February 2023 Book of the Month Club. Choose Your Own.

[verna davies]

That book had 5on Goodreads. I'm going to see if my library can get it as they dont have it at the moment. Sounds like one I would enjoy.

I can understand what she got out of the relationship apart from sex, there was the teaching of him and watching him grow. What do you think he got out of it.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

What book did you read?
OK, I'm just going to do an overview of the first 10 books of the Scrapbooking cozy mystery series by Laura Childs. Set in post-Katrina New Orleans, these books are the adventures of an owner of a scrapbooking store in the French Quarter, Carmela, and her best friend, the rather adorably zany Ava, who owns a nearby voodoo tourist shop. Somehow, these two always manage to trip over a body (of course). A certain amount of mayhem ensues (of course), and the pair end up "investigating" very unofficially (of course). This causes no end of issues with both Carmela's ex-husband (a perpetual rich-kid frat boy) and her current boyfriend, a homicide investigator (of course, and he may as well give up and deal with it). Now, Ms. Childs puts out about one book a year, so most of her stories take place around either Halloween, or around Mardi Gras. Since New Orleans tends to be the nation's capitol for BOTH of these holidays, I'm so very good with that! Lots of visits to St. Louis #1, the most famous of New Orleans' cities of the dead (and burial place of Marie Laveau), fun stuff about the inner workings of the Krewes who hold the parades, New Orleans lore, the FOOD O GOD THE FOOD, and filled with fun scrapbooking stuff!

The mysteries have kept me guessing, most of the time. The characters are fully-fleshed and three-dimensional. The dialogue is natural, often sprightly or amusing, and believable, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Cajun-style recipes in the back!

Were you pleased with your choice?
Very much so. I had resisted this series, although I loved her Tea Shop Mysteries AND her Cackleberry Club series, because I kept thinking, "Scrapbooking...meh. Not really my thing. But...New Orleans recipes? Might give it a try! Now, I'm rethinking the whole scrapbooking thing!

Was it as good as you expected, or a disappointment?
It was every bit as good as I expected, but then, I always go in with an open mind.

Was it a fast read or a challenge to get to the end?
LOL, almost ALL books are a fast read for me. I go through a 700+ page book in about 3–4 days, at most. Cozy mystery length books, mostly in the 300-page range, I go through in a day or a day and a half.

Would you recommend it to other readers?
I would certainly recommend it to any fan of cozy mysteries. Ms. Childs is well-respected in this field, and for good reason. I'd also recommend it to those who enjoy New Orleans and its culinary wonders. There's a LOT of eating going on here!

If part of a series, do you plan to read the next one?
Absolutely, I have all that are published to date, and will be ordering new ones as the come out.

What was the format of the book?
All of the books were purchased in mass market paperback (that's the regular-sized book)

How did you acquire the book?
I ordered the entire series through Thriftbooks. New books will be ordered new as they come out.

What did you think of choosing your own book to read this month?
I love choosing my own book, and reviewing it. I wouldn't want to do it ALL the time!

Would you like to do this again, on occasion? Or do you prefer to have the choice announced, and everyone read the same book?
I'd love to choose my own book a few times a year. Maybe quarterly? Bi-annually? No more than that. When we all read the same book, I often venture into genres and authors whom I may never have gotten around to if not for the book club selection. LOL, I have just over 2200 books on my "to read" list at Goodreads, so I generally buy from that list. Does me good to break away and discover new things! OH, and I especially enjoy when we vote on which book to read! Could we maybe do that on a quarterly or bi-annually basis, as well? I've gone back and read a couple of the "losing" entries and enjoyed them quite a bit!

 

[gilmargl]

That book had 5on Goodreads. I'm going to see if my library can get it as they dont have it at the moment. Sounds like one I would enjoy.

I can understand what she got out of the relationship apart from sex, there was the teaching of him and watching him grow. What do you think he got out of it.

His girlfriend left him early on in their relationship, which pleased her and made things easier. He was exceptionally jealous as well as passionate. He regarded a job as a necessary evil so was no doubt pleased to put off finding permanent employment in order to accompany her. They talked about having their own child, but also about his future as husband and father - you'll just have to read the book.
I don't think she purposefully tried to teach him anything - he was her past which she observed closely. Maybe he observed her too before finally deciding to take a leap away from Rouen, his background, his working class manners and ideals in order to start his future life in Paris.

 

[verna davies]

Mamanyt1953 . You have been busy, thats a lot of books to read in a month, do you get the stories mixed up? Is each book completely different or are there several similarities in them all.

 

[strider rose]

V verna davies im sorry that i didnt keep up with the book thread for this month , just have been too sick to try and read much of anything .. maybe some other time

 

[pearl99]

What book did you read?
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden. First of a Trilogy.
The story takes place in Russia in medievel times, with princes, monks, peasants, country life, folklore. It is about a family and spirits that protect homes, forest etc. from evil- one winter spirit in particular. The mother of the family dies, and the father marries a woman who is strictly Christian religious and wants to banish the local spirits and beliefs, and the effects of ignoring the spirits, demons, and magical beings and the rituals.
Things go awry, and one daughter Vasilisa (nickname Vasya) is caught up in trying to understand and deal with it to help herself and her family, while defying family and village.
The writing is lovely, smooth and flowing. I could picture exactly what was written. The characters were well drawn and interesting.
It's based on Russian folklore and history.


Why did you choose it?
It was on a list of fantasy books to read, and had good reviews.

Were you pleased with your choice?
Yes!
Was it as good as you expected or a disappointment?
As good as expected.
Was it a fast read or a challenge to get to the end?
On the fast side.
Would you recommend it to other readers?
If people like fantasy, yes.
If part of a series, do you plan to read the next one?
Yes, the next two.
If standalone, would you read another book by the author?
It could be a standalone book. And I would read another book by this author.

What was the format of the book?
Hardcover

How did you acquire the book?
Borrowed from library

What did you think of choosing your own book to read this month?
I like choosing own book.
Would you like to do this again, on occasion?
Yes, on occasion.
Or do you prefer to have the choice announced, and everyone read the same book?
I'd like mostly books be chosen by those doing the book club, and sometimes choose own.

 

[verna davies]

V verna davies im sorry that i didnt keep up with the book thread for this month , just have been too sick to try and read much of anything .. maybe some other time

Sorry to hear you have been ill, I hope your feeling better. Dont worry about not joining in this month, there's always another time.

 

[verna davies]

pearl99 . Its lovely to read a book that is written well and allows the reader to be able to visualize the characters and the surroundings. I hope your library has the other two books.

 

[gilmargl]

Silverstone, by John le Carré

Why did you choose it?
I believe I have only read and thoroughly enjoyed 3 or perhaps 4 books by this author: “The Constant Gardener”, “Absolute Friends”, and “A Most Wanted Man” and have stayed clear of his spy stories.

This book, published posthumously, is about the intelligence service in the UK, its ageing senior staff, loyalty, commitment, and personal conviction. It is a cat-and-mouse chase but it all takes place between London and East Anglia though foreign affairs and recent wars play their part.

The innocent outsider is Julian, a young, ex-highflyer in the City, moves to a town in East Anglia to set up a bookshop. One of his first observers is Edward, with a slight foreign accent and wearing a Homburg hat. He appears to want to help in the arrangements. I won’t give any more away.

I read this book quickly – an easy read but….. I then looked at the questions on “Goodreads” and, although I could answer them, I had to ask myself whether my answers were correct or was I just guessing – or assuming. So I picked up the book again and reread the whole 250 pages plus the Afterword from Le Carré's youngest son.

My verdict: unlike most storytellers, Le Carré does not keep reminding you of the codename for X, or the relationships between A and B. It is all there but you shouldn’t skip anything.

An admittance: rereading the first chapter, its significance suddenly hit me! I had conveniently forgotten names and thought the dialogue was some code and couldn’t wait to get on with the story about Julian.

I found this final part of a review in the Guardian:

“Such are the layers of irony that it’s easy to forget that the sting in the tale was already delivered upfront, in an enigmatic opening shorn of vital context. Suffice to say that, in the typically male world of le Carré’s fiction, the defining act this time turns on the vexed filial loyalty between a mother and daughter.” [Quote from The Guardian, Anthony Cummings, Tue 12 Oct 2021]

I was very pleased with my choice and was glad to have read it twice within a few days.
Both times, the ending made me smile!

It’s a stand-alone book I will read more of his books – perhaps even the spy classics.

I purchased the paperback new.

 

[verna davies]

gilmargl . I haven't read any of John Le Carre books as I imagine them to be very deep, detailed and complicated thus requiring my full concentration. I enjoy a book that doesn't have too many characters or plots. Am I missing out? I feel the same about Wilbur Smith, have you read any of his?

 

[pearl99]

Silverstone, by John le Carré

It’s a stand-alone book I will read more of his books – perhaps even the spy classics.

In high school we read "The Spy Who Came In From The Cold" in Modern Novel class. I remember enjoying it.

 

[gilmargl]

gilmargl . I haven't read any of John Le Carre books as I imagine them to be very deep, detailed and complicated thus requiring my full concentration. I enjoy a book that doesn't have too many characters or plots. Am I missing out? I feel the same about Wilbur Smith, have you read any of his?

Difficult question! I would like to reread all the books I've read by Le Carré - which is more than I can say for 99% of the books I've read - including many classics. His language is simple and I wouldn't call the stories deep but maybe a bit complicated, which makes them interesting. One thing I've noticed - there are no well-defined goodies or baddies. Every character is human - whether working for immigration authorities, the pharmaceutical industry or intelligence. They all have a job to do even if it makes them mercenary, blind to the larger issue and, at times, rather abnoxious.

I have never fancied Wilbur Smith and his blockbusters. Perhaps I'm missing something!

Which brings me to my third and final book this month - A Reread!

The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
I was feeling tired of modern novels, so downloaded an assortment of older books onto my E-reader including 6 books by Wilkie Collins. I was attracted to this author because he was a friend of Dickens and was sympathetic towards ugly women and people with disabilities whereas most people at that time ridiculed spinsters and other less-fortunate souls. I read his first novel "Antonina" and "The Dead Secret", which reminded me of "The Moonstone".
I don't know when I first read the latter, but I could only remember that a large diamond had disappeared from a wooden cabinet and that someone, with or without the diamond, had died in quicksands. As this book is often praised as the first, if not the best, detective story from England, I decided to reread the book.

I had forgotten the history of the moonstone itself, the Indians, the method of telling the tale (told by the different observers, so always in the first person), the way you hired policemen in those days, the effects (or expected effects) of opium and the fact that the quicksands were not the ending of the tale but almost at the very beginning of the story.

I was glad I reread this book - also glad that the moonstone got back to its rightful owners (so, by today's standards there is no poitical incorrectness here!) Perhaps a rather slow read but not difficult to keep track even when reading just a few pages a day.

I won't tell you whodunnit and you'll have to read the book for yourselves to find out who Miss Verinder finally marries.

 

[verna davies]

I read A Woman in White by Wilkie Collins many years ago and loved it. I will see what other books by him my library has, hopefully The Moonstone.

 

[gilmargl]

I'm sure I've still got a copy of A Woman in White. I must read that again!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Mamanyt1953 . You have been busy, thats a lot of books to read in a month, do you get the stories mixed up? Is each book completely different or are there several similarities in them all.

Well, the same basic characters are in all of them, so there's that. However, the stories are different enough that I keep them straight. I'm a binge reader...I tend to collect EVERYTHING in a series before I start reading it, and just go straight through, totally immersing myself in that world. Each mystery is fairly unique, with very different circumstances. Of course, there is always a dead body. But how it got dead, and whodunnit, and the path from the body to whodunnit, are pretty unique.

Oddly, one of my favorite series, the Aunt Dimity series by Nancy Atherton, rarely deals with murders. I think in almost 30 books, there have only been a couple of murders. I find them refreshing, largely because they remind me of how many non-lethal mysteries there actually are.

 

[verna davies]

I thought I was an avid reader Mamanyt1953 but I'm a novice compared to you. You cant beat being completely engrossed in a book can you, love it.

 

[rubysmama]

I ended up finishing another book last night, so since it's still February, figured I might as well review it. And this time I'll even use the Q&A format, which I forgot about when I posted the first 4 reviews.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - Taylor Jenkins Reid
It’s the story of an aging and reclusive actress who decides to tell her life story to a young magazine reporter. As the title suggests, Evelyn married 7 times during her lifetime, and each of the marriages gets their own section in the book, starting with a humourous gossip column “announcement” of the nuptials.

Most of the book is Evelyn talking about her life, with a small part about Monique, the reporter who will be writing the story. Monique wonders why Evelyn chose her to write the biography, and we finally learn the reason towards the end of the book.

Why did you choose it?
It was one that came available off my holds list at the library. Not sure why I initially put it on hold – possibly saw a recommendation for it somewhere

Were you pleased with your choice?
I was really pleased with the choice. It was quite long, though, so even as an avid reader, it took me several days to read it. I would recommend it to other readers, however, for those sensitive to such topics, there are extra marital affairs and gay couples, as well as other topics that you’d expect from a book written about Hollywood and the entertainment world.

How did you acquire the book?
Borrowed e-book from library

What did you think of choosing your own book to read this month?
I enjoy CYO month, as it gives us a look at the books our fellow readers enjoy.

 

[verna davies]

I read that book a short while ago and loved the story. Enjoyed the descriptions of her marriages, the humour and the sadness. Quite surprised on finding out the reason she chose Monique.

 

[verna davies]

Its the last day for discussing your chosen books as tomorrow we start another month and a new book. Thank you all again for participating and sharing your chosen books and reviews, a good mix of genres and a couple more to add to my reading list. Hope to hear from you next month.

 

[rubysmama]

Just scrolled through the thread from the beginning, and noticed a couple early comments from members who were possibly going to be joining us this month.

I’m reading the Discworld Ankh-Morpork Watch books again atm. I’ll surely be reading one during February, question is whether I can write a coherent review after all these years!

catloverfromwayback :
Did you end up reading any of the Discworld books this month? If so, any comments? Don't worry about writing a coherent review. Doesn't even have to be an actual review. Just the title and whether you enjoyed it or not is fine too.

My newest In Death book is coming out this month. I started a series mini re-read (started with book 45 of 57). Currently on #47

laureen227 :
Did your book arrive? Did you get a chance to read it?