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Welcome to my weekly update for July 4, 2021!
Happy Independence Day, my fellow Americans! As I write this on Friday, we haven’t made any plans for the long weekend yet. Someone pointed out that Alaska is not the best place for 4th of July fireworks since we don’t really see any darkness at this time of year. Oh well. I’m sure we’ll find some sort of celebration!
I’m posting pictures from Independence Day in Portland, Maine in 2019. We went out on a schooner with some friends to watch the fireworks from the water!
Posted:
Ten Anticipated Book Releases for the Remainder of 2021
Read:
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy
The Golden Tresses of the Dead (Flavia de Luce #10) by Alan Bradley, read by Jayne Entwistle
Namesake (Fable #2) by Adrienne Young
Two Old Women: An Alaska Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival by Velma Wallis, illustrated by Jim Grant
Firefly: The Unification War: Part One by Greg Pak, Dan McDaid, and Marcelo Costa, created by Joss Whedon
Currently Reading:
The Umbrella Academy: Dallas by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart, read by Del Roy
Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II by Liza Mundy
Up Next:
I need a book set in/written by an author from Australia or New Zealand for one of my reading challenges. I know a lot of you live in these two countries. What do you recommend?
What did your week look like?
Deb Nance at Readerbuzz hosts The Sunday Salon and Kimberly at Caffeinated Book Reviewer hosts Sunday Post. Kathryn at Book Date hosts It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
I have an affiliate relationship with Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe in beautiful Asheville, NC. I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you if you purchase merchandise through links on my site.
23 Comments
I enjoyed Two Old Women, which I read with my book group a couple of years ago. As far as books set in Australia/New Zealand (for a minute, I thought you guys were heading there next!!), I second the vote for Jane Harper’s books. The Dry is very good, as is Force of Nature.
Hope you had a good 4th. We were on our last day of our 5-week road trip and happy to be somewhere fairly quiet. Already thinking about our next trip, which is coming up in a little over 4 weeks. Yay!
I believe Jay Kristoff is.. Australian? For another option!
Fireworks over the water are always really nice to watch. (Plus, it lessens the chance of fires, which is always something we have to think about in California…)
Watching the fireworks from the water is like a dream for me!
And all of your books look fabulous!
Nalini Singh is my choice for New Zealand author. Her thrillers are set there too. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
Your books look tempting. I am curious about Two Old Women.
Here are my WEEKLY UPDATES
It’s not always easy to get books by Australian authors overseas, probably the easiest to source would be contemporary women’s fiction by Liane Moriarty, crime by Jane Harper or Michael Robotham , historical fiction by Kate Morton, or you could check out my lists of Australian reading on my blog listed by year of review, starting with 2021 https://bookdout.wordpress.com/australian-reading/australian-reading-2021/
Wishing you a great reading week
Shelleyrae @ Book’d Out
What challenge are you doing. Funnily that’s the challenge for next month for one I am doing – Emilie Richards. Anyway lots of good suggestions about. One Australian author I love is Fiona Lowe. I loved her A Home Like Ours, but all of hers that I have read I have enjoyed. While I am a New Zealander we don’t get a lot of books published by the kind of books you or I might read. I did enjoy one oby Danielle Hawkins mentioned above. Soraya M Lane does historic fiction. And of course I love all Nalini Singh’s books – she counts as a NZer, she has been here since she was ten. Oh Josephine Moon is another good Aussie writer.
I’ve never been to Maine nor have I been on a schooner. Both sound so lovely. I confess I’m a bit jealous! Happy 4th.
Oh are you in Alaska now?? I’ve been gone couple weeks and may be behind the times. 🙂 I hope you guys have a wonderful 4th! And fireworks on the water would be neat. Love the schooner pic.
I think I saw that Benedict Society was made into a show- on Netflix or somewhere?
I second Nalini Singh, Kylie Scott and Jane Harper! I plan to read Final Girl Support Group and the Wiley Cash book too. Happy 4th!
Anne – Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post
If you read romance I’d recommend Kylie Scott, even though her books aren’t set in Australia, she is from there. I’d think watching fireworks on the water would be very neat! Reflections in the water? Hope you have a great week!
Lisa Loves Literature
I didn’t even consider the fact that there isn’t much true dark in Alaska this time of year! I’m sure it will make for a memorable 4th of July regardless! You can take pictures of the sun still up instead of fireworks! Have a great week!
Your photos from Maine are stunning! We love it there, but haven’t been in a few years… hoping to visit again next summer. Two Old Women has been on my radar for years. I’ll be curious to hear what you thought of it.
Oh wow – those photos of the fireworks are absolutely fabulous! I hope you’re enjoying Alaska – I’ve read several books set there and loved the descriptions of the landscape. And The Mysterious Benedict Society looks intriguing… I hope the coming week is a good one, Jen:).
Happy Independence day! Hope you’ll have a great day. I’ve been to Alaska once and absolutely loved it. Code Girls look interesting, I’ve always been fascinated by code breakers. And I can fully support Jane Harper’s The Dry for your Australian reading.
Oh, and if you want a fun read set in New Zealand try Danielle Hawkins books. I really enjoyed both Chocolate Cake for Breakfast and When it all Went to Custard.
Oh my! I am not sure where to even start with books set in Australia. My last few 5 star reads by Aussie authors have been The Warsaw Orphan by Kelly Rimmer, The Dressmakers of Yarrandarra Prison by Meredith Jaffe and from last year The Lost Love Song. Jane Harper would be a good choice too. And if you have any interest in historical fiction set in Australia you could try The Postmistress by Alison Stuart. And….and….oh…so many! Message me if you want some more options! Or take a look at the Australian Women Writers Challenge website for some more ideas
https://australianwomenwriters.com/
I really enjoyed Two Old Women. I wonder what you thought of it. I’m very curious about The Scarlet Pimpernel and I’d love to read Firefly.
Look at those beautiful photos from Fourth of July in Maine. I hope you can find an acceptable substitute for fireworks in Alaska. I keep thinking how cool it is there, and I’m a bit envious.
I wish I had a good book to recommend for your Australia/New Zealand read. I do highly recommend Mem Fox for a children’s picture book, but I’m sure you are looking for something more substantial.
Jen, I hope you enjoy your long weekend and are able to celebrate, even if fireworks aren’t an option. Those photos of the fireworks in Maine are gorgeous! 😍 I’m afraid my read was no where near as good as yours! I had to DNF S5 Uncovered by James Durose-Rayner, as it was too graphic and gritty for me, but thankfully I am really enjoying its replacement read: The Comedy Club Mystery by Peter Bartram. Take care and happy reading in the coming week. 🙂
Nalini Singh is from New Zealand, and I adore all her books – her writing is so, so good.
Enjoy the rest of your long weekend, have a wonderful week ahead and happy reading.
Happy 4th of July! Your pictures are beautiful. I’ve being seeing The Final Girl Support Group all over the place the last few days so think I’m going to have to look into see what it’s all about.
For Australia, I recommend something by Jane Harper. I thought Dry was really good.