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I'm starting the month off with a bit of a random pick from my TBR pile: Mother Land. It's okay, I suppose, but am finding the main character a bit... naive.

(updated to mention DNF status)

I am starting the month with Wrong Number Right Womxn by Jae. Really looking forward to this one. It had come highly recommended by several friends.

I'm at the 75% mark on The Fires of Heaven, book five in the Wheel of Time series. They're so good!

Next up is Larry Correia's Target Rich Environment.

Starting Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man, narrated by Joe Morton, this morning. I've heard excellent things about Morton's narration, and I like it already!

i'm finishing up Spells for the Dead - i enjoy this series more than jane yellowrock, but i need to get caught up on yellowrock because i think some stuff that happened in it have crossed over into this series

next up is Jo's Boys (for a challenge needing a book published before 1920) and Foxcatcher: The True Story of My Brother's Murder, John du Pont's Madness, and the Quest for Olympic Gold (for a true crime book)

I am starting April by listening to the following books:

The Winter Crown in historical fiction. It's set during the eleventh century and is the second in her series on Eleanor of Aquitaine. I really enjoyed the first one and am looking forward to the second novel.

Screwtape Letters - C. S. Lewis as a religion/philosophy type read.

And The Marriage Pact as a suspense/thriller.

(I'm new and hoping I'm formatting the post correctly with the links and everything! Apologies in advance if I mess up!)

Jacqui wrote: "I am starting April by listening to the following books:

The Winter Crown in historical fiction. It's set during the eleventh century and is the second in her series on Eleanor of..."

We love new people here so any issues are readily forgiven if necessary. ;) You'll find that this group is welcoming and accepting. If corrections are needed, they are always given with a gentle hand. One of the things I love about this group is how that we have many different opinions and tastes but respect each other and accept the differences as part of what makes us strong.

Thanks, Jeanie! This sounds like a great and welcoming community. I look forward to getting to know everyone:D

Nutshell by Ian McEwan - 4 stars - My Review

This book is an inspired take-off on Hamlet, from the point of view of an unborn child. The unnamed narrator hears his mother and uncle plotting to kill his father. He worries what will happen to him after birth. He is articulate and knowledgeable about the world. He engages in philosophical musing and witty observations. I have to love a protagonist who has been listening to poetry, classic literature, news, and podcasts in utero. It is obviously not for anyone looking for a realistic story, but if you enjoy Shakespeare, you will find something to appreciate here. I found it clever and creative.

The audio book is narrated by Rory Kinnear. He does a fabulous job of evoking an aura of foreboding. (5 stars for the audio)

I finished a really good one--Dr. Thorne by Anthony Trollope.

My review. /review/show...

I will begin Travellers in the Third Reich: The Rise of Fascism Through the Eyes of Everyday People by Julia Boyd.

Starting A Talent to Deceive: The Search for the Real Killer of the Lindbergh Baby by William Norris, narrated by, Tom Beyer I was curious about this one and when I saw it was available on NetGalley I thought I would give it a try!

Just finished Is This Anything? by Jerry Seinfeld. I'm glad I chose to listen to the audiobook. It was somewhat funny but very random and disjointed. In anything but audiobook format it would really have been unreadable.

I finished Phoenix and Ashes, third in the Elemental Masters series by Mercedes Lackey. this one is a re-telling of the Cinderella story with WWI as the backdrop. This is quite a good version of the tale and follows the Prince Charming character just as much as the Cinderella one. It includes not merely the unfair treatmment of Eleanor by her wicked stepmother, but also weaves in class differences, the overturning of social structure due to removing all men between 17 and 50 to fight in the war, the changing role of women in the workplace during that era with concomitant resistance from society at large, the prejudices regarding women and higher education, and the extra difficulties of men returning with "shell shock" because others see it as malingering or cowardice... plus all the MCs having magic themselves. So with a Cinderella reduced in social standing to a mere servant and a Prince Charming with PTSD, they have to rescue each other.

@ Jeanie

Halfway There
by Eve Langlais
Narrator Nicole Poole

Since talked about this in March I decided to start April with it.

It's a little different from what I expected but so far I like it.

I've known women who faced this situation and her reactions seem genuine. First couple of hours have women's fiction feel with her life as she knows it falling apart and her learning to deal with it.

Two hours in on 7+ hour book and she's at point where many cozy mysteries, including paranormal ones, tend to start when female main character starts new life i.e. arrives at new home, starts new business, etc.

I'm almost 3 hours in and I would say Naomi is likable if occasionally annoying. She is slow to adapt to her new paranormal reality but again women's fiction feel. There are some tstl moments with her coming off as being brainwashed by her paranormal denying/hating father and psychologically abusive husband.

I finished listening to the fourth book of The Belgariad by David Eddings, Castle of Wizardry, and am taking a break from that crowd for a bit.

I'm nearing the end of Trials of the Earth: The True Story of a Pioneer Woman, and agree with everything Chrissie wrote in her review from 2016. Makes me appreciate my life of ease nowadays.

L J wrote: "@ Jeanie

Halfway There
by Eve Langlais
Narrator Nicole Poole

Since talked about this in March I decided to sta..."

Thanks, LJ! I'm finding that most of the PWF books have a similar feel and execution is what sets them apart. K. F. breene's Leveling UP, Kristen Painter's first Fangs Club, Mandy M. Roth's grimm Cove (first book was only decent and narration of male boices detracted), Michelle M. Pillow's second Chance Magic, and elizabeth Hunter's glimmer Lake series are standouts. I'm hoping other authors in this genre can find a way not to rely on divorcing or widowing the main character... at least Elizabeth Hunter had a trilogy with one widow, one divorcee, and one woman facing an empty nest and an oblivious husband.

Today I finished Shannon Mayer's Midlife Ghost Hunter fourth in the Forty Prroof series. While I did read the four available books in this PWF series, it's actually not my thing. The MC attempts to get into physical shape to be a magical bounty hunter even though she is in her forties. The complaints about physical aches might be realistic, but they get old fast... really, what was she expecting? And she's another of those heroines--despite her age--who runs off without a plan, no backup, and poor understanding of her own magic. Not quite tstl, but a woman in her forties should be mor rational and practical imo.

back to my Cradle re-read!

Jan, I enjoy hearing that my reaction to a book is mirrored by others! Yeah, the lives of pioneer women were arduous.

Jeanie wrote: "L J wrote: "@ Jeanie

Halfway There
by Eve Langlais
Narrator Nicole Poole..."

MC suddenly divorced - Yes
attempts to get into physical shape - Yes
runs off without a plan - pretty much
no backup - again, pretty much
poor understanding of her own magic - more like no understanding

woman in her forties should be more rational and practical
true but some aren't - volunteered with a women's group who aided displaced homemakers and some, even college educated, hadn't a clue - they'd gone from parents telling them what to do to husband telling them what to do and that still happens - I burned out fast which is large part of why I am cautious when choosing women's fiction whether paranormal or other

L J wrote: "Jeanie wrote: "L J wrote: "@ Jeanie

Halfway There
by Eve Langlais
Narrator Nicole Poole..."

MC suddenly divorc..."

I agree that even educated women nowadays aren't always as independent and capable as one would like. The series I mentioned above are good because the MCs--even if originally weak--grabbed hold of the changes in their lives and used their life experience to make better decisions with the new paranormal gifts they acquired... even if not perfectly... but what's the fun in a person who is perfect all the time?! :)

i finished listening Spells for the Dead - i really enjoy this series and love the uniqueness of nell (some kind of plant creature who can commune with the earth)

Jeanie wrote: "...I agree that even educated women nowadays aren't always as independent and capable as one would like. The series I mentioned above are good because the MCs--even if originally weak--grabbed hold of the changes in their lives and used their life experience to make better decisions with the new paranormal gifts they acquired... even if not perfectly... but what's the fun in a person who is perfect all the time?! :) "

I think we are looking for same thing in this genre. Women who are making effort to improve themselves and their situation.

That's why I like Naomi in Halfway There. She's making an effort not just waiting for someone else to come along and take care of her. Does she backslide? Of course. Then she gives herself "a good talkin' to" and gets back on track. She's Canadian not southern but the phrase fits the situations.

ETA: An example of the type of things annoying me is her having no clue what a grimoire is. She seems to think grimoire is another word for cookbook. I guess if it's herbal that could be sort of cookbook but still... Yet I find her dismissing what she sees and is told to be in line with her life experience.

L J wrote: "Jeanie wrote: "...I agree that even educated women nowadays aren't always as independent and capable as one would like. The series I mentioned above are good because the MCs--even if originally wea..."

I am definitely enjoying the PWF/R genre, but I'm also hoping that more of the stories involve forty or fifty-something women who don't require losing a husband in order to make the most of their new paranormal lives. I'll soon start Elizabeth Hunter's Moonstone Cove series--which is a spinoff of her Glimmer Lake trilogy--and the first MC has a husband and a decent if possibly neglected relationship as they both are imersed in their professions. I kind of like the idea of rediscovering the old love rather than having to find a new one.

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro - 5 stars - My Full Review

Set in the near future, Klara is a solar-powered artificial friend (AF), a companion robot for kids. As the story opens, she and other AFs are in a store waiting to be purchased. In this society, parents have the option of genetically enhancing their children, known as being “lifted,� which also comes with health risks. The storyline includes a “lifted� child and her friend, who has not been lifted. The story is told by Klara. People know AFs are programmed to learn, so they explain things to her, allowing the reader to gain information about this world. Each AF has a distinct personality. Klara is acutely perceptive and is encoded to alleviate loneliness. In this society, people are “post-employed� and pollution is an ongoing issue. Ishiguro is drawing attention to the challenges we will face as we deal with ethical issues involving gene editing, artificial intelligence, environmental issues, and how they may be incorporated into society. It is a warning to make sure we address them with forethought and intention.

The audio book is beautifully read by Sura Sui (5 stars for the audio).

My review of The Didomenico Fragment by Amor Towles

/review/show...

This is a new Audible Plus book.

Joy D wrote: "Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro - 5 stars - My Full Review

Set in the near future, Klara is a solar-powered artificial friend (AF), a companion robot for kids. As..."

So glad you liked this. I loved it in print. I got the book as part of an author event right when it was coming out. One of the few good things about the last year is I have attended multiple online author events. I could see how it would be a great audio since it is all in Klara's voice.

Robin P wrote: "Joy D wrote: "Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro - 5 stars - My Full Review

Set in the near future, Klara is a solar-powered artificial friend (AF), a companion robo..."

I will have to keep an eye out for these events. Thanks for the tip. It's a wonderful audio. I also plan to re-read it in print or e-copy.

There There by Tommy Orange - 4 stars - My Full Review

This book contains a series of interlocking stories of twelve urban American Indian characters. Their stories converge at a powwow in Oakland, California. Several characters are involved in a scheme to commit a crime at the powwow. Others share family connections. The stories are told in first and third person. They portray the present-day state of a marginalized population whose people have been persecuted over generations. Many of the current issues are portrayed, such as addiction, unemployment, racism, depression, fractured families, and violence. Major themes include identity and storytelling.

The audio is nicely read by an ensemble: Darrell Dennis, Shaun Taylor-Corbett, Alma Cuervo, and Kyla Garcia. (4 stars for the audio)

Halfway There
by Eve Langlais
Narrator Nicole Poole

Naomi's life changes make slow progress which is realistic but hearing her thoughts as she repeatedly thinks about same problems is a bit much.

Her health problems would be more realistic if she were 10 possibly 20 years older. Nothing about going to doctor. It starts in US so that's understandable but then she's Canadian living in Canada. This may be TMI so (view spoiler)[She could at least wear panty liner or pad so she doesn't end up taking off wet panties, wrapping them in toilet paper and throwing them away. (hide spoiler)]

Paranormal story arc - things happen but little is learned.

Near end a mystery is abruptly solved but threat remains to be dealt with in another book.

Already have the second installment On My Way from Hoopla so I started it. Hope story arcs progress and I want whatever keeps Naomi from seeing paranormal dealt with. That plot device is annoying, not amusing, me.

I have no plans to listen to book 3. Evidently it has two endings, one in the book and another the author posted online. This trilogy may end in a cliffhanger. Author's done that at least once before with additional information revealed in other series so when I finish book 2 I'm done listening. If I do book 3 it will be e book so I can skim.

Wow, I'm so disappointed in a classic sci-fi I've been meaning to try for several years, Hyperion by Dan Simmons. It's a long, complicated story with lots of narrators that follows future pilgrims on a religious quest (of sorts). I just got it on the series sale, and was so excited to get the sequel, too.

I gave it several hours and am returning it and the sequel to Audible, which I rarely do. It's really bleak, and the characters are not compelling or likable at all. Bad timing on my part, but now I know.

L J wrote: "
Halfway There
by Eve Langlais
Narrator Nicole Poole

Naomi's life changes make slow progress which is realistic ..."

Thanks for the further info. The third book isn't even available on Audible. I think I'll pass on this series for now and try one of the many others in this genre... maby some day I'll come back to it and give it a try.

Joy D wrote: "Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro - 5 stars - My Full Review

Set in the near future, Klara is a solar-powered artificial friend (AF), a companion robot for kids. As..."

I'm glad you enjoyed the book. I listened to it and thought the narrator did an excellent job. I liked it so much I purchased different versions (UK Independent store cover with Ishiguro's autograph and Japanese version with different cover illustration). I know it's silly and I don't usually get printed copies but somehow I was drawn to this book so much.

Jeanie wrote: "L J wrote: "
Halfway There
by Eve Langlais
Narrator Nicole Poole

Naomi's life changes make slow progress which i...

...I think I'll pass on this series for now and try one of the many others in this genre..."

Probably good idea.

So far part 2 is similar to part 1. A lot of things happening, hints and warnings but little actual information. Makes it feel like psychological suspense more than anything else.

Scene at end of Part 1 from other, possibly villain, POV and their dark warnings and hints don't help mood. I wonder if this could link to other series.

To me the situation is getting darker when I hoped it would lighten up.

I have completed Travellers in the Third Reich: The Rise of Fascism Through the Eyes of Everyday People by Julia Boyd.

My review: /review/show...

I have picked up the classic--The Way Of The Wind by Zoe Anderson Norris. It is about a young couple who move from Kentucky to Kansas, from the tried and true to the wind blown plains out west. You feel the wind tugging and whipping at your clothes.

Finishing Tochi Onyebuchi's Riot Baby this morning; pretty hard-hitting for such a short piece. He interweaves details and names from real-life instances of police brutality (Rodney King, Sean Bell, Oscar Grant, etc) with a sci-fi twist similar to something you might see in an X-men comic.

The Goblin Emperor did pick up about 2/3 of the way through with more events and some side characters getting better defined. There is one sequel and room for more. I started Homeland Elegies. I have a challenge in one group to read something by or about a Muslim character. This author, who reads his own book very well, grew up in Wisconsin, where I live, and shares his conflicted feelings about America, his family, and Islam, among other things.

Robin P wrote: "The Goblin Emperor did pick up about 2/3 of the way through with more events and some side characters getting better defined. There is one sequel and room for more. I started [book:..."

Very small correction -- there is no sequel yet. It's scheduled to come out in June. I'm impatiently awaiting its publication!

Finished The Book of Lost and Found by Lucy Foley. It was just a "meh". The back and forth between time periods was choppy and a little jarring, especially as an audio. And the narrator's male voices were irritating. It didn't do anything for me. 2 stars

Started Hit Man by Lawrence Block and am really enjoying it already.

On My Way
by Eve Langlais
Narrator Nicole Poole

Part 2 of Midlife Mulligan trilogy.
About the same as Part 1. Made tolerable by being almost an hour shorter than part 1 and I sped up the narration. Narration is good. The story is the problem.

Read as e book Part 3 Don't Stop Believing
This one starts, at least to me, sad. It's also dark from the beginning. Read first few chapters then started skipping reading a scene here and there. For me the HEA ending did not line up with how the books were going so I read the alternative ending. It's the creepy dark ending I expected.

Eve Langlais at the end of the alternative ending of Don't Stop Believing
"And that is the most scream-worthy ending, the kind I love."

I finished The Soul Summoner by Elicia Hyder. It was not bad at all, and I might someday read book 2. OTOH it wasn’t outstanding either � I didn’t like the attempt at a love triangle, the actual detective didn’t seem to contribute much detecting, and there wasn’t much complication to the story. I was also somewhat irritated by the narrator � she wasn’t bad, but even though the book was populated by North Carolina natives, she only did southern accents for one or two characters.

Then I read Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor. This is a good vella � interesting plot and character, interesting details about Ghana culture. OTOH the ending left me scratching my head over what Okorafor was trying to say overall. Good narration by Adjoa Andoh, though she doesn’t have a good American accent (in this vella it’s only used in a quote at the beginning, IIRC).

Then Machine by Elizabeth Bear, book 2 in whatever this series is called � Ancestral Night, maybe? Anyway � it’s an entertaining story, though I was a bit irritated by shades of James White’s Sector General books. And I didn’t understand all the leaps of logic made by the MC in figuring out what was going on. But it’s got interesting characters and action, and I could see its relation to “solarpunk�-type books, in its expectations about how people *should* act, without it being boring or all sweetness and light as I find too much solarpunk to be. It’s not at all necessary to read book 1 (Ancestral Night) first. By coincidence this one is also narrated by Adjoa Andoh.

Then I started a binge read of the Queen’s Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner. The late 80s and early-mid 90s were when I was doing the least recreational reading of my entire life, so I missed this series when it was first published. Though it’s marketed as YA, it doesn’t have a lot of the markers we think of in today’s YA. It does have pretty straightforward writing and mostly pretty straightforward plots, except then things never turn out quite the way they seem to be heading. They are quite entertaining and have some good emotion, and the MC brings to mind a less manic Miles (and interestingly it was published not too long after Miles), complete with people constantly wanting to strangle him. So far I’ve read The Thief and The Queen of Attolia, and I’m in the middle of The King of Attolia now. I think King is going to be the best one so far � it uses an interesting technique of having the POV of an otherwise minor character who is a guard for the King, so we see the King (the actual MC) entirely from the outside (he was the major POV character in the first two books), and I’m eagerly listening along to find out What Is Really Going On. I plan on continuing to the next book, A Conspiracy of Kings, when I finish this one. The first and third books were narrated by Steve West (British accent), who does an okay but not wonderful job, and the second book was narrated by Jeff Woodman (American accent � it’s the edition the library had available at the time). I preferred Woodman’s delivery, but he didn’t do much in the way of voices, which got confusing at times.

A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler - 3 stars - My Review

This book is a multi-generational family saga. It moves backward and forward in time, covering four generations. I enjoyed the first part of this book, but it quickly started feeling disjointed. It jumps in time without warning, and just when I was getting interested in the new timeline, it jumps again, leaving many questions and few answers. For example, a phone call on the first page finds Denny telling his father he is gay. After that one comment, it is never revisited. There is nothing particularly “wrong� with it, but I did not feel invested in the outcome.

The audiobook is competently read by Kimberly Farr (3.5 stars for the audio).

The Way Of The Wind by Zoe Anderson Norris is a novella I highly recommend. A free download is available at Librivox here:

My short review: /review/show...

I will tonight begin Featherhood: A Memoir of Two Fathers and a Magpie by Charlie Gilmour. It looks so good.

My review of A Hole in the Sky by Peter F. Hamilton

/review/show...

Contrarius wrote: "Then I started a binge read of the Queen’s Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner...."

I've listened to the first four books, all narrated by Steve West, so changing narrators would have been a bit jarring for me. Plus, I thought book three (The King of Attolia) was the worst one. LOL! It's so funny how we get different experiences from the same book.

I'm not sure I want to continue with the main series, but I would like to catch up with the in-between stories.

I'm giving Will Wight another chance and I started over with the fantasy Unsouled. I'm just not invested in the story, but I've heard such good things about it, I thought I'd try again. However, the title of an Audible review is kind of where I'm at right now: "Commit to the series or don't bother." :-D

Jan wrote: "I've listened to the first four books, all narrated by Steve West, so changing narrators would have been a bit jarring for me. Plus, I thought book three (The King of Attolia) was the worst one. LOL! It's so funny how we get different experiences from the same book...."

Yeah, to each their own, and all that!

I've started A Conspiracy of Kings now. The King of Attolia has definitely been my favorite so far -- I liked seeing Gen from the outside, and I liked the added complexity of the plot and emotions compared to the earlier books.

As for the narrators -- it can be a real jolt, especially if you've been used to a particular narrator for multiple books in a series. OTOH, I like listening to books by different narrators -- for instance, I've got something like nine different versions of Pride and Prejudice -- so I also enjoy hearing how different readers interpret the same things. And since book 1 was first person while book 2 was third person, it wasn't so bad to have different voices with the change in POV. For the one I'm on now, book 4, the library had both Steve West and Jeff Woodman versions available -- so I tried out the first several minutes of both and finally settled on the West version. I still like Woodman's delivery for the narrative portions, but West is better with the dialogue.

Jan wrote: "I'm giving Will Wight another chance and I started over with the fantasy Unsouled. I'm just not invested in the story, but I've heard such good things about it, I thought I'd try ag..."

I can't say I disagree with the idea that it's about the series. Unsouled is a decent fantasy book, but it doesn't reflect the entertainment in the books that continue the story. Still, Unsouled is absolutely foundational to Linden's story and why he keeps going on. It's also a progressively stunning contrast to what he finds on each new part of his path. I went on to the second book 'just because', and to the third book because I was becoming curious to see what happened next. The following books were essential to my peace of mind to see where in the world Linden will go and whether he will get there soon enough. Plus the new characters added in with each book are absolute treasures. But, as we say, not every book or series can be for everyone.

Contrarius wrote:...I like listening to books by different narrators -- for instance, I've got something like nine different versions of Pride and Prejudice -- so I also enjoy hearing how different readers interpret the same things. ..."

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who collects versions of Jane Austen books! :) And you are right, the various versions are fun to read and see how various narrators bring something of their own to a familiar story. Of course, it takes a great story to begin with.

Jeanie wrote: "I can't say I disagree with the idea that it's about the series. Unsouled is a decent fantasy book, but it doesn't reflect the entertainment in the books that continue the story...."

Thanks for the encouragement, Jeanie. I'll keep going for now.

(And, yes, I enjoy the different narrators of JA, too. Not everyone can do justice to those great stories!)

Jeanie wrote: "I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who collects versions of Jane Austen books! :)"

:-)