Anonymous wrote:What is everyone reading this month? Just finished The Crow Trap by Ann Cleeves

What is it about?
"Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope may not be the first person you'd think of for a heroine: she's overweight, a bit rough around the edges, and her staff knows when to stay out of her way. Vera's crime-solving skills, however, are more than a match for the darkly fascinating cases that cross her path in northern England. Ann Cleeves's flawed detective won over fans of police procedurals in both the U.S. and U.K. This bestselling and critically acclaimed series has been made into the hit series Vera, starring Brenda Blethlyn."

What do you think of it? This one took me awhile to get through. It is a long book, and large sections are given to the characters' pasts. I got the audiobook and that helped me push through to the end. I'll try book two in this series to see if I want to continue with it.

Why did you pick that particular book to read? I like the author's Shetland series and knowing that this series had also been made into a TV show, I thought it would be good also.

How did you acquire the book? Public library/Libby for hard copy and audiobook

I am reading this too - its the first one in the series. I jumped over 2 character sections when I realized they'd be covering the same time period, hoping also, to get to the appearance of Vera herself a little sooner. Am tempted just to go into the 2nd book to be honest.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two books by Sophie Kinsella.
She is a British author who writes romcoms set in or around London.

The first book was called "Can You Keep A Secret". It was about a young woman who sits on a plane and freaks out when the plane hits turbulence. She ends up confessing lots of stuff to a nearby plane passenger. The next day when she arrives at work she discovers that the fellow plane passenger is actually the CEO and founder of the company she works for.

The next book was called "I owe you one". A woman is in a coffee shop and the guy at the table next to hers asks her to watch his laptop for a few minutes while he takes a phone call outside. The ceiling happens to cave in from a water leak while the guy is outside . She saves his laptop. They strike up a relationship.

I liked both books. They were both fun. I thought the characters and the story were well developed.

I picked up those particular books because I have read a few other books by the same author and always enjoy her books.

I downloaded the books from my library Libby / Overdrive website.

I know some people won't want spoilers but does she confess work crimes in Can You Keep a Secret? That sounds potentially hilarious.

Yes she does. Well, little crimes. She blurts out that she secretly pours orange juice on her coworkers potted plant whenever that coworker pisses her off.
And she confesses that the coffee at work is awful and so sometimes a friend from another department at work will pop by her office and say, "Can you help me go over some numbers" which is secret code for "Let's go to Starbucks, get some decent coffee, and chat about our love lives for an hour". So of course, the next day while the CEO is touring her work area, here comes the friend asking her to "go over some numbers" while the CEO is right there.

that sounds great!

Anonymous wrote:Just finished The Women, which I really liked - 4 stars. I want to go visit the nurse statue at the Vietnam Memorial now.

Also just finished Going Zero, by Anthony McCarten, about a Facebook-like company that partners with the CIA to run a competition where normal citizens try to "disappear" for 30 days without being found, and the book follows both the hunters and the hunted. It was a fun adventure novel, but I thought the writing was kind of so-so.

that sounds like a fun premise for a book!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m about a third into Tom Lake. This will be a DNF for me. I just don’t find the story or the characters interesting.

And I was coming in here to say I loved Tom Lake! Maybe it’s the references to Thornton Wilder’s ‘Our Town’ or just the mother/daughter’s theme I enjoyed. I understand that Meryl Streep narrates it on the audiobook but I’ve just read it .

I enjoyed Tom Lake and also think it coasted on the writer being really good and that masking a pretty meh story! But the funny thing is that the whole time, I pictured the main character AS Meryl Streep - even though she's not the right age for it. I read that one, didn't listen to the audiobook, so I had no idea that MS narrated.

I feel like it you're not charmed to bits by the writing/setting, then Tom Lake is going to be a miss.

I just finished a book I LOVED - Piglet, about a woman who learns her fiance has betrayed her and then can't stop eating. It's very lit fic - little plot, lots of beautiful food writing, with the suspense of a horror movie.

Then got a Kindle Unlimited of Crazy To Leave You - another book about a woman betrayed by her fiance. This one is very much women's lit - a lot lighter and breezier, more of a perfect man steps in to help the main character heal, etc. I've read other books by this author, and I enjoy that she's funny, wry, and the main characters/families are always very Jewish, which I appreciate (you don't get a lot of Jewish romcoms, do you?). The MCs are always really struggling with their weight and their mothers, and in both cases you can feel like it's too much. But, it's overall fun.

Right now I am reading an oldie. Olive Kittredge. I am thoroughly enjoying it.

I did not post in the March thread, but I read in March Amy Tans, the kitchen. God's wife and before that a book from Jody Picault called leaving or something similar to that.

What is everyone reading this month? Just finished The Crow Trap by Ann Cleeves

What is it about?
"Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope may not be the first person you'd think of for a heroine: she's overweight, a bit rough around the edges, and her staff knows when to stay out of her way. Vera's crime-solving skills, however, are more than a match for the darkly fascinating cases that cross her path in northern England. Ann Cleeves's flawed detective won over fans of police procedurals in both the U.S. and U.K. This bestselling and critically acclaimed series has been made into the hit series Vera, starring Brenda Blethlyn."

What do you think of it? This one took me awhile to get through. It is a long book, and large sections are given to the characters' pasts. I got the audiobook and that helped me push through to the end. I'll try book two in this series to see if I want to continue with it.

Why did you pick that particular book to read? I like the author's Shetland series and knowing that this series had also been made into a TV show, I thought it would be good also.

How did you acquire the book? Public library/Libby for hard copy and audiobook

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two books by Sophie Kinsella.
She is a British author who writes romcoms set in or around London.

The first book was called "Can You Keep A Secret". It was about a young woman who sits on a plane and freaks out when the plane hits turbulence. She ends up confessing lots of stuff to a nearby plane passenger. The next day when she arrives at work she discovers that the fellow plane passenger is actually the CEO and founder of the company she works for.

The next book was called "I owe you one". A woman is in a coffee shop and the guy at the table next to hers asks her to watch his laptop for a few minutes while he takes a phone call outside. The ceiling happens to cave in from a water leak while the guy is outside . She saves his laptop. They strike up a relationship.

I liked both books. They were both fun. I thought the characters and the story were well developed.

I picked up those particular books because I have read a few other books by the same author and always enjoy her books.

I downloaded the books from my library Libby / Overdrive website.

Have you read her book, “I’ve Got Your Number”? I really like “Can You Keep a Secret?” and “The Undomestic Goddess”, but “I’ve Got Your Number is my favorite by her. I don’t think I’ve read “I Owe You One”, so I’ll have to look for it.

I haven't read "I've got your number" yet, but I plan to this year. Actually, my plan is to download every book my library has available by Sophie Kinsella. I have read the two I mentioned and also her book "Remember me". I found all three to be delightful.

Oh, I forgot -- another book of hers that I read was called "Party crasher".

Sophie Kinsella books are good for escapism and when you want something light that doesn't require too much thinking. I say that, but then parts of her stories stay with me and I think of them often, even if I can't remember the exact details of the whole book. I like The Undomestic Goddess and one where the main character buys a van, turns it into a bookmobile, and moves to a small, rural area. I can't remember the name of that one and can't find it right now.

I just finished The Art Thief by Michael Finkel. It’s a short, interesting non- fiction read about one of the biggest art thieves of all times.

Just finished The Women, which I had to make myself finish. I liked Nightengale and Four Winds but couldn’t get into this character. Just started Berry Pickers, which I love so far. Great writing makes such a difference for me.

Up Home by Ruth Simmons. I got it on the Libby app. I picked it because she was the president of Smith College and I'm an alum, though we weren't there at the same time. I am finding it interesting and inspiring but wish it had been edited differently. I might like her more as a person than an author. I think it's a good length though.

Also From Sarah to Sydney about Sydney Taylor, the author of the All of a Kind Family series. I'm finding it a slow go--it's a pretty academic biography. I'm glad a thorough biography of her exists, but it might be more detail than I need! It's on paper, from the library, and I'm enjoying getting off my phone and reading it at bedtime.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two books by Sophie Kinsella.
She is a British author who writes romcoms set in or around London.

The first book was called "Can You Keep A Secret". It was about a young woman who sits on a plane and freaks out when the plane hits turbulence. She ends up confessing lots of stuff to a nearby plane passenger. The next day when she arrives at work she discovers that the fellow plane passenger is actually the CEO and founder of the company she works for.

The next book was called "I owe you one". A woman is in a coffee shop and the guy at the table next to hers asks her to watch his laptop for a few minutes while he takes a phone call outside. The ceiling happens to cave in from a water leak while the guy is outside . She saves his laptop. They strike up a relationship.

I liked both books. They were both fun. I thought the characters and the story were well developed.

I picked up those particular books because I have read a few other books by the same author and always enjoy her books.

I downloaded the books from my library Libby / Overdrive website.

Have you read her book, “I’ve Got Your Number”? I really like “Can You Keep a Secret?” and “The Undomestic Goddess”, but “I’ve Got Your Number is my favorite by her. I don’t think I’ve read “I Owe You One”, so I’ll have to look for it.

I haven't read "I've got your number" yet, but I plan to this year. Actually, my plan is to download every book my library has available by Sophie Kinsella. I have read the two I mentioned and also her book "Remember me". I found all three to be delightful.

Oh, I forgot -- another book of hers that I read was called "Party crasher".

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two books by Sophie Kinsella.
She is a British author who writes romcoms set in or around London.

The first book was called "Can You Keep A Secret". It was about a young woman who sits on a plane and freaks out when the plane hits turbulence. She ends up confessing lots of stuff to a nearby plane passenger. The next day when she arrives at work she discovers that the fellow plane passenger is actually the CEO and founder of the company she works for.

The next book was called "I owe you one". A woman is in a coffee shop and the guy at the table next to hers asks her to watch his laptop for a few minutes while he takes a phone call outside. The ceiling happens to cave in from a water leak while the guy is outside . She saves his laptop. They strike up a relationship.

I liked both books. They were both fun. I thought the characters and the story were well developed.

I picked up those particular books because I have read a few other books by the same author and always enjoy her books.

I downloaded the books from my library Libby / Overdrive website.

I know some people won't want spoilers but does she confess work crimes in Can You Keep a Secret? That sounds potentially hilarious.

Yes she does. Well, little crimes. She blurts out that she secretly pours orange juice on her coworkers potted plant whenever that coworker pisses her off.
And she confesses that the coffee at work is awful and so sometimes a friend from another department at work will pop by her office and say, "Can you help me go over some numbers" which is secret code for "Let's go to Starbucks, get some decent coffee, and chat about our love lives for an hour". So of course, the next day while the CEO is touring her work area, here comes the friend asking her to "go over some numbers" while the CEO is right there.

I’m reading Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See and really enjoying it. I found it while browsing at my local library.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Two books by Sophie Kinsella.
She is a British author who writes romcoms set in or around London.

The first book was called "Can You Keep A Secret". It was about a young woman who sits on a plane and freaks out when the plane hits turbulence. She ends up confessing lots of stuff to a nearby plane passenger. The next day when she arrives at work she discovers that the fellow plane passenger is actually the CEO and founder of the company she works for.

The next book was called "I owe you one". A woman is in a coffee shop and the guy at the table next to hers asks her to watch his laptop for a few minutes while he takes a phone call outside. The ceiling happens to cave in from a water leak while the guy is outside . She saves his laptop. They strike up a relationship.

I liked both books. They were both fun. I thought the characters and the story were well developed.

I picked up those particular books because I have read a few other books by the same author and always enjoy her books.

I downloaded the books from my library Libby / Overdrive website.

Have you read her book, “I’ve Got Your Number”? I really like “Can You Keep a Secret?” and “The Undomestic Goddess”, but “I’ve Got Your Number is my favorite by her. I don’t think I’ve read “I Owe You One”, so I’ll have to look for it.

I haven't read "I've got your number" yet, but I plan to this year. Actually, my plan is to download every book my library has available by Sophie Kinsella. I have read the two I mentioned and also her book "Remember me". I found all three to be delightful.

Just started The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek. So far, so good. I'm listening on Libby and I chose it, because it was available now. I've got 3 other books on hold and needed something to fill the gap while I wait.