Post by litskispeciality on Dec 4, 2019 14:08:51 GMT -5
We do this over on Book Club. I'm 4 behind schedule for the year and need a recommendation to knock my socks off, preferably also quick. Please tell me what you read in Nov. and/or give ratings. Also if you're doing a challenge or reaching a goal how are you doing with one month left to the end of the year?
Ugh, I have so fallen off the reading wagon. I read:
Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance (****1/2) - LOVED this. It was whimsical and uplifting and unconventional and just what I needed. The Marsh King's Daughter (***) - just OK. Above average but only slightly. Not really my genre Winter in Paradise (**) - I don't know why I read these books. Drivel. But it held my attention. I also read The Testaments. I forget if I rated it or not, but upon reflection (***1/2). I was kind of disappointed with it. I liked it because I feel like I know the characters from the show. But compared to THT it was crap. The writing was so far below what I expected. As a stand alone story it wasn't bad, I just expected more from Atwood.
Right now I am reading Pioneer girl : the annotated autobiography. It's really hard to get into the format but I want to power through.
I need 10 more books to get to my goal of 100. It might be possible because I'm off for 10 days over the holidays, but even if I don't that's ok.
some recent good reads that I flew through include...
The Suspect, Kent Alexander and Kevin Salwen - non fiction about the atlanta olympic bombing suspect On Earth We Are Briefly Gorgeous, Ocean Vuong - a beautifully poetic memoir Dominicana, Angie Cruz - an story of a young immigrant to New York Blue Bird, Blue Bird, Attica Locke - a great mystery/detective novel set in the south The Chestnut Man, Soren Sveistro - a thriller by the writer of The Killing tv show
“With sorrow—for this Court, but more, for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental constitutional protection—we dissent,”
Post by rupertpenny on Dec 4, 2019 14:46:22 GMT -5
I had a decent month of reading.
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite. This was good, not amazing but interesting. It's pretty short and very spare and leaves a lot for the reader to infer.
American Prison: A Reporter's Undercover Journey into the Business of Punishment by Shane Bauer. Good but also horrifying and depressing.
The Secret Commonwealth by Philip Pullman. I loved this, but I am a lifelong His Dark Materials fan. I felt the same magic reading this that I felt reading The Golden Compass in middle school, which isn't something that happens very often. I don't know if anyone who hasn't read the rest of the series would feel this way though.
Fleishman Is In Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner. So many people loved this book, I thought it was pretty uneven. I found the main character boring and eye-rolly, but the parts about the female characters were great.
Fleishman Is In Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner. So many people loved this book, I thought it was pretty uneven. I found the main character boring and eye-rolly, but the parts about the female characters were great.
I loved this book. I also hated "Fleishman" and wanted to dick punch him which made the big reveal in the last 1/3 even better. I was fist pumping through the end. I think we were supposed to be be eye-rolling him because well, he sucked.
A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum - 4 Stars. This was an enjoyable read and I got through it pretty quickly.
White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo - 5 Stars. Very insightful and gave me some things to think about.
Eighteen Acres by Nicolle Wallace - 3 Stars. This was just ok. It wasn't a struggle to finish, but I wasn't exactly left wanting more.
The Storyteller's Secret by Sejal Badani - 5 Stars. Loved this one! Rich detail, interesting characters.
Red, White, & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston - 5 Stars. This was a cute, easy, beach-style read. I enjoyed it and it was nice to take in something fluffy after reading more serious books over the course of the month.
eta: My goal for the year was 52. I'm at 59 so far and currently listening to number 60. I'm thinking I'll hit 65 or thereabouts.
Post by imojoebunny on Dec 4, 2019 14:58:14 GMT -5
I have been reading "The Price We Pay: What broke American Health Care and how to fix it". It is very eye opening, even if you know a lot about health care.
Fleishman Is In Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner. So many people loved this book, I thought it was pretty uneven. I found the main character boring and eye-rolly, but the parts about the female characters were great.
I loved this book. I also hated "Fleishman" and wanted to dick punch him which made the big reveal in the last 1/3 even better. I was fist pumping through the end. I think we were supposed to be be eye-rolling him because well, he sucked.
Oh, I know. I just wanted more Libby and more Rachel.
Post by sapphireblue on Dec 4, 2019 15:08:56 GMT -5
I only read three in November:
Falling by Jane Green (really didn't like this one, don't recommend) Daisy Jones & The Six (loved it!) The Guardians by Grisham (one of his better ones, I haven't like his last few books much)
I didn't read this in November but a quick read that was FANTASTIC was The Tattooist of Auschwitz.
I’m reading Firefly Lane. Not sure what the hype is all about, it’s fine, nothing to write home about though.
I agree. This book was just okay to me.
However, I really loved her book "The Nightingale". If you haven't read that one I would highly recommend it. But Firefly Lane was just meh to me.
I strongly disliked Firefly Lane. I didn't even like the Nightingale that much. TBH I just don't like the author. I like the beginning of the Great Alone but then she went straight into her mediocre chit lit predictable story line and ruined it for me.
The Education of an Idealist by Samantha Power - This was good, but as far as Obama staffers go, Ben Rhodes' The World As It Is was still the best IMO.
Desk 88 by Sherrod Brown - I picked this up because he's my senator, but I liked it even outside of that. I learned about some senators I wouldn't otherwise know anything about, and it made me want to read more about congressional history.
Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow - omg so good. Along with Water Dancer, one of the best books I've read this year.
She Said by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey - This was also very good. It parallels Ronan Farrow's book but gives more insight into the NY Times and journalism in general. I recommend both books on the topic.
I'm about to pick up Rachel Maddow's Blowout. And I've been trying to pick up David McCullough's The Pioneers for like two months, but all these library books keep coming in. I'm hoping to get further into it before Christmas.
Post by litskispeciality on Dec 4, 2019 15:36:07 GMT -5
Unrelated but related, we just got Hulu on Black Friday sale, and they have a movie called The Nightengale, so here I think woo hoo I loved that book...turns out it's a totally different story set in the 1800's. I read "Little Fires Everywhere" is going to be a series in 2020. I liked that and "Everything I Never Told You", but can see a bit of a formula.
What is the other murder? mystery one that's going to be a Netflix or Hulu series? Someone recommended it a month or two ago and I forgot to write it down.
His Angel – Samantha Cole (2) Waiting for Him – Samantha Cole (2) Not Negotiable – Samantha Cole (2.5) Topping the Alpha – Samantha Cole (2) Watching From the Shadows – Samantha Cole (2.5) (I was hate reading these by the second one and gave up on the series) Southern Player – Jessica Peterson (4) Southern Gentleman – Jessica Peterson (3.5) Crazy For Loving You – Pippa Grant (3.5) Discretion – Karina Halle (4) Disarm – Karina Halle (3) The Bastard – Julie Kriss (3) Hosed – Pippa Grant (4) Hammered – Pippa Grant (3.5) No Vacancy – Stephanie Rose (4) Hold Me Today – Maria Luis (4) Kiss Me Tonight – Maria Luis (3.5) Love Me Tomorrow – Maria Luis (4.5) Heart of Hope – Lucy Score (3) Always You – Stephanie Rose (3.5) Always Us – Stephanie Rose (3) Only You – Stephanie Rose (3.5) After You – Stephanie Rose (4.5) The Kingmaker – Kennedy Ryan (5 BEST OF 2019. PERIOD.) The Rebel King – Kennedy Ryan (4.5) Undercover Love – Lucy Score (3) The Magnolia Chronicles – Kate Canterbary (3) Dirty Talk – Lauren Landish (3.5)
wambam, The King Maker keeps coming up on my IG ads, guess I need to add it to my TBR list.
Mostly fun KU books b/c of vacation: Real Deal - Brittney Sahin - Loved this one, could not wait for it to come out Adam - Kris Michaels - was OK, a bit too much sweet talk for me Finding the Way Back - Brittney Sahin - Good, but the whole 20 year friends to lovers thing was a bit much for me. Hot Single Dad - Claire Kingsley - ok, wasn't a big fan of the storyline Overture, Sonata, and Concerto - trilogy by Skye Warren - not as good as her The Pawn series, still mulling this one over. The Stopover - TL Swan - good, but a lot of characters in the book A Stranger on the Beach - Michele Campbell - AWFUL! I DNF her last book and should have done the same with this. There was basically no real plot to book and read like an episode of Law & Order.
Current Reading - The Strange Journey of Alice Pendelbury - Marc Levy - it's really slow and I'm not sure why I'm still reading it, but we'll see. I liked the other book by the author I read a year or so ago.
ssmjlm - I was engrossed by The Kingmaker. There was an intense scene and my husband was apparently talking to me and I had no idea lol. Did you start with Book Boyfriend before Hot Single Dad? The second was my least fav in that series.
ssmjlm - I was engrossed by The Kingmaker. There was an intense scene and my husband was apparently talking to me and I had no idea lol. Did you start with Book Boyfriend before Hot Single Dad? The second was my least fav in that series.
I read Book Boyfriend, skipped book 2, and went to Hot Single Dad.
ssmjlm - I was engrossed by The Kingmaker. There was an intense scene and my husband was apparently talking to me and I had no idea lol. Did you start with Book Boyfriend before Hot Single Dad? The second was my least fav in that series.
I read Book Boyfriend, skipped book 2, and went to Hot Single Dad.
Oh! Wait! I really liked the second one but didn’t care for Hot Single Dad. Sorry, it’s been a few months.