What Fiction are you reading this week, November 19, 2023?

[hermetic]

I'm thankful for libraries.

Reading The Black Widow by Daniel Silva, a really big book. Fascinating, suspenseful, and not an easy read, what with all that's happening now. ISIS has detonated a massive bomb in Paris and it's all too painfully real, albeit fiction.

Listening to The Tuesday Night Survivors' Club by Lynn Cahoon, a cozy, paranormal, amateur sleuth mystery. First book of a series about a bookstore devoted to healing in new-age Sedona, Arizona. Since I used to live close by I am quite familiar with that town and am totally enjoying all that's going on in this story.

What stories will you be enjoying this week, along with your turkey dinners? Have fun and may your gravy be lump-free.

[brer cat]

1. I am also reading Daniel Silva:

The Secret Servant.

[hermetic]

4. He sure is popular

His books are always making the Best Seller list. He was a journalist for several years so I guess that's made his stories more realistic.

[yellowdogintexas]

13. Amazon has Silva's book The Cellist in Kindle format for $1.99

Good opportunity to grab another of his great books. I was all excited until I pulled it up in Amazon and found I had already purchased it on an earlier special a few months ago

[Boomerproud]

2. Do op eds from MSM counts?

nt

[Bayard]

3. "One Door Away From Heaven"

Dean Koontz. Three different character story lines that you assume are going to come together at some point. So far, so good, except for Koontz's occasional preachiness. I always like his books that have dogs.

Finished John Sanford's, "Bad Blood." Another good Virgil Flowers tale.

[hermetic]

6. That sounds pretty intense.

"..an incandescent mix of suspense and humor, fear and wonder, a story of redemption and timeless wisdom that will have readers cheering. Filled with tragedy and joy, with terror and hope." And UFOs. I'll have to read that one.

[mentalsolstice]

5. The Red Coat by Dolley Carlson

I’ll probably be reading this one for a couple of weeks. It takes place in one of my favorite cities, Boston.
Happy Thanksgiving all and safe travels. 🍗

[hermetic]

7. Sounds good

"Dive into Boston feet first! THE RED COAT is a rich novel that chronicles the legacy of Boston from both sides of the city, Southie and the Hill."

Thanks.

[japple]

8. Still reading the book I started last week, although time has been short this week.

Elizabeth Crook's, The Madstone is a wonderful read. Filled with great characters, Texas history, suspense, romance, and a few surprises.

[cbabe]

9. A Cold Blooded Business/Stabenow

For the second time. Now that I’m not racing through the plot, I’m enjoying all the winter details and the humor.

[yellowdogintexas]

10. I am back with David S Brody: Treasure Templari: Templars, Nazis and the Holy Grail

Historians Cameron Thorne and Amanda Spencer-Gunn uncover a stolen painting which the Nazis believed was a secret map to the Holy Grail and the lost treasure of the Knights Templar. Hitler planned to weaponize the Holy Grail and monetize the treasure as part of his campaign of world dominance. Cam and Amanda just want to find the legendary artifacts. The Nazis failed because they were unable to decipher the secret Templar clues left in the painting. Cam and Amanda may fail—perhaps fatally—because a group of modern-day Nazis remain obsessed with finishing Hitler’s work.

A thriller based on actual artwork, artifacts and events. Illustrated. Not recommended for readers with strong religious beliefs.

I was reading this last weekend, then stopped to read the Liberal Ladies Who Lunch Book Club choice:
Persuasion by Jane Austen.
Make that attempt to read. I made the discovery that I do not like reading Austen. I have loved every film adaptation of her works. It is the language that gets me; I had enormous difficulty keeping up with who was related to who, who was married to who and who was on First.

SO I cheated and watched the movie, which I loved (2022 Netflix,). It was witty, & beautifully filmed.
At the Book Club meeting, every person who came into the room said "I hated that damn book!!!" Not one of us finished it; one person resorted to CLiff Notes. We settled on next month's book then talked about what we were watching on TV for over an hour. It was hilarious!

I am very happy to be back in Templar Relic Land with David Brody.

[yellowdogintexas]

11. Is this your first Silva Book? I love his books!! Black Widow was very good, indeed

I have read several of his books; loved every single one of them.

[hermetic]

14. Yes, it is

It's heart and gut wrenching but it's got me hooked. I'm just at the point where they've recruited Natalie and I have got to see what happens.

[yellowdogintexas]

12. Forgot this: I love Sedona!! Where were you that was nearby?

My daughter lives in Phoenix and had her wedding in Sedona. I love it there.
I also love Jerome; it is so much fun to explore all the shops.

[hermetic]

15. Oh, cool

I lived in Flagstaff for 18 yrs. Graduated NAU. I have some very fun memories of Jerome, as well. AZ was a great place to be in the 80s, 90s. Haven't been back, though.

[yellowdogintexas]

16. Flagstaff is still pretty cool - it's a university town that is still small enough to

have the funky character of a true college town. Lots of cool little eateries; very international and it is quite walkable. I enjoyed our visit there a great deal.

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

17. Just wrapped up Anatomy of a Murder by Robert Traver

On the Week's TBR pile:

Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
Louise Erdrich – The Night Watchman
Sinclair Lewis – Main Street

[CrispyQ]

18. I'm looking at my Good Reads commitment of 24 books this year

& feeling embarrassed that I haven't even read two books a month. I used to do that easily. Sometimes more. Oh well.

I just finished "Lessons in Chemistry" by Bonnie Garmus. It was just okay for a couple of reasons. First, the main character was not quirky IMO, she was extreme & off-putting. Second, the author had three male characters with names that began with a W. Also, the names all had an L & were six letters: Wakely, Wilson, & Walter. I gave remembering who was who. I did like the multiple points of view, especially the dog's.

Also, this is the third book I've read in the past few years that didn't have a warning about a rape scene. I guess that's just standard now? It's not a trigger for me, but for lots of people it can be.

Hoping I will get at least one book read before the end of the year.

[hermetic]

19. Hang in there

You can do it. I have faith in you.

Yeah, the dog was my favorite part of that book.