Books carried over from 2021
Happy New Year to everyone, and may all your reading, blogging, dreams come true in 2022.
My first resolution this new year is to finish the books I started in 2021, only the ones that I liked. Here are a few:
Anne Gaëlle Huon : Le bonheur n'a pas de rides, published Septemer 13, 2017, City Editions. This is an amusing, pleasant read.
An 85-year-old woman from Paris, determined to live out her last days in an exclusive home for the elderly, pretends to become senile so that her son can place her in her dream retirement home with its luxurious surroundings.
The plan backfires when Paulette's daughter-in-law persuades the son to place her instead in a very modest, small hostel in the French countryside. Paulette schemes to find her way to the exclusive retirement home of her dreams, but in the meantime finds herself becoming more and more involved in the life of the hostel, its owner, and its inhabitants.
That's as far as I've gotten so far, but it's been enjoyable reading in my modest French, like teasing a story out of a puzzle. I confess my Kindle French-English dictionary helps me out a lot, especially when it comes to French idioms and more contemporary phrases.
Another book started in 2021:
I fully expected The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley to be another historical romance of an apartment found empty, unclaimed, and full of treasures or even a contemporary romance about women running off to the City of Light to find a new career, a new love, a new life.
My surprise...the book started out right away to be a thriller. Jess does run away to Paris to find a new life. But she is in for a surprise and some suspense when she finds her half brother Ben's Paris apartment empty and Ben missing.
The prologue to the book sets the stage: footsteps coming up the stairs stop at Ben's apartment door in Paris with an unwelcome surprise, just as Ben has emailed his sister Jess his apartment's address.
I've just started this one, so I'm eager to find out where it leads. And this book is set in France, but is in English! Thanks to Netgalley for an advance read on the mystery, to be published February 22.
This book from Netgalley looks like a contemporary romance but turns out to be a thriller. My Summer Darlings by May Cobb will be released May 17, 2022 by Berkley.
Three lifelong friends are about to come up against a sexy new guy in town, who may turn out to be very dangerous! Looking forward to reading this one in English!
What are you reading this week?
Memes: The Sunday Post hosted by The Caffeinated Bookreviewer. Also, It's Monday: What Are You Reading, Mailbox Monday, and Sunday Salon
I hope you continue to enjoy these reads! The Paris Apartment sounds especially good! Have a Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to finishing the first two and reading My Summer Darlings,which looks like a beach read but is actually a mystery with a teasing cover.
DeleteI like that resolution! Should be easy enough, right? Especially if they are ones you know you are liking. Have a happy new year!
ReplyDeleteYes, I like easy resolultions, ones I can fulfill in the first week of the year!
DeleteMy daughter-in-law really likes Lucy Foley and she mentioned The Paris Apartment to me. It sounds good, I hope you enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
I have read her other well known books, the Guest List, and the Hunting Party. She is well known!
DeleteHappy New Year! I do like all things French so I am tempted by a couple of these.
ReplyDeleteI hope you get to read some of Bussi's books. Several have been translated into English.
DeleteI loved The Guest List by Lucy Foley, so I guess I'll take a look at The Paris Apartment too.
ReplyDeleteClever idea to first finish all your carry overs before you start planning for the new year's reads. I just made a small note in a corner of my brand new diary of the books that are still carry overs. One year I will be strong enough to just press delete and start a brand new TBR pile every year.
Have a good week and enjoy your books!
Elza Reads
I had only two carryovers,so it was easier to finish them! The delete button sounds good for other books I have not yet read!
DeleteI admire your read of Le bonheur n'a pas de rides. I wish my French was strong enough to read a whole book. The plot sounds very compelling.
ReplyDeleteI've got Paris Apartment on my wish list when it is published in February.
I'm going to start a fiction book today. I shared my copy of Cloud Cuckoo Land with my brother last night because he loved the author's All the Light book so much. Now I have to wait for a library copy to come in for me!
Nice of you to share with your brother and wait for the library book! Le bonheur is more difficult for me to read because of all the modern idioms and phrases, some of which can't really be easily translated, at least not by the French-English dictionary on my ereader. But I'm getting the gist of it.
DeleteI minored in French in college and had some good teachers, so it stuck with me though I can't speak the language much, only read (some). Hope we like The Paris Apartment; it's next on my list after le bonheur.
I enjoy Lucy Foley's books and happy to hear this one is a good thriller. Can't wait to get it.
ReplyDeleteI hope it's good. I have jusst started it, but she has had some good books, so.....
DeleteHappy New Year! Glad you had a few books that you were able to carry over. I am reading a few this month that I meant to read last year. https://cindysbookcorner.blogspot.com/2022/01/stacking-shelves-4sunday-post-1.html
ReplyDeleteI have a ton TBR, but I had started two last month and will finish them this year soon. Happy reading year!
DeleteI just added THE PARIS APARTMENT to my TBR, so I'll be interested to hear what you think of it. Happy New Year! - Melinda @ A Web of Stories
ReplyDeleteI'm reading it right now, and it looks good so far. A thriller/suspense novel for sure.
DeleteNice to see you link at MM. Good resolution. A French title is good for you! I liked your cozy mysteries from December too.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year and Happy Reading!
I get most of my books through Net galley these days as fewer publishers are sending paper books. I find reading in French a stimulating challnge!
DeleteOoo, The Paris Apartment I would like to get into this year. Happy New Year :-)
ReplyDeleteI’m finding the book a bit slow but aim to finish it.
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