Monday, July 10, 2017

It's Monday 7/10! What Are You Reading?

Whew, super busy weekend, so no time for blogging. Our sons came home from their 2-week long trip (on their grandparents' sailboat) late Friday night, so we are back to our normal level of noise, mess, and chaos...but it is great to see them again! We were awakened at 2am Friday with an emergency from my father-in-law, so my husband spent the rest of the night in the ER with him (he is fine now). We went with our sons and some old friends to our favorite local Cajun/Creole cafe Saturday - we used to live in New Orleans, and the husband/wife chef-owners of this place also lived there and each cooked for our two favorite restaurants there! So, their food is truly authentic (as opposed to most so-called Cajun restaurants) and really delicious. Sunday, we had all of us here, including my father-in-law, for a big dinner. And next weekend, my husband and I hit the road again...this time for my 30th college reunion! So, that should be fun, but it will be a very busy week getting ready.

Of course, we always have time for our books - here's what we've been reading this past week:
  • I finished reading a review book for Shelf Awareness, Exposure by Lisa Scottoline. I think I've only read one other novel (her first) by this very popular author. I enjoyed this legal thriller that is part of her Rosato & DiNunzio series. It was a slow build in the beginning, but past the halfway point, the pace was very fast and packed with action and suspense. It's about a case involving a close family friend of Mary DiNunzio that starts out as a simple wrongful termination case, but blows up into something much bigger and more complex.
  • Now, I am reading my only summer book group book, I Am Malala: the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai. I've wanted to read this one for a long time and am glad to finally have the chance. It's great so far - fascinating and engrossing - about a young girl's childhood in Pakistan.
  • I finished listening to The Risen by Ron Rash on audio. I have wanted to read a Rash novel for ages! This one, like most of his, takes place in Appalachia, in the mountains of North Carolina. The action shifts back and forth between 1969, when the narrator and his older brother met a beautiful girl while fishing at the creek, and present day, when his life has fallen apart and he sees in the newspaper that the girl's body was found near that same creek. It was very good, with excellent writing and a riveting plot. Now I want to read more Rash novels!
  • I started a new audio, Almost Autumn by Marianne Kaurin, a teen/YA novel about a teen girl in a Jewish family in Norway during WWII (I know, I keep saying no more WWII stories, but there are so many in my backlog and so many different angles!). At the start of the novel, the war hasn't really affected her and her family yet, but I suspect that will change.
  • My husband, Ken, is still reading Dust by Hugh Howey, book 3 in the Wool series, which I am dying to read! I just finished book 2, Shift, last month and hope to read this one as soon as Ken is finished with it, while the first two books are still fresh in my mind. This is Ken's 2nd Big Book of the Summer, and will be my third!
  • Jamie, 22, has returned from his trip with his brother, cousins, and grandparents. He finished reading Dune by Frank Herbert, the classic sci fi novel. Jamie read Dune once before, but he was very young (about middle-school age) so he enjoyed re-reading it. Next, he read Paul of Dune by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, a sequel that his dad lent him. 
  • Now, Jamie is reading Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson, book 1 of the series, The Malazan Book of the Fallen. It's an epic fantasy of the type he loves that he picked out at his favorite used bookstore recently.
 Last week's blog posts:
Books Read in May (yes, May, but I'm catching up!) - 9 books in all

Fiction Review: The World To Come by Jim Shepard - short stories based on real-life disasters

Teen/YA Review: Projekt 1065 by Alan Gratz - unique, suspenseful story of kids' role in WWII

What Are You Reading Monday is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date, so head over and check out her blog and join the Monday fun! You can also participate in a kid/teen/YA version hosted by Unleashing Readers.

What are you and your family reading this week?  

You can also follow me on Twitter at @SueBookByBook or on Facebook on my blog's page

Remember to sign up for my Big Book Summer Challenge! You have plenty of time (until September) to read just 1 book (more if you want) with 400+ pages. Everyone has a chunkster like this (or dozens of them, like me!) on their shelves or TBR list. I hope you'll join the fun! (you don't need a blog to sign up - see the challenge page for details)

20 comments:

  1. That is a busy weekend! I'm glad your father-in-law is ok. I Am Malala is such a fantastic book group pick. I bet you will have a really good discussion.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's great so far, Lindsey - I am looking forward to the discussion!

      Delete
  2. I love the family approach to this post! We are a family of readers as well. :) I was happy to find your blog, and may linger here a bit. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Kendra! Glad you liked it - yes, we are a family of readers - well, mostly. My 19-year old son says he hates to read, but I am hoping he will come back to it one day!

      Delete
  3. So much good reading going on! I love Cajun food, but have to wait until I'm out of town to find a restaurant. Glad your father-in-law is better now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mmmm...yes, usually Cajun restaurants outside of Louisiana aren't very good. That's why we were so excited to see these two had worked for two of our favorite NOLA chefs! (Emeril and Susan Spicer). My son just finished off the leftovers!

      Delete
  4. I am reading a BiG Book, A Gentleman in Moscow as well as Mr. Bridge by Evan S Connell. My husband is deep into the Serge Storm series, maybe book 16. My 20 yo son is reading Moby Dick and posting quotes on the whiteboard where he works!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Serge Storms series looks like one my husband would enjoy. I've wanted to read A Gentleman in Moscow - hope you are enjoying it.

      Moby Dick! Impressive! I love it :)

      Delete
  5. The 19 yo is still a reluctant reader! Must have been in the water the year we hatched them!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ha ha - must have been! He loved books when he was little & would occasionally find a series that grabbed him as he got older, but he just doesn't like to sit still! ha ha Funny this is that he is very good at reading - always gets top scores on standardized tests - but he just doesn't enjoy it. Ah, well.

      Delete
  6. I think Malala's story is more impressive than the book. But, it's worth reading to learn about it all.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, it's not a perfectly written book (a bit repetitive already) but the story is fascinating.

      Delete
  7. Now I know what to read tonihgt - Wool (1-5) has been languishing on my Nook unread. I'm starting it finally - thanks to you reminding me about it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes!! Given the books you usually enjoy, you will LOVE this twisty series, Tanya! Enjoy! And they are all Big Books, if you want to join the challenge!

      Delete
  8. I am Malala is one of my favourite books- I've devoured it four or five times!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow, that's great!! I'm enjoying it so far!

      Delete
  9. You certainly were busy. Have a great week. We're in the last few days in our current place. It seems like the work to move will never end. Come see what I'm reading when I'm not packing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow, I can't even imagine all the work involved in packing & moving now that we've had kids (haven;t moved in 22 years!). Good luck!

      Delete
  10. I am reading the sixth book in Ben Aaronovitch's Peter Grant Series, The Hanging Tree. As you tell, I love this series a lot. They are British detective novels where the protagonist is training to be a wizard. Each book is filled with mythical creatures. They are very clever and witty. I think your young men might like them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oooh...sounds intriguing! Thanks for the recommendation!

      Delete