What We're Reading

Hi, Jo here, hosting this month's What We're Reading blog. (I apologize if some of the covers aren't exactly where they should be. Typepad won't let me slide them around. Ah, technology!)

I don't have a lot to offer because I've been reading books for the Romance Writers of America RITA contest, (you can see last year's winners here if you want some reading suggestions -- including, of course, our own Joanna) and I can't talk about them. However, I have recently dipped into a Regency novel -- that is, from the Regency -- called Love and Horror. Isn't that a great title?

My heroine, browsing the shelves in a book shop, couldn't resist it as she has a particular horror of the more extreme sorts of love. It's a spoof of the Gothic novel, but a more outlandish one than Northanger Abbey. Completely over the top and lots of fun. The really neat thing is that as she took it from the shelves in 1817, I clicked on Amazon and poof! it was on my Kindle, and I could read along.

I also have a growing TBR pile, including some added from our WWR blogs.

So let's hear from the other Wenches.

(The titles are all links to Amazon, so if you want to buy that way, just click on them, but of course the books are available in many other places.) 

Mary Jo:
The What We’re Reading feature is already paying off,  since I read what Nicola is reading, and promptly ordered Kate Cross’s Heart of Brass, a terrific steampunk  historical romance.  What does a  clever countess and inventor do when her beloved husband has been missing and  presumed dead for seven years—and then he returns with no memory of their  marriage and he’s been programmed by the people who messed with his mind to kill  her?  Read this to find out.  <g>  Action, emotion, and lots  of cool little steampunk gadgets to liven things up.  

I also reread Forbidden Fruit, one of my favorite  Kerry Greenwood’s Corinna Chapman mysteries.  Set in Melbourne, they feature a full bodied and warm  hearted baker as Corinna makes bread and interacts with a large company of charming and eccentric friends and neighbors.  There are cats—also charming and  eccentric.  In this particular book,  it’s Christmas and screaming hot outside (because it’s Australia), and  she must help her gorgeous Israeli lover find a missing pregnant girl and the  boy who ran off with her.  Among other things lesser mysteries.  Delightful.

My Waiting to Be Read Pile is well stocked now, which  gives me a warm, secure feeling.  But seeing other Wench reads makes me  want to go back and reread some of them that are already favorites of  mine!

Anne.
1) Sophie Kinsella's I'VE GOT YOUR NUMBER. I like most of Sophie Kinsella's books — the shopaholic ones aren't my cup of tea -- but I  really enjoys' night party, her engagement ring goes missing and her cell phone is stolen, and when she finds another cell phone tossed  into the rubbish, she grabs it. The phone belongs to the PA of hunky businessman Sam Roxton — she tossed it when she resigned, and all his messages are now coming to Poppy, who can't help getting  involved. . . A fun read.

2) I bought this next book on the recommendation of a friend — Connie Willis's TO SAY NOTHING OF THE DOG. Its a time-travel, scavenger hunt comedy, with drama, romance, literary allusions and quirky characters all stirred into a wonderful pot. Connie Willis is best known for her sci-fi (I think) but this is a ont – a mad romp  through Victorian England, WW2 and the future. I laughed out loud, and have been pressing it on my friends.

3) In historical romance, I read and enjoyed Jennifer Ashley's THE SEDUCTION OF ELLIOT MCBRIDE, and it prompted me to go back and reread  her THE MADNESS OF LORD IAN MACKENZIE.

4) Finally I've read most of Elly Griffith's back list that I ordered  last month. She writes a crime series with Dr. Ruth Galloway, an  archaeologist who specializes in bones, and police detective Harry Nelson and I really enjoy them. Her latest book DYING FALL has just arrived and I'm trying to keep it to read on the plane that I'll be  taking to the Australian Romance Readers Convention in March.

Pat.

I just  finished an oldie: THE CURSE OF CHALION by Lois McMaster Bujold. Wonderful fantasy world-building and a tortured hero beyond any tortured hero I've ever read. He's dying through half the book because he's captured a demon inside him, but he gets his fair lady in the end.

And before that I finished Molly Harper's THE CARE AND FEEDING OF STRAY VAMPIRES. I don't normally like vampires but Harper's sense of humor works for me. And when we get to the part where the heroine may be dying and the vampire wants to save her by "turning her," she gives it some thought and decides she'd rather not, thank you. Love it. That may be a spoiler, sorry. It was funny.

Cara/Andrea:
As usual, I'm bouncing back and forth between fiction and non-fiction this month. I recently saw a fabulous exhibit on European drawing at the Morgan Library in NYC, which included a number of Renaissance works by Michelangelo, Raphael and Da Vinci. It inspired me to pick up "Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling" a very interesting and highly readable story about the artist's creation of the famous frescoed ceiling in the Sistine Chapel.

It's a wonderfully gossipy account of the the personalities of the times—Michelangelo, Pope Julius, Raphael, Da Vince among other—and paints a vivid picture of life in Rome and Florence (and with all its inside info on Vatican politics, it's highly timely, given the coming election of a new Pope!) There's also fascinating information on the technical aspects of painting—how pigments were made, the process of creating a fresco, the way the sketches were created for the final paintings. As someone with an art background, I just loved learning all that.

As for fiction, I've come late to the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan, but am thoroughly enjoying the first book in the series, "The Lightning Thief." Riordan gives a fun, funky spin to the ancient myths as his hero, Percy—a dyslexic 12-year-old who is half mortal, half god—must take a quest to prevent a war between Zeus and Poseidon from breaking out and destroying the world. It's a Harry Potter-style book, written for middle schoolers but definitely appealing to adults as well, with non-stop action, snappy dialogue and very clever recasting of all the ancient gods and monsters into modern day situations. It's not my usual cup of tea, but I'm really finding it quite tasty!

Susan:

Old and new are in my reading stack this month. Following my reading urges, I've come round to the urge to read mysteries again. After searching through my bookshelves for old favorites, I'm nowreading Dorothy Sayers' Whose Body? - the first of the Lord Peter Wimsey series. I haven't read a Lord Peter since my grad school days, so I'm enjoying the reunion very much. And enough time has passed that I've rather blithely forgotten who did what to whom, which makes it a sort of fresh read -- I haven't yet recalled who did in the body in the bath. Lovely Lord Peter, so full of sass and brilliance, and dear Bunter, so very pragmatic, and I love the vintage setting of a bygone era that still has a sense of modern familiarity. 

I just started reading Speaking From Among the Bones, Alan Bradley's fifth and newest Flavia de Luce mystery. When I got the book I practically squeeeeed with delight, being a huge Flavia fan. Haven't read far into it yet, so can't comment beyond I-already-love-this-book and I'm trying not to binge-read (did I say, huge Flavia fan, yes). So far in the story, we're in St. Tancred's church readying for a festival, Flavia has just wormed her way inside the church organ and out again, and we're on the verge of discovering a body. 

This series is entertaining, utterly charming and completely addictive, with one of the best sleuthing characters to come along in ages. Flavia, just 11, is a chemistry genius, mischievous, whimsical, inquisitive, brilliant, wise and yet naive. The setting is a small English village in 1950, and Flavia is a blend of Sherlock Holmes and Pippi Longstocking -- and yet uniquely Flavia. The characters are so multi-layered and the mysteries very, very clever. The old manor house, Buckshaw, is a fascinating central character too. This is not a YA series, despite the young detective. If you haven't yet read Flavia -- I highly recommend all five.

I'll be sad when the sixth and last in the series comes out next year - but squeeeeing with delight to have a fresh Flavia read once more - and I can only hope that Alan Bradley has a few more books planned. And if you like audiobooks -- this series, read by Jayne Entwhistle, is sheer entertainment (I'm not much for audiobooks, and I adore these readings).

Among the nonfiction in my reading stack, I'm moving quickly through Knight by Robert Jones. It's a big, lovely coffee-table format with excellent content, and a comprehensive, up-to-date overview of knighthood and chivalry, primarily in England. Buzzing through this and other newish comprehensives and monographs is a great way to keep my medieval chops sharp while I'm working on another book.

Joanna:

I'm always a bit behind in my reading, (several years behind if the size of my To Be Read stack is any indication,) so I won't feel guilty about reading a Christmas book in February. What I'm into now is Grace Burrowes' Lady Louisa's Christmas Knight  This is one of those, 'You will feel good when you read it' books. I'm deep in the middle and snow is falling outside. I am season appropriate.

And hey — here's a bit of synchronicity. Like Susan, I'm rereading Dorothy Sayers.  Strong Poison is my poison of choice this month. I love Sayers' strong, principled, intellectual heroine. I love the dialog. I just wallow and splash and delight in it. I will also admit I have a mad pash for Lord Peter, of which he is unaware, being, unfortunately, fictional.

The cover of this latest reprint is a 1930's couple on a bridge looking out over the water. It seems to have been chosen at random by someone unfamiliar with the content, since the heroine is in prison for the whole of the book.Ah well.

My non-fiction right now is the classic Maple Sugar Book by Helen and Scott Nearing. This is sorta 'Thoreau has lunch with the Twentieth Century and they talk philosophy'.

 Nicola:

I've just started TOUCH OF STEEL by Kate Cross, book 2 in her Clockwork  Agents series. I loved HEART OF BRASS, the first book. Normally I don't read Steampunk but this series has totally converted me. It's clever, inventive, fun and very sexy and romantic.

In non-fiction I'm reading Bygone Pleasures of London, an out-of-print book I found in an antiquarian bookshop at the weekend. I love poking through places like that because you never know what you might find. Bygone Pleasures gives an insight into the pleasure gardens of London from 1660 until the mid-nineteenth century and as well as the more well known spas and tea gardens there are places I've never heard of like The Yorkshire Stingo famous for being the place where they served a particularly strong Yorkshire ale!

A friend recommended The Lady of the Rivers by Philipa Gregory. I hadn't read her for a while but I am enjoying this one more than any of her previous books. The history is compelling, the descriptions rich and vivid and she even manages to pull off the trick of making me find a Lancastrian - Richard Woodville - a very attractive hero.

Which brings me on to the rest of my reading. All the excitement over the discovery of Richard III's body has led me to re-read all my Richard III related books, both fact  and fiction. This will take a while! I've just finished The Daughter of Time  by Josephine Tey (still magnificent) and am about to start on The King's Bed by Margaret Campbell Barnes. Next time we do a "What we're reading" I'll probably still be working my way down the list!

So there you have the Wenches' recent reads. Are any of these favorites?

And what have you read recently that you'd like to share?

Jo



Comments

[Janga]

I must try the Kate Cross books. This is the third time this week that someone has recommended them.

I'm reading ARCs for review--Tessa Dare's Any Duchess Will Do, Book 4 in her delightful Spindle Cove series, featuring a duke who frustrates his mother's matchmaking attempts by hiring a most inappropriate duchess-in-training; Karina Bliss's A Prior Engagement with a military hero who turns up alive after his funeral; and Wendy Wax's While We Were Watching Downton Abbey about four residents of an Atlanta apartment building who connect while watching the popular series together.

I'm also reading Jonathan Bate's Soul of the Age: A Biography of the Mind of William Shakespeare, which traces the influence of such things as the Bard's small-town upbringing and his Latin lessons on his plays, and I'm belatedly reading Stag's Leap, a collection of poems about divorce and recovery that recently made Sharon Olds the first American woman to win the T. S. Eliot Prize.

[Kay]

I'm going to begin Marie Brennan's "A Natural History of Dragons, Memoirs of Lady Trent." The cover of that book reached out and grabbed me. But first I have to finish Deborah Simmons' "The Last deBurgh." Ms. Simmons book is a completion of a series she began in 1995.

[Donna]

I'm feeling a bit guilty as I haven't read any non-fiction in several weeks (several good ones waiting though in the electronic TBR pile).

I've been on a Regency/Georgian tear having only recently discovered Patricia Veryan and Marion Chesney/M.C. Beaton - both wonderful (and thankfully prolific) writers. In between those two writers, I read Pat's wonderful The Marquess - can't wait to read book 2 in that series.

[theo]

That's it. I need to drag out The Nine Tailors again. I haven't read that one in forever and it's the only book where I had not a clue about the whodunit until the end. (did you know that my spell-check recognizes the word 'whodunit?')

Other than that, my TBR pile is tipping over at the moment. So many decisions...so many books...

[LindaS]

I just finished Imperial Requiem about the fall of empires and the "last four empresses"- that is Queen Mary, "Dona" of Germany, Alexandra of Russia, and Zita of Austria-Hungary. I had known nothing about Zita, a strong and fascinating woman. Recommend for lovers of European history, 1850-1950 with emphasis on 1880-1920 or so.
I love Sayers, especially Murder Must Adverise and Busman's Honeymoon.

[LindaS]

That's adverTise. That's what I get for not previewing my post. Apologies.

[Susan]

The Nine Tailors! Oh yes. My favorite, too, Theo. It's around here somewhere, and I'll be digging it out soon. Meanwhile, my TBR pile just grows and grows - some wonderful recommendations here between Wenches and readers, especially since we started our What We're Reading feature!

[Louis]

Ah, new names to read.

I'm re-reading Jo's "Rogue" series. In the middle of Miles story.

[Margot]

I just finished Elizabeth Hoyt's Lord of Darkness, and while it's not my favorite of her books, I definitely liked it. And now my problem is trying to decide what to read next... I really need a better system than just trying to pick one out of my pile(s) of books, because I can never decide which I want to read.

[Janice]

My favorite Sayers is Murder Must Advertise because Sayers has worked in an office and she gets the dynamics spot on -- even if jobs have changed in 70 plus years, human dynamics haven't, and Sayers had a keen eye for all kinds of relationships. And the coke trade is as relevant as ever. To me this book is strangely undated, and though I love the Harriet Vane sequence, it's my favorite.

I'm reading Madeleine Albright's account of her WW2 childhood. Besides being fascinated by the era, I am enjoying her graceful prose style. In another writer's hands this could be dry, dull stuff.

I have some new-to-kindle Marion Chesneys and last night I reread A Governess of Distinction, the one with the Terrible Twins, and laughed a lot. Down in the laundry room I was rereading Donna Simpson's The Duke and Mrs. Douglas, which holds up well, I think.

After that, I don't know. I know there's a new Madeline Hunter out so I will be looking to pick that up. The sad truth is I already have so many more books here than I will ever get through. But I soldier on :)

[joanna bourne]

My favorite Sayers is Gaudy Night. Oh yes. One of the classic love stories.

[Polly McCrillis]

So many authors and themes for me to look into! I'm reading "The Lady Most willing", a novel in three parts written by Julia Quinn, loisa James and Connie Brockway. A December jaunt in Scotland, complete with attempts at tossing a caber. Long Time Gone is a suspense novel and my first J.A. Jance read.I'm really enjoying her lead character, Jonas Piedmont Beaumont. Taking those two off my TBR pile scarcely made a dent, but that's what I love about that pile. It's my security blanket and gives me much to look forward to reading.

[LouisaCornell]

I'm currently reading Men, Women and Pianos - A Social History in preparation for the workshop I am giving during the Beau Monde mini-conference at Nationals.

Fiction-wise, I just finished Victoria Alexander's The Importance of Being Wicked which I LOVED!

I also have the latest Preston / Childs Pendergast novel on the top of my TBR stack. Along with C.S. Harris's latest and the debut by Jennifer McQuiston.

[theo]

Oh, Louisa! A Pendergast fan! I love you! I don't often find Pendergast fans in my romance circles. And I haven't read the latest yet either, but I find him very Wimsey like with a decidedly...unexplainable bent. ;)

[Artemisia]

Patricia Veryan - oh her books were great!
I met Dorothy Sayers at the same time I met Georgette Heyer. Don't you think Benedict Cumberbatch would make a terrific Lord Peter?

[Linda Thum]

I just finished reading Tangled Web by Christa McHugh. She's a new author to me & I can't wait to read more of her books. If you like fantasy romance try the book. It's awesome.

[Jeanne Miro]

I have to agree with Joanna! I read Grace's Lady Louisa's Christmas Knight just before Christmas and it was the perfect story to get me into the spirit of Christmas.

[deniz]

So much fun to collect recommendations for new books!
Love Dorothy Sayers :-)