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Topic: April - What are you reading? Is it good?

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mary2029 avatar
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Subject: April - What are you reading? Is it good?
Date Posted: 4/1/2018 10:06 PM ET
Member Since: 3/31/2013
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I started reading Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel last night. Didn't want to put the book down, but my eyelids didn't want to stay up!  I've seen Thomas Cromwell portrayed in film by such disparate actors as Leo McKern (A Man for All Seasons) and James Frain (The Tudors). But I think the most intriguing characterization was by Mark Rylance in Wolf Hall. The book is written by a female British author and so will be my choice for the London Calling category of the Historical Fiction challenge. And, as tenth book, it brings me up to Ravenclaw House! 

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Date Posted: 4/2/2018 11:50 AM ET
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Mary:  I put off reading Wolf Hall for a couple of years because of the bad reviews here on the forum.  Then I saw Mark Rylance as Cromwell and had to read both books and really loved both of them.  His was a masterful portrayal of a very intriguing and complicated man.  I've been reading Plague by C.C. Humphreys.  It's a very unique murder mystery that takes place as the bubonic plague is beginning to break out in 1665 London.  As it says on the book cover "murder has a new friend".

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Date Posted: 4/5/2018 11:22 AM ET
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I am finishing up India Black by Carol K. Carr and will definitely read the next in the series. Great humor and characters.

 

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Date Posted: 4/5/2018 12:03 PM ET
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I loved India Black and wish there had been more books written in that series!

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Alice J. (ASJ) - ,
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Date Posted: 4/8/2018 7:10 AM ET
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I agree Cheryl love that series!!

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Alice J. (ASJ) - ,
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Date Posted: 4/9/2018 7:33 AM ET
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I started a historical mystery today Wine of Violence by Priscilla Royal. She is a new to me author books is set 1270 England.  I like it so far. Strong tone and interesting premise.

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Date Posted: 4/9/2018 3:48 PM ET
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Finished Ashes to Ashes by Mel Starr.  These are quick little HF mystery reads and I enjoy the hero and his delightful wife.  I liked it but I may be almost at the end of reading this series.  Have one more on my shelf and then I'll leave them for a good while to see if I want to return.  On to Deeds of Darkness by Starr.  I know that several of you like Carol K. Carr's India Black novels but I didn't care for them.  Read a couple and dropped those.  On to a different author.  I'm nearly ready to pick up Eliot Pattison's Bone Mountain.    If it's as good as the other Pattison books I've read it will be a real treat to read.



Last Edited on: 4/9/18 5:15 PM ET - Total times edited: 2
hannamatt52 avatar
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Date Posted: 4/9/2018 10:20 PM ET
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I feel exactly the same way you do about the Mel Starr books.  I've started Cousin Kate by Georgette Heyer.  This book is supposed to be more of a gothic novel as opposed to her more typcial Regency romances/comedies. 



Last Edited on: 4/9/18 10:22 PM ET - Total times edited: 1
mary2029 avatar
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Date Posted: 4/9/2018 10:59 PM ET
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Still working my way through Wolf Hall - about 400 pages down and 200 to go. I've decided to change it from the London Calling to the Memory Lane category of the Historical Fiction challenge because it features multiple flashbacks to Thomas Cromwell's early life. What I really enjoy about the book is the little mental asides that let the reader know what Cromwell's thinking during conversations with various people - quite often sarcastic. The whole book is written in present tense, which really gives the reader the feeling that he's right there when it's happening. Last week someone in a Facebook group I belong to mentioned a made for TV version of A Man for All Seasons featuring Charlton Heston as Thomas More. Don't know how I missed it when it first came out. Yet another chracterization of Cromwell. The program is very faithful to the Robert Bolt play, including the Everyman character, with background music composed by Henry VIII himself. It's available on YouTube.

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Date Posted: 4/12/2018 1:57 PM ET
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GONE!



Last Edited on: 5/3/18 1:05 PM ET - Total times edited: 2
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Date Posted: 4/14/2018 3:36 PM ET
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Alice, I enjoyed Wine of Violence, but didn't read any further in the series for some reason.  I also enjoyed the India Black series.

I'm almost done with An Experiment in Treason, and will only have two more books in the series!  I love Sir John and I will definitely be sad to hit the end of this series...

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Date Posted: 4/15/2018 5:24 PM ET
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I am reading Circe by Madeline Miller.  It's really good so far.

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Date Posted: 4/15/2018 5:42 PM ET
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That looks like a very interesting book,  Holly

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Alice J. (ASJ) - ,
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Date Posted: 4/19/2018 10:49 AM ET
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I finished A Brush with Time by Anna Lee Huber very good. Love the series and plot movement

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Date Posted: 4/19/2018 11:03 AM ET
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I finished The Alice Network by Kate Quinn; such a wonderful book!  The story travels between two times and two characters: 1947 and an American college girl, Charlie St. Clair,  who is trying to find her missing cousin Rose in post Nazi France.  1915 Eve Gardiner is recruited into a network of mainly women spies who are seeking to undermine the German occupation of France and Belgium. I've enjoyed this author's books about the Borgias and ancient Rome but this one was a revelation.  Very highly rated- 5 out of 5 stars for me!  I'm also using this book for the Year #6, category 4 Memory Lane- read a book featuring a flashback entry of the h/f challenge.



Last Edited on: 4/19/18 11:06 AM ET - Total times edited: 1
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Date Posted: 4/22/2018 9:18 PM ET
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I'm reading Why Kill the Innocent by CS Harris. I just love this series!

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Alice J. (ASJ) - ,
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Date Posted: 4/27/2018 11:43 AM ET
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I just finished The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor. Delightful books, Set in 1917 and present time about fairies, family and love stories. Very enjoyable

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Date Posted: 4/28/2018 10:59 PM ET
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I've started Rome:  The Coming of the King by M.C. Scott.  I really enjoyed her Boudica series. This one isn't quite as good but still worth reading.