What Fiction are you reading this week, December 10, 2023?

[hermetic]

Reading A Dark Matter by Peter Straub, an electric, chilling, and unpredictable novel that proves Straub to be "a master of modern horror.'" It's sure holding my attention.

I am also reading, online, Solitude Creek by Jeffery Deaver. This is about a police investigation into a horrible incident and is quite good. Plenty of suspense and surprises. You can read it for free on your computer here: https://onlinereadfreenovel.com/jeffery-deaver/32688-solitude_creek_read.html

Listening to Tom Lake by Ann Patchett and read by Meryl Streep. A meditation on youthful love, married love, and the lives parents have led before their children were born. A lovely story about an aspiring actress, and who better to read it than Streep. An absolute delight.

What books are delighting you this week?

[EverHopeful]

1. Ask Not! by Tom Avitabile

Not loving it as much as his other work but it's hard to put down so obviously I'm enjoying it. Author says he had no idea how pervasive JFK conspiracies were before beginning his research for a screenplay and he's woven a real page-turner of a conspiracy story for us here.

[hermetic]

5. That does sound interesting

As far as I can tell it's only on Kindle now and has just come out. His other books do sound intriguing, as well, so I have put them on my list. Thanks.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Just finished Wuthering Heights

Much better than the movie

[hermetic]

6. Isn't that always the way?

I actually quite enjoyed both, as I recall.....Long ago.

[Polly Hennessey]

8. My favorite book. Far better than movie.

Movie was good but book is perfect.

[yellowdogintexas]

23. I didn't really like Wuthering Heights, and I really struggled getting

through it

On the other hand, I think I have read Jane Eyre about 5 times; the first time I was 13

[brer cat]

3. Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby.

I picked it up after reading this thread last week. It is good, but not great imo.

[japple]

4. Thanks for the thread, hermetic. It looks like the kitty in the OP is sitting atop a stack

of banned books! Great ornament.

Still (slowly) reading Tananarieve Due's book, The Reformatory.

Tom Lake is on my list of books to read. Love Ann Patchett.

[hermetic]

7. Thanks.

Yeah, I do love that ornament, too.

Edit to add that Tom Lake came in 4th in the 2023 Best Books Award from Goodreads.

[Bayard]

9. I will have to look for those 2 books

I like both authors.

[Bayard]

10. I'm half way through, "Sleeping Beauties"

Stephen King and Owen King. It started kind of slowly but quickly gets rolling. Recommend.

[cbabe]

11. Following two authors:

Peter Heller/The River

Felt like a warm up for his ‘The last ranger’. (Also characters’ backstory.) Two college friends canoe a great northern river. Vast wilderness. Fishing. Bears. Moose. Wildfire. Encounter vicious men. Suspenseful. Dark ending.

I think it’s hard to write such a set piece. His characters engaged my empathy and the suspense is a page turner.

S. A. Cosby/Blacktop Wasteland

Southern poverty. What would do to survive and care for your family?

Oxy, drag racing, deep in the heart of rural black America.

Literary noir. Fast moving suspense.

Next up: Cosby’s Razorblade Tears

[txwhitedove]

12. I searched for that ornament online. Lots of

others but not that one.

Read Cat Sitter's Pajamas by Clement as palette cleanser. Again, silly title but more serious content. Loved ending "some loyalties are almost sacred. Some secrets are best left undisturbed."

Now reading Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram Kendi. The definitive history of racist ideas in America, that started long before America. Hurts my head and heart so I've put several of your wonderful suggestions on my library list.

[hermetic]

13. Try this

https://bookswares.com/collections/ornament

Lots of nifty stuff there.

That Clement book sounds like fun. "..what started as a simple cat-sitting job has turned into a mess that only Dixie can solve." Must read.

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

14. I have my 50-State challenge to finish

Yes, I've been reading a book set in each state + DC, and these are the last books on that list:

Edna Ferber – Cimarron
Mary Keliikoa – Derailed
Owen Wister – The Virginian. Not so long ago, I had no use for Westerns. My mum loves them, so I asked her what the appeal was. 'I'd think you'd like them, since most of them are mysteries. They just have horses, rather than police cars.' Ever since I gave one a try with that in mind, I was like--'Yep. Mystery with horses.' I've developed an appreciation for them since then.

I'll probably squeeze in Rudyard Kipling's Kim as well. Short, so it won't take long.

[mentalsolstice]

15. It's the cat 🐈 ornament's fault....

I’m still reading The Last Flight. I haven’t read as much this week because we adopted an orange cat 🐱. We have several feral cats in our tiny neighborhood. However, a young orange male has been following my husband and our small dog on their walks for the last several weeks. Sometimes he would come inside for a short visit afterwards. So this week we bit the bullet and took him to the vet. Had him checked, chipped and neutered. He’s estimated to be around one years old. We named him Sweet. He has turned into a total lap cat. He’s used his litter box and I don’t think he’s been outside even once today.

So in a roundabout way I blame your cute ornament for not getting as much reading done.

[hermetic]

17. Congratulations!

I hope you and your new family member have a long and happy relationship. Also, thank you for taking Sweet in. Glad I could help.

[qwlauren35]

16. Two.

Guy Gavriel Kay's Children of Earth and Sky
Peter Hamilton's Reality Disfunction.

I'm doing a lot of traveling so thick and juicy is key.

[hermetic]

18. Safe travels and

happy reading!

[yellowdogintexas]

19. I love Guy Gabriel Kay's books.

The Fionavar Tapestry, Tigana and Lions of El-Rassan are my favorites.

[qwlauren35]

21. Yup

I loved the Fionivar Tapestry.

You should try River of Stars if you like Asian-based novels.

[yellowdogintexas]

20. The Granite Key (Arkana Archaeology Series Vol 1) N.S. Wikarkski

During the untold millennia before patriarchy was conceived, the world was a very different place…
Series Finale Award Nominated as Best Mystery of the Month
For Fans of Archaeology Adventure, Historical Thrillers, and Treasure Hunt Mysteries

THE ARKANA SERIES
A myth-shattering treasure hunt that spans continents, centuries, and lost civilizations, pitting a secret society against a ruthless fundamentalist cult. The prize is a cache of hidden artifacts that could rewrite history or end it completely. With the world hanging in the balance, only one faction can win. More importantly, only one can survive.

Volume 1 - The Granite Key
In THE GRANITE KEY, an antique dealer is murdered for a mysterious cipher stone that reveals the location of a collection of ancient artifacts. The victim's sister Cassie is stunned when she learns about her sibling's double life as an Arkana agent. She's even more stunned to discover the role she's about to play in helping the Arkana recover the cache. Along with two field agents, she travels to Crete to hunt for clues, unaware that ruthless foes are only steps behind. Cassie and her new team have only hours to find what they seek before a Minoan crypt buries them along with their quest.

This is going to be a fun series. My favorite sub-genre: Archaeological Adventure


I finished City of Spirits, and enjoyed it very much
I do like this author and I love fiction set in New Orleans.

[hermetic]

22. That sounds SO good

Bummer: my library doesn't have any of her books. One critic says of her, There’s a 52% chance that the next Dan Brown will be a woman … or should we just make that 100% now?"
Perhaps if I keep putting her name in their search engine, they'll get a clue.

[yellowdogintexas]

24. Is there a Half Price Books near you?

You might find it there, although HPB is like garage & estate sales or thrift shops. You never know what will be there
However, they do have genre sections and everything is alpha by author so it is fairly easy to check for an author's work.

Can you do interlibrary loan on e=books at your library?

A friend told me at our Liberal Ladies Book Group that the New York Public Library will lend ebooks anywhere in the country. We were all intrigued by that

I hope you can find a copy (I am still annoyed with Amazon for doing away with our ability to lend books to other Prime members