Weekly Reading Roundup

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The week

I’ve been taking part in the Bout of Books read-a-thon and I read a lot! Except on Saturday… I went out with my friend, shopping in Amsterdam – first to Marks & Spencer’s (an English department store with one  store in the Netherlands), where I bought some of my favorite English foodies (egg custards, scones and carrot & coriander soup). Then we had dinner (fish & chips) in an Irish Pub and thereafter we went to Waterstone’s (an English bookstore with one store in the Netherlands) – it opened especially for the people attending the book group that we were going to. For the first hour there were just a very few of us, browsing the shelves (I bought one book – I was good) and then more people arrived. The book group meeting was part of a big organisation of 30 authors each meeting 25 readers at different locations in Amsterdam. We had a great meeting with Joe Dunthorne, writer of Wild Abandon and the recently-made-into-a-movie Submarine. 

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Books I finished in the last week: 6

De laatkomer [The Late Arrival] by Dimitri Verhulst [Dutch]. To escape his domineering wife, a man pretends to have Alzheimer’s and moves into a care home. 4.5 stars

A Trick I Learned From Dead Men by Kitty Aldridge. A young man works as an assistant-undertaker and finds his life around him falling to pieces. 5 stars

Poollicht [Polar Light] by Jolanda Linschooten [Dutch]. Non-fiction travelogue about trips to artic areas. 4 stars

The Thief by Fuminori Nakamura. A pickpocket gets involved with a mafia-type individual, against his wishes. 5 stars

The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro. A beautiful historical fiction story about a woman who inherits a lot of money from a woman she doesn’t know. She investigates. 5 stars

IV by Arjen Lubach [Dutch]. A young woman investigates something her father was working on when he was killed. 5 stars

Books I’m reading & planning to read

Reviews

Wild Abandon by Joe Dunthorne. Contemporary fiction about a family living at a commune. 3.5 stars

Schroder by Amity Gaige. A divorced man wants to see more of his little daughter and takes her on an unscheduled holiday, after which he is wanted for kidnapping. 5 stars

Vrij spel [Free Game] by Carlijn Vis. Historical novel about a woman who fled the Netherlands in WWII and her adventures in order to get to England. 4 stars

 

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And further…

Some new books that I recently got.

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That’s it!

What are you reading this week?

Weekly Reading Roundup

 

The week

No troubles this week! We got a replacement car while our car is being repaired. It’s a very small car, though, but it will do for the moment.

My husband persuaded me to book a sunny holiday: in a few weeks’ time I’ll be going to the Canary Islands (Spain, but to the left of North-Africa) for a week of reading in the sun. I think it’s rather indulgent – and scary! I’ve never been on holiday on my own.

I’ll be taking part in the Bout of Books read-a-thon. Rather than reading the whole time, I set myself a goal: to read one book more than normal. That way, I will read more than normally, but not all the time.

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Books I finished in the last week: 6

I finished off a lot of books that I started the week(s) before.

Click on the blue links to go to the review

NOS4A2 door Joe Hill. Horror about a man who abducts children to take them to his imaginary Christmasland. 5 stars

Important Artifacts and Personal Property from the Collection of Lenore Doolan and Harold Morris, Including Books, Street Fashion, and Jewelry by Leanne Shapton. The story of a divorce told in the form of an auction catalog. 4 stars

The Guilty One by Lisa Ballantyne [Review in Dutch]. An eight year old boy is found dead in a playground. His eleven year old friend is accused of the murder. Mystery, 5 stars.

Wild Abandon by Joe Dunthorne. Contemporary fiction about a family living at a commune. 3.5 stars

The Woman Who Went to Bed for a Year by Sue Townsend. Fun read about a woman who goes to bed when her twins leave for university. 4.5 stars

Digitale verleiding [Digital Seduction] by Maurits Kaptein. Non-fiction about ways in which websites may seduce us into buying their stuff in future. 4.5 stars

Books I’m reading

I’m taking part in the Bout of Books read-a-thon, and I hope to read these 5 books this week:

Reviews

The Dinner by Herman Koch. A re-read because of the interest in other countries for this book. Loved it even more than last time. 5 stars

Amity & Sorrow by Peggy Riley. A mother and her two daughters escape from a cult and end up at the farm of a man who does not want them there. 5 stars

Stern by Thomas Heerma van Voss [Dutch]. A school teacher is made redundant and thinks back on his relationships with friends, family and his pupils. 4.5 stars

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And further…

I posted an updated list of Dystopian novels for adults. Thanks for all who suggested books! On the basis of this list, Uncorked Thoughts is doing a dystopian challenge. Check it out!

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That’s it!

What are you reading this week?

Weekly Reading Roundup

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The week

The second unfortunate week in a row. Last week, we didn’t go on holiday, this week, first my mother breaks her hip, then my husband has a car crash (he’s fine, our (only) car is not), as a result of which I had to 1) visit my mother, and 2) do this by train. On Sunday, I first went past her house (by train) to pick up some things and then on to the convalescence home (by train), which took forever. But hey, I’m still smiling!

This week, the kids go back to school after 10 days off. I don’t have anything planned in particular but I suspect that the car and/or my mother will keep me busy!

*****

Books I finished in the last week: 2

My Soul to Take by Yrsa Sigurdardottir. A brilliant mystery taking place in Iceland. 5 stars

Stern by Thomas Heerma van Voss [Dutch]. A school teacher is made redundant and thinks back on his relationships with friends, family and his pupils. 4.5 stars

Books I’m reading

I only finished 2 books last week, but I’m reading all 4 books mentioned here! One I read now and then, one is my “current” read, one is a non-fiction book of which I read a chapter a day, and the final book is thin enough to fit in my handbag.  

Reviews

Click on the blue links to see my review

The Wish List by Jane Costello. A woman who is about to turn 30 rediscovers a wishlist she made at 15. She tries to tick off the items on the list. Chick-lit. 4,5 stars

The Travel Auction by Mark Green. When a man and his girlfriend split up, he advertises for someone with her name to take her place in a trip to South America (as he already got the tickets). Chick-lit/Lad-lit. 4,5 stars.

Een stil vertrek [A Quiet Departure] by Annette Zeelenberg. A Dutch woman suddenly leaves her home in the Netherlands and moves to a job in the USA. But she can’t shake off her past. 4 stars

*****

And further…

Check out my April overview. Yes, I read a lot!

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That’s it!

What are you reading this week?

Weekly Reading Roundup

*****

The week

The past week didn’t go as well as I had hoped. We were due to fly to Iceland for a week’s holiday, but at the airport we didn’t get past the gate because my husband’s passport wasn’t valid for long enough (it was valid, but had to be valid for another 3 months after traveling – unfortunately, it will run out in June…). So, back home we went, quite a trip, because we were going to fly from London rather than Amsterdam. So we traveled back – after our luggage was taken off the plane – via the Channel Tunnel, France, and Belgium, to the Netherlands. Home after 27 hours of traveling and waiting.

Very sad, but the good news: I was able to participate in 24 hour readathon this weekend! See here how I did. It was good fun. I didn’t read as much as I normally do but had a good time with some good books.

This week: nothing planned, as we were supposed to be away, but there is the King’s ascension of the throne tomorrow and that is a day of festivities here. If it doesn’t rain as much as today, that should be a lovely day.

*****

Books I finished in the last week: 6

Click on the blue links to see my review

The Pearl Savage by Tamara Rose Blodgett. Post-apocalyptic novel about a princess living in a dome who is targeted by savages living outside. 3.5 stars

IJsland [Iceland] by Ronald Giphart. A comedian is making a trip to Iceland with his theatre group, leaving his wife and son at home. He thinks about them a lot. 4.5 stars

The Wish List by Jane Costello. A woman who is about to turn 30 rediscovers a wishlist she made at 15. She tries to tick off the items on the list. Chick-lit. 4,5 stars

Amity & Sorrow by Peggy Riley. A mother and her two daughters escape from a cult and end up at the farm of a man who does not want them there. 5 stars

Vrij spel [Free Game] by Carlijn Vis. Historical novel about a woman who fled the Netherlands in WWII and her adventures in order to get to England. 4 stars

The Travel Auction by Mark Green. When a man and his girlfriend split up, he advertises for someone with her name to take her place in a trip to South America (as he already got the tickets). Chick-lit/Lad-lit. 4,5 stars.

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Books I’m reading and planning to read

 

Reviews

Click on the blue links to see my review

The River of No Return by Bee Ridgway. Time travel story in which time plays an important role. Most of the story takes place in 1815. Great ideas, but the ending was a little sudden. 4 stars

De lijst van al mijn wensen [My Wishlist] by Grégoire Delacourt. A French middle-aged woman wins a lot of money in the lottery. But she doesn’t really know what she wants to do with it. 4.5 stars

Het diner [The Dinner] by Herman Koch. I’ll post an English review of this book on my blog in the next few weeks. 5 stars

*****

That’s it!

What are you reading this week?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

“It’s Monday! What are you reading?” is a weekly event hosted by Sheila at Bookjourney to share with others what we’ve read the past week and are planning to read next.

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The week

My husband had a small operation which meant he was home for most of the week (he’s fine! Back to work today). I spent my day in hospital not holding his hand, but mainly working on the manuscript that I was editing. Amazing what you can get done between 7.30am and 10.30am at a waiting room table! The manuscript is now finished and sent back and I should have a quieter week this week.

Although, since I got a tablet – it has a to-do list app, and that’s really the thing – I have had SO MUCH to do!! I keep adding items to the easy-to-use app, and I love crossing them off again. Somehow, I have much more to do than in the days before the tablet. Amazing!

*****

Books I finished in the last week: 2 and a DNF

Click on the blue links to see my review

The River of No Return by Bee Ridgway. Time travel story in which time plays an important role. Most of the story takes place in 1815. Great ideas, but the ending was a little sudden. 4 stars

Een goed excuus [A Thousand Pardons] by Jonathan Dee. A couple divorces and the woman, who hasn’t worked for years, unexpectedly finds herself successful at a job, while the husband gets into real trouble. 4 stars

Pieces of Light by Charles Fernyhough. Non-fiction about new research into how memory works. Interesting, but too many personal details for me. Did not finish.

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Books I’m reading and planning to read

 

Reviews

Click on the blue links to see my review

Starters by Lissa Price. YA Science fiction. After a virus attack, only young and very old people are left. The elders want to use the young bodies for themselves via a mechanism that let them live in the body. Of course, this has to be stopped. 4 stars.

Blogoversary!!!

===> It’s my blogoversary! Leeswammes’ Blog is 3 years old. Come and celebrate and win a book! Last day today.

Also check out my NEW BOOKS.

*****

That’s it!

What are you reading this week?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

“It’s Monday! What are you reading?” is a weekly event hosted by Sheila at Bookjourney to share with others what we’ve read the past week and are planning to read next.

*****

The week

Last week was a GOOD week! Not in the least because it was my birthday on Friday. Well, actually, Friday stood out as by far the best day of that week: I celebrated my 39th birthday (for the erm… so maniest time: add a few years), I went to the Open House day of a Dutch publisher and had such fun hearing authors talk, and chatting with other book lovers. Then in the evening I had my book group meeting (we discussed Schroder by Amity Gaige). What better way to celebrate a book lover’s birthday?

Other than that, the temperature finally went up and I had a nice cycle ride on Sunday, without a coat (and still hot). I’m working pretty hard on the corrections of a manuscript (a novel) which means the housework and every thing else is on the back burner until that is finished.

*****

Books I finished in the last week: 2

Nacht in Noorwegen [Norwegian by Night] by Derek B. Miller. An 82-year old American man has moved in with his granddaughter in Norway and becomes the witness of a crime. He escapes with a little boy. 4 stars

Schroder by Amity Gaige. A divorced man wants to see more of his little daughter and takes her on an unscheduled holiday, after which he is wanted for kidnapping. 5 stars

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Books I’m reading and planning to read

 

Reviews

Click on the blue links to see my review

The Lens and the Looker by Lory S. Kaufman. YA Science fiction, time travel. 4 stars.

Harlequin’s Costume by Leonid Yuzefovich. A Russian detective in the 1870s has to find the murderer of a Austrian diplomat. 4 stars.

Broer [Brother] by Maurits de Bruijn. Fictional account of real-life story. The brother of a young man has been missing for 10 years. The man travels to different countries to find him, but really himself. 4 stars

Blogoversary!!!

===> It’s my blogoversary! Leeswammes’ Blog is 3 years old. Come and celebrate and win a book!

*****

That’s it!

What are you reading this week?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

“It’s Monday! What are you reading?” is a weekly event hosted by Sheila at Bookjourney to share with others what we’ve read the past week and are planning to read next.

*****

The week

This weekend we welcomed a Danish exchange student in our house. His class and that of my son’s are visiting each other (my son visited Samuel and his school in the autumn). This week, there are no lessons, just a lot of fun activities for the two classes, getting to know each other’s culture better and to practice their English.

We took Samuel on a trip to Amsterdam yesterday. For the first time in a long time, the weather was great and we walked a lot through the city, visited a museum and had a pizza. Fun was had by all.

I also discovered the power of Twitter. My other son had a economy project to hand in today, in which he had to make up some (relevant) questions and interview a business person. He didn’t know who to ask, so (?) he had not done the project. I stepped in (when I finally found out about this) and asked on Twitter if anyone would be willing to answer some questions. After a few re-tweets, two kind people offered their help and answered his questions by email. Moral: always ask your mother if you have a problem, and/or ask Twitter!

*****

Books I finished in the last week: 3

I read three books for my Dutch blog this week. The first two are originally Dutch, the last one is translated from the French.

Dieptepunt [Low Point] by Maria Rijk. Thriller about a woman who is attacked by another woman and then tries to find out why. 4.5 stars

Broer [Brother] by Maurits de Bruijn. Fictional account. The brother of a young man has been missing for 10 years. The man travels to different countries to find him, but really himself. 4 stars

De lijst van al mijn wensen [My Wish List] by Grégoire Delacourt. A middle-aged woman wins the lottery but worries how this will change her life and the people around her. 4.5 stars

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Books I’m reading and planning to read

Pieces of Light by Charles Fernyhough

Norwegian by Night [Dutch: Nacht in Noorwegen] by Derek B. Miller

The Pearl Savage by Tamara Rose Blogett

Schroder by Amity Gaige

Reviews

Click on the blue links to see my review

Flamenco Baby by Cherry Radford (DNF). An English woman takes flamenco lessons in Spain and falls in love. DNF

Love Water Memory by Jennie Shortridge. A woman loses her memory and her fiancé picks her up from the hospital. Not a thriller but a good story on how they try to get their relationship started again. 4.5 stars

There Was an Old Woman by Hallie Ephron. Thriller about an old woman who is let to believe she has to go into a care home. 4,5 stars

De wezenlozen [The Vacant Ones] by Wytske Versteeg [Dutch]. Contemporary fiction about a family in which one of the twin girls hasn’t talked since she was six years old. 3.5 stars

*****

That’s it!

What are you reading this week?