Even though I’m up to my eyeballs in library books I’m back with another Library Loot post. As always I’ll be applying these recently borrowed books towards several reading challenges, including the European Reading Challenge, Historical Fiction Reading Challenge and Nonfiction Reader Challenge.  Once again I’ll need to read like crazy if I’m to put a dent in the tower of library books stacked by my reading chair. Too many books and not enough time. Story of my life!  Bohemian Gospel by Dana Chamblee Carpenter (2015) – I’ve been eyeing this one for months and finally decided to g ..read more

After going months without posting any Library Loot posts a couple of weeks ago I finally returned with a new one. Foolishly figuring I could use a few more library books I’m back with another post. As always I’ll be applying them towards several reading challenges, including the European Reading Challenge, Historical Fiction Reading Challenge and Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge.  Also as always I’ve borrowed way too many books, but I’ll try to read as many as I can before they’re overdue. Too many library books and not enough time. The story of my life!  The Moscow Sleep ..read more

Seeking yet another novel for the Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge I followed my public librarian’s advice and borrowed a copy of Martin Cruz Smith’s 2019 thriller The Siberian Dilemma. And why not I figured since I’d had good luck with his novels in the past. I’m happy to report I enjoyed this one as well. A fast-paced narrative with great dialog featuring everyone’s favorite Russian gumshoe Investigator Arkady Renko once again made for fun reading. While some Cruz Smith aficionados feel The Siberian Dilemma isn’t the author’s best work it left me wanting to read more novels ..read more

Several years ago at a yard sale I picked up a copy of Ariana Franklin’s 2006 historical thriller City of Shadows. After letting it sit ignored and unread in my personal library I recently decided to give it a shot since I wanted to read something set in Germany for the European Reading Challenge I could also apply it towards both the Cloak and Dagger and Historical Fiction reading challenges. Similar to Juan Gómez-Jurado’s 2011 The Traitor’s Emblem it’s set in Germany during the interwar years, one that begins with political turmoil and economic misery and ends with Hitler and the N ..read more

It’s been a few months since I’ve done a Library Loot post so I figured now’s a good a time as any. Half these books I’ve had eye on for quite some time and the other half are recent discoveries. As always I’ll be applying them towards several reading challenges, including the European Reading Challenge, Historical Fiction Reading Challenge and Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge. Six out of the nine are from my small town public library and the remaining three I borrowed through my library’s Overdrive portal. I’m sure I’ve borrowed way too many books at one time but I’ll try to read as ma ..read more

I’m sure it’s no surprise to any of you I don’t get around to reading all the books I borrow from the library. That’s why one of my reading goals for 2024 is to finally read a few of those books I’ve borrowed from the library yet never read. Needing something I could apply towards both the European Reading Challenge and Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge I once again borrowed a copy of Black’s 2011 Murder in Passy, a Paris-set whodunit I originally borrowed back in 2022 only to return without reading a single page. This time around I knuckled down and gave it my full attention, finishing ..read more

Back in 2017 I was in the need for something set in Vatican City for Rose City Reader‘s European Reading Challenge so I borrowed an ebook of Robert Harris’s 2016 Conclave, figuring if I enjoyed it only half as much as his 1992 best seller Fatherland I’d be a happy camper. I’m happy to say I enjoyed Conclave, so much so it made my year-end list of Favorite Fiction. Fast forward to 2024 and I’ve decided to revisit a few of my favorite authors of thrillers and historical fiction, starting with Robert Harris. Luckily for me my small town public library has lots of his  stuff so I picked up a ..read more

Back in 2014 I followed the advice of an annoymous librarian and took a chance on Chris Pavone’s 2012 debut novel The Expats. Set in the small European country of Luxemburg I thoroughly enjoyed Pavone’s best-selling thriller easily putting in on that year’s list of Favorite Fiction. Wanting to read more from this promising author later that year I dived into his follow-up novel The Accident. Sadly, I found it a bit disappointing and as a result I’ve steered clear of his writing. But needing something set in Portugal for Rose City Reader‘s European Reading Challenge I recently decided to g ..read more

Sorry this is a few days late but these are my favorite novels I read in 2023. I’m please to report all I borrowed all of these from my small town library or through Overdrive. My Favorites of 2023 Blacktop Wasteland by S. A. Cosby (2020) My Father’s House by Joseph O’Connor (2023) The Vienna Writers Circle by J.C. Maetis (2023) The Increment by David Ignatius (2009) The Traitor’s Emblem by Juan Gómez-Jurado (2011) Greeks Bearing Gifts by Philip Kerr (2018) The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak (2021) Under Occupation by Alan Furst (2019) The Girl From Venice by Martin Cruz S ..read more

Sorry this is a few days late but these are my favorite nonfiction books I read in 2023. Almost all of these came from my small town library or were Kindle editions I borrowed through Overdrive. My Favorites of 2023 The Good Assassin: How a Mossad Agent and a Band of Survivors Hunted Down the Butcher of Latvia by Stephan Talty (2020) Goodbye, Eastern Europe: An Intimate History of a Divided Land by Jacob Mikanowski (2023) A Man and His Ship: America’s Greatest Naval Architect and His Quest to Build the S.S. United States by Steven Ujifusa (2012) In Other Words by Jhumpa Lahiri (201 ..read more