It’s time to recap what I’ve been reading the past few months. Hope you find one to add to your wish list! Longer sagas Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff – A highly regarded novel. One of the better books I’ve read this year. A hefty, complex read though. And dark. The character development was… Continue reading What I’ve been reading…
Borders is almost gone…it’s advertising discounts of 50-70% off. I live in McCandless, a suburb of Pittsburgh, and as much as I love visiting independent bookstores in other cities when I’m traveling, I must say that Pittsburgh doesn’t have a great selection of bookstores. Borders was only 2 miles from my house…there’s also Half Price Books nearby (which… Continue reading Goodbye Borders (hello great discounts). I guess it’s time to find other bookstores in Pittsburgh.
Title: A Dangerous Fortune Author: Ken Follett Published: Island Books/1994 Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery Length: 576 pages Rating: 6.5/10 Ken Follett’s one of my favorite authors and he didn’t disappoint with A Dangerous Fortune, which I bought for my Kindle and I’ve been saving for a while. I decided to read it while traveling to and around Ireland on planes, trains and… Continue reading A Dangerous Fortune…Ken Follett doesn’t disappoint
Title: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society Author: Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows Published: Dial Press/2009 Genre: Historical Fiction Length: 290 pages Rating: 1/10 Just to be clear–I did start to read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. My friend Allison W. read it for her book club, rated it, “between ok and good,”… Continue reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society…not so charming
Title: Matterhorn Author: Karl Marlantes Published: Grove Press/2010 Genre: War Fiction/History Length: 608 pages Rating: 10/10 This book is not for the faint of heart. While I’ve enjoyed other novels about WWII (like The Things They Carried or Battle Cry), the civil war, etc, which felt authentic and were sobering reads, Karl Marlantes’ depiction of Vietnam in Matterhorn is in… Continue reading Matterhorn…an astonishing account of Vietnam
Title: The Paris Wife: A Novel Author: Paula McLain Published: Ballantine Books/2011 Genre: Historical Fiction Length: 336 pages Rating: 9/10 Hi, I’m Julie J., a guest blogger of Books in the ‘Burgh (though forgive me for living in Florida and being tan year round). Usually when I read book excerpts in magazines, I have little… Continue reading The Paris Wife: A Novel…a riveting love story (by guest blogger Julie J.)
Title: The House at Riverton Author: Kate Morton Published: Washington Square Press/2009 Genre: Historial Fiction Length: 470 pages Rating: 5.5/10 I found an autographed copy of Kate Morton’s debut novel, The House at Riverton, at Books Inc. in Berkeley, CA. I had Morton’s newer release, The Forgotten Garden, on my wishlist already and couldn’t pass up an autographed copy of her first… Continue reading The House at Riverton…not half bad
Title: The Hangman’s Daughter Author: Oliver Potzsch Published: AmazonCrossing, 2010 Genre: Mystery Length: 448 pages Rating: 5/10 The Kindle version of The Hangman’s Daughter was randomly on sale one day and I thought it looked good–how could a book about a hangman and murder not be good? I read it while traveling for work in CA last week and it kept me… Continue reading The Hangman’s Daughter…a little long-winded but historically interesting
Title: The Little Stranger Author: Sarah Waters Published: Riverhead Trade, 2010 Genre: Mystery/Historical Fiction Length: 463 pages Rating: 7/10 The Little Stranger appeared on my Amazon.com recommended reading list over and over. It received some recognition too–New York Times “Notable Book of 2009” and it was shortlisted for “The Man Booker Prize.” And Stephen King had commented, “The best book… Continue reading The Little Stranger…wonderfully spooky!
Title: The Key to Rebecca Author: Ken Follett Published: NAL Trade, 2003 Genre: Thriller Length: 352 pages Rating: 5/10 Ken Follett is one of my favorite authors. I have his newest, Fall of Giants, waiting in the wings. I’ve been saving World Without End for two years because I liked Pillars of the Earth so much I can’t bring myself to… Continue reading The Key to Rebecca…suave spies = ok reading
Books in the 'Burgh 