First June Friday reading thread 6/1

[charlatti]

Happy Friday! What have you been reading this week? Are you working on any yearlong goals?

QOTW: Since we’re now in the peak travel months for many people: what travel/vacation modes do you prefer, on the spectrum of busy and full of activities to relaxing and unstructured? 

[travella]

When the Moon is Low by Nadia Hashimi 4* (Good book, but my least favorite of her books)
The Ferryman by Justin Cronin, 3* (Started out good, but I lost interest when I realized where the story line was going).

Currently reading The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post by Allison Pataki (It was really interesting in the beginning learning about the history of cereal and the Post company, but it is now mostly about all her failed marriages and lavish lifestyle so I am losing interest)

QOTW: I prefer a busy vacation full of structured activities. I am much happier when I am busy. I get restless if I am idle for too long.

[Vespasia]

I read The Witch and the Tsar by by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore. I liked it but didn't love it. 

Now I'm reading Where They Lie by Joe Hart, a recent Kindle First. I wanted something quick and somewhat mindless and this seemed to fit the bill. It's not great but it's holding my interest. 


QOTW: I think I land somewhere in the middle. Travel planning is my main hobby. I spend a lot of time researching things to do and places to eat. However, I do not have a set itinerary when we go places unless we need reservations or there are weird hours for attractions. I also build in a fair amount of down time for relaxing or just wandering. 

[charlatti]

I finished The Heart’s Invisible Furies (everyone seems to love this, but it wasn’t a favorite for me) and The Late Mrs. Willoughby, which was fun. Now reading One Last Lie by Paul Doiron — needed something unchallenging for a busy weekend.

QOTW: A lazy beach week is my ideal, though I gravitate toward a semi-schedule even with that (morning beach walk, read and watch the ocean, afternoon swim… that kind of thing).

[estrellita]

Currently reading A Court of Wings and Ruin. I love this series, don't care what anyone says 😝 Some of these books are huge, but I'm flying through them!

My yearly goal is 36 books (3/month). I'm at 13, so I'll have to pick it up a bit!

QOTW: I prefer busier vacations. I like to see things wherever we go, sitting for too long gets boring! Though I wouldn't object to sitting somewhere and reading for a while, lol.

[Gato]

I stopped reading I Have Some Questions for You because I need to get The Chinese Groove (by Kathryn Ma) back to the library. I haven't finished it yet, but it is good! Such an entertaining narrator, and it's fun to see how he perceives America as an immigrant.

QOTW: For travel, I prefer unstructured but adventurous.

[dearprudence]

Finished Thirsty Mermaids and A Chorus Rises. Thirsty Mermaids was fine, I enjoyed A Chorus Rises.

Reading Say More About That, which is for work bookclub. It's about speaking up and pushing back.

Listening to Lifelines by Leana Wen, who I think is amazing, so I'm enjoying that.

Yearlong goals: My 2 book related ones are to read more nonfiction, and more books I already own. I'm on my 8th nonfiction of the year (which is...5 more than I read in all of 2022), and read 9 books I already owned.



QOTW: Since we’re now in the peak travel months for many people: what travel/vacation modes do you prefer, on the spectrum of busy and full of activities to relaxing and unstructured?  It depends on where we're going. Haven't done a beach vacay in years since I live close enough to do regular beach days, so most vacations are to cities with a lot to explore. Pre-kids, I used to try to balance both on vacations - some relax time, some explore time.

[tacokick]

Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up by Alexandra Potter (too long)

Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin (ok)

The Woman Inside by M.T. Edvardsson (ok)

One Night by Georgina Cross (not great!)

Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears by Michael Schulman (so, so long and he changed formats like 375 pages in)

Truth Be Told by Kia Abdullah (ok)


QOTW:

I guess a mix? We normally come up with a list of things we want to do but then are relaxed about when. For long trips like our trip to Lisbon and Porto we took a couple of nights at the beach between the cities to do nothing.

[litskispeciality]

Just posted in the June thread on ML that I made super good progress on Mad Honey this weekend, but it's far too long and very sad. Don't want to spoil anything, but it reminds me a good deal of The Pact, including a couple of same characters they reference. Well played Jodi Picolt, I spent a good amount of time going down The Pact, 19 Mins etc. rabbit hole this weekend.

QOTW: I'm a bit in the middle. I really like lazy vacations say at the beach or a resort, but a couple of (pre-planned) adventures are the perfect balance. DH of course is the opposite and wants to go, go with no sleep. I need to rest on vaca! Not sure what we'll do this fall yet, but leaning toward relaxing.