Luckily there wasn't any trouble with the extraction. None of the possible dramas with an ambulance having to be called! I even went to the shops with my son to get meds and he got a library book for me. It was a hot day so we didn't do too much driving around.

Vee, do you have all your original adult teeth? I don't have that many left but as I have a top lip which hides that, I don't bother with a plate.

I am enjoying The Love Elixir Of Augusta Stern . A feel good read.

I stayed up too late to finish Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo. Too much sadism and violence so I can't recommend it at all. It's the first of a series but I won't be reading any more. Too bad as it's an interesting setting. It was a book club choice, the only reason I soldiered on.

Glad your dental procedure went well, Annpan.

I'm reading Beau Geste by P. C. Wren. I have a vague memory of watching the Gary Cooper movie when I was a kid, but don't have any recollection of the plot, so I am enjoying all the twists and turns and different narrators.

Annpan, yes have all my adult teeth . . . unlike my late father who said he had to take a roll-call of his each morning. One dentist, when I was in my early 20's noticed that my wisdom teeth hadn't 'come through' and offered to cut them out of my gums. I didn't like the idea and, rather like a teething baby, I rubbed the gums with my tongue and they appeared! Slightly painful but better than having them removed for no reason . . . except the dentists fee.

Phaedosia, I read all the Wren books as a teenager, such heroes! I recall the movie too.

I went through various stages of literary worship then. The Scarlet Pimpernel was another series I enjoyed and Dornford Yates spy books as well as his amusing Berry ones.

Vee I don't know how you managed it but well done! I was discarding overcrowded teeth from around five years when I sat in the infants class crying from the pain! Extractions were done with gas to knock you out then.

I have started the newest book by Sharon Shinn, Alibi. it’s a murder mystery with the elements of sci/fi in that people are able to teleport to their desired destinations via a network of teleport terminal facilities. I am only about 65 pages in to it so can’t tell if I will like it or not. I like several of her books, but not all.

Ginny mentioned that she had read Queen Alexandra by Georgina Battiscombe. Amazingly my library got me a copy from their central store and I have just finished it.

A very detailed biography of the Danish princess who became queen-consort to Edward VII on the death of Victoria. I knew that she had been much-loved by the public, was considered a great beauty, suffered from a serious limp and had grown increasing deaf in older age. She also put up with her husband's infidelities with good grace. I learned much (OK everything) about the Schleswig-Holstein affair and luckily had a long and detailed family-tree to help unravel the many many European Royal houses and intermarriages plus the habit these people had of calling their children after either Victoria or Albert. No wonder so many had nicknames.

Ginny, I couldn't see what might have caused your 'hackles to rise' in the few mentions of Ireland. But maybe even me mentioning this makes them rise . . .

Vee, So glad you enjoyed the book. Yes, European royalty is dizzyingly intermarried. Bad for the gene pool. I'm so glad William married 'outside the fold'. Kate is a real treasure.

I'm sorry but I don't keep a list of anti-Irish slurs so I can't repeat the one in that particular book. It would consume too much negative energy.

I am reading The Lying Game, an older Ruth Ware book. It's pretty tense, and halfway through I don't see where it's going. At least, I hope I don't.

My next book is The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas

Yoybon - According to my reading journal (which never lies) I read The Persian Pickle Club in 2002. And I liked it. I remember it pretty well, in spite of how long ago I read it. It made an impression on me.

I just finished reading All the Light We Cannot See. My book club read it some years ago when it was new, but I skipped reading it because I so dislike the current fad for writing novels in the present tense. I'm not sure why I went back to try it, but I did. I found it thoroughly engrossing. The book is dark and richly atmospheric. I felt as though I were trapped in the dangers and difficulties along with the main characters, and wondered if we would ever be able to escape.

I still don't like stories told in present tense, but this book managed to rise above it.

I am reading Death at the Sign of the Rook by Kate Atkinson with great bewilderment.

Is this cover on a different book? So far at page 130 there has been no death and little else other than back stories of several characters and the possible theft of three paintings.

I haven't dumped it yet but how can you write off a book as a DNF when it hasn't really started?

I have had two duds recently so I am hoping this story will have some plot soon.

Rosefolly - I'm glad you went outside your reading comfort zone to give All The Light We Cannot See a second chance. It's one of the few books I read in the past few years that I am willing to call "wonderful." The author, Anthony Doerr, is such an interesting writer. If you can find a youtube interview with him, it would probably be worthwhile. He has an engaging personality and outlook on life and literature.

I am reading the latest #1 Ladies Detective Agency book--The Great Hippopotamus Hotel and enjoying it as always. These books are a real comfort zone for me. Mma Ramotswe is so kind, so wise that I always feel an "all's right with the world" calm descend on me when reading.

Ginny, I like those stories too. I am sorry that only one TV series was made. It brought the background to life, not quite like actually being in Botswana but close!

Ann, I think the Rook book is basically an Agatha Christie spoof. One reviewer said " The pace does pick up, eventually, and fans who stick around will get what they came for." But I didn't think it is as good as Atkinson's other offerings.

I had a double post of a book I am currently reading so I deleted the second one. Besides reading Alibi, I am still working my way through A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers

Carolyn, I don't think I have read anything else by Atkinson and realised this was one of a series with back references. I only tried it because of a Christie reference and have yet to see anything that reminds me of her style. She never waffled on about characters! I am hanging in there though and hope it gets better soon!

I finished reading Blood and Beauty by Sarah Dunant, about the Borgias in Italy in about 1500. It seems I have previously read the sequel, In the Name of the Family, but I have no real memory of it! She writes very well and it is certainly an entertaining story.

I listening to The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See. This was quite fascinating - the story of a family living in Yunnan province in China in the late 20th century, living basically a subsistence life with an annual income from picking and selling tea. Their lives change dramatically when 'outsiders' find out about their ancient tea trees.

For fellow RPers who enjoy cosy mysteries, I can recommend a series called Her Majesty the Queen Investigates by S J Bennett. They are quite good mysteries and I really like the way the Queen is portrayed.

I had read gushing reviews of Windswept by Mollie Worsley so ordered a copy from the library and then had to wait months for it to arrive. It is about her life living on a small croft in Wester Ross on the remote North West coast of Scotland.

People had commented on her wonderful use of language describing the scenery, the weather and so on. Unfortunately for me I felt she had ingested a dictionary of adjectives plus a colour-chart of all the tones/hues of the rainbow. There were also many photos of sunsets, seascapes, mountains and peat-hags but not set off to their best advantage in a paper-back.

I wanted to know how she had managed to buy a croft as she appeared to have no Scottish/local connections and more about their day-to-day lives there in what can be a very difficult climate. To anyone who is by training a geographer with a wide knowledge of plant-life and with no fear of the dreaded midges (which can almost eat you live) this could be the book for you!

Vee, I enjoyed the Lillian Beckwith books about crofting until she turned on the people she wrote about. The early books were charming.

Why would you wonder how Worsley managed to buy a croft? Is this difficult?

I eventually finished Death at the Sign of the Rook. Slow going! I think a murder was finally on Page 200 or thereabouts! Very little to see of Agatha Christie IMHO other than an author's name, Nancy Styles, a nod to Christie. I was reminded more of Maeve Binchy's storytelling style!

Not what I was expecting from the recommendation I read, which persuaded me to request the book.

I am now starting Mr Campion's Coven, Mike Ripley's update of the Margery Allingham character.

Annpan, I had always thought the crofts on the coast, which had come into being after the Highland clearances were there to provide land and therefore a living for the displaced people of the area. Of course I may be quite wrong (I often am!) but I didn't know they could be sold to incomers etc.

I will check.

Annpan, a very complicated subject . . . and yes it IS possible to purchase a croft although many are tenanted. Even when buying one there are many rules/regulations attached.

See below:

Crofting Commission

Thanks for the info! I don't think I would like crofting, too hard a life. I also shy clear of places with regulations after I bought a Strata titled apartment. Never again!

Crofting is often shown in original images on the TV series, Grand Tours of the Scottish Islands, created by Paul Murton. It's only four season and I think is available on Amazon Prime. I have watched it repeatedly. The photography is spectacular. Crofting is only one aspect of the shows--nature, folkways, much more. Annpan, you're right. It is a very hard life and one I wouldn't want.

The Scottish islands and Highlands have much in common with Ireland, including the Famine and the land wars that led at long last to land reform in both Ireland and the Scottish islands and Highlands. in the 1870s and 1880s.

I too have watched the Paul Murton programmes. I enjoy the interesting people he meets along his walks. I hope you recognise his soft Highland accent, not nearly so harsh as that of the Lowlands . . and especially Glaswegian!

Vee, I'm so sorry I can't identify any of the many various accents in Ireland, Scotland, England or Wales. Total mystery to me!

I agree, Rosefolly. Just one thing if you don't mind...Ireland is not a British Isle. :)

Years ago we saw an episode of New Yankee Workshop where the host, Norm Abrams was visiting an outfit in Alabama that reclaims wood from rivers and lakes. Norm is from New England and has a pretty strong accent, and the Alabama guys had pretty strong southern accents. My Florida-born hubby and I were cracking up that they used subtitles for the Alabamans!

I’m reading The Mirror by Nora Roberts. It’s the second book in the Lost Brides trilogy. I’m enjoying the story line, but it feels like they rushed this book to print. The writing isn’t really very good, and it could use better editing. I hope she takes more time and effort with the third book.

Donna

I'm reading another Susan Wittig Albert book, The Tale of Briar Bank, set at Beatrix Potter's Hill Top Farm and featuring any number of English-speaking animal species. I suppose I'm enjoying these books so much because I so enjoyed seeing Hill Top Farm, and the author's take on village life and gossip-mongering is very funny.

I finished The Briar Club by Kate Quinn. I enjoyed it. I liked the role that the Briarwood House played in the story, and I like the way the book was structured, with each chapter providing background on one of the inhabitants of the house. But that said, it got a little long. I was ready for it to be finished before the end arrived. Still, very entertaining.

Rose, the difference between an Australian and a New Zealand accent is quite subtle. It's obvious to us, but there are only a couple of vowel sounds pronounced differently and the overall effect is pretty much the same.

Ginny, Ireland is considered part of the British Isles, but not part of the United Kingdom or Great Britain. It is a geographic, rather than political, definition.

Kathy, I'm also reading the Briar Club, it must have been recommended here. and enjoying it more than I expected! Still a few chapters to go although I felt the one detailing women's league baseball had far too many technical details in it, as though Ms Quinn was writing while holding the handbook.

I might point out to Ms Q that we never used centigrade for temps, always fahrenheit back in the '50's. The change is recent . . . and I still think in F!

I'd second what Kate say about Ireland being part of the British Isles. Politically they may be separate entities but we still share much . . . for eg the on-going storm raging about us has been named 'Bert' by the Irish met office. Our weather shipping forecasts include all the Irish coastline and still on the weather-front the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) covers the whole of Ireland. And . . .not-weather related . . . Irish people who are domiciled here are eligible to vote in UK elections.

Vee......I listened to The Briar Club while doing my daily walks. The narrator was excellent and used her talent with accents to differentiate each character.

The term British Isles is not preferred in Ireland and would be offensive to many. Language evolves. Some use the term Atlantic Isles but usually it's Great Britain and Ireland, whether speaking of geographical or political matters. If you read the history of Ireland, you will understand why.

Regarding the New Zealand accent. Not sure if a person is a Kiwi? Just ask them to say "Fish and Chips!" This is meant as a pleasantry and the reply should sound like "Fush und Chups!"

The Australian accent varies too. When I arrived in Victoria in 1960, I could even spot accents from different suburbs of Melbourne. Possibly national TV has changed that but there are still some variations.

I think I was the one who recommended The Briar Club. I really enjoyed it!

Thank you for the suggestion, msmeow (Donna, right?). I do agree with Vee though that the baseball talk in Bea's chapter became tiresome.

Ginny, I realize that Ireland is not part of Great Britain, but I have always thought it was considered part of the British Isles, that being a geographic term, not a political one. I had not considered that Ireland might be touchy about that.

Rouan, what do you think of the Becky Chambers book? She is getting a lot of attention in SF circles these days, but the one of her books I read did not excite me. (It was not the one you are reading.)

Rosefolly, it’s the second one in the wayfarer series, which I started reading out of order. I read the last one first and liked it enough to check out the orher ones. The first one was not bad, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet so I am now trying to read the second one. It’s okay, but I keep getting sidetracked by other books I am more in the mood to read, so my progress is slow. I’m only about 100 pages in so far.

Carolyn, can you recall the Rook book? I have been trying to find an explanation why the art thief spent so much time with her victims. A sleeping tablet in the bedtime drink would have put her in possession of the desired paintings after a couple of nights, surely?

I finished The Mirror by Nora Roberts last night. I mentioned before that it seemed they had rushed it to print, and I still feel that way. Also, it seemed overly long - over 700 pages on my ipad.

Now I’ve just started The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny.

Donna

Ann, because she is not just stealing the paintings. She is also acting as a caregiver to elderly, vulnerable individuals, often becoming quite involved in their lives before their deaths which allows her to steal the artwork while remaining unnoticed.

I read Kissing the Demons yesterday, only to find on Goodreads that I had read it last year.

Carolyn, yes but it seemed an odd way of theft to me and I don't buy that idea! Lady Milton was very hurt by the betrayal and missed "Sophie". I did not like the story at all and read reviews by Goodreaders who saw the plot holes and deplored how the character they had loved developed. I had not read earlier books so wasn't bothered by that but understood their disappointment.

I have started The Survivors by Jane Harper. She sure tells good stories!

Carolyn, I’ve enjoyed all her books!