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I'm reading

Regina wrote: "I just finished Unraveling Oliver by Liz Nugent. Wow that book blew my mind! So much twists and turns. I highly recommend it!"

I loved Unraveling Oliver as well Regina! Unfortunately I have just finished Skin Deep and didn't liks it at all.

Gavin wrote: "I'm reading "

Gavin, I believe that one has a very unusual format. Let us know how you get on with it.

Margo wrote: "I started Affinity for the monthly challenge. So far, so wonderful!"

Ooh. I really enjoyed this one. Check out the group read thread for it. There was a great discussion from what I recall.

Kristie wrote: "I've been trying to cut down on single-use plastic as well. I have reusable shopping bags and produce bags. I also say no thanks to straws now. I figure if I can drink directly out of the cup or gl..."

I am so glad they are bow giving paper straws in restaurants. Since my stroke it is difficult to drink from a cup. At home its fine but in restaurants it hurts my pride to dribble.

My husband went off on a waitress in a high end steak house. She gave attitude when asked for a straw. He called the manager over and made a scene. I was more embarrasses at this then dribbling. My husband means well.

Renee wrote: "Kristie wrote: "I've been trying to cut down on single-use plastic as well. I have reusable shopping bags and produce bags. I also say no thanks to straws now. I figure if I can drink directly out ..."

Renee, I don't know where you live, but many companies are making personal straws you can carry (and clean) yourself. You're not alone in preferring or needing one.

Why does Australia treat refugees on Manus almost as badly as POWs were treated on WW2's infamous Burma Railway? Inexcusable!
No Friend But the Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison by Iranian Kurd refugee Behrouz Boochani is already winning awards.
5�� Link to my review

PattyMacDotComma wrote: "Why does Australia treat refugees on Manus almost as badly as POWs were treated on WW2's infamous Burma Railway? Inexcusable!
No Friend But the Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison ..."

In 2018 my son was working for PEN America and interviewed the author. Here's his interview:

PattyMacDotComma wrote: "Why does Australia treat refugees on Manus almost as badly as POWs were treated on WW2's infamous Burma Railway? Inexcusable!
No Friend But the Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison ..."

I saw a short documentary about this one, or a travel tv show that somehow gained access to the island and filmed in secret. I was shocked that a country like Australia treats people like this! I added the book to my wishlist.

I'm starting Becoming today!

Ann �� wrote: "Kristie wrote: "I'm starting Becoming today!"

My favorite nonfiction audiobook this year! I am currently listening to Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance..."

I bet that one's good too, Ann. I can see how you'd want to compare them.

Re usable straws are not an option for me, My body cannot fight diseases. That is why a paper straw is a good option. You know how much energy is needed to sterilize these straw after each use?

I use a straw because of a disability. It needs to be single use. Whats next multiple use needles again?

Finished and loved When All Is Said

My review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/2699985521

Just started "hitman anders and the meaning of it all" for my love book club. I had forgotten all about it! Luck it's a quick read. I am about 30% in and I'm surprised to find I'm enjoying it.

Finished The Handmaid's Tale for bookclub re-read

My review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/754816067

If you have been putting off reading The Winterwitch Trilogy books by Katherine Arden, do not wait, run to pick up the books (there is a three book volume out now). I finished The Winter of the Witch last night. It was AWESOME!

I finished reading a series orphan, The Labyrinth of the Spirits. I had finished the series a while back and the last book was released towards the end of 2018.

I will start The Obelisk Gate tomorrow for a buddy read. It will also fit my MM challenge.

Margo wrote: "I started Affinity for the monthly challenge. So far, so wonderful!"

I really liked Affinity, Margo. Hope you like it.

I finished Under the Dome yesterday. A great read. King is such a wonderful writer. You can feel the Dome. It is suffocating. I am glad I am out.

I started a short stories collection yesterday, El mar aéreo, by Uruguayan writer Pablo Dobrinin. I thought the first story had such potential! But for some reason it didn't bloom at the end. Such a pity.

Cherie wrote: "If you have been putting off reading The Winterwitch Trilogy books by Katherine Arden, do not wait, run to pick up the books (there is a three book volume out now). I finished [bo..."

Cherie I so agree! I have read the first two - [book:The Bear and the Nightingale|25489134] and The Girl in the Tower. I have the third sitting next to me calling my name but in the middle of three books at the moment. Can't wait to pick it up.

Roz wrote: "PattyMacDotComma wrote: "Why does Australia treat refugees on Manus almost as badly as POWs were treated on WW2's infamous Burma Railway? Inexcusable!
[book:No Friend But the Mountains: Writing fro..In 2018 my son was working for PEN America and interviewed the author. Here's his interview:
... ."

Thanks for the link, Roz - that's great! I'm going to add it to my review for others to read, including the link in the article to the documents that were revealed in The Guardian.

Margo wrote: "I started Affinity for the monthly challenge. So far, so wonderful!"

Glad you are enjoying it, Margo. It's so good!

Peggy wrote: "PattyMacDotComma wrote: "Why does Australia treat refugees on Manus almost as badly as POWs were treated on WW2's infamous Burma Railway? Inexcusable!
[book:No Friend But the Mountains: Writing fro...
I saw a short documentary about this one, or a travel tv show that somehow gained access to the island and filmed in secret. I was shocked that a country like Australia treats people like this! I added the book to my wishlist. "

A lot of Aussies are shocked, too. Politics has a lot to answer for. Scare people into voting for Daddy who will keep us kids safe!

Sir Robert Carey is as dashing and daring as ever in A Surfeit of Guns, the third in P.F. Chisholm's fun series about the English and Scots battling and thieving in the border country in Elizabethan England. Love it!
4.5�� Link to my review

Cherie wrote: "If you have been putting off reading The Winterwitch Trilogy books by Katherine Arden, do not wait, run to pick up the books (there is a three book volume out now). I finished [bo..."

I need to finish that series for real. I was convinced I'd read all three long before the third book was even published lol

Finished An Anonymous Girl

This is my review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/2697432745

I finished Fellside last night. This was my least favorites of M.R. Carey. It started out quite slow and didn't pick up until about 60%. From that point on, it was a wild ride.

I will start My Grandmother Sends Her Regards and Apologises for the MM challenge later today.

I finished The Binding. Here is my essay, I mean review: /review/show...

I'm now starting The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. I'm reading it as a buddy read with a non-ŷ������ friend.

Lisa wrote: "I finished The Binding. Here is my essay, I mean review: /review/show...

I'm now starting The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. I'..."

Nice review, Lisa! Also, interested in how you get along with Evelyn Hardcastle!

Lilisa wrote: "Lisa wrote: "I finished The Binding. Here is my essay, I mean review: /review/show...

I'm now starting [book:The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle|..."

Thanks, Lilisa! I will make sure I review Evelyn Hardcastle.

I started reading The Obelisk Gate for the group read and yearly challenge.

I finished El mar aéreo, a short stories collection, and it was a great disappointment.

I also started The Crossing Places and so far I am enjoying it. I read #7 in the series some time ago and decided to start the whole series.

I finished Post Captain and this may be blasphemous to Cherie as I know she loves this series but I'd quit the series now if I hadn't bought book 2 & 3 together. I'll read book 3 sometime because I own it and maybe that book will grab me and pull me into the series but at the end of book 2 right now I'm just not enjoying it at all. I just can't make myself care about any of it the plot or the characters. Maybe I picked it up at the wrong time but I did notice I have a lot of friends who gave it 4 or 5 stars but then 1 friend who reads very similar books to me quit the series and wished he hadn't even finished book 2 so I'm not completely alone not being in love with it

I've heard both opinions on the series, Travis. I haven't read, but know you are not alone :D

Rusalka wrote: "I've heard both opinions on the series, Travis. I haven't read, but know you are not alone :D"

Yeah can't see it grabbing me to the point of reading 21 books. Could be like o hate Last of thr Mohicans. O hated it Cherie loves it. Maybe with historical fiction we differ in taste. But when Cherie loves a book she is so passionate about it that I want to experience her joy. Too bad we all have different tastes. I mean it's a good thing we're different but you know

Completely understand. When someone you know and respect has a particular view on a book, and you just don't meet their level of enthusiasm.

Our past EA recommended me her favourite book (which I was picking up anyway for another challenge), but I had to wait until the end of the year after she left to read it: The People in the Trees.

I talked to her for the first time this year (she's in a different job in the uni now) and I asked WTF? Her response was a laugh and that she couldn't tell me it (view spoiler)[ was an unreliable narrator (hide spoiler)]. But you think you know a person and then you read their favourite book and you have no idea!!!

Lol Rusalka

Travis wrote: "I finished Post Captain and this may be blasphemous to Cherie as I know she loves this series but I'd quit the series now if I hadn't bought book 2 & 3 together. I'll read book 3 somet..."

Are you listening to them or reading them, Travis?

In all honesty - if I had to read them (the text) - I would have given up too. What keeps me going (only two or three books left of the 21) is listening to Simon Vance as Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin. Even his voices for all of the NUMEROUS characters are too good to give up. That is why I like them so much! I tried reading a few of the latter ones, while I was waiting for the audiobooks and I could not do it. They went back to the library while I waited for the audiobook. I do not know how many others are listening to the series, but it takes months before I get one to listen to, after I put the title on hold.

I have never listened to The Last of the Mohicans but I fell in love with James Fenimore Cooper's Natty Bumpo character when I was in high school. Over the years, I have read the series of 7 books several times. I know many people do not care for the writing. It is dry, but the character is such an amazing man. So proud, and skilled, and maybe full of himself, but bashful and shy too.

I'm still reading Becoming and The Nowhere Child, which are both really good.

I've also started Anything Is Possible for a RL book club. I was considering skipping it because I really didn't care for My Name Is Lucy Barton, but I figured it was only fair to give someone else's book choice a chance. I'm about half way through and so far, it's pretty much what I expected, but at least a little better than Lucy Barton. It is short stories and as soon as something starts to happen or you get interested in either the character or the story, it ends abruptly and moves on to someone else's story. I swear Elizabeth Strout doesn't want people to be engaged in the story. I think her writing is just not for me.

Recently completed Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her by Melanie Rehak about the creators of the Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Bobbsey Twins, and other series of young children's books. Focused mainly on Nancy Drew book which I read as a child myself.
Review: /review/show...

Also just finished the first book in the series by Jacqueline Winspear - Maisie Dobbs and I'd like to read more.

Read a short book on (of all things for me!) physics which was interesting: Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli. This was aimed at the non-scientist.
Review: /review/show...

Started A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne. Only few pages in and not sure if I like it or not--will continue with it for a while longer.

Kristie wrote: "I'm still reading Becoming and The Nowhere Child, which are both really good.

I've also started Anything Is Possible for a RL book club. I was cons..."

Kristie - Becoming is one I'd like to get hold of without buying it, but the library wait lists for all editions of the books are literally in the HUNDREDS! It will be a long wait. Glad you are enjoying it.

Elizabeth, my library has what they call “too hot to hold�� books. They are really popular books with long waits. They take a few copies and won’t add them to the holds, so they automatically get put back on the shelf. If you have lucky timing, you can find a copy when you stop by. You only get to borrow them for half the time of a normal loan, but usually they’re books you want to read right away anyway. I was lucky enough to find Becoming on the shelf when I went in to pick up another hold. I already bought the Audible version though, so I really just wanted it to see the pics and read the commentary in the middle. I returned it early so someone else could find it on the shelf too.

Oh, Thanks, Kristie -- Will have to take a look at my library and if they don't do the "too hot to hold" books I will definitely make that suggestion to them!!

Yesterday, i started The Girl Who Played with Fire. It has been on my Tbr for years after reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, so Im excited to finally be reading it.

Sydney's famous Mardi Gras begins on Valentine's Day, so I thought I'd reintroduce this wonderful memoir by Chris Edwards, a man who started life as a determinedly reluctant little girl.
Balls: It Takes Some to Get Some is both fascinating and funny!
5�� Link to my review

Cherie wrote: "Travis wrote: "I finished Post Captain and this may be blasphemous to Cherie as I know she loves this series but I'd quit the series now if I hadn't bought book 2 & 3 together. I'll re..."

Audio but it's Patrick Tully not Simon Vance. I wonder if Vance is an option. These ones were in a sale

I just checked and the first book I bought not in a sale and that was Simon Vance. Maybe it is the narrator I dislike Now I'm curious

I just finished Victim Without a Face. You can find my quick review here: /review/show...

Kristie wrote: "Elizabeth, my library has what they call “too hot to hold�� books. They are really popular books with long waits. They take a few copies and won’t add them to the holds, so they automatically get pu..."

Too hot to hold sounds like something more libraries should do. Great idea!

I'm about 100 pages into The Likeness which I'm enjoying even more than In the Woods. Having a hard time putting it down!