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What books did you start the new decade with ?

Here is the Folder to tell us what your monthly reads for June 2020 were.

Please provide:
~ A GoodReads link
~ A few sentences telling us how you felt about the book.
~ How would you rate the book

Here are mine that I feel might be interesting for folks here...

Cabin: Two Brothers, a Dream, and Five Acres in Maine (3 stars)

Roughly equal parts memoir, construction details, and observations on nature (both Maine and his childhood in New Jersey). First area was reasonably interesting, the others not so much for me. It was very well written, so would appeal to others interested in those details. 


The Big Clock (3 stars)

Despite the outstanding narration, I can't truly recommend this one with any enthusiasm. Suspense? Yes, near the end after a lot of build-up. Picky of me, perhaps, but having the protagonist's family names bring George, Georgette, and Georgina (with the women referred to as "George" by nickname as well!) I found grating.


Goody Hall (4 stars)


Basically, a long short-story. Glad I read it as the characters were an interesting lot!


Jane Austen at Home (5 stars)

Confession: I enjoy reading about Jane Austen, including modern work featuring her as a character. However, I'm not a huge fan of her novels themselves. So, looking for an audiobook that would take some time, settled on this one.

Early on we learn that her uncle and brother were shut away for life, and disinherited, for being epileptic. Having a parent with that condition, I'm afraid that haunted me throughout the story. I had heard her mother was a bit of a dragon; apparently, she was consumed by the lack of inheritance in her own family line. I hadn't realized that after her father's death Jane, her mother, and sister were so dependent on her brothers. My loyal fans know I hate rehashing plots (even here in nonfiction), so I'll summarize in saying that Jane wasn't likely to become nearly as rich and famous in her lifetime as her later recognition would yield.

The author succeeds in avoiding making Jane out to be a larger-than-life character, as she wasn't. More that she was willing to give it a serious go at being a writer, and not all smooth sailing either; Emma was poorly received, a commercial failure. I came away feeling true admiration for her dedication.

Glad I went the audio route, with its excellent narration.


The Frangipani Tree Mystery (5 stars)


Outset disclaimer that I actually listened to its sequel The Betel Nut Tree Mystery first; that one did stand alone well enough, but I'd read this one first for context and backstory.

Today, our heroine Su Lin would be courted for her pick of desirable positions, being very bright and able to speak Malay, Chinese and English fluently. However, in 1930's Singapore that wasn't worth a hill of beans: you were white (a huge plus) or not (a huge minus). Su Lin is determined to achieve a professional career, acknowledging the existing racial barriers, but refusing to let that limit her. Indeed, I'll spoil the ending in that her story is Law of Attraction in action, given that she achieved her goal in a way that could not have been predicted.

The secondary characters came across as developed rather than cardboard, for the most part anyway. My biggest issue was that the audio narration took getting used to; if that format doesn't work for you, the print edition should be fine.

John wrote: "Here are mine that I feel might be interesting for folks here...

Cabin: Two Brothers, a Dream, and Five Acres in Maine (3 stars)

Roughly equal parts memoir, construction details, ..."

I am pretty sure I have this title written down in my TBR notebook. I was drawn in by the books cover photo.

My June reads


The Jetsetters by Amanda Eyre Ward
Fiction
Rate: 3/5
This was a selection for the Reese’s Book Club. It started off really well and then the plot just became too unbelievable for me.
The premise is an elderly mom wins a contest for a cruise. She takes along her estranged children in the hopes of reuniting them all.

Elizabeth and Hazel: Two Women of Little Rock by David Margolick
Audio book - Narrator: Carrington MacDuffie
Non-fiction
Rate: 4/5
Well done story of the two women in the famous photo of Elizabeth Eckford and Hazel Bryan Massery in 1957 Little Rock Arkansas. We meet the two women today and learn how their lives were forever linked and changed by that photo.
The narrator for the audio book, Ms, Macfuffie, did a very nice job.

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed--by Lori Gottlieb
non fiction
memoir
2/5
I was disappointed by this current bestseller. The author is a therapist. Because of relationship breakup she also is seeing a therapist. I found her to be a bit self absorbed, narcissistic, whinny and not too shy to brag about the colleges she attended, degrees she has, how smart she is, her career in TV on and on. We are introduced to a few of her patients. They mostly are dealing with depression, anxiety etc. While I feel sorry for them, it wasn't very compelling reading. There were a few interesting points but not enough to sustain my interest for an entire book.

The Professor's House by Willa Cather
Audio Book - Narrator - , Sean Runnette
Rating: 3/5
This is a quiet read about loss, change, capitalism & nature. It was published in 1925. I enjoyed it. The narrator had a slight speech impediment with the letter "s". Though after awhile I got used to it and his voice seemed to fit the character well. I would have liked to read along with the audio but I couldn't get an eBook in time and my own copy I either gave it away or misplaced it.

Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker
Rate 3/5
Non fiction.
This is currently on the bestseller list. It's about a family of twelve children, the oldest born in 1945, and six of them have schizophrenia. I vacillated between rating this book a 3 or 4. I ended up going with a 3 as I found it a bit repetitive and hard to follow all the children as the time line would jump around. I think it would have benefited from a more linear telling.
This is a very sad dysfunctional family. There is drug use, murder, suicide, sexual abuse and so many other issues plaguing them. As for schizophrenia, unfortunately there has not been a lot of progress in treating this awful disease. At times the treatment seems almost worse than the disease. It's an important book but one that I think would have benefited from editing.

My June reads:

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Rating: A-
Review: Still feel absolutely the same about this story (love it), although I was a bit bothered by the sex scenes (who would have thought?!), and I still think it could be a wee bit shorter.

2 B R 0 2 B by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
Genre: Short Story, Dystopia
Rating: A
Review: Really like this sort story about the United States in the future where the cure for aging was found and the population is controlled by "killing" a person in order for a new one to be born. It actually quite chilling when you think about it. It reminded me a lot of Brave New World.

Bernice Bobs Her Hair by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Genre: Short Story, Coming-Of-Age
Rating: B
Review: Fitzgerald's short story accurately shows what we all go through when we are young and how pressured to fit in we actually feel.

Childe Harold by Lord Byron
Genre: Epic Poetry, British Classics
Rating: C
Review: I wasn't really thrilled with this read as it was rather dry (maybe it's different in the original language), but I do have to admit that Byron was a veritable walking encyclopedia of History, Geography, Legends and Mythology of the places he visited. This would have been a perfect read for a 19th Century armchair traveller. Another part that a really liked, were the verses dedicated to his daughter Ada whom he never saw again after his wife left him.

Educación diferenciada: 50 respuestas para un debate by Alfonso Aguiló Pastrana
Genre: Education
Rating: B
Review: This book contains 50 question and answers for the single-sex vs. mixed schools. The author is pro single-sex education and is defending it giving different statistical data. I am not sure if single-sex school are, indeed, better to achieve equality, but I did find the book very interesting to read.

Samanta wrote: "My June reads:

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Rating: A-
Review: Still feel absolutely the same about this story (love it), although I wa..."

Nice month, Samanta !
I recall the title, Bernice Bobs Her Hair by F. Scott Fitzgerald from I think it was high school. I should re-read it again to refresh my memory.

Alias Reader wrote: "Samanta wrote: "My June reads:

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Rating: A-
Review: Still feel absolutely the same about this story (love it..."

Loved the ending of that story. :D

Enchantress of Paris: A Novel of the Sun King’s Court

5/5 The Mancini sisters, nieces to powerful Cardinal Mazarin, were brought from Italy to France to marry advantageously. They were known at the court of Sun King, Louis XIV, as the Mazarinettes. “Some historians believe she (Marie Mancini) was the one true love of his (Sun King) life.� This is their love story.
/review/show...

The Aviator's Wife

5/5 He was the first one to fly non-stop solo the first transatlantic flight between two major city hubs and the longest transatlantic flight. She was the first licensed female glider pilot in the US. This is their life story full of exciting achievements, but not so much of love and warmth.
/review/show...

Before the Crown

5/5 This is a story of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip of Greece, perhaps better known as Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh. It brings a time when Philip is courting Elizabeth and fighting an uphill battle of monarchy’s disapproval of him.
/review/show...

The Lost Jewels

5/5 Based on “the true story of the Cheapside Hoard, dug up in a Cheapside cellar in 1912, (�) it is one of the most famous caches of jewels in the world, it is also the most mysterious. How could someone neglect to retrieve five hundred precious pieces of jewelry and gemstones?� This story is an imagined tale woven between the facts.
/review/show...

If Tenderness Be Gold

3.5/5 From the blurb, my impression was that the story would be driven by three female characters. But that’s not the case. The story starts with two female characters and continues for about 25%, then those two characters reappear at the very end of the story. The third character I’d say doesn’t have that distinct voice to be considered as one of the three leading voices. But as it turns out, for most of the part the voice belongs to one man and his family.
/review/show...

The Pilgrim Conspiracy

3/5 I stopped reading books set in present/modern day as they don’t pull me into the story as much anymore. What got me interested in this story were the Freemasons and the Pilgrim Fathers living in Leiden. And that’s why I decided to give this book a chance, hoping that part of it would be set in early 17th century. However, the “Fragments� set between 1609-1620, when pilgrims are making their way from England through Amsterdam to Leiden before some sailing for America, are short and take a small part in this story.
/review/show...

Annette wrote: "Enchantress of Paris: A Novel of the Sun King’s Court

5/5 The Mancini sisters, nieces to powerful Cardinal..."

I read Benjamin's book The Aviator's Wife quite awhile ago and really enjoyed it.

John, the Lou Ureneck book sounds as though it could go either way for me. The cover is great, as Alias note, a person wants to enter & not leave that house! I enjoy books about houses but am less interested in the people who are working out their lives while doing so. That sounds worse than i mean.

Btw, today i read an obituary for a house. This is a neat idea & i could stand to read more. This one was in Denver.

Meanwhile, your comments about Austen gel with much of what i've read about her. We visited her Chawton home and were dismayed to see where her writing desk was, in a hallway (but away from the front door). It was between two rooms. The docent claimed Austen liked it because she could see who was headed her way & hide her work, if desired, which was usually.

I cannot imagine writing that way. Heck, i can't write a letter to family without spreading out my papers & notes!

Alias, what an idea--to take people from whom you are estranged on a cruise! So much for relaxing, imo.

You had a nice month of reading, even though some were less than you thought they would be. I would agree with your assessment of the Cather novel. Oddly, right after you mentioned you were reading it, that very book was referenced in a book i was reading. I smiled.

Samanta, you had another good reading month, it seems. I felt Vonnegut shared some remarkably clever ideas in his short stories. Death seemed to be a recurring theme with him, and i cannot recall one i didn't find interesting, if not downright funny.

I am not a fan of Byron's but your observation about his vast knowledge may be why. Not having that array of facts and names, i often felt lost as i read. Btw, we used to have a book group member (different venue) who memorized Childe Harold as a young man & could still recite it, even into his '70s. Curiously, i cannot remember if he actually still liked it or not. :-)

Annette, the Marci Jefferson sounds good. By just reading your review, my knowledge of that court has increased dramatically. I'm not a fan of historical fiction but may have to grab this one.

Have you read any of Anne Morrow Lindbergh's journals? I read the first two with the first, Bring Me a Unicorn: Diaries and Letters of Anne Morrow Lindbergh, 1922-1928 as a favorite. Her command of the language and pleasure in literature shined throughout the book. It appears the Melanie Benjamin echoes her life very nicely.

I recently saw a snippet of a documentary about Queen Elizabeth II & her marriage. It claimed that Philip's uncle Mountbatten had a plan to wrestle the crown from E after her father died. This is news to me & it seems the story came from yet another relative of Philip's, who has probably been removed from guest lists. :-)

I appreciate your candid review of the Pilgrim book by Jeroen Windmeijer. It sounded as though it would be good. Like you, i'm less pleased with contemporary story line books, so think i'll pass on this, regardless of how tempting that title is!

Annette wrote: "Enchantress of Paris: A Novel of the Sun King’s Court

5/5 The Mancini sisters, nieces to powerful Cardinal..."

Very nice reading month, Annette !

madrano wrote: I would agree with your assessment of the Cather novel. Oddly, right after you mentioned you were reading it, that very book was referenced in a book i was reading. I smiled.
..."

:)

madrano wrote: "Alias, what an idea--to take people from whom you are estranged on a cruise! So much for relaxing, imo.
..."

They were a dysfunctional group. And the cruise was not a elegant affair. A bit over the top kitsch. The novel started off on a funny note, but at times it turned quite serious due to the issues each family was dealing with.

Alias, i can only imagine how hurtful it could get. And being "stuck" on a ship with them. Yikes.

I don't know when i'll find time to read once the fall tv season begins (is there going to be one?) because the bulk of my reading is in the evening hours. While this list is long, the books were not. Several were under 250 pages but i either owned them or had them on my TBR.

The Unexpected President: The Life and Times of Chester A. Arthur--Scott S. Greenberger

This book served its purpose. I learned about the man, the times and his surprise presidency. Given his rise to power as a political toady, basically bribing and helping big businesses, his strength upon ascending to the White House was astonishing. Yet again, the spouse is given short shrift. Indeed, we read more about how much he missed her once she died than about their lives together.

Frontier Woman: The Life of a Woman Homesteader on the Dakota Frontier edited by Walker D. Wyman from words by Grace Fairchild

Short book about one woman's efforts to thrive on her homestead in South Dakota, despite a fairly helpless husband. Forthright and capable, Grace managed to raise a healthy, caring family and build a strong community. I learned how important to new farmers those 4H clubs were in testing varieties of grains. Neat.

Cowboy Days: Stories Of The New Mexico Range--Stephen Zimmer

A compilation of short stories about being a cowpoke today. I wasn't very impressed but the first chapter hooked me because it related a story similar to my own father's teen years. Most of the stories centered on one person's job and how s/he got into the business of (usually) being a cowhand. The drawings by Justin Wells were perfectly depicted life on the range.

The Sympathizer--Viet Thanh Nguyen

Beginning with the fall of Saigon, this story had a lightweight, rather sardonic look at officials and military officers of both Vietnam & the US. I liked it all until, about 2/3 into it, things turned dark with torture and rape depicted. Frankly, i was jarred & it flavored my opinion of the novel toward the negative. Of course it can be written that this was also the experience of the Main Character, so i must cut it some slack.

Orphan X--Gregg Andrew Hurwitz

I can see why this series is popular. An orphan is selected for special training by a man. We learn intermittently how the training proceeded, while seeing many of the results. The story began with how the Main Character helps those in need--both the process and how those helped repay him. Had the book continued with that, i would have liked it better. However, it turned into something else, which interested me less. And it appears that sequels follow this line, as well, because the cliffhanger-ish was about another nemesis of the same ilk.

Stay Away, Joe--Dan Cushman
I've wanted to read this book for over 40 years, as it was recommended by a Sioux woman who taught a class about her culture. While it may well depict reality, i'm surprised a tribal member would like it very much, esp. as it was written by a white man. It seemed racist, without a single tribe member worth commending. A sign of its time, perhaps. The premise is that the US Government helped one man's family purchase cattle to raise, and, therefore, to be an example to the rest of his tribe. Immediately, other tribal members came to him to celebrate this new wealth & he had to play host. And so it went.

One Grave Too Many--Beverly Connor

I began reading this mystery series although i wasn't sure i'd like it, as the MC is a forensic pathologist. She has just returned from a nation whose leader massacred many opposing tribal members. Pathology isn't my thing to read. However, mixed in with this was the fact that the MC returned to the states to head up a museum in a small Georgia town. That part i liked very much. I've read two now & hope to continue. And there's cave diving!

The Tiger in the Smoke--Margery Allingham

On my TBR list for some years, i decided to jump into this book, despite the fact it's well into a series of mysteries set in England in the '40s. It didn't sing to me, and, to be honest, this may be because i wasn't already engaged in the series. There was a master criminal, a treasure and survivors from WWII. I'm beginning to think i just don't care for mysteries set in the past.

Wrong About Japan--Peter Carey

This book is mostly about Japan today, particularly anime and manga. However, it answered many of the questions i have about people, particularly the younger generations, and why some adopt unusual clothes which seem more like costumes. I learned plenty and can understand better now. Btw, i was led to this by the list of Travel Books Alias shared with us last month. Indeed, i have several titles from that list on my TBR (or others by authors listed in the list).

Dear Committee Members--Julie Schumacher

Petra mentioned buying this book last month & i latched onto it. It's composed of letters of recommendations from a fictional, jaded professor at a fictional university. There were times i was laughing aloud.

Bird Box--Josh Malerman

Ashley mentioned this book last month, reminding me that i wanted to read it. This science fiction story is about what occurs as the planet seems to slowly turn crazy. Later it's learned that the insanity (often either murder or suicide) begins after "something" is seen. No one knows what the sight is. Of course it's tough to imagine the story would work as it did but i was willing to go along, as i usually am for sci-fi.

Some Choose Darkness

This is the first in a mystery series, which i read about when Barbara reviewed it for the group. I was intrigued by a "detective" (really a crime reconstruction expert) who also repairs old dolls. In this case, she must take over a case of her father's for a man up for parole after 40 years. It's tense and i liked it.

Comfort Woman--Nora Okja Keller--Charlie Donlea

Another i've wanted to read since i heard about "comfort women", Korean females used as sex slaves for Japanese soldiers during WWII. Unfortunately this one wasn't as good as i'd hoped. Told from alternating views of the mother, who was enslaved, and her daughter, who knows nothing about this, i felt it was unsuccessful.

June was a good month for me and I knocked out about four books off my tbr that has been on there for awhile. :)

The Dover Demon by Hunter Shea - 4 stars.
My review:
/review/show...
(I really liked this book as legend and mystery come together in this book with a probability of this creature even existing as there are suppose to have been sightings. This book was written by an author that is great at writing about "creature feature" fiction.)

Blood And Rain by Glenn Rolfe - 5 stars.
My review:
/review/show...
(One of the best werewolf books I have read in a long time and it brings forth almost a classic werewolf story - loved it! Also I love this author as he has written some other books I really like in horror.)

The Bones of Morden Gray by David Brian - 4 stars.
My review:
/review/show...
(This book was really good with zombie/ghoul horror but it also has some sexual fetishes with one character so it borders a line probably for some people, but there is lots of bloody action. I have read this author before and he has some good horror books out there.)

Out of the Shadows by Patrick James Ryan - 4 stars.
My review:
/review/show...
(This was a new author to me and I was surprised at how well all the stories were as I thought the stories were really good. Lots of creepy horror and I will be looking forward to reading more books by this author.)

madrano wrote: "I felt Vonnegut shared some remarkably clever ideas in his short stories. Death seemed to be a recurring theme with him, and i cannot recall one i didn't find interesting, if not downright funny.

I think this is my first Vonnegut work. I don't think I will activelly search for more at this point in time, as I have a ginormous TBR pile planned for this year, but if it comes up somewhere, I will definitely read it.

I am not a fan of Byron's but your observation about his vast knowledge may be why.

I actually loved that part the most because it he was interested in all the things I'm interested in. It was just that the writing was dull. I'm a obviously not a epic verse person.

Btw, we used to have a book group member (different venue) who memorized Childe Harold as a young man & could still recite it, even into his '70s. Curiously, i cannot remember if he actually still liked it or not. :-)..."

Now, that is a feat, indeed. :)

Marie, you had me giggling at your star system. My favorite was five "pixie dust" stars. Cute.

As if funeral homes were already "iffy", Brian creates a haunted one? Pass!

Fun reviews.

Samanta, once upon a time i gobbled up Kurt Vonnegut Jr.'s writing. I reread one a decade ago and was left wondering if he is one of those author's who was right for the time but could be lost in the future. I'm not a good one to ask but i was much less charmed rereading Breakfast of Champions than i was upon first discovering him.

As i wrote in my original post, he could be quite innovative, particularly with his short stories. And he is easy to read. And, let me not forget, he set new standards in literature in the '60s and '70s.

I read Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher. I gave it 4 stars. As for Allingham, I enjoyed her Campion series which was made into a PBS (?) series which I also enjoyed. Unfortunately, I can't remember what books of hers I read. It was way before I kept track of books and before Shelfari.

madrano wrote: "I don't know when i'll find time to read once the fall tv season begins (is there going to be one?) because the bulk of my reading is in the evening hours. While this list is long, the books were n..."

Wow ! Excellent month, Deb.

I am not a big TV watcher. However, I always read between commercials if I do happen to have it on.

Congrats on getting in another President for you challenge.

Marie wrote: "June was a good month for me and I knocked out about four books off my tbr that has been on there for awhile. :)

The Dover Demon by [author:Hunt..."


Well done, Marie !

madrano wrote: "Marie, you had me giggling at your star system. My favorite was five "pixie dust" stars. Cute.

As if funeral homes were already "iffy", Brian creates a haunted one? Pass!

Fun reviews."

Thank you Madrano! I love to create special words for my rating system when I do the reviews. There are other reviewers that do it as well, but they are few and far between.

As far as the author, David Brian - I have read a few of his books and he is really good, but the haunted funeral home book was about the longest book I have ever read by him as it topped out at over 400+ pages. So there was quite a bit of "funeral home" action in that book! LOL :-)

Alias Reader wrote: "Marie wrote: "June was a good month for me and I knocked out about four books off my tbr that has been on there for awhile. :)

The Dover Demon b..."

Thank you, Alias! :)

Julie wrote: "I read Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher. I gave it 4 stars. As for Allingham, I enjoyed her Campion series which was made into a PBS (?) series which I also enjoyed. Unfortunately, I can'..."

Julie, i liked the title of the Allingham book and how well it fit the story--criminal mind in the fog. I remember seeing ads about the tv series but don't know if i watched one or not. So often those things depend on seeing from the first episode onward.

It's odd that i only now realized i do not care for mysteries set in the past. Odd because over the years i've stopped reading a number of series because i didn't feel involved. I've enjoyed reading Georgette Heyer books but came to realize they just didn't grab me in the same way contemporary mysteries do. I dare not reread any Agatha Christie, lest i feel the same way!

Sorry to be so late in responding this month. Time keeps getting away from me.

In June, I finished the following:
Homeless Bird (3-star) - an interesting story of a young girl in an arranged marriage, where her in-laws agreed to the marriage for her dowry. Things happen and the poor girl is left to fend for herself. This is her story.
Review: /review/show...

Tangles: A Story About Alzheimer's, My Mother, and Me (5-star; graphic novel) - a wonderful story of a family struggling with Alzheimers. Although about Alzheimers, this story can be about all families dealing with a loved one who is dying.
Review: /review/show...

The Life of Charles Dickens : Volume I (3-star) - the first of a trilogy. This was written shortly after Charles Dickens' death. His life was a mystery to his fans. This book must have been a wonderful insight into the man. However, I found it one-sided. His married life, wife and kids are missing. This is a story of a man, his life & his work....all the while skirting around his family life.
Review: /review/show...

David Copperfield (3-star) - you can't go wrong with a book by Charles Dickens. His characters are always entertaining and vibrant.
Review: /review/show...

The Island of Sea Women (4-star; audio) - Lisa See always tells a wonderful story and this one doesn't disappoint. This is a story of a friendship, told with a historical story & background. An enjoyable read.
Review: /review/show...

The Silk Train Murder (3-star) - a fun, easy, "cozy" mystery set in 1899 Vancouver. I enjoyed this first book of a series. I enjoyed reading about a city I know, set more than 100 years ago.
Review: /review/show...

Great reading everyone!

John, The Frangipani Tree Mystery sounds interesting. I'm going to look this one up.

Alias, I'm a fan of Willa Cather's writing. Her descriptions of the countryside and surroundings makes these almost characters in her stories.
When I first read Willa Cather in University, I hated her writing. It took me years to try again, then I fell in love with it.
I have Hidden Valley on hold at the library. It'll be some time before I get it.

Samanta, I really enjoy the Outlander series. I'm eagerly waiting for the 9th book to be published.

Annette, I haven't heard of any of the books you've listed. You've given me a few new titles to look up.

Madrano, so many interesting books. One day I'll read The Sympathizer. Whenever I see it mentioned, I think about it but then get sidetracked to other books.
I haven't read Dear Committee Members yet. It's still sitting in my library bag. Nice to hear that it's entertaining. I'll get to it soon.

Marie, you've also listed books I'm not familiar with. Lots to look over here, too.

Petra, good reading month for you, it seems. That Dickens bio sounds interesting, given how soon after the man's death it was written. For you to read a Dickens novel this month too is a neat idea.

Not long ago i read a book about a haenyeo, an interesting career. White Chrysanthemum is about the same time period and a young woman who allows herself to be captured by the Japanese, in order to save her sister. Mary Lynn Bracht presented a good story, it just didn't call to me. I fear i wanted more to read about the haenyeo.

Deb, Lisa See's book is a good story. It has a lot about the Haenyeo in it but it's mainly a story about friendship.
I like Lisa See's writing and am a sucker for her books. That kind of biases me, but I still recommend her books.

I read the Dickens book at a chapter a day, so it took me two months to read. It's quite a nice way to read Dickens. I enjoyed it.

I don't know that i could stop at a chapter a day when reading Dickens. His novels...cliff-hanging endings--urge me onward. What discipline you have. (Or maybe just tiredness at the end of the day?)

I've only read one See novel, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan but i remember i liked it for what i wanted from it. Fans! :-)

Petra wrote: "
David Copperfield (3-star) - you can't go wrong with a book by Charles Dickens. His characters are always entertaining and vibrant...."

I've enjoyed the Dickens I've read, but haven't gotten to this one yet. I do own it. A nice Norton Critical edition.

Another nice reading month for you, Petra.

My June reads
The Girl You Left Behind byJojo Moyes
Rating3/5.
This book follows the story of a painting. It had suspense and likable characters. A quick and enjoyable read

The Case of the Rolling Bones byErle Stanley Gardner
Rating 3/5
The next book in the Perry Mason series.
An enjoyable read

The Old Success by Martha Grimes
Rating 4/5
Bokk 25 of the Richard Jury series. Grimes creates memorable characters and it is like visiting old friends when you read the books, this was a good mystery

Jackdaws byKen Follett
Rating 4/5
This is the story of a group of 6 women of diverse backgrounds whose mission it is to to destroy the Nazi's communication center in France right before D-Day.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz byHeather Morris
Rating: 4/5
Story about survival and love in concentration camp

The Dutch HouseAnn Patchett
Rating 4/5

Meredith wrote: "My June reads
The Girl You Left Behind byJojo Moyes
Rating3/5.
This book follows the story of a painting. It had suspense and likable characters. A quick and enjoya..."

Very nice month, Meredith !

I read and enjoyed Me Before You Jojo Moyes I should read another one by her.

I listened to Moyes' The Peacock Emporium years ago, but don't recall anything other than I felt it was okay, if not great.

Meredith, it looks as though you had a successful reading month with books by well known authors. That's always a delight. I hope your July reading is just as rewarding.

Meredith wrote: "My June reads
The Girl You Left Behind byJojo Moyes
Rating3/5.
This book follows the story of a painting. It had suspense and likable characters. A quick and enjoya..."

Ann Patchett's book has/had so many holds on it, I think I processed over 10+ books in tech services. Have not read it yet but it's on my reading list!

Julie, it hadn't occurred to me that you would have some insights into how popular a book is. For most of us, we just have to rely on seeing where we are on a queue.