Category Archives: Vocabulary via Books

Second Vera Mystery Sorts Truth in Old Murder

Featured

Posted on by
4

The second Detective Vera Stanhope novel by Ann Cleeves involves the murder of a teenage girl and the conviction of a local in the East Yorkshire village that is questioned ten years later. New evidence in the case throws the village into chaos as Stanhope calmly sorts it out and sets the facts straight. Telling Tales is also the second episode of the Vera television series available on BritBox TV. Both the book and the television episode are well worth the time.  

In this blog I offer a different type of book review­—one that’s combined with vocabulary building. In Telling Tales, I found a couple of interesting Scottish/English terms in it that I’ll highlight here.

From Telling Tales:

At the same time the baby begins to grizzle and to claw blindly in the air with both hands. 

grizzle, verb (no object) British English informal: (of a child) cry fretfully: (grizzling as adjective) / complain; grumble — Origin: mid-18th century (in the sense ‘show the teeth, grin’) of unknown origin.

Also, as a noun or adjective: a mixture of dark and white hairs or having dark and white hairs mixed.

From Telling Tales:

The other table was empty, and the waitress was in the shop gassing to the woman behind the counter.

gassing, slang: engaging in long, casual or rambling conversation. Also known as “shooting the breeze.”

Other slang definitions included hyping up or praising something, or being extremely happy, thrilled or looking forward to something.

—

 Definitions are typically from the dictionary that comes with my Mac or The New Oxford American Dictionary.

—

To connect or learn more about Ann Cleeves, find him at anncleeves.com

—

“The word is only a representation of the meaning; even at its best, writing almost always falls short of full meaning. Given that, why in God’s name would you want to make things worse by choosing a word which is only cousin to the one you really wanted to use?” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Vera Stanhope Stories Shine In Print and On Screen

Featured

Posted on by
2

I love the intricate plots of the Vera Stanhope novels by Ann Cleeves. As for vocabulary building through reading, I especially find it fascinating the different spellings of words by British or Scottish writers versus American writers. I like the added u in words like colour, neighbour, or favour. I’ve read the Vera books and loved each of them, but I have to confess to catching Vera first on BritBox TV. The series is well done, highlights the scenic beauty of Northumberland in North East England on the border of Scotland, and it’s cast with a perfect choice of Brenda Bletha to play this cantankerous detective.

In this blog I offer a different type of book review­—one that’s combined with vocabulary building. The first Cleeves novel featuring Vera is The Crow Trap. I found a couple of interesting Scottish/English terms in it that I’ll highlight here.

From The Crow Trap:

“No, Jan’s taken the bairn to visit his grandma. They’ll not be back until after the weekend.”

bairn, noun, Scottish English Northern England: a child — Origin, old English bearn, of Germanic origin; related to the verb bear.

From The Crow Trap:

It would be easy for walking but not, she suspected, very interesting for birds. The other was a piece of heather moorland, managed for grouse.

moor, noun: an uncultivated upland, a heath / a tract of land preserved for shooting— Origin, old English mor of Germanic origin

moorland, noun, also moorlands, mainly British English: an extensive area of moor

—

 Definitions are typically from the dictionary that comes with my Mac or The New Oxford American Dictionary.

—

To connect or learn more about Ann Cleeves, find him at anncleeves.com

—

“The word is only a representation of the meaning; even at its best, writing almost always falls short of full meaning. Given that, why in God’s name would you want to make things worse by choosing a word which is only cousin to the one you really wanted to use?” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Thrilling Read Spiced with Goldberg’s Sarcasm

Featured

Posted on by
Reply

Only Way Out is a fast-paced thriller, full of Tod Goldberg’s sarcastic wit, resulting in one fun read. For me, I loved that in a single sentence in the first chapter, I discovered two interesting and unfamiliar words.

In this blog I offer a different type of book review­—one that’s combined with vocabulary building. In Only Way Out I found a few interesting words.

From Only Way Out:

Only a few knew he possessed such a . . . fungible . . . moral center, and none knew the extent of his mendacity. Most of his true friends couldn’t even define mendacity. 

Fungible, adjective Law: (of a product or commodity) replaceable by another identical item; mutually interchangeable.

mendacity, noun: untruthfulness; lying

—

 Definitions are typically from the dictionary that comes with my Mac or The New Oxford American Dictionary.

—

To connect or learn more about Tod Goldberg, find him at todgoldberg.com

—

“The word is only a representation of the meaning; even at its best, writing almost always falls short of full meaning. Given that, why in God’s name would you want to make things worse by choosing a word which is only cousin to the one you really wanted to use?” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Enemies-to-Lovers Full of Hate or Love?

Featured

Posted on by
2

Sally Thorne’s debut romance is an enemies-to-lovers story full of spicy page-turning tension. I enjoyed the antics in The Hating Game that kept me wondering how this competitive couple would ever end up together. I haven’t seen the rom-com movie that is now streaming yet.

In this blog I offer a different type of book review­—one that’s combined with vocabulary building. In The Hating Game I found a few interesting words. Most of them were legitimate, but I love when an author makes up a word readers will get. A quote from the protagonist:

“Take that, Julie, and your me-graines.”

me-graines: a fun term Thorne made up to refer to an excuses-filled character who tries to take advantage of The Hating Game’s sweet protagonist.

From The Hating Game:

“I thought you’d be a bit more flexible on this.” Her tone is slipping further into an impressive combination of petulance and ice. “I am unwell.”

petulance: noun, the quality of being childishly sulky or bad-tempered

From The Hating Game:

“I’ve got some idea. It’s called brinkmanship, darling.” She gestures at the wall with her thumb.

brinkmanship: noun, the art of pursuing a dangerous policy to the limits of safety before stopping, especially in politics

From The Hating Game:

After an eternity, he tangles his hand in the strap on my shoulder. He runs it lasciviously through his fingers pulling it taut, releasing it with the faintest snap, and then does it again.

lasciviously: adjective, (of a person, manner, or gesture) feeling or revealing an overt and often offensive sexual desire

—

 Definitions are typically from the dictionary that comes with my Mac or The New Oxford American Dictionary.

—

To connect or learn more about Sally Thorne, find her at sallythorneauthor.com

—

“The word is only a representation of the meaning; even at its best, writing almost always falls short of full meaning. Given that, why in God’s name would you want to make things worse by choosing a word which is only cousin to the one you really wanted to use?” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Reality of Fascism Portrayed in The Nightingale

Featured

Posted on by
2

Kristin Hannah reigns in historical fiction by weaving detailed character-driven stories with historical truth. I haven’t picked up a novel of hers I didn’t devour, and The Nightingale is no exception. The novel is perfect consumption for anyone wanting a good story or a lesson in the dangers of fascism.

In this blog I offer a different type of book review­—one that’s combined with vocabulary building. I loved The Nightingale and will highlight just two relevant words from the first line of this must-read.

First line of The Nightingale:

If I have learned anything in this long life of mine, it is this: In love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are.

love: noun — 1. an intense feeling of deep affection / a feeling of deep romantic or sexual attachment to someone / affectionate greetings conveyed to someone on one’s behalf / a formula for ending an affectionate letter / (Love) a personified figure of love, often represented as Cupid. 2. A great interest and pleasure in something 3. A person or thing that one loves / (a love) informal used to express affectionate approval for someone 4. (in tennis, squash, and some other sports) a score of zero; nil

verb — 1. feel deep affection for (someone) / feel a deep romantic or sexual attraction to (someone) 2. Like or enjoy very much

war: noun — a state of armed conflict between different nations or states or different groups within a nation or state / a particular armed conflict / a state of competition, conflict, or hostility between different people or groups / a sustained effort to deal with or end a particular unpleasant or undesirable situation or condition

verb — (wars, warring, warred) engage in a war

Just for note, the final paragraph of The Nightingale:

I look at them, my two boys, who should have broken me, but somehow saved me, each in his own way. Because of them I know now what matters, and it is not what I have lost. It is my memories. Wounds heal, love lasts, we remain.

—

To connect or learn more about Kristin Hannah, find her at KristinHannah.com.

—

What interesting words or terms have you found in your recent reading?

—

Definitions are typically from the dictionary that comes with my Mac or The New Oxford American Dictionary.

—

“The word is only a representation of the meaning; even at its best, writing almost always falls short of full meaning. Given that, why in God’s name would you want to make things worse by choosing a word which is only cousin to the one you really wanted to use?” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Another Fun Rom-Com From Ashley Poston

Featured

Posted on by
Reply

I loved the emotion in The Seven Year Slip. Ashley Poston knows how to grab your heart and keep you reading. This rom-com was fun, yet it involved a story of loss. The main character has lost her beloved aunt but truly finds her person, her best friend, her true love in the process I’m not always a fan of time travel stories, but this one had me turning the pages. I previously wrote about The Dead Romantics. I can’t decide which one I like better, but will be looking for more from Poston.

In this blog I offer a different type of book review­—one that’s combined with vocabulary building. In The Seven Year Slip I found a few interesting words, as follows:

From The Seven Year Slip:

Every touch, every brush of his fingertips across my skin, had a weight to it. A reverence.

reverence: noun, deep respect for someone or something / archaic – a gesture indicative of respect; a bow or curtsy / (His/Your Reverence) a title given to a member of the clergy, or used in addressing them

verb, regard or treat with deep respect

—

From The Seven Year Slip:

“You’re a sight for sore eyes. And you’re right on time for dinner,” he said into my hair. “I hope you like japchae.”

japchae: noun, (in Korean cuisine) a dish consisting of noodles made from sweet potato starch, stir-fried with vegetables and other ingredients, and typically seasoned with soy sauce and sesame oil.

—

From The Seven Year Slip:

On the ride over, I imagined what his restaurant would look like—maybe it looked like the one he talked about over cold noodles. Long family-style tables and crimson-red walls, comfy and warm, the leather chairs broken in. Local artists would be on the walls, the chandeliers this amalgamation of scones and candelabras.

amalgamation: noun, the action, process, or result of combining or uniting

—

From The Seven Year Slip:

Sometimes the people you loved left you halfway through a story.

Sometimes they left you without a goodbye.

And, sometimes they stayed around in little ways. In the memory of a musical. In the smell of their perfume. In the sound of the rain, and the itch for adventure, and the yearning for that liminal space between one airport terminal and the next.

liminal: adjective, 1. Occupying a position at, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold 2. Relating to a transitional or initial stage of a process

—

From The Seven Year Slip:

Then he left for the next table, and my friends began to talk about the dishes on the menu—almost all of them were iterations of recipes in his proposal but heightened to fit this elevated space.

iteration: noun, the repetition of a process or utterance / repetition of mathematical or computational procedure applied to the result of a previous application, typically as a means of obtaining successively closer approximations to the solution of a problem / a new version of a piece of computer hardware or software

—

From The Seven Year Slip:

Even though my parents were paragons of a successful romance—they fit each other’s quirks and hang-ups like puzzle pieces—my aunt had lived alone almost her entire life, and it wasn’t all that bad.

paragon: noun, a person or thing regarded as a perfect example of a particular quality / a person or thing viewed as a model of excellence / a perfect diamond of 100 carats or more

—

From The Seven Year Slip:

He shook his head. “I’m not talking about that. A restaurant doesn’t have to be fancy, with artfully plated smears of coulis and beurre blanc—”

coulis: noun, a thin fruit or vegetable puree, used as a sauce

Beurre blanc: noun, a creamy sauce made with butter, onions or shallots, and vinegar or lemon juice, usually served with seafood dishes

—

What interesting words or terms have you found in your recent reading?

—

To connect or learn more about Ashley Poston and her books, find her at https://www.ashposton.com/.

—

 Definitions are typically from the dictionary that comes with my Mac or The New Oxford American Dictionary.

—

“The word is only a representation of the meaning; even at its best, writing almost always falls short of full meaning. Given that, why in God’s name would you want to make things worse by choosing a word which is only cousin to the one you really wanted to use?” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Love Springs from Impossible Connections in The Dead Romantics

Featured

Posted on by
2

What a fun read in The Dead Romantics! Ashley Poston truly pulled me with this romantic comedy about a struggling writer, down on her luck when it comes to love, and then forced to deal with the death of her father. I could relate to this character. She grew up in her family’s funeral home, and I grew up in my family’s cemetery. 

In this blog I offer a different type of book review­—one that’s combined with vocabulary building. In The Dead Romantics I found a few interesting words.

From The Dead Romantics:

“Are you saying yes?” He arched a very pointed eyebrow. It was the kind of arch a feature writer would call belleristic when they sat down to pen his profile in GQ.

belletristic: adjective, written and regarded for aesthetic value rather than content / of, pertaining to, or having the characteristics of belles-lettres (a category of writing, originally meaning beautiful or fine writing.)

belletrist: noun, a person who writes essays, particularly on literary and artistic criticism, that are composed and read primarily for their aesthetic effect / Derivative: belletristic, an adjective

—

From The Dead Romantics:

She didn’t share her stories—whether they were real or not—she didn’t wear tiny black dresses, and she didn’t drink artisanal drinks named after dead poets.

artisanal: adjective, relating to or characteristic of an artisan / (of a product, especially food or drink) made in a traditional or non-mechanized way

—

From The Dead Romantics:

“Colloquialism? Yeah. I was there at the bar getting drinks with him because apparently he wanted to vent about the font they’re using in his book.”

colloquialism: noun, a word or phrase that is not formal or literary, typically one used in ordinary or familiar conversation / the use of ordinary or familiar words or phrases

—

From The Dead Romantics:

“Connoisseur or lifeblood?”

connoisseur: noun, an expert judge in matters of taste / Derivative—noun, connoisseurship

—

From The Dead Romantics:

“I liked the notes in some very limited roasts that I procured from—”

procure: verb, 1. obtain (something), especially with care or effort / obtain (someone) as a prostitute for another person 2. persuade or cause (someone) to do something

—

From The Dead Romantics:

Mom was stalwart, sipping on a glass of champagne, so gracious to everyone who came to say their goodbyes.

stalwart: adjective, loyal reliable, and hardworking / strongly built and sturdy

ALSO – stalwart: noun, a loyal, reliable, and hardworking supporter or participant in an organization or team

—

From The Dead Romantics:

I rolled my eyes. “No one will sell the next Harry Potter. It hit a zeitgeist that’ll never be re-created, and because there is so much to choose from now, it’s near impossible to predict the next publishing trend—”

zeitgeist: noun, the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time 

Origin: mid-19th century from German Zeitgeist, from Zeit ‘time’ and Geist ‘spirit’

—

What interesting words or terms have you found in your recent reading?

—

To connect or learn more about Ashley Poston and her books, find her at https://www.ashposton.com/.

—

 Definitions are typically from the dictionary that comes with my Mac or The New Oxford American Dictionary.

—

“The word is only a representation of the meaning; even at its best, writing almost always falls short of full meaning. Given that, why in God’s name would you want to make things worse by choosing a word which is only cousin to the one you really wanted to use?” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Dust Bowl Comes to Hard Life in Kristin Hannah Novel

Featured

Posted on by
2

I loved this story. Not just because I enjoy the beautiful writing and detailed historical telling in everything Kristin Hannah, but for the tale itself. The Four Winds is the story of struggle and determination in a world that seems destined for destruction. It shows us a woman whose drive to survive and protect her children gives her just enough bravery to sacrifice everything, leave her home for an unknown future, and push on no matter what stands in her way.

In this blog I offer a different type of book review­—one that’s combined with vocabulary building. I loved The Four Winds and, although caught up in this story of hardship, I found a few interesting words I’ll share here.

From The Four Winds:

Lorada felt horror rise up and turn into a tremulous terrifying anger directed at her mother.

tremulous: adjective—shaking or quivering slightly / timid; nervous

—

From The Four Winds:

Mama sat down on the edge of the bed. Her hair, dyed black, was drawn back into a chignon that heightened the severity of her features.

chignon: noun—a knot or coil of hair arranged on the back of a woman’s head.

—

From The Four Winds:

At church, she wore a cloche over her scandalously short hair and made the excuse she didn’t feel well and was left alone.

cloche: noun—(cloche hat) a woman’s close-fitting, bell-shaped hat / a small translucent cover for protecting or forcing outdoor plants.

—

Definitions are typically from the dictionary that comes with my Mac or The New Oxford American Dictionary.

—

What interesting words or terms have you found in your recent reading?

—

To connect or learn more about Kristin Hannah, find her at KristinHannah.com.

“The word is only a representation of the meaning; even at its best, writing almost always falls short of full meaning. Given that, why in God’s name would you want to make things worse by choosing a word which is only cousin to the one you really wanted to use?” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Meyerson’s Novel is A Twist of the Mind

Featured

Posted on by
Reply

Amy Myerson’s The Water Lies is a psychological thriller that twists, turns and shoves back again. An absolutely intriguing story and enjoyable read.

In this blog I offer a different type of book review­—one that’s combined with vocabulary building. In The Water Lies I found a few interesting words.

From The Water Lies:

He’s trained himself to remain collected no matter how vitriolic they get.

vitriolic: adjective, filled with bitter criticism or malice

—

From The Water Lies:

We stand at the edge of the grass as Jasper explores the dragon head, tiptoeing into its maw before jumping back, delighted that it didn’t animate and devour him.

maw: noun, the jaws or throat of a voracious animal / (informal) the mouth or gullet of a greedy person

—

From The Water Lies:

I’m still assuming my husband will tell me the truth after he’s broken our most fundamental tenet.

tenet: noun, a principle or belief, especially one of the main principles of a religion or philosophy

—

From The Water Lies:

It was brilliant, really. We could advertise for phenotypic and genetic matches for clients.

phenotypic: adjective, Biology, relating to the observable characteristics of an individual resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment

—

From The Water Lies:

I lie supine, thinking back to that dinner when I told Gabe about Maya, the aroma of burnt coconut, what I thought I’d uncovered about Dan.

supine: adjective, 1. lying on one’s back with face upward / (technical) having the front or vetral part upward / (of the hand) with the palm upward 2. Failing to act or protest as a result of moral weakness or indolence

—

From The Water Lies:

My house has been too empty for too long. It could use the sounds and detritus of children.

detritus: noun, waste or debris of any kind / gravel, sand, silt, or other material produced by erosion / organic matter produced by the decomposition of organisms

—

What interesting words or terms have you found in your recent reading?

—

To connect or learn more about Amy Myerson and her books, find her at  https://www.amymeyerson.com/

—

 Definitions are typically from the dictionary that comes with my Mac or The New Oxford American Dictionary.

—

“The word is only a representation of the meaning; even at its best, writing almost always falls short of full meaning. Given that, why in God’s name would you want to make things worse by choosing a word which is only cousin to the one you really wanted to use?” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

The Great Alone Digs Deep in Alaska and Emotion

Featured

Posted on by
2

This novel made me fall in love with Kristin Hannah’s writing. Hannah knows how to weave detail and emotion into a reading experience that immerses the reader in not only the world she creates but also in the gut or heart of the characters.

The Great Alone starts with the tale of a girl growing up and learning her way in the lonely wilderness of Alaska. Her father suffers from PTSD and alcoholism while her mother’s love for him blinds her to his abuse and the unhinged way he views the world until it’s too late. I’m reading The Women now and finding it just as immersive for the reader.

In this blog I offer a different type of book review­—one that’s combined with vocabulary building. I listened to The Great Alone on audio and heard a number of words I found unfamiliar. I’ll define just a couple of them here.

From The Great Alone:

Whenever Leni woke in the middle of the night, she invariably found her mother drifting through the house, her diaphanous robe trailing open.

diaphanous: adjective, (especially of fabric) light, delicate, and translucent.

—

From The Great Alone:

They hurried up the stairs and tiptoed down the unlit hallway and into the master bedroom, a huge room with mullion windows and olive-green carpet.

mullion: noun, a vertical bar between the panes of glass in a window.

—

What interesting words or terms have you found in your recent reading?

—

 Definitions are typically from the dictionary that comes with my Mac or The New Oxford American Dictionary.

—

To connect or learn more about Kristin Hannah, find her at KristinHannah.com.

“The word is only a representation of the meaning; even at its best, writing almost always falls short of full meaning. Given that, why in God’s name would you want to make things worse by choosing a word which is only cousin to the one you really wanted to use?” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft