Canadian Bookworms-Reading What in March 2017?

Finished 2 books in the last couple of days: The Book of Evidence by John Banville. I keep trying a John Banville novel every few years and never quite "get" him. Also finished another in an interesting historical crime fiction series: Two For Sorrow by Nicola Upson

Continuing my reread of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, by John le Carré, and still working through The Terror, by Dan Simmons.

I just finished the 2nd in Sophie Hannah's series featuring the return of Hercule Poirot and was disappointed. I was a huge Christie fan many years ago and I've also enjoyed Sophie Hannah's other novels, but this one just didn't do anything at all for me. I found it rather boring. This one is called Closed Casket and I don't know if I shall bother to try the first one in this series now.

Started a few books after the last two that I've completed (China Rich Girlfriend and The Vanishing Act) were not worth my time. Everything I tried seemed good but I couldn't focus, so I've settled with Major Pettigrew's Last Stand. For some reason the publisher sent me an ARC, and it's sat in my TBR since forever because I thought it would be trite, but looking at the reviews from LTers I know, I think it might actually be pretty good. I'm only reading with part of a brain these days. So far I like it.

I'm reading Vimy by Pierre Berton for a book club.

I finished two books this weekend and enjoyed both of them. One takes place in one of my favourite historical settings -WWII in England: The Chilbury Ladies' Choir by Jennifer Ryan-a bit of a cozy, idealized story, but good nonetheless. The other is a suspense novel, also set in England: The Perfect Girl by Gilly MacMillan and was also good.

The Winter Palace / Eva Stachniak
3.5 stars

This book primarily follows Polish orphan Varvara, who has come to Russian Empress Elizabeth’s court after her father died. She ends up doing some spying for the chancellor, then the Empress herself, before she becomes friends with Prussian princess, Sophie, who would later become Catherine the Great. This follows the time frame from just before Sophie’s arrival to shortly after she becomes Empress of Russia.

I liked it. Not quite as much as I’d hoped I would, but I still enjoyed it. There is a sequel that I will definitely plan to read. I was disappointed, though, that there was no author’s note, which I always appreciate in any historical fiction I read.

Finished a book of 4 short stories by P.D. James, The Mistletoe Murder: And Other Stories . Really enjoyed, a great read for fans of P.D. James . I'm not sure which book will be next.

>6 ted74ca: Good to know that The Chilbury Ladies' Choir is an enjoyable cozy read. That the sort of book I've felt in the mood for lately.

>5 LynnB:, great story. Startling conclusion at the end, but he's right. Made me want to read his Promised Land as a sort of prequel, but haven't gotten there yet.

>8 vancouverdeb:, only PD James I've read was The Children of Men which is a whole different kettle of fish for her, but interesting its her most popular on LT.

I'm starting on the Canada Reads books, and intend to read them all before the debates begin in the last week of March. I'm reading Fifteen Dogs by Andre Alexis.

>10 LynnB: Oh, I haven't kept up at all. Too busy with life, but I'm planning on listening to the debates when I'm home in the evenings. Even if I haven't read the books, they're always entertaining to listen to.

>10 LynnB: I don't think I'm going to read all of the Canada Read contenders, but I'm really rooting for The Break by Katherena Vermette. I really found it interesting when I read it last year. It was up for another Can Lit prize. I've read Fifteen Dogs and it was certainly unique. I enjoyed, but I preferred The Break by quite a bit. Best of luck with your reading!

Currently reading The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence. It's quite dark, but I really enjoyed A Jest of God last year.

I'm reading Company Town by Madeline Ashby for Canada Reads.

My latest read is at least written by a Canadian by adoption:Peter Robinson. His latest detective Alan Banks novel is When the Music's Over and I quite enjoyed it. Less focus on Banks' personal angst and more on the crime investigation than in his last few books, which I was glad to see.

I'm reading The Right to be Cold: One Woman's Story of Protecting her Culture, The Arctic and the Whole Planet by Sheila Watt-Cloutier, a Canada Reads finalist.

I'm reading Nostalgia by M.G. Vassanji in preparation for Canada Reads.

I'm ashamed at myself-just looked back at my reading list for 2017 so far, and I've not read one book by a Canadian author. And in Canada's 150th year, no less! But, continuing in my pattern, my latest 2 reads are also non-Canadian: A High Mortality of Doves by Kate Ellis, a crime fiction novel set in Derbyshire post WWI, and Broken Promise by Linwood Barclay, a disappointing American "thriller".

I'm reading a lot of Canadian books. Right now, it's The Massey Murder: A Maid, her Master and the Trial that Shocked a Country by Charlotte Gray.

I seem to be in need of some "friendly" reads so reading and almost finished The Hidden Life of Trees, by a German author and today started Being a Dog, an American author.
Bad me, neither one Canadian!

I've just started Birdie by Tracy Lindberg

No Canadian books for me yet this year, but then my reading has almost ground to a halt, so not too surprising. Just finished Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, which was straight-forward and better written then I expected, so perfect for what I needed at this time in my life.

I am reading The Woman Next Door by Yewande Omotoso. It is from this year's Bailey's Women's Lit Prize Longlist. Quite easy reading, and interesting so far.

>17 ted74ca: Linwood Barclay is Canadian . Born and educated here - Ontario I think . I enjoyed his first " domestic , humorous mysteries, but for me, his newer American based " thillers" fall flat for me. I've stopped reading his books.

I'm reading I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced, my first memoir for the year, and so far very interesting.

I'm reading The Great Bridge: The Epic Story of the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge by David McCullough.

I started Americanah today and it's good! I have read her We Should All Be Feminists and couldn't agree more with her point of view!

>23 vancouverdeb:. I never knew that, at all! Thank you for letting me know. I've only read a few of his books, but they seemed so stereotypically American, I never imaginedhe could possibly be Canadian. But I still don't want to read anymore!

Back to re-reading older Ian Rankin books: this one was Set in Darkness. Enjoyable as usual.

I seem to be on a Canlit role these days. Just finished Daddy Lenin and Other Stories by Vanderhaeghe (fantastic). And I am in the middle of Where Has She Gone by Ricci which the last in the Lives of Saints trilogy. I liked the first two but the third is taking a weird turn so we will see where it goes.

I loved watching the latest BBC version of Poldark TV series, so wanted to read the Winston Graham Poldark novels in sequence. Well, everyone in town must have had the same thought because I waited several months for the 1st one to become available: Ross Poldark. Very enjoyable.

>27 ted74ca: He sets all his books in the US, and I think he lives there now.

>30 ted74ca: I have such a great fondess for the Poldark books. I spent a "lost" summer buried in all those books reading one after the other when our kids were little. Read until the small hours every night and how I coped during the day, I have no idea. But I think they saved me, not sure from what but I loved them! Hope you enjoy them! I remember loving the original tv series too.

Birdie / Tracey Lindberg
2 stars

Bernice (aka Birdie) is a Cree woman and has recently come to Gibsons, British Columbia, where The Beachcombers was filmed. Bernice has had a crush on the only Indian character, Jesse, since she was younger. The story goes back and forth in time from Bernice in Gibsons to growing up in Alberta.

I just didn’t find this book very interesting, so my mind wandered. The most interesting parts were when she was growing up, but in general, I wasn’t interested and didn’t really care. Even less was I interested in the little bit of poetry(???) at the end of each chapter and the bit of dreaming(???) at the start of each chapter. Those parts, I barely skimmed, if I didn’t skip them altogether.

I just started Reasons She Goes to the Woods by Deoborah Kay Davies. Despite being nominated for the Bailey's Prize a few years ago, there are only 40 copies on LT. What a shame, because so far this is one of the best books I've read in ages and ages.

I am re-reading The Hobbit, which I haven't read for a number of years. I felt it was time to dust it off and read it, especially since my husband beat me in The Lord of the Rings trivia not too long ago. He is a Tolkien encyclopedia/wikipedia.

The Canadian in my stack today is Margaret Millar, reading her mystery A Stranger in My Grave. Like Linwood Barclay, whose trilogy I recently loved, she sets most of her books in the U.S. but occasionally a character (or two) crosses the border, as in An Air That Kills.

In other reading, a reread of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, a fresh read of NW by Zadie Smith, and for Reading Ireland, some short stories and Kate O'Brien's Without My Cloak. (Touchstones are getting all creative on those, opting for The Trial and other writers unknown to me - very entertaining.)

Looking forward to Canada Reads debating next week, although I haven't read yet Company Town or finished Sheila Watt-Clouthier's work. Maybe over the weekend?! Hah.

I just finished He Wants by Alison Moore. Curiously compelling; I quite enjoyed this little novel.

I'm re-reading The Children Act by Ian McEwan for a book club discussion next week.

I'm reading Chronicles Abroad: Berlin, which are "tales of the city" by several famous people. It's edited by John Miller and Tim Smith.

>37 ted74ca: I really enjoyed He Wants by Alison Moore earlier this year. She is quite a wonderful writer. You many already know, but she also wrote The Lighthouse which was either long listed or short listed for the Bailey's Women's Literary Prize.

I'm currently reading In This Grave Hour by Jacqueline Winspear.

>38 LynnB: The Children Act is so good. I recently started a job related to law, so I'm thinking of rereading it. I see so many cases that have the spark of a novel in them -- one day I might develop one, but in the meantime I need to read more legal novels.

In the meantime, I finished Reasons She Goes to the Woods by Deborah Kay Davies, which was one of the best books I've read in forever, but dark and not for everyone. Highly recommended when you're in the mood for dark with gorgeous writing.

Next up, something Irish, Italian, or Japanese. Not sure yet.

>41 Nickelini: I have not read many novels related to law but one that I will never forget and it was not a novel but certainly developed the aruguments pro/con capital punishment. It was by Scott Turow Ultimate Punishment: A Lawyer's Reflections on Dealing with the Death Penalty. I thought it was an exceptional book and I think I should read it again. i have really liked his novels too.

>42 mdoris: Yikes, death penalty is a bit beyond my area of law (especially since we don't have the death penalty in Canada). I'll check it out though, thanks.

I'm reading Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio which so far is excellent.

>43 Nickelini: Hi Joyce, Yes I know what you're saying about death penalty content as I live in Canada too but Turow presents such compelling arguments for both sides and has changed his opinion over time which I think is a good thing. The "other half "recently finished a Christie Blatchford book Life Sentence: Stories from Four Decades of Court Reporting and sounds like we cannot rest on our laurels at all or throw stones.....

I'm reading The Romanovs 1613-1918 by Simon Sebag-Montefiore.

>40 vancouverdeb:. Hi Deb. I immediately requested The Lighthouse from our library as soon as I finished He Wants, as I enjoyed Alison Moore's writing too.

Two pretty good books finished this week: a perennial favourite of mine Alan Bradley's Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd, which was delightful as usual and Under a Silent Moon by Elizabeth Haynes. The latter is the first in a police procedural series, and I would like to read more, but of course, our library system doesn't have the next one!

It's that time again -- Canada Reads

As always, there are lots of options for how to listen -- radio, watch on the internet, watch on TV, or download the podcasts: http://www.cbc.ca/books/canadareads/how-to-tune-in-to-canada-reads-1.4037838

I'll be at work during the mornings this week, so I think I'll watch on my computer when I get home in the evenings.

>49 Nickelini: Like you, I usually watch/listen on my computer in the evenings after I am home from work. Well, I usually listen while I do other things.

Thanks for the reminder!

also, join our CBC Canada Reads group on LT and post your comments on the debates!

https://www.librarything.com/groups/cbcscanadareadsfans

Company Town is one of the daily deals on Amazon.CA today. Now I need to binge READ so I can at least say that I've read two!

I'm almost finished Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio by Amara Lakhous. Maybe you have to understand a bit about Italian culture to love this as much as I do, but I don't think so. Ever had a disagreement that arises over different points of view? Probably. Then you'll get this, especially if it's cross-cultural (although this short novel shows that things that the characters think are tribal actually aren't).

And then I also connect it to the times I've spent "living" in my husband's aunt's apartment in Italy (for way too many weeks than anyone wants to--next time we're NOT staying there! Also, we say that every time we go to Italy).

Highly recommended.

I'm reading Shoot! by George Bowering.