Continuing the discussion from One of the best books I've read in the last 6 months is . (Part 1) - #10009 by ChoatieMom.
Previous discussions:
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New thread, part 2!
I know this thread has evolved from the title, I hope that doesn’t annoy the OP! It’s one of my fav threads.
I just finished They Left Us Everything - A Memoir . It dragged a little for me but I did need to finish and have the closure of the story. Interesting and timely if you are going through the belongings of a loved one or considering what you or they leave behind.
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I’ve read five T. Kingfisher books in the last month ranging from very good to great. She’s got an amazing imagination and writes likable characters that are fun to hang out with.
With my husband we’ve been listening to the D. C. Smith books by Peter Grainger. Murder mysteries that are barely murders. Very British, atmospheric and typical police procedural. Originally self-published which surprised me.
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Kingfisher is my new favorite author - I have not read anything by her that I did not enjoy. My favorites so far (I am not close to having read all her stuff as she is very prolific and even does middle school graphic novels under another name):
- A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking
- A House with Good Bones
- Hemlock & Silver
- Snake-Eater
I have seen her twice on author panels and she is so funny!
Ok so I didn’t love the Elizabeth Strout book.
But I just finished another John Boyne - The Heart’s Invisible Furies - so all is right with the world. On to Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield as recommended near end of the previous thread next.
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@mathmom and @kiddie T. Kingfisher was the author guest of honor last year at a sci-fi/fantasy convention that I go to every year, and she is hilarious – I can’t believe I’ve never picked up one of her books, as they seem right up my alley. Changing that right now!
I’m currently listening to The Last Bookshop in London – I usually don’t care for war stories at all, but this one has me hooked.
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Her given name is Ursula Vernon and she writes for a younger audience under that. The Dragonbreath series was what I first knew her for. T. Kingfisher is her pen name for books for older readers.
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As Ursula Vernon she also did the web comic Digger https://diggercomic.com/ which my SIL and nephew had one year when visiting and we all read it. But I had no idea that she had this other life. (I did think the interior cover illustrations for Nine Goblins looked very familiar.) I think my favorites so far are Swordheart and Nettle and Bone.
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This screenshot is from my library account. I picked this book up yesterday and will move it to the top of my reading pile as soon as I finish my current read. I think you can figure out why.
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Loved this book.
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2,341 people waiting – maybe they should order a few more copies!
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My library system has 236 print copies, 107 large print, 323 audio books, and 265 e-books and 5,600 total holds. I’m glad I was able to check it out when they had a brief period of unlimited e-book copies.
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I finished Whistler a few weeks ago after a fairly long wait. It was OK, nothing I’d gush about but certainly better than the disappointing Tom Lake, not as good as The Dutch House, but I enjoyed listening to Tom Hanks read that one so maybe not a fair comparison.
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@VeryHappy - they probably should, but the library budget is tight these days.
I am a “ Friend of the Library “ and contribute to the extra fundraising, but there is only so much.
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I like The Dutch House… but liked Tom Lake more. Tom Lake was the first Covid era book I read, made me realize it is gonna be in many books due to the impact and duration.
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Whistler is my favorite read so far this year. I really liked Tom Lake as well. I am having trouble recalling Dutch House, but that’s my brain, not a knock on the book. I know I liked it .
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I’m the same way, recently read whistler and enjoyed it, red the Dutch house a few years ago and know I liked it, but couldn’t give a synopsis.
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Same here!
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Maybe it’s not your brain . . .
IMO Patchett is an incredibly adept writer. At some point in about every book, I find myself in awe of her ability to develop characters and settings and weave it all to together into an interesting and compelling tale. Not sure there is anyone more skilled at whatever it is she does to get this reader into the stories. Yet, when I finish her books, I am often left with the feeling that the whole somehow fell short of the sum of its parts. I love her books when I’m reading them, but they rarely come to mind after. They don’t move me or stick with me the way certain books do. I don’t understand this, but it has happened with almost every one of her books I have read.
As for Whistler, I really enjoyed it. Thought it was one of her best while reading it. But if you asked me about it in a year or so, I might struggle to recall much about it. That’s how I am with Dutch House.
Maybe it is my brain too . . .