I picked up the trade paperback of Jeal M. Auel's The Shelters of Stone at a neighbor's yard sale for fifty cents so definitely a bargain. I lent out my own copy a few years back and the borrower never returned it, so this was really a replacement buy. I also wanted to read it again before I order the final book to finish up the series (all I have left now to read is The Land of Painted Caves, book six.) This book really couldn't compete with my favorite, The Valley of Horses, but I thought the author did a good job moving the story along with it.
I paid full cover price ($28.95) for Bill Bryson's One Summer ~ America, 1927, a lively look at the historic folks and events of that particular season in our country. If you really like baseball and aviators and Presidents, you may find Bill will smash to bits most of your illusions about them. Still, he does so with his usual good-natured glee, and that in itself is admirable in its cheerful cheeky audacity and complete contempt for the history taught (past and present) to American kids. I also happen to think Bill Bryson is one of the finest writers of this century so doubtless I'm 100% biased.
Beautiful Sacrifice by Elizabeth Lowell was a remaindered hardcover I picked up for $5.98 at Barnes & Noble on my last trip into the city. This was a random buy; I was looking for something to read by an author I trust to deliver. The story was interesting, different, and well-written if somewhat outlandish and probably quite implausible. I've written a book with many elements like this one, only with Aztecs instead of Maya, so I felt right at home in the story and could personally appreciate the amount of research the author had to do to get it all right.
I'd recommend all three books as good reads for anyone who is interested in prehistorical fantasy, history, and/or romantic suspense.
What are the titles of the last three books you've read that you'd recommend to others? Let us know in comments.
Yesterday I just finished up your Kyndred series with Nightshine. Loved the whole series, so I'd definitely recommend it to anyone. Though I suspect most who are stopping by here probably already know how great your books are.
ReplyDeleteThe book I read prior is The Arrivals by Melissa Marr -- this was a really great, unique adult read by an author known for her young adult work. I loved the setting and the unique premise. Very highly recommend this for anyone interested in fantasy/paranormal novels.
And to complete my diverse trio of books, I read The One and Only Ivan which is a novel for middle grade readers and it will make you cry. Like, seriously and a lot. I haven't read such a heartwarming and emotional novel like this one in a really long time. Save it for a free afternoon because it is a quick read and you will probably want to read it all in one sitting.
Thanks for the kind words for my books, Diana -- and also for investing in them. Also appreciate the recs; I'm actually looking for some moving middle-grader books for a friend's young son so will definitely check out Ivan.
DeleteIf you truly like Jean M. Auel's series then you may want to reconsider reading the last book. I was so excited to have the story continue but was extremely disappointed with the direction of the book. It seemed like everyone forgot all the lessons and personal growth from the rest of the series. Reading the book was like a bad taste in the mouth I couldn't get rid of. It ruined the series a bit for me.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading all the comments here this week I'm already rethinking it, JLR. I have on rare occasions not finished series because I was afraid to read the final novel and I might have to do that with this one. On the upside, I reread The Valley of Horses over the weekend and it was still as delightful as the first time I read it. :)
DeleteI love Bill Bryson; I've given away so many copies of A Walk in the Woods (mostly to teenage boys who don't like to read but like the outdoors). I'll be looking for your opinion of the Land of Painted Caves -- I was very disappointed in it because I felt like a lot of it was cut and pasted from her earlier books -- and it got even more improbable. I too loved Valley of the Horses and reread it often (I like to reread familiar books at bedtime so I don't stay up reading all night).
ReplyDeleteI'm going to reread The Mammoth Hunters, Sassy, and then decide if I want to chance reading the last book. Really not sure now if I want to spoil the entire series with a bad wrap-up (although I'm dying to know if Ayla ever sees Durc again. No, don't tell me.)
DeleteI've been all over the board lately, reading whatever grabs my interest.
ReplyDeleteMy last three: Doctor Sleep by Stephen King, Skies of Fire by Zoe Archer, The Sum of All Kisses by Julia Quinn
I swore off King awhile back and have been keeping the promise not to read him any more (with great difficulty, I admit.) If I can resist Doctor Sleep I think I will finally be done with him.
DeleteI just took a shot at David Clement-Davies's YA but his voice doesn't work for me (very artful but too serious.) Next up on the TBR is Tamara Pierce and Maria Snyder YA (I got a bunch of YA from my neighbor's yardsale.)
The Valley of Horses was always my favourite too! I've actually held off on reading the final one since I have a personal connection to the series and I sort of don't want it to end. (Yes, my real name is actually Ayla, i'm named after the character)
ReplyDeleteThat is so neat to know -- I admire your namesake very much. :)
DeleteValley of the Horses was my favorite of the series too! I haven't read the final book, I read all the others about 5 years about, one after the other and enjoyed them. I need to re-read them and read the last book of the series :)
ReplyDeleteI'm very fond of The Mammoth Hunters; all the cooking passages in it always make me want to simmer up some stew. :)
DeleteThe first in my trio of recommendations is Jana Deleon's "Trouble in Mudbug". I picked this up for free off Amazon when browsing one day. I liked the cover picture so thought I'd give it a go. I loved it so much I purchased the rest of the books in the series and her Mis Fortune series as well. Loved them and can't wait for the next one.
ReplyDeleteNo 2 on the list is Hunted by Kevin Hearne, from the Iron Druid series. I picked these up from the library after reading all the recommendations on this page and I absolutely love them. I really recommend this series.
No 3 is a bit sneaky. I won one of Lynn's contests on the Disenchanted & Co web page and the prize was galley copies of Her Ladyship's Curse & His Lordship's Possession. As an added bonus, Lynn promised to send a galley of the next book The Clockwork Wolf when it was ready. I know, how lucky was I? Anyway, although you can't get this book until February I really recommend it. I made the mistake of starting to read one evening, then hated going to work because it cut into my reading time. I hate that! Brilliant book, loved the personal dynamics of the main characters, the story twists & turns and the ending. I've pre-ordered it on Amazon too. If you haven't read this series yet, what are you waiting for?
Thanks for the lovely rec, Fran. I think I will give Jana a try; I'm looking for something complete different and she might just be the answer.
DeleteI second JLR's comments, Painted Caves is awful, doesn't seem like the same characters. I just finished The Tiger in the Well by Phillip Pullman (of His Dark Materials fame). It is a 3rd in the Sally Lockhart series, great victorian mystery series that I really liked a lot. Just started Her Ladyship's Curse and liking it a lot. I would also recommend the Longarm series, just finished Kindness Goes Unpunished, very suspenseful and love the characters.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kind words, Anon. :)
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