What Fiction are you reading this week, April 9, 2023?

[hermetic]

Reading Demolition Angel by Robert Crais. This book starts with a bang. Well, more of a kaboom really. "Carol Starkey is struggling to pick up the pieces of her former life as L.A.'s finest bomb squad technician." One doesn't normally expect to find a woman on the bomb squad so this sets itself up for all sorts of interesting scenarios. The book bills itself #9 in the Cole/Pike series but they haven't shown up yet, and I'm halfway through. It's a really good story, though. Written in 2000, I find it interesting how they have a scientist explaining to the detectives how a message board works. And a chat room. And what a "thread" is. Plus it's full of insights into the warped minds of creeps who like to blow things up.

Listening to The Hacienda "by Isabel Canas. A debut supernatural suspense novel, set in the aftermath of the Mexican War of Independence, about a remote house, a sinister haunting, and the woman pulled into its clutches..."
I've only just started it.

What books are in your basket this week?

Have a lovely day.

[Bayard]

1. I've read that book

Its a good one.

I've been in reading frenzy the past few months. It started when our power was knocked out for a week in the hellacious wind storms, and I had a nice, new, big box of used books I ordered online. I went through about 10 Dean Koontz's, and loved them all. Now, I'm working through a box of John Sanford's. These all all books from a couple of my favorite authors that I had missed previously. I go through one every couple days.

I started, "The President is Missing," a collaboration between Pres. Bill Clinton and James Patterson. I bookmarked it after slogging through the first chapter for a later date. Its pretty dry.

Happy Easter, fellow readers!

[rsdsharp]

2. The President is missing is a pretty good read, although it doesn't read like a Patterson book.

I recently read their second collaboration, The President’s Daughter, which I thought was better than the first.

[yellowdogintexas]

12. The President is Missing - I have it in my Kindle

Maybe that will be my next read.

[northoftheborder]

3. I reread The Great Gatsby

Read it years ago but what I still remembered from the first read was not even the main plot! The vivid scenes with the details of his over-the-top extravagant parties were what remained in my memory!

It is a great American novel IMHO. Glad I reread it.

[Jilly_in_VA]

4. I haven't quite finished

The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon. It's SO good!

I just finished We Told Six Lies by Victoria Scott. Definitely YA and definitely weird, but I rather enjoyed it. Now, on that Kindle (it's the downstairs one) reading Blessings and Curses by Judy Kelly, a novel about a woman on the verge of being ordained as an Episcopal priest who is asked to see a death row prisoner who has asked for someone to pray with him. It's quite good.

[bif]

5. "The Dew Breaker" by Edwidge Danticat

I'm a little over 1/2 way through. Pretty good.

[hermetic]

6. Sure sounds good

An unforgettable story of love, remorse, and hope; of personal and political rebellions; and of the compromises we make to move beyond the most intimate brushes with history. It firmly establishes Danticat as one of America's most essential writers.

[Jeebo]

7. "Stranger in a Strange Land" by Robert A. Heinlein

Last edited Sun Apr 9, 2023, 02:56 PM - Edit history (1)

I read it once, about 1963 or 1964, when I was in my early teens. I recently found a nice leather-bound Easton Press copy of it among my book collection and decided to read it again. I think I'll appreciate it and understand it much better than I did way back then.

-- Ron

[hermetic]

9. I read it, too

When I was in my twenties. Absolutely loved it. I think it's one of those timeless stories.

[Paper Roses]

8. Just finished 'Thirteen Moons' by Charles Frazier. What a struggle!

Great story but a long read. I loved his book 'Cold Mountain' and picked up this.. Too long and tiny print!

Just started 'Trespasser' by Paul Doiron after finishing 'The Preachers Son' Loved that book and hope this is as good.

[hermetic]

10. Eww, tiny print

I hate that. A shame, sounds like a good story, about the fate of the Cherokee Nation.

[yellowdogintexas]

11. Finished King of Bone and Ashes.

I spent the first half of the book trying to figure out how the characters all relate to one another. It was not easy,

At some point, the story congealed and was like a downhill run after that. It is a good story but could have used better editing.

One thing the author did which did not help things: the list of characters and their connections was at the BACK of the book! I got so frustrated with the 'family ties' that I checked the second book to see if that one had a list, which it did. It would have been really nice if that family list had been on page 1 of the first book. SO if you read it, go to the end of Book 1 to bone up on the characters.

After I finished it I checked out some reader reviews, and I am not alone in my confusion.

As it turns out, I may actually re-read this one before I start the second one.

[japple]

13. Finished reading Fannie Flagg's latest romp,

The Whole Town's Talking. The book is filled with down home humor and quirky characters as only Fannie Flagg can. I recommend it for anyone who is looking for something uplifting and lighthearted.

Next up is Eleanor Catton's, The Luminaries after I finish reading Leon Russell: The Master of Space and Time's Journey Through Rock & Roll History by Bill Janovitz.

Happy Easter!!!

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

14. I have a set reading list for most of the year

Last edited Tue Apr 11, 2023, 06:33 AM - Edit history (1)

It's based on some book challenges, and a few personal challenges, so my list will look a little strange to other people.

This week, I'll probably get through:

Ellis Peters -- A Rare Benedictine (Brother Cadfael short story collection; I'm reading the entire series of books)
Herman Melville -- Moby Dick
Trevor Noah -- Born a Crime

I'll get through the Cadfael in an afternoon. I may not be able to get to the Trevor Noah book this week.

I haven't read Moby Dick since I was 14 or so, but I remember it being a bit of a grind. Then again, I tend to find many older fiction books and "literary" books to have a density to them that requires more careful reading than with a mystery book. They can be a bit slow out of the gate, too, taking a while to get to page turner status. What I kept saying with Elizabeth Gaskell's "North and South": "Oh stop the whining already, and get to the fricking point!"

Once it did, I loved it, but before that... O. M. G. Torture!

I seem to recall Moby Dick being in that vein, tedious until--bang!-- here we go!

That being said, I adore the opening: "Call me Ishmael." So perfect in its brevity and directness. So intriguing because the very name of Ishmael conjures up both the exotic and of course possible morality/philosophic questions if you know the biblical reference. That one simple sentence grabs you right away if you can see the layers of meaning hitting you in the face. So where are you leading us here, Herms--can I call you Herms?

Maybe it will be less of a slog to adult me than it was to teenager me.

[hermetic]

15. Sure, you can call me

Herms. Or Hermy. Whatever. Just don't call me late for dinner.

This is a place to share what fiction you are reading right now. The post will change and be updated every Sunday. It's a DU tradition.

Thank you for your participation and I, and others here, look forward to hearing all about your challenges and conquests. Read on! Write on!

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

16. Good grief

You're getting upset that I mentioned books I'd get to very soon? Sheesh.

Fine, I'll toe this arbitrary line from now on and list only what I'm currently reading *as of the moment I post.* I mean, I was, by that standard, reading only the first one (Brother Cadfael), but not long after that--as I indicated--I started reading Moby Dick. Getting through 80 pages of short stories is less than an hour's reading for me. Really. But, okay, sue me for mentioning a book I'd get to shortly after the first one. How horrible to be a fast reader! And to mention the one after Moby Dick? Must be a capital offense around here!

Also: The Herms wasn't addressing you, but Herman Melville. Herman--Herms--Get it? I mean, really, why would I address you in a remark about Moby Dick? You don't have anything to do with that.