Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading?

[CRussel]

Currently reading Iona Whishaw's A Deceptive Devotion, the sixth and most recent of her Lane Winslow / Inspector Darling mysteries that are set in rural British Columbia in the late 1940's. Quite enjoyable, as this whole series has been, with the sole exception of the 4th, which I did not particularly enjoy. The main character, Lane Winslow, is roughly based on the author's mother, who was a spy during WWII.

Also listening to An Overture to Death, the 8th of Ngaio Marsh's Inspector Roderick Alleyn mysteries. The beginning was a bit tedious, but I'm past that now and quite enjoying it. The narration by Nadia May (real name Wanda McCaddon) is superb, as always.

[fantasyfan]

I’ve just finished reading and listening to A Charming Voodoo by Tonya Kappes.

I found this book a quite delightful “cozy” mystery. The setting is a magical village which appears completely ordinary to ordinary mortals. It seems gently peaceful until a murder occurs. Then the heroine who has special intuitive powers sets herself to solve the crime. At first I thought that the mystery was going to be too predictable but in fact found the denouement quite satisfying.

The pleasure was increased by a marvellous reading by Karen Savage. The various characters were well delineated, the pacing was excellent, and even the fairy God-cat, Mr Prince Charming, had his moments. A thoroughly enjoyable experience was made even better by the expert narration.

[Dngrsone]

Just finished "reading" Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton. It's a post-apocalyptic (zombie) novel told from the perspective of a crow (Shit Turd or S. T.) raised from the egg by a redneck electrician in Seattle. This is a really funny homage to the natural world of the Pacific Northwest and a scenic tour of Seattle, as S. T. first tries to save his Mofo (what he calls humans) Big Jim and then, after Big Jim tries to eat him, rescue himself and his companion-- the dog Dennis. S. T. must learn what it is to be a Crow, and rescue all the other domestic animals trapped inside houses while avoiding being eaten by sick mofos and wild animals.

Caveats: lots of swear words

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Finished Stranger from the Sea. Good stuff. The TV series has now split from the books, as they are in the ten-year gap in the novels.

And also finished F&SF. Not as good for me this month as usual. A couple of the stories I was not fond of at all.

Next up: The Serpent in the Crown by Elizabeth Peters. The 19th (and penultimate) Amelia Peabody mystery, set in Egypt in 1922.

[Dr. Drib]

Half-way through "The Counterlife," a novel by Philip Roth, a great American writer.

[DiapDealer]

Stepping outside my typical box and reading something/someone unknown (by me anyway--the book's a best-seller) with Inland by Téa Obreht.

So far, so very good. It has a very Cormac McCarthy-like flair to it, but with punctuation, a bit more cohesion, and ghosts instead of blood. So ... nothing like McCarthy in other words .

In the lawless, drought-ridden lands of the Arizona Territory in 1893, two extraordinary lives unfold. Nora is an unflinching frontierswoman awaiting the return of the men in her life—her husband, who has gone in search of water for the parched household, and her elder sons, who have vanished after an explosive argument. Nora is biding her time with her youngest son, who is convinced that a mysterious beast is stalking the land around their home.

Meanwhile, Lurie is a former outlaw and a man haunted by ghosts. He sees lost souls who want something from him, and he finds reprieve from their longing in an unexpected relationship that inspires a momentous expedition across the West.

[lumpynose]

Just finished Djinn City by Saad Z. Hossain and thoroughly enjoyed it. He has a great sense of humor and is a very good writer.

[lumpynose]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Inland by Téa Obreht.

Sounds sort of like Silver on the road by Laura Anne Gilman which I really enjoyed.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: The Serpent in the Crown by Elizabeth Peters. The 19th (and penultimate) Amelia Peabody mystery, set in Egypt in 1922.

It was delightful, as expected. And is only the 17th, not the 19th. I have three more to go (although I haven not yet bought the last two).

Next up: The Blood Card by Elly Griffiths. The third in her post-WWII mystery series.

[kainne]

Currently reading Supermarket by Bobby Hall.

[ReadingManiac]

Originally Posted by lumpynose

Just finished Djinn City by Saad Z. Hossain and thoroughly enjoyed it. He has a great sense of humor and is a very good writer.

I keep looking for good books on this theme. I'll have a look at this one!

[Fbone]

Finished reading The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner. Her second in the King's Thief series. Despite being well-written and interesting I didn't care for where the plot was heading. The premise of the series and being a thief changed and I may not continue on. It's a shame really. Rated C+ [4 stars].

[lumpynose]

Originally Posted by Fbone

Finished reading The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner. Her second in the King's Thief series. Despite being well-written and interesting I didn't care for where the plot was heading. The premise of the series and being a thief changed and I may not continue on. It's a shame really. Rated C+ [4 stars].

That one I won't rave about but I also read it out of order. All of the other books I loved. That series is one of my top 3 or 5 or whatever.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by Fbone

Finished reading The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner. Her second in the King's Thief series. Despite being well-written and interesting I didn't care for where the plot was heading. The premise of the series and being a thief changed and I may not continue on. It's a shame really. Rated C+ [4 stars].

I made it through 4 of them. Have the 5th sitting here, and I'm having trouble getting excited about it.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Currently reading Iona Whishaw's A Deceptive Devotion, the sixth and most recent of her Lane Winslow / Inspector Darling mysteries that are set in rural British Columbia in the late 1940's. Quite enjoyable, as this whole series has been, with the sole exception of the 4th, which I did not particularly enjoy. The main character, Lane Winslow, is roughly based on the author's mother, who was a spy during WWII.

Also listening to An Overture to Death, the 8th of Ngaio Marsh's Inspector Roderick Alleyn mysteries. The beginning was a bit tedious, but I'm past that now and quite enjoying it. The narration by Nadia May (real name Wanda McCaddon) is superb, as always.

Finished both, and quite enjoyed both. Next up, the second of N.K. Jemisin's Inheritance trilogy -- The Broken Kingdoms. So far, quite enjoying it.