April 7, 2016 · 3:13 pm

CATEGORIES OF BOOKS

Most genres of fiction interest me from mysteries to historical fiction. There are many categories to relish as I have found from Book Page, a magazine provided by the Friends of the Library in my vacation spot.  Where to begin to find the next book to read?  I am changing my blog to include books I want to read but have not read yet.

                         Which are your top choices from this list?

New titles on my TBR list include one from each of these categories:

  1. Literary Fiction: The Last Painting of Sara De Vos by Dominic Smith. This one includes three narrative threads, intriguing for a reader and a writer.
  2. Family Saga:  Miller’s Valley by Anna Quindlan.  She is a favorite author since I read her Black and Blue, a realistic view of domestic violence.
  3. Coming-of-Age:  Excellent Lombards by Jane Hamilton. Begins in the 1960’s.
  4. Memoir: Dimestore: A Writer’s Life by Lee Smith.  About her life in Appalachia.
  5. Middle Grade Fiction: A Bandit’s Tale by Deborah Hopkinson.  A historical tale beginning in 1887 NYC with an Italian Oliver Twist-like character.
  6. Picture Book: The Bear and the Piano by David Litchfield.  Starts in a forest and progresses to Broadway!
  7. Historical Mystery: Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye.  For adults and especially lovers of Jane Eyre (and no vampires!)
  8. Mystery:  Plantation Shudders by Ellen Byron .  An Agatha nominee for best debut cosy mystery.  I confess I read this one first as I am going to the Malice Domestic conference later this month.
  9. Audio Memoir:  On My Own by Diane Rehm, read by the author.
  10. Historical Fiction: The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson.  If you loved Major Pettigrew’s Land Stand, you have been waiting five years for her next novel.   I think we will be pleased from the several reviews I have read so far.

Trisha Ping’s review in book Page of #10: “Full of trenchant observations on human nature and featuring a lovable cast of characters, The Summer Before the War is a second novel that satisfies.”  Isn’t this premise the reason we read?  I know it rings true for me!

 

Let me know what you recommend currently in comments.

I hope you are having fun with your own 2016 Reading Challenge!

 

HAPPY READING IN 2016!!

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March 8, 2016 · 2:43 pm

CONNECTIONS IN LITERATURE

If you love To Kill a Mockingbird as I do, you have read all the news about Harper Lee’s writing, her friendships, and her death.  But have you read the latest novel Tru and Nelle by G. Neri? You will recognize the characters immediately, but are they Scout and Dill or Truman Capote and Nelle Harper Lee?  Their adventures, as imagined by Greg Neri, who usually writes urban fiction, will amaze and delight you.  Did you know both writers, Truman and Harper were neighbors in Monroeville, AL; that they both loved to read Sherlock Holmes stories (in book form); and that both assisted each other in their adult writing.  Be prepared for surprises and clues to the plot, characters and setting of To Kill a Mockingbird.  You won’t be disappointed.

Oh, I forgot to mention that this book is written for middle grade  readers of ages nine to twelve, but you adults will get the allusions and gain knowledge you didn’t know you wanted to realize about these favorite authors.   Writers will “find the fun” in learning the “backstory!”

Happy Reading in all Genres for 2016!

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February 22, 2016 · 5:31 pm

My Reading Challenge for 2016

My Reading Journal is full of titles I want to read this year.  My goal is 75 books of all genres including children’s literature.  That goal was set at the New Year on Goodreads, but I am excited about a newer reading challenge that appeared on Facebook in two places.  I have been joining other reading and writing blogs for two months and I discovered a fun one called Modern Mrs. Darcy.  Of course, the title grabbed me immediately because my daughter and I are huge Jane Austen fans.

Want to hear about this fun Reading Challenge for 2016?  You only need to read 12 books per year! I plan to expand on the titles I read but I want to share the 12 categories which are intriguing.  For a mystery lover, I find I will have to do some sleuthing in the library and pick my own brain to come up with the titles which match the categories.  Here are the celebratory ideas some creative readers have shared with us (BTW, the order is arbitrary).

  1. What is a title of a book that you should have read in school.  (this category is my hardest to choose.)
  2. Choose a book you can read in one day!
  3. Read a book recommended by a librarian or bookseller.  ( I am compiling the ones I read in 2015 to match these categories, too, just for fun.)
  4. Choose a book recommended by a spouse, a sibling, your child or your BFF.
  5. Re-read a book you have read already at least once.  (What fun to re-discover a fav.)
  6. Read a book you have abandoned.  (You may want to write notes in your journal telling why you abandoned the book and what you think now.)
  7. Find a book to read that was written before you were born.
  8. Can you read a new book published in the current year?
  9. Check out a list of banned books and read one you never read.
  10.  Choose a book that has always intimidated you.  (Ulysses by James Joyce, anyone?)
  11. Look on your shelf at home for a book you own and have never read.  ( A treasure!)
  12. Read a book you have always been meaning to read.
If I had been creating this challenge, I would add a few more categories, such as
  13. Read a new book by a favorite author.
  14.  Choose a children’s classic to read.
So far in 2016 I have completed eleven adult books, with two fitting on the MMD challenge.  Jump Cut by Libby Fischer Hellmann was just published this month and available at Amazon.com.  I highly recommend Libby’s thriller for its fast-paced contemporary style.  Elle Foreman, a continuing character in one of her series, has a fascinating job as a film editor.  She discovers a mystery while handling a large project for her editing firm.  Who is that mysterious man who shows up at the film site and freaks out one of the clients when his face is seen on the video? Read Jump Cut to see.  I was fortunate to read and advance reader copy and review this gem on Amazon.
The second book I love to add to my 2016 Reading Challenge is Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert.  This non-fiction title was the subject of a great TED talk: it was recommended by readers at my local library’s Book Lover’s Book Club,  held at my local library with no assigned reading choice.  That meeting is sponsored by my local library director, Michele Noble, a great source for ecletic titles.
In addition to my adult reading, I have started to read nominees for Malice Domestic Agatha Award for the category of children’s and YA mysteries.  I completed Woof by Spencer Quinn.  He writes novels with dog characters for adults and children.  If you are a dog lover, you will love the tale of Bowser and Birdie, a mystery which will remind you of Kate di Camillo’s Because of Winn Dixie (a Newbery winner).  My favorite genre of children’s literature is usually middle grade mysteries, so I have four more checked out from the library waiting for me to tackle.
The To Be Read list is growing, providing me with fun leisure time and I hope more reviews to share with you this winter.
I mentioned book blogs and I will share some links to some more entertaining book blogs in my next post.  Please remember to follow me, send comments and tell your friends about BESTBOOKSBYBETH.com
Happy Reading in 2016!

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January 14, 2016 · 6:43 pm

THRILLS AND CHILLS

Do you enjoy thrillers? I have a fun surprise for you from a great thriller writer!
I just finished Libby Fischer Hellman’s latest book Jump Cut and she has an offer for you readers out there. I know you will love this page-turner. It can be read so quickly, but that doesn’t mean there is not substance in her writing. You will be amazed with the currency and thrills she has put in her latest book! We have included her link to her books, so find them soon so you don’t miss out on the excitement! Here’s the link:
http://libbyhellmann.com/my-books/jump-cut

Look above for a partial view of the offer. I cannot get the picture to paste into this blog, but here is the scoop:  Pre-order Jump Cut for 99 cents at the link above and you will also receive a copy of another Ellie Foreman book, An Eye for Murder!

What more can I say? This page-turner is intriguing and scary with just the right amount of details and secrets any thriller reader will want to read! Readers like me who love mysteries and thrillers will want to read all the Ellie Foreman books, from her adventures referenced in Jump Cut. Hellmann’s description of the characters, her well-thought out clues, the pace, and the many mysterious plot twists kept me reading to complete the novel in one thrill-packed  weekend.
Looking for a lighter read? Florida is the setting for Checked Out! Had to try this one that takes place in a library! What would you do if you heard $1,000,000 was lost in a library book? Helen Hawthorne, a PI with her husband Phil, takes a dead-end job to help the Friends of the Library and her client discover a famous painting which was left in a book donated to the library. Elaine Viets adds her usual humor in this 14th book in her series in FL. (I love her mystery shopper series which is set in St. Louis suburbs, too.) Being a library volunteer doesn’t sound like a Dead-End job to me, but Helen is not paid a salary in this caper, only she does get a commission as she follows all the clues to catch the culprit. Cosy mysteries are the best reads on the beach or vacation.
Maybe you are looking for a mystery for your child or grandchildren. The latest one I can recommend is a new author for me. Lisa Papademetrious created a unique title which reminds me of So You Want to Be a Wizard! Similar to Diane Duane’s series, A Tale of Highly Unusual Magic features a magical book. The settings of USA and Pakistan with two young girls who do not know each other adds so much intrigue, you will be drawn in to discover how their stories relate to one another. Clues abound and you will be amazed at the similarities of their lives and adventures throughout this short book. Thank you to Erik at http://www.ThisKidReviewsBooks.comfor his recommendation of this title.

Happy Reading in 2016! I am well on my way to a new Good Reads goal for the year!

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January 2, 2016 · 8:29 pm

MY GIFT FOR 2016

What is my gift? I share it with you and myself.  I read; I remember; and I pass the memories on. Books, food, musical plays:  the magic is all around us.  Let’s find the optimism in the New Year of 2016 together.

My writer friend, Erika Robuck, offered her 10 favorite titles in historical fiction. Her list on her blog Muse https://erikarobuck.wordpress.com/, a great readers’ and writers’ blog, was brilliant.  Recommendations from writers you respect help to whet your appetite for a To Be Read List. The library will be my next stop to find these gems she and others have selected for our reading pleasure.

I hope you readers who follow this blog will share your favorites that you loved in 2015 and more titles you plan to read in 2016! The list will be eclectic, I know, just the type of reading we enjoy.  My Good Reads challenge was fun and my goal was realized and even as a personal contest, it will be a competition I savor each year.  52 + adult books was manageable for me this past year reading all genres; I added to this list with many great children’s literature titles.  75 may be a pleasurable challenge for 2016.

New reading review blogs inspire me each month. Readers who recommend the many genres we love provide entertaining reading and great new titles to read and share.            Follow my new friends who suggest books and share your thoughts about the books you read. Erica at www.whatdowedoallday.com and my Book Lover’s friend Sarah at https://ivejustfinishedreading.wordpress.com enlighten me each time I open my emails.

I found writing a novel exasperating, so I will continue to write this blog and gift my book suggestions to you. Out of the 57 Adult titles I read last year in my reading challenge, I choose these 6 exemplary, unforgettable novels:

  1. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (WWII HF)
  2. The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult (Literary Fiction)
  3. Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King (Mystery)
  4. The Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Vreeland (HF)
  5. The House of Hawthorne by Erika Robuck (HF)
  6. Tomorrow’s Vengeance by Marcia Talley (Cosy mystery)

Happy Reading in 2016!

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December 8, 2015 · 1:47 am

BOOK NOTES

[Sometimes there is not time to write a long blog post, but when reading and writing thoughts emerge to share…]

BOOK  NOTES

A book is your friend.

Is it the character, the author, or the theme

Reaching out to you and seeming to consider your thoughts?

The warmth of the realism or is it reality, even though it’s fiction?

Resonance, reflection as in a mirror image, or reasoning?

The feeling is difficult to explain.

Still the heart beats faster when you read these words

and pages.

Is it a miracle only reaching out to one reader, one who adores

illuminating books, or

Is there a connection among all readers, authors, thinkers…

 

Enjoy reading and writing in 2015!

 

 

 

 

 

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November 18, 2015 · 4:15 pm

Computer Glitzzzz

I am writing but my keys are not keeping up.  More posts soon, I promise.

Thank you for reading!

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October 2, 2015 · 7:56 pm

FRIENDSHIP

Books are my best friends. They help me travel, have adventures, fall in love, understand others, and escape to a place where no one is my critic! Just recently I was reunited with a college friend, a fourth grade teacher who joined me at a charity book buying venue. We had such fun choosing books we both loved for her classroom library.

Then, just this week, I found a new blog site to recommend to you for the very same purpose. Find http://www.whatdowedoallday.com/ which shares book lists for parents and teachers and lovers of children’s books. Erica’s categories are easy to navigate for book choosing at the library or your favorite Independent bookstore. I highly recommend her site which I discovered from a new author who mentioned it on Facebook. Thank you to Arti Agarwal Sonthalia for introducing me to this book blog. She mentioned Erica’s list called “10 Picture Books that Nurture EMPATHY.” I was familiar with many titles, but some were new to me. “19 Book Series for kids who like MAGIC TREE HOUSE” is another with popular books to befriend.

What books have I been reading?  By Andrea ChengThe Year of the Book ,  by Joan Bauer Squashed, by Beverly A. Ferber Julia’s Kitchen,  by Sydney Taylor, All-of-a-Kind Family, by E. L. Konigsburg, The View from Saturday and a new, young author Dania Ramos’s Who’s Ju? are my newest friends. Who’s Ju? (The 7th Grade Sleuths) (Volume 1) Each book deals with friends and quarrels among friends and each one creatively and uniquely solves the problems children face as they grow up trying to learn who they want to be. I almost forgot my newest friend who is an author of many middle grade fiction books. Read Frances O’Roark Dowell to find more authentic characters who will appeal to middle grade readers. New writers will gain insights into the craft of writing for upper elementary students by reading this diverse group of titles.

Better return to my own writing where I am attempting to create characters who you will want as friends. Thank you for any suggestions and comments to make this blog more meaningful for you as a reader for your own pleasure or for the books you select for others. Check out reviews on Amazon and find the links for purchasing yourself.  Follow me and my fellow bloggers.

Happy Reading in 2015!

Book Blog

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August 18, 2015 · 2:54 pm

This Blog is Changing!

Two months is a long time to let your blog be empty!  I am writing my own stories and a children’s novel and entering contests. Those writing tasks have kept me from my blog, but I feel guilty and pessured.  I know I can combine my love of reading and reviewing books with my love of writing, so my latest plan is to refresh my blog and add interesting stories and poems in many formats for you, my readers, to enjoy.

Keep reading next month and you will see the changes I can make to this blog.

Thank you to my loyal followers.  You know who you are!

HAPPY READING (and Writing) in 2015!

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June 19, 2015 · 8:04 pm

LISTENING TO GREAT LITERATURE

Many of us living in the Washington, DC area or other metropolitan areas have experienced the boredom of long commutes.  I like to keep up with literature for pleasure and work, so I found listening to books on cassettes or CD’s the best way to stay relaxed in the car.  Only twice while commuting did I get so lost in the book that I made a wrong turn!

The first book on audio I recommend to all friends is Terms of Endearment by Larry McMurtry.  If you have seen the movie with Shirley Maclaine and Jack Nicholson, you do not know the story or the “real” characters.  You will be glad you tried the novel or the book on CD for this realistic story of a Texas widow who faces many challenges in addition to the ones highlighted by the character of Debra Winger in the film.  Movies can be fun if the book is well represented, but in the case of Terms of Endearment, the book or the CD is much better.  You’ll see when you try listening to Roses Prichard in the 1984 version which is unavailable for sale:  find it at your local library or used bookseller!

Some audio “readers” choose their titles by narrator, by favorite authors, or by bestseller titles at the public library when the waiting list for the hardback book is very long.  There is no right way:  choose any and all of the above ways and you will soon be an aficionado enjoying this pleasurable way to escape while commuting or traveling this summer!  And yes, you can still consider yourself a reader.

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the heft of a book such as Chesapeake by James Michener?  As a Marylander and a Michener fan, I felt compelled to read this one, but where to find the time to read 1,026 pages?  I chose the “BOT” (Books on Tape) solution and I was not disappointed.  The director of this audio CD even recorded the sound of a blue heron squawking over the Bay and soon I was immersed in the history of Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay. The narrator is Larry McKeever and the cost is $95.00 from Recorded Books, so check out your local library for this selection.

Barbara Rosenblat and Davina Porter are two of my favorite narrators.  Ms Porter is a well-loved narrator at Recorded Books. http://recordedbooks.com and you can search for her titles on their site.  Did you miss Outlander by Diana Gabaldon on TV?  She and Barbara Rosenblat both read different books in this series as well as classics, romances, mysteries and children’s titles.

Barbara Rosenblat has won many awards for her “deft handling of characters and dialects” as she narrates.  Can you believe her website says she has over 400 titles so far?  She is known as an actress and a singer (“The Secret Garden” musical) in the US and UK!  Barbara reads Kathy Reichs, if you are a “Bones” fan, or enjoy Anne Frank Remembered by Mief Gies and Allison Leslie Gold, or Jeffrey Archer’s As the Crow Flies.  She also narrates Elizabeth Peters’ “Amelia Peabody series” and my favorite character by Peters:  Vicky Bliss in Borrower of the Night.

 Anne Frank Remembered (Unabridged) [Audio CD]

Borrower of the Night by Elizabeth Peters Unabridged CD Audiobook (Vickie Bliss Series, Book 1)

Speaking of mysteries, C. J. Critt will entertain you for hours as she narrates Margaret Maron, Janet Evanovich, Patricia Cornwall, and Linda Barnes’s suspenseful novels.  C. J. Critt is the best reader of Stephanie Plum books, in my opinion.  If you find an abridged version of the audio books, you will find a different reader.

Two for the Dough Unabridged Audiobook (The Stephanie Plum Series, Book 2)

Some readers are especially adept at reading children’s stories.  Alyssa Bresnahan is the reader of The Beautiful Stories of Life by Cynthia Rylant. Search for Ms. Bresnahan and check out the links to the various audio companies to see which of the narrators I have mentioned are still reading new and old classics, children’s books, mysteries and more.  Also note that many book review magazines, such as Bookpage,  include a page on audio titles.

There are many companies to choose for pleasurable listening trips; link to my sites when ordering.

Happy Listening in the Summer of 2015!

http://www.audiofilemagazine.com

http://www.booksontape.com/

http://recordedbooks.com

http://bookpage.com/columns/

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