What are you reading now?: January 24, 2026

So, having knocked off The Hunt for Mount Everest, the main books I'm looking at for the rest of the month are Tears for Crocodilia, The Shattering Peace, and Twilight of Empire.

I finished, and loved, The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong. As usual, my review is only my Club Read thread. Next up for me will be Independent People by Halldor Laxness. This was a birthday present from our next door neighbor which I'm finally getting to. (My birthday is in July.) I'm looking forward to it!

I'm reading Stride Toward Freedom by Martin Luther King, Jr.

I just finished Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy. It was excellent. Now I've picked up Killing Moon by Jo Nesbo. In the land of audiobooks, I'm listening to Ruth by Elizabeth Gaskell. As with all of Gaskell's novels, I'm finding it deep and tragic.

I'm about three quarters of the way through Religion in Ancient Mesopotamia by Jena Bottero. I should finish it up this weekend. I took one evening this week to knock out Night Flight by Antoine de Saint-Exupery.

Just finished Arthur Plantagenet: Henry VIII's Illegitimate Uncle by Sarah-Beth Watkins. Would recommend for some to the side British royal history.

Started Secrets of the First School by TL Huchu
5th and finale in the "Edinburgh Nights" series

>6 amdial7: I read and own that book! Sarah-Beth Watkins has written books about the royal Stuart and Tudor women and courtiers among others.
For Arthur Plantagent's wife, Honor, Amy Licence has a full length biography about her titled Henry VIII's Controversial Aunt: Honor Lisle (2025)

>7 princessgarnet: Interesting. She was mentioned in minor but interesting ways. I may have to check it out. Thanks for the tip.

Currently reading The memorist by M.J.Rose about resurrection.

Consumed in one day Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. What a fantastic read.

Started last night and finished this morning Weight by Jeanette Winterson. Great read from her per usual.

Chasing Evil: Shocking Crimes, Supernatural Forces, and an FBI Agent’s Search for Hope and Justice
John Edward
5/5 stars
What a wonderful and interesting non-fiction book! The authors talked about how they searched out crimes and apprehended criminals. I really loved this book! Non-Fiction/Biography

The Diamond Eye – Kate Quinn
Book on CD performed by Saskia Maarleveld
3.5***

Kate Quinn gives us a fictionalized look at a fascinating woman sniper in WW2. Lyudmila “Mila” Pavlichenko was nicknamed “Lady Death” for her work as a Russian sniper, with over 300 killed Nazis to her credit. She was a wife, a mother, a graduate student, and a library researcher. But when Germany invaded, she enlisted in the Army and became a sniper. In the summer of 1942, she served as Russia’s envoy, coming to the United States to help persuade the USA to enter the war on behalf of the Allied Forces. During that visit, she became quite close to Eleanor Roosevelt.

All this is true and gives the novel its framework. But Quinn embellishes and adds some additional plot points for the sake of the story. Still, all the war scenes are based on actual history, and on this remarkable woman’s efforts towards winning the war against Hitler’s army.

I was completely caught up in the narrative, although the back and forth timeline, and occasional changes in point of view did irritate me a bit. Still, the story is well told, and it held my attention. I happened to catch a small documentary bit on PBS about Pavlichenko just before my F2F book club meeting. It was only a small segment in a larger program about women in WW2, but it verified, for me, the truth of this story.

Saskia Maarleveld does a fine job of performing the audiobook. She has a real gift for different accents and languages, and that adds verisimilitude to her narration.

The Diamond Eye – Kate Quinn
Book on CD performed by Saskia Maarleveld
3.5***

Kate Quinn gives us a fictionalized look at a fascinating woman sniper in WW2. Lyudmila “Mila” Pavlichenko was nicknamed “Lady Death” for her work as a Russian sniper, with over 300 killed Nazis to her credit. She was a wife, a mother, a graduate student, and a library researcher. But when Germany invaded, she enlisted in the Army and became a sniper. In the summer of 1942, she served as Russia’s envoy, coming to the United States to help persuade the USA to enter the war on behalf of the Allied Forces. During that visit, she became quite close to Eleanor Roosevelt.

All this is true and gives the novel its framework. But Quinn embellishes and adds some additional plot points for the sake of the story. Still, all the war scenes are based on actual history, and on this remarkable woman’s efforts towards winning the war against Hitler’s army.

I was completely caught up in the narrative, although the back and forth timeline, and occasional changes in point of view did irritate me a bit. Still, the story is well told, and it held my attention. I happened to catch a small documentary bit on PBS about Pavlichenko just before my F2F book club meeting. It was only a small segment in a larger program about women in WW2, but it verified, for me, the truth of this story.

Saskia Maarleveld does a fine job of performing the audiobook. She has a real gift for different accents and languages, and that adds verisimilitude to her narration.

The new thread is up over here.