Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #1 (Read 165288 times)

lucky · « **Reply #480 on:** April 02, 2009, 08:28:34 PM »

This is the place to talk about the works of fiction you are reading, whether they are new or old, and share your own opinions and reviews with interested readers.

Every week the new bestseller lists come out brimming with enticing looking books and rave reviews. How to choose?

Discussion Leader: Judy Laird

Hi ALF

I read "Netherland", and found it boring...too much about cricket. Having been born in Brooklyn, New York, I thought I would find it interesting but it wasn't. If anyone is interested in reading an unusual historical novel I recommend "The Historian", by Elizabeth Kostova. It is about ...DRACULA who was a historical figure and who in Romania is regarded as a hero who repelled the Turks in the early l6th century. It is a whirlwind ride through eastern Europe and Turkey. It is fascinating, only don't read it at night.

Steph · « **Reply #481 on:** April 03, 2009, 07:46:58 AM »

More and more interesting.. MDH and I will be in Seattle in May and then take a tour of the 101 all the way down to the California border and up to Canadian border.. One of those long promised trips.. So.. might be a place to investigate. I suspect not warm enough for us however.

pedln · « **Reply #482 on:** April 04, 2009, 02:03:53 PM »

Steph, that sounds like a wonderful trip. I love Seattle (home of oldest daughter and family) and would love to see more of the Pacific Northwest, especially that drive down the coast. High on my list of new things to do out there is to go to Powell's Bookstore in Portland, and to take a boat trip on the Columbia River.

I've never read anything by Kate Atkinson (who lives in Edinburgh), but picked up her One Good Turn at the library. Fascinating, so far. The initial focus is an event/incident, that is witnessed by a multitude of strangers. Then we learn about their lives and what has brought them to this particular place and now how this incident creates relationships among them. Kind of a fictional sociogram. Atkinson won the Whitbred Award (best first novel?) in 1995 for Behind the Scenes at the Museum.

Aberlaine · « **Reply #483 on:** April 04, 2009, 05:22:34 PM »

MrsSherlock, the Covington series is like that, too. Three older ladies live together in a house one of them has inherited. There are seven books in the series and I've read the first four.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #484 on:** April 04, 2009, 08:59:52 PM »

Aberlaine: Tell me more, please, about the Covington series.

CubFan · « **Reply #485 on:** April 04, 2009, 10:27:19 PM »

Greetings -

I'm going to add an endorsement of the Joan Medlicott series about the Covington ladies. The first book in the series is called The Ladies of Covington Send Their Love and the books really should be read in order. The 8th one came out in 2009. I have read them all and enjoyed each one. They cover everything from three retired ladies living and trying to get along with each other while maintaining their own interests, priorities, and lifestyles as well as dealing with their adult children and their attitudes and problems. There is humor, pain, realistic and idealist situations. A fun read.

Also just finished the latest Jennifer Chiaverini - The Lost Quilter. This one was historical fiction - dealing with slavery in South Carolina. Well written.

Mary

Babi · « **Reply #486 on:** April 05, 2009, 09:17:02 AM »

I recommended the Covington ladies series to my library when they first appeared. They have been a great success there.

Steph · « **Reply #487 on:** April 05, 2009, 09:24:22 AM »

Aha, sounds good. I will go to my swap online and see if either of the authors are there.
Yes, we have been planning this Seattle trip for several years. We fly to Chicago, board the train andoff we go to Seattle.. Takes 47 hours and we have a cabin..Then a week in Seattle, and then a rental car to tour. Then back to Seattle and home.. 18 days actually. We are both really looking forward to it. Only drawback.. I do so hate to kennel the dogs. I would give anything for a reliable housesitter. I had one for several years, but he graduated from college and went off to his own life. It was so neat to have someone in the house, who liked the dogs, walked them, brought in the mail,watered the plants and generally enjoyed himself as well. We lived in a downtown area at the time and he loved being able to walk downtown, etc.

ALF43 · « **Reply #488 on:** April 05, 2009, 01:25:21 PM »

lucky- I can not believe it! I just returned The Historian back to the library a couple of weeks ago. Since I was a kid, I've always been interested in the Count. I loved it! (i did read it at night, however)

Steph · « **Reply #489 on:** April 06, 2009, 07:35:24 AM »

I found some of the Covington ladies on my book swap, so ordered one.. I read Case Histories by Kate Atkinson, but disliked it.

Aberlaine · « **Reply #490 on:** April 07, 2009, 01:39:39 PM »

Quote from: mrssherlock on April 04, 2009, 08:59:52 PM

Aberlaine: Tell me more, please, about the Covington series.

MrsSherlock, if you go here http://tinyurl.com/dzmxkw you can read about all the books about Covington.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #491 on:** April 07, 2009, 01:48:33 PM »

I just finished Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani.............i think i got the recommendation from one of the book sites here. Thanks, it was an enjoyable read. i'll look for more of hers. ....................jean

mrssherlock · « **Reply #492 on:** April 07, 2009, 04:07:19 PM »

Aberlaine: Thanks for the link. Covington sounds like a charming series. Recently I read another series reminding me of Jan Karon's Mitford books. It is about a little town called Lumby, full of quirky characters that I grew very fond of. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/f/gail-fraser/lumby-lines.htm

Steph · « **Reply #493 on:** April 08, 2009, 07:43:19 AM »

I read several of the Trigiani books. She is a nice gentle writer. Not an issue person. I suspect the Covington ladies are also in that vein. I liked most of the Karon books, but now feel they are repeating like crazy.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #494 on:** April 08, 2009, 08:46:56 AM »

Trigiani is new to me; she's now on my list of TBR.

Steph · « **Reply #495 on:** April 09, 2009, 08:18:20 AM »

Trigani is another person who has fallen in love with the hill country of the south.

Judy Laird · « **Reply #496 on:** April 09, 2009, 12:58:00 PM »

I'll have to look that author up, new to me.
I have been reading mostly forgetable books. Another Patterson I think he is slipping.
Finished Janyne Ann Krentz I didn't want to but I did. I don't like to start a book and not finish it and I do like most of her books. This was Sizzle and Burn. it was a paranormal setting and I do not like those, but after I got into it it was O.K.

Babi · « **Reply #497 on:** April 09, 2009, 02:52:18 PM »

My library does not have anything by Trigani. Is this a newly published author, I wonder?

mabel1015j · « **Reply #498 on:** April 09, 2009, 04:33:22 PM »

Babi - here's a link to her website

http://www.adrianatrigiani.com/books.html

jean

redbud73086 · « **Reply #499 on:** April 09, 2009, 05:35:50 PM »

Quote from: Judy Laird on March 26, 2009, 05:04:38 PM

Now about kids shoes-----when my kids were little they had to Have Stride Right Shoes, remember the floroascope or whatever it was that the kids had to stand on and the metal thingy that you stood up on so they could see how long their feet were and how wide? Now they throw a pair of tennis shoes that lite up on the bottom, who cares if they fit or not. Also when they started to walk we had to go and get the white high leather shoes to support their ankles. They were expensive to and they had to have salt weather sandles to go to the beach.

Judy, I could have written your quote word for word

My kids wore Stride Rite high top white leather shoes until they were at least two

I used to get them at Nordstrom's at the Northgate shopping center in Seattle. There were very expensive and they outgrew them rather than wore them out. I was an Eastsider also - Kirkland and later Woodinville. I'm now in Texas.

I just found out about this site. I have always been an avid book reader - ever since I got my first library card at the age of 8. Even now, I carry a book in my purse - just in case I have to wait somewhere.

I read any and everything, it just depends on my mood at the time.

I get most of my books now from the library. It is so convenient to order them online and then just go and pick them up when they come in.

Mary

Judy Laird · « **Reply #500 on:** April 09, 2009, 06:27:02 PM »

Mary how nice to hear from you. We are always looking for new people and new
idea's.
I am still stuck here in Redmond and looks like that is going to be it for me.
I'd give a pretty penny to move but it doesn't look like its in the cards.

I got the new Allison Brennan book today at Fred Meyer for 40% off, just love those deals.

Steph · « **Reply #501 on:** April 10, 2009, 07:35:21 AM »

Adriana Trigiani has been around for at least a few years. Just finished the T book by Grafton. I think I am caught up now.. Also reading a sort of neat mystery by Jane Cleland. This is an antique dealer who is now writing mysteries about.... you guessed it.. a female antique dealer. This is her first ( she has at least two out, since I have a second one as well). Her plotting is all over the place, but she is good about the antiques and how you vet them.. Hopefully this one will keep up the pace and she will tighten the plot a bit at the end.

Babi · « **Reply #502 on:** April 10, 2009, 09:23:42 AM »

Thanks for the link, MABEL. Obviously, Trigani has been around for a while.
I have no idea how my library decides which authors to buy; I'm surprised none
of hers are available there.

Well, STEPH, the pundits always say 'write about what you know'.

CallieOK · « **Reply #503 on:** April 10, 2009, 03:00:35 PM »

For Christmas, my son gave me a year's membership in a book club he found on-line. Every month, I get a paperback novel (because I chose "fiction") but I don't get to choose the books. So far, they've all been 2008-2009 publications but I wish I knew how the selections are made!

The newest one is "The Whole Truth" by David Baldacci. I guess it would be called a "thriller". It's the first one of his I've ever read. Not sure I want to start working my way through his others - but this one is good.

"Promises of Change" by Joan Medlicott is waiting. I may have to read it before finishing "...Truth" because it's a library reserve.

Hi, Mary (Redbud). Hope none of the TX wildfires were near you.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #504 on:** April 10, 2009, 05:56:10 PM »

Babi - my library will order almost any requested book, so maybe you should mention Tragiani to them, if you want to read her..................jean

marjifay · « **Reply #505 on:** April 10, 2009, 08:18:12 PM »

What a nice gift from your son, Callie!

My favorite David Baldacci books are those with the Camel Club, a short series (only 4 so far). I love this group of four rather eccentric senior men, each very talented and/or brilliant, who investigate conspiracies and get themselves in some very scary situations. But read them in order.

CallieOK · « **Reply #506 on:** April 10, 2009, 10:29:00 PM »

Marjifay, there's a list of all the Baldacci books in the front of this one. I'll mark that series. If they aren't listed in order, I can find that out from the library web site. Thank you!

I agree that this is a nice gift. It can be for 3, 6 or 12 months.
I give the books I think he would enjoy (like the Baldacci one) to him when I've finished them.

Steph · « **Reply #507 on:** April 11, 2009, 09:33:57 AM »

Just started the Wall Lamb.. This I know is True.. Odd start, but slow to get into.
I loved my paperback swap. Makes it so easy to find things I had not read or authors I want to know more about.
I agree that you should write about what you know. The antique book is fun and she tightened up the end.. She does need to motivate a bit more.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #508 on:** April 11, 2009, 11:05:08 AM »

Fantastic Fiction is a fabulous site, I have it on my menu bar, which lists authors and their books with series listed in order. Eaclh book usually has a brief summary (which helps me when I remember the book but not the title). A list of literary awards with links to the individual books, a list of new books and finally a list of coming books, all divided by genre, makes this a one-size fits all book resource for me. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/

David Baldacci site: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/david-baldacci/

CallieOK · « **Reply #509 on:** April 11, 2009, 11:20:24 AM »

Jackie, thank you so much for that link. I have bookmarked it and look forward to a leisurely browse.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #510 on:** April 11, 2009, 12:57:09 PM »

Just finished a wonderful book of short stories by Elizabeth Berg, titled, The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted." I'm not a big fan of short stories and i picked this book up not knowing that's what it was. But i am pleasantly surprised. All the stories have women as the protagonists and most are humorous. Many of them have food as a theme. It is a delightful, series of stories, mostly about women of middle-age or older and very introspective, but as i said, often funny. I thoroughly enjoyed it...............jean

pedln · « **Reply #511 on:** April 11, 2009, 01:25:54 PM »

Callie, do you have a link to that book club? Does it list the titles for the current year or is it always a surprise for you? That is a really neat gift.

Jean, I've felt as you do about short stories, but when my girls gave me three by Alice Munro I found that I really enjoyed them.

Speaking of short stories, has anyone read Olive Kittredge? It was mentioned when we first came back online as SeniorLearn -- short stories with a single focus. I think the protagonist was a school teacher. I haven't heard any more about it, and don't know who wrote it. It just sounded kind of interesting.

Babi · « **Reply #512 on:** April 11, 2009, 03:12:53 PM »

JEAN, if I want a book my library does not have, they will put in a request
for an inter-library loan. I have done that a number of times. However, it would not be practical for them to order every book someone wants to read.
I don't read short stories much, either, but the Elizabeth Berg book does sound interesting. I'll take a look at it. I already checked, and my library does
have it. (My library is on my 'Favorites' list. Easy to quick-check everything.)

CallieOK · « **Reply #513 on:** April 11, 2009, 10:39:34 PM »

pedln, http://www.bestsellers-monthly-book-connection.com/home.htm

I don't know how my son found this site. I received a "gift announcement" that gave the url and was very skeptical when I looked at it because it didn't give much information about the company and everything is done on-line. There's an e-mail address in the bottom left hand corner of the home page but it's in very very pale letters.
There's more information when you click on one of the links.

You choose the genre but the books are a surprise. Each one has arrived on schedule. They may be returned for an extension of the "contract" - not another book for that month; a return label is included.

The address my son gave them wasn't quite right so I e-mailed asking that it be corrected. I received a very nice reply from a "real person" and it was taken care of immediately. Then I received a personal acknowledgement of my "thank you" for that.

I agree that it's a neat gift.

Aberlaine · « **Reply #514 on:** April 12, 2009, 05:50:58 AM »

I remember reading a book by Adriana Trigiani several years ago with my online book group. It was called Milk Glass Moon and I don't remember much about it - not that it wasn't good, but because my memory is terrible.

Welcome, Redbud. Seems we've crossed paths along the way in other discussion groups - maybe at the old SN site.

I'm reading Jodi Picoult's My Sister's Keeper for my f2f book group. Excellent!

Steph · « **Reply #515 on:** April 12, 2009, 09:13:44 AM »

The Elizabeth Berg sounds good. Have to look for it. I did order the Wally Lamb second book on the inmates in the writing program. I loved the first one and have reread it several times. The current one..by Lamb is excellent, but hard.. I can only read for a while and then stop because at this point, it is depressing.. Good but hard .. Being a twin and having the other half be insane is a difficult life.

maryz · « **Reply #516 on:** April 12, 2009, 11:28:41 AM »

Steph, sorry about your twin - it's definitely hard. And I do understand about not being able to read for extended periods of time. I do that from time to time, too, and it is frustrating! I always keep a book at hand, but it's the pits when it takes weeks to read a mystery.

Steph · « **Reply #517 on:** April 13, 2009, 07:43:36 AM »

No, I am not a twin, but the Wally Lamb book is about identical twins. One is a paranoid Schizophrenic. The other relatively normal.. I am still reading. Book is too long, but excellent. I keep wondering how the normal twin survives. He is so torn all through the book.

JoanP · « **Reply #518 on:** April 16, 2009, 10:55:06 PM »

We'll vote the first week in May for future book discussions. Some good titles in the header right now - still time to add some more. We're looking for books that you think might make for a good group discussion.

The Suggestion Box is open here!

Steph · « **Reply #519 on:** April 18, 2009, 09:18:45 AM »

Busy reading a new Jonathon Kellerman.. Bones. Excellent, but then I like him very much.

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Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #1 (Read 165288 times)