Vivian Reads in 2025

Hello LT friends - I'm looking forward to another year of reading and connecting. For those who don't know me, I'm a mother of four grown kids, grandmother of 6 (all under the age of 6), married for 41 years, living in Northern Westchester, NY. I work full-time as a financial advisor in my own business and at the moment have no retirement plans. I read mostly fiction with a fair amount of mysteries and some non-fiction as well.

2024 Highlights

Cahokia Jazz
My Father's House
River East River West
Martyr!
Clear
Conclave
The Winter Soldier
Chenneville
The Safekeep
James
The Other Side of the Bridge
Wellness
Tell Me Everything
Precipice

The Wager
The Siege
Super-Infinite

Happy new reading year, Vivian!

What Katie said!

Happy New Year, Vivian. Happy New Thread. Looking forward to following you through another bookish year. Your tastes align so much with mine and that is reflected on your favorites of 2024. I want to get to Martyr!.

Happy New Year, Vivian. I am hereby starring what I know to be one of the most delightfully dangerous threads on LT. :-)

Happy 2025, Vivian.

Glad to see you back again. x

Happy New Year, Vivian. How strange that we share some favorites from 2024. ;) The ones I haven't read are on my WL.

I look forward to many great recommendations from you in 2025.

Welcome back, Vivian!

Good to see you back! Hope you have a year filled with great books!

Hi Katie, Laura, Mark, Ellen, Paul, Beth, Jim, Kim and Lori and belated thanks for all the good wishes! I follow all your threads and though I don't often comment I love hearing about all your reading!

I've had a good start to the year:



#1 Sense & Sensibility Jane Austen
I'm rereading all 8 Austen novels this year. This is one of my favorites: 2 sisters, one reserved and the other emotional, but both strong-willed and intelligent. They struggle with life, relationships, money and the stifling limitations of Victorian society. I love the Dashwoods and I'm looking forward to rewatching the Emma Thompson movie as well.



#2 Mad Honey Jodi PicoultJennifer Boylan
Recommended by my daughter, who has recently become an avid reader (yay). Fairly gripping mystery/love story/twist despite its length.



#3 The Wildes: A Novel in Five Acts Louis Bayard
This novel focuses on Wilde's family and the impact of his affair, trial and jail sentence on his wife and two sons. I loved the family dynamics and the humor, a really wonderful read.



#4 Margo's Got Money Troubles Rufi Thorpe
So much hype about this one! An enjoyable and quirky story of a determined teenage single mother trying to provide for her son. I didn't mind the porn or the wrestling - all contributed to a fun read.



#5 Before We Say Goodbye Toshikazu Kawaguchi
The fourth installment of this Japanese time travel series. Another good one.

Hotel Silence Audur Ava Olafsdottir
I think this was recommended by Beth - an Icelandic novel about middle-aged Jonas who is divorced, lonely and contemplating suicide. Similar to but deeper than A Man Called Ove, and highly recommended.



#7 The Grey Wolf Louise Penny
Not my favorite Gamache, but I think I'll continue to read this series because of the charm of the characters. The plot was over the top, and the chief inspector is a bit too much of a superhero. Once again a conspiracy in the top levels of government results in the specter of domestic terrorism.

I love that you're re-reading Austen this year, Vivian. My husband is on a similar mission, having read only S&S but having seen films or TV adaptations of several. He's been singing Austen's praises and I'm like, well, duh. But I'm delighted he's discovering her!

I also enjoyed Mad Honey and will continue with Gamache despite the flaws you mentioned. After I read The Grey Wolf I was thinking about how much simpler the plots were in the early novels. I wish we could return to that but I suppose it's challenging to keep coming up with something new.

I am so glad you liked Hotel Silence, Vivian. I will look for more by this author. The Wildes sounds like one I would like. You've started out the year as you ended the last one -- lots of books to add to my WL.

Hi Vivian, I’m also excited about rereading Jane Austen‘s books this year for the 250th anniversary of her birth. I’m doing it with a library group consisting of approximately 15 women and two men…so far. We are going to be reading her six main books, one every other month. I have my Sense and Sensibility copy out waiting for me. The discussion will be a week from Tuesday. There seem to be some Austen scholars in the group which should make for some interesting discussions. Can’t wait!

Beth also put Hotel Silence on my list. I'm glad it was a winner for you, too. Maybe that'll inspire me to finally get to it :)

I also liked Mad Honey.

One of my RL reader friends put Margo's got Money Trouble at the top of her Best Reads of 2024 list, so I've put it on my library WL...

Have fun with the Austen project. I did that early on in my LT tenure and enjoyed it a lot.

Oops ... my eyes skimmed past Hotel Silence. And my library has it, hurray!

HI Vivian, You are off to a great start. I added Mad Honey to my list last year. Your comments prompt me to check this book out of the library.

The film of Sense and Sensibility with Emma Thompson is indeed wonderful!

I have a copy of Mad Honey on my shelves and another friend recommended it just last week. I will get to it soon....

>18 EBT1002: We recently found a "making of ..." video on YouTube, about the Sense and Sensibility film. They talked about things like casting, location, wardrobe, and how the novel was adapted to the screen. It was fascinating.

>19 lauralkeet: That does sound interesting. I was just thinking it's time for a reread of Austen.

Hi Vivian.

Hi Laura, Beth, Donna, Katie, Linda, and Ellen and thanks for the Austen comments. I wish my RL book group would have joined me for the rereads, but they are more focused on current releases (we're reading The Plot and The Sequel this month). I'll be eager to hear what your group has to say, Donna. I'll look up that "how to", Laura, sounds great.

We just returned from 5 days in Puerto Rico with 3 of our kids (our DC son had to work over inauguration, poor guy) and our 6 grandchildren. What a treat to get out of this cold! And lots of fun to be with the little ones for an extended time.

I'm reading/listening to two chunksters - The Bright Sword and Our Evenings - both really good but slowing me down.



#8 Whale Fall Elizabeth O'Connor
I thought this was beautifully written but it didn't seem original after having read the Roy Jacobsen series, Clear and Michael Crummey's books. This island story is set off the coast of Wales, just before the outbreak of WWII, and is about 18 year old Manod who is torn between her family and the outside world. Because of her ability to speak English, a rare talent on the island, she becomes entangled with two British sociologists who arrive to record traditions and folklore. Short and very good.



#9 West With Giraffes Lynda Rutlege
The very entertaining fact-based story about the transport of two giraffes from New York to the San Diego Zoo during the Depression. Lots of endearing animal love and some great characters.



#10 The Plot Jean Hanff Korelitz
A reread for book group - I had forgotten some of the plot elements and wanted to refresh before reading The Sequel. Totally enjoyable.



#11 The Vegetarian Han Kang
I finally got to this Nobel prize winner's best-known work. I know I'm in the minority but this just didn't work for me. I really missed hearing Yeong-hye's perspective, rather than those of her husband, brother-in-law and sister. I understand this is about female autonomy and mental illness but her suffering was really difficult to read.

Look at you finished with #11 already! I've read 3 of these and am intrigued by some of the others. Thanks. ; ) Happy reading!

You got me with Whale Fall. I love a good remote island book, which is why I highly recommend Isola: A Novel. I also had a good time with West With Giraffes. It could have been sappy but it worked.

>23 msf59: These are already on my radar, so no NEW books to add to my WL. Whale Fall is one I am especially looking forward to.

>22 Berly: Thanks Kim!

>23 msf59:, >24 BLBera: Hi Mark and Beth!



#12 The Bright Sword Lev Grossman
I never got around to his Magician series because I'm usually not a fan of magical realism. But this sprawling epic about a young knight in post-Arthurian Camelot was just terrific. It's filled with politics (Saxon hordes!), magic, languages, horrible deaths and adventures. I loved it!



#13 A Fatal Lie Charles Todd
Ian Rutledge travels to Wales to identify a body and he ends up looking for a missing child. One of the better installments in the series.



#14 The Plot Jean Hanff Korelitz
A reread in anticipation of the sequel. Great twists and turns and highly recommended.



#15 The Sequel Jean Hanff Korelitz
RL book group this evening. A very good follow-up, if slightly more outlandish. Very creative and well-executed, and definitely read The Plot first.



#16 Beautyland Marie-Helene Bertino
This was on the NY Times best books list for 2024. An interesting twist: this standard coming-of-age novel is reinterpreted because the rather depressed and lonely protagonist is an alien sent to study humans. Good writing and some great humor (she reports her observations to her home planet via fax) with an unsatisfying ending.

The Bright Sword is on my Libby/Overdrive list. Guess I need to get to it!

West with Giraffes and The Bright Sword just went onto my wishlist.

>26 drneutron: Hi Jim - I decided to read it rather than listen because it's so long. But I'm really curious if the audio works.

>27 EBT1002: Glad I could expand your TBR, Ellen!



#17 Our Evenings Alan Hollinghurst
I loved this quiet coming-of-age novel about a gay, biracial boy born in 1948 in rural England. His path to adulthood as a scholarship boy in an elite private school, and his subsequent success as an actor, play out against the backdrop of the political scene in the UK. Beautifully written and completely absorbing, reminiscent of John Boyne's The Heart's Invisible Furies and The New Life, both of which I loved. Highly recommended.



#18 Spoilt City Olivia Manning
The second volume of the Balkan Trilogy was even more gripping than the first, as Romania falls to the Germans. Harriet Walter is the superb narrator on audio. I continue to be invested in the fate of the Pringles.



#19 The Most Jessica Anthony
This story about a 1950s stifling marriage was short and riveting. After 10 years of marriage, the secrets that Kathleen and Virgil are hiding come bubbling to the surface. Best read in one sitting.



#20 My Good Bright Wolf Sarah Moss
This was a stunning and unflinching memoir by one of my favorite authors. As a young girl, the intelligent and creative Moss feels forced to exhibit complete self-control in order to gain the love of her neglectful and at times abusive parents. The result is a life-long struggle with anorexia, which is still a driving force in her life to this day. Throughout the memoir her parents interject toxic whispers calling her a liar. She also offers insights into the literature of her childhood, from Jane Eyre to Laura Ingalls Wilder and Louis May Alcott. Very brave, honest and difficult to read.



#21 On Tyranny Timothy Snyder
Thanks to Katie for moving this up on my TBR. I follow Snyder so not much new here, but very good to read it all in one place. Depressing but so important.

Hi Vivian. The Sarah Moss memoir caught my eye recently. Your review makes it sound really interesting.

As usual your thread is a very dangerous thread to visit. Can't help being targeted by a BB or two. So glad to hear that Our Evenings is a solid one. It looks like we are all feeling the same way about The Spoilt City.

Hi Vivian!

I might try to find the last of the Balkan Trilogy on audio, as both you and Mamie have recommended that format. I like them well enough in (e-)print but I wonder if the slower bits go faster in audio :)

The Most and My Good Bright Wolf both sound good.

Glad you found the Snyder to be a worthwhile read. Too bad it's so necessary right now...

I am reading My Good Bright Wolf right now and it is great. It also reminds me that I have a few books by Moss that I haven't read. She has a new novel coming out later this year as well.

>28 vivians: I adore Sarah Moss!! I was not aware of this memoir by her. Onto the wish list it goes.

Vivian, I've read and enjoyed three books by Sarah Moss. I have placed her memoir on hold at the library. Thank you for calling it to our attention.

I will also look for Moss's memoir, Vivian. Great reading here as always.

>29 lauralkeet: Hi Laura - now that I have a couple of weeks hindsight, I'm finding the Moss memoir even more disturbing and sad. Such suffering! And such talent to have the ability to take a step back and reflect in the way she did.

>30 msf59: Glad to send you BBs Mark! Your thread always does the same for me!

>31 katiekrug: Your thread too, Katie, lots of damage for me there.

>32 BLBera: Thanks for the heads up about Moss' new one, Beth. So many releases this year from favorite authors, including Geraldine Brooks, Ali Smith, Emma Donohue, Donal Ryan....

>33 EBT1002:, >34 Donna828:, >35 PaulCranswick: Hi Ellen, Donna and Paul - the Moss is definitely worthwhile.

We had a quick trip to Iceland - very spontaneous and initially motivated by the desire to see the northern lights (which we never got to see). It was our 4th trip there (over many years), and the easiest one since we flew from Stewart Int'l Airport instead of JFK. We're equidistant from both airports but the Stewart flight was half the cost and about a tenth of the hassle (parking, TSA, passport control, etc.). Iceland was cold, cloudy and wet but we still had terrific hikes, saw beautiful waterfalls and ate extremely well!



#22 Kala Colin Walsh
A really solid mystery about a group of friends and an unexplained disappearance in a fictional Irish town in 2003. Terrific characters, including unforgettable Mush, who remained at home and works in his mother's cafe, Joe, now a world-renowned rock star, and Helen, who fled Ireland and works as a free-lance journalist. Engrossing and un-puttdownable for me.



#23 Maphead Ken Jennings
This reminded me of Mary Roach books - full of fascinating information and engrossing tidbits about geography nerds. I loved it!



#24 South Riding Winifred Holtby
Thanks to Laura for recommending this! Totally my kind of book: a large array of characters (not hard to follow), and a focus on the lives and politics of a town in Yorkshire between the wars. The portrayals of the school head Sarah Burton, representing progress and education (particularly for girls) and the farmer Robert Carne are perfect. Highly recommended and I'm looking forward to finding the movie adaptation.



#25 The Life Impossible Matt Haig
RL book group choice, and an utter failure for me (I'm in the minority here). Retired and depressed British math teacher moves to Ibiza where she discovers magic. Boring and repetitive in my eyes.



#26 Isola Allegra Goodman
This was really good, if a little reminiscent of The Vaster Wilds. It's based on the true story of 16th century Marguerite de la Rocque, a French noblewoman who was stranded on a Canadian island for two years. Great historical fiction.



#27 Reykjavik Ragnar Jonasson
Jonasson wrote this with the then prime minister of Iceland. (The number of Icelandic authors per capita is truly outstanding.) In 1956 a 15 year old who is employed for the summer as a maid goes missing. After 30 years the case is still cold when a young reporter revives it. A little slow and quite unrealistic, but well narrated and an enjoyable read.

I'm thrilled to see you enjoyed South Riding, Vivian. I'm waiting on Isola from the library so your comment about The Vaster Wild (which I've read) was interesting too.

>36 vivians: - I'm sorry you didn't get to see the Northern Lights, Vivian. I have a friend who just got back from Norway and lucked out in seeing them.

Some great reading here! I also loved Kala when I read it last year. I have Maphead on my shelf, along with South Riding, which I hope to get to in the next couple of months. And Isola is on my list!

Hi Vivian - I always love the Vivian updates. My book club read The Midnight Library, and quite a few of us were underwhelmed. I see no need to read anything else by him.

All of the rest sound good. I'd like to read more Icelandic books before we go. South Riding has been on my shelf for a long time. Maybe this year? Although I find that I have been saying that about a LOT of books.

>37 lauralkeet:, >38 katiekrug:, >39 BLBera: Hi Laura, Katie and Beth! You're all such great sources of BBs for me and your visits are very appreciated!



#28 What You Are Looking For is In the Library Michiko Aoyama
Recommended by a client (so I had to read it): five somewhat linked stories about how a new mindset or point of view (provided by a librarian's book recs) can change a life or overcome problems. Pleasant but not memorable.



#29 Three Days in June Anne Tyler
Tyler is a very accomplished storyteller and I generally enjoy her character-driven novels. This one was short but held up: an introverted, divorced mother loses her job the day before her daughter's wedding, and then has to deal with a weekend of social obligations and her ex-husband's appearance.



#30 Stone Yard Devotional Charlotte Wood
Finally, finally published in the US, this is my last 2024 Booker Prize longlist title to read. A woman leaves her marriage and career to joint a small religious community near her hometown in New South Wales. She finds herself dealing with grief, loneliness and uncertainty about her beliefs, along with a graphically described mouse infestation and the appearance of a childhood acquaintance. Very introspective and contemplative, it kept me reading but I didn't love it.



# 31 The Heart in Winter Kevin Barry
Walter Scott longlist. Barry has such a distinctive style - last read in Night Boat to Tangier: simple language, often long paragraphs, and a blurring of characters' thoughts and words because of the lack of quotation marks. Set in the freezing winter of 1891 in Butte, Montana, a town filled with Irish immigrants and a surfeit of alcohol and opium. Tom, a dope addict and photographer's assistant, and Polly, married for just a day to a crazed self-flagellating mining boss, run away together on a stolen horse. It's a wild journey!

"Pleasant but not memorable" is a perfect description of What You Are Looking for Is in the Library. I didn't love it as much as some here.

I do look forward to the Tyler and Wood books. I haven't read anything by Barry and might start with the earlier book.

I requested the Tyler from the library and am 80-something in line, but I'm in no hurry. Yesterday I bought Stone Yard Devotional for my Kindle because I had some credits to use. I like "introspective and contemplative."

Hi Beth and Laura - here's a recommendation - I just finished Glorious Exploits and absolutely loved it. I highly recommend the audiobook read by the author in a gorgeous Irish brogue. It's set during the Peloponnesian War but told in contemporary Irish voice - and it totally works.

I loved that one as well, Vivian; it was one of my favorite reads last year. The last chapter was just wonderful.

>43 vivians:, >44 BLBera: how can i resist?! I just added it to my library wish list.

Hopelessly behind, but I'll try to keep up now. Hi! : )

>44 BLBera: Hi Beth - I didn't remember that you had read it. Our tastes align again!

>45 lauralkeet: Hope it works for you, Laura.

>46 Berly: Hi Kim -your thread is always hopping - thanks for taking the time to check in!



#32 Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen
Second in my 2025 chronological reread of Austen - on audio for the first time, well narrated by Kate Kellgren. I loved it, again.



#33 Glorious Exploits Ferdia Lennon
I'll shout to the rooftops about this brilliant novel: two unemployed potters in 412 BCE stage two Euripedes plays in a quarry filled with dying Athenian prisoners. It is brought to life (and brilliantly narrated by the author) in Irish vernacular. It's on the Walter Scott list this year and is getting lots of well-deserved attention on podcasts. This will certainly a top read of the year for me.



DNF A Sign of Her Own Sarah Marsh
This looked intriguing - another Walter Scott longlister about Alexander Graham Bell and his work with a deaf student. Couldn't get into it.



#34 Hang on St. Christopher Adrian McKinty
If you've loved Sean Duffy's earlier exploits, you'll love this one, as did I. Sean is only a part-time detective as he commutes from Carrick to his home in Scotland, but he still manages to blow open a case that appears to the rest of the force to be a carjacking. Great interactions with Crabbe.



#35 Friends and Heroes Olivia Manning
The last installment of the Balkan Trilogy was a bit slower (so many tavernas, cafes, and restaurants), but the tension of the Nazi invasion was still gripping, as were the developments in the Pringle marriage. I'm very glad to have read all three and will go on to the Levant books at some point.

#36 Good Girl Aria Aber
Women's Prize longlist. Not for me - a debut novel about a teenage party girl in the Berlin nightclub scene who meets an older and manipulative American writer. The only interesting part for me was her origin story as the daughter of middle-class Afghan refugees.



DNF Land of Milk and Honey C Pam Zhang
Dystopian chef hired by a billionaire who can source food while the rest of the world starves. Couldn't get into it.



#37 Annie Bot Sierra Greer
Perfect audiobook for a drive to DC and back. Predictable but enjoyable novel about an advanced robot in an abusive relationship. Klara and the Sun was infinitely better in this genre.



#38 Memorial Days Geraldine Brooks
Brief and moving memoir about the sudden loss of her beloved partner, Tony Horwitz, one of my favorite non-fiction authors. "We were lucky until we weren't."



#39 Crooked Seeds Karen Jennings
Women's Prize longlist. Post-apartheid South Africa in which the unlikable protagonist, an amputee who struggles with addiction and depression, has lost her home and lives in a rundown housing project, struggling to get her water ration every day. Bleak and cheerless but well-crafted and hard to put down.



#40 The Empusium Olga Tokarczuk
A stridently feminist Magic Mountain, this is set in the Silesian mountains in 1913, before Poland obtains nationhood. A young and sensitive Polish engineer with an apparently treatable case of TB is dropped into this oppressive environment, in which his dying fellow guests drink, eat hallucinogenic mushrooms and expound on politics, women (overwhelmingly misogynistic) and fascism. The afterword is brilliant (no spoilers) as (Nobel prizewinner)Tokarczuk exposes that all her characters' appalling ideas are drawn directly from the works of prominent male writers.



#41Gliff Ali Smith
I'm never disappointed by Smith. This is the first in a duology about two teenagers who are forced to fend for themselves in a dystopian world in which they are considered "unverifiables", i.e. marked as cast-offs from society. As always, her wordplay is a highlight, as is the gradual unfolding of the story. Highly recommended.

I loved Gliff as well and am happy that it is part 1! I didn't know there was going to be a companion book.

You have made a good start on the Women's Prize longlist; I am not doing so well with it this year.

I did like Land of Milk and Honey but I am partial to dystopian novels.

Nice batch of books, Vivian, though nothing really caught my eye and demanded to be put on the TBR stack...

Nice work! Bet you feel better now that you're all caught up on reviews. Brooks and Smith appeal to me. : )

Hi Beth, Katie and Kim. I'm very behind on reviews due to: the state of the world, craziness at work due to said state of the world, further work dilemmas because my very reliable broker/dealer (who handles trading, licensing, compliance, etc.) has just been unexpectedly acquired, and finally preparing for 28 people for Passover on Saturday. I'm behind on sleep too! Some mediocre reads lately, no home runs:



#42 Nesting Roisin O'Donnell
Women's Prize longlist. A young, pregnant mother in contemporary Dublin escapes her emotionally abusive husband with her two small daughters. A very accomplished debut novel, and a tough, emotional read.



#43 Blue Sisters Coco Mellors
I'm in the minority with this one - it was a very "meh" read for me. Appallingly neglectful parents and three sisters navigating their grief over the loss of their fourth sister. All the characters exhibit addictive behaviors and feel very unrealistic. This didn't engage me at all.



#44 Within Arm's Reach Ann Napolitano
I've been meaning to get to this author's earlier work after loving Hello Beautiful. Three generations of women in an Irish Catholic family in New Jersey in which the matriarch, Catherine, holds everyone together despite her declining health. Ok, not great.



#45 Fundamentally Nussaibah Younis
Women's Prize shortlist. Very funny debut novel about international aid and deradicalization. Nadia is an academic, working with the UN in Iraq on a program to rehabilitate young ISIS brides. Engaging characters and a great take-down of the UN, its bureaucracy and failed programs.



#46 The Dream Hotel Laila Lalami
Women's Prize longlist. In a near-future world, academic and mother of young twins Sara Hussein is placed in a "retention center" after an algorithm determined she had a high risk score for committing a crime. This premise didn't seem far-fetched at all, nor did the exploration of data-mining and surveillance. This was similar to The School for Good Mothers and was pretty absorbing throughout.



#47 This is A Love Story Jessica Soffer
I should stop listening to so many book podcasts. This got a rave but was not for me, other than the wonderful Central Park references. Abe and Jane look back on 50 years of marriage, parenthood, art careers and New York life. The writing style didn't appeal to me, nor did the narrator's staccato delivery.

Hi Vivian, always nice to read your recaps. We've been invited to seder on Long Island Saturday with Julia's fiancé Noah's extended family. Like yours, there should be quite a crowd. I hope all goes well with your preparations!

It looks like my RL book group will be reading The Dream Hotel for our May meeting. It was already on my list, but I'm pleased to have the motivation to get to it soon(ish)!

ETA: I just saw that the Lalami is the April choice for the WNYC Get Lit! read, so she should be appearing at NYPL at the end of the month. I might go... Would you be interested?

Hello, Vivian. I've enjoyed my journey through the books you've read recently. I finally have Isola checked out from the library. However, I need to read Mansfield Park first for my book group Tuesday night. I'm glad I'm not alone in rereading Austen for this 250th Anniversary year. Happy Reading!

As always great comments, Vivian. Good luck with your Passover celebration. That is a lot of people.

>52 vivians: Nesting, Fundamentally and The Dream Hotel are all on my list.

Hi Vivian,
I had canceled my audible account because I just wasn't keeping up with it. I listen to so few audiobooks that one credit per month meant the credits would just keep piling up and then I'd go use a bunch of credits to keep them from expiring, but still never get around to listening to the books. Anyway, I just joined for three months at 99 cents per month so I could download Glorious Exploits based on your rave review. My plan is to give it a try while working on jigsaw puzzles. It sounds delightful!

Hi Vivian, I always enjoy your short but on point observations on the books you have been reading.

Which of the Women's Prize books impressed you the most this time?

Phew - I've been away too long! I'll fully blame the orange monster for creating stress among my clients and real pain to so many.

>53 lauralkeet: Thanks for the good wishes, Laura, and glad that your getaway was fun.

>54 katiekrug: I'm always up for a NY meet-up Katie, and sorry if I missed the Lalami date. I'd be happy to meet any time!

>55 Donna828: Mansfield Park is on my list for May, Donna, I'm reading an Austen every other month. I've been following your thread for comments.

>56 BLBera: Hi Beth!

>57 EBT1002: I'm looking forward to your thoughts on Glorious Exploits, Ellen. I've been recommending it widely but haven't heard from many who've read it. It think Beth did and loved it too. Is that right?

>58 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul - I'm trying to read the whole list but many titles are not yet available in the US. So far my favorites are The Safekeep and Tell Me Everything. I think I'll continue to avoid reading All Fours - it just doesn't seem that interesting.



#48 The Ghosts of RomeJoseph O'Connor
Walter Scott longlist and the second in a trilogy about resistance to the Nazis in the Vatican in 1944. Very atmospheric and gripping and as good as the first.



#49 PlayworldAdam Ross
A terrific coming-of age novel about a precocious 14 year old child actor, his neglectful parents, his sympathetic younger brother, two predators, an incompetent therapist, and, best of all, NYC exactly as I knew it in 1980. So many accurate references to places and events, and a sprawling epic that I absolutely loved.



#50 Time of the Child Niall Williams
A country doctor and his spinster daughter in the fictional village of Faha in the days before Christmas of 1962 have their lives upended by an abandoned infant. Brilliant writing, a real treasure.



#51 The Drowned John Banville
Another good entry in the Strafford-Quirke series. A Trinity College history professor reports that his wife has fallen into the sea, and the other characters are experiencing their own "drownings" as well. More character development than mystery, and very enjoyable.



#52 The Art Thief Michael Finkel
Read for RL book group. Fascinating true story about the world's most prolific art thief: A Frenchman who stole hundreds of works of arts (to enjoy, not sell) valued at $2 billion, beginning in 1991. Well-researched and fast-paced.



#53 The Husbands Holly Gramazio
Good premise, entertaining and fun, if a little too long. Would make a great movie.

Yes, I did love Glorious Exploits, Vivian. I still go back and look at the last chapter.

I recently finished The Husbands and had a discussion about it. Our comments matched yours -- interesting premise, a bit too long.

>60 BLBera: Hi Beth - I think you've begun the Scotland trip - I'm eager to hear as we'll be there in July!

I just attended a conference in Scottsdale and managed to take a few desert hikes which were glorious despite my horrendous head cold. I hate being sick away from home! Current worry: Oren, son #3, is a foreign service officer and happened to have a 6-week deployment to Pakistan. He's stuck in Islamabad until their airspace reopens. He's safe at the embassy and seems very unconcerned, but I'll be relieved when he's back.



#54 The Persians Sanam Mahloudji
Women's Prize longlist. Debut novel about several generations of a no longer prominent but still wealthy family who emigrated to the US post-Shah overthrow. A very "Crazy Rich Asians" vibe, with shallow characters, over-the-top capers and undifferentiated perspectives. Disappointing overall.



#55 Broken Country Clare Leslie Hall
This was a captivating love story set in two time periods, 1955 and 1968, in a rural Dorset village. Beth and her dependable and loving farmer husband Frank are grieving the accidental death of their son when Beth's first love returns. Great characters, emotional storyline, and a mystery as well. I really enjoyed it.



#56 Twist Colum McCann
An Irish playwright and would-be journalist, Anthony Fennell, travels to South Africa to cover the story of underwater internet cables and their maintenance and repair. An unusual subject which becomes utterly fascinating! A catastrophic flood cause a break in a major cable, prompting Fennell to join a multi-cultural repair ship, with another enigmatic Irishman as chief-of-mission. The ending is quite ambiguous and I'd love to discuss it. Overall an excellent read.



#57 Four Letters of Love Niall Williams
I've loved all of Williams' novels and this was no exception. Exquisitely beautiful writing and even though the characters torched their own lives, I ended up loving them. This is a love story about Nicholas' devotion to his artist father, despite the father's virtual abandonment of the family, and his love for a young woman living on an island off the coast of Galway. Highly recommended.



#58 How to Read a Book Monica Wood
I liked this a bit less than the general consensus, but it definitely grew on me. The coincidence of all three protagonists meeting on the same day in a bookstore bugged me, but I got over it. Three broken people; Violet (just released from prison after a fatal drunk driving accident), Harriet (lonesome widow who runs the prison bookclub) and Frank (widower as a result of the accident) find each other in a tale of new beginnings.

Adding Broken Country to the library list... 400+ people ahead of me! I blame Reese... :)

Also making note of the McCann and Williams.

>61 vivians: I'm now on the library list for Twist, thank you very much! A few weeks ago we happened to find ourselves listening to BBC Radio 3's Private Passions program, where the host interviews a notable figure about their life and musical interests, and plays some of their favorite pieces. We listen to the station a lot, but don't always pay attention to their interview shows. This time the guest was Colum McCann and he immediately drew us in and we listened to the whole thing. He was a great guest, and a very interesting person (listen here if you wish: Private Passions with Colum McCann).

It made me want to read another of his books, and your post came at just the right time.

ETA: I tried to la-la-la past Broken Country but darned if I didn't request that one, too. Only 124 ahead of me here.

<62 & 63 I hope you both enjoy Broken Country when you get to it . The audio worked for me and it had a shorter queue at my library.

Looks like it's been two weeks since I last updated...the time seems to get away from me. I'm trying to get around to the threads in the interim.



#59 The Paris Express Emma Donoghue
This historical novel takes place over one day in October of 1895, the day of the infamous train disaster at the Montparnasse station in Paris. Both historical and fictional characters move the story and I found it propulsive and gripping. Each of Donoghue's books is different from the last and she never disappoints.



#60 Leaving Roxana Robinson
College lovers Sara and Warren break up and marry others. They reconnect later in life and troubles begin. I thought this was ok although I had trouble accepting the behavior of Warren's wife and daughter. Also...Sara was married to a loser and yet somehow owns a beautiful house, property and orchard in Westchester? Also, she leaves her dog way too frequently.



#61 All the Beauty in the World Patrick Bringley
A heartfelt memoir about grief and art by a former guard at the Metropolitan Museum. I read this in conjunction with The Art Thief for my RL book group. I loved it and can't wait to get back to the Met to discover some of Bringley's favorites.



#62 Rubbernecker Belinda Bauer
I think Bauer is the only author longlisted for the Booker for a crime novel (Snap in 2014). I thought this was a new one but in fact it came out in 2013 - I don't know how it recently got on my TBR. An anatomy student with Asperger's at the University of Cardiff tries to understand the mystery of death and in doing so solves a murder case. I couldn't read this fast enough - totally gripping.



#63 Gabriel's Moon William Boyd
Boyd wrote Any Human Heart - one of my favorite books. This one did not disappoint - I highly recommend this combination spy novel/ thriller/Cold War/historical fiction. Gabriel Dax is a travel writer on assignment in the Congo when he stumbles into an interview with Patrice Lumumba. He becomes embroiled in a variety of increasingly dangerous assignments. Lots of twists and subplots.



#64 Snowblind Ragnar Jonasson
I love reading about Iceland, particularly the relatively isolated towns. This is the first in a series which I'll probably continue, about a rookie policeman who leaves his girlfriend and moves from Reykjavik to the northern town of Siglufjorour. His first investigation is the possibly accidental death of an esteemed elderly author. Ari Thor's character has great potential: he's a troubled, idealistic outsider in the town. Lots of emphasis on the weather, which got repetitive.



#65 Mansfield Park Jane Austen
Continuing on my reread of Austen for her 250th. I didn't recall much of this (probably last read in college) and I absolutely loved it. Fanny Price is brought up with her wealthy cousins and must navigate her lower social status as well as her strong sense of morality and the "marriage economics" of her time.

You've reminded me that some time ago I put All the Beauty in the World on my library wish list. Now I need to actually request it ... and read it ...

I love Belinda Bauer's novels.

I have added a few books, Vivian. I smiled when I read about Snow-Blind. Iceland has about one murder a year, and currently there are about 150 people in prison there. :) When we were there, the young woman on the food tour referenced all the crime novels set in Iceland; she said the long nights of winter make for a good atmosphere for crime novels.

You are reading up a storm, Vivian. I was particularly impressed by No. 56, Four Letters of Love as I am a big Niall Williams fan, too. My Austen group read Mansfield Park a few weeks ago. We had a great discussion about it. A lot of people don't like Fanny Price, but I admire her quiet and steady ways.

Hi Vivian. It's an interesting time in which to be a financial advisor, yes?

Your thread is, as usual, dangerous. I'm making note of
All the Beauty in the World (and I sense another trip to NYC brewing for me.)
The Paris Express (such an interesting author whose works are, as you say, incredibly varied)
Four Letters of Love (I've not read Niall Williams but it seems that I must.)
Twist (I've loved some of McCann's works.)

Hang in there. These are dark days indeed.

>65 lauralkeet: Hi Laura - I really loved the Bringley. I hope it tempts you into a Manhattan stop when you're next in Bklyn - I'd meet you!

>66 katiekrug: Agree re Bauer! I have to check if she's published anything lately.

>67 BLBera: So right, Beth! I loved seeing all the bookstores in Iceland. The country has more writers per capita than any other country - just imagine all the murder plots they have to come up with!

>68 Donna828: I admired Fanny Price too, Donna, especially her integrity in rejecting Crawford. I was less enthused about Edmund.

>69 EBT1002: Haha Ellen, interesting is not the word I'd choose in these uncertain, volatile, and crushingly disappointing times! I'm lucky in that most of my clients are at the same end of the political spectrum as I am, and that helps the discussions. Hope you're really considering a NY trip!



#66 Dream State Eric Puchner
This Oprah pick tackles important themes… love, marriage, horrific accidents, drugs, disease, dying, climate change. But I found it incredibly depressing with unlikeable characters. It was almost a DNF for me, but I stuck with it and would rate it an ok read. The story begins in 2004 at a picturesque lake house in Montana, where Cece is preparing to marry her charismatic doctor-fiancé, Charlie Margolis. While there, Cece meets Charlie’s best friend, Garrett, whom Charlie has asked to officiate the wedding. The narrative follows the trio over the years, delving into their personal struggles, the consequences of their actions, and the intricate dynamics of their relationships.



#67 Wolves of Winter Dan Jones
Great sequel to Essex Dogs set during the siege of Calais in the 14th century. A decidedly unglamourous look at war through the eyes of a band of King Edward's soldiers. Now I'd like to get to Calais to see the Rodin monument.



#68 Audition Katie Kitamura
This would be a perfect book club pick: written in two opposing narratives which are factually incompatible. I listened to the NYTimes Book Club podcast, and will check out some reviews. The narrator is an actress who is struggling to bridge two scenes in a play she is rehearsing; in the second half she has been successful but there's a major (and unexplained) shift. I usually don't like so much ambiguity but this one worked for me.



#69 Nicked M. T. Andersen
In 1087 an Italian monk's dream about St. Nicholas is intentionally misinterpreted and the result is a road trip to Turkey to steal the relics that have lain there for hundreds of years. Based on a historical event, this was a great romp, filled with rogues, pirates and an extraordinary amount of unfamiliar words which required googling. I enjoyed this a lot.



DNF All Fours Miranda July
I'll all for literature exploring women, but this was so provocative and the protagonist so narcissistic that I couldn't bear it.



#70 Mrs. Dalloway Virginia Woolf
A reread for the next NY Times Book Club on the 100th anniversary of publication. I didn't remember so much, especially the Septimus Smith subplot, and I'm looking forward to the discussion at the end of the month. I still wouldn't place this on my all-times favorites list, but it contains so much thoughtful stream of consciousness and a palpable historical setting. Beautifully read by Juliet Stevenson.

I couldn't get into Audition but your description makes me wonder if I gave it long enough... Hmmm.

My book club is reading All Fours for our meeting next week. My best friend loved it, but I am skeptical.

I have heard so much about All Fours. It certainly seems to have provoked a lot of discussion in bookish circles. I had it on hold for a while and when my turn came, I wasn't in the mood. Maybe that is a permanent state of affairs.

I will probably give All Fours a try, but your comments have lowered my expectations. You also remind me that I don't have to finish it...

I LOVE Mrs. Dalloway; it is one of my all-time favorites. I should try listening to it.

Audition and Wolves of Winter sound like ones i might enjoy. I have recently read bits about King Edward, so this would be timely.

Audition sounds interesting....

So many interesting reads being read here, as usual. I need to keep up better. I added Audition, the McCann, Boyd and Donoghue and it looks like I NEED to read Niall Williams.

I picked up a copy of All the Beauty in the World today, Vivian. I'm looking forward to reading it.

I hope you are well.

>71 katiekrug: Maybe I should have given All Fours more time....I'll wait to hear what you thought.

>72 EBT1002:, 73 Hi Beth & Ellen - I held off on All Fours until it made the Women's Prize shortlist, and I know I'm in the minority, but I just found it unlikable. I had the audio (read by the author) so maybe I should try it in print.

>74 EBT1002: I don't usually like ambiguous novels, Ellen, but somehow I was captivated byAudition, even more so after listening to the NY Time Book Club podcast. And given that I can still remember it, even a month later, it seems like it was worthwhile for me!

>75 msf59: Hi Mark - my list keeps expanding as well and I wish I had more reading time!

>76 EBT1002: Hi again, Ellen! I've decided to get an actual map of the Met (not online) and attempt a project of seeing all the rooms. It may take me a few years!

We've rented a house at the Cape for July 4th week and will be joined by 4 kids, 3 partners, and 6 grandchildren, all under the age of 6. Chaos will ensue, I'm sure, but I'm very excited. I expect little sleep, even less reading, and hopefully a lot of photo opps.



#71 Caledonian Road Andrew O'Hagan
I really enjoyed this epic about post-Brexit, post-Covid London following a year in the life of posh intellectual Campbell Flynn and his biracial computer-savvy student Milo. The intersection of aristocrats, Russian oligarchs, gangsters, crime lords, and celebrity influencers results in disastrous consequences for all. I red this in print and also listened to the excellent narration by Michael Abubakar, whose voices and accents of tens of characters were all distinctive.



#72 Everything is Tuberculosis John Green
Very effectively read by the author, a fascinating look at this oldest and most infectious disease. We have the capacity to cure it and yet a million people die from it annually.



#73 Heart, Be at Peace Donal Ryan
I'm a huge fan of Ryan's and I liked this way more than many on LT (...sorry, Laura!) I'd like to reread The Spinning Heart because I have little or no recollection of the backstories of these 21 characters. Each chapter appears to be a stand-alone narrative by one community member in a small Irish town just emerging from the global financial crisis of 2008. But in fact each story revolves around Billy Mahon (as in The Spinning Heart), and his good heart.



#74 Before We Forget Kindness Toshikazu Kawaguchi
A weak installment in the time-traveling series, but for the first time some of the participants get longer back stories. Very repetitive but still a pleasant read.



#75 The Redemption of Alexander Seaton S.G.MacLean
Many thanks to Beth for sending this along - just my kind of historical fiction. Lots of characters (I kept a list, which really helped), a fascinating time period and location (northeast Scotland in the 1620s). Seaton is a disgraced minister (the source of his fall is not revealed until the middle) working as an assistant schoolmaster when he becomes embroiled in a murder mystery. The Protestants are in the ascendancy with a stranglehold on religion and morality, but the Catholics are plotting, and looking to the great Catholic countries of Europe for support. And witch-hunting is still at its peak. I'll definitely seek out the rest of the series.



#76 Stolen Pride Arlie Hochschild
An astute and experienced sociologist, Hochschild investigates the whitest (and among the poorest) county in Kentucky and their anger and pride. It was a well-researched and illuminating, but honestly it's hard to care about these people's shame and sense of betrayal now that they've contributed to the disaster that's been unleashed on this country for the second time.



#77 A Death in Summer Benjamin Black
Another good installment of the Dr Quirke series in which the violent death of a newspaper tycoon is investigated. Anti-Semitism of the 1950s comes up, very topical given the current dilemma of Jews in Ireland.

>77 vivians: - Re: your comment to Ellen about the audio - several members of my book group listened to it and said they didn't think they would have liked it as much in print. They loved the author's narration. Go figure :)

I have Caledonian Road on my library list already (can't remember from whom I heard about it...)

Thanks for mentioning the connection between the new Donal Ryan and his earlier novel. I have The Spinning Heart on my shelf, so I'll be sure to read it first.

Have fun on the Cape! Where will you be? My family used to go to the Harwich/Chatham area, and I miss it. Don't get so exhausted that you can't make our Morgan Library date on the 8th!

>77 vivians: I'd like to reread The Spinning Heart because I have little or no recollection of the backstories of these 21 characters.

Oh! Well that was clearly the source of my problem with Heart be at Peace. I couldn't keep track of the characters at all. Each seemed to be presented without context, and as if I was supposed to be familiar with them already. It never occurred to me that it was anything other than a standalone novel. I feel bad for panning it, but also kind of relieved in a weird way.

>78 katiekrug: I'm glad Vivian saved you from my fate, Katie.

Hi Vivian - Congrats on reaching and passing 75! I am glad you liked Alexander Seaton; I thought the setting was terrifically done. I am currently reading a history of Scotland and am approaching the 17th century, so I look forward to some of the religious background. There were a lot of characters. I also made a list. I must read Ryan.

>78 katiekrug: We're going to Truro - we've been going almost every year since 1985. We used to camp but these days we rent a house. (We're bringing a tent for the little ones to experience at least one night of discomfort, bugs and sleeplessness - let them see how lucky they are!)

I'm looking forward to the Morgan on the 8th. I read your comments on Mansfield Park and was surprised that this is the least liked by many people. I love that Fanny resisted the changed Crawford, even after Sir Thomas and even Edmund caved. Despite her earlier spineless affect I think this showed a lot of strength.

>79 lauralkeet: I can understand your reaction, Laura. There was never a direct storyline and sometimes the connections were obscure. If I ever get to reread the two, I think I'll take notes. I did that recently with The Redemption of Alexander Seaton and it improved my reading experience greatly. I read print books at night and my concentration and memory are terrible!

>80 BLBera: Hi Beth - which history? I just ordered A History of Scotland by Neil Oliver for our trip - I should have checked with you first.

It's OK, a nice overview, nothing too in-depth. One thing I do like is that he gives present-day locations to monuments and other historical sites.

I also just discovered that on PBS Alan Cummings has a series on Scotland by train. I have watched one episode and enjoyed it.

I have Everything is Tuberculosis lined up on audio. I will add Heart, Be at Peace. I have yet to read Ryan. Good place to start?

I'm also a huge fan of Donal Ryan but I haven't read The Spinning Heart. I'll read that before I read Heart, Be at Peace.

Vivian, thanks to you I picked up The Spinning Heart at the library this week so I'll be reading it soon. I'm not sure I'll make all the connections to Heart be at Peace but at least I'll get the background I desperately needed. And no doubt my admiration for Donal Ryan will be restored.

Sorry for the late replies....

>83 msf59: Not sure if I've answered this on your thread, Mark, but I loved The Queen of Dirt island, Strange Flowers as well as The Spinning Heart and his latest.

>84 EBT1002: Hi Ellen!

>85 lauralkeet: Hi Laura - I'll be curious to hear how you feel about The Spinning Heart and whether it changes your opinion at all.

We had a beautiful week on Cape Cod. Here's a photo of my 4 kids and I'll try to find one of the grandkids.

Couldn't get a good one of all 6 together:

#78 Spent Alison Bechdel
Not quite up to greatness of Fun Home but still a funny and heartfelt graphic novel.



#79 A Rip Through Time Kelley Armstrong
Fun time travel - a 30 year old homicide detective is transported to 1869 Edinburgh, into the body of a teenage housemaid. First in a series and very good.



#80 Munichs David Peace
Walter Scott longlist. Superb fictional account of the real life 1958 crash of a British European Airways flight carrying the Manchester United football club, management, reporters and others. It's very emotional, filled with grief, loss, blame and guilt. Beautifully written.



#81 The Land in Winter Andrew Miller
Walter Scott winner. The story of two married couples in the frigid 1962 winter in Somerset. Neither couple fits in and all four have secrets. Not entirely satisfying - I would have liked another 200 pages. Happy to pass on my copy - it's not published in the US yet.



#82 The Names Florence Knapp
Read for RL book group. Three alternative versions of a woman's life with her abusive husband, son and daughter. Pretty amazing debut. I'm looking forward to to our discussion.



#83 Heartwood Amity Gaige

I think Jane Harper handled this subject (lost hiker) with much greater thrill and suspense. I found this to be a quick listen but I was never totally engaged.



DNF Cuddy Benjamin Myers
This was on last year's Walter Scott list and I finally ordered it from Blackwells. It's an experimental retelling of the life of St. Cuthbert (northern England, 8th century) through poetry, prose, diary entries and historical accounts, reminiscent of Lincoln in the Bardo. It didn't work for a vacation read but I hope to revisit in the future.

OMG those grands are adorable, Vivian!!

Also I'm only a couple chapters into The Spinning Heart but it's great. Fortunately I read Heart be at Peace very recently so things are starting to click a bit. I've added a disclaimer to my LT review to say that reading The Spinning Heart first is essential.

Those grandkids are adorable, Vivian. They are growing up so fast!

The Knapp and the Armstrong are calling to me. I look forward to hearing what your book club thinks of the Knapp book.

I think you are leaving for Scotland soon? Happy travels. It is such an interesting place.

>88 vivians: >89 vivians: You have a beautiful family, Vivian and the grandkids are absolutely gorgeous. You are blessed. Savor every moment.

>91 lauralkeet: , >92 BLBera:, >94 msf59: Thanks for grandkid comments Laura, Beth & Mark. We are so grateful to have them nearby and willing to hang out with us. They are already very distinct personalities but all love being together. My two youngest kids are not married and both intend to remain childless, and I respect those decisions knowing how worried they are for the future of the world.

>93 BLBera: We leave tonight, Beth! I'm really looking forward. 2 nights in Edinburgh, one in Glasgow, pick up a car and drive to Glencoe, Skye and the Cairngorms. I have my list of UK books and hope I can get a shipment since we're travelling light.

Safe travels, Vivian, and I look forward to some photos on your return!

If no one else has claimed it, I'd love your copy of The Land in Winter...

Thanks Katie! Looking forward to the 28th - I'll bring the book if my brain cooperates.

Safe travels, Vivian. Someday I would like to make it to Scotland. 🤞🤞

Bon voyage, Vivian! I can't wait to hear all about your trip.

Thanks Mark and Laura - trip was great! Despite fairly constant rain we covered most things on our list, with highlights being hiking, sea kayaking, 2 days of walking in Edinburgh, 2 days on the Isle of Skye, lots of great pub food, some live music, and stops in 5 bookshops: Topping & Co, Waterstones, Leakey in Inverness, one in in Portree and one in the Cairngorms. I bought 10 books not published in the US, including John Boyne's "Elements" series, the new Lissa Evans which I read on the plane, and others. I'm behind on adding books but will catch up this week!

Your trip does sound great, Vivian. Driving would be a challenge, so many narrow roads. I am reading Elements John Boyne right now, and it is terrific so far. It's a series? Lissa Evans has a new book?? I can't wait to hear about your purchases.

>101 BLBera: The touchstone above doesn't seem right, Beth. Which book did you mean? I'm happy to pass on the Lissa Evans book (a signed copy!) if you're interested.

Lots to catch up:



#84 Wild Dark Shore Charlotte McConaghy
This was a hit for me: a family living alone on the small island of Shearwater, near Antarctica, caring for a seed bank and facing rising seas, their own grief, and a mysterious visitor. Very atmospheric, great setting, engaging characters and lots of plot. A mix of literary climate fiction and thriller. Highly recommended.



#85 The Poisoner's Ring Kelley Armstrong
Second in the time travel series. The modern-day detective Mallory Atkinson is still trapped in 1869 London, and investigates a series of poison victims. This is an enjoyable series, with lots of character development in each book.



#86 Emma Jane Austen
A reread as I make my way through all 6 novels. For the first time I found some parts tedious (particularly Mr. Woodhouse's whinging and Miss Bates' whimpering). Looking forward to revisiting the film adaptations.



#87 Mothers and Sons Adam Haslett
Very compelling story about an estranged mother and her gay son. Peter works as an asylum lawyer in NY and faces unrelenting tragedies of families stuck in immigration nightmares (very timely). Ann runs a women's retreat center in Vermont. Peter's trauma is slowly revealed as is the reason for the distance between the two. Really well written dual narrative.



# 88 A Family Matter Clare Lynch
An unsettled wife and mother meets her soulmate, another woman, but it's 1982 in England and her husband (interestingly named Heron) takes full legal action and gains custody. The second timeline is 20 years later, focused on Heron and his grown daughter Maggie. Very good family drama, not at all melodramatic.



#89 The Pardon: The Politics of Presidential Mercy Jeffrey Toobin
A deep dive into Ford's pardon of Nixon, with some interesting insights into the current felon.



#91 Small Bomb at Dimperley Lissa Evans
I read this in one sitting on the plane from Edinburgh. Totally entertaining post-WWII family story about a dilapidated estate, a youngest son who unexpectedly becomes the heir, an eccentric memoir-writing uncle, and a young mother with a very adorable toddler. I've enjoyed all of her books and have to make sure I haven't missed any.



#90 The Catch Yrsa Daley-Ward
This is the July NY Time Book Club choice, otherwise I would have DNF'ed after 20 pages. The combination of several unreliable narrators and a narcissistic mother who abandons her twins and 30 years later haunts them as a ghost....just not for me.

I loved Small Bomb at Dimperley; I thought maybe she had a new one.

I am reading The Elements John Boyne, and it is great. He is becoming one of my favorites. I am almost done and finding it hard to put down.

The Lynch and the Haslett both sound good. I have Migrations on my shelf, so will start there.

I must get going with my Austen rereads.

What other books did you pick up in Scotland?

My sister has been raving about Heartwood so I have it on hold. I'll temper my expectations. *smile*

Putting Wild Dark Shore on my list. I love McConaghy and your comments are enticing.

>102 vivians: I'm so glad you enjoyed Wild Dark Shore! That was such a great book.

>104 EBT1002: Go for it, Ellen. You won't be disappointed.

Sweet Thursday, Vivian. Glad you had a wonderful time in Scotland. I'm jealous...I NEED to get to Wild Dark Shore. She has become a favorite author. I landed an e-galley of The Elements and will get to it sometime next month. The Haslet sounds good too.

I have a copy of Small Bomb at Dimperley on my shelf - ordered it from Blackwells... A Family Matter and Wild Dark Shore are already on my library list. And I'll be listening to Emma in August... We are in sync :)

>103 BLBera: I should have posted a list of my purchases, Beth, but I can't recall all of them. (I'm at work and they are sitting on my TBR shelf at home.) I did buy the Lissa Evans, the 4 Boyne volumes, as well as one by Andrew Hunter Murray (I love his podcast, No Such Thing as a Fish), The Cracked Mirror by Christopher Brookmyre (recommended by "Books of the Year" podcast), a Rose Tremain (read below) from the 2024 Walter Scott shorlist, A Little Trickerie from the 2025 Women's Prize longlist, and a few others.

>104 EBT1002:, 105 A double rec for Wild Dark Shore Ellen! Hope you love it.

>106 msf59: Hi Mark! Charlotte McConaghy has written some amazing books and she's only 36!

>107 katiekrug: I have to admit being slightly disappointed in my reread of Emma, Katie, so I'll be curious what you think. I'll be reading Northanger Abbey in September, my least remembered of the 6.



#91 Absolutely & Forever an Electrifying Love Story Rose Tremain
Long-listed for the 2024 Walter Scott prize and still not available in the US. In 1950s London, 15-year old Marianne falls desperately in love with 18 year old Simon. Both bury their dreams, and Marianne lives her life in the shadow of her obsession. Short and good.



#92 The South Tash Aw
Booker Prize longlist. Jay is the grandson of Chinese immigrants to Malaysia, and he spends a fateful summer on the dilapidated and struggling family farm in the south, away from his city life. This is the first in a planned quartet, and a memorable queer coming-of-age novel. Many changes in POV take a bit of getting used to.



#93 I'll Be Right Here Amy Bloom
A portrait of an unconventional "found" family: it begins in Paris during WWII as a young Algerian girl, of Muslim and Jewish descent, finds work with the famous author Colette. Gazala eventually emigrates to the US, where she and her adopted brother Samir (the relationship nuance is significant) are adopted by a Jewish family. Lots of time jumps and voice changes, and overall an exploration of love in its many forms. I didn't love it but I'm still thinking about it.



#94 Love Forms Claire Adam
Booker Prize longlist. A white, middle-class Trinidadian is traumatized as a teenager when she is forced to give a baby up for adoption. In her middle age in England, divorced and with two sons, she still searches for her child. Good storytelling if sometimes repetitive, but hard to know why this made it onto the Booker list.

Now listening to (and enjoying) Marble Hall Murders.

The Tremaine and the Aw are both on my wishlist, Vivian. I have been checking to see if my library has A Little Trickerie. I will watch for your comments. It sounds like one I would like. I am still reading my way through the Women's Prize list.

I loved The Elements although it is hard to read at times. Lots of sexual abuse. It's really interesting that they were published in separate volumes.

I'll be following your Booker longlist reading, Vivian. Most of the titles were unfamiliar to me.

Hi Beth and Laura - I've been absent from my thread much longer than I thought. I'm having a hard time keeping up.



#95 Marble Hall MurdersAnthony Horowitz
I remain in awe of Horowitz, of both his imagination and his rate of production. This was the last in the Susan Ryeland trilogy, and connects all three. There is a complex storyline with two dysfunctional families in two time periods and multiple POVs. Narrated beautifully by Leslie Manville, who plays Susan in the TV series. I just loved this, despite its length.



#96 Flesh David Szalay
Booker longlist. This is a a quick read - although almost 400 pages there is a lot of dialogue. It's the story of a very passive Hungarian man Istvan, to whom things happen. He seems completely detached from his own life, as he climbs from near-poverty in a housing project to enormous wealth and then back again. He appears to be irresistible to women. I found this compelling to read but it left me with an "icky" feeling.



#97 The Wedding People Alison Espach
This book has lots of fans but it never hooked me. A smart and depressed 40-something year old, just dumped by her husband, finds herself in the middle of a luxurious week-long wedding celebration in Newport, RI. Lila is the young and wealthy bridezilla. I thought this was very ordinary and predictable as well.



#98 Water John Boyne
The first in his Elements series. A wife and mother self-exiles to a remote Irish island to escape from a catastrophic scandal in which she feels at least somewhat complicit. Good storytelling about betrayal and renewal. The concept of water is woven throughout the short novel, from the island backdrop to the National Swimming Federation. A subplot of her affair on the island seemed gratuitous, but that was my only complaint.



#99 Run for the Hills Kevin Wilson
Loved, loved, loved this found-family road trip. Four half-siblings travel from Tennessee to Oklahoma to Utah and finally to California to find their long-lost father. Great characters, dialogue and plot, as I've always found with Wilson's books. This would make an amazing movie.



DNF: Mayflies Andrew O'Hagan
I loved Caledonian Road but couldn't get into this. Too many local references and language that I just didn't get, as a group of young men from Glasgow travel to a music festival in Manchester in 1986. I've heard that the second half gets better but I couldn't get there this time.



#100 The Have and the Have-Yachts Evan Osnos
A collection of essays on the ultra-rich from this terrific New Yorker writer and podcaster. He narrates as well.
Topics include super yachts, tax avoidance, political control, and, strangely, the economy of private gigs for musicians.

I haven't read anything by Kevin Wilson, but your comments make me want to pick up Run for the Hills. I liked The Wedding People more than you did, but I think I read it at a time when I wanted something light -- and, you know, English professor...:)

Great comments on the Boyne; the rest of the books are also pretty great although it's hard for me to judge how I would look at the parts individually because I read them in a single volume.

I also really loved the Wilson, Vivian. Did you listen to it? I thought the narrator was great.

>112 BLBera: Hope you get to Wilson, Beth. I've enjoyed everything I've read, with Run for the Hills the best yet.

>113 katiekrug: Agree, Katie, I thought the narrator was perfect.



#101 Universality Natasha Brown
Booker longlist. I was mostly puzzled by this book, which begins with an investigative journalism piece about a strange activist group holding an illegal rave and the subsequent severe beating of a participant. The second part takes place during a dinner party hosted by the struggling journalist herself, in which she is relentlessly demeaned by a trio of former friends. It unravels as a criticism of class and economic status, but in a very convoluted way IMHO.



#102 The Briar Club Kate Quinn
This was hand-sold to me when I visited Parnassus Books last year. It's an extremely popular historical fiction about a group of women living in a boarding house in DC in the 50s. Every imaginable theme is covered: domestic violence, discrimination against homosexuality, poverty, the Korean war, the red scare, etc. with many POVs. Over-the-top for me but I still wanted to finish it.



#103 Earth John Boyne
The second novella in his "Elements" series. Evan is a young professional football player on trial with his teammate for a horrific crime. There's an effective backstory of abuse from his father, his longing to become a painter, and the way he tuns into a sad and broken man. Boyne allows the reader to have divergent feelings for his characters.



#104 Tartufo Kira Jane Buxton
RL book group. A completely amusing and charming story about a truffle hunt in a small and failing Tuscan village. Brilliantly narrated on audio, wonderful characters (including a cat named Al Pacino, an excommunicated priest, a fiery bartender of the last remaining open bar in town) and lots of humor.



#105 The Bright Years Sarah Damoff
This was recommended on a podcast and I thought it was a pretty good family story about addiction and second chances. Lillian and Ryan are happily married in Texas in the 1980s, but each has a difficult past filled with loss and regrets. Their story is followed through six decades with lots of grief tempered by familial love.

You've managed to add Tartufo and The Bright Years to my library WL and remove Universality from it!

Looking forward to seeing you on the 9th :)

Tartufo sounds great. I am going to look for that one. I think I will wait on Universality. I loved the Boyne so much.

Run for the Hills sounds like a fun read! Or listen. :-)

Oh, and Tartufo is going on the list as well.

I'm curious : what do you usually do while listening to audiobooks?

>115 katiekrug: Me too! Hope the exhibit is worth it after our long wait.

>116 BLBera: I'm enjoying the Boyne as separate novellas - didn't you find it very grim to read them all together?

>117 EBT1002:, 118 Hi Ellen! I have at least two hours a day during which I listen to audiobooks: an hour during my morning walk and a half hour each way for my work commute. But I also listen a lot on weekends (although podcasts have put a dent in that time) because we do a lot of driving. This weekend I'm taking a flash trip to Sedona to help a close friend with her troubled son, so that's at least 10 hours of listening/reading!



#106 The Door-to-Door Bookstore Carsten Henn
This translated novel was recommended by a client, so I felt compelled to read it lest I offend her. A bit over-the-top melodrama for me, but a relatively sweet story about an elderly bookseller who is befriended by a precocious (but not annoying) 9 year old.



#107 So Far Gone Jess Walter
Jess Walter has always delivered for me, and this was no exception. I loved this entertaining read about a retired journalist living off-grid who is reunited with his grandchildren following the disappearance of his daughter. There's a lot of dark commentary about conspiracy theories and radical right-wingers, but it's also humorous and quite touching. Great characters and a propulsive plot too.



#108 Endling Maria Reva
Booker longlist. I so wish I could discuss this "meta-fictional" novel about a biologist in Ukraine who funds her studies of snails by working in the romance tour industry. The war breaks out just as she becomes involved in a conspiracy to kidnap some of the bachelors. The author inserts herself as she witnesses the horrors of the war and its impact on her Ukrainian family. I think I'll remember this one and mull it over for some time to come.



#109 Tilt Emma Pattee
Wow - talk about propulsive - this debut novels takes place in one day as a very pregnant Annie just barely surviving a massive earthquake as she shops for a crib in a Portland IKEA. The chapters alternate between present and past as she contemplates her marriage, her unborn child, recent grief and her disappointing career. Very well done.



#110 The Impossible Thing Belinda Bauer
Another author who never fails to disappoint. This novel has a dual timeline: the Yorkshire coast in the 1920s where industrious locals repel off the cliffs to harvest bird eggs (who knew that egg collecting was a thing?) and present-day autistic Patrick (from her earlier novel Rubbernecker) at home in Wales and a neighbor's burglary. It's a stand-alone but I'd highly recommend both.

Wow, you've had a run of really interesting reads, Vivian. Safe travels this weekend for what sounds like a difficult situation. I'm sure your friend will appreciate the support.

Happy Friday, Vivian. Wow! I love your reading choices. I am currently reading The Elements: A Novel. I am still on "Water" and enjoying it very much. Boyne is such a master story-teller. Hooray for Jess Walter! Another terrific story-teller. I also will keep in mind, both the Reva and Pattee titles.

>119 vivians: - I felt similarly about The Door-to-Door Bookstore. And I'm excited to see a new Bauer! Guess I had better get to Rubbernecker. I've been hoarding the couple of unread books I have by her...

I just started Tilt, and you are right about it being compelling. I am finding it hard to put down.

Hi Laura, Mark, Katie and Beth - you're such loyal thread-warmers!

The meet-up with Katie at the Morgan library (no photographic evidence!) was great, despite the exhibit leaving a lot to be desired. I can understand the library wishing to take advantage of the 250th anniversary to display some of the correspondence in their possession. And it was pretty exciting to see the long and beautifully written letters in Austen's hand. But otherwise not much substance, other than a room devoted to the worldwide literary impact of her novels, including many translated editions from every country imaginable. Most impressive as always is the actual Morgan library and the cases highlighting some of the treasures (Guttenberg Bible was one.) Anyway, I loved catching up with Katie.



#111 A Little Trickerie Rosanna Pike
This was on last year's Women's Prize longlist but I only found a copy when I was in Scotland this summer. A 14 year old orphan in 1500s England, Tibb Ingleby does her best to survive, first with the help of vagrant outcast named Ivo, then as a member of an acting troupe. An original narrative voice and very entertaining.



#112 Nightblind Ragnar Jonasson
Second installment in a series about a local policeman in small fishing town in the north of Iceland. A rival policeman is murdered, and sprinkled in between the chapters about the case are excerpts from the diary of a mental patient. Great atmosphere, good mystery.



#113 Marriage at Sea Sophie Elmhirst
This was chosen for my RL book group which meets tonight. So much buzz about this true story about a shipwrecked British couple (Maurice and Madalyn) who survived months on a raft in the Pacific in the 1970s. I had some issues: 1) actual memoirs were written by the couple, so it's unclear to me why we needed a narrative re-telling by someone completely unconnected to them. 2) About a third of the book takes place after the rescue and consists of the very off-putting Maurice complaining about the world. 3) Because of all the buzz I had expected some deep understanding of the dynamic between two people and how their marriage survived, but it just seems like he was an abuser and she was an enabler. but that was not the case. 4) What a horrid man! 5) List upon list of food items that the two were craving was difficult to listen to. 6) Too much animal killing detail.



#114 Out of Gaza Katharina Galor
Hard to comment since this was written by my sister-in-law, with whom I have a difficult relationship both personally and because we have some fundamental political disagreements. But some nice references to my mother's refugee experience.



#115 Flashlight Susan Choi
Booker longlist, well-deserved. An epic tale about a Korean born and raised in Japan as a second-class citizen, his transplant to the US and his difficult marriage to Anne, herself a rebel with a complicated past. Their daughter Louisa grows up with a remote father who adores her completely, and a mysteriously ill mother. Their return to Japan results in his disappearance and assumed drowning (this is revealed at the very beginning), which opens the door to the very complex and fascinating history of the region. I found all the main characters very unappealing but the exploration of the political tensions (Japan-North Korea-South Korea-China- US) and history was fabulous.



#116 Northanger Abbey Jane Austen
I barely remembered this and now think it's one of my favorite of Austen's 6 published novels. A great satire of Gothic horror stories, this one is amusing and has a great storyline. Feisty but naive Catherine Morland spends the "season" in Bath and meets the manipulative Isabella and her brother, as well as the perfectly charming Henry Tilney. Beautiful narration by Juliet Stevenson.



#117 The Unselected Journals of Emma Lion Beth Brower
This is a long series (8 volumes to date), raved about in a podcast I like. Lovely diversion in diary form about an impoverished girl in London in the 1880s with definite Austen vibes. These are very short so I may continue.

I've been waiting for A Little Trickerie to become available here. I have Flashlight on my library reserve list, so one of these days. I did love Tilt.

Bumping up the Susan Choi novel on my TBR list...

So many books, so little time.

I decided not to spend my scarce NYC time at the Morgan to see the Austen exhibit, glad to hear I'm not missing that much. I've seen some lovely Austenalia (???) at the British Library.

On Man booker longlist candidates -- I've only read two so far, both that fall into the appreciated but not really loved category for me. Still, Tash Aw's fascinating book edges out Katie Kitamura's, which was just too self-consciously clever for me. I'm really looking forward to Andrew Miller's latest, though.

> 125 I'd be happy to send you my copy, Beth! I'll get it in the mail in the next few days.

>126 Chatterbox: So great to hear from you, Suzanne! I'm slogging my way through the Booker list: enjoyed Tash Aw, Andrew Miller, Maria Reva and the Choi so far. Disappointing: Love Forms, Universality, and Misinterpretation which I'm just reading. I thought Flesh was ok.

>124 vivians: I'm encouraged by your review of Northanger Abbey. I read it in 2007 and gave it only 2 stars (gasp!). As time went on I realized I probably didn't "get" the whole gothic romance thing. Then, this summer I read Jane Austen's Bookshelf and bought books from some of the authors who influenced Austen, including Ann Radcliffe and, yes, the dreaded (at least by me) Mysteries of Udolpho. So once I've read *Udolpho* I'll give Northanger Abbey a second chance.

Speaking of Jane Austen's Bookshelf, you might be interested in this list I created, which includes all of Jane Austen's novels and selected works by the influential authors profiled in the book:
https://www.librarything.com/list/46931/all/Books-Featured-in-Jane-Austens-Books...

>127 vivians: Thanks Vivian! I will return the favor one of these days. No hurry.

>128 lauralkeet: Thanks for the list, Laura...I'm afraid it will really swell my TBR....

>129 BLBera: Hi Beth - glad it arrived.



#118 Misinterpretation Ledia Xhoga
Booker longlist about an Albanian interpreter living in NY post-Trump 2017 who seems to be tone deaf to the needs of her clients (many of whom are torture victims), to her husband and to her mother. She makes a multitude of poorly thought out decisions, which bothered me so much I almost DNFed it. The depiction of the couple's massive apartment in lower Manhattan (on the salaries of a UN interpreter and a young filmmaker) made the whole thing seem ridiculous.



#119 The Unquiet Grave Dervla McTiernan
This installment did not live up to the excellence of the first three in the Cormac Reilly series. I still enjoyed it but would not recommend. Cormac investigates the body of a secondary school principal found in a peat bog in Galway. A second plotline features the disappearance of his old girlfriend's new husband. Great narration and very atmospheric, but the mysteries seemed to drag.



#120 The Antidote Karen Russell
This was a weird one - a very original story about the aftermath of a Dust Bowl storm in the fictional town of Uz, Nebraska, in the midst of the Depression. The negatives for me were too many POVs and a heavy hand with the magical realism (talking cat and scarecrow, prairie witches who serve as repositories for traumatic memories). But much of it was compelling and touching, including the relationship between the Polish immigrant Harp Oletsky and his orphaned basketball-star niece.



#121 The Road to Tender Hearts Annie Hartnett
I enjoyed this somewhat cheesy feel-good novel about a road trip that PJ Halliday, an alcoholic, divorced 63 year old still reeling from the tragic death of his daughter 15 years before, takes with his newly adopted great-niece and nephew. Lots of humor, pathos and great narration. I might have loved it more if I hadn't just read Run for the Hills, another (and superior) family road trip novel.



#122 Shaken Loose Ilana DeBare
The sequel to Shaken Freewritten by my high school closest friend. I'll be going to a book launch event this weekend. The two books are a combination of fantasy, science fiction, theological debate and horror. Lots of angel, demon and human characters as the author explores the need for spiritual answers.

Oh boy, I need to read Tilt. As a once-again Oregonian, I'm all about Portland these days.

Endling also sounds really good and interesting.

I'm currently reading The Spinning Heart by Donal Ryan. He is such a terrific writer. I'm vaguely remembering a conversation about repeat characters in other work ... his short story collection, etc. Was that here on your thread? Thoughts?

Wow I haven't been on my own thread in ages. It's been a busy few weeks - a flash trip to Israel to attend a wedding, a conference in DC, and lots of work stuff. Reading pace has suffered a bit but I've had a few good ones.

>131 EBT1002: I've been following your travel adventures, Ellen - sounds like an exciting and memorable trip. I'm glad you enjoyed The Spinning Heart and hopefully you've gotten to Heart, Be At Peace, which was equally terrific.



#123 The Lion Women of Tehran Marjan Kamali
It took me a while to get to this but I'm glad I finally did. Spanning the 1950s to present day, this novel is the story of Ellie and Homa and their friendship beginning at ages 7. The political backdrop is omnipresent, and its impact, from the Shah to Khomeini and beyond, is conveyed well. Betrayal, courage, resilience and a glimpse into Iranian culture - very worthwhile.



#124 The Last Days of Night Graham Moore
Parts of this fictional narrative of the Westinghouse-Edison legal battles were tedious, but I loved the portrait of Paul Cravath (I've known tons of people who've worked at Cravath, Swain over the years) and the portrayal of Nikola Tesla. Like all good historically-based novels, this one had me googling non-stop.



#125 The Artist and the Feast Lucy Steeds
Women's Prize longlist. Dual perspective in 1920s Provence: Joseph, a young British journalist who would like to write about a renowned and controlling painter, and Ettie, the painter's uneducated niece who has lived her life in servitude to him. The recently ended war is the in the background for both. A mix of historical fiction, mystery and romance, very well done.



#126 Tuck Natalie Babbitt
A reread of an old favorite for our RL book group. Well-loved for a reason.



#127 The Correspondent Virginia Evans
I'll join the masses in loving this epistolary novel about the crochety and intelligent Sybil van Antwerp as she reflects on her life, the blindness that she fears, and a variety of relationships. Highly recommended.



#128 The Rest of Our Lives Benjamin Markovits
Booker shortlist, read in one sitting on a very long flight. At age 55, Tom looks back on his marriage to Amy, particularly an affair she had 12 years earlier. It becomes a meandering road trip with an emphasis on male mental and physical health, and I understand the comparison to All Fours. I thought it was ok.



#129 The Art of a Lie Laura Shepherd-Robinson
A very clever mystery set in 18th century London: a game of wits between Hannah Cole, a widow trying to keep her husband's confectionery shop running, and William Devereux, a wealthy man of mysterious origin. Henry Fielding is the magistrate investigating the death and ice cream plays a big role. I really enjoyed this one.



#130 The Impossible Fortune Richard Osman
The final installment, really good if a bit less so than the earlier four. This one involves 350 million pounds in Bitcoin, a lovely marriage, a car bomb and other family matters. Great dialogue, as usual, and Fiona Shaw is a wonderful narrator. Can't wait to see the film adaptation of book #1 and I hope more are coming.

Next up: The loneliness of Sonia and Sunny on both audio and print because it's so long!

>132 vivians: I'm so happy you enjoyed The Correspondent as much as I did. I wish I could introduce Sybil to Olive Kitteridge. I think they'd hit it off.

You read some good ones despite being busy, Vivian. The Lion Women of Tehran, the Steeds, and the The Art of a Lie have especially caught my eye.

>133 lauralkeet: Great book minds, Laura!

>134 BLBera: Hi Beth - I feel like my reading pace has slowed but I think that's probably typical of this time of year for me. I can't keep my eyes open past 9PM so my print reads have suffered.



#131 The Loneliness of Sonia & Sunny Kiran Desai
A very enjoyable read but way too long and way too many tangent plots. My last Booker shortlist. I was surprised that Flesh won - as my daughter says: there's way too much attention paid to the male-centric world. We just saw the play "Art" on Bway - I loved it but she couldn't stand all the male angst.



#132 The Pretender Jo Harkin
I mistook the author when I borrowed this, thinking it was the author of the wonderful Longbourn, Jo Baker. But I'm glad for the error - I absolutely loved this historical fiction about Lambert Simnel, a lesser-known York pretender to the throne of Henry VII in the late 15th century. Loved it.



#133 Buckeye Patrick Ryan
RL book group next week. A perfectly pleasant multi-generational of two families in a small Ohio town from the 1920s to the 1970s. I usually love historical narrative inserted into fiction, but this time the author seemed a little too high-school-history-teacher-ish. No real complaints other than it didn't totally draw me in.



#134 Writers & Lovers Lily King
A reread before I dive into her next one. Very sympathetic portrayal of a 31 year old woman dealing with grief (her mother's recent death), writing ambition and relationships. I enjoyed it when I first read it and the reread didn't disappoint.



#135 King of Ashes S.A. Cosby
Shocking and gripping, but a little too graphic for my taste and the financial shenanigans were ridiculously unbelievable.



#136 Blackout Ragnar Jonasson
I still love reading Iceland noir, and this series about a small-town policeman has really delivered.

>135 vivians: Another great group of books, Vivian. I will pass on the Crosby; I am squeamish. I have been meaning to pick up the Jonasson books. One of my book club buddies is currently in Iceland at a Noir literary event. She sent me a photo of a panel with Colm Toibin, Siri Hustvedt, and Ragnar Jonasson! I am going to look into this for next year, if they do it again. I can't wait to hear her report.

Seconding Beth about your latest roundup, Vivian. I get so many great ideas from your thread!

From your latest, I've decided not to bother with Sonia and Sunny. I was on the fence and requested it from the library thinking I'd read it if it won the Booker. I'm really up for "way too long and way too many tangent plots," so I just canceled my hold request.

And then: do I need a new series? No. But do I want to read Icelandic noir? Well yes, I believe I do! I think I'll start the Dark Iceland series next year.

Happy Saturday, Vivian. As you saw on my thread, I am now firmly in the Donal Ryan fan club. Looking forward to his next one. I am also looking forward to the new Lily King. Everyone has been buzzing about Buckeye and Sonia & Sunny. As usual I like and trust your take on books so we will see if I get to these 2.

>136 BLBera:, 137, 138 Hi Beth, Laura and Mark and thanks for the comments! It's so nice to have visitors.



#137 Ripeness Sarah Moss
Thanks to Beth for her copy! I paid it forward to one of my daughters-in-law, who's a voracious reader. I think Moss is an extraordinary writer, no matter the genre. This is a dual timeline story: in 1967 Edith is taking a forced gap year before beginning university to support her elder, pregnant sister in the north of Italy; in 1973 Edith is a divorcee living a good life in a small community in Ireland. This novel is all about belonging and identity and is beautifully written.



#138 Persuasion Jane Austen
Now that I've reread them all, I think this is a close favorite for me of the Austen novels. Anne is older and more mature than the other heroines and is virtually overlooked by everyone around her. I loved her dismissal of the heir, her superior intellect and her devotion to her first love.



#139 A Guardian and a Thief Megha Majumdar
This is set in the heat, famine and floods of near-future Kolkata, where a mother, her young daughter and her elderly father desperately try to join her husband in the US. Emotional and tragic.



#140 Culpability Bruce Holsinger
A mix between a family drama and an exegesis on AI technology. Narrated by the insecure father, Noah, the plot centers around a car accident in which the teenage son is nominally at the wheel of a self-driving car. It got a bit messy (a subplot about an AI chatbot seemed unnecessary - just another AI issue to address) but overall was ok.



#141 Rabbit Moon Jennifer Haigh
Another tragic family story: a 22 year old woman teaching English in China is the victim of a hit-and-run in Shanghai, and her bitterly divorced parents travel there to find some answers. Another ok read for me.



#142 Atmosphere Taylor Jenkins Reid
I must be the last person to get to this one, which I finally did upon the urging of my daughter. Historical fiction about the NASA Space Shuttle program in the 80s and the challenges faced by female astronauts. Very propulsive and a good read.

And a movie update: I saw Hamnet last night, and all the accolades received by Jessie Buckley for her performance simply do not do her justice. She is riveting on screen. It's a beautiful adaptation but I still love the book more.

Great update, Vivian. I am planning to see "Hamnet" this weekend. Of course, the book is always better, but I am looking forward to it.

Atmosphere wasn't really on my radar, but the more I read about it, the more I think it will be one that I pick up soon.

I just finished Persuasion, and I think it may be my favorite Austen. I look forward to my book club discussion.

I'm glad you enjoyed the Moss.

More great reading, Vivian! I just started my re-read of Persuasion (on audio) - it's long been my favorite Austen. The Moss sounds good, as does the Haigh.

Hope your big family Thanksgiving went well!

>140 BLBera:, 141 I'm very glad to have reread all the Austens this year and to have been joined by so many other readers!

My TBR for 2026 has exploded - so many favorite authors with new books: Patchett, O'Farrell, Saunders, Daniel Mason, Strout, Spufford, etc.

Meanwhile - I'm going to Belize and Guatemala with Jo for 6 days and I'm looking forward to the combination of culture (mostly Mayan ruins) and beach.



#143 On the Calculation of Volume I Solvej Balle
This translated work has received a lot of press attention in the last few weeks (New Yorker, NYT) after it made the Booker International shortlist. The plot appears simple: an antiquarian bookseller has her life upended after a routine visit to Paris when she inexplicably lives the day (November 18th) over and over. She and her partner (who is not subject to the same puzzle but doesn't doubt her dilemma) initially try to find explanations but eventually Tara retreats into isolation. Very repetitive, as one would expect, and filled with musings on sadness, loneliness and philosophy. There are 7 volumes...not all translated yet.



#144 What We Can Know Ian McKewan
I haven't been a fan of McKewan's recent works but this one is a fabulous speculative fiction structured in 2 parts. Tom Metcalfe is a humanities scholar in 2119, some years after catastrophic climate events and nuclear war have obliterated half the world's population and transformed the UK into an archipelago. He's obsessed with an early 21st century poet, Francis Blundy, and a missing poem that was delivered orally at a dinner party for the poet's wife. Great story-telling, terrific tension between present and future and great narrative twists. This would be a perfect book club book.



#145 What Kind of Paradise Janelle Brown
17 year old Jane lives in an isolated cabin in Montana with her controlling father who limits her access to the outside world. Good suspense, as well as takes on the impact of technology, conspiracy theories and the search for autonomy. Very immersive.



#146 Mona's Eyes Thomas Schlesser
RL book group. The author, an art historian, shows great passion for art and deep knowledge about the 52 works that are highlighted. But he is not a novelist, and the plot is forced and filled with insignificant details. The 10 year old Mona is not realistic and all the dialogue is cringy. I hated the lies to Mona's parents (she and her grandfather were supposed to be having weekly visits to a psychiatrist) and the complete lack of depth to any of the characters. This is one I would not recommend.



#147 I See You've Called in Dead John Kenney
Very enjoyable palate cleanser about a struggling, flippant obituary writer navigating his recently divorced life in Brooklyn. He's a lovable loser who is lucky enough to have one great friend, a potential love interest and an endearing 6 year old neighbor. Lovely musings on friendship, loss and death.

Enjoy your Belize trip, Vivian. I've never been but love ruins...Another place to add to my bucket list.

The Balle books sound interesting. I will probably pick up the first one soon. I think the first three are translated? Have all seven volumes been published?

I am # 27 on the reserve list for the McEwan book. Luckily I do have other things to read.

I will keep in mind I See You've Called in Dead when I need a relaxing, entertaining read.

As always, I've added to my WL.

>143 BLBera: Definitely add Belize, Beth! We had a great trip - 3 days in San Ignacio, visiting amazing Mayan ruins, then 3 days in San Pedro. Direct flight from NY took only 4 hours. People were extremely friendly, food was great.



#148 Evensong Stewart O'Nan
Katie has never steered me wrong with O'Nan recs, and this one lived up to expectations. A very moving and unsentimental continuation of Emily Maxwell's story as she and her friends approach the end of their lives.



#149 The Book of Guilt Catherine Chidgey
Set in an alternate 1979 Britain where WWII had no clear winner, and medical experimentation has been permitted for decades. It follows triplets in a secretive government home who gradually uncover the truth about their existence. Very reminiscent of Never Let Me Go but not as good.



#150 A Game of Sorrows S.G.MacLean
I loved this 2nd installment of the Alexander Seaton series, as the protagonist travels to his mother's family in Ulster where he confronts the political upheaval in 1628.



#151 The Jane Austen Book Club Karen Joy Fowler
I heard the author interviewed for a books podcast focusing on Austen, so I was intrigued. But this was very meh for me - 6 people meet to discuss the novels and their contemporary relationships are examined through an Austen lens. Not for me.



#152 A Beginner's Guide to Breaking and Entering Andrew Hunter Murray
A perfect plane read. I listen to Murray's very amusing podcasts and this comic thriller about a young, unemployed Londoner who lives rent-free in vacant luxury homes was witty and fun to read.



#153 Twelve Post-War Tales Graham Swift
I've enjoyed Swift's novels but I'm not a short story fan and not one of these was memorable.

Belize sounds great! Adding it to the list. And that 4 hour plane trip makes it ideal, along with the history/exploration and relaxing beach time...

I am lookin gforward to getting to the new O'Nan in the new year :)

You liked A Game of Sorrows more than I did, but I am happy to follow Alexander for a while yet. I also liked Evensong and agree about the Jane Austen Book Club. I'll just go back to Austen...

Happy New Year.