I just finished Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad. Colson is a talented writer and this isn’t a typical slave narrative. It is a powerful novel that hooks you in right away. I found it riveting.
Just finished The Rook by Daniel O’Malley. It is a sort of espionage and supernatural combo – yes, as weird as it sounds. It is a about a British secret service that protects from various fantastical threats. Pretty funny in spots, too. I thought it started a little slow – I mean, there is actually a fair amount of action early on, but it took at little while to fully hook my interest. But it did. 
Given to me by one of my kids, I’ll definitely read the sequel (which is already out, called Stiletto).
I recently read The Underground Railroad also; within the last month. Extraordinary book. Almost a science fiction, dystopian view of the subject matter. Much to contemplate.
I just read “Her Every Fear” by Peter Swanson - this is his third book and I have enjoyed all three (although my favorite is “The Kind Worth Killing”) They are suspense novels set in Boston/Cambridge where the author lives. Actually saw him at an author event and he was very well spoken.
So I have finally caught up to A Man Called Ove. While enjoyable and easy reading, it is so predictable that I find myself on the one hand surprised by all the acclaim for this book and on the other hand, understanding the appeal. Recently finished Judy Blume’s, “In the Event Of”, I enjoyed this very much knowing zero about the three plane crashes in Elizabeth NJ in 1951-1952 and enjoyed how she wove real details and places such as stores, restaurants and so on into the fictional story.
I’ve also just started reading “The Girls” by Emma Cline and I am totally hooked. Deciding on the books that I am bringing with me on vacation to San Diego next week and having never read Philip Roth’s “The Plot Against America” it has shot to the top of the list.
Philip Roth’s “The Plot Against America”
Yes. Same here.
And don’t forget everyone that the CC Bookclub will be discussing both The Underground Railroad and The Underground Airlines in just a few more days. Both are alternate histories dealing with slavery - lots of food for thought in these two quite different books.
I’m rereading Bujold’s Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen. I was feeling the need of something cheery and there’s always something extra comfortable about a reread. I also discovered that Tor is doing one of their rereads of the whole Vorkosigan saga - here: http://www.tor.com/series/rereading-the-vorkosigan-saga/
@mathmom – thanks for the link! 95% of my podcasts have some kind of politics at least touched on. I need something new for that post-8 pm window when winding down toward bed, but still doing stuff like packing lunches, etc. Can’t imagine anything better than a reread of the Vorkosiversse. Hmmm… but it looks like online posts, not downloadable files to listen to. 
Mark Grief - Against Everything is wonderful.
Our book club just discussed The One In A Million Boy by Monica Wood. Everyone really liked it. A heartwarming story that touches on aging, love, grief and family seen through the eyes of a 104 year old woman who bonds with an 11 yr old boy and the boy’s parents. It is a nice read.
Our book club just discussed The One In A Million Boy by Monica Wood. Everyone really liked it. A heartwarming story that touches on aging, love, grief and family seen through the eyes of a 104 year old woman who bonds with an 11 yr old boy and the boy’s parents. It is a nice read.>>>>>>>>>>>>
Thank you! It happens to be a Feb. Kindle deal for only $2.99.
I’m a huge Monica Wood fan. Haven’t read that one yet.
Liza Featherstone (ed.) - [False Choices: The Faux Feminism of Hillary Rodham Clinton](False Choices – Verso)
Seven years - I’ve waited seven years for The Queen’s Thief, #5. For any Megan Whalen Turner fans (waving at @mathmom) Thick as Thieves - release date May 16, 2017. My life needs to go on hold while I reread the first four in the series in preparation. Do I sound like a The Queen’s Thief series fangirl? Umm, yeah!
The Thief
The Queen of Attolia
The King of Attolia
A Conspiracy of Kings
and coming soon
Thick as Thieves
For anyone interested, don’t let the YA classification stop you: instead let it encourage you. You can read the books quickly. While The Thief is good, it’s not my favorite, so keep reading.
Off to let relevant members in my family know the news.
Just finished a pretty decent mystery/thriller. I don’t read tons of books in the genre, but this one caught my eye when I was in the mystery section picking up a Louise Penny book recently. Called “Raven Black”, set in the Shetland Islands. About the murder of two young girls in incidents separated by several years. There is a sequel with the same detective (I think in the same setting) that I will definitely read.
Good reviews on the audio version of The One in a Million Boy. Thanks for mentioning it.
@ignatius ooh! thanks for the heads up.
There are 4 books in the Shetland series. Or maybe 5. I love Ann Cleeves’ books. She also writes a series with the character Vera Stanhope, which has been made into a British TV series.
Yay! I love it when I discover an author I like who has already published a lot of books. Now if I could just figure out how to quit my job and read all day. :-?
Not technically reading, but I have been listening to and enjoying immensely the audiobook of Born a Crime by Trevor Noah (who took over for Jon Stewart as host of The Daily Show). It is stories from his childhood as a bi-racial lad in South Africa, and he does a lovely job balancing the highs and lows of a childhood that was a world away from what most of us experienced.