Author Topic: My latest read is...  (Read 186523 times)

Becke Davis

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #240 on: October 13, 2020, 02:05:02 am »
What fun! No sooner did I complete part of my Edith collection (I still need to read her Quaker midwife series) than she comes out with a new book! I haven't been to B&N in at least a month - I don't think our local branch is doing any signings yet. A lot of stores in Eugene are still closed.

I just started THE TRUTH SLEUTH by Jacqueline Seewald. I've known her online for years but have never met her in person.

Becke, it wasn't an official signing event or anything. They aren't doing anything like that. She was down on the Cape and her publisher arranged for her to go to the store and sign their stock. Given that one of her series is set on the Cape, signed copies of the books in that series in particular makes sense. This was a totally unofficial thing and Edith was kind enough to inform me that she'd be there since she knew I'd love to have my books signed. As you can see by the pic of me, we even made sure to sign outside of the store rather than inside.

Wow, that makes it even more special - like your own personal signing! I bet that was fun for both you AND Edith!

I forgot to mention a book I finished reading a few days ago. It's a short story collection I started reading months ago. I set it aside to read a new release and it got buried in my to-be-read pile. It's called FEN COUNTRY by Edmund Crispin. It's a fun read from a Golden Age author.

JRob

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #241 on: October 16, 2020, 03:54:20 am »
I finished reading Vicki Delany's DYING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND yesterday. Here's my Goodreads review.
« Last Edit: October 16, 2020, 05:31:21 am by JRob »

Becke Davis

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #242 on: October 16, 2020, 03:28:14 pm »
I finished reading Vicki Delany's DYING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND yesterday. Here's my Goodreads review.

Thanks, I'll go read your review in just a second. I'm in zombie mode today after staying up until 5:30 a.m. to finish reading A DECLINE IN PROPHETS by Sulari Gentill. It was very different but I liked it a lot. Now I have to find more of her books and brace myself for more sleepless nights.

Becke Davis

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #243 on: October 16, 2020, 04:20:21 pm »
I finished reading Vicki Delany's DYING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND yesterday. Here's my Goodreads review.

It's funny - you note that your issue with one aspect of the story hasn't kept you from enjoying the story as a whole. I've had that happen before, too, especially in cozy mysteries. Without listing specific titles, I can think of books where the main character feels responsible for one or more of the deaths, and that sense of guilt acts as a spine-ectomy.

I tend to like pushy, obnoxious characters when they get their come-uppance, but it drives me crazy when this type of character isn't confronted or in some way made to see how horrible their behavior is.

JRob

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #244 on: October 16, 2020, 04:54:22 pm »
Becke, I just don't understand why it is that over the course of multiple books a character can find all these murderers, survive each attempt on their lives and yet can't stand up to some minor character whose primary reason for existing seems to be as a non-lethal annoyance.

But as I said in my review, it might just be my problem because I'm a stubborn SOB who won't do something I don't want to do.

Becke Davis

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #245 on: October 16, 2020, 10:42:31 pm »
Becke, I just don't understand why it is that over the course of multiple books a character can find all these murderers, survive each attempt on their lives and yet can't stand up to some minor character whose primary reason for existing seems to be as a non-lethal annoyance.

But as I said in my review, it might just be my problem because I'm a stubborn SOB who won't do something I don't want to do.

My parents worked hard to get my temper under control when I was a kid, and now it is so tightly under wraps it's unusual for me to really let it go. In my real life, I suffer from "pleaser" disease, and I constantly have to work to hold my ground. I'm stubborn as all get out, and I can stand up for my kids and grandkids without fail, but I'm not fond of confrontation for the sake of confrontation. This can lead to a battle of will-or-wimp. When I'm writing (haven't done much lately - too busy reading), I have to work to keep my characters strong and independent.

One reason I'm a big fan of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple is that people see a white-haired old lady and they don't expect anything from her. I get such a kick out of it when she picks up on all the important details others overlook. Now that I'm a grandmother, I appreciate her even more.

Thanks for elaborating on your reasons for being frustrated with the character's response to a "non-lethal annoyance." Is this person a relation, or someone who has power over the character, like an employer? I'll probably read these books and find out for myself.

JRob

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #246 on: October 17, 2020, 10:49:00 am »
Becke, I just don't understand why it is that over the course of multiple books a character can find all these murderers, survive each attempt on their lives and yet can't stand up to some minor character whose primary reason for existing seems to be as a non-lethal annoyance.

But as I said in my review, it might just be my problem because I'm a stubborn SOB who won't do something I don't want to do.

My parents worked hard to get my temper under control when I was a kid, and now it is so tightly under wraps it's unusual for me to really let it go. In my real life, I suffer from "pleaser" disease, and I constantly have to work to hold my ground. I'm stubborn as all get out, and I can stand up for my kids and grandkids without fail, but I'm not fond of confrontation for the sake of confrontation. This can lead to a battle of will-or-wimp. When I'm writing (haven't done much lately - too busy reading), I have to work to keep my characters strong and independent.

One reason I'm a big fan of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple is that people see a white-haired old lady and they don't expect anything from her. I get such a kick out of it when she picks up on all the important details others overlook. Now that I'm a grandmother, I appreciate her even more.

Thanks for elaborating on your reasons for being frustrated with the character's response to a "non-lethal annoyance." Is this person a relation, or someone who has power over the character, like an employer? I'll probably read these books and find out for myself.

In this particular book, the annoyances are doubled. There's the employee of the main character and then there is an acquaintance (not even really a friend) that the main character gets roped into helping with her wedding. In fact, the usual main antagonist is actually not around much for this story and in the few scenes they are in, the two seem to reach a kind of truce. Which is a good thing because it made no sense for the two to have such open animosity towards each other.

Becke Davis

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #247 on: October 18, 2020, 12:18:03 am »
I'm about halfway through an oldie-but-goodie, Doris Miles Disney's THAT WHICH IS CROOKED. I found a New York Times review from 1948, but it isn't free unless you are a subscriber: https://www.nytimes.com/1948/05/09/archives/that-which-is-crookedby-doris-miles-disney-190-pp-new-york-crime.html

The protagonist of the story is the youngest, smallest and weakest in a family predominantly made up of strapping, handsome Scottish males. Over the years, this Casper Milquetoast character evens his odds against his overwhelming brothers by selective elimination. I'm curious to see how this turns out, because so far revenge has been anything but sweet.

It's both interesting and frustrating to look back at a time when society had such strict requirements for men and for women in their dress and their behavior.

As I mentioned, I'm only about halfway through the book, but I was surprised how little impact the outside world - and a World War - have impacted the family at the core of the story and the town they inhabit.

JRob

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #248 on: October 18, 2020, 05:49:14 am »
I just picked up the first three books in the Sloan Krause mystery series by Ellie Alexander. I started DEATH ON TAP last night and got about 1/3 of the way through before putting the book down as I was getting tired. I liked what I read, it was just a long day for me is all.

Becke Davis

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #249 on: October 18, 2020, 04:01:23 pm »
I just picked up the first three books in the Sloan Krause mystery series by Ellie Alexander. I started DEATH ON TAP last night and got about 1/3 of the way through before putting the book down as I was getting tired. I liked what I read, it was just a long day for me is all.

I'm not familiar with this series. Looking forward to your thoughts on it.

I finished the Doris Miles Disney book last night and started right in on the next book in the Vampire Knitting Club series. This one jumps right in with murder and mysteries. The neighborhood coven is involved, too.

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/45177106-fair-isle-and-fortunes


JRob

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #250 on: October 26, 2020, 04:04:02 pm »
I finished reading Archer Mayor's The Orphan's Guilt last night.

Because there aren't any signings going on, Mayor posted a message on his Facebook page where you could contact his website and they'd send out a bookplate with his signature that you could add to the latest book. I did so and in about 2 days I had it.

Becke Davis

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #251 on: October 27, 2020, 12:57:16 am »
I finished reading Archer Mayor's The Orphan's Guilt last night.

Because there aren't any signings going on, Mayor posted a message on his Facebook page where you could contact his website and they'd send out a bookplate with his signature that you could add to the latest book. I did so and in about 2 days I had it.

I love it when authors do that. Even before coronavirus, I know some authors who would send bookmarks and signed bookplates for people who couldn't make it to their book signings. Suzanne Brockmann and Brenda Novak are two authors I can think of who used to do that.

Becke Davis

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #252 on: October 31, 2020, 12:42:34 am »
I picked up a book from 1996 - the title is similar to an Agatha Christie title, which is probably what drew me to it. Unfortunately, I'm not a huge fan so far. The author isn't familiar to me but she has written a LOT of books. Maybe I'd like her other books better.

Also, we did a quick run to Barnes & Noble tonight - I hoped to find something by Sulari Gentill but they didn't have a single one. I did find a new book by Tess Gerritsen, though - that's next up for me. It's a ghost story, which should be perfect for Halloween!


Becke Davis

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #253 on: October 31, 2020, 12:46:11 am »
I was tempted by this non-fiction memoir. I added it to my humongous wish list:

https://www.amazon.com/My-Life-as-Villainess-Essays/dp/0062997335


JRob

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Re: My latest read is...
« Reply #254 on: October 31, 2020, 06:35:47 pm »
Who was the author of the book from 1996?

I read Tess Gerrittsen for a few years back when she first started having books come out. But I haven't read any of her books in a good long while.