Books Read in July

A cool spot on a hot summer day at our local nature center.

It was mostly a Big Book Summer month for me! Here's what I finished reading in July:

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins - YA fiction on audio

Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King (OH) - adult fiction

Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert (UK) - adult fiction

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata (Japan) - adult fiction

Doomsday Book by Connie Willis (UK) - adult fiction

It was an all-fiction month in July and almost all adult fiction, except for one YA novel on audio. That fiction covered a wide variety of types and genres, including science fiction, mystery/thriller, romance, general fiction, and a time travel historical thriller! That made it a very fun reading month. I enjoyed all of these novels very much. My favorite is an easy pick, though, because I was completely knocked out by Doomsday Book--could not stop reading, yet never wanted it to end! Two weeks later, I still can't stop thinking about it. That's some good summer reading.

Progress in 2020 Reading Challenges:
You can see all of the reading challenges I am participating in and full lists of the books read for each at the challenges link. I have some fun ones going this year! Here's how July stacked up:

Mount TBR Reading Challenge 2020 - I read 2 books from my own shelves last month.

2020 Monthly Motif Reading Challenge - July was Around the World, and I read Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata, set in Japan and written by a Japanese author.

Back to the Classics 2020 - No classics last month (but I am working on one now!)

PopSugar Reading Challenge - this is a unique one! It's getting challenging now that many categories are filled, but I fit 2 of my books into nee PopSugar categories: Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata is set in Japan and Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert is written by an author in her 20's (can you believe she's just 23 years old?)

2020 Nonfiction Reader's Challenge - No nonfiction in July.

2020 Diversity Reading Challenge - Three of my books included diverse characters, though none fit the July theme of LGBTQ+.

Travel the World in Books Reading Challenge - I added Japan to my worldwide reading tour last month.

2020 Literary Escapes Challenge - I added one new state: Ohio.

2020 Big Book Summer Challenge - I added three more Big Books in July, for a total of seven so far.

And finally, Bookish Bingo hosted by Chapter Break - not really a challenge per se, but a fun game that I play each month! Stop by to print out this month's Bingo card and play along. In July, I filled 21 spaces on my bingo card, which is great for only five books:

Spaces Filled:

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes - cake/pie/dessert, animal, multi-word title, audiobook, free book
Mr. Mercedes - in a series, read a physical book, shelf love
Get a Life, Chloe Brown - birthday, diversity, made you laugh, read an ebook
Convenience Store Woman - set in a foreign country, library book, not in a series, book club read
Doomsday Book - made you cry, feast, red/white/blue on the cover, gift
Free Space

What was your favorite book read in July?  
 

It's Monday 8/10! What Are You Reading?

I'm very late with my post today and I didn't get around to visit many blogs last week, but I have a good excuse ... our power has been out for 6 of the last 7 days! It is STILL out, and I can only write this post now because my husband finally found a small generator (they have been sold out in all area stores since last Tuesday). It's not big enough to run our refrigerators/freezers, but at this point, most of the food is a lost cause anyway. So, we are using it to run fans (what marvelous inventions!), and we just restarted the internet router. 

All this excitement began last Tuesday, when Tropical Storm Isaias came right through our tiny state. We rarely get a direct hit like that and two tornadoes set down in Delaware, including one with a record-setting 22-mile long path. There was lots of damage, and we lost power, along with 115,000 other local households. Luckily, it wasn't very hot out, and our power was restored about 25 hours later on Wednesday. Since that storm, though, our cell service has also been spotty, so I can't make calls from our house, though I can sometimes get a text through.

Thursday was fine, giving me enough time to restock at the grocery store (and refill the fridge/freezers), and then an unexpected second storm hit on Friday that was surprisingly powerful, with gusts up to 95 mph and lots of flooding. So, we lost power again on Friday. This time, the temperature and humidity has been rising each day since then, so it has been not only inconvenient but very uncomfortable. The power company sent an automated message Sunday at 5 pm, saying, "Your power has been restored!" Only it wasn't. So, here we are, Monday at 5 pm, still waiting. Only now we have fans and internet!

So, that was my week! Off-line and old-school. I've had time to read, though; in fact, I even read the Sunday paper on Sunday--it usually takes me all week to finish it.

Here's what we have all been reading this past week:

I finished my non-Big-Book-palate-cleanser, Normal People by Sally Rooney. This was a gift from my husband, and I've been hearing all the rave reviews of both the book and the new Hulu TV show, so I was excited to read it. It's about a man, Connell, and a woman, Marianne, in Ireland. They grow up in the same small town and go to school together and begin a long, complicated on-and-off relationship during their last year of high school/secondary school and on into college. It's clear that they care about each other, and they have a uniquely close relationship, even when one or both of them is seeing someone else, but they both have issues that keep getting in the way of a strong, healthy romantic relationship together. It was very good, well-written and it felt like I knew the characters by the end. I'm looking forward to watching the TV show (someday, when we have power again).

Now, I have returned to my Big Book Summer Challenge and am reading David Copperfield by Charles Dickens, a Big Book and a classic that I have been wanting to read for ages. I love Dickens, read several of his books in school, and so many people have told me that this one is their favorite. I was immediately pulled into the story and am loving the title character, who--like many of Dickens' characters--is a good person who is suffering through horrible mistreatment as a child. David's father died before he was born, but he has a warm, loving relationship with his mother and with the maid/nurse who helps care for them both. The trouble begins when his mother remarries (nice to see an evil stepfather, for a change). I am really enjoying the novel so far, though it is a BIG Book physically, so large that I'm having trouble reading it in bed, where I usually do all my reading (well, on a futon in our basement, where it is cooler, for the moment).

On audio, I finished The Dutch House by Ann Patchett and enjoyed it very much. The audiobook is read by Tom Hanks, and it is incredibly soothing and entertaining to have Hanks read a story to me in my earbuds in his familiar voice. It's about a boy, Danny, and his sister, Maeve, growing up in a big house originally built by Dutch immigrants and known in town as the Dutch House. Their mother leaves when they are young, so it is just the children and their somewhat distant father, plus the two women who care for the house. But when their dad remarries a woman who clearly does not like them (and the feeling is mutual), their lives change in unexpected ways (yes, an evil stepmother!). The story is told by Danny as an adult, so parts of it are told in the past, as he experienced things as a boy and young man, and parts as he and Maeve look back on their childhood and the house that meant so much to them. It was wonderful from start to finish, with some unexpected twists, and was extra-special read by Hanks. 

I haven't started it yet, but this morning, I moved a new audiobook onto my iPod (again, it's good to be old school), American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins. I think probably everyone has heard about this one! This novel, released in January 2020, caused some controversy, since the author is a white woman, writing a novel about Mexican immigrants. The story is about a woman, Lydia, and her son who live in Acapulco. She runs a bookstore and has a happy life, until her husband publishes a tell-all article about the city's biggest drug cartel leader. Lydia and her son are forced to flee for the United States, with their lives in grave danger. The novel follows them on their harrowing journey. I have no problem with Cummins writing this novel: it's an important story to tell, and, from what I have heard, she writes it well. The book has certainly attracted many accolades and much attention (controversy aside). I've been looking forward to it and can't wait to start listening.

My husband, Ken, is still reading a Father's Day gift from me, The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith (aka JK Rowling), book two in her Cormoran Strike mystery series. We both enjoyed the first book, The Cuckoo's Calling, so I was excited to give him the next one ... and when he opened it, he did not remember the series at all!! Now that he's into the book, though, he's enjoying it. He commented to me that he really likes the main character, Strike, and that I would also. I reminded him that I already read the first book and remembered it, and I did like the character. This one involves a missing writer who just finished a novel with "poisoned pen" barely-disguised descriptions of just about everyone he knows, which means there are plenty of suspects! This sounds like a great set-up for a mystery, so I will probably read this one this fall, too.

Our son, 25, is such an avid reader that he has taken full advantage of the power outages! He is loving the series The Mageborn by Michael G. Manning. He started with book 1, The Blacksmith's Son, when he was on vacation last week. Here's the description from Amazon: "Mordecai’s simple life as the son of a blacksmith is transformed by the discovery of his magical birthright. As he journeys to understand the power within him he is drawn into a dangerous plot to destroy the Duke of Lancaster and undermine the Kingdom of Lothion. Love and treachery combine to embroil him in events he was never prepared to face. What he uncovers will change his understanding of the past, and alter the future of those around him." Our son loves this series, and this week, he's quickly read through books two and three, The Line of Illeniel and The Archmage Unbound, and is now reading book four, The God-Stone War.

Blog posts from last week:

Movie Monday: Transsiberian - a suspenseful thriller set on a train through snowy Siberia

Fiction Review: Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert - a fun, funny romance featuring a character with a chronic illness

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.

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

What are you and your family reading this week?  

 

Fiction Review: Get a Life, Chloe Brown

I don't normally read much romance, but I kept hearing rave reviews of Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert. So when I saw it discounted on Book Bub, I took a chance and downloaded it to my Kindle. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this unique romance novel features a main character who has a chronic illness, a rarity in fiction! I enjoyed reading about the brave and bold but damaged Chloe.

In the Prologue, Chloe Brown has a life-changing moment when a car narrowly misses her while she's walking along city streets. She is unhurt, but the incident shakes her up and makes her rethink her careful, cautious life. A highly organized, list-loving woman, Chloe makes a Get a Life list to ensure that her obituary won't be so boring. Her first item is to move out of her family home, where she lives with her two sisters, Dani and Eve, her parents, and her spirited grandmother, Gigi. Her family is very supportive of her and her chronic illness, fibromyalgia, but Chloe decides it's time to get out on her own. She moves into an apartment and settles into a happy though solitary life, working from home as a web designer and IT specialist. She soon clashes with her building super, though. He's a big, red-haired, motorcycle-riding guy named Red, and they dislike each other from the start. Little by little, though, as Chloe works through her list, they get to know each other better and realize they are both wildly attracted to the other. Each has been hurt by a bad relationship in the past, so they are both cautious about falling in love again, though Red is determined to help her with her list.

The author balances a careful line here, both sharing intimate details of Chloe's daily challenges with chronic pain and fatigue while also making her relatable, someone you either see yourself in or want to be friends with. Her work to improve her life and her compulsive list-making are fun characteristics. As someone living with chronic illness myself, I found the details of her life honest and real, in a way that felt surprising to encounter in a novel. At the same time, the story is a lot of fun, filled with snappy dialogue, romance, and mild suspense as to whether Chloe and Red will end up together. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, as when Chloe gets stuck in a tree or Red catches her bundled up in a lemur onesie. The sex scenes are fairly graphic, which doesn't bother me but be forewarned, but I did find myself getting a bit bored by the "will they or won't they," "he loves me, he loves me not" stuff that is pretty standard in romance novels; this might be why I don't read more of them. Overall, though, I enjoyed this unique novel with likable characters, a sense of fun, and plenty of humor and enjoyed getting to know the unstoppable Chloe Brown.

384 pages, Avon

Listen to a sample of the audiobook here and/or download it from Audible.

You can purchase Get a Life, Chloe Brown from an independent bookstore, either locally or online, here:

 

You can also buy through indie bookstores using Bookshop.

Or you can order Get a Life, Chloe Brown from Book Depository, with free shipping worldwide.

Movie Monday: Transsiberian

As usual these days, we were scouring Amazon and Netflix Saturday evening, looking for a movie to watch. My husband most enjoys thrillers (and I like them, too), and we lucked out last month with I See You, which was excellent and super-twisty. This week, he found a 2008 movie on Amazon Prime:  Transsiberian, about an action-packed train ride through Siberia, and we enjoyed the suspenseful story very much.

As the movie opens, Roy (played by Woody Harrelson), and his wife, Jessie (played by Emily Mortimer), have just finished up some volunteer work with their church in China and are boarding the Transsiberian Railroad for a trip to Russia, where they will tour Moscow before returning home to the U.S. Roy is a pure-bred, white-bread, All-American Midwesterner who loves trains, has childlike enthusiasm, and makes friends with everyone he meets. Jessie is quieter and has a more complicated past but loves Roy and enjoyed the volunteer work, her first time doing anything like that. They are paired up in their tiny train cabin with another couple. Carlos, played by Eduardo Ximenez, and Abby, played by Kate Mara, are clearly very different from Roy and Jessie, with Carlos' sly looks and teasing them about their clean passports and Abby's heavy make-up and quiet confidence. The two couples bond while traveling, but after Roy gets separated from the group, things begin to fall apart. Back on the train after a stop in a tiny Russian village, Roy and Jessie meet Detective Grinko, played by Ben Kingsley, who explains that he and his team are looking for dug smugglers, and the railroad is a common smuggling run. Things go a little off the rails at the point, if you'll pardon the pun, and the suspense builds, as the action and surprises ramp up.

The setting, including both the train itself and the vast, snowy Russian countryside, is a big part of this thriller and adds to its ominous tension. The cast are all excellent in their roles, driving us to IMDB, as usual, to see where we knew the two women from, and Harrelson is the perfect innocent Midwesterner. True to its thriller framework, the story is filled with unexpected twists and turns, and the tension builds as the quiet train ride turns deadly. We both enjoyed this movie very much.

Transsiberian is currently available on Amazon (included in Prime).

Here's the trailer; however, be forewarned that it contains some mild spoilers. This is the official trailer, so maybe they thought you'd figure these things out the first time you saw the characters. I did see the trailer first and still enjoyed the movie and had plenty of surprises in store.

If you prefer to go into a movie cold, skip the trailer and just know it's a suspenseful thriller, and give it a try!

It's Monday 8/3! What Are You Reading?

Yay, it's August! One more month and summer is over! I know I have a bad attitude about summer, but I have really come to dread it here in the Mid-Atlantic. With my chronic illness, I don't tolerate the heat well, and many days, it's too hot and humid to take a walk or even just sit on our deck or porch. Our heat index has been over 100 most days in July. It's really miserable here in the summer unless we can take a vacation up further north, which we can't do this year because we can't leave my father-in-law right now. He requires two visits a day, so even a day trip is out (which doesn't work for me anyway since I need to nap in the afternoon). So, that's my essay on why I now hate summer, and especially this summer! ha ha

I'm also still struggling mightily with my health. I was exposed to a cold virus this spring (not COVID-19--I checked!) and had a flare-up of my Lyme disease that in turn caused an old, dormant virus to reactivate, so I haven't even been at my normal baseline since mid-March, with all of these triggers causing a downturn in my immune disorder. It's getting old, always being exhausted. You'd think I'd be used to it after 18 years of chronic illness, but I normally feel better than this. I am still trying to get the dosing right on my antivirals: too much you and feel worse and too little and you feel worse, so it is a frustrating balancing act.

On the other hand, summer means #BigBookSummer, and that's always a bright spot for me! My husband even officially joined the fun this year (and you still can, too! You still have a little more than a month to go--details at the link). In fact, we've had a record number of participants join this summer--I think everyone is enjoying having something new to spark joy in their reading life (and overall life) under the circumstances. The other highlight of last week was finally getting to see my two friends and finally seeing Hamilton! It was a rare and fun evening out (safe and socially-distanced in recliners in my friend's living room).

Here's what we've all been reading this past week:

I finished my latest Big Book, Doomsday Book by Connie Willis. I LOVED THIS BOOK! It was amazing, and I just want to tell everyone to read it! I always enjoy time travel plots, and this book is part of her Oxford Time Travel series, which also includes To Say Nothing of the Dog, which I also enjoyed (they are loosely related and don't have to be read in order). This time, in 2155 a young female student, Kivrin, has traveled back in time all the way to the 1300's, in England's Middle Ages. It's the first time they've sent anyone back that far, and there are all sorts of concerns since so little was recorded about that era. Hours after Kivrin leaves, though, a contemporary emergency occurs when one of the techs working on the project comes down with a devastating virus, and says that something went wrong with the time travel, just before he passes out. This shouldn't happen, given the high-tech medical precautions used in this future (no one even gets colds), so there is a scramble to figure out what the virus is and where it came from. Meanwhile, the team at Oxford doesn't realize it, but the reader knows that Kivrin arrived in the Middle Ages with the same debilitating symptoms. What a premise--a contemporary woman horribly sick in the Middle Ages and all alone. The action goes back and forth between the present-day and the past, and the suspense is incredibly compelling. The mystery in the present and the happenings in the past continue to evolve and intertwine, and I came to care about the characters so much that I can't stop thinking about them, a week later. Ok, yes, there are two epidemics involved in this novel, and some similarities to our present situation (the book was written in 1992) are a bit unnerving, but the story, characters, and suspense are so great that I didn't care.  I loved every minute of it! (My review is at the link above).

I had to take a break from Big Books for a crazy reason--I have a bad burn on my stomach from an iced tea pitcher that exploded and threw boiling water on me (yeah, ow!), so I can't balance a Big Book on my belly right now! I normally read in bed, so this became a serious issue this week. So, I chose a slim paperback novel from my shelves, Normal People by Sally Rooney. This was another gift from my husband, and I've been hearing all the rave reviews of both the book and the new Hulu TV show, so I was excited to read it. It's about a man, Connell, and a woman, Marianne, in Ireland. They grew up in the same small town and went to school together and begin a long, complicated on-and-off relationship during their last year of high school/secondary school and on into college. It's clear that they care about each other, and they have a uniquely close relationship, even when one or both of them is seeing someone else, but they both have issues that keep getting in the way of a strong, healthy romantic relationship together. It's great so far, I'm really enjoying it, and I can easily hold it up with one hand.

On audio, I am still listening to The Dutch House by Ann Patchett and enjoying it more and more. The audiobook is read by Tom Hanks, and it is incredibly soothing and entertaining to have Hanks reading a story to me in my earbuds in his familiar voice. It's about a boy, Danny, and his sister, Maeve, growing up in a big house originally built by Dutch immigrants and known in town as the Dutch House. Their mother leaves when they are young, so it is just the children and their somewhat distant father, plus the two women who care for the house. But when their dad remarries a woman who clearly does not like them (and the feeling is mutual), their lives change in unexpected ways. The story is told by Danny as an adult, so parts of it are told in the past, as he experienced things as a boy and young man, and parts as he and Maeve look back on their childhood and the house that meant so much to them. I'm enjoying it so far, and it is extra-special read by Hanks.

My husband, Ken, finished reading one of his new Father's Day gifts from me, The Dry by Jane Harper, and loved it. I've been meaning to get him started on this super-popular new thriller author for a while now. This was her debut novel. As with all of Harper's books, it is set in Australia. A Federal Agent named Aaron visits his hometown for the first time in decades to attend the funeral of his childhood best friend, Luke. Years ago, Aaron was accused of murder, and Luke provided his alibi. Now, there are questions about Luke's death, so Aaron teams up with local law enforcement to investigate. The more they find out, the more small town secrets they dig up. So many of my friends have loved this novel, and Ken did, too! He is normally quite reticent about his reading ("how was it?" "good"), but he was raving over how great this novel is. Score! I want to read it this fall.

Now, Ken has moved onto another Father's Day gift from me (do you see how this works?), The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith (aka JK Rowling), book two in her Cormoran Strike mystery series. We both enjoyed the first book, The Cuckoo's Calling, so I was excited to give him the next one ... and when he opened it, he did not remember the series at all!! Now that he's into the book, though, he's enjoying it. He commented to me that he really likes the main character, Strike, and that I would also. I reminded him that I already read the first book and remembered it, and I did like the character. This one involves a missing writer who just finished a novel with "poisoned pen" barely-disguised descriptions of just about everyone he knows, which means there are plenty of suspects! This sounds like a great set-up for a mystery, so I will probably read this one this fall, too.

Our son, 25, has been enjoying a new-to-him fantasy series, The Mageborn, starting with book 1, The Blacksmith's Son. Here's the description from Amazon: "Mordecai’s simple life as the son of a blacksmith is transformed by the discovery of his magical birthright. As he journeys to understand the power within him he is drawn into a dangerous plot to destroy the Duke of Lancaster and undermine the Kingdom of Lothion. Love and treachery combine to embroil him in events he was never prepared to face. What he uncovers will change his understanding of the past, and alter the future of those around him." Sounds like another good one for him! He enjoyed it and wanted to read the rest of the series, but he didn't have WiFi access for his Kindle when he was ready for a new book!

Now, he is reading another book by a new-to-him author: Toric's Dagger by Jamie Edmundson, book one in The Weapon Taker's Saga. The titular dagger is a religious relic that is stolen, and two twins with a telepathic bond and some magic abilities must find a way to retrieve it. Its tagline is "It's takes a gang of thieves to catch a gang of thieves," and reviews compare the series to Lord of the Rings and Wheel of Time, two favorites of my son's. He's enjoying it so far.

Blog posts from last week:

TV Tuesday: Lie to Me - we are enjoying this decade-old unique crime series about lying

Fiction Review: Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata - this slim novel about a Japanese woman who just doesn't fit in was very good.

Fiction Review: Doomsday Book by Connie Willis - Did I mention I LOVED this book? Time travel, Middle Ages history, and great suspense.

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.

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

What are you and your family reading this week? 

Fiction Review: Doomsday Book

I am usually a bit behind in writing my reviews, but I just finished Doomsday Book by Connie Willis, and I loved it so much that I couldn't wait to tell you about it! This novel is a part of her Oxford Time Travel series, though the books are loosely related by setting and characters and do not have to be read in order. I previously read--and enjoyed--To Say Nothing of the Dog. In Doomsday Book, which won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards, an Oxford historian travels back in time to the Middle Ages, while epidemics rage in both the present-day and the past.

In 2155, Oxford's time travel expertise is well-known, and they periodically send historians back to particular time periods to study them first-hand. This time, a young undergraduate student named Kivrin is being sent back all the way to the Middle Ages. Her mentor, Mr. Dunsworthy, is against this trip because he feels that they have not yet adequately prepared for it. It will be the farthest back in time they have ever traveled, by far, and much less is known since few people could write at the time, so there is little recorded history. The university has been excavating a nearby Medieval village, and Mr. Gilchrist, as head of the Middle Ages history department, is ready to send Kivrin back to that village in 1320. Kivrin is excited because this will fulfill a dream of hers.

Things begin to go wrong right from the beginning, though. Just hours after sending Kivrin back to the 1300's, the time travel technician, Badri, suddenly collapses with a high fever and is rushed to the hospital. Before he passes out, he tells Mr. Dunworthy that something went wrong, but from then on, he is either unconscious or barely lucid and unable to further explain. Mr. Dunworthy, who was worried about this trip from the start, can not convince Mr. Gilchrist to reopen "the net" to retrieve Kivrin. Meanwhile, though her preset-day colleagues have no idea, the reader knows that Kivrin also fell ill after arriving in the 1300's. She arrived in the middle of a forest and is saved by a priest and a servant from a nearby manor house. They take her to the home, where the master is away, but his wife, two daughters, and mother are caring for the house and village, with a small group of servants. As sick as Kivrin is, things get even worse for her when she realizes that she can't understand the contemporaries--nor them her-- in spite of the languages she studied. Meanwhile, back in Oxford, the infection that knocked Badri out spreads rapidly, even in light of 22nd-century medical technology that has eliminated most infections, and doctors and scientists race to figure out what caused it and how to treat it and stop its spread.

The novel moves back and forth from the 22th century to the 14th century, with epidemics raging in both places, making for doubly-intense suspense. Both stories are equally compelling, with almost unbearable tension, as characters in both times struggle for their lives. I always enjoy time travel stories for how thought-provoking they are, with endless "what ifs," but here, the questions go even further: Where did the modern-day infection come from? How can Kivrin possibly survive a serious infection in the Middle Ages, before germs were even thought of, with horrible sanitation and no medications? The further the story goes, the more convoluted--and compelling--both stories become, with unexpected twists and turns throughout. I could hardly bear to set the book down! I so wanted to tell my husband all the details while I was reading, but I refrained so that he can read it next.

In addition to the gripping plot, the characters in this novel are fully fleshed-out, in both the present-day and the past, making you care about them. I both laughed out loud and cried while reading this outstanding novel--be forewarned that there are two epidemics raging in two different times in this story, so both despair and hope are involved. The historical aspect is always interesting in a time travel book, but it was especially fascinating here, as the Middle Ages is a particularly mysterious and distant time. The historical details of daily life are riveting. This is a fast-paced, enthralling rollercoaster ride of a story, and I loved every minute of it. I never wanted it to end and had a terrible book hangover when I finished it. I will definitely be reading Fire Watch, Willis' first book in the Oxford Time Travel world.

578 pages, Bantam Books

Recorded Books

NOTE: Yes, I once again read a novel about a terrible epidemic during our own pandemic--that makes three so far this year, and I swear it was not intentional! Be aware that there are similarities between this fictional world and what is currently going on in our own world. The novel was written in 1992, but masks, quarantines, and vaccine development all play a role here. Obviously, with the time travel element and half of the story taking place in the Middle Ages, there are plenty of differences, too, but if you are feeling particularly fragile about current events, you might want to wait to read this one.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. Purchases from these links provide a small commission to me (pennies per purchase), to help offset the time I spend writing for this blog, at no extra cost to you.

Listen to a sample of the audiobook here and/or download it from Audible.

You can purchase Doomsday Book from an independent bookstore, either locally or online, here:

You can also buy through indie bookstores using Bookshop.

Or you can order Doomsday Book from Book Depository, with free shipping worldwide.

Fiction Review: Convenience Store Woman

My first request from my library when they re-opened for curbside pick-up was Convenience Store Woman, a Japanese novel by Sayaka Murata, translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori. One of my favorite book podcasts, Book Cougars, chose this novel for their summer readalong, so I joined in the fun. Their discussion will be available on August 4 at the link. I enjoyed this slim novel featuring a unique main character and some thoughtful musings on the culture in our world today.

Keiko never felt like she fit in with the rest of the world, until she found her place: as a worker in a 24-hour convenience store called Smile Mart. There, among the rigid rules and procedures of the store chain, Keiko finally feels at home. In the rest of her life--even among her friends and family--she is never quite sure what to say or how to act, and she always feels out of place and has to work hard to observe others and try to replicate their behaviors to appear "normal." But in the florescent glare of the store, where things never change, and all interactions are spelled out in the employee manual, Keiko shines. She complies perfectly with all rules and regulations, and is outstanding at her job, always thinking of what's best for the store and its customers. Other employees come and go, often not taking the job seriously, but Keiko is Smile Mart's most dependable employee. Keiko is happy with the life she has built for herself and loves her job. The problem is the rest of the world; after 18 years at the store, her family, friends, colleagues, and even strangers tell her she should want more for her life. Everyone is pressuring her to find a husband and have a family or at least a "serious" job with a solid career path. Should Keiko stay in the world she loves or listen to everyone else and comply with societal norms?

"The normal world has no room for exceptions and always quietly eliminates foreign objects. Anyone who is lacking is disposed of.

So that's why I need to be cured. Unless I'm cured, normal people will expurgate me.

Finally I understood why my family had tried so hard to fix me"

The thoughtful ethical dilemma in this novel is clear from this simple summary, but what is harder to convey is how unique and endearing Keiko is. Her confusion over "normal" behaviors and inability to read others' emotions made me wonder if she is on the autism spectrum. She reminded me somewhat of Eleanor in Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, another character I loved. And, of course, surrounding this intriguing character is her moral predicament: conform in the way that society and culture are pushing her or listen to her heart and do what feels right for her? I did think that perhaps the pressure to conform is slightly more prominent in Japanese culture. Though certainly, high school was like that back in the 70's and 80's, but it feels like our society today has more room for people who don't fit in--perhaps because the outcasts of the past can now find other like themselves in online communities. In any case, this brief but impactful novel provides much food for thought and was very entertaining as well. I was rooting for Keiko to find her own path to happiness. I can't wait to listen to the Book Cougars discussion next week!

163 pages, Grove Press

Note: This post contains affiliate links. Purchases from these links provide a small commission to me (pennies per purchase), to help offset the time I spend writing for this blog, at no extra cost to you.

Listen to a sample of the audiobook here and/or download it from Audible. This sample includes Keiko working in the store and a brief glimpse into her childhood. I read the book in print, but the audio sounds great!

 

You can purchase Convenience Store Woman from an independent bookstore, either locally or online, here:

 

You can also buy through indie bookstores using Bookshop.

Or you can Convenience Store Woman from Book Depository

TV Tuesday: Lie To Me

As I mentioned in my Summer 2020 TV preview, our son recommended a show to us that my husband and I are loving so far. Lie To Me is a unique crime show about a consulting group that can tell if someone is lying, based on the science of micro-expressions, by studying subtle changes in their facial expressions.

British actor Tim Roth stars as Dr. Cal Lightman, who has devoted his life to studying the science of using facial expressions to tell when someone is lying and when they are telling the truth. He runs an independent consulting firm with his business partner, Dr. Gillian Foster, played by Kelli Williams, and their firm is often hired by various law enforcement officials, including the FBI, to assist with cases. Eli Loker, played by Brendan Hines, also works for the firm and has a rule to never lie, which makes working with him interesting! Rounding out the team is a new hire, Ria Torres (played by Monica Raymund), who is what they call "a natural" and has an innate ability to tell when someone is lying, though she is gradually also learning the science from the others. Always knowing when someone is lying makes relationships interesting, as when Cal's teen daughter, Emily (played by Hayley McFarland) tells him she is sleeping over at a friend's house, and he can clearly see that she is lying. Cal has learned there is a time and a place to call someone on a lie, though the younger members of the team are just learning that. In each episode, the team is hired for a case (sometimes two cases, and the four of them split up), where telling truth from fiction can provide crucial information to law enforcement or private clients. Early cases range from a drug kingpin in prison up for parole who says he is reformed to a high school student accused of killing a teacher who swears he's innocent to a congressman accused of having an affair. Sometimes, they discover the accused or the witness is lying but perhaps not about what the police think.

We are really enjoying this entertaining and unexpected show so far. Each case and each episode is unique, with twists we don't see coming, plus as with most crime shows, the personal lives of the characters come into play as well. There is a bit of a Mentalist feel to the show (an all-time favorite at our house), except the focus here is on science rather than tricks and mental maneuvering. One fun aspect to the show is that when one of the experts is explaining how a certain facial tic denotes lying, they often show photos of historical figures illustrating the rule! The characters are all interesting, and the acting is excellent. The combination of suspenseful mysteries, great characters, and a sense of humor has made this show one of our current favorites, in our regular rotation.

Lie to Me originally ran for three seasons, from 2009 to 2011 on Fox. It is available on Amazon or free through IMDB (use the Amazon link to see the free option).

It's Monday 7/27! What Are You Reading?

Whew, another week flew by! Still super-busy here, with family stuff, working on my Amazon Ads course, a bunch of medical appointments (ugh - now that things have reopened, I have a flood of postponed appts!), and the usual crises. I apologize for shirking my blog visiting responsibilities--I;m missing many of your wonderful posts! I am just about finished with my coursework and hoping life slows down this week, so I can get back to making the rounds the way I like to.

I was still pretty exhausted and stressed most of the week, but I managed to enjoy a birthday celebration with my husband and two sons Thursday evening! It had been a rough day, but we had a lovely evening together. We actually went OUT for dinner (our first time since early March), and enjoyed delicious food on the outdoor patio of a wonderful microbrewery. Then, we came back to the house for fabulous cake from a local bakery, and they spoiled me with a pile of presents. It was very nice to take a little time out for fun, for a change.

My family and I out for my birthday dinner.

Of course, some books were included among my gifts, as always! I can't wait to read all of these, and David Copperfield is going to be next up for my Big Book Summer Challenge reading. There's still time for you to join the challenge, too!

Birthday Gifts!

Meanwhile, here's what we've all been reading this past week:

I am still reading my latest Big Book, one I've been wanting to read for a while: Doomsday Book by Connie Willis. I love time travel plots, and this book is part of her Oxford Time Travel series, which also includes To Say Nothing of the Dog, which I enjoyed very much. This time, in the near future, a young female student, Kivrin, has traveled back in time all the way to the 1300's, in England's Middle Ages. It's the first time they've sent anyone back that far, and there are all sorts of concerns since so little was recorded about that era. Hours after Kivrin leaves, though, a contemporary emergency occurs when one of the techs working on the project comes down with a devastating virus, and says that something went wrong just before he passes out. This shouldn't happen, given the high-tech medical precautions used in this future (no one even gets colds), so there is a scramble to figure out what the virus is and where it came from. Meanwhile, the team at Oxford doesn't realize it, but the reader knows that Kivrin arrived in the Middle Ages with the same debilitating symptoms. This book is so amazingly good--I am loving it! What a premise--a contemporary woman horribly sick in the Middle Ages and all alone. The action goes back and forth between the present-day and the past, and the suspense has been incredibly compelling. The mystery in the present and the happenings in the past continue to evolve and intertwine. I am loving every minute!

On audio, I have been listening to The Dutch House by Ann Patchett. The audiobook is read by Tom Hanks, and it is incredibly soothing and entertaining to have Hanks reading a story to me in my earbuds in his familiar voice. It's about a boy, Danny, and his sister, Maeve, growing up in a big house originally built by Dutch immigrants and known in town as the Dutch House. Their mother leaves when they are young, so it is just the children and their somewhat distant father, plus the two women who care for the house. But when their dad remarries a woman who clearly does not like them (and the feeling is mutual), their lives change in unexpected ways. The story is told by Danny as an adult, so parts of it are told in the past, as he experienced things as a boy, and parts as he and Maeve look back on their childhood and the house that meant so much to them. I'm enjoying it so far, and it is extra-special read by Hanks.

My husband, Ken, is still reading one of his new Father's Day gifts from me, The Dry by Jane Harper. I've been meaning to get him started on this super-popular new thriller author for a while now. This was her debut novel. As with all of Harper's books, it is set in Australia. A Federal Agent named Aaron visits his hometown for the first time in decades to attend the funeral of his childhood best friend, Luke. Years ago, Aaron was accused of murder, and Luke provided his alibi. Now, there are questions about Luke's death, so Aaron teams up with local law enforcement to investigate. The more they find out, the more small town secrets they dig up. So many of my friends have loved this novel, and now Ken is, too! He is normally quite reticent about his reading ("how was it?" "good"), but he was raving over how great this novel is last night. Score!

Our son, 25, is trying out a new-to-him fantasy series, The Mageborn, starting with book 1, The Blacksmith's Son. Here's the description from Amazon: "Mordecai’s simple life as the son of a blacksmith is transformed by the discovery of his magical birthright. As he journeys to understand the power within him he is drawn into a dangerous plot to destroy the Duke of Lancaster and undermine the Kingdom of Lothion. Love and treachery combine to embroil him in events he was never prepared to face. What he uncovers will change his understanding of the past, and alter the future of those around him." Sounds like another good one for him! He's enjoying it so far. He's away this week with his girlfriend, but I am guessing he's been moving along in this series.


This week's blog posts:

TV Tuesday: Atypical - Loving this show about a young man with autism and his family!


Fiction Review: Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King - really enjoyed this first book in a mystery/thriller trilogy

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.

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

What are you and your family reading this week?