Hello again! After experiencing an early island-style Christmas, we are back in the Great White North and ready to begin preparation for our more traditional celebration. We enjoyed nearly a week of sunshine and gulf breezes, but now it seems a little harder to face the windchill and snow squalls. Sigh.
Finished this week//
Commonwealth by Ann Patchett
This masterfully crafted story about a blended family was a real pleasure to read.
Ann Patchett has done it again!
Inheriting Edith by Zoe Fishman
I read most of this on the flight home last night, then finished the last few chapters this morning. It felt like I was living within the pages! This novel features one of the most unusual premises I've come across... book clubs will find much to discuss here.I will try to post mini-reviews of both books (and several others) this week. I've fallen behind again!
What am I going to read next?
I'm not sure, but here are a few titles under consideration:
Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris
I picked this up recently as a kindle deal and read the first 10% on Friday. Very intriguing and a little creepy, too... but do I really want to read a psychological thriller so close to Christmas?
Saving Fish From Drowning by Amy Tan
I swore off Amy Tan several years ago when her books started to become indistinguishable from one another, but this is a book club selection. The blurb doesn't sound all that appealing and I'm not sure I can finish it before the meeting next week anyway. It sounds like I'm trying to talk myself out of this one... Have you read it? What did you think?
Wishin' and Hopin' by Wally Lamb
I loved this book when I read it back in 2009 and grabbed it on impulse while perusing the library's holiday book display. Felix Funicello, the main character, is featured once again in Lamb's new novel, I'll Take You There. Hmm... typing this just helped me make a decision :)How was your week? What are you reading?
This post will link to It's Monday, What Are You Reading? hosted by Kathryn at Book Date.
I bet it was hard to leave the warm weather. It's cold here today and I don't like it.
ReplyDeleteKathy - I like the cold and snow a little less every year...
DeleteBeautiful photo! We're chilly even here, but obviously no snow except for the mountains.
ReplyDeleteHard to believe, but I haven't read a Wally Lamb yet. I'm off to read the blurbs, and Commonwealth is definitely on my look-for list.
Rita - I discovered Wally Lamb when Oprah selected She's Come Undone so many years ago... and have been reading him ever since. He's one of my favorite "Oprah discoveries"!
DeleteBeautiful photo! I can almost feel a balmy breeze.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed Commonwealth and Inheriting Edith, too, and loved Behind Closed Doors. I read Wishin' and Hopin' a while ago, too, and hope to read I'll Take You There at some point.
Enjoy! Thanks for visiting my blog.
Laurel-Rain Snow - I seem to be following your lead on a lot of books this year :-)
DeleteI think that all things considered I would take the FL version thank you very much! :) Nice pic. Makes me want to go wade in the surf. Behind Closed Doors does look good but yeah a little creepy too.
ReplyDeleteGreg - I really enjoyed seeing the Florida version of Christmas this year. Now I'd love to go back every December! I'll probably end up saving Behind Closed Doors for the winter.
DeleteBeautiful tree and lake photos! I'm glad you enjoyed Commonwealth. I started it, but did not get back to it yet. Have a great week JoAnn.
ReplyDeletePat - I always enjoy Patchett's books and enjoyed spending time with the characters in Commonwealth. Hope you can get back to it soon :)
DeleteI have been very curious about Inheriting Edith, so look forward to your thoughts. Commonwealth...amazing! I really liked Behind Closed Doors. The premise is out there, but I liked the telling of the story. I listened to it on Audible and the narrator was amazing!
ReplyDeleteSusie - Behind Closed Doors pulled me right in, but I wasn't sure that was where I wanted to go, lol! Inheriting Edith made my travel day pass very quickly, and Commonwealth was masterfully done!
DeleteTwo contrasting weathers there - I've never seen a Christmas tree on a beach before, so thanks for sharing that picture.
ReplyDeleteI've seen a bit about Inheriting Edith recently, and it's a book I'm intrigued by. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts. Happy reading!
Jade - That was the first time I'd ever seen a Christmas tree on the beach, but now I hope it won't be the last! Hope to have some reviews up on Friday... fingers crossed.
DeleteYAY! Glad you loved Commonwealth...I thought you might :)
ReplyDeleteSarah - You haven't steered me wrong yet! ;-)
Deleteinteresting books Here is my IMWAYR: http://shoshireads.weebly.com/home/musing-its-monday-what-are-you-reading
ReplyDeleteThanks, Shoshi!
DeleteDefinitely looking forward to Commonwealth!
ReplyDeleteStephanie - I think you'll like it. Patchett is just SO good!
DeleteVisiting a place with warm weather sounds like a dream come true. Welcome back to cold reality. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteKathy - It's taken me two full days to get readjusted to this cold and snow!
DeleteYou have been busy!
ReplyDeletePatty - It's been a little crazy ;-)
DeleteI always enjoy your trips to the south as I lived in Ft Myers for 14 years. Loved Sanibel. Now though enjoying summer in Tasmania. For good, haha. I just began Hannah Kent's The Good People. 19th century Irish fiction. Burial Rites was her first. Lee Library has it I am told. Re: the last hanging of a woman in Iceland. Non fiction. She is a very young author. 20's? Aussie author. Enjoy your holidays and I look forward to upcoming Florida news. Travellin'Penguin
ReplyDeletePam - I have Burial Rites waiting on my kindle... hope to read it in 2017, but saw she has a new novel on the way. We'll head back to Sanibel in early January. It was SO hard to leave last weekend... nice weather, uncrowded restaurants and beaches, and no traffic to speak of.
DeleteI look forward to your review of Ann Patchett's book; I haven't gotten to it yet. I thought you were headed to FLA for your winter but I guess that comes after the new year. Till then I'm afraid it's winter, winter, winter.
ReplyDeleteSusan - We drove a car down last week and flew back Saturday night... too short a trip and too much of a teaser! We'll go back after New Years.
DeleteI hope you like the Amy Tan book better than you expect, lol. I've never read one of hers, but it's good to know that if you've read one you've read them all.
ReplyDeleteRachel - AT this point, I'm probably not going to get to read the Tan novel before our book club meeting :(
DeleteBeautiful picture. I haven't read a Amy Tan book, although I think I have a couple on my list. I am definitely looking forward to Commonwealth. I haven't read Patchett either.
ReplyDeleteToady - Northerner that I am, I've never seen a Christmas tree on a beach... such a treat! I've been reading Patchett for about 20 years. I automatically but her books, even in hardcover.
DeleteOh, how I'd love to be on a warm beach right about now! -12 was our temp yesterday morning! Fortunately, we'll start warming up this week, but I'm already longing for spring temps. The older I get, the less I like cold/ice/snow.
ReplyDeleteI have Commonwealth in my stacks, but I think I'll wait until my reading time improves. Too many distractions with the holidays and work. I think I read less than a dozen pages all week!
Les - It has been miserable and cold here, too... already counting the days until I can go back to FL. I got over winter for good about 5 years ago... most snow ever, ice dam on roof, then terrible interior water damage. It was like a switch flipped and my love of winter ended.
DeleteCommonwealth was very good, but I think it's a good idea to wait until after the holiday distractions to read it. I might have enjoyed it even more if I'd waited until January.
I always wonder if winter vacations to nice climes actually make real winter seem even worse!
ReplyDeleteLisa - Starting to wonder the same thing...
Delete