A Work in Progress

The Joy of New Library Books

It's always exciting to find yourself finally at the top of the queue at the library for books you are anxious to get your hands on.  I have been waiting for these three (I generally have my holds maxed out--we can get in line for 40 books and yes, I am in line for that many, though many are not yet published titles).  Top to bottom:

Ordinary Human Failings by Megan Nolan -- "When a 10-year-old child is suspected of a violent crime, her family must face the truth about their past in this haunting, propulsive, psychologically keen story about class, trauma, and family secrets."

The Road to Belhaven by Margot Livesey -- I have wanted to read her for ages and this is my first foray into her writing and I am already completely engrossed in this book.  "Growing up in the care of her grandparents on Belhaven Farm, Lizzie Craig discovers as a small child that she can see into the future. But her gift is selective—she doesn’t, for instance, see that she has an older sister who will come to join the family. As her “pictures” foretell various incidents and accidents, she begins to realize a painful truth: she may glimpse the future, but she can seldom change it.  Nor can Lizzie change the feelings that come when a young man named Louis, visiting Belhaven for the harvest, begins to court her. Why have the adults around her not revealed that the touch of a hand can change everything? After following Louis to Glasgow, though, she learns the limits of his devotion. Faced with a seemingly impossible choice, she makes a terrible mistake. But her second sight may allow her a second chance."

Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang, and Leuyen Pham -- I am a great fan of graphic novels.  I am pretty picky about them, however (much like audio books).  I am particular about the type of illustrations and storytelling, but this one looks quite promising.  "She was destined for heartbreak. Then fate handed her love.Val is ready to give up on love. It's led to nothing but secrets and heartbreak, and she's pretty sure she's cursed--no one in her family, for generations, has ever had any luck with love.But then a chance encounter with a pair of cute lion dancers sparks something in Val. Is it real love? Could this be her chance to break the family curse? Or is she destined to live with a broken heart forever?"  This sounds delightful.

The Livesey is underway and I will be dipping into the graphic novel as soon as tonight!

Teaser Tuesday: Magpie Lane

The circuitous route of how a book ends up on my reading pile.  Lucy Atkins's Magpie Lane.  I read (and loved) Mick Herron's Slow Horses (finally!) and came across an article about the adaptation of the first two books in his Slow Horses (Slough House?) series (cannot wait).  The article also mentioned some reading suggestions of Herron.  Well, I love his writing, his plotting and if he likes particular books and is willing to share, of course I am willing to listen.  

The story is indeed quite spooky (as described online).  Set in contemporary Oxford, a woman who has spent most of her career as a nanny takes up a position for the new Master of one of the colleges.  His second wife, a Danish woman who is a busy historian and expecting their first child, hires Dee to look after her eight-year-old stepdaughter.  The child has been selectively mute for most of her life.  Why?  Does it have something to do with the death of her mother?  

Dee narrates the story, and while she is obviously well-versed in childcare and articulate and by all appearances a caring woman who manages to break through the communication wall with the child, you do wonder.  The story opens with Dee being questioned by local detectives about the disappearance of Felicity.  The story moves around in time, quite smoothly.  You get (I have gotten) so wrapped up in the story that the pages are turning furiously.  The descriptions bring the place alive, not just the city of Oxford but in particular the Master's house, which Mariah is busy renovating.  

But, spooky, spooky, spooky!  Dee is ensconced in the household.  She is sleeping but hears something.  And just in case you wonder.  She is not afraid per se.  Which also makes you wonder.

"Behind me, I heard a floorboard out in the corridor creak and I turned, expecting to see someone standing at the door--Nick or Mariah.  Nobody was there.  The corridor light was on and I could see the stair bannister, the newly sanded floorboards, the bare white wall.  I reminded myself that in a four-hundred year-old house things creak all the time."

"Felicity's room seemed to be just as it was when I put her to bed.  Her colouring books were stacked on the desk, her pens tidied into their pot, treasures lined up in their spiral on the bedside table, wardrobe doors closed, toys arranged in the correct order on the foot of her bed.  I'f established that her tidiness had nothing to do with Mariah.  It was Felicity who kept it this way.  No doubt the bedtime ritual of lining up toys, organizing pens and putting clothes away gave her a sense of agency.  After all, her mother was dead: the world had proved itself to be an unpredictable place, capable or wreaking havoc.  She had to control whatever she could."

"I noticed then what was wrong: her chari was over by the bathroom door, upside down."

And then there is the door to the priest's hole.  Which is curiously open.  Yes, all the haunted house, creepy tropes are there.  But what can I say.  They feel fresh and are working magic (as haunted house tropes should, I guess).  I hope the author keeps it up.  I hope it ends on as good a note as it started.

By the way, thank you for the suggestions for a little romance.  I still need some and have not yet chosen a book, though I have requested a few books mentioned from the library.  My life seems to be set on slow motion.  Everything is happening at a reduced speed by me.  Although maybe not how I am reading this book (which is a good thing).  If this book continues as it started, I will be looking for her other books.  And other author mentioned by Mick Herron?  John Le Carre (of course), Jonathan Coe, Clare Chambers (yay), Babara Vine (also, of course), David Mitchell, Christopher Brookmyre and Michael Dibdin. It is good to have other authors to explore, isn't it?

February 16: Reading Notes

Brrr.  It has been a seriously cold stretch and today the coldest of the cold.  I hope that after today things (and the temperature) will be looking up.  It has been the sort of cold that is not just finger but mind numbing.  I think it has become a cliche to say something as inane as--this has been a weird year (of course), but just when I think there can't be more to stress out over, the world outside-natural, social, political (I have dreams/nightmares these days concerning face coverings, if that is an indication to you), along comes something else to cause worry.

As if being stuck inside for obvious reasons is not enough, being forced to remain inside thanks to the weather has been a little depressing.  I am in need of a good distraction, but I am finding it very difficult to find just the right book to match my mood.  Don't get me wrong as I am thoroughly enjoying the books on my reading pile, but enjoying is not quite the same as being completely sucked into a story you don't want to be puled out of.  Where is that book?

So, I ask you, friends, what was the last book that drew you in so that the world feel completely away?

I do have a few books on the horizon that will be in need of attention.  Three readalongs/book club reads.  They are all virtual events and I hope to join in, but no pressure should I not manage it.  Just some new reads to look forward to.

My public library has a podcast and they are planning on doing a virtual book club read of Rumaan Alam's Leave the World Behind, which I have found intriguing, but I have heard it is quite intense and I wonder if now, the world as it is, is the time to read it.  I will find out as a copy is waiting for me at the library now.  

Along with the Alam, in March there is a virtual Opera book club that I am curious about.  I have signed up for it, though I am not sure how interactive it will be.  I am hoping more for being able to listen in and learn than share opinions.  The book up for discussion is Amy Tan's The Bonesetter's Daughter.  I love Amy Tan and it has been far too long since I read any of her work.

And just a further bit down the road in April (it will be Spring--hurrah and I hope considerably nicer outside) is the 1936 Club.  I have already picked out and bought a copy of Agatha Christie's Murder in Mesopotamia.

I recently bought a copy of Barbara Michaels's The Dancing Floor, which I read some years ago and have happy memories (if not a good memory of the events in the story), which is sitting by me bedside.  Just because it appeals.  Maybe that will be the immersive story I need just now?

What do you think?

A Stack of Library 'Must Reads'!

This is the first time in a long time that I have such a completely tempting pile of library books.  I absolutely want to read each and every one of them.  I tend to request books even if I am only slightly curious, and often I bring home books, have a little taste and decide to let them go to the next person in line well before the due date.

I have amassed a stack of books that I am determined to make an attempt at reading all of them.  Two or three might well be easy to renew, but a few have, I suspect, quite a long waiting list of readers in line behind me.  

I have picked up Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder by T.A. Willberg to start my library book odyssey.  It grabbed me right away, and maybe is a nice segue from a little dystopian world to one not quite as we know it, yet not dark and unknowable either.  It is a "fresh take on Agatha Christie", which I am all for at the moment.  It has a Jasper Fforde/steampunk (from what I have read about it) flair to it--it "plunges readers into the heart of London, to the secret tunnels that exist far beneath the city streets. There, a mysterious group of detectives recruited for Miss Brickett's Investigations & Inquiries use their cunning and gadgets to solve crimes that have stumped Scotland Yard."

To be honest Gabriel Byrne's memoir, Walking with Ghosts, didn't appeal very much to me, but I heard rave reviews over it (Colum McCann calls it a "masterpiece") that I decided to request a copy (maybe others felt the same way? as I was one of the first in line).  I have dipped in a bit and the prose is lush and lyrical, so I am sold.  "Moving between sensual recollection of childhood in a now almost vanished Ireland and reflections on stardom in Hollywood and Broadway, Byrne also courageously recounts his battle with addiction and the ambivalence of fame."

I have three or four books by Sarah Moss on my shelves, one of which I read and I believe to be the first of a trio (?).  I was thinking I should finally get around to reading the sequel, but then was drawn to her newest, just published novel, Summerwater, which (again) had heard many good things.  "They rarely speak to each other, but they take notice--watching from the safety of their cabins, peering into the half-lit drizzle of a Scottish summer day, making judgments from what little they know of their temporary neighbors. On the longest day of the year, the hours pass nearly imperceptibly as twelve people go from being strangers to bystanders to allies, their attention forced into action as tragedy sneaks into their lives."

I think Ashley Audrain's The Push has by far the most holds on it, so if I don't get cracking on it soon, I might lose my turn.  I has gotten so much press I lucked out and had gotten in line early on and so have one of the first copies.  Not being a mother, will it resonate with me?  "A tense, page-turning psychological drama about the making and breaking of a family--and a woman whose experience of motherhood is nothing at all what she hoped for--and everything she feared."

I can't remember where I came across American Widow by Alissa Torres and illustrator Sungyoon Choi, but I love graphic memoirs and this one intrigued me.  Of course, how will it be reading about a disaster in the middle of a pandemic.  We'll see.

And that leaves us with Blue Ticket, Sophie Mackintosh's newest novel, which is more dystopia, folks.  I am not sure I would normally have picked up another dystopian story so close on the heels of her other novel, but I was literally in line for this since before the covid lockdown last March!!  I have waited months for my turn and now that it is here, I think I will give it a go.  I did like her first book, which I hope to get around to writing about.  Another novel about motherhood--"An urgent inquiry into free will, social expectation, and the fraught space of motherhood, Blue Ticket is electrifying in its raw evocation of desire and riveting in its undeniable familiarity."

Did I mention I am making an attempt at my public library's reading challenge again this year?  I have high hopes and already have filled three of the twelve slots, about which I will tell you more soon!

Waiting in Line: Can't Wait to Read

Not to muddy the "I'm weeding my books right now" process, and should be reading from my immense TBR, but I am also in line at the library for more than a couple of new releases that I am excited to get my hands on.  I am trying very hard to remain patient (not easy when my library is not even actually physically open save for a slow curbside pickup option--not complaining--so happy to have it) and not break down and just order said titles.  (Okay maybe I have ordered one or two).  I shall just try and savor the anticipation.

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell -- I keep hearing how spectacularly good this novel is and how it should win the Women's Prize (it is on the shortlist--so annoying to have a book on the list that you can't even get your hands on!).  It just came out this week and I keep resisting the urge to not order a copy and wait for the library copy, of which I am first in line.  I know we are living in the middle of a pandemic and this is about the (in part anyway) Black Death, but beautiful prose beats sad circumstances.  "A luminous portrait of a marriage, a shattering evocation of a family ravaged by grief and loss, and a tender and unforgettable re-imagining of a boy whose life has been all but forgotten, and whose name was given to one of the most celebrated plays of all time, Hamnet is mesmerizing, seductive, impossible to put down—a magnificent leap forward from one of our most gifted novelists."

The Nesting Dolls by Alina Adams -- This was meant to be my year of big, chunky books and at least one of them is set in Russia.  Alas, not much big book reading going on right now, but this (slightly less chunky) might be a suitable story to pick up in the interim.  "Spanning nearly a century, from 1930s Siberia to contemporary Brighton Beach, a page turning, epic family saga centering on three generations of women in one Russian Jewish family―each striving to break free of fate and history, each yearning for love and personal fulfillment―and how the consequences of their choices ripple through time."

The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue -- Double dipping?  I am still in line for this, but I admit that I did order a copy (for which I am now waiting to arrive) as I had a little left on a gift card.  I really try and avoid buying hardcovers, but this is another book I have heard many good things about.  Yes, another book with a very timely setting--this time the 1918 Influenza Pandemic.  It was even due to be published later, but with the timing and subject matter the publisher brought it out early.  "In an Ireland doubly ravaged by war and disease, Nurse Julia Power works at an understaffed hospital in the city center, where expectant mothers who have come down with the terrible new Flu are quarantined together. Into Julia's regimented world step two outsiders -- Doctor Kathleen Lynn, a rumoured Rebel on the run from the police , and a young volunteer helper, Bridie Sweeney."

The Silence of the White City by Eva Garcia Saenz -- More good press for this international mystery novel.  This one is chunky coming in at over 500 pages, but I think it is (at least) a paperback.  "Inspector Unai López de Ayala, known as "Kraken," is charged with investigating a series of ritualistic murders. The killings are eerily similar to ones that terrorized the citizens of Vitoria twenty years earlier. But back then, police were sure they had discovered the killer, a prestigious archaeologist who is currently in jail. Now Kraken must race to determine whether the killer had an accomplice or if the wrong man has been incarcerated for two decades. This fast-paced, unrelenting thriller weaves in and out of the mythology and legends of the Basque country as it hurtles to its shocking conclusion."

The Lost Diary of Venice by Margaux DeRoux -- Set in Venice.  Historical fiction.  Parallel plotlines.  Smattering of romance.  One jack blurb reads "enchanting from the first page".  Checks a lot of my personal favorite boxes in terms of storytelling.  "In the wake of her father’s death, Rose Newlin finds solace in her work as a book restorer. Then, one rainy Connecticut afternoon, a struggling painter appears at her door. William Lomazzo brings with him a sixteenth-century treatise on art, which Rose quickly identifies as a palimpsest: a document written over a hidden diary that had purposely been scraped away. Yet the restoration sparks an unforeseen challenge when William—a married man—and Rose experience an instant, unspoken attraction.  Five centuries earlier, Renaissance-era Venetians find themselves at the mercy of an encroaching Ottoman fleet preparing for a bloody war. Giovanni Lomazzo, a portrait artist grappling with tragedy, discovers that his vision is fading with each passing day. Facing the possibility of a completely dark world, Gio begins to document his every encounter, including what may be his final artistic feat: a commission to paint the enchanting courtesan of one of Venice’s most powerful military commanders. Soon, however, Gio finds himself enraptured by a magnificent forbidden love."  I hope it is as good as it sounds.

The Two Mrs. Carlyles by Suzanne Rindell -- (Oops, kind of ordered this one too as I didn't want to get in the back of a really long library line . . .).  Another author I have heard good things about (she has several books to her name but I have yet to read any of them--will start with this one!).  In this case-San Francisco.  More historical fiction.  A smattering of romance.  A character reinventing herself.  Smattering of romance.  Can't pass it up.  "San Francisco, 1906. Violet is one of three people grateful for the destruction of the big earthquake. It leaves her and her two best friends unexpectedly wealthy--if the secret that binds them together stays buried beneath the rubble. Fearing discovery, the women strike out on their own, and orphaned, wallflower Violet reinvents herself.  When a whirlwind romance with the city's most eligible widower, Harry Carlyle, lands her in a luxurious mansion as the second Mrs. Carlyle, it seems like her dreams of happiness and love have come true. But all is not right in the Carlyle home, and Violet soon finds herself trapped by the lingering specter of the first Mrs. Carlyle, and by the inescapable secrets of her own violent history."

Too many irresistible stories.  And I need good (and consuming) stories right now.  How about you?  Is there any new releases that are piquing your curiosity?

The World of Books at Your Fingertips

I've been busy . . . (requesting), can you tell?  Maybe I am in an alternate universe?  While I keep walking into 'most anticipated books of 2020' lists, everything catching my eye of late has been books that are older or out of print.  One of the perks of working in a library has been being able to just walk up to the stacks and pull a book off the shelf.  And the books I want but we don't own?  Have a little patience and then request them from another library.  

I seem to be in an ILL request phase.  On the agenda (and bookcart) at the moment:

Francesca Woodman Photographs, 1975-1980.  This is an exhibit catalog.  The name caught my eye via Buried in Print's GoodReads.  I was intrigued by the name (a woman) and the subject of photography.  Francesca Woodman's photographs are amazing and you may well be familiar with them without realizing it, as more than a few have been book jacket illustrations (notably one for a book by Elena Ferrante).  Sadly she committed suicide at the very young age of 22 in 1981.  

The following books are from an article I read somewhere about books that are 'now forgotten' but much loved or admired by contemporary authors.  Sorry I have lost the link that spurred me to request these.

The Winter of Enchantment by Victoria Walker is a young adult/juvenile title (I have several on the go right now--I guess this might be my year of more than normal YA reading).  The author was a mere 21 when she wrote this.  "Through a magic mirror Sebastian travels from his Victorian world of winter snow and Mrs. Parkin to a magic world of Melissa, Mantari the cat, a wicked Enchanter, and many other exciting people. Melissa, a pretty young girl, has been imprisoned in a large house by the wicked Enchanter. Sebastian first meets Melissa through the magic mirror and resolves to do everything in his power, and with the help of a little magic, to free her."

Translated from French Assia Djebar's The Mischief has been compared to (found the link for this book!) Francoise Sagan's Bonjour Tristesse (maybe I will read that as well this year).  And from the article noting this wonderful book: "It was written and first published in French in the mid-50’s, and is set over the course of a single summer. Its heroine is one of the jeunesse dorée, dissatisfied and bored despite her wealth and privilege. She drives a fast sports car, and idles away her days sunbathing on Mediterranean beaches and flirting with her boyfriend. She’s a capricious enfant terrible, and she’s stricken with jealousy at the happiness of a couple close to her, so she amuses herself by sabotaging their relationship, with unexpectedly tragic consequences."

We Always Wore Sailor Suits by Susanna Agnelli -- "A brief, charming, and somewhat puzzling autobiography by a woman who is currently Mayor of Porto Santo Stefano. The period of the author's girlhood and youth, which her book describes, coincided exactly with Mussolini's rule in Italy, yet this is a record not of Mussolini's Italy, but of Ms. Agnelli's, in which Mussolini was a distant and symbolic participant. The author was born into the comfortable upper reaches of the Italian bourgeoisie--her grandfather had founded Fiat and grown immensely rich--yet the family had little claim to the ultimate privilege of nobility."--1975 Kirkus Review.

And I am reading right now Richard Peck's Don't Look and It Won't Hurt, another YA novel that was made into a very good movie called Gas Food Lodging, which I recently watched again.  The novel differs somewhat from the movie, but I like it just as well nonetheless.  I read some of Richard Peck's work when I was a teenager, so it is fun revisiting his writing now.

I love these unexpected treats.  Sometimes the best reads are the ones that no one (or not many people) are talking about anymore.  I want to balance my reading of contemporary fiction with older and unknown (hopefully not completely forgotten) books.  What hidden gems are you reading now?

Public Library 2020 Reading Challenge

So, I said I was going to keep things simple and lowkey this year and just let my reading flow, but I can't resist joining my public library's reading challenge.  

Especially since they had these really nifty little reading logs printed.  I mean, how perfect for a simple challenge of a mere dozen themed reads over the course of the year.  Having this booklet to guide me makes it all the more appealing (and it was already appealing before).

Each theme has a two page spread in the booklet to note down the book read and a few other little details.  And the themes are really pretty accessible--most likely I will manage to read them as a matter of course anyway.  

Read a Book in One Sitting
Read a Book Made into a Movie or TV Show
Read a Book by a Nebraska Author
Read a Book from OPL's 2019 Top Shelf
Read an "Own Voices" Book
Listen to a Book
Read a Fantasy, Myth or Fairy Tale
Read a Book in Translation
Read the 2020 Omaha Reads Book (to be voted on and announced later this year)
Read a Book by a Nonbinary or LGBTQ+ Author
Read a Classic That is New to You
Read a Nonfiction Graphic Novel

My first read of the year is actually a graphic nonfiction title, so I take that as a sign this is going to work.  I hope to share Nora Krug's Belonging, which I have wanted to read since it was first released.  A perfect first book of the year, especially as my one small challenge to myself is to read one graphic novel (or nonfiction) each month, but at least ten, this year.

One of my first book checkouts by the way, is The Library of the Unwritten by A.J. Hackwith, which sounds most intriguing and would fit nicely in that fantasy theme.  I have not yet started it (I am trying to persevere with the books I selected to start the new year off and "finish" them before adding new books to the pile--I know it won't last, but I will try).

My posts may continue to be irregular but I want to try and write three times a week here about my reading adventures.  I hope everyone else's reading year is off to a good start as well.

And Speaking of Library Books (on my list)

A note about the comments on my posts--I am not sure where they have gone.  I am assuming there is an issue with Typepad at the moment.  They are still there on the backend of the blog--I can see them in my list when I am logged in, but for some reason there is only a link to "view comments" on the public side, but when you click on it, nothing happens.  Hopefully the problem will be resolved soon (and I will reply as soon as they are viewable again).  Sorry about that if you wanted to leave a comment!

Since I have been thinking about library books--and that pile I have at home.  I should really be more discriminate when adding new books to my queue.  Rather than just get in line immediately I should just add it to my "later" list, but where is the fun in that?  I was looking at my account and trying to see if there are books I should save for later, but then there are so many that look good and I want to get my hands on soon.  Here are ten books I am really looking forward to.

Our Little Secret by Cate Holahan -- "The glass beach house was supposed to be the getaway that Susan needed. Eager to help her transplanted family set down roots in their new town―and desperate for some kid-free conversation―she invites her new neighbors to join in on a week-long sublet with her and her workaholic husband.  A taut, locked room mystery with an unforgettable cast of characters, One Little Secret promises to keep readers' eyes glued to the pages and debating the blinders that we all put on in the service of politeness."

The Secrets We Keep by Lara Prescott -- Women spies is a hot topic in books these days (and I am all for that!).  "A thrilling tale of secretaries turned spies, of love and duty, and of sacrifice--inspired by the true story of the CIA plot to infiltrate the hearts and minds of Soviet Russia, not with propaganda, but with the greatest love story of the twentieth century: Doctor Zhivago."

Commute: An Illustrated Memoir of Female Shame by Erin Williams -- "In Commute, we follow author and illustrator Erin Williams on her daily commute to and from work, punctuated by recollections of sexual encounters as well as memories of her battle with alcoholism, addiction, and recovery. As she moves through the world navigating banal, familiar, and sometimes uncomfortable interactions with the familiar-faced strangers she sees daily, Williams weaves together a riveting collection of flashbacks. Her recollections highlight the indefinable moments when lines are crossed and a woman must ask herself if the only way to avoid being objectified is to simply cease to draw any attention to her physical being. She delves into the gray space that lives between consent and assault and tenderly explores the complexity of the shame, guilt, vulnerability, and responsibility attached to both." 

Delayed Rays of a Star by Amanda Koe Lee -- "At a chance encounter at a Berlin soirée in 1928, the photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt captures three very different women together in one frame: up-and-coming German actress Marlene Dietrich, who would wend her way into Hollywood as one of its lasting icons; Anna May Wong, the world's first Chinese American star, playing for bit parts while dreaming of breaking away from her father's modest laundry; and Leni Riefenstahl, whose work as a director would first make her famous--then, infamous.  From this curious point of intersection, Delayed Rays of a Star lets loose the trajectories of these women's lives."

The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys -- I have not yet read any of her books, but this one sounds very promising.  "Master storyteller Ruta Sepetys once again shines light into one of history's darkest corners in this epic, heart-wrenching novel about identity, unforgettable love, repercussions of war, and the hidden violence of silence--inspired by the true post-war struggles of Spain.  Includes vintage media interstitials, oral history commentary, photos, and more."

The Right Sort of Man by Allison Montclair -- The first book in a new mystery series--because you can never have enough of those, right?  "In a London slowly recovering from World War II, two very different women join forces to launch a business venture in the heart of Mayfair―The Right Sort Marriage Bureau. Miss Iris Sparks, quick-witted and impulsive, and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, practical and widowed with a young son, are determined to achieve some independence and do some good in a rapidly changing world."  Yes, a death and then investigation ensues.

Time After Time by Lisa Grunwald -- This sounds like fun and I can't wait until I get my hands on it!  "On a clear December morning in 1937, at the famous gold clock in Grand Central Terminal, Joe Reynolds, a hardworking railroad man from Queens, meets a vibrant young woman who seems mysteriously out of place. Nora Lansing is a Manhattan socialite whose flapper clothing, pearl earrings, and talk of the Roaring Twenties don’t seem to match the bleak mood of Depression-era New York. Captivated by Nora from her first electric touch, Joe despairs when he tries to walk her home and she disappears. Finding her again—and again—will become the focus of his love and his life."

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern -- I really (still) need to read her first book . . .  "Zachary Ezra Rawlins is a graduate student in Vermont when he discovers a mysterious book hidden in the stacks. As he turns the pages, entranced by tales of lovelorn prisoners, key collectors, and nameless acolytes, he reads something strange: a story from his own childhood. Bewildered by this inexplicable book and desperate to make sense of how his own life came to be recorded, Zachary uncovers a series of clues--a bee, a key, and a sword--that lead him to a masquerade party in New York, to a secret club, and through a doorway to an ancient library hidden far below the surface of the earth."

Searching for Sylvie Lee by Jean Kwok -- Another much anticipated book.  "A poignant and suspenseful drama that untangles the complicated ties binding three women—two sisters and their mother—in one Chinese immigrant family and explores what happens when the eldest daughter disappears, and a series of family secrets emerge.  It begins with a mystery. Sylvie, the beautiful, brilliant, successful older daughter of the Lee family, flies to the Netherlands for one final visit with her dying grandmother—and then vanishes."

A Single Thread by Tracy Chevalier -- I went through a huge phase of reading her books.  I think I missed the last few, but this one is definitely on my wishlist.  "1932. After the Great War took both her beloved brother and her fiancé, Violet Speedwell has become a "surplus woman," one of a generation doomed to a life of spinsterhood after the war killed so many young men. Yet Violet cannot reconcile herself to a life spent caring for her grieving, embittered mother. After countless meals of boiled eggs and dry toast, she saves enough to move out of her mother's place and into the town of Winchester, home to one of England's grandest cathedrals. There, Violet is drawn into a society of broderers--women who embroider kneelers for the Cathedral, carrying on a centuries-long tradition of bringing comfort to worshippers."

So many good books.  I know what I'll be doing this weekend--reading, seeing a few movies (and continuing on with season one of Killing Eve, which has been hugely addicting) and a stop by the bookstore (where I might anxiously just buy one of these books on this list if I find I can't wait a moment longer?).  Happy weekend reading everyone.

DIY Library Loot

Do you check out your own library books?  The library where I work does not have self-checkout stations, but my public library has had them for a while.  I only recently started using them.  I think my branch was the last one to move the "hold shelf" from behind the Circulation Desk to the main area (hence--why use self-checkout when nearly all my books were new books that were being held for me).  Not so long ago I was standing in a long line at the circulation desk when it dawned on me--why not just go and do it myself?  Now, silly as it sounds, I kind of like hearing the little machine chirp when I check out my books.  (Such power!).

I actually have a pretty healthy and very steady pile of library books at home, but these are my most recent selections.  I have a pretty poor record of late when it comes to actually reading what I am bringing home.  It is such a crazy cycle and I am not sure why I do it to myself.  I am lured by the new, but then reality sets in.  I always have a good stack of my own books on the go at home that when I bring big hardcovers I have to really want to read the book to add it to my in-progress pile.  I really do want to read all of these, but I tend to peruse library books at home, then think longingly of them (surely just one more to the reading pile is okay), but waffle for so long that the due date looms and I know I will never it get it read in time so just lug them back.  Sometimes I will buy the book (though I almost always just wait for the paperback) or get back in line.  Sometimes I will start the book and occasionally I will start and finish it.  

But I can't help myself.  I have to look at all the new books and maybe dip in randomly a little and at least get a taste.  What I will be perusing for the next few weeks:

In Love with the World: A Monk's Journey Through the Bardos of Living and Dying, Yongey Rinpoche -- This sounds wonderful and if I am lucky I will try and renew it--"In this powerful and unusually candid account of the inner life of a Buddhist master, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche offers us the invaluable lessons he learned from his near-death experience. By sharing with readers the meditation practices that sustain him, he shows us how we can transform our fear of dying into joyful living."

The Last Stone, Mark Bowden -- Apparently Laura Lippman used this as inspiration for her novel What the Dead Know (which I listened to on audio some time ago--and it remains one of my best ever audio book experiences).  ". . . a rigorous documenting of the 40-year journey taken by Montgomery County detectives and the cold-case team that interrogated Lloyd Welch. It's a riveting, serpentine story about the dogged pursuit of the truth, regardless of the outcome or the cost. And it's a useful reminder that in an age of science, forensics, and video and data surveillance, the ability of one human being to coax the truth from another remains the cornerstone of a successful investigation."--NPR.

The Electric Hotel, Dominic Smith -- I have a fascination with silent films so would love to get to this one.  "For more than thirty years, Claude Ballard has been living at the Hollywood Knickerbocker Hotel. A French pioneer of silent films who started out as a concession agent for the Lumière brothers, the inventors of cinema, Claude now spends his days foraging for mushrooms in the hills of Los Angeles and taking photographs of runaways and the striplings along Sunset Boulevard. But when a film history student comes to interview Claude about The Electric Hotel―the lost masterpiece that bankrupted him and ended the career of his muse, Sabine Montrose―the past comes surging back. In his run-down hotel suite, the ravages of the past are waiting to be excavated: celluloid fragments in desperate need of restoration, as well as Claude’s memories of the woman who inspired and beguiled him."

Underland: A Deep Time Journey, Robert Mcfarlane -- A big chunky book that has more than a little heft to it.  And well it should.  "Hailed as "the great nature writer of this generation" (Wall Street Journal), Robert Macfarlane is the celebrated author of books about the intersections of the human and the natural realms. In Underland, he delivers his masterpiece: an epic exploration of the Earth’s underworlds as they exist in myth, literature, memory, and the land itself."

So many good books out there.  Why does everything sound so appealing to me?!

Library Holds, Epistolary Novels and Links

Haul #1 of library holds.  I had to leave a couple of books behind as I walking home and can only carry so many at once.  I have to say this is a really good haul and I want to start all of them right now and how will I decide which comes first (considering I already have one library book on the go and another new book that needs to be read soon for book club!).

Where should I start?

Meet Me at the Museum by Anne Youngson -- "In Denmark, Professor Anders Larsen, an urbane man of facts, has lost his wife and his hopes for the future. On an isolated English farm, Tina Hopgood is trapped in a life she doesn’t remember choosing. Both believe their love stories are over. Brought together by a shared fascination with the Tollund Man, subject of Seamus Heaney’s famous poem, they begin writing letters to one another. And from their vastly different worlds, they find they have more in common than they could have imagined. As they open up to one another about their lives, an unexpected friendship blooms. But then Tina’s letters stop coming, and Anders is thrown into despair. How far are they willing to go to write a new story for themselves?"

Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss -- Why does this make me think of Shirley Jackson?  "A taut, gripping tale of a young woman and an Iron Age reenactment trip that unearths frightening behavior."

The Red Address Book by Sofia Lundberg -- "When Doris was a girl, she was given an address book by her father, and ever since she has carefully documented everyone she met and loved throughout the years. Looking through the little book now, Doris sees the many crossed-out names of people long gone and is struck by the urge to put pen to paper. In writing down the stories of her colorful past—working as a maid in Sweden, modelling in Paris during the 30s, fleeing to Manhattan at the dawn of the Second World War—can she help Jenny, haunted by a difficult childhood, unlock the secrets of their family and finally look to the future? And whatever became of Allan, the love of Doris’s life?"

The Light Over London by Julia Kelly -- "It’s always been easier for Cara Hargraves to bury herself in the past than confront the present, which is why working with a gruff but brilliant antiques dealer is perfect. While clearing out an estate, she pries open an old tin that holds the relics of a lost relationship: among the treasures, a World War II-era diary and a photograph of a young woman in uniform. Eager to find the author of the hauntingly beautiful, unfinished diary, Cara digs into this soldier’s life, but soon realizes she may not have been ready for the stark reality of wartime London she finds within the pages."

I mention epistolary in my blog title as I think that is going to be the next task I tackle on the Read Harder list.  I have been thinking of possible reads for a while now and it dawned on me, purely by chance I am reading a book right now that would work nicely already.  I have been reading Jami Attenberg's Saint Mazie and it is made up of diary entries and clippings and anecdotal bits by people who knew Maizie.  I know the book is based on an actual person and I plan on reading about her in due time as well.  

Now, not only is Maizie working as an epistolary novel choice, but of the four library books I brought home, three of them also include diaries or letters.  So, I think that is one task I will be able to line of very quickly.  I am trying (very loosely) to cross of two tasks a month, which should complete the challenge by the end of the year very easily.

*****

I have to pass on some links since it is the end of the week.  There is always so much that ends up in my inbox.  I skim a lot and mean to go back to lots but some are lists or quick reads.  Here are a few of those that caught my attention in particular.

I think this is the first book to screen list of adaptations I have seen this year and I feel just sort of tepid about them.  I do want to read Where'd You Go Bernadette, and if The Woman in the Window ever comes out in paperback I want to read that as well (only hoping it is not another Girl on the Train sort of story?).  I go back and forth about reading Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch, but as I do have it in a smaller mass market size book (it is a chunky one) I should really give it a go.  Another version of Little Women?  Then again, it is Greta Gerwig directing so I'll likely see it (so far off on the horizon, though, as it is not coming out until next December!).

The Edgar Award nominations have been announced.  I am not familiar with quite a few titles on the list so there is lots to explore.  I think I have heard of the Leftys (Left Coast Crime Convention), and they have also announced their nominees.  Yet more to explore.  

I'm excited to see this new imprint--American Mystery Classics published by Otto Penzler Publisher (W.W. Norton).  They are reissuing classic American mysteries-vintage titles.  I have already ordered two of the books!

As you can see with the Edgars and the Leftys we are approaching the start of book prize season! The 2019 Pen Award finalists have been announced.  I'm excited for the Stella Longlist, however.  The Stella Prize is the Australian women's literary prize, and there are always some really interesting books on the list that I find I want to read.  It is a little harder to get my hands on some of those books, but often they are just the thing to get me out of my reading comfort zone.  The list is not just fiction but also includes nonfiction and short stories.  And there are always #ownvoices (indigenous) authors included.  The list will come out February 7 and about a month later we'll get the Women's Prize Longlist, too.  Ahh, the anticipation!

So, I leave you with two easy questions.  Have you read any of the books in my library pile?  Any that are absolutely not to be missed?  And I have been avoiding reading thrillers for a while now.  There is a sense of samey-ness to some of them and I have been feeling really jaded by that.  I've been binging on traditional detective stories (and shall keep on with Kinsey Millhone), but I am feeling ready to get back to a good thriller.  Have you read one lately that is especially good?  Recommendations always welcome!