I just finished Remarkably Bright Creatures, which lived up to the hype.
I also just finished this and really liked it. It was a quick read and sweet.
I got half way through Cloud Cuckoo Land but didn't finish before it was due back. I was just finally really getting into it. I have a hard time with books that jump around, so it took me a long time to start following the four storylines.
Also by Anthony Doerr I just got All The Light We Cannot See, which hopefully I'll be able to finish! I also started The Unsinkable Greta James and like it so far. I did not have a very productive last few weeks of reading!
Jesus she is really committed to trolling. A thousand pages of fan fic about her own alleged persecution?
I also read the first few books and I think Strike is an interesting character but the books have diminishing returns even aside from her awful transphobia.
I went down a rabbit hole on this one and she says she finished the book before her personal persecution went down. Sure, Jan.
Next up is the new Robert Galbraith (JK Rowling) book, which I'm excited about. I know JKR is trash, but I've invested like 6,000 pages into the series at this point and I need to see how it ends.
Same. I wish Robin and Strike would just get together. I just bought the audiobook and started listening this morning.
Post by PennyCandy on Sept 2, 2022 10:23:20 GMT -5
I'm working on Her Fearful Symmetry. It's pretty awful. I don't like to leave things unfinished though and I don't have much more left. It's kind of surprising given how good The Time Traveler's Wife is. Next up is Lessons in Chemistry, which I'm excited about.
I'm working on Her Fearful Symmetry. It's pretty awful. I don't like to leave things unfinished though and I don't have much more left. It's kind of surprising given how good The Time Traveler's Wife is. Next up is Lessons in Chemistry, which I'm excited about.
The Time Traveler's Wife is one of my all-time favorites and I really didn't like Her Fearful Symmetry. I read it so long ago, but I remember it was super weird, right? Like one of the nieces becomes obsessed with the ghost and being like her?
I finished Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey for book club. It’s weird af. I don’t like horror at all and never would have touched this if it wasn’t for book club. I’d guess if you’re a fan of the genre, it might be good. Ringing endorsement, I know.
I think it was just very bad regardless of genre.
I added her to my list of “authors I think I like but actually don’t”.
I'm about halfway through Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance and it's a struggle. I don't know if I will finish it. I have no problem putting down books I don't enjoy but this one keeps making me think it's getting better and then it...doesn't.
I just finished This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub. I think someone (a couple of people) here said they didn't like it, so I guess my expectations were low but I thought it was pretty good. I guess if time travel is a problem for you you may not like it, but I did.
I also finished listening to The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel. It was ok. I liked lots of parts of it but I felt like it focused on too many characters and didn't really have a satisfying ending IMO.
I just started to try to listen to The Paper Palace but I stopped. It jumped back and forth way too much between timelines and I found it kind of crass, which maybe it means I'm just a prude but I felt like there were a few things said or described that really didn't need to be the way they were. So now I need a new audiobook.
I also started The It Girl by Ruth Ware but I've probably read 2% so far so I can't say much about it either way. My mom just read it and thought it was great, so I'm expecting to like it. I have liked most books by this author anyway.
It took me a few chapters to get into the It Girl but it was so good in the end!
I'm working on Her Fearful Symmetry. It's pretty awful. I don't like to leave things unfinished though and I don't have much more left. It's kind of surprising given how good The Time Traveler's Wife is. Next up is Lessons in Chemistry, which I'm excited about.
The Time Traveler's Wife is one of my all-time favorites and I really didn't like Her Fearful Symmetry. I read it so long ago, but I remember it was super weird, right? Like one of the nieces becomes obsessed with the ghost and being like her?
It’s about twin sisters that move to London after their aunt dies. The aunt becomes the ghost and then ultimately one of the twins becomes a ghost through very strange circumstances. It was weird and just not good.
I finished Sea of Tranquility this weekend and I adored it. Love me some time travel lol.
I only have The Very Nice Box by Laura Blackett checked out at the moment and I'm not feeling really excited to start it because I think it's going to be pretty weird. Goodreads blurb:
Ava Simon designs storage boxes for STÄDA, a slick Brooklyn-based furniture company. She’s hard-working, obsessive, and heartbroken from a tragedy that killed her girlfriend and upended her life. It’s been years since she’s let anyone in.
But when Ava’s new boss—the young and magnetic Mat Putnam—offers Ava a ride home one afternoon, an unlikely relationship blossoms. Ava remembers how rewarding it can be to open up—and, despite her instincts, she becomes enamored. But Mat isn’t who he claims to be, and the romance takes a sharp turn.
The Very Nice Box is a wryly funny, suspenseful debut—with a shocking twist. It’s at once a send-up of male entitlement and a big-hearted account of grief, friendship, and trust.
I don't have any other library holds coming up soon, I don't think. Might be taking some re-reads with me on my trips.
I’m reading Elin Hilderbrand’s newest, The Hotel Nantucket. For nonfiction, I’m listening to The Day the World Stops Shopping. I’m just getting started, but think I’m going to enjoy it. It was one I just randomly picked up off of the New Release shelf at the library.
For book clubs, I’m also reading a Max Lucado book on Happiness and Just Mercy.
I think I’ve shared this before, but I didn’t start to enjoy reading until I gave myself permission to read multiple books at a time. This way, there’s almost always something I’m in the mood to read, and I abandon far fewer books.
Post by exploding people on Sept 6, 2022 14:18:11 GMT -5
I'm halfway through the third Bridgerton book, as well as Tell Me Everything by Erika Krause. The World's Worst Assistant should be coming through from my library holds next week.
I finished Sea of Tranquility this weekend and I adored it. Love me some time travel lol.
I only have The Very Nice Box by Laura Blackett checked out at the moment and I'm not feeling really excited to start it because I think it's going to be pretty weird. Goodreads blurb:
Ava Simon designs storage boxes for STÄDA, a slick Brooklyn-based furniture company. She’s hard-working, obsessive, and heartbroken from a tragedy that killed her girlfriend and upended her life. It’s been years since she’s let anyone in.
But when Ava’s new boss—the young and magnetic Mat Putnam—offers Ava a ride home one afternoon, an unlikely relationship blossoms. Ava remembers how rewarding it can be to open up—and, despite her instincts, she becomes enamored. But Mat isn’t who he claims to be, and the romance takes a sharp turn.
The Very Nice Box is a wryly funny, suspenseful debut—with a shocking twist. It’s at once a send-up of male entitlement and a big-hearted account of grief, friendship, and trust.
I don't have any other library holds coming up soon, I don't think. Might be taking some re-reads with me on my trips.
I finished Sea of Tranquility this weekend and I adored it. Love me some time travel lol.
I only have The Very Nice Box by Laura Blackett checked out at the moment and I'm not feeling really excited to start it because I think it's going to be pretty weird. Goodreads blurb:
Ava Simon designs storage boxes for STÄDA, a slick Brooklyn-based furniture company. She’s hard-working, obsessive, and heartbroken from a tragedy that killed her girlfriend and upended her life. It’s been years since she’s let anyone in.
But when Ava’s new boss—the young and magnetic Mat Putnam—offers Ava a ride home one afternoon, an unlikely relationship blossoms. Ava remembers how rewarding it can be to open up—and, despite her instincts, she becomes enamored. But Mat isn’t who he claims to be, and the romance takes a sharp turn.
The Very Nice Box is a wryly funny, suspenseful debut—with a shocking twist. It’s at once a send-up of male entitlement and a big-hearted account of grief, friendship, and trust.
I don't have any other library holds coming up soon, I don't think. Might be taking some re-reads with me on my trips.
I enjoyed Very Nice Box! It wasn't that weird.
I liked it too but then it took a turn to mystery and thriller with a “twist” I didn’t think was needed. Still enjoyed it but I was a little annoyed by the last quarter or so
Post by HoneySpider on Sept 6, 2022 15:05:41 GMT -5
I'm reading One Two Three after seeing it mentioned in the discussions here a few times and it's been slow going for me. I'm maybe half way through and it's fine, but I just don't find it pulling me in.
Post by PennyCandy on Sept 6, 2022 20:01:29 GMT -5
Finished Lessons in Chemistry and really loved it. Now I’m having trouble getting into Woman of Light. It helps a little that it’s based out of Denver. At least I know the landmarks.
Finished Lessons in Chemistry and really loved it. Now I’m having trouble getting into Woman of Light. It helps a little that it’s based out of Denver. At least I know the landmarks.
I'm struggling with Woman of Light too. I loved her previous book, but this one isn't hooking me.
Currently about halfway through Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls and really enjoying it.
I’m finally finishing Nowhere Girl. It’s taken me forever.
Just finished Love Matters More on Audiobook and loved it. (Faith-related book, calling out the people who say they’re “Speaking the truth in love” when they’re really just being judgmental and hurtful. Highly recommend for those who grew up Evangelical/Conservative Christian and no longer tolerate many of the things that were taught in those spaces.)
I listened to that book over the summer! I am terrible at listening to podcasts but The Bible for Normal People is one I like.
This is probably controversial, but I like you guys and think, since this is already being discussed here ...
I got the Robert Galbraith book as a "You've got COVID" gift. To be fair I was a fan of the series for the first 3, and have read them all (last two through the library), but didn't intend to buy this one. I'd have said in the past that book 1 and 3 were in the top 10 of my favorite detective books.
Yes I could have returned it, but I didn't. I read it instead. I was curious, and since it was already in my house, and if I was going to talk about it I'd figure I'd read it. Also I had COVID and this was something to do.
Some soft spoilers below - not about the mystery or the character development - just general thoughts
It's extremely self-indulgent. Quite possibly the worst style of self-propaganda I've ever read. While many of the things I'm reading about it online slant towards reaching and hyperbole, the themes of those critiques are absolutely legitimate. The book is solely about her martyrdom, in not a very subtle way. The WHOLE book is an exploration of what she believes is her persecution.
As a mystery it's mediocre at best. She uses many suspects to create intrigue, whereas skillful mysteries create that atmosphere through skilled writing instead of overwhelming readers with characters.
Girl needs a stronger-willed editor if she's going to keep pumping this stuff out. I'm not a hater of long books - I like Ken Follet's historical fiction for god sake. For fans, that's what they want. But length aside, she's clearly given far too much rope with her publisher.
Overall, I finished feeling dirty, and made a donation to Mermaids.
“With sorrow—for this Court, but more, for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental constitutional protection—we dissent,”
“With sorrow—for this Court, but more, for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental constitutional protection—we dissent,”
I got Acts of Violet as an audiobook to listen to on my drive to/from Oregon based on a recommendation from one of the past threads a month or two ago. I also have Rainn Wilson's book The Bassoon King to listen to also, but the two of them combined is longer than my drive time.
I'm also trying to decide if I want to get the audiobook for The Paris Library. It's my book club pick for this month, and I already have the ebook, but I'm not feeling super motivated to read yet another WWII era novel.
Currently reading a non-fiction book called Stolen Focus, about all the reasons why we constantly flit from tab to tab to tab, and are always on our phones. TL;DR - tech companies suck. But also, life is hard and stress is bad.
I have yearly reading goals that include reading the Booker long list each year, but as I perused the titles this year I have been thinking about how much I really enjoy reading chick lit. I just finished Nora Goes Off Script which I looked forward to reading each day and I’m currently reading The Goddess Effect which is one of the free September Kindle books, and although it’s not as good as Nora Goes Off Script, it’s still satisfying.