finish Blame by Jeff Abbott. I’ve got the third Merry Folger mystery on deck.

  3. Susan Willis on September 29, 2017 at 1:24 pm

    Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain, Spymaster’s Lady by Joanna Bourne, and To Have and to Hold by Patricia Gaffney. Finished the ARC of A Strange Scottish Shore last week. Each of these books was a great read.

  4. Diane (bookchickdi) on September 29, 2017 at 1:52 pm

    I just finished Eloisa’s James’ Wilde In Love, which I adored, and I started Wiley Cash’s The Last Ballad which is so beautifully written.

  5. Christina on September 29, 2017 at 2:04 pm

    I started The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee but bailed after 3 chapters. I had high hopes for the story but the writing style did not work for me. She’s very fond of sentence fragments which usually takes me out a story. The language was also very modern for the 1700s time period.

    I read The Leavers by Lisa Ko. It was a powerful story about identity, immigration and belonging. What makes a family and a home? Excellent read.

    My almost teenager saw It with his dad and now wants to read the book. He’s a reluctant reader. I’m hesitant to just turn him loose with it as I’ve heard it is more graphic than the movie. I’m slowly reading the book and plan to buckle down with it over the weekend. Horror is not my favorite genre. I’m breaking up reading It with Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero. I’m about 1/3 of the way through the story. It’s a slow build up but I like it so far. Lots of homages to Scooby Doo, The Famous Five, Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, Trixie Belden.

    • Laura on September 29, 2017 at 4:37 pm

      I just finished Gentleman’s Guide and I totally agree with your review – but I enjoyed it despite its many problems. 🙂

  6. Janet on September 29, 2017 at 2:20 pm

    I’m about halfway through ‘My Lady the Spy’ by Barbara Devlin.

  7. Janet on September 29, 2017 at 2:22 pm

    I’m halfway through ‘My Lady the Spy’ by Barbara Devlin. I love it.

  8. Karlene on September 29, 2017 at 2:30 pm

    I read Charlaine Harris’s Sleep Like a Baby.

    • Miss Eliza on September 29, 2017 at 8:53 pm

      I just got my copy in the mail!

  9. Eirene Ritznore on September 29, 2017 at 2:57 pm

    I’m just getting into A Strange Scottish Shore by Juliana Gray. Of course, I’m loving it, even though it’s early days yet. After that, I hope to to start Sherry Thomas’ new release, A Conspiracy in Belgrave. That also looks divine. Confession: I actually read the first few pages and fell in love with it from the first line. 🙂

  10. Sheila on September 29, 2017 at 4:03 pm

    Spencer Quinn’s The Right Side. very moving, Joshilyn Jackson’s The Almost Sisters, loved it.

  11. Laura on September 29, 2017 at 4:33 pm

    I just finished Mackenzi Lee’s The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue and I loved it! (Although I can understand why it would not appeal to everyone). The plot is utterly ridiculous, not necessarily in a good way, but everything else about the book made me happy so I recommend it anyway!

  12. Rachel Adrianna on September 29, 2017 at 4:49 pm

    Slow reading week… I only got to “Miss Kopp’s Midnight Confessions” (so good though!). Mom and I binged “Shetlands” on Netflix all week after we discovered it and couldn’t do anything else!

  13. Ellen on September 29, 2017 at 5:29 pm

    There’s a third book in that Barbara Michael’s arc, Stitches in Time. Also recommended (of course!).

  14. Betty Strohecker on September 29, 2017 at 5:44 pm

    I read A Note Yet Unsung by Tamera Alexander, and it was amazing. Beautifully written, wonderful characters, and an excellent story about a young woman trying to get a position in an orchestra when women weren’t accepted. It’s set in 1871 Nashville, reflections of life after the Civil War, and one of the characters was a true historical person who owned Belmont Mansion at this time. If you are a fan of classical music, this is a great book.

  15. Lauren H on September 29, 2017 at 6:49 pm

    Barbara Michaels’ Georgetown trilogy is one of my favorites!

    This week I read an ARC of Kerrigan Byrne’s The Scot Beds His Wife. There’s a train robbery, an international fugitive, land disputes, smuggling, and true love under false pretenses. It was pretty exciting.

    I’ve also been working on Sharon Kay Penman’s Lionheart, about Richard I. A really rich and wonderful book that was a bit of a slow starter. Normally her books suck me right in.

    Last up is Jenn McKinlay’s Death in the Stacks, a sleuthing librarian in small town Connecticut has to find out who murdered the town bully. A cute little mystery. I just might have to look into the rest of this series.

    • Betty Strohecker on September 29, 2017 at 7:51 pm

      I love Sharon Kay Penman, especially the Here Be Dragons trilogy.

    • Lynne on September 29, 2017 at 11:48 pm

      Sharon Penman is the best historical fiction writer around. Her attention to detail and accuracy with the facts is amazing. Betty is right – the Here Be Dragons trilogy is wonderful.
      They all start a bit slowly, Lauren, but it doesn’t take much time to suck you into the stories.

      • Lauren H on September 30, 2017 at 12:02 pm

        I’ve actually read all of her books, except Lionheart and A King’s Ransom. I’m not sure why I’ve struggled with Lionheart so far. And you’re right, Here Be Dragons and it’s sequels are amazing. I’ve read all of them multiple times!

  16. Miss Eliza on September 29, 2017 at 8:56 pm

    I read two small books that are related to Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series, the one about Lee Scoresby, Once Upon a Time in the North is a wonderful little westerner out of water story. I’m now taking an enforced break to read my book club’s selection which is Nick Frost’s (of Spaced, Shaun of the Dead, etc) autobiography. Rough start but his voice is so clear and damn, he’s had a hard life.

  17. Tara on September 30, 2017 at 6:42 am

    I’m still reading Sarah J. Maas’ Tower of Dawn, but, with my eighth-graders,I’m reading A Wrinkle in Time for the first time ever. It’s pretty incredible, and it is a really wild tale with a lot of thought-provoking scenes.

    • DJL on October 2, 2017 at 11:33 am

      I LOVE A Wrinkle in Time! And I enjoyed Tower of Dawn; honestly Maas’ books are just so much fun.

      • Tara on October 5, 2017 at 5:03 am

        Agreed. Sweeping magical worlds? Check! Delicious romance and a kick-butt heroine? Check! And, A Wrinkle in Time is so good; I can’t believe it took me this long to read it 🙂

  18. Joan on September 30, 2017 at 5:07 pm

    I just finished Death IN Nantucket which is the latest in the Merry Folger series by Francine Mathews. My daughter and I saw her last Monday at the Poisoned Pen. Can’t wait to read the next in this series which is VERY well written.

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