Pam Webb

a writer's journey as a reader

Archive for the category “Book Boosters”

05 Dec 2023

Reader Roundup: October/November


Somehow I lost track of my really good reads from October and I just about missed November’s reads. Here are my five star books from those months.

The Detective’s Assistant by Kate Hannigan

Hannigan presents an engaging embellishment of Kate Warne, a Pinkerton detective, and apparently America’s first woman agent.

While not much is known about Warne, the addition of her orphaned niece, Nell, is what drives the plot. Together they solves cases ranging from murder to preventing the assassination of president-elect Abraham Lincoln.

A coming of age story with a thread of history makes this a book middle readers will want to check out, then again this middle aged reader found it an engaging read as well.

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr

Doerr presents an inventive, mesmerizing tale in the way of a tapestry. Throughout the book readers experience the backside of the tapestry, the chaos of threads intermingled, making it difficult to see the full rendering. The intermingling of characters and situations ranging from far future to distant past to present in Cloud Cuckoo Land is both amazing and puzzling at times, and then the understanding is revealed in the end chapters, just as the flip side of the tapestry reveals the completed picture.
Doerr is an artist of words and a storyteller of significance. His detail and pacing are admirable. His ingenuity as well. A very different story from his first novel, All the Light We Cannot See, yet CCL still showcases the talent of this writer.

The Library by Bella Osborne

The book had me at its title. Then there is the blurb: A book about how a library on the cusp of closure introduces an intergenerational friendship. The read was lovely and was difficult to set down.

The House of Unexpected Sisters by Alexander McCall Smith

At first the plot lumbers along with its usual disagreements between Precious and Grace about what is right (Grace can be tediously obstinate), it’s driving about in the tired white van, and it’s odd case or two that seemingly goes nowhere.

However, this story has an amazing twist near the middling end will impact future books. This twist definitely raised the rating by injecting some new spice into series.

An Old, Cold Grave (Lane Winslow #3) by Iona Whishaw

Having finished the Maisie Dobbs series by Winspear I was casting about for similar series and discovered Whishaw’s Lane Winslow books on the library’s new arrivals shelf.

Lane Winslow has settled into Kings Cove, Canada after her WWII service, and it is not turning out to be the idyllic place to escape the aspects of danger she experienced during the war.

The first two books were recent murders, this plot focuses on the mystery of a child’s skeleton found when a household of women were repairing their root cellar. Lane once again finds herself in the middle of the investigation and in harm’s way.

With a few more books to go in the Kings Cove series Lane is filling in for Maisie Dobbs quite nicely.

It Begins in Betrayal (#4) by Iona Whishaw

The fourth in the Lane Winslow series provides readers with a tightly-paced plot involving Lane’s friend InspectorDarling being framed in order to recruit Lane back into intelligence work.

A Sorrowful Sanctuary (#5) by Iona Whishaw

Whishaw ups her game in this fifth series entry with a fine balance of intrigue, murder, and interpersonal drama.

The opening scene of Lane and her friends discovering a mortally wounded man drifting in a boat sets up the story, one that is riveting in many ways, including the developing romance between Lane and Inspector Darling.

Going into December with 158 books read towards my annual goal of 101 I am now hoping to surpass my all-time best of 165 books from 2020. I had a bit of downtime that year, and reading was also a way of coping with the stay-at-home during that year. Retirement is proving to be boosting my reading rate, although staying at home is more choice than a mandate and that is perfectly fine with me.

Posted in authors, Book Boosters, Books, popular books, Reading, Reflections, reviews and tagged , , | Leave a comment
30 Dec 2022
4 Comments

Year in Books: Good Reads and Then Some


A reader’s best friend

I’m ever so glad I found Goodreads. Not only does it help in discovering books to read, it more importantly keeps track of the books I have read. Lately I am reading books I have read previously. Goodreads confirms this. I’m contemplating the implications of this reading overlap.

Never mind deep contemplations on my reading habits. Here are the brass facts: according to Goodreads I read 155 books by December 30th. I don’t log books that are DNF (did not finish), which are more than I want to acknowledge this year. Apparently I am becoming more discerning in my book selections.

Instead of the usual how many pages, most popular, least popular factums I thought I would give 746 books activity a try. Using this year’s book list I answered posed suppositions:

  • In high school I was Here and Now and Then (Mike Chen)
  • People might be surprised by The Ethan I Was Before (Ali Standish)
  • I will never be Maisie Dobbs (Jacqueline Winspear)
  • My life post-lockdown was Little Broken Things (Nicole Baart)
  • My fantasy job is The Finder of Forgotten Things (Sarah Loudin Thomas)
  • At the end of a long day I need The Maid (Nita Prose)
  • I hate being The Accused (John Grisham)
  • Wish I had The Cat Who Saved Books (Sosuke Natsukawa)
  • My family reunions are To Disguise the Truth (Jen Turano)
  • At a party you’d find me with Birds of a Feather (Jacqueline Winspear)
  • I’ve never been to The Last Bookshop in London (Madeline Martin)
  • A happy day includes The Ingredients of Love (Nicolas Barresu)
  • Motto I live by: The Art of Holding On and Letting Go (Kristin Lenz)
  • On my bucket list is The Island (Gary Paulsen)
  • Next year I want to have What the Fireflies Knew (Kai Harris)

That was fun and enlightening. Maybe my book choices reveal more about myself than I am aware of. Hope your year of books was enjoyable and here is to next year!

Posted in Book Boosters, celebrations, humor, memories, popular books, Reflections and tagged , , ,
06 Sep 2022
10 Comments

National Read a Book Day


It’s obvious I’m a Book Booster. Reading, reviewing, writing. Celebrating access to books. Promoting reading. A book in hand whenever possible. Today’s national recognition is an everyday celebration for me.

I couldn’t fathom not having a book handy to read.

How about you? Is this a special day or an everyday note of recognition?

Posted in authors, Book Boosters, Books, Libraries, Reading, Reflections and tagged , , ,
28 Jun 2022
6 Comments

B*I*N*G*O


I admit to being a bit jealous of kids when it comes to summer reading. Libraries promote cool programs to encourage young readers to grab a book and read to earn rewards and prizes.

I read for the enjoyment of reading, yet even a sticker on my bookmark would be that much more fun.

Our local library must have heard my inner child for they are running a summer reading program for the kiddos and adults as well.

BOOK BINGO

Fabulous options! Summer Reading began June 11th and out of the four books I’ve read so far I don’t quite complete a BINGO.

Contenders:

read for 20 minutes (that was easy) read a book outside (gotta get that selfie) recommend a book to someone you know (the hubs eagerly awaits for my recent reads) read a book by a new to you author (another easy) read while listening to ocean sounds (at night while read we drift off to sleep to gentle ocean waves from sleep app) share this BINGO with someone you know (the hubs might play) check out a book by a local author (why—that would be me…) read a book that became a movie or TV series (it might take me all summer to read Lorna Doone)

Wait—

If I check out and listen to a music album I’ll have a BINGO!

Be right back…

How well would you do with a BINGO card? What can you mark off so far?

Posted in Book Boosters, Libraries, Reflections, summer and tagged , ,
15 Dec 2021
1 Comment

December: Read a New Book


In case you missed it in September, you can also decide to read a new book in December.

Reading is next to breathing—it comes naturally

Then again, it doesn’t have to be a designated month for me to read a book. And if I haven’t read it yet it’s a new book to me.

Having librarian experience, both paid and volunteer, for over fifteen years, creates in me this urgency to promote reading. Now that I am in the classroom I promote reading to my students with having them read the first 10 minutes of class. Their reactions range from groans to smiles. There seems to be a firm indication that reading is either in terms of endearment or terms of endurement among teens I have encountered in the last few years.

Anyone have a study on how reading fares among our youth?

As for me—I began to seriously get into reading in fifth grade, prompted by my teacher (Hi, Mr. Cassidy) and have increased my passion for holding words upon pages (no thanks Kindle—gotta turn those pages, feel that paper).

In fact, I just hit my reading goal of 101 books for the year just the other day and I still have time and inclination to keep going.

How about you? Do you have a reading goal? Have you read any new books lately?

Posted in Book Boosters, literature blogs, Reading, Reflections, Uncategorized and tagged , ,
05 Jun 2021
4 Comments

Reader Round Up: May


Even though I read seventeen books last month, which keeps me at six books ahead of schedule, May’s five star reads were slim. There were several enjoyable reads, yet only one good read, or in this case a great read.

Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton

Published in 1948, Paton’s book became a recognized bestseller that still has relevance today. The story of two fathers, one an umfundisi, a native reverend of a poor district, and the other a white landholder who owns a successful farm, High Place. Each father loses their only son, one by the hand of the other, yet the sons’ death brings these men together during a time when racial tensions are rising to a concerning level. A searing portrayal of the pain of separation–separation of family, separation of traditional values, separation of people inhabiting the land, the country. This was a rereading as I wanted to teach it as a unit to my juniors. So far it’s been well received. Plus, I don’t mind having an excuse to familiarize myself with excellent literature.

Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton | BookDragon

Any of you read at least one really notable book in the month of May?

Posted in authors, Book Boosters, Literature, popular books, reviews and tagged , , ,
14 May 2020
11 Comments

Word Nerd: May


May’s batch is writerly in scope

Scrolling through my collection of gathered words I noticed several had a shared commonality with books, writing, or reading:

pseudepigraphy: attribution of authorship to a writer who did not write it; false inscription–usually refers to religious writings, as in biblical texts; however, fiction writers such as Nicholas Meyer who states he is the editor of memoirs of John Watson (who recounts cases of Sherlock Holmes).

fictioneer: a writer of fiction; a writer of mediocre fiction–does not sound like a compliment.

bibliophage: an avid reader–yup, although I just say I’m a Book Booster

donnish: bookish; pedantic–again, does not sound complimentary

wordie: someone enthusiastic about words–not to be confused with someone who is “wordy” (a talker of extreme verbosity)

sic: so; thus; as written–[sic] which usually means the writer is saying “that’s what they said; it’s not my mistake.

bromide: a trite saying or an aid to produce sleepiness–if a saying is boring enough I supposed someone would fall asleep

What words strike your fancy from this month’s list?

Posted in Book Boosters, everyday expressions, Reflections, Words and tagged , ,
02 May 2020
7 Comments

Reader Round Up: April


Recently in an e-mail a student inquired how my coronacation was going. I can’t say I feel like a pandemic stay-at-home has the feel of a vacation. It’s not even a staycation since I am not electing to stay home to lounge out. I am staying home (when masses of people are not) because it’s the wise, safe, and healthy decision for the times upon us. Besides I’m working. My computer and I have a love/hate relationship going at present. I love that I have a reliable laptop, yet I hate how I’m chained to it 6-8 hours a day as I create lesson videos, watch webinars to create lesson plans, answer emails, write emails, log the emails and phone calls I make to students and families, and grade the assignments that trickle in. Then again, that sounds like I’m complaining I have meaningful work, and for that noisome whine, I apologize. I will say I have developed eye twitching from all the constant screen use. Blink more. Thank you. I will do that.

As for reading? I would usually be jumping up and down to have so much “extra” time to read. Having something to read, and having the inclination to read are needed to create a Reader’s Round Up. Honestly, when I do find time to read I end up napping. Maybe I will create a monthly blog post titled “Nap Chat” in which I discuss my best and favorite naps of the month. For now, highlight books read during April:

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ *weighing in at over 600 pages of small print, it kept me occupied for at least a week Wilkie Collins, a contemporary of Charles Dickens, writes in the similar fashion of florid description, and memorable characterization within a complex plot. An intriguing tale filled with twists and turns, A Woman in White is a mystery that provides a grand story of mistaken identities, sleuthing, secrets, and deception. The BBC adaptation is similar to Collins’ novel, yet as they say, the book is the book and the movie the movie.”

Extras by Scott Westerfield ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ *one of the quick grabs off my classroom shelf before everything shut down—it’s a popular series with my students, so why not? The fourth book in the Uglies series is full of action and unique characters. At times the inventions seem contrived, and at other times ingenious. There is some surprising science interjected within the plot which balances out some of the silly fame banter.

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens star ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Book hype usually puts me off of reading the title. I read it because it was in a bag of books dropped off to me, and I read it in one day. Somewhat implausible, yet a well told story with courtroom drama that rivals the glory of To Kill a Mockingbird.

Lady Susan by Jane Austen ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Lady Susan is not usually counted amongst Austen’s titles. Speculation could be it is so short it’s not a novel but a long short story, at best a novella. Another speculation being Lady Susan is so totally unlike any of Austen novels that it is in a category of its own. Somewhat like that one really peculiar meal that a prestigious chef once made that, well, just wasn’t up to par with the other fine cuisine, so we just won’t mention it. Out of courtesy. Lady Susan is no Lizzie Bennet, not an Emma, and definitely unlike any of the heroines Austen has presented to readers. Lady Susan is an unscrupulous conniver—in fact there is no one worth rooting for in the story. On the other hand, it is Jane Austen—just nod and say it was delicious, but you probably won’t be asking for seconds.

Last minute squeaker of an April read
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
A combination of fact and lots of artistic license, yet provides a fascinating insight into Vincent Van Gogh’s tortured brilliance. Theo is real hero.

I should have rolled a wheelbarrow into the library and started emptying shelves. It doesn’t help that my Goodreads counter keeps nudging me that I am behind in my book reading. I know. I know.

Posted in authors, Book Boosters, celebrations, Reflections, stress and tagged , , , , ,
27 Apr 2020
3 Comments

Reader Round Up: March


March began in the usual way: school, home, the routine of routine. Then murmurings of a really bad flu flutter into the periphery around the middle of March (ironically teaching “Beware the Ides” with Julius Caesar walking to the forum). Routines are jarred as parents pull students from school and we watch and wonder if our school will also shut down with one week to go before spring week. We did and in two weeks all has changed and routine is a daily challenge.

Where does reading fit into this new normal? Reading used to be my anticipated reward, my stress reliever, my defrag from working with screens. Now, with only a scant handful of books (paper, not electronic, preferred) to last, who knows how long, reading becomes a quandary. Reading helps wile away the hours and keeps my brain from fogging over from too much screen time. Yet, I will clearly run out books on hand sooner than anticipated. Why didn’t I grab more books from the library before it closed?

Highlights of March:

The Rope Walk by Carrie Brown ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ A bit like To Kill a Mockingbird with a tomboy, an odd playmate, a mysterious neighbor and a life lesson.

Moonfleet by John Meade Falkner ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ An old fashioned adventure in the style of Robert Lois Stevenson

In the Jellicoe Road by Marlena Marchetta ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ A YA that combines the ruthlessness found in Lord of the Flies with the mind-warping plot twists of I Am the Cheese.

Letters from Yellowstone by Diane Smith ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️ One of those mad grabs off the shelf before the library closed and an unexpected joy as the book reveals the early days of Yellowstone Park through the witty and informative epistolary exchanges of a hodge podge of characters pursuing science.

Dandelion Summer by Lisa Wingate ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Imagine Henry Fonda from his role in On Golden Pond and a teenage Queen Latifah, you then would have Norman Alvord and Epiphany Jones, better known as J. Norm and Epie. These two form a symbiotic friendship as they battle their dysfunctional families.

The Least of My Brothers by Harold Bell Wright ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ A classic re-edited by Michael Phillips. Turn of the century story of the difference between being a disciple of Christ and a member of the church, with plenty of drama and characterization and a minimum of preaching making for a thoughtful consideration of what defines a Christian.

Ender’s Shadow by Scott Orson Card ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️ Having read Ender’s Game several years ago I thought it time to read its counterpart. Read it in a couple of days since I was able to dedicate that much time to reading a 400+ page book being on spring break.

A mixture of titles and interests as usual. As my library stash dwindles I will begin getting creative (or desperate) and begin prowling my meager collection which consists of read and reread classics or dipping into my hubs’ technical journals and how to manuals.

Posted in authors, Book Boosters, Literature, Reflections, reviews and tagged , , ,
09 Sep 2019
6 Comments

Reader Round Up: August


August became my vacation month this year. Due to obligations, responsibilities, and unexpected events, my usual casual days of unwinding during summer before powering back up for the school year dwindled down to about two weeks of fetter free days. Amazingly enough during this hectic summer I found time to read. Actually, reading is what kept me sane. Chocolate might have, but that calorie thing always has me rethinking my grab towards the Dove bar whilst shopping.

Due to the unusual amount of stress this summer I read more than usual and this resulted in my hitting my Goodreads Reading Challenge of 101 books (and then some) earlier, much earlier than expected. Maybe stress can be a good thing after all? I do know reading is my go-to for relieving craziness that comes from being overwhelmed with the unexpected.

Here are the highlights for August reading:

King Solomon’s Mines by H. Rider Haggard ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
If you appreciate Indiana Jones and Lost World you will want to explore this foundational novel. Written around 1885, as a challenge to write something better than Stevenson’s Treasure Island, Haggard succeeds in providing an adventure in Africa that brims with narrow escapes, lost treasure, mysterious strangers, cruel villains, and legends to perpetuate. Several movie adaptations, yet none come close to the actual novel.

Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Fans of Downton Abbey this is a book for you. English gentry, family drama, war drama, convenient plot devices, surprising plot turns, likable heroes, inspiring heroines, emotional involvement. It’s all there—all 977 pages. Update: the miniseries wasn’t exactly the plot, but decent.

Shakespeare’s England edited by R.E. Pritchard ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
The title is a bit deceptive in that it is actually an account of what life might have been like during the 1600 and 1700 time period in England. While this is the era when Shakespeare was prominent, the book is not focused on Shakespeare and his England. Fascinating information otherwise.

Sleeping Tiger by Rosamunde Pilcher ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
A perfect airplane read: light, non-demanding, read in the two hours of flight.

Researching James Herriot I read several of his books, mainly biographies. A separate post is here.

A Woman of Independent Means by Elizabeth Hailey ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
A fascinating arc of a woman’s life; however, it lost its appeal midway through due to the overly dramatic plot and epistolary device wearing thin. I am interested in watching the mini-series with Sally Field, as she strikes me as being capable of portraying the main character Bess having watched her in Places of the Heart.
Update: Even Sally Field couldn’t breathe solidity to this flimsy soap opera.

Report from Argyll by Alan McKinnon ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
If James Bond ‘60s espionage tales are on your list, look for this little Crime Club edition. The story comes complete with sexist dialogue, political undercurrents, skulking villains, plot twists, and red herrings.

Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
A classic I wanted to revisit, yet I couldn’t finish. And I wanted to. However, beyond the dated attitudes and interactions, let alone cliche characters, I could not easily digest Heinlein’s diatribe against societal conventions and practices such as religion, politics, and gender roles. It felt like the novel had been designed around his views, not so much around the unique idea of a Man from Mars adapting to the planet of his heritage. The novel did give us “grok” which is something worthwhile.

The House of Paper by Carlos Dominguez ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
More of a short story then a novel and at barely 100 pages it might be a stretch to consider it a novella. One has to appreciate magical realism to fully grasp the focus of the story. The illustrations by Peter Sis are a bonus.

A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win WWII by Sonia Purnell ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Just when we think WWII might be exhausted for story angles, along comes the absolutely fascinating story of Virginia Hall, who might have gone unnoticed had it not been for scrupulously researched work of Sonia Purcell. Considering how Hall remained recalcitrant about her feats of super spy achievements in France, Purnell has honed a fascinating portrait of a person, no matter that she was an American woman with a prosthesis, who helped greatly during WWII, particularly with France’s efforts to free itself of the Nazi regime. Update: a movie is in the making

Yes, it is an eclectic list. Bouncing around to what catches my eye seems to be my indiscriminate pattern of reading selection. See anything of interest?

Posted in Book Boosters, reading, Reflections, reviews and tagged , ,

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