Sunday Post – 9/16/2018

September 16, 2018 Sunday Post 32

The Sunday Post is hosted by the wonderful Kimba, the Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news, recap the past week, take a look ahead, and showcase our new treasures—I mean books!

 My Week

Apparently, I wasn’t as “back” as I claimed to be, two Sundays ago. September is not going as originally planned… not for me, at any rate. Five days after I got back from Utah, my cousin contacted me to say that my aunt had died. It wasn’t a surprise; she had a fall early in the summer, and wasn’t recovering from her injuries. I was able to visit her before I flew home, and we knew then that she didn’t have long. But there’s still a sadness in knowing she is gone: the last of my aunts and uncles on my dad’s side. I flew out this Thursday for Friday’s memorial service, which was warm and moving, and spent a wonderful afternoon with some of my cousins, catching up, reminiscing, and remembering our aunts and uncles and parents (of my cousins) who are gone.

Unfortunately, that same night I came down with a stomach bug. (Fun, right?) I changed my flight home from today to tomorrow. Hopefully by then, I’ll be feeling better.

Given all that’s going on in the next few weeks, I will probably remain somewhat “unplugged” for another week or two. Our niece is getting married next weekend, halfway across the country — another trip, but this one for a much happier occasion. After that, I have only a week to finish getting ready for my fall chorus season: contacting singers, making sure the accompanists get the music, going over parts so I’m familiar enough to teach them, and so on. That’s fun, and I love doing it… but I hope things calm down a bit in October, at least on the travel front!

 

Last 2 Weeks on the Blog

 

Upcoming on the Blog

  • WIP Wednesday – tentative
  • Other posts TBD
  • News & Notes – 9/22/2018 – tentative
  • Sunday Post –9/23/2018 – tentative

 

What I’m Reading/Watching

Reading:   I finished and reviewed Deadly Dram (Melinda Mullet; ARC), and I reread Exile’s Song, The Shadow Matrix, and Traitor’s Sun by Marion Zimmer Bradley. I’m currently reading The Alton Gift, chronologically the next book in the Darkover series (this one by Deborah Ross, who now writes the series.) I’m also reading The Bookshop Book, a book of vignettes about real-world bookshops and interviews with authors about their experiences with bookstores. It’s a book only bookshop lovers would enjoy, but I’m finding it entertaining, and light enough not to tax my aching head. And I’m amassing a list of bookstores I want to visit.

In ongoing books, I still haven’t finished The Underwater Ballroom (anthology; ARC), and I’m still slowly working my way through Year of Wonder: Classical Music for Every Day (ARC.)

Listening to: The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley.

Watching: In the week and a half I was home, Mr. Bookwyrm and I watched two Alleyn Mysteries, two Cadfael mysteries, and The Mask of Zorro, which I had only seen a few scenes of on television before now.

 

New Additions to the Hoard

Cover links take you to Goodreads.

For Review or Review Consideration

Thank you to Crooked Lane and Avon!

Purchased for Kindle

I did pretty well not buying tons of Kindle books over the past two weeks. I’m already reading The Alton Gift, and I hope to start The Calculating Stars soon.

Have a good week, and happy reading!

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32 Responses to “Sunday Post – 9/16/2018”

  1. Angela

    I’m so sorry about your aunt! But I’m glad you were all able to be together and reminisce – that can be really comforting.

    P.S. I finally read a Susanna Kearsley book and loved it!

  2. Jan @ Notes from a Readerholic

    Lark, I’m so sorry about your aunt. It’s hard to lose someone even when we know that it might happen soon. I’m glad you were able to celebrate her life with your cousins.

    I hope you feel better soon and that all the travel you’re doing in the next few weeks goes well. Take care of yourself and read some good books!

  3. A Voracious Reader

    My condolences on the loss of your aunt. I lost my dad on July 4th and while he’d been sick for a long time with COPD, congestive heart failure, and many other things, we thought we’d have a bit more time with him. It was a shock that he went so suddenly. Even when you know it’s coming it’s a shock and sad. I hope the rest of Sept is easier on you and that Oct calms down. I’m looking forward to more calm myself. As Picard would say, “Make it so.”

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      It’s always hard, no matter how much you think you are prepared. I’m so sorry about your dad. I hope you and your family are getting lots of love and support from extended family and friends.

  5. Yvonne

    I’m so sorry for the loss of your aunt. My prayers and sympathy to you and your family.

    I hope you are feeling better. Take care of yourself.

  6. Greg

    Oh I’m so sorry to hear about your aunt! All my condolences.

    Hope you’re feeling better soon, and gosh you’e busy- I hope October is a little calmer for you.

    How are you finding Underwater Ballroom Society? I was going to get that one but haven’t yet. And Darkover… I read the first one years ago and collected a few others from used bookstores, but haven’t yet made a concerted effort to read the series. The concept intrigues me tho…
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    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      Thank you, Greg. October has been a little calmer—at least, I haven’t needed to go tearing ’round the country! (Knock wood)

      The Underwater Ballroom Society has some terrific stories in it, and one or two that didn’t appeal to me that much. I’m well over half-way through; I need to finish up the last few stories or two so I can write the review.

      The Darkover series is really, really problematic for me now. On the one hand, I read many of the books in high school and college, and loved some of them. I’m drawn to the world itself, and I’ve always been interested in stories which pitch a character into a culture and/or world with which they are totally unfamiliar, or otherwise deal with a juxtaposition of cultures (which describes a good number of the books.) On the other hand, the worldbuilding is somewhat inconsistent in some of the earliest books, and the coercive nature of some of the relationships, and Bradley’s tacit acceptance of that, is very troubling. Even more disturbing are the credible accusations against both the writer and her husband of child sex abuse; these include accusations against Bradley by her own daughter and, later, her son. (Her husband Walter Breen, whom she divorced, was convicted and served time for molesting boys; MZB apparently knew of at least one case.) My enjoyment of the novels, which was already edged with discomfort regarding certain scenes or books, has been forever tarnished. Since I found out about this, the only Darkover novels I’ve re-read are those written by (or largely by) other people, even though MZB is listed as the sole author on some of them. Adrienne Martine-Barnes is largely responsible for Exile’s Song, The Shadow Matrix, and Traitor’s Sun. Deborah J. Ross has been writing novels set in the world since before Bradley’s death. As far as I’m aware, neither woman knew about the abuse while Bradley was alive; Ross denies any knowledge. So I’m more comfortable reading or rereading their books. (OTOH, writer/editor Elisabeth Waters, Bradley’s longtime companion and the administrator of her estate, apparently knew and did nothing.)

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      Thank you, Sam! I’m feeling better today (Tuesday) and I was able to fly home yesterday, thank goodness I’ve got a lot to do to get ready for this weekend!

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      Thank you, AJ. I did manage to get a Top Ten Tuesday post in, and I forgot I have a tour next week, so I won’t be completely absent…

  9. Nicole

    I’m sorry to hear about your aunt, though at least you got a last visit with her. Small consolation, I know, but better than regretting a missed visit. 🙁 I hoe you have a fun visit for the upcoming wedding! And stay unplugged as long as you need to. We will be here when you are ready to return.
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    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      Thank you, Nicole. I’m glad I had that last visit with my aunt. I’m not sure she knew who I was, but I was able to say my goodbyes, and I’m grateful for that.

  10. Lark

    Sorry to hear about your aunt. And I hope you start feeling better soon. The rest of September has to be better, right? Fingers crossed!

  11. Suzanne @ The Bookish Libra

    I’m so sorry for the loss of your aunt. That is nice that you got to spend some time with your cousins though.

    It sounds like you have a busy time coming up with chorus. I hope that you’ll be able to find some time to enjoy your new books.

  13. Katherine @ I Wish I Lived in a Library

    I’m so sorry to hear about your aunt. I am glad you were able to see her and hopefully you were able to spend lots of time with loved ones at the service. For me that always helps focus on the happy memories. And yuck about the stomach bug. Those are the worst. Hope this week is much much better!

  14. RO

    So sorry to hear about the loss of your aunt Lark, and hope you and the family are okay. Great news to hear about the wedding, and know that it can be hectic. Glad you got in a little bit of reading, and good luck with the music! Hugs..RO

    • Lark_Bookwyrm

      Thank you, RO. It’s been hardest on her children (my cousins), of course. She was in pretty good health and spirits until early this summer, when a fall resulted in brain injury. Her physical health declined rapidly after that, and she wasn’t doing well mentally either. We grieve that she is no longer with us, but are also grateful that her suffering was over. The wedding last weekend was lovely, and a good reminder of the joys of life.