Weekly Reading Round-Up

How did I ever get through the 80s without reading Jackie Collins? I read the rest of the glamour epic squad: Judith Krantz, Danielle Steele, Sidney Sheldon, et al, but somehow missed Jackie Collins. I finally remedied that over a couple of long plane rides with Lovers and Gamblers, about a rock star and a rising actress and the cast of thousands that surrounds them. It made me realize how much I miss those sweeping, over the top sagas that were, where you feel like you’ve lived years in eight hundred pages– then realize for the characters it’s only been six months. But in those six months, careers are made and broken, kingdoms rise and fall, and goodness only knows what else.

For something completely different, I’ve moved on to the latest in Elly Griffiths’s Ruth Galloway series, The Chalk Pit, British mystery involving murdered rough sleepers and a set of mysterious bones (because with Ruth Galloway, there are always bones).

After this, I think I might finally, finally read Sarah Addison Allen’s Garden Spells, which has been on my to read list for years now.

What have you been reading this week?

p.s. if you’re in the Chicago area, come join me for the last stop on The English Wife Tour on Saturday! I’ll be at 57th Street Books in Hyde Park at 3:00 with Charles Finch, author of the Charles Lennox mysteries. Hope to see you there!

9 Comments

  1. Susan Willis on February 16, 2018 at 12:21 pm

    I love Sarah Addison Allen’s work! I’m reading Alan Bradley’s latest Flavia De Luce – The Grave is a Fine and Private Place.

  2. Jean on February 16, 2018 at 1:45 pm

    Reading I Found You by Lisa Jewell after finishing Martha’s Vineyard, Isle of Dreams by Susan Branch. I’ve read every other title in the Ruth Galloway series; I’ll add that one to my hold list at the library!

  3. Sheila on February 16, 2018 at 2:21 pm

    Anything Sarah Addison Allen is a must read for me. I think Collins’ books suffered from being “popular fiction”, but they wouldn’t be popular if they weren’t interesting.
    I read Mary Lovell’s Bess of Hardwick, Empire builder, what a woman. Jennifer Colgan’s fun The Bookshop on the Corner, but it really is a bus, why do publishers do that? And just because of the excessively gloomy weather here, Kasey Michaels’ The Kissing Game, great fun as always .

  4. Betty Strohecker on February 16, 2018 at 2:37 pm

    I read The English Wife, and it was wonderful. The book club discussion yesterday was also great. Thank you, Lauren!

    I just started A Grave Matter, the third Lady Darby mystery by Anna Lee Huber.

  5. Rachel Adrianna on February 16, 2018 at 3:19 pm

    SARAH ADDISON ALLEN. <3 it!

  6. Miss Eliza on February 16, 2018 at 8:21 pm

    I finally read Les Liaisons Dangereuses and was unimpressed. Too much left open for interpretation, but perhaps that is why it’s still a classic? I’ve just started a comfort re-read of The Princess Bride, in my mind the only book/movie combo where they are very different but yet both utterly perfect.

    Ah, I wish my schedule had aligned to see you tomorrow in Chicago, but alas it has not. Enjoy Chicago for me, I haven’t made it there since last February and need to visit as soon as I can, I miss it. I also adored the Oriental Institute on the Chicago Campus down there!

  7. Kimberly Rosenau on February 17, 2018 at 1:29 am

    I love Garden Spells but her Sugar Queen is my favorite! I am able to see you in Chicago -I am so excited!

  8. Carla on February 21, 2018 at 6:41 pm

    I’m reading Origin by Dan Brown

  9. Elizabeth Mahon on February 27, 2018 at 6:25 pm

    If you liked Jackie Collins, you should read Rebecca Chance, particularly Bad Brides, Killer Diamonds, and Killer Queens.

Leave a Comment