A new month means a new round of #6degrees and this month’s starting book is a wildcard – the book each of us ended with in July.
You can find the details and rules of the #6degrees meme at booksaremyfavouriteandbest, but in a nutshell, everyone has the same starting book and from there, you connect to other books. Some of the connections made are so impressive, it’s a lot of fun to follow.
I ended July’s #6degrees with The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman. A few different themes warred for my attention but I kept getting lost so I’m going with the obscenely obvious ‘Ocean’ in the title link.
My first stop is with The Secrets at Ocean’s Edge by Kali Napier, which I read very early on, pre-publication. This one was a five star read for me. Incidentally, this novel is connected to my starting one in the era in which it’s set along with some similarity in post-war themes, so no matter which way my mind was going with this chain today, I was always coming back to these two books being linked.
Next stop on the ocean tour is The Oceans Between Us by Gill Thompson, sitting on my TBR since before publication. Must get onto this one as reviews indicate it’s a book I’d like a lot.
From TBR to wish list, The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman will be released again in an illustrated edition in November. I’m looking forward to this release!
Another book languishing on my TBR, but the electronic one this time, is The Deep End of the Ocean by Jacquelyn Mitchard. Bought at some stage, likely on a Kindle deal, but I do really like the sound of it.
While searching through my e-library with the keyword ‘ocean’, I came across Enslaved by the Ocean by Bella Jewel. I’d say this was a free book for Samsung users and I am unlikely to ever read it, but this is where my ocean linking began to unravel. Desperation was setting in! I had no more ocean books!
Well, ever resourceful, my last book is Sea Glass by Anita Shreve. The sea is just a little ocean anyway, kind of – they’re both salt water covering the earth’s surface. I am a long time fan of Anita Shreve and Sea Glass was a top read, as all of hers are. It’s fitting to end on a favourite authour.
Next month we are linking to A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. I better read it! Until then…
Theresa Smith Writes 
I think you’ll love A Gentleman in Moscow.
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I have some read some positive reviews from bloggers whose opinions I trust, so here’s hoping!
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I’ll be very interested in your thoughts.
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Thank you!
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So many books about Oceans! Which I guess is not surprising given the power oceans play in reality and in our imagination. Good links Theresa. (Did I write Teresa on my blog? I may have as I’m currently dealing with one of those under another guise.)
Woo hoo, A gentleman in Moscow! I loved that book, and that will make three starting books in a row that I’ve read. How long can this last.
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I remember that you have read it and thought that your run of not reading the starting book was well and truly over. I’m keen to read it before the next six degrees, it’s on my TBR anyway.
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It’s a very good read. Two members of my yoga group in two different reading groups (and different again from my own) are all reading it for their groups. I know very few who don’t like it.
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That makes me want to read it even sooner but Rebecca is up next in line with a scheduled buddy read with about 12 others .
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Fair enough! And you don’t have to have read it to post as you know.
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I know, but this is a good prompt for me to do so. Otherwise it could be about 5 years until I do…
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I didn’t realise there were so many books with ‘ocean’ in the title. I love and value your reviews, so quite a few titles here I want to check out, especially Kali Napier’s novel. My chain doesn’t have quite same connecting theme, although they are all Australian titles…
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Thank you for reading my reviews. I appreciate the support. 😊 Kali’s Secrets at Ocean’s Edge is sublime, I can highly recommend it.
I’ll pop over now and look at your chain, but feel free to put the link here in the comments.
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Cool… they all have to do with seas and oceans. Nice that you could find books that all connect to each other! I see you’ve already visited mine for this month! (Love this meme!)
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It’s my favourite meme! I love reading everybody’s chains.
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I love your watery links – sometimes there’s no need to change theme! I still haven’t read the Gaiman despite buying it as soon as it was publlshed.
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The amount of books I’ve done that with!
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What a lovely, watery chain! I’ve read and enjoyed both the begining and end of it but nothing from the middle.
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Thank you! I’d like to read Sea Glass again some time so I can review it.
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I love the ocean and it is a great idea with an ocean theme. Neil Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a favourite of mine, it is so beautiful and sad at the same time.
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Thank you!
Will you get yourself a copy of the illustrated version of The Ocean at the End of the Lane?
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An illustrated copy is tempting, but after I got an e-reader, I try to resist buying physical books (I know, terrible isn’t it…) and illustrations don’t always come across well in electronic format.
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No, they really don’t, you’re right.
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I’m going to try to read A Gentleman in Moscow before next month’s chain as well (try being the operative word) as it’s been in my TBR pile for ages…
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I feel that this is as good of a prompt as any to get me to read it. It’ll make the linking more fun too if I’ve read it, I expect.
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Oh cool, I love your chain! Gaiman’s was fabulous. You actually HAVE to LISTEN to it. Gaiman narrates his own book, and he’s amazing. I have listened to three of his books, narrated by him, he is really masterful, you really need to try.
You made me curious, so I looked at my Goodreads shelves. I read this amazing nonfiction with the word Ocean in the title: https://wordsandpeace.com/2011/05/11/atlantic/.
And if you like poetry, this one is very beautiful: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17014929-delayed-by-rough-seas – by a young (at the time) Welsh monk poet
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Thank you! And also for the recommendations.
An author narrating their own audio is different! But definitely appealing.
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I forgot to share my chain: https://wordsandpeace.com/2019/08/03/six-degrees-of-separation-from-versailles-to-hacking/
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Thanks! 😊
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Amazed by how many books with ‘ocean’ in the title that you’ve read and/or own (I only have one on my Kindle – your starting book, however I have read lots of books that concern swimming!).
No pressure to read Gentleman in Moscow (I own in but haven’t read it and will be unlikely to before next month).
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I bought it this morning on ebook and it had been on my wishlist for a while, so this is a good prompt for me.
I had a few more books on my shelves, but all with ‘sea’ rather than ‘ocean’ in the title. I guess I really like salt water!
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I loved your ocean links. I’ve read two: The Light Between Oceans and The Secrets at Ocean’s Edge. The Oceans Between Us is in my TBR, as is A Gentleman in Moscow.
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Thank you! It was a fun one to come up with.
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What a great theme for August, all linked to the ocean. It’s been 4 years since I’ve been to the beach, unfortunately, but it sounds so tempting!
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I live in the desert, so ocean visits are few and far between for me too. Maybe that’s why I like reading about them so much.
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The only book I’ve read on this list is The Light Between Oceans. It was good. I enjoyed the movie too. A nice way to link titles.
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The movie was beautiful. I enjoyed it a lot. Sobbed!
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I featured The Light Between Oceans in last month’s chain 🙂 So many ‘ocean’ books and all tempting. Sea Glass was one of my favourites by Anita Shreve.
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Anita Shreve had great talent. Sea Glass was certainly memorable.
The Light Between Oceans seems to periodically pop up in these chains. A sign of a good book, perhaps!
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