New Books In, February 2016

Silent in the Grave (A Lady Julia Grey mystery) by Deanna Raybourn
The Perfect Match by Kristan Kiggins
The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
The Violets of March by Sarah Jio
And One Last Thing by Molly Harper
Between the Tides by Patti Callahan Henry
Wherever You Go, There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn
Unforgettable by Eric James Stone
All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders
The Last Librarian by Brandt Legg (ebook)
The Stranger by Albert Camus (ebook)
A Small Indiscretion by Jan Ellison (ebook)
Loosed Upon the World: the Saga Anthology of Climate Fiction edited by John Joseph Adams (ebook)
HebrewPunk by Lavie Tidhar (ebook)
Letter to Tiptree by Alexandra Pierce and Alisa Krasnostein (ebook)
Some of the Best of Tor.com, 2015 by Nino Cipri (ebook)
You by Caroline Kepnes (audiobook, read by Santino Fontana)

This month, being February I guess, I decided it was time to tackle my romance novel block. I asked for recommendations from friends, from Twitter, and from podcast listeners. I went armed with said list to several used book stores and the library. That explains the Raybourn (mystery-romance), Higgins (contemporary romance), Jio (historical romance), Harper (contemporary romance), Henry (southern romance), and a few more that I downloaded from the library.

My former podcast cohost snagged the Stone for me from LTUE, and it's signed by the author. I like spies, as everyone knows, and this one has... a quantum spy? Sign me up. Actually we discuss it on Episode 052 of the Reading Envy podcast, if you haven't listened to that one yet.

I purchased a few books full price, brand new for my own collection this month. I ordered the Chambers from Book Depository in the UK because it doesn't come out in print in the states until July, but that cover is ugly, and I just couldn't wait to read it. Buying it from a UK distributor was not expensive but took longer to get than my Amazon Prime deal. Totally worth it, loved the book, will discuss it more in the future. I pre-ordered the Anders, and although I haven't read it, it is the March selection for the Sword and Laser book club, so I'm ready to go! The Kabat-Zinn is required reading for the mindfulness class I start at the end of March. I read it last year but wanted my own copy, so I'm happy to have it.

Most of the eBooks listed (Legg, Ellison, Adams, Tidhar, Pierce/Krasnostein, and Cipri) were Kindle deals that I snapped up, usually $1.99, $.99, and free.  The Camus I downloaded because I wanted to re-read it quickly before starting The Meursault Investigation.  I needed a new audiobook that would grab my attention, remembered Misti saying You was her best read of 2015, and picked that. NO regrets, great listen.

Reading Envy 052: The Man with the Eyebrows

Jenny is joined at the Reading Envy pub by Scott and Philip, where we discuss a quantum spy, aging detectives, aliens in the ocean, British comedians, a classic love story, and for the first time - sports!

But who is the man with the perfect eyebrows, and how does he connect some of the books we will discuss?

Download or listen via this link: Reading Envy 052: The Man with the Eyebrows.

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Books discussed:



Unforgettable by Eric James Stone
A Slight Trick of the Mind by Mitch Cullin
Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor
So, Anyway... by John Cleese
Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger
Carol by Patricia Highsmith (Claire Morgan)

Other mentions:

That Leviathan, Whom Thou Hast Made by Eric James Stone
Rejiggering The Thingamajig And Other Stories by Eric James Stone
A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal by Ben Macintyre
Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene
Mr. Holmes (film)
The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King
Arthur & George by Julian Barnes
Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor
Monty Python's Flying Circus (tv show)
A Fish Called Wanda (film)
Fawlty Towers (tv show)
Leading: Learning from Life and My Years at Manchester United by Alex Ferguson
Broken Music: A Memoir by Sting
Interview of John Cleese by Eric Idle
Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow
Penguin Lives Series
Gerrard: My Autobiography by Steven Gerrard
Friday Night Lights (tv show)
Friday Night Lights (movie)


Mayumi and the Sea of Happiness by Jennifer Tseng
Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith
The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
Carol (film)
Strangers on a Train (film)
 
Stalk us online:
Jenny at Goodreads
Jenny on Twitter
Philip at Goodreads
Philip on Twitter
Scott on Twitter
Scott on his blog

Library Books Mid-February 2016

The Book of Secrets by M.G. Vasanji
Coolhaus Ice Cream Book: Custom-Built Sandwiches with Crazy-Good Combos of Cookies, Ice Creams, Gelatos, and Sorbets
Speak by Louisa Hall (read my review)
Sugar in the Blood: A Family's Story of Slavery and Empire by Andrea Stuart (read my review)
Voyage of the Sable Venus: and Other Poems by Robin Coste Lewis
Elephant Company: The Inspiring Story of an Unlikely Hero and the Animals Who Helped Him Save Lives in World War II by Vicki Constantine Croke
Hyena and the Moon: Stories to Tell from Kenya
Charlie All Night by Jennifer Cruisie (not pictured; eBook) (read my review)
In Between the Sheets by Ian McEwan (not pictured; eBook)


The Croke and Stuart are book club selections for my local book club (International Center of the Upstate), and the Vasanji is for one of my online book clubs (Great Africa Reads.)

Speak and Coolhaus were picked up at the public library when I had to go to update my account. Because I updated my account I was able to download the Cruisie as part of my romance reading project.

I heard about the McEwan on the Books on the Nightstand podcast and downloaded it from the library where I work. I had the Lewis on hold forever since it was on the longlist for the National Book Award for poetry, which it went on to read. Hyena is part of my ongoing Africa 2016 reading project.

Reading Envy 051: Dreaming Inside Books

Karen and Jenny get together to talk about books just as the fall semester winds to a close. Our vacation plans start with reading. Karen shares a unique book experience!

Download or listen via this link: Reading Envy 051: Dreaming Inside Books.

Subscribe to the podcast via this link: Feedburner
 
Or subscribe via iTunes by clicking: Subscribe

Or listen through TuneIn


Books discussed:


The Flight of Gemma Hardy by Margot Livesey
The Bone People by Keri Hulme
The River of No Return by Bee Ridgway
The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
Not My Father's Son: A Memoir by Alan Cumming
Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl: A Memoir by Carrie Brownstein


Other mentions:
2666 by Roberto Bolano
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brönte
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
In the Garden of Iden by Kage Baker
Black Books (tv series)
The Invasion of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
Stories We Tell (film)
Who Do You Think You Are? (British tv show)
Alan Cumming's episode of Who Do You Think You Are?

Related episodes:
Episode 004 - Home, Frightening and Banned with guest Karen Acosta
Episode 015 - The Time for Exclaiming Over Costumes with Jean and Karen

Stalk me online:
Jenny at Goodreads
Jenny on Twitter