Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #2 (Read 776133 times)

marcie · « **Reply #560 on:** April 21, 2010, 01:09:04 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

marcie · « **Reply #561 on:** April 21, 2010, 01:09:21 PM »

I just finished Carol Goodman's ARCADIA FALLS. I enjoyed it very much. It weaves between a fairy tale and a parallel mystery/story set in the present. It is set in an "arts" school and has a rich background about painting.

Steph · « **Reply #562 on:** April 22, 2010, 05:55:02 AM »

Saw and visited two bookstores yesterday. Both were used.. One was the worst mess, but wow did he have paperbacks of all types. Could not spend much time there, but did find one book right away.

Babi · « **Reply #563 on:** April 22, 2010, 08:28:10 AM »

I very much enjoyed the other Carol Goodman books I read, MARCIE. Thanks for mentioning
that one.

pedln · « **Reply #564 on:** April 22, 2010, 10:54:22 AM »

Arcadia sounds good, Marcie, but my library has not caught up yet with Carol Goodman's books, as it has neither The Night Villa nor Arcadia Falls. Hopefully soon.

But Jackie, it does have Saving CeeCee, so I'm #2 on the reserve list, and the Cathleen Schine book about the Weissmans is on order.

But, in the meantime I'm working on three others -- I love Noah's Compass, but currently don't give a twit about the characters in Goolrick's The Reliable Wife. Hopefully that will change as it's the May selection for my f2f group. The last one, Norwegian Jo Nebro's Nemesis, keeps getting better, but why is it in so many mystery types that the protagonist is an alcoholic detective who doesn't get along with his superiors?

Steph · « **Reply #565 on:** April 23, 2010, 05:51:25 AM »

I love that. You are right of course.. Authors seem to feel it necessary to make quirky detectives.. How many times have I screamed about Sue Graftons,, one little black dress for her heroine. Stupid, clothes are clothes..

Babi · « **Reply #566 on:** April 23, 2010, 08:35:40 AM »

PEDLN, maybe the alcoholic detective is a hang-over from the old genre
of hard-drinking tough guy PI. And dealing with the seamier side of the
world every day has to be one of the most soul-abrasive jobs in the world.

Ah, yes, STEPH. The 'little black dress'. It seems to be the 'tough gal' concession
to the social norm. They're much more comfortable in pants and boots.

CallieOK · « **Reply #567 on:** April 23, 2010, 10:56:56 AM »

I'm about to start the "P" book in Sue Grafton's series. That "little black dress" should be in shreds by now.

I just finished "Magic Hour" by Kristen Hannah. The plot centered around a "wild child" who suddenly appeared in a small town park in rural Washington state after having been kidnapped at the age of two and kept in a cave in the woods for several years.
Same basics for authors like KH - female professional (in this case, a child psychiatrist, of course) who has trouble with romantic relationships and conflict with at least one family member (a sister) - hunky male professional who resolves the first problem and a less hunky male who is finally recognized for the "kind good person he really is" by the side character (sister). "And They All Lived Happily Ever After".

However, the story development is different and I thought it was very good.

Steph · « **Reply #568 on:** April 24, 2010, 05:55:29 AM »

Kristen Hannah also wrote some interesting books at the beginning of her career. Sort of otherworldly actually. She was a favorite of my readers in the used book store. Not so graffic as many of the romance writers.
Bookmarks came yesterday.. Yum.. I know it always seems to present me with at least half a dozen neat ideas for books.

JoanK · « **Reply #569 on:** April 25, 2010, 07:45:08 PM »

Hey, I have a "little black dress -- the only dress I own!

Steph · « **Reply #570 on:** April 26, 2010, 05:42:31 AM »

I love dresses and skirts.. Always have.. I live in Florida so until now I have mostly lived in shorts, but not overfond of them. With the scar from the surgery running from hip to knee and being lumpy,bumpy,discolored..I am not happy about showing it.
But the little black dress is such a cliche in the book.. That and the cars.. But I would guess that protagonists need to be different.

Babi · « **Reply #571 on:** April 26, 2010, 08:32:42 AM »

And everybody has their own little personality quirks, don't they? We come to expect them in our series characters, too. I have to forgive Pendergast for constantly showing off.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #572 on:** April 26, 2010, 12:32:32 PM »

I picked up a Janice Woods Windle novel at the library. She wrote True Women, about Texas pioneers in the 19th century. I think it was based on some ancestors of hers and was very historically accurate. It was made into a tv movie, don't remember if it was Lifetime or not, w/ Dana Delany. It was probably 10 yrs ago. I liked that book a lot, so when i saw Will's War, i picked it up. I'm just getting started but it's also Texas-based. Windle found the transcript from a trial in which an ancestor of hers was the defendant - a Texas German who supported the farmers and workers union during WWI, when Germans weren't very popular. They were accused of threatening the life of Woodrow Wilson and the country in gen'l.

I've just begun to read about the trial, it sounds like 2 very good attorneys facing off against each other and she has the exact words from the transcript. So far, it sounds fascinating.

She also writes strong, active women, who i think are also based on her ancestors. .................... jean

Steph · « **Reply #573 on:** April 27, 2010, 06:00:05 AM »

My adoptive Grandmother was German and in WWII, we lived with them since my Dad worked in the Navy Yard in Portsmouth, VA. Hurtful teens used to come out front of the house and call her a nazi and say she was poisoning animals( she adored all animals) and was horrible. I cried and she comforted me with the fact that they had no idea who she was or what she did and I should not worry.. I learned later that her brothers children were draftees in the German army and all died. She never said a word while it was happening.

Babi · « **Reply #574 on:** April 27, 2010, 09:09:20 AM »

That's sad, STEPH. It has always seemed wrong to me to call all of a family's siblings into war.
It should be forbidden to leave a family with no one to comfort their parents and carry on the
family line. I believe in the American military services, if all but one of a family's offspring is
killed in action, the remaining child will be discharged and sent home. (I think I saw that in a
movie, so I'm not certain of it's accuracy.)

mrssherlock · « **Reply #575 on:** April 27, 2010, 11:49:46 AM »

There was a movie about five brothers, named Sullivan i believe, who were all killed in WWII. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sullivan_brothers

joangrimes · « **Reply #576 on:** April 27, 2010, 02:38:50 PM »

Yes there was a movie about the Sullivan brothers who were all killed in WWII. I remember that. Joan Grimes

Frybabe · « **Reply #577 on:** April 27, 2010, 05:37:27 PM »

I think Saving Private Ryan was about the effort to find and return a soldier who was the only remaining child. I didn't much like the outcome of that movie.

Steph · « **Reply #578 on:** April 28, 2010, 06:03:35 AM »

Am finally reading The Lumby Lines.. Sort of interesting, although the plotting is elementary. They go on and on about the beautiful scenery and weather and do not mention the more or less daily rain and fog in the Washington State area..

Babi · « **Reply #579 on:** April 28, 2010, 08:40:10 AM »

Understandable, STEPH. Down here on the Texas Gulf Coast the tourist trade doesn't say
much about the heat and humidity, either.
When I returned to Texas, six months pregnant, in June, after two years in California, I spent the
first couple of week mostly panting on the sofa, re-acclimating.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #580 on:** April 28, 2010, 12:39:22 PM »

As I recall, Lumby is east of Seattle where there is not the nearly constant rain. But the author doesn't know her geography very well - she says that it takes 8 hours to travel from Seattle to Lumby!

JoanK · « **Reply #581 on:** April 28, 2010, 02:46:02 PM »

I really enjoyed "The Lunbly Line". But I agree the plot needs some more gristle.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #582 on:** April 28, 2010, 03:11:13 PM »

I still read fiction for "entertainment value" and make no effort in catching the author in geographical/historical errors. Lumby Lines was not the type of read that I require "gristle" in...perhaps in my mysteries! It was quite an entertaining, relaxing, "cozy", if you will, read for me, which is usually out of my genre category!

Steph · « **Reply #583 on:** April 29, 2010, 05:59:37 AM »

I didnt mean that I didnt enjoy Lumby Lines.. But last year was my first trip to Seattle and that area.. The constant rain, fog,greyness impressed me, although I still loved it and especially loved the gorgeous flowers that come from that sort of moisture.

Babi · « **Reply #584 on:** April 29, 2010, 08:14:36 AM »

Impressed, STEPH? I'm afraid it would have depressed me. As a
native-born Texan, I don't tolerate chill and damp too well.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #585 on:** April 29, 2010, 01:30:05 PM »

Well, color me embarrassed! Seattle to Pullman, WA, can take 6 hours per Google Maps, and stops for lunch, sightseeing, etc., surely account for the difference. It takes little more than 4 hour from here to Seattle, that,s why I was confused.

pedln · « **Reply #586 on:** April 29, 2010, 10:42:48 PM »

Is there really a Lumby in Washington? I just checked my online maps program and the only Lumby I could find is in British Columbia, not too far north of the WA/BC line. But it didn't look like a straight shot on an interstate, so that's maybe why 8 hours.

When I go to Seattle to visit daughter and her family the sun always shines

Steph · « **Reply #587 on:** April 30, 2010, 06:02:42 AM »

Lumby is made up as far as I know.. It drizzled every day in Seattle and poured when we went to Tacoma and Portland.. But we just put on our raincoats and enjoyed the place.. I would not live there.. They are too surprised when the weather is clear.. But Pikes Market is a great joy.. The variety of fish alone made me envious. I love fish.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #588 on:** April 30, 2010, 11:56:16 AM »

I have been tasked to find a "book buddy" for a friend of mine who is going to Portland in August (I may go, too - not sure) on an Exploritas trip. She wants to know if any of you (my on line friends) live in Portland and would be interested in spending time at Powells Books with her. Let me know.

Steph · « **Reply #589 on:** May 01, 2010, 07:54:42 AM »

I am envious. We talked last year about coming back to Portland since it poured when we were there. The Rose Garden and the Japanese Garden were glorious, but very very wet.. Alas, I live in Florida.
I am doing an Exploritas in St. Petersburg at Eckerd College in August.. Its called Law and Order and will feature how they really work in real life, not the tv show. Sounded interesting.

maryz · « **Reply #590 on:** May 01, 2010, 08:16:11 AM »

That sounds like an interesting one, Steph. And we've always loved the Elderhostel/Exploritas progams. The grandson of one of our oldest friends goes to Eckerd - we'd never heard of it until he decided to go there. Have fun.

JoanP · « **Reply #591 on:** May 01, 2010, 09:19:11 AM »

Just opened - the Book Club Online Discussion for May - Anne Tyler's Noah's Compass. Lots to talk about here, even if you don't have the book yet - retirement issues, memory loss, etc...all told in Tyler's inimitable style and gentle humor.

Looking forward to hearing from YOU there!

Steph · « **Reply #592 on:** May 02, 2010, 05:52:46 AM »

Eckerd for some reason is Elderhostel-Exploritas friendsly. There have to be 7 or 8 classes during the summer. There are several places, I have noticed that do this.. There is also a conference center in Montreat, NC that has lots of classes..
If the kids wouldnt howl like wolves, I would take the Switzerland at Christmas one, but oh me, the commotion at the thought.. Oh well.

maryz · « **Reply #593 on:** May 02, 2010, 10:57:39 AM »

Steph, we decided to take a trip over Xmas one year (Elderhostel to Antarctica in 1996). We could've gone on 26 Dec, but decided to go over Xmas - that the kids needed to know that we'd be gone sometime. They didn't even complain too much. Of course, none of the families have spent Xmas Day with us for years - we've always thought the young grandkids needed to be in their own homes on Xmas Day and make their own traditions. Anyhow we all had a great time.

Judy Laird · « **Reply #594 on:** May 02, 2010, 03:20:00 PM »

I haave lived in Washington almost all my life and I have never seen a Lumby. I think this is just plain fiction. I googled Lumby Wash and Lumby Oregon. It is fiction I think.

Babi · « **Reply #595 on:** May 03, 2010, 08:21:34 AM »

I am about 116 pages int "Roses" by Meacham, which I know many of you liked. I'm not too
happy with it. I find myself unsympathetic with Mary Tolliver, and annoyed that the author told
me up front how her story was going to turn out. I may not continue with it. But maybe it's
just me. I seem to be having a hard time lately finding a book that I enjoy. I do except Troublesome Young Men', tho. It was excellent.

Steph · « **Reply #596 on:** May 03, 2010, 09:43:38 AM »

I am sure Lumby is make believe. There was an interview with her in the book that I had.. She lives in New England and calls Lumby a combination of how they live and places they have seen.

CallieOK · « **Reply #597 on:** May 03, 2010, 07:51:48 PM »

Babi, I was less than thrilled with "Roses" but finally just hushed (here and in "real life") because so many others thought it was wonderful.

Steph · « **Reply #598 on:** May 04, 2010, 06:16:26 AM »

Ah have not tackled the Roses book yet. I have put it on my wish list in my swap club.
I finishe4d A Conspiracy of Paper by Liss yesterday.. Amazing book.. I had never really thought of how the stock market came to be and along with a good mystery, he does a good job of explaining. The book came from his doctoral thesis which is an interesting idea..
I also read The Coffee Traders, which he wrote. Again an interesting look in how markets develop along with a mystery.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #599 on:** May 04, 2010, 01:22:45 PM »

I have never been disappointed by David Liss, no matter what the subject. He's on my automatic list. I ordered Roses but sent it back unread since the comments here which were so positive at first changed their tone and the book began to sound trite. Too many books, not enough time (left).

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Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #2 (Read 776133 times)