This week I had a conversation with two clients that led to book reccs. I love hearing about books from people whose taste I admire. One highlight of that was walking through the book room at Bouchercon some years back with Lee Child. Yes, he's a terrific writer, but he's also a reading fiend. I needed to buy a second suitcase to haul my loot home from that little tour.
What's a recent book you've read on the recommendation of a pal (or enemy!) and did you agree with his/her assessment?
And on a side note, are you using Amazon lockers? This was my first tentative toe in the water this week, and I love it!
I picked up these three books at 3:30 Sunday morning. Didn't have to talk to a soul and no one had to dig around for a package. Whoever came up with this idea is a genius!
Contest results tomorrow...I hope!
22 comments:
ooh, the new Deborah Crombie! Lucky you!
I've been giving out book recommendations, The Overstory, Disappearing Earth.
We enjoyed the new Bruno because we'd like to visit him for dinner.
I'm deep into Wildflowers of the White Mountains for today.
I told a friend I was researching plot twists and she recommended Harlan Coben’s entire library.
I'm a big locker fan, too.
Jessica Faust recently tweeted about SO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT RACE and I reserved it at my library. I'm currently #1 in line so I should be able to read it soon.
The closest Amazon locker to me is 20 miles away. That's a long way out of the way to pick up my orders, so I just have them delivered to my house. My husband works from home so he's usually here to accept the delivery.
I get a lot of recommendations here, although I don’t remember offhand what the latest was. The spousal unit and I are planning a trip to the bookstore for next weekend.
Question for all you Reiders: is there a way to share ebooks with someone who’s NOT on your (e.g., Kindle) account? Just like you would lend a paper book to a friend, can you lend an ebook? Someone asked me, and since I prefer reading physically-in-my-hands books, I didn’t have an answer. I know libraries have apps for lending ebooks but didn’t know if there was a private-citizen version.
My son recommended WORLD WAR Z, which was pretty good. I was amazed that the author could do so many POVs so well and have them be so unique. Good job, Max Brooks.
I'm still reading QUILL OF THE WILD GOOSE, which was recommended by someone on a Civil War forum. It's pretty good reading if you like Civil War letters and journals.
THE GOBLIN EMPEROR was a book club selection on the litforum and over all I liked it.
THRONE OF GLASS I also just recently finished and was a recommendation. Mixed emotions. It was well-written, but I got tired of the "I'm so pretty, don't you think I'm pretty, they think I'm pretty, he thinks I'm pretty, she's jealous because I'm pretty, oh, look, I'm even prettier now and I didn't even know that was possible but I am, I am, I am, I'm prettier!"
I may try another series as she is a good writer, just not more I'm So Pretty.
Finishing up the Shetland series by Ann Cleeves. I've developed a love/hate relationship with the stories but can't seem to put them down. Then it's on to Peter May's newest, The Man With No Face.
I finished Laura Ruby's York: The Clockwork Ghost in the wee hours this morning. It's the second of a MG trilogy. Now I'm anxious for number 3 to be published. I think it was Linda Sue Park who recommended the first two on Twitter? Whoever it was - thank you. So, so good!!
I love these threads. Thanks Janet! About a month ago, we had a similar discussion and Claire Bobrow suggested The Book of Boy by Catherine Gilbert Murdock. WOW!
Imaginative premise that felt truly right for the medieval setting. Heartstring tugging exploration of grief and loss. Excellent characters with satisfying growth which was also integral to the plot and theme. Voice in spades, including the animals which were really funny. Vivid, driving prose. Just the right, light touch on the unreliable narrator.
So Claire, no pressure, but if you post about a great read today I’m listening :)
Hey Claire! We posted at the same time :) Back to the library I go and thanks again.
I have finished a book by a local writer friend. Well, I 'finished' as in 'I stopped' halfway through and then read the last two pages only. I couldn't manage any more.
I've not recommended this book but will still give this to my best local writer friend because he wants to read it and then discuss it.
I couldn't take any more of this book, even though the craft itself was GOOD! A car doesn't just park in front of somebody's house - it crunches to a stop on the gravel! I loved those bits.
But then there is SO much infodump in this book, and it's ALL wrapped in dialogue and I wonder if the author thinks it's showing. It's not!
The FANTASTIC thing about this book is, it has highlighted the different aspects there are to writing so perfectly:
1) the craft itself
2) whether there is actually a plot
3) telling vs showing
I'd rather have believed that when someone is great at slinging sentences, that 2) and 3) would also be there, simply because I thought "oh, talented writing". But there are different talents.
(Have I forgotten any??)
Re Harlan Coben: I read his book SIX YEARS about two years ago and it was the first book in English that I read. I couldn't put it down.
I didn't even know what Amazon locker is until I just Googled it. Interesting!
Recommended read I got in-person: a biography of Sadhu Sundhar Singh. I'm up to the part where he (possibly?) fakes his own death, and the author says it doesn't matter whether or not this actually happened. Then got stalled out, distracted by life and by less-demanding fiction.
Read I have seen reviewed positively on book blogs and is now on my TBR: Circe.
Katja: Your critique terrifies me. Definitely something to watch out for!
I recently read Spooky Action at a Distance by George Musser, recommended by my brother who knows how much I enjoy having my mind blown by quantum physics. I really liked Musser's writing style. I was reading along thinking, Hey, I halfway almost semi-understand a little bit of this. An incredible feat on Musser's part, and a great read if you're a fan of nonlocality like I am!
KariV I hope you and your loved ones are okay. I saw the news yesterday and thought of you.
I'm reading our own Katja's ONE OF US HAS TO GO. So far it is excellent.
I have a brother with severe OCD, and it is heartbreaking to see a character with something so recognizable, especially from a kid's PoV.
It's also an interesting story... and a little birdie told me there's a twist at the end...
Wishing you all a peaceful Sunday.
Hey JanR! I'm so glad you liked The Book of Boy :-)
Jen Rofé (lit agent with ABLA) recommended another one of Catherine Gilbert Murdock's book on Twitter recently. I just read it last week and loved it: Dairy Queen (YA).
I finished Hangman Blind by Cassandra Clark. Excellent medieval mystery.
In 1973 I was gifted a book that changed me into a reader that wanted to read. Some days it seems like and obsession, this reading thing.
Just finished Tiamat's Wrath by James S.A. Corey. Cool stuff.
If any of you are Query Tracker people, I would appreciate a look at my query, Ashes of a New Dawn. Thanks
I'm not so great at reading books just now (or still, I guess. It's been a years long problem) so now I track the short fiction that I read, and the articles. This week, I read a short story in Uncanny that just knocked my socks off: "Canst Thou Draw Out the Leviathan?"
On vacation, I tried to read "The Right to Write" by Julia Cameron, on the recommendation of one of my writing group attendees, but it was simply not for me. I think I like a particular sort of book about writing, which includes biographical tidbits and craft talk in general, rather than an exercise per exceedingly short chapter. I want narrative (so like Stephen King's On Writing and Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird and Ron Carlson Writes a Story [maybe that one is more craft driven? very intersting, anyway])
Craig F , I have no idea how to find a query on Query Tracker, but if you want to shoot it through I'm happy to give it a once over. I won't post my email address here to avoid being picked up by spammers, but if you go to my website ajblythe.com the contact page will put you in touch.
I got some recommendations from author Elizabeth Spann Craig's recent blog post Resources for Writing a Compelling Mystery
I've ordered "How to Write a Damn Good Mystery: A Practical Step-By-Step Guide from Inspiration to Finished Manuscript" by James N Frey from Abe Books (but it has to wing it's way here from the UK) and pre-ordered from Amazon kindle the updated release of "Writing the Romantic Comedy" by Billy Mernit which comes out in Feb 2020.
Ditto here Craig. You can DM me on twitter, fb, or IG for my email. Or post a how-to to find it on QT.
In answer to: "What's a recent book you've read on the recommendation of a pal (or enemy!) and did you agree with his/her assessment?"
Travels with My Aunt, by Graham Greene.
And yes, I agreed with her assessment that it's terrific!
A dear friend and I live in different countries and meet up a few times per year to furtively exchange the goods like bibliophile drug dealers. We spent yesterday shouting at each other about Hanya Yanagihara's A Little Life, which he had recommended to me. My tear ducts have had a thorough cleansing, but I have also discovered a new favourite book.
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