Monday, March 26, 2018

March 26, 2018: It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

It's Monday and I finished two great books last week! It feels like I'm back in the reading groove at last. Both of my current books excellent, too.

Finished last week//

Sunburn by Laura Lippman

In a word, Sunburn is fabulous. I've struggled with psychological thrillers lately, but Laura Lippman has written another winner. In this novel, crimes, secrets, and deception become more complicated in the face of unexpected love. But is it really love? As Lippman crafts the story of Polly and Adam, she adds layer upon layer of complexity... increasing suspense and doubt. Who, if anyone, is worthy of the reader's trust?

I've read a few of Lippman's stand-alones and loved them all... maybe it's time to give her series a try. Are you a Tess Monaghan fan? Baltimore Blues  has been on my kindle for a long time.





by Jennifer Wright, narrated by Gabra Zackman

Medicine with a bit of snark... this is SO my kind of book. I chose to go the audio route when all  my top audiobook sources recommended it, and that turned out to be excellent advice. From the antonine plague to AIDS, Get Well Soon  covers each 'plague' from historical, medical, and scientific perspectives.  The slightly irreverent edge (think Mary Roach) added to my enjoyment. Gabra Zackman's narration was pitch perfect. Give this a try if you're a fan of Mary Roach or have an interest in medicine/infectious disease.




Current reading//


The Gunners by Rebecca Kauffman
When both Tara and Susie love a new novel, I take notice. If said book is then compared to The Interestings  by Meg Wolitzer, I'm on it immediately. I was thrilled to find this book available for instant download via hoopla from my library. (Does your library provide this service?) Eleven chapters in and I'm loving it!



Listening to//



This book, added to my wish list during Nonfiction November and read by one of my favorite narrators, tells the story of a family separated by the Berlin Wall in the aftermath of WWII. I'm two hours into the ten hour production and find it hard to press the 'pause' button. My walks will be extra long this week!



The week ahead//

Twin A is flying in on Thursday for the long Easter weekend. In the meantime, I need to get busy planning and then shopping for Easter dinner.  We're already looking forward to split pea soup made with the hambone. A celebration for the twins 25th birthday is also in the works.

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.
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50 comments:

  1. Oh my - you've got some awesome reading going! I loved Sunburn as well and am planning read The Gunners. And, I also loved Forty Autumns! Lucky you with all that great stuff!

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    1. Sarah - This does seem to be a particularly great group of books. It's probably already safe to say The Gunners will get my recommendation, too!

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  2. Oh I don't think my library has hoopla, darn! These are all good recommendations and I might particularly like the medical one & the Berlin wall one. I hope you have a wonderful Easter weekend gathering. Enjoy.

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    1. Susan - I think hoopla is a pretty expensive proposition for libraries and am not sure how widely available it is yet. Forty Autumns is just wonderful so far and if you're at all interested in infectious disease, Get Well Soon is not to be missed!

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  3. I'm so happy to hear you're enjoying The Gunners! I also loved Forty Autumns and thought Sunburn was very fun. Get Well Soon sounds fantastic and I really enjoyed Gabra Zackman's narration of I'll Be Gone in the Dark. I'm going to add this to my nonfiction TBR list.

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    1. Susie - The Gunners is just wonderful! I'm loving everything about it so far... same with Forty Autumns. Surprisingly, this was my first time listening to Gabra Zackman. Not sure why I haven't come across her before, she's narrated SO many books.

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  4. So glad to hear what you've been reading and your enthusiasm is very contagious. I've heard a bit of mixed about Sunburn, but it's still on my list. I have not read her series, but have read several of her standalones and liked them. The medical non-fic sounds like one I'd like at some point. And I've got to read The Interestings. Sarah has loved it and you too. It's a little outside my usual, but I'm finding lots of fun in dipping my toe in some other areas this year. Honestly, I think it's making my enjoyment of my usual mystery/crime reads even better. Have a great week, JoAnn!

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    1. Kay - I've had good luck with Lippman before and Sunburn drew me in right from the start. Hope to give Baltimore Blues a try soon, too. The Interestings is not a typical Kay book, but since you're mixing things up a bit this year, who knows!? ;-)

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  5. I really liked Get Well Soon and need to get to Sunburn - everyone seems to be loving it.

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    1. Kathy - Sunburn hooked me right away.... hope you give it a try!

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  6. I also loved Sunburn...and now I must check my library about The Gunners. I just finished my first library book this weekend (Map of the Heart) and have Her Every Fear tucked on my Kindle.

    Enjoy your week, and here are MY WEEKLY UPDATES

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    1. Laurel-Rain Snow - So far The Gunners seems like a book you would love... I can't wait to get back to it later tonight! Hope your week is off to a good start :)

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  7. Nice variety of books. I've heard good things about Sunburn. I'll be adding it to my wishlist. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

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    1. Kathy - Hope you're able to get to Sunburn soon... it's a good one!

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  8. I'm interested in Sunburn and Gunners but am working on Atonement now.
    Love the beach photos you have been putting on Instagram.

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    1. Tina - I read Atonement years ago (my first McEwan) but think I would appreciate it even more now that I've read more of his work. Glad you're enjoying the photos... I just love it here!

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  9. I'm disappointed that the library doesn't have the audiobook version of Get Well Soon, but I've put the book on reserve. And I'm officially 105th in line for Sunburn, which means I might even be reading it in the appropriate season (tho not while walking around...) :)

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    1. Audrey - Yes. with that number you may be reading during actual sunburn season! Not sure how anyone can walk while reading (though one librarian in town is famous for doing so)... I find walking and audiobooks to be a much safer combination ;-)

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  10. Forty Autumns looks really good. I am a fan of Tess Monaghan -- I think I read the first three or so. There's no particular reason I didn't continue the series ... just a case of so many books, too little time.

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    1. Bath F - Forty Autumns is an amazing story... might be on track to be a favorite this year. I'm going to give Tess Monaghan a try!

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  11. I stopped and started Sunburn...I am not really sure why but I will grab it again...it sounds as though you are going to have a great Easter!

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    1. Patty - Sunburn's first few pages captured my interest and I had a hard time putting it down after that. Maybe it's not a book for you? Have you read any of her other books? Happy Easter to you and Den and the girls!

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  12. Sunburn looks good. See what I've been reading at Girl Who Reads

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    1. Donna - It's been a long time since I enjoyed a suspense novel that much.

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  13. Hearing very good things about Sunburn--sounds like a perfect airplane book. I tend to like books like Get Well Soon, and Forty Autumns sounds amazing. Welcome back to the groove! Happy Easter :)

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    1. JaneGS - Sunburn would be a perfect airplane book... it certainly kept me turning the pages! If Forty Autumns continues to be this good, it will end up on my list of favorites. So happy to be reading great books again! Happy Easter to you, too :)

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  14. Both of your reads last week are ones I'd like to read. So glad you liked them! I am also very interested in Forty Autumns and am glad you are enjoying it. I hope you have a great week!

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    1. Wendy - This is the best group of books I've read in months! Hope you get a chance to try some of them.

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  15. All of these sound good. Get Well Soon sounds particularly interesting. Though it has been awhile, I generally love books about medicine and disease. The snark that you mention makes this sound different.

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    1. Brian - By snark I mean slightly sarcastic and irreverent... learning about plagues has never been so much fun!

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  16. I’m so happy you liked Get Well Soon. That book is sitting on my shelf right now. Have a great week!

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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    1. AJ - Although it sounds strange to say when the book is about plagues, I think you're in for a treat!

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  17. So glad you enjoyed Sunburn. I am looking forward to it. The Gunners is going on my TBR list.

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  18. I am so late getting to Sunburn. Life got me and I am delayed with my reading. I am glad it's good though.

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    1. Ti - Life has a way of doing that, but I think you'll enjoy it when you get to it!

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  19. Now I think I need to get out of a reading slump! I really want to read Get Well Soon. That sounds like a fun read about some not so fun times! Oh and also adding Sunburn to my list. Have a wonderful week!

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    1. Iiana - It's amazing what a few really good books can do for your reading life. Get Well Soon and Sunburn were both great, but choosing two more good books is an added bonus!

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  20. Sunburn sounds really good! I hope you have a great time with your daughters, Happy Birthday to them both!

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    1. Vicki - It was good to read a suspense novel that really kept me in suspense! Can't wait until my daughter arrives tomorrow night... we're practically counting the hours now, lol!

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  21. JoAnn, I just finished reading brilliant historical fiction Six Tudor Queens: Katherine of Aragon, The True Queen by Alison Weir. While currently I am reading American classic This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Hazard of Shadows by Mike Phillips, the second book in Phillips’ fantasy Chronicles of the Goblin King series.

    Happy reading and Easter blessings :-)

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    1. Jessica -I'd like to read about Katherine of Aragon. Alison Weir's books are so informative and interesting! FSF is always a pleasure, too. Excellent books for the Easter weekend :)

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  22. Get Well Soon sounds great! I'm trying to read more nonfiction this year and I like reading about people and situations I haven't necessarily heard of before.

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    1. Katherine - Get Well Soon was fascinating... I learned a lot and laughed several times, too. Think you'd enjoy it!

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  23. Forty Autumns and Get Well Soon are now on my audio list. Since the 1960s and Berton Roueche's books, I have loved "mysterious infections diseases" books.
    The Coming Plague by Laurie Garrett, published in the 1990s, is a classic stunner--very scientific and hard to put down. It is still read today.

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    1. Judith - Now that I've moved past Henry James, all of my books have been wonderful! I should finish Forty Autumns within the next couple of days and think it will be my favorite audio so far this year! Must look up The Coming Plague sounds right up my alley. Hope you have a happy Easter weekend!

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  24. 1/3 into Sunburn right now and really loving it. Get Well Soon sounds awesome as well. Thanks for the updates.

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    1. Diane - I'm sure you've finished Sunburn by now. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did... Lippman is always a good read!

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  25. I'm super late to comment, but thank you so much for the mention, JoAnn, and I'm so thrilled that you took a chance on The Gunners; it is worthy of ALL the praise! I hope you're having a great week!

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    1. Tara - My sister just finished reading The Gunners and she loved it, too!

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