Weekly Reading Thread 9/3-9/9

I'm reading the the Relic Master. It's about a man in the Germany area during the time Martin Luther posts his 95 Theses. His job is to find religious relics for his two major patrons who can then sell indulgences to the Christians. I'm about 1/2 way through it. Nothing fabulous but good enough that I'll finish it.

Thanks for starting the thread, Mystie.

I was fortunate with a rash of great books this week.

1. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, which is about to be released as a movie. This book was great. The only thing that was a bit questionable was that the protagonist had memorized all of the dialogue to every single Star Wars movie, every single PacMan move required to achieve a perfect score, and much, much more. Even so, I enjoyed it. 5/5

2. The Walls by Hollie Overton. This is the author's sophomore book. Aside from a large time gap, which felt very glitchy, I couldn't put this one down. TW: Domestic violence and rape. 5/5 stars.

3. The Alice Network. This was beyond superb and is my favorite read so far this year. Again, rape and violence triggers in this one as well. I am still dealing with a book hangover. 10/5 stars. Lol.

Lisa

I'm reading:

The House at the Edge of Night (great summer read)

The Orphan Masters Son (I've been trying to make my way through the fairly recent Pulitzer Prize winners)

And I'm always s reading a cookbook - right now it's Salt Fat Acid Heat which is this months Food52 Facebook cookbook clubs pick

The Captain's Daughter by Meg Mitchell Moore. A wife and mother returns to her Maine hometown to tend to her lobsterman father. In general, I don't enjoy "how will this excessively wealthy family work through their sad issues?" stories (though she is from humble beginnings, the main character has married into wealth), but the story was saved by good writing and interesting, sympathetic side characters. This wasn't my favorite from this author, but it was a satisfying, easy read.  

I had no idea this was a book. I saw the movie when I was a child and it completely freaked me out. Now I'm interested in seeing how similar the book is to the movie. 

I just finished The Silent Wife by A. S. A. Harrison. It was okay and I'm glad I finally finished it since it was on my TBR list for a long time. 

I have two from the library I want to finish this week. Amy, my Daughter and When Breath Becomes Air.  Neither were on my list but both were there and had good reviews. 

Just finished No Safe House by Linwood Barclay. He went to the same university I did and he was here in town for an author's talk that my friends & I attended. He is a good speaker.

Right now I am reading The Lying Game by Ruth Ware. I saw her too, at an author's talk and have read her other books. I'm not far into it yet.

Our independent bookstore has about 7 different talks a year with usually 2 authors at each and a third author interviewing them. We get a massive brunch with the talk. In a couple of weeks we are going to one with Will Ferguson, who wrote 419, which envolves a Nigerian scam.

Finished Duchess by Danielle Steel. It was very good; one of her best I think. Set in nineteenth-century England, where a high-born young woman is forced out into the world by her brother after her fathers death, and begins a journey of survival, sensuality, and long-sought justice. Great seeing a woman reinvent herself against great odds and always love a "pay-back" ending.

HAPPY READING

I listened to Good Behavior by Blake Crouch. The TNT series was based on this book and I really enjoyed the series. The author actually breaks into the narration a couple times to explain some of the differences between the book and. The show. There are a few big differences, but but the overall feel was the same. It was a quick, good read.

I also read The Lying Game by Ruth Ware and it's a big fat MEH for me. I like the author's writing style, but the plot was thin, and the characters' behavior just didn't ring true. 2/5

She Rides Shotgun by Jordan Harper LOVED it. Loved the writing style, and the characters. Can definitely see this made into a film. And I'd really appreciate if Ryan Gosling played Nick McClusky. Please and Thank you.  5/5

Currently reading America's First Daughter I'm only 15% in, but I'm just not feeling it. Not sure why. Debating whether or not to keep going.

I haven't checked in on a reading thread for a few weeks.  I have read:

Chemistry by Weike Wang.  The narrator is a female, Chinese grad student in Chemistry.  She wrestles with her choices in this short, somewhat humorous novel.  I really liked this one when I started it, but I got a little tired of her "voice" by the end. 

Since We Fell by Dennis Lehane.  This is one of those mystery/thriller novels that I enjoyed reading, but won't be able to remember a thing about in a few months. 

Everybody's Son by Thrity Umrigar.  A ten year old black child is left locked in an apartment by his single mother, who is discovered in a crack house nearby.  A wealthy, white judge who has lost his own son in an accident, pulls a lot of strings using his power and connections to get the mother to give up her rights so he and his wife can adopt the boy.  Anton grows up in a life of privilege, comes to love and respect his adoptive parents and becomes a politician.  This one brings up a lot of issues with race and privilege and I think would provide for a lot of discussion as a book club book.

Do Not Become Alarmed by Maile Meloy.  Two cousins take their families on a cruise.  While on an excursion, the children disappear.  Another thriller that I enjoyed (although I found most all the characters a little irritating and unlikeable), but I won't remember in a few weeks.

The Bright Hour: A Memoir of Living and Dying by Nina Riggs.  The author, a poet, a wife, a daughter, and a mother to two young sons, wrote this after being diagnosed with terminal breast cancer.  Totally beautiful as well as heartbreaking.

Down a Dark Road by Linda Castillo.  The latest in the Kate Burkholder mystery series.  Burkholder is an ex-Amish, chief of police.

I love her books!