Tag: reading

Book Club Questions

Posted on by MC

Does your book club plan to read Nairobi Ndoto? Here are some possible book club questions:

  • Between Tilly, Pauline, and Zara, who is your favorite character and why?
  • If you could meet one of them right now, what would you say to her?
  • If you adapted this book into a movie, who would you cast for each of the three main characters?
  • How much did you know about Nairobi or Kenya before reading this book?
  • Did this book change or challenge any preconceived notions you had about either?
  • How did the setting impact the narrative?
  • Have you ever traveled to the destinations described in this book?
  • Are there any places from the book you would like to visit?
  • From your point of view, what were the central themes of the book? 
  • Did you have a favorite quote or quotes? If so, share which and why?
  • If you could ask Mahua one question about the book, what would it be?
  • Pretend you’re a famous author writing a blurb for the cover. What would you say?

Last but not least: What food and wine would best pair with a Nairobi Ndoto book club meeting?

March Reading

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I read a lot in March. Much of this is a result of being on vacation during the last week of that month. Here are the books I finished:

  • You’re Invited, by Amanda Jayatissa
  • Daisy Darker, by Alice Feeney
  • Déjà Dead, by Susan Kieran-Lewis
  • Miss Graham’s Cold War Cookbook, by Celia Rees
  • Atomic Habits, by James Clear
  • The Things We Cherished, by Pam Jenoff
  • Frost, by C.N. Crawford
  • Ambrosia, by C. N. Crawford
  • Win Every Argument, by Mehdi Hasan
  • The Ghost Who Wanted Revenge, by Bobbi Holmes
  • Mermaid, by Jodi Picoult

February Reads

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Here are the books I finished in February:

  • Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun, by Elle Cosimano
  • Angela Carter’s Book of Fairy Tales, by Angela Carter
  • The Blue Bar, by Damyanti Biswas
  • Night Angels, by Weina Day Randel
  • Thank You For Listening, by Julia Whelan
  • Mango, Mamba, and Murder, by Raquel V. Reyes
  • The Cartographers, by Peng Shepard
  • Children of the Night: The Strange and Epic Story of Modern Romania, by Paul Kenyon

That was indeed a lot of books last month. Most of them were started before February. I expect to have a big list next month as well. I’ll be going on vacation which means lots of reading time!

My First Reading

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My reading at Shakespeare & Co. Booksellers went really well. I was blown away and awestruck by the turn out. As a new author, I had hoped for a handful of people – instead, we had the place fully packed! I am so grateful to everyone interested in Nairobi Ndoto who came out to hear me read. I hope everyone enjoyed the reading as much as I did.

Reminder: Reading This Friday

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I’ll be doing a reading of Nairobi Ndoto on Friday, March 3rd at 7:30 pm at Shakespeare & Company Booksellers. I’ll speak a little bit about the book and read from the first few chapters to give an introduction to the three main characters: Tilly, Pauline, and Zara. There will be wine and friendly faces.

If you’re in Vienna, I hope you’ll stop by.

A Reading at Shakespeare & Co.

Posted on by MC

I’ll be doing a reading of Nairobi Ndoto on Friday, March 3rd at 7:30 pm at Shakespeare & Company Booksellers. I’ll speak a little bit about the book and read from the first few chapters to give an introduction to the three main characters: Tilly, Pauline, and Zara. There will be wine and friendly faces.

If you’re in Vienna, I hope you’ll stop by.

Shakespeare & Co. is located at Sterngasse 2, in the First District in Vienna. You can take a look at the map below or scroll down a little further to see directions from the bookshop’s website.

The location can only be reached on foot, but from 5 directions:

barrier-free
from Hoher Markt (Busstop A1)
through Judengasse – next to the Vermählungsbrunnen
or from Schwedenplatz through Seitenstettengasse.

Up some stairs
you can take the Herzl-Stiege from Marc-Aurel Strasse,
the Jerusalem Stiege from Fleischmarkt/Rotenturmstraße
or the Ruprechsstiege from Morzinplatz.

Nearest Underground-Stations:
Schwedenplatz & Stephansplatz

New To Me

Posted on by MC

I discovered three authors last year. I should note that while I have only just discovered them, these authors have been around for a while. But, for me, this discovery is a shiny, new thing, and it makes me so happy. I love to read and now I have three authors to add to my list of favorites. 

First on the list is Oscar de Muriel. I’ve gotten into his Frey & McGray series, a gothic mystery series set in Victorian Edinburgh. The series is creepy, well paced, and a lot of fun. I’m excited to read all the Frey & McGray books.

Next is Alice Feeney. I read His & Hers and was hooked from the first page. The psychological thriller kept me guessing until the very end. I’m now (at the time of writing) reading Rock, Paper, Scissors and loving it. If you like dark and suspenseful stories, you’ll like Feeny’s work. 

Last but not least is David Hewson. I read The Garden of Angels and The Medici Murders. The Garden of Angels is a standalone novel set in Venice during World War II. It’s great for any fan of historical fiction. The Medici Murders is a new amateur sleuth series. The story is set in modern day Venice with a lot of history woven into the plot. I really enjoyed it and I’m excited for the next in the series.

This year, I plan to continue the Frey & McGray series, dive into Daisy Darker, and read more of Hewson’s work, in particular the Nic Costa series. I’m looking forward to reading more from these authors and to seeing who else I’ll “discover” in 2023.

October Reading

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Here are the books I finished in October:

  • The Perfect Marriage, by Jeneva Rose
  • One of Us Is Dead, by Jeneva Rose
  • A Deadly Covenant, by Michael Stanley
  • One Woman’s War, by Christine Wells
  • Hollywood Homicide, by Kellye Garrett
  • Red Widow, by Alma Katsu
  • A Counterfeit Suitor, by Darcie Wilde
  • Secret Lives, by Mark de Castrique

Jeneva Rose, Christine Wells, Kellye Garrett, Alma Katsu, and Mark de Castrique are new authors for me. I really enjoyed their work and I look forward to reading more from them.

September Reading

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These are the books I finished reading in September:

  • The Alchemist of Riddle and Ruin, by Gigi Pandian
  • Grave Reservations, by Cherie Priest
  • Murder at Wedgefield Manor, by Erica Ruth Neubauer
  • The Woman in the Library, by Sulari Gentill
  • Charming, by Elliott James
  • Killers of a Certain Age, by Deanna Raybourn
  • Danger on the Atlantic, by Erica Ruth Neubauer
  • The Wehrwolf, by Alma Katsu

The Wehrwolf is more of a novella and much shorter than the others. But don’t let the size of the work fool you. There is a complete, complex, and gripping story in there. This was my first introduction to Alma Katsu and I am now hooked.

Another new author for me is Sulari Gentill. The Woman in the Library makes me want to read everything by this author.