November 20th-November 26th, 2022
The Sunday Post
The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly or for a monthly wrap up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme
#8 Then, the Deluge
I was pretty much ready to give up on getting anything this week: I was! Truly. However, I was pretty surprised (pleasant) to get at least 7 books this weeks. (Two few days ago, one yesterday and four today!) Here's a question, if you could classify your book getting habits, would they be a desert, a rain forest, a deciduous forest or something else?
Unfortunately we were sick once more. My son went to school only on one day, but on other days he spent them home. We had to miss turkey show, the Cub Scouts once a month meeting and will even miss this week's meeting. Problem is the cough he has.
Last Week On The Blog:
N/A
This Week On The Blog:
The Autodidacts By Thomas Kendall, The Bronze Drum By Phong Nguyen, Notorious Sorcerer By Davinia Evans, The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope
New Arrivals At Svetlana's Reads and Views:
It's Monday! What Are You Reading?
(From The Book Date)
Top Ten Tuesday
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
How it works:
I assign each Tuesday a topic and then post my top ten list that fits that topic. You’re more than welcome to join me and create your own top ten (or 2, 5, 20, etc.) list as well. Feel free to put a unique spin on the topic to make it work for you! Please link back to That Artsy Reader Girl in your own post so that others know where to find more information.
You’ll find the schedule of upcoming TTT topics below so you can plan ahead. I’ll post a Linky here on the blog each week so you can link up your post (if you want). If you don’t have a blog, post your picks in the comment section below! Have tons of fun talking books and getting to know your fellow bloggers!
NOTE: If a weekly topic is listed as a “freebie”, you are invited to come up with your own topic. Sometimes I will give your topic a theme, such as “love”, a season, or an upcoming holiday. That just means that you can come up with any topic you want that fits under that umbrella.
You’re more than welcome to use the Top Ten Tuesday image I designed above (or any of my older/seasonal ones), or make your own that fits your site’s theme.
November 22: Thankful Freebie ( Books I am grateful that I read this year)
#1. The Jasmine THRONE by Tasha Suri: I think I was grateful to read this book this year because I was surprised it took me such a short time to finish this novel and because I can't think of a thing as to what was wrong with it. I also loved the slow burn romance between Priya and Malini and loved the fantasy world the author set up.
#2. Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu: In so many ways this novel really spoke to me and to my experiences, although I'm not a mixed woman as the protagonist is. I also think it explained a little bit about my son's father as well as reluctance in why he doesn't teach our son in anything about China (His father lives in Guam, a long story.)
#3. ATOMIC ANNA by Rachel Barenbaum: This book has definitely made me question a lot, and its a pretty rare science fiction novel that I actually loved. I also loved seeing Russian-Jewish diaspora in America and could identify a lot with their struggles.
#4. Ruination by Anthony Reynolds: Although I never played or even heard of League of Legends, I have to say that I definitely highly loved going there through this book. Also, such heartbreaking stories that anyone can easily identify with but at the same time, time must march on.
#5. Jewish Noir II by various: Its pretty rare or almost non-existent that I find a book that touches my emotions when it comes to being a minority religion in America, and reading it has showed and taught me a lot about my own emotions, although I feel that I will continue to feel them, but at least it acknowledged them.
#6. The immortal king rao by Vauhini Vera: This was a truly wonderful and unexpected read. It also helped me wonder what will happen next with all the data? Yes its another science fiction of sorts, but its a worthwhile read mainly because of the focus on the women that surrounded King Rao.
#7. Hostage of Empire series by S.C. Emmett: Surprisingly, it taught me a few things: the wonder of fantasy and how it's not Western Europe's domain anymore but instead anyone else can join in. It also taught me that I am a political intrigue junkie who loves the pacing of the stories and loves the world of the novel.
#8. Big girl by Mecca Jamilah Sullivan: I think I am garetful for this book because it helped me shift my thoughts on obesity and that it breaks stereotypes about obesity as well. (How many times have we been fed horror stories of obesity? I would probably be a billionaire if I were to tally it up.)
#9. The German wife by Kelly Rimmer: Every year I am always grateful to be reading a book written by Kelly Rimmer, and this year is no different. She is the author that truly changes my mind to a lot of things, and this year's book is no different. While I cannot forgive the atrocities that were done to people like me during WWII, I at least have to wonder at the price the people have paid to survive, and whether or not it was worth it.
#10. The five wounds by Kirstin Valdez Quade: Its extremely rare to come across a novel where characters are seriously salt of the earth people, and I am grateful to have come across such a novel. I also loved seeing the world through their eyes and gain unexpected views through the family's eyes.
Shelf Control
Welcome to Shelf Control — an original feature created and hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies.
Shelf Control is a weekly celebration of the unread books on our shelves. Pick a book you own but haven’t read, write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up! For more info on what Shelf Control is all about, check out my introductory post, here.
Want to join in? Shelf Control posts go up every Wednesday. See the guidelines at the bottom of the post, and jump on board!
Title: Hadrian's Wall
Author: William Dietrich
Published: 2004
Length: 363 Pages
What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads): A fusion of Steven Pressfield's Gates of Fire and the movie Braveheart; a novel of ancient warfare, lethal politics, and the final great clash of Roman and Celtic culture.
For three centuries, the stone barrier we know as Hadrian's Wall shielded Roman Britain from the unconquered barbarians of the island's northern highlands. But when Valeria, a senator's daughter, is sent to the Wall for an arranged marriage to an aristocratic officer in 367 AD, her journey unleashes jealousy, passion and epic war. Valeria's new husband, Marcus, has supplanted the brutally efficient veteran soldier Galba as commander of the famed Petriana cavalry. Yet Galba insists on escorting the bride–to–be on her journey to the Wall. Is he submitting to duty? Or plotting revenge? And what is the mysterious past of the handsome barbarian chieftain Arden Caratacus, who springs from ambush and who seems to know so much of hated Rome?
As sharp as the edge of a spatha sword and as piercing as a Celtic arrow, Hadrian's Wall evokes a lost world of Roman ideals and barbaric romanticism.
How and when I got it: I am pretty sure I bought it Amazon and I was seeking a "mainstream" historical fiction that took place in 300s (I already had sort of history that took place from a Jewish perspective.) I already got hold of Scourge of God, and decided to get it. I got it on August 15th, 2017.
Why I want to read it: If I were to begin my "time diaries" I would like to have something that talks about "mainstream" history so I could see how history treated Roman Empire during these tumultuous times.
What do you think? Would you read this book? And if you’ve read it, do you recommend it?
Please share your thoughts!
Books from Backlog
Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks.
If you would like to join in, please feel free to enter your link, link back to this post, and then spend some time visiting some of the other posts.
This week’s neglected book
Book Title: Winter Solstice
Series: None
Publisher: St Martin's Griffin
Genres: Family, christmas, holidays, women's fiction, growth, romance
Pages: 504
Format: Print
Source: Internet/Amazon
Summary:
In Winter Solstice Rosamunde Pilcher brings her readers into the lives of five very different people....
Elfrida Phipps, once of London's stage, moved to the English village of Dibton in hopes of making a new life for herself. Gradually she settled into the comfortable familiarity of village life -- shopkeepers knowing her tastes, neighbors calling her by name -- still she finds herself lonely.
Oscar Blundell gave up his life as a musician in order to marry Gloria. They have a beautiful daughter, Francesca, and it is only because of their little girl that Oscar views his sacrificed career as worthwhile.
Carrie returns from Australia at the end of an ill-fated affair with a married man to find her mother and aunt sharing a home and squabbling endlessly. With Christmas approaching, Carrie agrees to look after her aunt's awkward and quiet teenage daughter, Lucy, so that her mother might enjoy a romantic fling in America.
Sam Howard is trying to pull his life back together after his wife has left him for another. He is without home and without roots, all he has is his job. Business takes him to northern Scotland, where he falls in love with the lush, craggy landscape and set his sights on a house.
It is the strange rippling effects of a tragedy that will bring these five characters together in a large, neglected estate house near the Scottish fishing town of Creagan.
It is in this house, on the shortest day of the year, that the lives of five people will come together and be forever changed. Rosamunde Pilcher's long-awaited return to the page will warm the hearts of readers both old and new. Winter Solstice is a novel of love, loyalty and rebirth.
Why did I add Winter Solstice to my bookshelf? I think I bought it because I was seeking a title with the word "winter" in it, I got it on April 3rd, 2018.
What are your thoughts? Have you read this book? Would you recommend it?
Let's Talk Bookish
November 25: Books That You’re Grateful For
Prompts: What are some books that you’re grateful for?
Books I am grateful for will take a very long list, but I guess some books include Tale of Genji as well as Dream of Red Chamber, Gone with the Wind and few others. Others would be Portraits, Till Morning Comes and The Foreign Student
What books have had the biggest impact on your life?
The books that have had a biggest impact on my life would be Jade Lee's Tigress series as well as Han Suyin's Till Morning Comes and The Foreign Student by Susan Choi as well as Portraits by Cynthia Freeman.
How did you discover them?
Most of the books I discovered through thrift store, in particular Till Morning Comes and Portraits. Others through good old fashion search BEFORE goodreads and other lists can make things easier. They helped me embrace myself and gave me hope as well.
Stacking the Shelves
Book Titles I got this week: (if available):
Impossible to be human by Robert Kalich
Trouble by Katja Ivar
All that we are by Mariah Stewart
The Ivory Tomb by Melissa Caruso
The Wolf by Leo Carew
The Spider by Leo Carew
The Cuckoo by Leo Carew
Planned Reviews: (If available. Use pictures):
The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope
Notorious Sorcerer by Davinia Evans
The Autodidacts by Thomas Kendall
Bronze Drum by Phong Nguyen
I've been meaning to read Peach Blossom Spring, on my ebooks list.
ReplyDeleteHi Harvee! Peach Blossom Spring is pretty good in my opinion :) it reads a lot like my favorite novel, 'Till Morning Comes by Han Suyin. It feels extremely genuine.
DeleteI’m sorry your son is still unwell.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your new books, The cover of The Ivory Tomb is appealing.
Wishing you a great reading week
Hi shelleyrae@book'd out! Thanks so much. I think he is getting a lot better. I mean he has energy and everything. I should mention I am dreading next week namely because when he's not in school for awhile, I have to deal with "I don't want to go back to school" concerto. Am happy you like the cover of The Ivory Tomb and I hope you'll have a good week as well!
DeleteI'm going to go with a deciduous forest lol. I like the imagery of a rain forest more, but honestly my book buying habits come in fits and starts. Probably because I'm such a mood reader. Nice Top Ten list too.
ReplyDeleteHope the cough goes away soon!
Hi Greg, thanks so much! During nightime and early morning its pretty bad, but during day it leaves and kind of comes back in the night. Mine might depend on whether its a year or a month: if its a year, I guess a rain forest, but month, perhaps either a desert or deciduous rain forest :) Hope you're having a good week.
DeleteI hope you all feel better soon! My current book buying habits are a desert. I haven't bought a new book since August. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Aj@Read All The Things!! Thanks so much, I hope to feel better as well. Nutcracker ballet awaits me on Saturday and it would suck if I can't make it. Wow, since August? Is it lack of interesting titles or something else?
DeleteJewish Noir II sounds very interesting.
ReplyDeleteMy post: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-ten-reasons-im-thankful-for-books/
Hi Anonymous! I agree, Jewish Noir II is pretty cool, especially the stories and focus on Jewish lives no matter where.
DeleteExcellent list full of interesting sounding books!
ReplyDeleteHere is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!
Hi Aymee! Thanks so much! Glad to know you enjoyed my list and I hope there might be a book or two or more that has caught your eye. They are all wonderful stories.
DeleteFeel better! That's a good haul.
ReplyDeletehttps://hibernatorslibrary.com/
Hi Rachel! Thanks so much. I hope whatever it is will go away. Most of the books on here aren't out yet ;)
DeleteI am a little jealous of all of you who are posting about books you are thankful you read, I just haven't found the time to read as much as I would have liked this year.
ReplyDeleteHi Kel James! I am sorry to hear that, but quite often its quality and not quantity that matters :)
Delete