Kindle Reading 2016 #8
Nov. 23rd, 2016 11:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
desertvixen Late again, shocker.
189. Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell - Not my first read of the novel, of course, but I found it on a Kindle Daily Deal for $1.99. If I watch the movie and read the book, I'm always amazed at how rich the book is, how much stuff they left out.
190. Grab Bag: Collection of Stories by Charlotte MacLeod - Collection of Charlotte MacLeod short stories. There's one Max Bittersohn one, but MacLeod's quirkiness is in full stride here. I liked several of them, but "More Like Martine" is probably the most relatable one. Amazon review here.
191. Grandfather Hollow by Kellie Honaker - Good collection of creepy shorts. Not a lot of gore, but dark themes. There's several revenge stories, and a few ghost stories. Amazon review here.
192. Jacob's Return (Sensual Amish Historical) by Annette Blair - First off, it's not "sensual". More like "torrid Amish historical" - definitely not clean or sweet. Gaslighting abounds, just as a warning. I had mixed reactions to it, and the review garnered a comment saying I reviewed an old version of the story (which I disputed and got no reply). Amazon review here.
193. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - No, I had managed to avoid this one. Good Lord, but those people needed some help. Why exactly do so many find it romantic? I mean, yes, Jane and Rochester have a touching story but come on, you know he wouldn't have told her about his past if he hadn't been forced.
194. Monstrum by Ann Christopher - Teen monster book with weird creatures, a plane crash, and a creepy boat. It's not horrible. Amazon review here.
195. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell - I really enjoyed this one. The BBC miniseries was also incredible.
196. The Forgotten Few: Polish Air Force by Adam Zamoyski - This is an account of Polish airmen in the RAF, and their experiences (and adjustments to British life). It's a really good read, except for the betrayal we all know is coming at the end. Amazon review here.
197. The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather - Classic but a great read about a prairie girl working to become a great singer. Amazon review here.
198. Bride of Pretense by Amanda Tru - Fairly predictable and quick mail-order bride story with a slightly annoying heroine. It was free. Amazon review here.
199. Prepare for Departure by Shelly Story - This is aimed at students going to study abroad, but is a good read for anyone thinking about traveling overseas for a long period. Particularly liked the questions designed to get people really thinking about their trip. Amazon review here.
200. Hors d'Oeurve and Canapes by James Beard - Beard cookbooks have been coming up as Kindle Daily Deals with regularity and while I don't know how many of these I would make, reading Beard is fascinating. Especially for $2.99.
201. Emma Bingley's Romantic Nature by Wendy Soliman - I read a free copy of this in exchange for an honest review. It's a second generation Pride and Prejudice novel, but it's pretty enjoyable. Characters are well-done and likable. Amazon review here.
202. Love You Always by Jan Thompson - Another multi-cultural Christian romance by this author. This one was better and more solid than the last one I read. Amazon review here.
203. The Keeper by Suzanne Woods Fisher - This is marketed as Amish, but it's not typical. I did enjoy it, but the characters didn't feel quite Amish to me. Amazon review here.
204. Story of the Lafayette Escadrille by Georges Thenault - Memories of the American squadron flying in WWI by its commander. It's a pretty personable read, even if you aren't a WWI buff.
205. Looking Backwards, 2000-1887 by Edward Bellamy - Interesting speculative fiction from the Victorian era. Some of the future stuff is interesting, and there's a twist at the end (as well as an expected plot element) but one of the best parts of it is the author's opening description of the Victorian era as a coach ride, with hunger as the driver. Amazon review here.
206. Murder at McDonald's by Phonse Jessame - A 1980s Canadian true crime book. It's dated but interesting. Amazon review here.
207. The Christie Caper by Carolyn Hart - A romp of a mystery at a Christie convention. It was entertaining, but I don't think I'll look for any more of her books. Amazon review here.
208. In The Still of the Night by Dorothy Salisbury Davis - Collection of mystery short stories.
209. Murder in Pleasanton by Joshua Suchon - A current true crime book about an older cold case that happened when the author was a child. Definitely a look at how parenting has changed since the 1980s. Amazon review here.
210. Gordon Ramsay's Great British Pub Food - Okay book, but no conversion from metric and no pictures. Amazon review here.
211. The Door by Mary Roberts Rinehart - It's a Rinehart book, although I have enjoyed other ones more. This one is told in a stilted sort of style, but I still enjoyed it. Amazon review here.
212. An Inconvenient Ward by Audrey Harrison - Regency romance with a serious dependence on the Big Mis trope. It also has an "unfinished" rape scene that I could have done without. Amazon review here.
213. Every Living Thing by James Herriot - The last of the James Herriot books. You know what to expect. The book has its fair share of bittersweet and sad cat stories. Amazon review here.
214. Ravished by Amanda Quick - Another title previously read, acquired as a Kindle Deal. Early Amanda Quick - I do miss her Regencies. They were my first good intro to more explicit romances (i.e., better than the "romance" scenes in Jude Deveraux which are...problematic. And by problematic, I mean rapey.)
215. This Is What Goodbye Looks Like by Olivia Rivers - Teen melodrama. I basically kept reading to see how bad it would get.
216. The Southern Food Truck Cookbook by Heather Donahue - Pretty much what it sounds like, although less emphasis on typical Southern stuff.
217. Hacking Literacy by Gerald Dawson - Good ideas for getting students to read and engage with the reading.
189. Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell - Not my first read of the novel, of course, but I found it on a Kindle Daily Deal for $1.99. If I watch the movie and read the book, I'm always amazed at how rich the book is, how much stuff they left out.
190. Grab Bag: Collection of Stories by Charlotte MacLeod - Collection of Charlotte MacLeod short stories. There's one Max Bittersohn one, but MacLeod's quirkiness is in full stride here. I liked several of them, but "More Like Martine" is probably the most relatable one. Amazon review here.
191. Grandfather Hollow by Kellie Honaker - Good collection of creepy shorts. Not a lot of gore, but dark themes. There's several revenge stories, and a few ghost stories. Amazon review here.
192. Jacob's Return (Sensual Amish Historical) by Annette Blair - First off, it's not "sensual". More like "torrid Amish historical" - definitely not clean or sweet. Gaslighting abounds, just as a warning. I had mixed reactions to it, and the review garnered a comment saying I reviewed an old version of the story (which I disputed and got no reply). Amazon review here.
193. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - No, I had managed to avoid this one. Good Lord, but those people needed some help. Why exactly do so many find it romantic? I mean, yes, Jane and Rochester have a touching story but come on, you know he wouldn't have told her about his past if he hadn't been forced.
194. Monstrum by Ann Christopher - Teen monster book with weird creatures, a plane crash, and a creepy boat. It's not horrible. Amazon review here.
195. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell - I really enjoyed this one. The BBC miniseries was also incredible.
196. The Forgotten Few: Polish Air Force by Adam Zamoyski - This is an account of Polish airmen in the RAF, and their experiences (and adjustments to British life). It's a really good read, except for the betrayal we all know is coming at the end. Amazon review here.
197. The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather - Classic but a great read about a prairie girl working to become a great singer. Amazon review here.
198. Bride of Pretense by Amanda Tru - Fairly predictable and quick mail-order bride story with a slightly annoying heroine. It was free. Amazon review here.
199. Prepare for Departure by Shelly Story - This is aimed at students going to study abroad, but is a good read for anyone thinking about traveling overseas for a long period. Particularly liked the questions designed to get people really thinking about their trip. Amazon review here.
200. Hors d'Oeurve and Canapes by James Beard - Beard cookbooks have been coming up as Kindle Daily Deals with regularity and while I don't know how many of these I would make, reading Beard is fascinating. Especially for $2.99.
201. Emma Bingley's Romantic Nature by Wendy Soliman - I read a free copy of this in exchange for an honest review. It's a second generation Pride and Prejudice novel, but it's pretty enjoyable. Characters are well-done and likable. Amazon review here.
202. Love You Always by Jan Thompson - Another multi-cultural Christian romance by this author. This one was better and more solid than the last one I read. Amazon review here.
203. The Keeper by Suzanne Woods Fisher - This is marketed as Amish, but it's not typical. I did enjoy it, but the characters didn't feel quite Amish to me. Amazon review here.
204. Story of the Lafayette Escadrille by Georges Thenault - Memories of the American squadron flying in WWI by its commander. It's a pretty personable read, even if you aren't a WWI buff.
205. Looking Backwards, 2000-1887 by Edward Bellamy - Interesting speculative fiction from the Victorian era. Some of the future stuff is interesting, and there's a twist at the end (as well as an expected plot element) but one of the best parts of it is the author's opening description of the Victorian era as a coach ride, with hunger as the driver. Amazon review here.
206. Murder at McDonald's by Phonse Jessame - A 1980s Canadian true crime book. It's dated but interesting. Amazon review here.
207. The Christie Caper by Carolyn Hart - A romp of a mystery at a Christie convention. It was entertaining, but I don't think I'll look for any more of her books. Amazon review here.
208. In The Still of the Night by Dorothy Salisbury Davis - Collection of mystery short stories.
209. Murder in Pleasanton by Joshua Suchon - A current true crime book about an older cold case that happened when the author was a child. Definitely a look at how parenting has changed since the 1980s. Amazon review here.
210. Gordon Ramsay's Great British Pub Food - Okay book, but no conversion from metric and no pictures. Amazon review here.
211. The Door by Mary Roberts Rinehart - It's a Rinehart book, although I have enjoyed other ones more. This one is told in a stilted sort of style, but I still enjoyed it. Amazon review here.
212. An Inconvenient Ward by Audrey Harrison - Regency romance with a serious dependence on the Big Mis trope. It also has an "unfinished" rape scene that I could have done without. Amazon review here.
213. Every Living Thing by James Herriot - The last of the James Herriot books. You know what to expect. The book has its fair share of bittersweet and sad cat stories. Amazon review here.
214. Ravished by Amanda Quick - Another title previously read, acquired as a Kindle Deal. Early Amanda Quick - I do miss her Regencies. They were my first good intro to more explicit romances (i.e., better than the "romance" scenes in Jude Deveraux which are...problematic. And by problematic, I mean rapey.)
215. This Is What Goodbye Looks Like by Olivia Rivers - Teen melodrama. I basically kept reading to see how bad it would get.
216. The Southern Food Truck Cookbook by Heather Donahue - Pretty much what it sounds like, although less emphasis on typical Southern stuff.
217. Hacking Literacy by Gerald Dawson - Good ideas for getting students to read and engage with the reading.
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no subject
Date: 2016-11-24 12:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-11-24 06:29 pm (UTC)I just regret that there are so many other stories in the book - like the other families in the County and in Atlanta.
She can be a frustrating character, though.
no subject
Date: 2016-11-28 06:35 pm (UTC)Charlotte MacLeod is a delight. After reading 10 of her books from 4 series over 14 days and not burning out, was when I first coined the term "acid test author."
Carolyn Hart has a second series about an older journalist, the Henrie O books, the first of which is _Dead Man's Island_. They're far less cosy, but still very well written. It might be worth a try, especially if you can get a deal.
I read _Looking Backwards_ early in undergrad. It was lots of fun then, but I'm not sure I'd have the same tolerance for lengthy monologues now. It's interesting that we're still talking about some of the same ideas [basic income for everyone, etc.] now.
Lois herself has admitted to enjoying some Amanda Quick/Jayne Krentz.
The big deal with Jane Eyre is how she stands up for herself. Even being alone, poor, and plain, when Rochester, trying to persuade her to run away with him, asks, "Who will know?" She replies, "I will." Claiming personhood and significance for herself is still a brave and daring stance for many women today, let alone at that time and place.
no subject
Date: 2016-11-30 01:24 am (UTC)May have to look for the other Carolyn Hart - not that my TBR pile needs any help.
Looking Backwards does have a lot of monologuing, but I love the coach metaphor. It's another one of my free-on-Kindle classic acquisitions.
I've only enjoyed a few of the Krentz books (mostly Arcane Society) but to be honest, there are few contemporary romances I enjoy - and Nora Roberts wrote most of them. I LOVED Amanda Quick's Regencies, dating from the days when I had to sneak them from my mom's bookshelves. The Victorian ones were okay, but somewhere along the way I stopped buying her in hard cover.
I get the importance of Jane standing up for herself, but the romance was somewhat lost on me. I liked her determination and her fairness, but the whole Jane/Rochester thing just didn't work for me. I was okay that she went back to him on her own terms, but the whole part where he withheld information in the beginning didn't work for me.