Today’s thread is a chance for us to connect with each other! What better way to do that than to share some favorite recommendations - books we’re reading or just finished, what we’re watching, anything we’ve been loving. Share as little or as much as you’d like in the comments and let’s share the recommendation wealth:)
I’ll start….
Yesterday I started the audio of The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians by James Patterson and Matt Eversmann while on a walk and I have to say this is the perfect book for anyone who loves books and reading. I’m about halfway and enjoying it so much- if you need a book that makes you say “these are my people” you’ll find that here - PLUS so many book recs!!
My husband Darren and I continue our watching binge of Buying Beverly Hills on Netflix - we’ve stayed up past midnight on Friday and Saturday and we’re deep into season 2. I’ve never seen houses - or prices- like the ones we’re seeing on this show. Eye candy and then some, plus behind the scenes drama and fun. We’re loving this show put on my radar by Katie from Basic B’s Guide
I've enjoyed the entire first half of the book, I think most booklovers would love to hear from librarians and booksellers, they're sharing some great stories
I just started the new Patterson on audio today! I had to slow the speed right down to savour the content. What an ode to librarians and booksellers! I was so happy when my library hold came up.
I was sick with a bad spring cold all week so didn’t read much, but I did finish a couple of arcs: Blank by Zibby Owens (3🌟, rounded up), and Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun (4🌟).
I will have to check out that show on Netflix. I don’t watch much tv, so I’m always looking for great recommendations that make watching worthwhile!
I am reading The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny, which is the fifth book in the Armand Gamache series. I am using this to fulfill a prompt for the 52bookclub April Moni-Challenge. I am also doing a Slow, But Steady read of The Count of Monte Cristo using the Serial app. I also have the Penguin Classic and am finding the translation better so not sure what to do about that. 😵💫
I am also listening to Five Days at Memorial. I have my grandkids here all weekend so my reading is a bit down, but will be back to normal tomorrow.
How are you liking the Louise Penny series? I read Still Life and enjoyed it but have yet to continue on with book 2- I feel like it's a series I would like though.
So glad you're enjoying all of your reads, The Count is a biggie. How many grandkids do you have? My best memories growing up are of my times at my grandma's:)
I am really liking the Louise Penny series, but series are a huge commitment. I did start reading the Agatha Christie mysteries in chronological order back in March 2021. I actually like these a lot better. Much more developed characters.
Yes, the Count of Monte Cristo is huge, but reading small snippets a day makes it pretty easy. It is much more “readable” than I expected.
I have 5 grandkids. My son and DIL have 3 boys and daughter and SIL have a girl and boy. I see them a lot, but the long sleepovers are getting exhausting. I am happy to be able to spend a lot of time with them. I haven’t listened to my audiobook much these last few days, but I will be back on track tomorrow now that the 2 grandkids are home. I listen to a lot of podcasts though, which is how I found you and Tina.
Well I think you saying that you like the Agatha Christie series better solidifies my thoughts on starting my first Agatha Christie soon. I want to get into some sort of series and even though I love mysteries I've never read Agatha Christie - should be a fun reading project! Sounds like you're a great grandma!!
Currently reading Starling House by Alice E Harrow and listening to The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammar. It’s been a busy weekend but I’ve been enjoying both.
Hi Everyone. I was watching YouTube videos of my favorite guitar player Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin last night. Very nostalgic for me. And watching up close is amazing. That led to a host of other 70’s rock group concerts and interviews. I was enjoying myself.
My book that I’m reading is a fun murder mystery by Carrie Doyle. It Takes Two to Mango. I was in a bit of a reading slump, so this was the perfect book for me. Carrie Doyle is the founder of the Hamptons Whodunit.
Finally I’m listening to James on audio. I’m liking it but I think I need a physical copy as well.
I read One of Us Is Dead by Jeneva Rose in one day on Saturday. We went fromhigh 70’s in temps down to mid 50’s yesterday and it was a good day to pull that off. And, this was the perfect day to do this. It is a fun, dark mystery about the cut throat relationship among a group of rich women. The best part is that the book was free on audible. Why is it that I do not get that excited when the book is free through the library? Haha. I also finished Close To Death by Anthony Horowitz. It is my favorite series and this was the most recent book in that series. After reading this book, I was seriously wondering if it was going to be the last book he wrote for this series. The mystery in the story is solved but where the cliffhanger comes into play is the relationship between Hawthorne and Horowitz. However, at the end of the book the author wrote a note and read it in which he stated that he has another seven books planned for this series. It was a big relief to me. I found Family Happiness at my library which is supposed to be a comp for Leaving by Roxana Robinson. I started it but I am having a difficult time transitioning from the two books that mentioned above to a slow paste novel of entirely different genre. I may set it aside for a while. I do not watch TV. What I do enjoy is music. So I will add my loving lately as my mix playlist on Apple Music in which I’m enjoying the script, 3 Doors Down, Nickelback, and various other artists. Love my music.
I had a hard time getting into Family Happiness as well so I set it aside. I think I may return to it sometime but it felt a bit slow for my mood. So glad you're getting 5 more books in that series, you've convinced me to give book 1 a try. I love a free Audible book too, I think it's because we're always using a credit on there so it's extra exciting to get something for free
Renee, i have been catching up on my Audible fre bees and am currently reading A Welcome Murder by Robin Yocum. Have you read it? It is the most entertaining book I have read since Saturday when I read One of Us Is Dead. I kept putting off reading it because I thought it was going to be tense like the other two books that are read by him. But it’s actually funny. Just wanted to point it out to you case you haven’t read it and that it’s worth your time to read. Hope you are eligible to get it on Audible.
Yes I've read that one, I really enjoyed it. Robin has such a great way of writing characters and he's a witty guy in person also. I've also read Favorite Sons and The Sacrifice of Lester Yates by him so add those to your audio tbr if you haven't already:). You can't beat an audible freebie that's for sure
We just finished Season 1 of Mr Mercedes (Stephen King tv adaptation) as we're slowing working through all of his adaptations, I did like it but it was FULL ON and at times very gruesome. Wonderfully lovable characters though as with most of King's work!
I haven’t watched the show but yes definitely gruesome in parts of the book, especially that opening scene with the car which was chilling! Bill Hodges is one of my favorite fictional characters
I am totally late in replying here, but I already miss you on BTE Renee!
I also read A Short Walk Through a Wide World and am 90% done with The Book of Doors this week. They were both fun, fantasy reads.
And I finished Knife by Salman Rushdie. SO good. The chapter where he imagines questioning his attacker was the best. I need it in hard copy so I can mark it up!
Hi Despina, so glad we can stay connected here on Substack!! I think you and I have similar reading tastes so it’ll be fun to continue to share recs and book thoughts. I have copies of both A Short Walk and the Book of Doors- which was your fav of the 2? and you’re the first person I know to give any thoughts on Knife- I’m glad it worked for you, I’m going to give it a try
Would love to hear what you think of Knife if you pick it up. It was my first Salman Rushdie, and after hearing so much about him, I was just so curious to hear his words in his voice. It was about more than his attack; there’s a small bit of personal history there and then the story of his recovery. But he also ties it to bigger issues of creative expression, religious terrorism and even the state of discourse. It’s pretty short, but I think it was effective.
think you don’t love fantasy though right? I think I would say I preferred A Short Walk. It’s an adventure story, it’s a travelogue, and some of the passages are beautifully written. The Book of Doors has a super fun premise, strong characters and relationships form, but you really have to suspend disbelief for some of the surreal stuff…if you start to try to make too much sense of it, you won’t be able to answer some of the questions which I could see bugging some people. To a certain extent, both books share this since they’re fantasy. Also with A Short Walk, we get to follow the main character throughout her life and different phases, so we get to see her character develop. I think Book of Doors is 3.25-3.5 stars for me, and A Short Walk is 3.5-3.75 stars…like I really enjoyed it but fell short of loved.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the books, that's so helpful. I've liked some fantasy- I loved The Invisible Life of Addie Larue, I like the sound of A Short walk, I really love following characters through their lives
My husband and I watched the limited series "Baby Reindeer" on Netflix over the weekend; definitely not for everyone (there are a couple of episodes that include sexual violence, but there are warnings at the start), but a very well-written/documented account of a man's real life experience with a female stalker. In addition, I finished reading Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez and it was wonderful!
I finished it today and loved it! I have a feeling you will to, it's a delight and I heard about so many bookstores I want to check out online. The stories about book banning from librarians were powerful- I could feel their passion.
I read The Husbands and Begin Again last weekend. I was in a little bit of magical realism/speculative fiction. (I think Begin Again would be considered this?) And I thoroughly enjoyed both, but I loved Begin Again (by Helly Acton) more. I also loved her explaining how she came to this idea at the end of the audible book.
I love books that play with time/what if’s/making different decisions at a major crossroad!
My friend Michelle was raving about that book this week. Guess I need to check it out.
So glad you’re enjoying Buying BH!
I've enjoyed the entire first half of the book, I think most booklovers would love to hear from librarians and booksellers, they're sharing some great stories
I made sure to pick this one up at Barnes and Noble!
I think you'll love it, I finished it and gave my kindle a hug haha. I want to online shop at many of the stores featured in the book
Oh boy. Now I’m really going to be invested. Lol.
I just started the new Patterson on audio today! I had to slow the speed right down to savour the content. What an ode to librarians and booksellers! I was so happy when my library hold came up.
I was sick with a bad spring cold all week so didn’t read much, but I did finish a couple of arcs: Blank by Zibby Owens (3🌟, rounded up), and Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun (4🌟).
I will have to check out that show on Netflix. I don’t watch much tv, so I’m always looking for great recommendations that make watching worthwhile!
I finished the Secret lives of Booksellers and Librarians today, it was a total delight. I wish I could meet every single person in that book.
Hope you're feeling better!
I definitely want to read that book!
I am reading The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny, which is the fifth book in the Armand Gamache series. I am using this to fulfill a prompt for the 52bookclub April Moni-Challenge. I am also doing a Slow, But Steady read of The Count of Monte Cristo using the Serial app. I also have the Penguin Classic and am finding the translation better so not sure what to do about that. 😵💫
I am also listening to Five Days at Memorial. I have my grandkids here all weekend so my reading is a bit down, but will be back to normal tomorrow.
So far, all 3 books are excellent!
How are you liking the Louise Penny series? I read Still Life and enjoyed it but have yet to continue on with book 2- I feel like it's a series I would like though.
So glad you're enjoying all of your reads, The Count is a biggie. How many grandkids do you have? My best memories growing up are of my times at my grandma's:)
I am really liking the Louise Penny series, but series are a huge commitment. I did start reading the Agatha Christie mysteries in chronological order back in March 2021. I actually like these a lot better. Much more developed characters.
Yes, the Count of Monte Cristo is huge, but reading small snippets a day makes it pretty easy. It is much more “readable” than I expected.
I have 5 grandkids. My son and DIL have 3 boys and daughter and SIL have a girl and boy. I see them a lot, but the long sleepovers are getting exhausting. I am happy to be able to spend a lot of time with them. I haven’t listened to my audiobook much these last few days, but I will be back on track tomorrow now that the 2 grandkids are home. I listen to a lot of podcasts though, which is how I found you and Tina.
Well I think you saying that you like the Agatha Christie series better solidifies my thoughts on starting my first Agatha Christie soon. I want to get into some sort of series and even though I love mysteries I've never read Agatha Christie - should be a fun reading project! Sounds like you're a great grandma!!
Currently reading Starling House by Alice E Harrow and listening to The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammar. It’s been a busy weekend but I’ve been enjoying both.
I've heard Starling House is so good! I have that author on my "authors to still try" list:)
Would love to hear how you go with Starling House, I bought it on Kindle but haven't got to it yet.
Hi Everyone. I was watching YouTube videos of my favorite guitar player Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin last night. Very nostalgic for me. And watching up close is amazing. That led to a host of other 70’s rock group concerts and interviews. I was enjoying myself.
My book that I’m reading is a fun murder mystery by Carrie Doyle. It Takes Two to Mango. I was in a bit of a reading slump, so this was the perfect book for me. Carrie Doyle is the founder of the Hamptons Whodunit.
Finally I’m listening to James on audio. I’m liking it but I think I need a physical copy as well.
I love a good YouTube watch every now and then
I read One of Us Is Dead by Jeneva Rose in one day on Saturday. We went fromhigh 70’s in temps down to mid 50’s yesterday and it was a good day to pull that off. And, this was the perfect day to do this. It is a fun, dark mystery about the cut throat relationship among a group of rich women. The best part is that the book was free on audible. Why is it that I do not get that excited when the book is free through the library? Haha. I also finished Close To Death by Anthony Horowitz. It is my favorite series and this was the most recent book in that series. After reading this book, I was seriously wondering if it was going to be the last book he wrote for this series. The mystery in the story is solved but where the cliffhanger comes into play is the relationship between Hawthorne and Horowitz. However, at the end of the book the author wrote a note and read it in which he stated that he has another seven books planned for this series. It was a big relief to me. I found Family Happiness at my library which is supposed to be a comp for Leaving by Roxana Robinson. I started it but I am having a difficult time transitioning from the two books that mentioned above to a slow paste novel of entirely different genre. I may set it aside for a while. I do not watch TV. What I do enjoy is music. So I will add my loving lately as my mix playlist on Apple Music in which I’m enjoying the script, 3 Doors Down, Nickelback, and various other artists. Love my music.
I had a hard time getting into Family Happiness as well so I set it aside. I think I may return to it sometime but it felt a bit slow for my mood. So glad you're getting 5 more books in that series, you've convinced me to give book 1 a try. I love a free Audible book too, I think it's because we're always using a credit on there so it's extra exciting to get something for free
Renee, i have been catching up on my Audible fre bees and am currently reading A Welcome Murder by Robin Yocum. Have you read it? It is the most entertaining book I have read since Saturday when I read One of Us Is Dead. I kept putting off reading it because I thought it was going to be tense like the other two books that are read by him. But it’s actually funny. Just wanted to point it out to you case you haven’t read it and that it’s worth your time to read. Hope you are eligible to get it on Audible.
Yes I've read that one, I really enjoyed it. Robin has such a great way of writing characters and he's a witty guy in person also. I've also read Favorite Sons and The Sacrifice of Lester Yates by him so add those to your audio tbr if you haven't already:). You can't beat an audible freebie that's for sure
We just finished Season 1 of Mr Mercedes (Stephen King tv adaptation) as we're slowing working through all of his adaptations, I did like it but it was FULL ON and at times very gruesome. Wonderfully lovable characters though as with most of King's work!
I haven’t watched the show but yes definitely gruesome in parts of the book, especially that opening scene with the car which was chilling! Bill Hodges is one of my favorite fictional characters
He’s very lovable in the show! x
I am totally late in replying here, but I already miss you on BTE Renee!
I also read A Short Walk Through a Wide World and am 90% done with The Book of Doors this week. They were both fun, fantasy reads.
And I finished Knife by Salman Rushdie. SO good. The chapter where he imagines questioning his attacker was the best. I need it in hard copy so I can mark it up!
Hi Despina, so glad we can stay connected here on Substack!! I think you and I have similar reading tastes so it’ll be fun to continue to share recs and book thoughts. I have copies of both A Short Walk and the Book of Doors- which was your fav of the 2? and you’re the first person I know to give any thoughts on Knife- I’m glad it worked for you, I’m going to give it a try
Would love to hear what you think of Knife if you pick it up. It was my first Salman Rushdie, and after hearing so much about him, I was just so curious to hear his words in his voice. It was about more than his attack; there’s a small bit of personal history there and then the story of his recovery. But he also ties it to bigger issues of creative expression, religious terrorism and even the state of discourse. It’s pretty short, but I think it was effective.
think you don’t love fantasy though right? I think I would say I preferred A Short Walk. It’s an adventure story, it’s a travelogue, and some of the passages are beautifully written. The Book of Doors has a super fun premise, strong characters and relationships form, but you really have to suspend disbelief for some of the surreal stuff…if you start to try to make too much sense of it, you won’t be able to answer some of the questions which I could see bugging some people. To a certain extent, both books share this since they’re fantasy. Also with A Short Walk, we get to follow the main character throughout her life and different phases, so we get to see her character develop. I think Book of Doors is 3.25-3.5 stars for me, and A Short Walk is 3.5-3.75 stars…like I really enjoyed it but fell short of loved.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the books, that's so helpful. I've liked some fantasy- I loved The Invisible Life of Addie Larue, I like the sound of A Short walk, I really love following characters through their lives
My husband and I watched the limited series "Baby Reindeer" on Netflix over the weekend; definitely not for everyone (there are a couple of episodes that include sexual violence, but there are warnings at the start), but a very well-written/documented account of a man's real life experience with a female stalker. In addition, I finished reading Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez and it was wonderful!
I saw that show on Netflix but wasn't sure what it was about- it sounds tense but interesting. Glad the Abby book was a winner!
I need to get the James Patterson book. Everyone seems to be e joying it.
I finished it today and loved it! I have a feeling you will to, it's a delight and I heard about so many bookstores I want to check out online. The stories about book banning from librarians were powerful- I could feel their passion.
I picked it up today on my Barnes and Noble stop. 😁
I read The Husbands and Begin Again last weekend. I was in a little bit of magical realism/speculative fiction. (I think Begin Again would be considered this?) And I thoroughly enjoyed both, but I loved Begin Again (by Helly Acton) more. I also loved her explaining how she came to this idea at the end of the audible book.
I love books that play with time/what if’s/making different decisions at a major crossroad!