Book Club

[dawg lover]

I'm currently reading "HAUNTED" by James Patterson, the latest in his Michael Bennett series.  It has a new co-author and I'm not sure if I will like the book as much as usual.  I also picked up "MAGPIE MURDERS" by Anthony Horowitz, which several of you have recommended.  I decided to re-read all the Mary Higgins Clark thrillers, many of which I hadn't read in decades.  She is a wonderful writer; I am enjoying her books.

[sassenach1]

Two books this week:

Based upon reviews in the media, I read (mostly) My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent. Hailed in one review as similar to To Kill a Mockingbird, I was excited.  It was in no way like that iconic book.  I am no prude.  In fact, one of my favorite books in the past few years was Home is Burning by Dan Marshall.  That book has the F word everywhere.  This book is the story of Turtle, a fourteen year old living on the CA coast near Mendocino with a brilliant, abusive, horrible father, what she endures and how she triumphs.  The story would be a good one, the imagery and descriptions of the landscape are beautiful.  But the language was offensive.  I can't abide the C word and it is constant.  The author's descriptions of women's bodies made me angry.  I ended up skimming through much of it.  Shame on reviewers who gave such praise to this piece of garbage.

I've enjoyed some of Tim Tigner's books in the past, so I tried his latest, Flash.  Another  piece  of junk with a storyline so far strung that I gave up and will not finish.  

On to something much better, I hope!

[pateacher]

I began The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson yesterday. Very amusing so far!

AMAZON SUMMARY

A reluctant centenarian much like Forrest Gump (if Gump were an explosives expert with a fondness for vodka) decides it's not too late to start over . . .

After a long and eventful life, Allan Karlsson ends up in a nursing home, believing it to be his last stop. The only problem is that he's still in good health, and in one day, he turns 100. A big celebration is in the works, but Allan really isn't interested (and he'd like a bit more control over his vodka consumption). So he decides to escape.

He climbs out the window in his slippers and embarks on a hilarious and entirely unexpected journey, involving, among other surprises, a suitcase stuffed with cash, some unpleasant criminals, a friendly hot-dog stand operator, and an elephant (not to mention a death by elephant).

It would be the adventure of a lifetime for anyone else, but Allan has a larger-than-life backstory: Not only has he witnessed some of the most important events of the twentieth century, but he has actually played a key role in them. Starting out in munitions as a boy, he somehow finds himself involved in many of the key explosions of the twentieth century and travels the world, sharing meals and more with everyone from Stalin, Churchill, and Truman to Mao, Franco, and de Gaulle.

 Quirky and utterly unique, The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared has charmed readers across the world.

[bella-luna]

@pateacher  That book sounds like a fun read! It's very much in the vein of the Hendrik Groen book I just read!

I finished Agatha Christie's Murder at the Vicarage and I think now I will read Fiona Barton's The Widow. It's been on my Kindle for a few months (got it on sale) and for whatever reason, I haven't read it yet. 

Here's a blurb from Amazon:

There’s a lot Jean hasn’t said over the years about the crime her husband was suspected of committing. She was too busy being the perfect wife, standing by her man while living with the accusing glares and the anonymous harassment. 
 
Now her husband is dead, and there’s no reason to stay quiet. There are people who want to hear her story. They want to know what it was like living with that man. She can tell them that there were secrets. There always are in a marriage. 
 
The truth—that’s all anyone wants. But the one lesson Jean has learned in the last few years is that she can make people believe anything...

Have a great weekend! 

[smoky22]

Today I returned Before We Were Yours (excellent book) to the library and was able to pick up Beneath A Scarlet Sky (Mark Sullivan).  It's over 500 pages of fairly small print.  I've recommended that my library get the ebook, but so far they haven't.

[pateacher]

@bella-luna I think you will enjoy The Widow; it is one of those books that keeps you on your toes and makes you think. The author also wrote The Child, another good read!

@smoky22 Beneath a Scarlet Sky is good, too!  I totally agree with preferring the ebook to those chunky print books with the small print. My nephew gifted me a paperback version of The Game of Thrones for Christmas. I literally couldn't read it.

[Judaline]

@smoky22  Oh, no, I've been waiting for  Beneath a Scarlet Sky. Now it sounds like I may not even be able to read it. I don't (will never) do ebooks so I guess I'll be finding out shortly.

[SWEET]

Just finished Someone You Love Is Gone by Gurjinder Basran which was just ok. 

Onto Kristy Woodson's Harvey's Slightly South of Simple. 

[smoky22]

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@Judaline wrote:

@smoky22  Oh, no, I've been waiting for  Beneath a Scarlet Sky. Now it sounds like I may not even be able to read it. I don't (will never) do ebooks so I guess I'll be finding out shortly.

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@Judaline  Not sure what has put you off (the 500 pages?).  It's a soft cover so it doesn't look that big.  This book seems right up your alley. 

[Tinkrbl44]

I'm still on my Sandra Brown kick and just finished the 5th book .... EXCLUSIVE.    It's my favorite of her books so far.   Very well written .....  and great twists and turns.   A little sex, but not too much by any means.