MONDAY MEMES: MAILBOX & WHAT ARE YOU READING? — AUGUST 29

On By Laurel-Rain SnowIn mailbox monday, what are you reading?
MY READING JOURNEY

Good morning, and welcome to another edition of Monday Memes.  Mailbox Monday is hosted through August by Staci, at Life in the Thumb.  What Are You Reading? is hosted by Sheila, at Book Journey.

MAILBOX MONDAY:

I received only one book in the mail:  a review book from the author.  During the month of September, I’ll be featuring this review on one of my blogs, and on 9/28, I’ll be interviewing the author at Dames of Dialogue.

1.  The Rasner Effect, by Mark Rosendorf

Rick Rasner escaped death in a New York City bridge explosion – but he couldn’t escape becoming an unwitting participant in a top secret military experiment. When the Duke Organization, a group of ruthless killers, set off a violent explosion, they wiped out Rick Rasner’s life as he knew it. Many years later, as he still struggled to remember any shred of his former existence, he put a new life together – as a therapist in the Brookhill Children’s Psychiatric Residence, a facility for troubled urban teens. Brookhill’s policies, set by head director Katherine Miller, seemed brutal and oppressive. She bullied the therapists too – Rick’s meek personality left him incapable of handling her attacks. He developed an unexplainable bond with fifteen-year-old patient Clara Blue – something about her conflicted, volatile personality struck a cord deep inside his psyche. Rick wanted to help her and the other patients, yet met with non-stop opposition from the staff. The Duke Organization resurfaced, searching for Rick Rasner. When they found him at the Brookhill facility a bloody hostage situation ensued. The lives of both Rick and Clara were about to change – but for the better or worse? Disgraced mercenary Jake Scarberry was forced out of the witness protection program and back into action – after the Duke Organization. An unpredictable chain of events result between Jake, Rick, and the Duke Organization – and Clara Blue. This complex psychological suspense/thriller will leave you questioning exactly who to root for in a battle of good versus evil.

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WHAT ARE YOU READING?

This past week has been one of those filled with variety:  a wonderful mix of writing, reading, and family moments.

In case you missed them, here are a few of my “non-meme” blog posts:

CHARACTERS:  HOW DO THEY GROW?

POINT OF VIEW

8-28 CHECK-IN – ROW 80

On Saturday, I enjoyed some family time with Fiona.  We went to the gym, we saw The Help (my second time!), and we had dinner with her parents to celebrate their birthdays.

My Reading Week-Click Titles for Reviews:

1.  On Chesil Beach, by Ian McEwan

2.  Commencement, by J. Courtney Sullivan

3.  Digging Out, by Anne Richardson (Roiphe)

Still Reading:

The Handmaid’s Tale (read-along), by Margaret Atwood

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What’s Up Next?

1.  Rock Bottom, by Erin Brockovich

2.   Next to Love (e-book), by Ellen Feldman

3.  A Moveable Feast, by Ernest Hemingway

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That’s it for this week…if I have time, there are a few that I’m eyeing…but let’s just wait and see!

What’s on your nightstand?  What came in your mailbox?  I hope you’ll stop by and share….

57 thoughts on “MONDAY MEMES: MAILBOX & WHAT ARE YOU READING? — AUGUST 29”

  1. Your mailbox book sounds exciting.
    A Moveable Feast is also wonderful. I read it years ago, but I recently read The Paris Wife, and now I want to read it all over again.

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    1. Oh, glad you like the new blog look, reading rendezvous….I like changing things up, but maybe I’ll leave this one alone for awhile.

      I think The Rasner Effect looks good, too. Thanks for stopping by.

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    1. Yes, as I’m reading A Moveable Feast, I’m thinking it doesn’t matter which you read first. The Paris Wife is from Hadley’s POV, while AMF is definitely from his. Thanks for stopping by, Leslie.

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    1. Yes, it makes me think of “a dark and stormy night.” Ooooh.

      I’m glad you’re doing okay, Diane. Hurricanes must be such a scary experience. So far, we only have earthquakes, but those can be horrendous, too.

      Thanks for stopping by.

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    1. Oh, I’m soaking it up, Jenny Q. I spend just a small amount of time on it each day, since it’s for a read-along. But so far, I’m re-experiencing it as I did the first time.

      Thanks for stopping by….and I think The Rasner Effect will be a page turner.

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  17. I’ll be interested to see your thought on A Moveable Feast. Our bookclub is reading that for December. Enjoy all your new books. Have a wonderful week, Laurel, and happy reading.

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    1. Yes, Sheila, and taking my granddaughter was a good choice, too. She is too young to have experienced any of these things first hand, but she was still connecting with it. Crying and laughing. Thanks for stopping by.

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  20. I had to read For Whom the Bell Tolls when I was in high school and I’ve had no desire to try Hemmingway since then. Maybe I should give some of those old nemesises (what is the plural of nemesis anyway) a new try.

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    1. Oh, I know how assigned reading can spoil books for us. I actually liked For Whom the Bell Tolls…it was Shakespeare that kind of turned me off, but mostly having to read all of those footnotes!

      Sometimes we do see things differently in adulthood. Thanks for stopping by, RAnn.

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  23. On Chesil Beach looks good and is defintely a book I want to read. I only live about 10 miles away from Chesil Beach so I really ought to make the effort to read it! Ian McEwan can be a bit grim and doesn’t appeal to everyone but I rather like his books (I’m currently reading Gerard Woodward who has a similar way about him).

    I’m glad you enjoyed the movie of The Help; so often the film versions can be disappointing when you’ve really loved the book but I’m hearing lots of good things about The Help.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Sophia. Yes, On Chesil Beach was kind of grim, but I was in the mood for it. The Help (movie version) was actually better than the book, which I don’t often say. Mainly, I think, because hearing the dialect was great; and the music throughout reminded me of the sixties, so I was rockin’. LOL

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    1. I’m very slowly rereading The Handmaid’s Tale, since it’s a read-along. I’ve never done a read-along online, so I’m not sure how it’s supposed to work.

      Can’t wait to read Next to Love. Thanks for stopping by, Teddyree.

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