Clam Devours Books & Shares Cheese ❂ 2023 ~ Part III ❂

I did manage to distract myself a bit after my daughter left with another of Elly Griffiths Ruth Galloway archaeological mysteries. This one had a nice twist, with some white supremacists (in white robes, no less...I thought that was a Southern US thing!) running amok. And King Arthur's bones were found! Turns out King Arthur was black, probably the son of a black Roman legionnaire, and the supremacists did not want that news ever getting out. This was just what I needed to get my mind off things.

I have started reading Witch King by Martha Wells.

I just finished The Great Hunt a couple of hours ago. I enjoyed this one even more than the first book in The Wheel of Time series. There are some serious kick-ass women characters in these books! I did get a little tired of Rand denying that he is who he is, but I think Rosamund Pike's narration is outstanding. Like Andy Serkis she made me forget I was only listening to one person. I understand completely why people love these books now. I am not going to listen to the third right away, but I will do it before season 2 of the series airs in the Fall, because I read somewhere that this season covers books 2 & 3 in the series.

Thinking of you, Clare. We never want our fur babies to suffer.

>3 PlatinumWarlock: Thank you, Lavinia. My cat Belle has been sticking to me like glue, which has helped a bit.

Very sorry you didn't have more time with your dog, it is never enough.

>2 clamairy: Glad you enjoyed The Great Hunt. It is better than book one, though I think book three is my favorite.

I'm so sorry for your loss :(

>1 clamairy: Griffiths is good comfort reading, I find. Sorry for your loss. I hope you enjoy the Wells.

I'm so sorry about Sammie. Boxers are the best.

I just read Elly Griffiths' kids mystery, A girl called Justice, which was a fun read.

Loads of sympathy about Sammie.

>5 Karlstar: Thank you, Jim, and no... you're never ready to say goodbye. I am looking forward to The Dragon Reborn, and I will probably stop there until Ms Pike records the next book. Or maybe I will be inspired enough to put my actual eyeballs on the words for the 4th book.

>6 Narilka: Thank you, Gale.

>7 foggidawn: Thank you, Misti. And yes, she's like comfort food. (Mac & cheese, with a side of old bones?) The Wells is good so far!

>8 Sakerfalcon: Thank you, Claire. They really are a quirky lovable breed. They need to breed them just a little smaller. I'm too old to handle another 60 pounder. Oh, a bullet in my own thread! LOL I will add it to my wishlist.

>Thank you, Hugh.

I am listening to Clanlands: Whisky, Warfare, and a Scottish Adventure Like No Other and it's been a while since I listened to something that was so funny when I was not really expect it to be. I'm not ready to give up gin or wine for whisky just yet, but I might be having it more often.

As I noted in my own thread, I've been a bit quiet for the lat few days. But much (however belated) sympathy for your loss.

I’ve read up to book 8 in the Wheel of Time series. I had a hard time getting through book 7. It seemed like it was a lot of words for not a lot of pay off. The story just didn’t move along. I don’t know if I’ll pick up book 8 or not.

>13 catzteach: I definitely noticed that the ratings here on library thing drop as the series goes along, until Brandon Sanderson's name is added to the writing credits and then they shoot through the roof.

>13 catzteach: >14 clamairy: The pace in books 7 and 8 definitely drops off, I remember being frustrated by the lack of 'action' when I first read them, but it bothered me less on the second reading.

>15 Karlstar: I won't worry about it until I get further along, then.

It took me a bit longer to get into Witch King than it usually takes me for a Martha Wells book, but I have only ever read her SciFi before. The pacing in this is similar to The Goblin Emperor, with a lot of hopping back and forth in time. I did ultimately end up enjoying it immensely, but I was a close to halfway through before I was able to relax and go with it. I recommend this one for people who enjoy intricately woven plots and timelines, and characters who are nervous all the time because they are being hunted. LOL Oh, and this is the first in a series, but she tends to write quickly, so I am hoping there isn't more than a couple of years between each book.

I found much to love about Clanlands: Whisky, Warfare, and a Scottish Adventure Like No Other, written and narrated by Graham McTavish and Sam Heughan. My paternal grandmother was born in Edinburgh back in 1881*. I loved learning so much about the history of this part of my family. I really want to go explore for myself. And these two clowns added a lot of levity to their journey.

I see the language was a bit of an issue for some people. I don't have any qualms about such things, as anyone who has every driven with me knows. I can curse like a sailor with Tourette's.

*Yes. It's true. She was in her mid 30s when my father was born in NY City, and my father was in his mid 40s when I came along.

>18 clamairy: I might get distracted and just sit and stare at the cover all day. 🤣 Those are a hunky pair of men!

I can curse like a sailor with Tourette's

ROFL Cursers unite! I knew I had a problem the year my young son asked his dad if they should give me a swear jar for Christmas. Ooops. 😳

>14 clamairy: >15 Karlstar: Hmm, maybe I’ll keep reading them then. I’d like to see what happens to all the characters and how the series wraps up.

>18 clamairy: People who don’t know me really well are always surprised when I cuss, but one of my favorite words is sh*t. :)

>17 clamairy: I've been thinking about giving Witch King a try, I think I'm sold, you can count that as a BB.

>20 catzteach: That was always my take on the Wheel of Time. I really, really wanted to know what happened to everyone and there are so many plots and characters, it takes a lot of words to get there. Does Jordan make it worse with repetitive descriptions of what people are wearing? Yes, yes he does, but it isn't that bad!

>21 Karlstar: There is some mud! You were forewarned. :o) I hope you enjoy it.

>20 catzteach: I think this is why the audio works better for me. Long descriptions aren't so painful.

>19 PlatinumWarlock: They are both charming and hilarious. (And easy on the eye!)

One of my RL friends recommended Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. If we had ¼ stars I would have given in 4¼, but alas... we do not.

I have already started The Outcast Dead by Elly Griffiths. I am pup sitting for my son's Golden Doodle for the next two weeks*, and other than rolling in dead things on the beach she has been a saint so far. But I still don't feel comfortable leaving her alone for longer than a few minutes just yet. So I will be reading a lot. It's kind of hot for marathon gardening anyway.

*He and his girlfriend are in The Philippines!

The Outcast Dead is number 6 in the Ruth Galloway series. Not as much actual archeology in this one sadly, but it was still a decent read. I love Ruth.

Ruth is happy to stay out of sight on the stairs. In fact she wishes she was further away still. Edinburgh would be nice.

I've already started Brandon Sanderson's Yumi and the Nightmare Painter.

>24 clamairy: I’ve been wondering about Remarkably Bright Creatures. I’ve seen it on some “must read” lists. I’ll have to put in on my TBR list.

>22 clamairy: Hmm, I might have to try an audio book.

>24 clamairy: The Philippines! For vacation?

>27 Karlstar: Yes! It's my son's girlfriend's grandmother's 75th birthday. (She still lives there) The beaches are amazing.

>28 clamairy: That's awesome, hope they have a great time.

I don't know what made me buy Rooted: Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature, and Spirit from Audible, but I think I was attracted by the premise. I may acually try to read this one at some point because I did not love the narrator. (Though I still gave it 4½ stars.) This is exactly what it sounds like, nature has become the writer's place of worship. I realized I need to start varying my walks a bit, and maybe try more barefoot walking. I'm not sleeping outside by myself, though. I have to draw the line somewhere!

I've already started listening to Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation by Michael Pollan.

>29 Karlstar: The photos he's been sending me have been incredible.

The dog sitting is going well so far, but she really likes rolling on suspect things on the beach. Yuck. I forgot about how some dogs do this. And she has a lot more energy than I do.

I finally got my Secret Project #2 hardcover in the mail. YAY! It's The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England, which I already read on my Kindle. But this copy is for my daughter.

Speaking of Kindles, I decided to spring for two new Signature Paperwhites for my daughter and myself. (It was a Prime Day deal.) She's using my 11 year old Paperwhite, and that thing has a lot of miles on it. She said it is finally starting to not hold a charge as long as it used to. My Paperwhite is only about 6 years old, but I did scratch the screen a little bit last year. The thing about this new one is that it has a warm screen option for nighttime reading. I am reallying looking forward to that. Plus the screen is a bit larger. My current Kindle will be for the beach and travelling, I think.

>31 clamairy: YAY!

>31 clamairy:
I get the sense that you are trying to justify to yourself your getting the new Kindles. Just tell yourself, "I'm worth it! So is my daughter." That is all the justification required.

:-)

Good luck with your new Kindles.

Of course, you will now have a back-up Kindle if your book runs out of battery.

>33 pgmcc: LOL Yes, I always feel the need to justify. Old habits die hard, as they say. Thank you.

BTW, I have never had my Kindle run out of juice. But I use it daily so I can see when it's getting low and I'll plug it in over night.

>34 clamairy:
Plug it in overnight? But are you not reading overnight?

>35 pgmcc: No. Not usually. I actually still sleep. But all that stuff is within easy reach if I have insomnia.

>36 clamairy: My goodness. I have to constantly revise my mental image of you.

>37 pgmcc: I read in bed until I start dozing. I have occasionally woken up to find the Kindle has turned itself off. :D Occasionally after I put the Kindle on the bedside table my brain will suddenly start to torture me with all the things I was supposed to do and didn't. I will then open up the Kindle and read until I fall asleep again. Rinse and repeat!

>31 clamairy: I splurged on a new Kindle during this week's Prime Days as well. There were some decent prices this year for that kind of thing (and on one or two other items that were needed as well.)

>39 jillmwo: Good for you. I was a little sad to see that the cases and the chargers are coming soon, and the Kindles won't be arriving until August. So it goes. I found some other things I "needed" as well. I just hope they don't send anything via USPS. I never did get that package I was complaining about on Facebook. It looks like it's been sitting at my local PO for 7 days now.

Have you tried going to your local post office and showing them on your phone the Amazon delivery notification? Sometimes that's what's needed to make the Post Office realize that a package has gotten stuck and isn't being moved through the system. Because the USPS is supposed to be tracking each package and aware of where it is at all times.

Amazon's distribution arrangements are very strange these days. I think what may be happening when inventory runs low is that Amazon won't tell you (the customer) that you missed out. Rather than change some portion of their automated system to say that, they tell you that the order is "running late" and ask you to be patient for 3 days. Once supply is replenished, they ship it to you via the post office.

The post office (bless them) may be wrestling with a lack of sorters and carriers for various shifts. Things sit for a while if there's no contractual arrangement with Amazon for delivery w/in a specified time frame. A casual friend of mine here in Philly is a carrier and has talked about some of the botched processes. That's why it can be worth going to visit your local branch/station.

>41 jillmwo: Perhaps I'll try that next week. It's a case of s/he said- s/he said. Amazon says the package was delivered to the Post Office, and the Post Office tracking number claims they didn't receive it. Normally I would be inclined to give the Post Office the benefit of the doubt, except that over the past couple years I have tracked packages that left a location at the exact same time only to have the tracking numbers show them in multiple locations or not moving at all, and then to have them delivered on several different days. Some were delivered as long as a week apart, though they were all mailed from the same location at the exact same time. I've also seen a package supposedly move from the Midwest to the West Coast and back again in the space of several minutes. I've also had one shown as delivered, but it didn't show up at my house for several more days. And, of course, I've mailed things that never arrived.

I should probably add that I don't blame the individual postal workers themselves. The USPS has been treated abominably, with massive cuts and an increased workload.

I didn't think it was possible, but Brandon Sanderson has done it again. I loved Yumi and the Nightmare Painter as much as The Emperor's Soul, although this book has a lot more humor in it than the other does. I have a million things to do today, so I am just going to drop one bit here, and then come back later to add a longer review.

This was art. Something the machine, however capable in the technical details could never understand. Because art is, and always has been, about what it does to us. To the one shaping it and the one experiencing it.

>44 clamairy: Thanks for that! So many books, so little time.

>45 Karlstar: Isn't that the truth!

>44 clamairy: You know how I feel about The Emperor's Soul. Should I just go ahead and get this in whatever format might be available?

>47 jillmwo: I looks like it's not available to the general public until October, but yes. I recommend it. The illustrations are amazing, too.

Edited to add: So it looks like it's not available on Amazon until October, but you can borrow the ebook for your Kindle from the library now!

I have yet to read a Sanderson book. Which one should I read first?

>49 catzteach: I would start with The Emperor's Soul. It's relatively short and you should be able to borrow it easily. That way you can decide if you like his writing style or not.

>49 catzteach: I second clamairy"s recommendation. That was an exquisite book.

>44 clamairy: I liked that quote a lot too.

>52 Narilka: I have a few more I want to share, but it's harder to do than usual. Amazon won't let me cut and paste from my Kindle notes page, because the ebook wasn't purchased through Amazon.

This was a quick freebee from Amazon Prime Reading. I usually do the Kindle challenges. It's more out of habit, as they no longer give you credits towards ebooks for completeing any of them. I had to read something from my Prime Library, and this was short. But good! I've never read anything by Jennifer Weiner before. She's very popular in Connecticut because she grew up there. (Just a few miles from where I was living, BTW.) This is about a young congresswoman running for the senate who find out a friend from the fat camp where she spent one summer as a teen is about to hold a press conference with 'breaking news' that could ruin her political aspirations. It sounds far fetched, but in these days it really isn't. I actually enjoyed it.

I have gone right back to The Daughter of Time, which is a reread, since I read it in college and remember nothing.

I decided to share one of the gorgeous illustrations from Yumi and the Nightmare Painter.

>55 clamairy: Oh goodness, that IS gorgeous. Thank you for sharing this!

>55 clamairy: That's lovely!

>55 clamairy: Thank you for taking the time to work out the sharing issue, despite Amazon's recalcitrance. You may have achieved the status of information goddess, what with being able to wrestle the technical issue down to the ground and the sharing of the wonderful illo!

>50 clamairy: & >51 MrsLee: Thanks for the recommendation! I’ll see if my library has it.

>55 clamairy: Gorgeous!

I enjoyed The Daughter of Time, and I'm about 90% sure I didn't read the whole thing before, but probably skimmed it for the college class that assigned it 40+ years ago. Shame on me! What fun. Although some of the affectionate terms Alan Grant used for the nurses were more than just a little derogatory.

I thought this was a group read in here during one of the crazier times in my life, so I will go read what everyone else thought. (I am definitely Team Richard.)

>61 clamairy: I've read Sharon Kay Penman's The Sunne in Splendour, so you will never catch me supporting a Lancaster. This one sounds fun!

>62 libraryperilous: Ooh, I haven't read that. I do own the first book in her Welsh Trilogy, but I haven't read that either.

>63 clamairy: I liked it immensely, and it also is a standalone. I'd like to read the Welsh Trilogy someday.

The Collected Regrets of Clover is a novel about dealing (or not dealing) with grief. Clover is a death doula. Yes, it's a thing. This book is wonderful, and I may read it instead of listening to it at some point. I think I heard about it in The NY Times, but it could have been just some online "what great books are you reading now' list. Mikki Brammer is a journalist, and this is her first novel.

Some of you might remember I was puppy sitting for 16 days. My son and his girlfriend got back from The Philippines, one recovering and one still pretty sick from what they thought was a head cold. Turns out it wasn't a head cold. My daughter had come out for a quick visit to see their photos, and hear their travel tales. My son and his girlfriend and pup left yesterday, but my daughter is still here and now we both have Covid. So far I don't feel too badly. I am coughing a lot, and that's it. I am doing laundry, I vacuumed a bit and cleaned a little today. I figured I might as well get stuff done while I still feel like I can. Keep your fingers crossed that is stays mild.

>66 clamairy: I'm sorry, Clare... hope it's a mild case! Feel better soon. 😊

>66 clamairy: Fingers crossed! Hope all the vaccines do their job in keeping it mild for you!

>66 clamairy: Oh no! Sorry to hear that, I hope it is a very mild case and clears soon for both of you.

Ugh yeah, ditto to the wishes of mild and quick.

>66 clamairy: Oh, golly. Hopefully, your system will be able to fight off the worst of it.

What they all said!

>66 clamairy:
Wishing you and your daughter mild doses and a quick recovery.

Were the photographs good?

>66 clamairy: Rats! Hope you heal quickly. Quick, make some strong chicken soup, with lots of chili, ginger and garlic. Then sit and rest, because I think you can drag it out longer if you aren't resting. *Hug*

Thanks, all. Yeah, I realized that when the ibuprofen and pseudoephedrine wear off I feel pretty lousy. Will definitely be taking it slower tomorrow.

Hope you feel better soon. Go easy on yourself!

>75 clamairy: is this your first bout, or have you had it before?

I've only had it once so far, and was unprepared for the fatigue part - it really knocked me down harder than I expected and was worse than the other symptoms. Its weird how everyone has a different experience with this contagion, I hope you are able to get ahead of it soon!

>74 MrsLee: I second the suggestion of chicken soup! I prefer to make it on the stove but even the slow cooker version turns out well.

>74 MrsLee: and >78 Karlstar: I concur. The health value of a good pot of chicken soup has been documented.

Feel better soon!

Get well soon! God forbid it turning into long-Covid!

Thanks, all. This is the sickest I've been in decades. Maybe ever. But the Paxlovid seems to be working, and this morning I have noticed I am not blowing my nose and coughing much, and the fever is gone. A side effect of the meds is a really nasty taste in my mouth, and nausea, but I'm dealing with those.

As for all of the chicken soup suggestions... yesterday my daughter made congee, which is rice in chicken broth, with scallions and ginger. Yum!

>82 clamairy:
Glad to hear there are hopeful signs of recovery. How is your daughter feeling?

Get well soon.

>83 pgmcc: Thanks.She's hanging in there. I was sicker than she was until I started the Paxlovid. Now I'm in better shape. I think her fever is gone, at least, but she's coughing a lot more than I am.

And yes, the photos were awesome. He did it as a slideshow from his phone to the large screen TV.

>84 clamairy:
Good pictures on the big screen can be a real treat.

I hope you both get on the path to recovery and move along it quickly.

How are your son and his girlfriend?

>82 clamairy: Good to hear that you are both on the road to recovery, I hope it continues.

I found the worst bit was my throat feeling like I was trying to swallow a handful of barbed wire. Good that you’re feeling better, and best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery.

>82 clamairy: Ohno! I hope you'll get your energy back soon. I'm glad you and your daughter can keep each other company.

Thank you all. Fevers are gone, coughing and nose blowing are at a minimum. As >88 haydninvienna: mentioned, we both have really bad sore throats still. I guess the antivirals can only do so much. And the fatigue is still an issue. (Though I am managing to water my plants every morning.)

I am reading a bunch. I finished two books and I'm 40% of the way through The Road to Roswell, and it's perfect reading for when the brain isn't at its sharpest.

>90 clamairy: You haven't been getting the torrential rains?

>91 Karlstar: No, we have not. It dissipates before it reaches me. We did get 3 inches in one day about 10 or 11 days ago. I'm at the top of a small hill, so most of it ran out into the street or down into my neighbor's yard.

I hope you feel better soon!

I loved The Road to Roswell, and I agree that it's a good chicken soup book.

So sorry you are sick! I hope you feel better soon.

>92 clamairy: How are you doing?

>95 Karlstar: Definitely better than last week, but I am still wobbly. Thank you for asking. My daughter left for NYC this morning, and she wasn't looking forward to the trip, but she needed to get back.

I have a bunch of finished books to post, but I'm not sure when I'll feel like doing them. Soon... ish.

>96 clamairy: At least you're getting better. Best wishes.

>96 clamairy: Glad you're feeling a little bit better. The book reviews can come in slowly -- one at a time. Keep sleeping/napping and take care of yourself. (More chicken soup!!)

>97 haydninvienna: & >98 jillmwo: Thank you. I will be the proverbial tortoise for the foreseeable future.

The Magician's Daughter was a BB from both LibraryPerilous and Sakerfalcon. A solid read, but when I wasn't feeling well it seemed like it was dragging. Four stars, though. I loved Biddy and Hutchincroft. It was Rowan I wanted to throttle.

The Ghost Fields is the 7th Ruth Galloway book, and was perfect for my fevered brain. Not much heavy lifting.

The Road to Roswell by Connie Willis was another LibraryPerilous BB. I enjoyed this, but I think I might have enjoyed more without a fever. The frenetic pace of this book had my head spinning more than once. Still so much fun.

The Woman in Blue was another solid Ruth Galloway book. I am trying to pace myself with these, but they are perfect for when one is under the weather.

The Wizard's Butler was a BB from both Narilka and Darth-Heather. Thank you, both. This one is free for anyone with Amazon Prime. I guess it's considered cozy urban fantasy. It was a slow burn, and a pure pleasure. A sequel is apparently in the works.

>96 clamairy: Glad to hear it and good to see you are up for posting again.

>104 clamairy: yay, I'm glad you found it enjoyable - I thought it was very pleasant, and am glad you had something relatively lightweight for distraction while you are recuperating!

>100 clamairy: That one's already on my list, so I'm glad to hear it's solid.

>102 clamairy: I've been eying that one for a little while -- better add it to the list.

Well done for getting your reviews posted! Glad you enjoyed The magician's daughter.

My nose started running like a faucet again last night. I was hoping it was just allergies, as I had the windows all open for a change. No such luck. I tested positive again this morning. I'm one of those not so rare rebound cases apparently. Luckily the runny nose is my only symptom so far. I sure hope it stays that way.

Yesterday I started reading Beauty by Robin McKinley. Very good so far.

>109 clamairy: Oh man! I was hoping things were getting better for you! Hopefully the rebound doesn’t last very long. I don’t know how you can read when sick. When I had Covid last year, all I could do was watch tv. My brain couldn’t focus enough to read. Rest and get better soon!

>110 catzteach: Thanks. Interestingly I have no desire to watch TV at all. I stuck to books that weren't too challenging.

>109 clamairy: Oh dear. Seriously hope you're better soon.

>109 clamairy: Bummer, I hope the rebound case is short.

Anecdotally, every single person I know who took Paxlovid had a rebound case of COVID.

*shrug*?

Hope you feel better soon!

>114 reconditereader: That is odd. Online I'm seeing that anywhere from 5-25% of cases rebound. And it isn't just with Paxlovid, but that seems to be the most common treatment these days.

>115 clamairy: I am not familiar with the Paxlovid treatment - is it a pill? how long is it meant to last? do you have to take it again?

>116 Darth-Heather: It's a 5 day, 30 pill, prescription. It's made up of two different antivirals. It knocked my symptoms down as soon as I started it. But perhaps they should consider 7 days instead of 5.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-is-paxlovid-rebound-and-how-comm...

>109 clamairy: Beauty is a good comfort read for when you're not feeling well. It's gorgeous and escapist but not too challenging. Hope you feel better soon.

>104 clamairy: I'm glad you enjoyed it :)

>109 clamairy: What a bummer. I hope you recover quickly.

>116 Darth-Heather: A work colleague who got covid earlier this year had much the same results with paxlovid. It helped a ton, it was better if you took it earlier (comparing his and his wife's results) but there was a minor rebound case.

>117 clamairy: oof. 30 pills is a lot of pills. I'm glad it helped though, and concerned about how bad your case would have been without it.

>121 Karlstar: it's good to know that there is a viable treatment. I had Covid last October, and while my case wasn't too bad, I would not like to have it again.

Just saw an Instagram post from author Chuck Wendig. He's "enjoying" paxlovid rebound, too.

>121 Karlstar: They want you start it within 5 days of symptoms. I started roughly 36 hours after symptoms started. I wonder if an extra couple of days of meds would have helped at all. The rebound hasn't been as bad, thankfully. But I'm still tired.

>122 Darth-Heather: Yeah, I am very grateful to have had the meds, despite the rebound.

>123 tardis: Yikes

Beauty is Robin McKinley's well done YA retooling of Beauty & the Beast. I kept thinking she had borrowed heavily from Disney, and then I saw her book was published in 1978. She describes Disney's Beast right down to the blue velvet coat. I now have to do some snooping to see if she got any royalties.

I have started Miss Pym Disposes and I have no clue where this is going.

>125 clamairy: I thoroughly enjoyed Beauty when it came out in the '70's. Not sure if I held on to my copy or if I passed it on at some point. But it was a great read!

And Miss Pym DIsposes is (as you say) not what one expects.

Hope you feel better soon!!!

Beauty is pretty good, but I prefer Rose Daughter.

>126 jillmwo: I have hit a few words I don't know and have to look them up. Some of them aren't even in the Kindle's OED, and I have to use my phone. Like "scranbag." LOL

>127 reconditereader: I own that one, too. I plan to read it soonish.

Ugh, sorry about the covid echo. Bummer. It does really wipe you out sometimes. When I had it at Christmas it was so enervating. Didn't have the energy to do anything. Plus covid brain. Bleah. Wishing you better days ahead.

>129 Bookmarque: Thank you. I don't have much brain fog, thankfully. It's just that my mojo is nowhere to be found. I did manage a short walk after dinner yesterday. I will try again this evening. (I am useless in the morning.)

I believe Miss Pym Disposes was a BB (that ricocheted around quite a bit) from jillmwo originally, and then from MrsLee and foggidawn more recently. What a ride. As MrsLee pointed out there is a whole lot of not much going on for at least the first half of this book. I almost despaired, but since I had bought it and not borrowed it I felt compelled to keep going. I am glad that I did.

There is some humor* and a bit of casual racism, and an awful of lot of judging people by their appearances. Eyebrows? Are eyebrows the real windows to the soul?

*If you had to have a face like a scone it was at least comforting that it was a smooth scone.

“Do you know what it reminds me of? The Coronation Coach. A lumbering anachronism; an absurd convention that we go on making use of because of inherited affection. A gilded relic—”

>131 clamairy: I haven't looked at it recently, but I think part of the point with Miss Pym Disposes has to do with Tey elbowing people in the ribs about judging based on real and perceived appearance. The protagonist happens to write a bestseller (based on reading what -- 37 books?) and on that basis, others have this perception of her as an expert in the field. Of course, she's not. (She may be relatively well-read but she's not a truly-qualified expert. The Head just grabs her as a replacement in a moment of need.) And because it's a physical education training school (in a very different time period), the assumption again is that the inhabitants are all in top shape and therefore also be mentally sound. There was a great belief in sound body, sound mind...

Am I remembering the book details correctly?

>132 jillmwo: You are! I was just coming back in to comment on how the book ends with Miss Pym deciding she needs to write another book on a different topic ('appearances,' I believe) and that she will have to publish it under a different name. Yes, she's what they used to call a 'pop' psychologist, correct?

>133 clamairy: That's how I interpreted it. "Pop" psychology of the "i'm okay, you're okay" variety.

>133 clamairy: & >132 jillmwo: That's what I most enjoyed about the story, that the amateur detective got it horribly wrong and perhaps caused permanent damage to the parties involved because she meddled and thought she knew best. She was humbled. So many mysteries have amateurs blundering around and somehow solving the crime, this was refreshing.

>135 MrsLee: Excellent summary. I have to say I did wonder why the head mistress thought Rouse was so wonderful. I started to suspect that Rouse was her daughter.

>136 clamairy: I wondered as well. I was thinking blackmail .

>137 MrsLee: That possibility crossed my mind, as did an inappropriate relationship, because that might explain why she was so devastated after Rouse had passed.

>138 clamairy: Yep. That too. I was looking for veiled hints of such things, being a girl's physical training college, and considering the date this story was written. Agatha Christie had quite a few (as I remember) hints of such goings on in her stories. Not between teachers and students though. That's just icky.

I already started and bailed on a book called Save What's Left, which was recommended somewhere. (I can't remember if it was the NY Times or a local paper.) It just wasn't grabbing me. I'm starting The Chalk Pit instead.

>139 MrsLee: Agreed! The ick factor is high there.

>131 clamairy: I’ve checked it out from the library. It’s next on my list. I did not read any of the spoilers. :)

>142 catzteach: Enjoy it. It might seem very slow for at least the first ⅓rd.

&$#@%!
I tested positive again (still) this morning. I am tired, but otherwise I'm okay. It's been 15 days. Apparently you can test positive, and no longer be contagious.

>144 clamairy:
Big hugs. That is very frustrating. At least you have gotten rid of many of the symptoms.

>144 clamairy: Don't try to get up and moving quite so quickly. If the body is telling you it needs rest and time to fight this off and recuperate, then (as hard as it may be), listen to your body!! (Please note that I understand the challenge in that. I know exactly how hard it may be. But if you're going to tell pgmcc that he can finish 800 pages before his next book group meeting if he'll just do 50 pages, each day, one day at a time, then perhaps you can give yourself the extra 45-90 minutes each day to recover. COVID is a nasty little bugger.)

>145 pgmcc: & >146 jillmwo: Thanks. I actually don't feel too badly, and I am starting to get just a wee bit restless. But it is a rainy day, so I will probably spend most of the day reading anyway. I forgot to mention that the new Signature Paperwhites arrived last weekend, so I've had over a week to enjoy mine. I love that this one has a warm light setting. The larger screen is also wonderful.

>144 clamairy: My aunt had that happen after she offiated at my son's wedding. Took her weeks to get a negative result. Hang in there! Find peaceful and quiet things to do. Rearrange the sock drawer? Maybe the bookshelves?

>148 MrsLee: "Find peaceful and quiet things to do."
Thank you. I think I've read nine books since I got sick. I have had zero desire to watch TV for some reason. As for the bookshelves, there are about 50 other things that have to happen before I can add some new shelves and start moving books around again.

The Dark Angel is probably my least favorite so far in the Ruth Galloway series, but it still kept me glued to my kindle for a day.



Spear was a BB from ScoLgo, via jillmwo's thread and her list of the World Fantasy Award Finalists. I can't praise this one enough. A five star for me. Who knew anyone could make any Arthurian Legends fresh again? I will definitely be reading more from this author. There's a whiff of McKillip about the writing style!

>144 clamairy: What a pain. At least you are feeling better. You are on the mend even if the test says otherwise.

>151 Narilka: Quite true! I will have to mask if I go out in public until I finally get a negative result, though.

>144 clamairy: Sorry to hear that. More reading!

>150 clamairy: Spear looks delightful, Clare - thanks for the BB!

>150 clamairy: I'm so glad you liked Spear! Had you not read Nicola Griffith before?

>155 ScoLgo: I had not! The one I want to read next is Hild, but it's not available to borrow as an ebook. I did see that there is a sequel due to be published in October, so I am hoping the first book will go on sale around that time.

>154 PlatinumWarlock: You are most welcome, but thank >155 ScoLgo:, too.

I snagged The Witch's Heart when it was on sale back in the beginning of June. As per my usual I looked it up in here, saw it had a relatively high rating, and that it was tagged 'Norse Mythology' and that was enough. This is very good for a first novel, but I found myself taken out of the story quite often by some of the chatter between Loki and Angrboda. It seemed just a bit too contemporary for the setting. But the tale itself is a good one, if a bit long. Four stars from me. And now I think I need to brush up on my Norse mythology.

I must have read an abridged children's illustrated version of this as a child. The physical copy I have is exactly like the Kindle version that I borrowed, so it must be an earlier translation*. I would never have read this out loud to my kids until they were 10 or older. Bambi: A Life in the Woods reminded me so much of Watership Down, right down to the nasty invasive humans.

*My book copyright says 1929, but the illustrations say 1956. No translator is listed.

The Fell was a BB from jillmwo, but I think sakerfalcon mentioned reading it back in March. Once I got used to the stream of consciousness style I was okay, although Kate's stream was the most difficult to parse. I am sure that's the point, as she has a three ring circus of self-abuse going on in her head, including a talking Raven. I did really enjoy this, and tried to stay awake to finish it last night, but was unsuccessful. And speaking of reading oneself to sleep, let me drop a bit from the character Alice, and her theory on bedtime reading:

Find something light to read, a Peter Wimsey or one of those, though she’s read all the Wimsey novels rather recently, doesn’t do to wear out your stories, she did that with Georgette Heyer, read and re-read too often until they were dead in her hands.

I have started Christian Cooper's Better Living Through Birding, and I am enjoying it so far.

>158 clamairy: Definitely the Whittaker Chambers translation then. Agreed this isn't the children's story that Disney was trying to sell.

I am glad you're enjoying the Birding book.

I am still enjoying Better Living Through Birding, but it's going more slowly than I would like. I don't have much of an urge to pick it up during the day.

Just a word of warning to those of you here in the Northeastern part of the US that our COVID numbers are ticking up. My brother and his wife both have it now. (They live about 20 miles away from me.) They had already started masking when they were out and about, but they went out to eat at a restaurant last Thursday evening and they were sick by Sunday morning. They both started antivirals on Monday, and my brother is doing better, but his wife is struggling. She already had to go back to the MD and was given steroids to take with the Paxlovid. So please be careful out there people.

>162 clamairy: Oh, I'm sorry your brother and his wife are sick, Clam, and especially that she's having a hard time. Sending healing wishes to both of them.

>163 PlatinumWarlock: Thank you. They are improving!

I have owned a signed hardcover of Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation for a decade, but since I am not reading paper much these days I decided I would rather have Michael Pollan read me his book instead. (He does have such a great reading voice. Unlike so many authors.) This is another history of food book that I cannot recommend enough. Not only did I learn about a bunch of different cultures and their cooking/food choices, I learned a bit about why, after years of criticism, most of our food choices in the US (and developed countries in general) still stink. Things have improved slightly since he wrote this. I can buy 'real' sourdough made locally, for instance. (But that might have more to do with where I live than anything else.)

The book has four sections:
Fire - BBQing meat over an actual fire-pit
Water - One dish things with liquid like braises and stews
Air - Baking bread
Earth - Fermentation of cheeses, brined things and alcoholic beverages

Pollan takes on all of these tasks, and some of them he is still doing regularly after he finishes writing the book. He really enjoyed making bread, with his own starter, (which I swear I will try when it's cool enough to have the oven on comfortably) and the braising of meat for a pot dish, which I don't think I have ever done. (Again, I might try this when the weather cools.)

For those of you who don't want to invest in the book or the audio there is his Netflix series* of the same name, which I am halfway through re-watching. The series has a slightly different focus, which is more about how the giant food industries of the US (and lots of other countries, sadly) have continued to put earnings above quality when it comes to just about everything. If you pick up a loaf of whole wheat bread in the grocery store the ingredients list is still a thousand miles long with mostly unpronounceable ingredients. And even making my own bread with all good ingredients means I'm using a yeast which will add delightful air bubbles to my bread, and make it very tasty, but won't make it as nutritious as it would be if I were using a natural starter. It turns out fermentation makes for a much more healthy digestible loaf.

*https://www.netflix.com/title/80022456

I have started listening to The Dragon Reborn and so far it is quite good.

>162 clamairy: Sorry to hear that they caught it, hopefully they are both better soon.

>165 clamairy: That sounds very interesting. I already watch a lot of food shows, what's one more?? Glad you are enjoying The Dragon Reborn.

>166 Karlstar: Many thanks. I hope you enjoy it, I learned a bunch the second time around that I had completely forgotten. I guess I watched it in 2016. I tied to get my hands on that CT cheese when I lived there, but I think you could only purchase it at the abbey.

Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World was very good. I can imagine it is not everyone's cup of tea. Christian Cooper is openly gay, and a good portion of this book is about him hiding in the closet and then coming to terms with this, before finally embracing his sexuality. There are no graphic details, but he does talk about various romantic entanglements over the years. I suspect that people picking up a book they think is all about birds will be surprised and, (especially if one is homophobic) perhaps put off by this. I was not.

There is also quite a bit about what a nerd he is, from his first encounter with Tolkien to his ending up writing for Marvel Comics for many years. And there are his encounters with racism, specifically the Central Park incident that made him famous. We both grew up in the same area roughly around the same time, but as a white female my childhood experience was completely different. And there is his embrace of paganism, which again appears to make some readers squirm. (I will definitely be on the lookout for his new birding series. As soon as I figure what streaming service it's on.)

>168 clamairy: I enjoyed his book too! Here's his show:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/tv/shows/extraordinary-birder-with-christian-...

>169 reconditereader: Many thanks!!! I am glad you liked it, too. The only other review I saw was rather nasty.

>168 clamairy: Color me surprised as indeed I thought the book was about identifying bird species in the wild. I had thought you were about to take up a new hobby involving more tramps outside and use of binoculars.

>168 clamairy: This sounds like a great read! I hope I can get it this side of the pond.

>171 jillmwo: I am a birder, but not the kind he is. LOL I like to look at them with binoculars from my couch or dining room table. (And the beach, of course.) A good deal of the book is about birding. He's primarily an 'ear' birder, so he can tell what he's hearing and then he starts looking for it. The birding obsession is what kept him from doing himself physical harm as a preteen and a teen.

>172 Sakerfalcon: I hope you can borrow it in some format. I have massive amounts of empathy and sympathy for the guy.

The Stone Circle is the 11th Ruth Galloway book, and I am trying very hard not to race through them because as much as I want to know how they end I don't want them to actually end. It's a quandary. I enjoyed this one. (No surprise there.)

I'm on a mystery jag, so I started the fifth Tracy Crosswhite book, Close to Home. So far so good.

Close to Home is the fifth book in Robert Dugoni's Tracy Crosswhite series. His writing skills have improved since Amazon gave me the first book in this series for free back in 2014. It was very interesting to read this book after the Ruth Galloway title I had just completed, The Stone Circle. For one thing Elly Griffiths's books are a lot funnier. Even though they aren't in the humor genre, she has quite a bit of fun with her characters. There is some humor in the Crosswhite series, but it takes a back seat to the seriousness of the murders being solved. Like nine or ten rows back...

I am about one third of the way through Carpe Jugulum and I am kicking myself for waiting much too long to before diving back into the Discworld: Witches series. Sadly, this is the last full-length novel in that series. I will have to go back to the other books after this. The amazing thing about Pratchett is you'll be reading lighthearted stuff and laughing like a loon and then you will hit something like this bit about my idol, Granny Weatherwax:

She’d always tried to face toward the light. But the harder you stared into the brightness the harsher it burned into you until, at last, the temptation picked you up and bid you turn around to see how long, rich, strong and dark, streaming away behind you, your shadow had become—

Beautiful.

>175 clamairy: Have you read the Tiffany Aching stories yet? If not, I think you would enjoy them as they continue the Witches theme. Don't (and I know you wouldn't) get scared off by the YA tag. I found them every bit as deep as the rest of his novels.

>176 MrsLee: Yes, and I loved them. I did them as audiobooks. I think The Shepherd's Crown was my last Pratchett. And now I'm wondering if what happened at the end of that book is the reason I stopped.

>175 clamairy: Pratchett's ability to do just that is unmatched. I was going through some of my favorite Discworld quotes today too. I'm going to need to reread some of those books some day.

>178 Narilka: In his case I wonder if reading is better than listening. Have I missed much by listening?

I just finished listening to The Dragon Reborn read by Rosamund Pike, the actress who plays the powerful Moiraine in the TV series The Wheel of Time. This is the third book, and it is the last of the ones that she has recorded. I am in a quandary now, because I don't know whether to start reading them, or wait for her to do the next one. It might be a while.

Next up is Demon Copperhead. And I am thinking I need to read a summary of David Copperfield to refresh my memory before I start it. I did try reading this book a few months ago, and it wasn't working for me. This is one of my favorite authors, so I can only assume it was bad timing on my part.

>180 clamairy: But did you enjoy it?

>181 Karlstar: Yes! I gave it 4½ stars. I forgot to mention that. I wouldn't want to keep going if I wasn't enjoying them. And I'm afraid I will forget who is who and what is going on if I wait too long to continue.

>182 clamairy: The show will remind you, at least for a subset of the characters.

I finished off Carpe Jugulum on Tuesday night. It started out with a bang, and ended well, but there was some squishier bits in the middle that were just mildly amusing. I did enjoy it, but nothing can ever beat Wyrd Sisters, IMHO. Here are a couple of the funnier bits:

Any fool could be a witch with a runic knife, but it took skill to be one with an apple-corer.

“Mistress Weatherwax, you are a natural disputant.”
“No I ain’t!”
“You’d certain enjoy yourself at the Synod, anyway. They’ve been known to argue for days about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.”
He could almost feel Granny’s mind working. At last she said, “What size pin?”

Somehow I stumbled upon the news that there is a Grilled Cheese Mystery series. I borrowed the first one, Up to No Gouda. So far it is interesting enough, but mostly mindless. Which is fine this time of year. At the very least I am getting some great ideas for grilling multiple kinds of cheese together. There's one called sandwich called Sweadah Weathah (this takes place in New England) which is Swiss & Cheddar. I might have to try that.

And speaking of cheese, here are two of my latest favorites. I may have shared the one on the left before. The flavors seem to be seasonal. The one on the right is in Costco now, and it is delicious.

>179 clamairy: I've not listened to any of the books, only read physical copies. I am planning to download Small Gods when it releases as it's being rerecorded with Andy Serkis! I'm very much looking forward to his narration :)

>186 Narilka: Oh! That sounds wonderful. Do you know if he's doing a lot of them?

>187 clamairy:

Looks like just Small Gods

https://www.terrypratchettbooks.com/discworld-audio-announcement/

>188 sqdancer: Those look fantastic! Thank you!

>186 Narilka: I have the Audible version of Small Gods narrated by Andy Serkis. That was never one of my favorite books, and I couldn't finish the listen, although, it was in the week after my surgery that I tried it, and it didn't work with my brain at that time.

>185 clamairy: My DIL gave me a cheese board sampler from Costco about a month ago. Some of the best cheeses I have been exposed to. There was a white truffle cheese to die for.

>190 MrsLee: Did your cheese board look like this?

>191 clamairy: That is the one!

>192 MrsLee: I bought that one for a family holiday gathering in December, and there was so much other food we never opened it. So we got together again in January and tasted all of them. The Comtesse was my favorite.

>193 clamairy:
The Comtesse is the one I tried to get in the posh cheese shop, but they did not have it. :-(

I have this sudden weird craving for fancy cheese. Going grocery shopping tomorrow...

>194 pgmcc: Yes. It's not easy to find. :o(

>195 foggidawn: Oooh, please let us know what you find!

>188 sqdancer: >189 clamairy: >190 MrsLee: I had to struggle through Small Gods reading it on my Kindle. I'm not sure an audio book would have been better. (So really, Lee, any difficulties you encountered with it may not have been due to the surgery.)

And now I am envious that we have no Costco within easy distance. I always get petit fours at Christmas season rather than cheese boards.

>187 clamairy: What sqdancer said. It appears to be only Small Gods so far.

>199 Narilka: Thanks. I'll probably be in my 80s by the time I make it through all of the Discworld books.

>198 jillmwo: You have my sympathies.

Up to No Gouda was a bit of a disappointment. I finished it because I needed to know who the killer was, but I will not be continuing with this series. First of all everyone in the book says things like "gosh" and "darn" even when under duress, and it was a more than a bit repetitive. Just much too cutesy for my palette. The different grilled cheese sandwiches sounded delightful, though.

I've already started The Lantern Men.

>202 clamairy: I'd forgotten that started the cheese discussion. Thanks for saving us from reading it.

>197 clamairy: I finished off my white cheddar with cranberries (from Aldi; they used to occasionally sell a cranberry wensleydale that I loved, but now I make do with this), and I bought a spinach artichoke Gouda from that classiest of cheesemongers, Walmart.

>204 foggidawn:
There is a Wensleydale with cranberries available here. It is a guilty pleasure of mine.

>204 foggidawn: & >205 pgmcc: The Wensleydales with fruit usually show up in Costco for the holiday season. I've enjoyed both the cranberry and the apricot in the past. That spinach & artichoke gouda sounds wonderful.

I had so many different cheeses at our family gathering at the beach yesterday that I lost track. But there was something from Italy with truffles that made me very happy, and a mild crumbly blue that I was combining with brie and putting on chunks of sourdough bread. I was in my happiest of places. :o)

>206 clamairy: Glad you enjoyed your outing, it must not have been too hot. Somehow we had a cheese-less family gathering yesterday! I don't know how that happened.

>207 Karlstar: Thanks. It was in the low 80s, with a nice breeze off the bay. We did have to stay under the trees for shade, though. I pity your cheeselessness.

I guess technically there was American cheese on my cheeseburger, but I don't think cheese as a condiment counts.

I needed something to cleanse my palate after that rather bland mystery. Ruth Galloway to the rescue. I think The Lantern Men might be my favorite in the series so far. I am not going to rush in to the next one because there are only three left in the series, and when I did some Googling it sounds as if there will not be any more.

This made me chuckle:

Frank often suggests that they do The Times cryptic together on a Saturday but something in Ruth shies away from that kind of intimacy. She’s happy to sleep with Frank but solve two down (Teach about swindler (5))? No, it’s too much.

This was my 75th book read and/or listened to so far this year. I haven't had a reading year like this in many decades.

I have started A Thousand Recipes for Revenge. This one was free from Amazon a few month ago, and sakerfalcon gave it a big thumbs up.

Congratulations on reaching 75 books! Glad you are having a stellar reading year.

>206 clamairy: Beach, family, cheese ... what a perfect day!

>210 clamairy: I hope you enjoy A thousand recipes... as much as I did!

>211 foggidawn: Thank you! I took full advantage of being stuck at home for big chunks of time.

>212 Sakerfalcon: I am enjoying it very much so far.

What an incredibly original magic system, with 'Chefs' being touched by a god who gives them the ability to taste things without eating them, and prepare dishes perfectly suited to someone else's palate. There are also special ingredients that gift the person who ingests them with super powers, temporarily at least. Turns out these ingredients might not be ethically sourced, so to speak. There is a lot of intrigue, and not everyone is who they seem to be.

Four stars from me. This is the first in a series. Thanks to sakerfalcon for the nudge.

>214 clamairy: So glad you enjoyed it! I wondered as I read whether the author is a vegetarian/vegan. The issues she raises in the book can certainly be applied to the food industry in our own world.

>215 Sakerfalcon: Yes, I wondered the same thing. Especially when reading about the jar of pickled fairies! :o(

I've started The Three Dahlias, and so far it's moving a bit slowly. I have not had much reading time. My son brought a bunch of friends for the weekend, which turned out well, despite the weather forecast predicting rain that thankfully never materialized. Everyone was swimming, even his dog! My daughter was here until yesterday evening. Now I need to catch up on laundry, and maybe decompress a little on the beach by myself.

>217 clamairy:
Happy decompression!

>217 clamairy: I just finished it this morning. I'll be curious to hear what you think.

I am waiting a couple of days before I give a rating to The Three Dahlias, because I really want to give it 3¾ stars, but I can't. So we'll see how I feel about it after I mull it over a bit. I enjoyed the last half of the book, so that might be the deciding factor. It certainly beats that grilled cheese mystery.

I have already started Nettle & Bone. It is very good so far.

Catching up after a long interval, I want to offer my condolences on losing your dog. I hope covid is also well behind you by now.

Someone recently recommended that I try manchego. I looked at it in the store and didn't see how I was supposed to eat it. What do you recommend?

>221 Meredy: I love Manchego. Especially with a slightly tart fruit jelly or paste like quince.

>222 MrsLee: On crackers? Directly under the jelly? Naked? Chunks, slices, cubes?

Last night I sort of missed supper (not unusual), so later I had some Carr's water crackers with Cabot's Seriously Sharp cheddar, a favorite of mine. I'm figuring Manchego is probably in another category entirely.

I think clothing is up to your discretion.

>223 Meredy: Eat it without a cracker for your first taste. The mouth feel is incredible. It's made from sheep's milk, which is higher in fat than cow's milk. So even though it looks hard it just melts on your tongue. I have it with crackers, or sourdough bread chunks. MrsLee's suggestion sound great. (I've had it with fig jam.) My brother melts his on crusty bread.

Thank you for your kind words about my pup. I am still missing her terribly. I am feeling much better since the COVID, and I have found that being able to sleep in is one of the unexpected perks of doglessness.

Eat manchego the same way you'd eat any other cheese, such as feta.

>225 clamairy: Fig jam or membrillo. I adore membrillo. (On our flight from London to Doha last week there was a small cheese platter with the meal. I nicked Mrs H’s bit of membrillo cos she doesn’t like it.)

>227 haydninvienna: I need to look for membrillo. I've had it on cheese plates, so I know it's available here.

>214 clamairy: Oooh, this sounds fun! Thanks for the BB. :)

>229 PlatinumWarlock: I hope you enjoy it! I also hope it isn't too long before the second one comes out, because I don't want to forget everything.

>221 Meredy: Seconding the membrillo with Manchego. The nuttiness of the cheese and the fruit are *chef's kiss.*

Nettle and Bone is practically perfect! This one is even better than Kingfisher's A House With Good Bones, and that was great. I am only taking off ½ of a star because it was a little slow to grab me. I think that might be part of the point, as our heroine Marra is a bit slow on the uptake in the beginning. The peripheral characters are also quirky and wonderful, especially the dust-wife and her demon infested hen. Just awesome stuff.

I was a bit freaked out by the poor woman with the possessed puppet perpetually attached to her shoulder. But it was handled well.

I have started Tom Lake, by one of my favorite authors, Ann Patchett.

>232 clamairy: Wasn't it great? I really enjoyed it. I just read Tom Lake and liked that one very well, too.

>233 foggidawn: I just love her sense of humor. I'm so glad she decided to write books for adults.

Time for a new thread!

>232 clamairy: Nettle and bone is on my TBR pile. I'll move it up!