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Fiction

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scarletwoman

(31,893 posts)
Sun Jan 25, 2015, 11:55 AM Jan 2015

What are you reading the week of Sunday, January 25, 2015? [View all]

Good morning, all! I hope you've all had a good week and enjoyed the books you had in hand.

I have to say, last week was a veritable feast of Minnesota books for me - great fun! I read the first two books of the Norwegian author, Vidar Sundstøl's "Minnesota Trilogy" - the third doesn't come out until this April. I've put a hold on it and will be anxiously waiting for it. The second book ended on a cliff-hanger, so I have to see how it all wraps up!

After those two books, I stayed on the North Shore of Lake Superior with The Long-Shining Waters by Minnesota author Danielle Sosin - her first novel. It was a lovely journey; the lives of three different women from three different eras - 1622, 1902, and 2000 - interwoven with Lake Superior as a virtual fourth character. It was one of those books that you hate to come to end of.

Last night I finished These Granite Islands by Minnesota author Sarah Stonich. This was set mainly in the Iron Range of Northern Minnesota north of Duluth. Awesome, truly awesome. I'd already read Vacationland by the same author a couple years ago and was blown away by it. I'm so glad I finally got around to reading this one - it's one of those books that's going to stay in my head for a long time.

I still have one book in my library pile left to read, but I'm not sure I'm in the mood for it - the autobiographical book by Velma Wallis set in the Yukon River region of interior Alaska. Since I spent the whole day reading yesterday, I may just do some long-neglected housework today instead of opening another book.

Coming up this week, I have six new books to pick up at the library; three by Scottish writers, and three by Minnesota writers, including one more by Sarah Stonich (although it's set mainly Ireland).

Here's the list:

Safe From the Sea by Peter Geye. He's a new-to-me Minnesota author whose books showed up as recommedations on GoodReads. This one concerns a survivor (a Norwegian immigrant) from a Lake Superior ore boat disaster and his estranged son who meet up at the father's cabin on the Iron Range when the father is dying.

The Lighthouse Road also by Peter Geye. Takes place over two time periods, the late 19th century and the 1920s, concerning the orphan son of a Norwegian immigrant who died in childbirth. Set in Duluth and points north.

The Ice Chorus by Sarah Stonich. As I said, this one takes place mainly in Ireland - no Norwegians, no North Shore, no Iron Range. I'm sure I'll like it anyway, since the author is such a stunningly beautiful writer.


Then I'm off to the Scottish Highlands and the Hebrides - and back to my favorite genre; murder mysteries!

The Low Road by A. D. Scott. This is the fifth book in her Joanne Ross series, set in the 1950s in the Highlands. I've been waiting for this one for a year! It's a delightful series with wonderful characters in a fabulous setting.

The Blackhouse by Peter May. This is the first book of "The Lewis Trilogy" set in the Hebrides Islands. Peter May is another author who showed up as a recommendation on GoodReads.

The Lewis Man by Peter May. #2 of the trilogy. I have #3 on order, but there'll be a wait, apparently.


So, have you finished what you were reading last week? Got any new books lined up? Let's hear about it!

Happy reading!
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