Literature What are you currently reading?

Maisie Dobbs fans rejoice!

Looks like its going to be a TV show.


I wonder who they will get to play her. although at the beginning of the first book she is a teen. In most of the books she is 30 something, and above. I'm thinking Emma Watson or Emily Blunt. If it's a TV show then they probably can't afford one of those. Wait, in the books, wasn't she tall and dark?

I just noticed that I have been waiting for book 6 like forever. Maybe some kind of library glitch.
 
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Finished another book by Andrea Bartz called "The Lost Night". It is another psychological thriller in a similar vein as the other one I read. A page turner and I liked it a lot!
 
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Recently finished re-reading The Wise Man's Fear. I could read Rothfuss forever...too bad his latest novel is taking over a decade to publish :argh:


Currently reading Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell....so good!
 
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still on my Charles Martin kick and some of his earlier books are very interesting - currently reading Unwritten and I am enjoying it so much that I am reading it in small increments so that it won't end :rolleyes:

finished Long Way Gone also and thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the author's note at the end and how a real life story ties into his fictional one - don't read the end first though...

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com
 
Have just finished "The Testaments" which is the sequel to "The Handmaid's Tale." It was excellent and I liked it a lot better than "The Handmaid's Tale." It takes place 15 years later and explains everything and brings the story to a satisfying close. Told from the perspectives of 3 very different women, it continues the saga of Gilead, but all is not well in this horrifying regime. Now I have to watch the TV series!
 
Maisie Dobbs

When I got up to #6 in the Maisie Dobbs books I got stuck. Not sure what went wrong but I had it on hold at the library for like 6 months. I had the ebook on hold and then I went and put the hardcover on hold too. Then as things tend to work out at the library I got both of them.
So I read #6 and put # 7 on hold and got it the next day. Really liked #6 and #7. Maybe I did need a bit of a break.
One of the things I was worried about before the break was the hints of some sort of clairvoyant or other ESP. There are still some hints but it seems like the author has put that either on the back burner or is phasing that out.
I'm reading #8 now. I got the e-book as soon as I put it on hold.
Another thing I like about this books is that they occur between WW1 and WW2.
I've read a lot of British historical fiction and for the most part they either occur before WW1 or During WW2. I haven't read much (if any) about the in-between time. which is very interesting to me.

As I posted here just about a week ago there is a TV show in the works. So I started paying attention to what Maisie and the other characters look like. I'm refraining from imagining too much. I'm frequently disappointed with casting. But for now I'm looking forward to the show.
 
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A Memory Called Empire
by Martine, Arkady

Just finished this book. At my library, e-books are only allowed out for 10 or 14 days and they they evaporate from your reader. Normally not a problem for me but I just couldn't get into this book and kept putting it aside for other books that showed up. I had to check it out a few times before I finished it. although I was very impressed with the Kindle software. It always remembered my place - even after the book had to be checked out again.

This book won all kinds of awards but I didn't find the book compelling.

A Memory Called Empire is a 2019 science fiction novel, the debut novel by Arkady Martine. It follows Mahit Dzmare, the ambassador from Lsel Station to the Teixcalaanli Empire, as she investigates the death of her predecessor and the instabilities that underpin that society.​
Wikipedia.

There I a sequel. this book did not end with any kind of cliff hanger so I may not read it.
 
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One Dog at a Time: Saving the Strays of Helmand - An Inspiring True Story Pen Farthing

In a remote outpost of Now Zad, in Helmand Province, Pen Farthing's tour of duty will change his life forever, but for entirely unexpected reasons.

Appalled by the horrors of a local dog fight, he intervenes to free the victims. One of these dogs finds his way into the Marine compound - and into Pen's heart. Soon other strays are being drawn to the sanctuary provided by Pen's makeshift pound, including one young mum who crawls under the compound fence carrying her newborn pups to safety.

But as his time in Helmand draws to an end, Pen cannot leave the dogs of Now Zad to their own fates. He begins hatching plans to help them escape to a better life.
 
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Maisie Dobbs.
I am just going thru these books so fast now.
After the long break while waiting for Book #6 to show up, I went and read 7 -12 in short order.

If you have been reading the books in order and need a break, book # 10 would be a good place to take a break of even stop.

Right now there are 15 books in the series.

I have other library books out that are begging to be read so I will be taking another Maisie break. But I'm looking forward to getting back to her.
 
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Here’s an interesting development; I didn’t want to start a new thread for it but I didn’t know where else to put this, so I might as well put it here.

 
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Here’s an interesting development; I didn’t want to start a new thread for it but I didn’t know where else to put this, so I might as well put it here.

I think that is just in NYC. During the lock down my library did away with them because for the quarantine made it difficult for some to return books. But they are back now.

Personally I am totally in favor of late fees. Sometimes I can't check out a book until the guy who has it returns it.

I'm really good at bringing back books. my library charges 75¢ a day but I don't mind paying the fines. I figure as a major library user I ought to pay a little extra.

Also once a year my library has a food drive and will erase all fines if you just bring one can of food.

Oh and school age kids are exempt from fines. but I heard from one kid if your book is way over due the librarian will call your mom. Not sure if that is true - it might just be a useful rumor.

My library had during the lockdown a "delivery service". they would stop at your house to pick up or deliver books. I haven't heard if they are still doing that.

Final word: all things link to Seinfeld.
The library contacts Jerry about an overdue book dating back to 1971. According to Kramer, with a fine of five cents a day for 20 years, the cost could come to $50 000.​
 
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I just finished an interesting novel called "Where The Dead Sit Talking." It is the story of a young Native American teen told in first person. The author, Brandon Hobson, is Cherokee. The book is very sad and I am sure very realistic. Sequoyah's mother is in prison, his father is long gone, and he is in foster care after living in a shelter for troubled youth. He feels a bond with another foster, another NA teen, named Rosemary. Another NA boy is also in the home. These troubled kids have heartbreaking stories. This book is moving and worth reading.
 
Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche
By Nancy Springer.


In case you didn't know, a Barouche is a type of horse drawn carriage. I'm pretty sure the barouche in the title was chosen for its alliteration. After reading the book I'm almost positive the carriage in the book is not a Barouche but a Brougham. Brougham would still be alliterative, maybe barouche just rolls off the tongue better.Enola Holmes books are YA- so maybe the mixup is intentional. Could give the book report writer something to discuss and debate. Some of Jane Austen's characters ride in Barouches

The book itself is very entertaining. Although it's still technically a mystery it has a bunch of adventure story qualities in it too. Like a 19th century Nancy Drew.

I'm hoping another book comes out sometime. And of course I'm looking forward to the movie. Rumor has it that they are filming it now. Extras are being recruited in London.
 
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I have finished "The President's Daughter" by Bill Clinton and James Patterson. I liked it a lot. It is another political thriller/action adventure story that I think would make a good movie. It is not a sequel to the first book despite the similar title. There is a totally different cast of characters though the plot has some similarities. Good entertaining read that had me sucked in and couldn't stop reading it.
 
Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche
By Nancy Springer.


In case you didn't know, a Barouche is a type of horse drawn carriage. I'm pretty sure the barouche in the title was chosen for its alliteration. After reading the book I'm almost positive the carriage in the book is not a Barouche but a Brougham. Brougham would still be alliterative, maybe barouche just rolls off the tongue better.Enola Holmes books are YA- so maybe the mixup is intentional. Could give the book report writer something to discuss and debate. Some of Jane Austen's characters ride in Barouches

The book itself is very entertaining. Although it's still technically a mystery it has a bunch of adventure story qualities in it too. Like a 19th century Nancy Drew.

I'm hoping another book comes out sometime. And of course I'm looking forward to the movie. Rumor has it that they are filming it now. Extras are being recruited in London.

I just finished reading this one also and enjoyed it very much too.

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com
 
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yesterday I started reading Allison Larkin's "The People We Keep" - it was very good and when I had trouble falling asleep last night (unusual) I just kept reading and reading and finished it around 5am - thoroughly enjoyed it

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com
 
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