books...books...book love...
 

Camino Island (John Grisham).

I stayed up late last night and read half of this book, which is really good! It's about the fictional heist of rare books and manuscripts by F. Scott Fitzgerald from Princeton University....and how the story centers upon Mercer, who grew up on Camino Island with her grandmother. Mercer is approached by Elaine, who is working for her client, who insured the Fitzgerald books and manuscripts. Elaine hires Mercer to help solve the crime.

I'm enjoying this Grisham story immensely!

I just downloaded "Life After Death" by Damien Echols to listen to on audiobook when I make my trip later this week.

I've followed his case for years and enjoy his writing style. He's not a professional writer at all but it's honest writing and I suspect he writes much the way he speaks.

https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1...l/29508185.jpg

Growing up on Long Island, Shelby Richmond is an ordinary girl until one night an extraordinary tragedy changes her fate. Her best friend’s future is destroyed in an accident, while Shelby walks away with the burden of guilt.

What happens when a life is turned inside out? When love is something so distant it may as well be a star in the sky? Faithful is the story of a survivor, filled with emotion—from dark suffering to true happiness—a moving portrait of a young woman finding her way in the modern world. A fan of Chinese food, dogs, bookstores, and men she should stay away from, Shelby has to fight her way back to her own future. In New York City she finds a circle of lost and found souls—including an angel who’s been watching over her ever since that fateful icy night.

Yes, I've also enjoyed this book immensely and finished it in two days!

God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater by Vonnegut. I love him.

For myself:

I just got Grandma Gateways Walk in the mail. I've wanted to read this book for YEARS. It's about the first woman to hike the Appalachian trail. She was an older lady and did it in tennis shoes and a knapsack.

For school:

I'm reading Slave Narratives: Stories of the underground railroad. It includes numerous excerpts from escaped slaves and how they found their way to freedom. Very moving. I only cry every other page or so.

Gosh, I read the Patterson crime novel in ONE day! It was really good! This particular crime novel is told from first person narrative (?) The protagonist suffers from an condition that makes his mind race in a million directions and the subtext of the story is how his condition makes him think of favorite movie scenes which compare closely to the fast paced investigation to find the woman he loves, but turns out that the woman he loves was an spy, nothing he remotely even knew about her! For movie fans and fans of crime thrillers, this is an must read book!

I received three books yesterday: two new books by James Patterson.... Cross Kill and Taking the Titanic!

And an new romance novel by Georgia Beers titled What Matters Most.

I'm looking forward to reading all three this weekend!

I've only just read one Patterson's book so far. The one you posted about sounds right up my alley!

The Pritchett Century: A Collection of the Best of V.S. Pritchett

When I'm done, I am going to dive into a box of Scandinavian murder mysteries a friend sent me. I hope I find one by Asa Larrson. I watched the series Rebecka Martinsson based on her books, and I really liked it. It's on Amazon's Acorn channel. I recommend it.

Loner, by Teddy Wayne

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/25/b...yne-loner.html

When I was in Portland, Oregon last year I went to Powell's and this was a staff pick. I never would have heard of it otherwise.

How cool, right on! I heart Powell's!

I would have never read any book by James Patterson except I read about him in a book review via a major big city newspaper? The Patterson books are superbly written. Interesting about Patterson: Some of his books are series books; his group series books are authored by him alone; quite a few of his BOOK SHOTS short stories are co-written with other writers or well known people from an variety of backgrounds. The co-written crime thrillers are sooooo good!

Tantalizing? You'll have to tell us about the book you're reading (novel? Non-fiction?) And any other details, especially if you really liked your book.

This looks like a real gem!

I love it when stores have employee picks. Who would know books any better!

[QUOTE=Kätzchen;1197784]How cool, right on!

I would have never read any book by James Patterson except I read about him in a book review via a major big city newspaper? The Patterson books are superbly written. Interesting about Patterson: Some of his books are series books; his group series books are authored by him alone; quite a few of his BOOK SHOTS short stories are co-written with other writers or we known people from an variety of backgrounds. The co-written crime thrillers are sooooo good!

Tantalizing? You'll have to tell us about the book you're reading (novel? Non-fiction?) And any other details, especially if you really liked your book.[/QUOTE

I am always overwhelmed when I go to bookstores because I never know what to look for except in the new release areas. I started only looking at staff picks in the last couple of years because I figured if they liked it that much, and the premise of the book was interesting to me, why not? I have read some great books due to this.

I will definitely let you know how I like it.

I read Patterson years and years ago. I was addicted to his Alex Cross series. I kind of burned myself out on him. I also loved Jeffrey Deaver's Lincoln Rhyme's series and his spin-off series Kathryn Dance series.

I read like you. Very fast when I love the book.

Wow. That nytimes review is pretty negative.

I know. I actually wanted to read it more because it was so negative.

Yep, me too, I devour books like that too!

Sounds like a plan, I hope the book is enlightening (good books are that way for me, they enlighten me).

If you like fictional crime novels Lynda La Plante is an excellent writer. Her books get you hooked in no time.

Donald Trump, a Playboy Model, and a System for Concealing Infidelity

One woman’s account of clandestine meetings, financial transactions, and legal pacts designed to hide an extramarital affair.

By Ronan Farrow for the New Yorker

https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-...karen-mcdougal

I just finished Louise Erdrich's dystopian novel, Future Home of the Living God. The world as we know it, has changed, plants and animals are reverting back to their ancient forms - flying lizards with feathers, aggressive plants that are no longer food, and women are no longer getting pregnant. There are a few women who can, and rigid laws are in place to capture them, and place them in prisons, where they are well fed, and cared for. Those who resist to give their babies to the state, seem to always die in childbirth.
All of this is told by a young Ojibwe woman, who was adopted by a white couple, and becomes pregnant by her boy friend, and resists the directive to turn herself in.
It has a different spin from most dystopian novels, but its misogyny is similar to that found in The Handmaid's Tale.

Brisa
 

Capital Gaines-by Chip Gaines

As much of the internet as possible.

I just finished reading..... The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeny. It's her first novel, and it's exceptionally well written.

The story centers around the Plumb family, and how they deal with the one of the members in their family and that person's choices in life affect other members of the family.

It was an very enjoyable read.

Oh, I read that book as well !

It was very well written considering she was a first time author as I recall....:hangloose:

‘Goodnight, Ladies’ by Zan Kotker
 

In a country and culture generally obsessed with youth, Zane Kotker offers a welcome antidote with her novella “Goodnight, Ladies.” In her new work, the Northampton novelist, profiles three widowed women who have entered their early 70s and are navigating a strange period in their lives.

Goodnight, Ladies” offers a moving meditation on memory and loss, while also staring down the realities of aging in a matter-of-fact way. As Kotker writes, “Death seems so impossible to the young. To the old it’s as common as spent tea bags.

My copy of Persistence: All Ways Butch and Femme just arrived in the mail!!! I'm so excited!!

I'm still trying to get my hands on its precursor, The Persistent Desire.

I know The Persistent Desire is currently out of print, so if anyone knows where to get the pdf/digital version, I would appreciate it a lot!

Thriftbooks shows an ex library copy available if that helps........

Girl Down by Kate Manne.....the logic of misogyny.

I just started listening to "Fire and Fury:Inside the Trump White House" and good LAWD.

Juicy details and I hope like hell it isn't all true but I fear that most of it is. EEK. :seeingstars:

Brisa
 

Just finished Det. Joe Kendall's book (ID Channel)...It was seriously good!

I finished “A Constellation of Vital Phenomena” by Anthony Mara a few weeks ago. I loved it. Heartbreaking and life/love affirming.

Before that - I read “Elinor Oliphant is Completely Fine” by Gail Honeyman which was hysterical and touching.

I’ve just stared reading “Eternal Life” by Dara Horn. It was a bit slow to start. Full of Judaic history and mysticism. Once I got about 1/3 of the way in I was hooked.

Happiness Project - Gretchen Rubin

Working through a chapter/month with friends...it’s an interesting practice in mindfulness with humor and compassion.

Print book: In the Kingdom of Ice, by Hampton Sides: "tells the true story of the 1879–1881 arctic voyage of the USS Jeannette and the crew's struggle to survive after having to abandon their ship in the polar ice."

eBook: Palace of Treason, by Jason Matthews (sequel to Red Sparrow, which was not actually good lol)

Audiobook: Fledgling, by Octavia Butler

On Sunday i finished The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry, by Jon Ronson (2011): "explores the concept of psychopathy, along with the broader mental health "industry" including mental health professionals and the mass media."

It was not what i expected and went very fast. Recommended

Ann Rule (non-fiction, true crime stories)
 

My favorite types of things to read are non-fiction accounts.

I've recently received two books authored by Ann Rule, who retired from her role in law enforcement up in Seattle, Washington. In her books, Ann Rule draws from her experience s in law enforcement in over one thousand articles and numerous books, and she has lectured widely in law enforcement schools and agencies, as well as serving as an consultant to the FBI's Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (IV-CAP) which is used track and apprehend criminals.

I just finished reading Practice To Decieve .... the true crime story about the tragedy on Whidbey Island where Jim Huden (ex-microsoft program developer) and Peggy Sue Stackhouse took the life of another person, in the Puget Sound area, years ago.

I just received the Lust Killer . ... which this horrific crime took place in Oregon, years and years ago. I never lived here during the time this true crime account happened, but I'm looking forward to reading this book.

In a strange way, these two crime accounts remind me of the late 1960s, early 1970s account of the Zodiac Killer from the San Francisco Bay area. I was in high school back then, but I remember reading headline news coverage of this very scary true crime event.... and if I recall correctly, the Zodiac killer case has never been solved. I've always wondered if the killer would have been apprehended if Ann Rule would have been working on the case, but I wonder if cases such as the Zodiac killer might be considered the beginning of an variety of forensic sciences developed in coordination with various law enforcement agencies. I'm not sure, but I've always wondered.

Rating for Ann Rule books: Excellent!

Grim Tales for Young and Old by Philip Pullman
The Metomorphoses by Ovid

I have been doing some deep internal work and it's left me with a burning hunger for myths and Fairy Tales

Roy Moore news ... he has his hand out asking for donations. Sickening! Will this knat ever go away?

https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/03/polit...und/index.html