Friday (8/17) Weekly Reading Recap Day!

[ufcasey]

What have you read this week? What are you currently reading?

QOTW:
Do you have a phobia of something (flying, spiders, etc) - if so, what is it? (This can be just something that freaks you out/bothers you/scares you in general)
AND/OR
What have you done that would scare most people (ex: jumping out of an airplane)?

[snshne322]

I'm listening to Dark Money by Jane Mayer. I find it interesting yet really dry. I think I'm going to put it aside and come back to it. Listening to the Koch's and other drum up conspiracy theories so they can keep and funnel their money is kind of making me sick.  I've spent a few books in political non fiction lately and I think I need a break.  I ready Katy Tur's book last week.  

I'm reading The Vixen's Lead by Tate James. So far I'm really enjoying it. I'm looking forward to reading more of the Kit Davenport series.

QOTW:

I HATE spiders, but I have more of a shape phobia. Certain patterns make me feel queasy. Honeycomb is the worst.

[bex]

Finished this week:

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo **** (I think if I didn't love old Hollywood so much I prob would have rated it a little less, but it was fast and fun and interesting)

Now That You Mention it by Kristan Higgins *** (maybe 2.5?) Fast but not necessarily good

Currently reading The World As It Is by Ben Rhodes, about the Obama White House. Its good but not fast. Its definitely the kind of memoir that I think will be studied in future political science seminars to understand Obama's foreign policy, not the tea-spilling kind of memoir lol.

[itsme]

I had two audio books expire on me this week so I'm waiting for them to become available again so I can finish them. One was Odd Thomas which I have yet to get into. I must be at least halfway or more through it and it has not captured me yet. It's dry but wanting to know what happens is keeping me going. not sure I'll continue with the series.

Second is City of Bones. Not so much into this one but I invested a lot of time into it and it's not terrible so I'll continue but not listen to the rest of the series.

I'm reading Wool which I think I saw recommended here, if not then it was on another board. I am enjoying it and not sure where this story is going.

I'm on the hunt for an audio book to listen to at work now.

TEA: FOund one.  The Dry by Jane Harper.

QOTW: My phobia is being stuck or locked in a small place.

[travella]

I finished:

All is Not Forgotten by Wendy Walker 2*. I loved the idea of this book, but it fell horribly short of my expectations.

And Every Morning The Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman *No rating*. I could only find this book in audio, which I hate, but I thought with Backman it might be ok. No, I couldn't focus on it. I know the overall story, but I feel like I missed so much by not reading it. So I don't feel it's fair to rate it.

I'm currently reading Don't Let Go by Harlan Coben

QOTW: I hate heights, siders, and snakes. My fear of heights is weird because I've bungee jumped, sky dived, and sky coastered, but standing near a ledge bothers me (ex. tall ladders). If I can close my eyes and fall I'm ok, but if I'm made to stand and look it'll scare me. I refuse to approach my fear of creepy crawlies.

[msmerymac]

I read Mallory on Strike as part of my continuing efforts to re-read the entire BSC series.

I'm also still reading Crown of Midnight and listening to War on Peace by Ronan Farrow (whom I hope to see speak next month!)

QOTW: Spiders and heights. Not to an extreme amount, but more than some people I guess. 

[bex]

Oh and I forgot the QOTW:

I have a phobia of open water. Any water where I cant touch the bottom, but just open water in general. like you want me to jump off this boat into the middle of the lake? no thanks.  Diving board into the deep well with a depth of 11 feet? No thanks. the ocean scares me much less because I walk out, so there's not that sense of just jumping into deep water. Scuba diving sounds like a nightmare to me.

I also hate big drops on rides and this is currently a problem as my boys want me to go on Splash Mountain next week but just the thought makes me sweat.

I don't think I have ever done anything especially daring or brave, lol.

[rainbowchip]

I finished Underground Airlines I'm still processing his I feel about it. I gave it 3 stars.

I started Before We Were Yours this morning. I'm not far enough into it to have an opinion yet.

QOTW: My phobia is being restrained. I can't ride roller coasters with the shoulder harness. In my teens, my friends made me go on a ride with a shoulder harness and I had a legit panic attack during the ride and tried to squeeze out of the harness (which likely would have killed me!)

[ufcasey]

Yesterday I logged my 800th review in Goodreads! I was kind of shocked by that honestly. (I'm always looking for new GR friends, add me if you are on there!)


Read:
Stay with Me by Ayobami Adebayo
4 stars/fiction
I can't say pretty much anything because it would spoil this, but it's vaguely like 'An American Marriage' only set in Nigeria and nothing to do with being incarcerated. That was helpful, I am sure LOL! Really good audiobook btw

We're Going to Need More Wine by Gabrielle Union
4 stars/memoir
I picked this up because it got a lot of good reviews by others on this board and you guys did not steer me wrong!

Unlit by Keri Arthur
3.5 stars/fantasy romance
You may know this author from her Riley Jenson series (if not, that's a werewolf/vampire/smexy times/investigator series fyi), but this first book in her new series has a lot more plot and I liked it (but didn't love it, though I will read the next book when it comes out)


Total so far for the year: 92

Currently Reading:
Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley - historical fiction/romance; this author has a shtick and by-golly she is sticking to it! (two storylines, one in the present, one set in the past, both set in the same location, both involving a little bit of romance - EVERY.SINGLE.BOOK) But I still like it so...

Bury Your Dead (#6 in series) by Louise Penny - mystery; I just love this series.

QOTW:
I am terrified of bees/hornets/whatever else flies and stings. If something buzzes near my ear, I am heading for the hills! However my favorite thing I have ever done on vacation (twice now) is paragliding (where you jump off of a cliff with a parachute already open behind you). It's sooooo much fun and in Switzerland the views are AMAZING

[bex]

ufcasey, I just added you on GR!

I'm glad you liked "We're going to need more wine." I really really liked that one...not as light and gossipy as I had expected, but I think I liked it more because of that.

[doxies]

I finished Children of Blood and Bone last week - it was great. Looking forward to the next in the series. I also finished Crazy Rich Asians. It was a super fun read.

I finished To All The Boys I've Loved Before with my daughter this week and we'll be watching the Netflix movie tonight. It was a super-cute YA romance. I need to read the next one.

I'm reading The Child Finder now. It's pretty good but also disturbing.

QOTW:
I definitely have a shark phobia. I can't think of anything scary that I've done. I hate heights as well.

[ufcasey]

Aug 17, 2018 10:10:50 GMT -5 bex said:

ufcasey , I just added you on GR!

I'm glad you liked "We're going to need more wine." I really really liked that one...not as light and gossipy as I had expected, but I think I liked it more because of that.

Totally agree! I was expecting some light-hearted, girl talk stuff (there's 'wine' in the title, there's a smiling photo on the cover, she was in "Bring It On"), but there was some heavy stuff in that book. I too liked it more than I would have had it actually met my fluffy expectations

[monkeyfeet]

I finished Every Note Played and just started Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.

I can’t think of too many phobias. I have jumped out of an airplane, but don’t think I could again...in fact, we were at a science museum yesterday and they had a bridge that goes over the highway with glass shapes cut out in the floor and I refused to let my son stand on them!

[msmerymac]

Aug 17, 2018 10:05:02 GMT -5 ufcasey said:

Currently Reading:
Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley - historical fiction/romance; this author has a shtick and by-golly she is sticking to it! (two storylines, one in the present, one set in the past, both set in the same location, both involving a little bit of romance - EVERY.SINGLE.BOOK) But I still like it so...

I don't know why I like her books so much, but... I really like her books! Seriously, describe the plot of any/all of them and I would say, "Um, no thanks." Not even sure what made me read the first one I did, but I'm totally hooked on her schtick.

[ufcasey]

Aug 17, 2018 12:39:10 GMT -5 msmerymac said:

Aug 17, 2018 10:05:02 GMT -5 ufcasey said:

Currently Reading:
Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley - historical fiction/romance; this author has a shtick and by-golly she is sticking to it! (two storylines, one in the present, one set in the past, both set in the same location, both involving a little bit of romance - EVERY.SINGLE.BOOK) But I still like it so...

I don't know why I like her books so much, but... I really like her books! Seriously, describe the plot of any/all of them and I would say, "Um, no thanks." Not even sure what made me read the first one I did, but I'm totally hooked on her schtick.

Me too! She's got a formula, but I'm generally sold on it so I'm not complaining LOL

[minzy]

This week I read American Sonnets for My Past and Future Assassin, a book of poetry by Terrance Hayes. It’s short, raw, and full of both deep and superficial contemporary thoughts from the perspective of a MOC, 3.5 stars.

I also read American Princess - The Love Story of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry by Leslie Carroll. I didn’t have high expectations and some of it was cheesy, 2.5 stars.

Not a book, but I saw the movie Crazy Rich Asians last night. I’ve read 2/3 of the trilogy and the excess and superficiality doesn’t particularly appeal to me, but the idea of supporting diversity in film does. Hollywood’s last big film with multiple Asian leads was apparently The Joy Luck Club, 25 years ago, so I’m all for new talent getting some air time. It wasn’t a movie you’ll be pondering over for weeks or anything, but it was entertaining and would be fun for a book club or mom’s night out. I was on the fence before, but now think I’ll read the third book.

QOTW: I don’t love snakes or heights but I wouldn’t say I’m afraid of them, per se. I’m drawing a blank on truly brave/reckless moments.

[abs]

I’m reading One of Us is Lying. So far it’s keeping my interest and a fun page turner.

QOTW: I’m scared of snakes, heights, and being stuck with no escape. So like roller coasters are fine but driving on tall overpasses makes me sweat. Elevators are fine but being stuck in one would make me panic.

[mrspez07]

Reading Crazy Rich Asians and still have Nomadland on audio and The Last Castle which I have been ignoring. I picked up more quilting books to peruse too. Too many books, so little time!

I developed a fear of some heights in about college. I love grand scenery and vistas but I can’t do it from a location where I’m exposed or things are visible below about my hips. Open railings next to a drop, glass panels between floors, open flooring, gondolas, etc really bother me.

[dorothyinAus]

I'm catching up on Carolyn Haines' Sarah Booth Delaney series, reading Bones to Pick. It's good so far, and I think I have figured out the killer, but at only halfway through, I am not ready to say just yet.

QOTW: I am terrified of fire, open flames of any kind scare me, which is quite difficult at dinner time as I have an old gas stove with burners that have to be lit either with a striker or a match.

[expectantsteelerfan]

My in real life bookclub added Beartown as a last minute 2nd book this month since none of us liked Just Between Us by Rebecca Drake, and I'm so glad we did. It was awesome and everyone needs to read it. I finally read Still Alice (had been on my to-read list for years and I kept hoping we'd read it for bookclub but finally gave up and read it on my own) and it was heartbreaking. I started Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah, and it seems typical for one of her books, a little predictable but ok.

QOTW: I used to be terrified of spiders, but since becoming a mom and having a dh who is gone a lot, I've managed to overcome a lot of it since I didn't want my kids to be. I still squeak a bit when I see one, but I can usually managed to find SOME way of killing it if I'm the only adult around.
My other irrational fear is driving behind trucks that are carrying things in the back, mainly like big logging trucks, but it extends to anything like ladders, tools, etc. My fear is that something will happen and they will slam on the brakes or crash, and the stuff in the truck will come flying at me.
I've never done anything particularly scary...I'm not much of a risk-taker!

[sassypants]

I wasn't able to finish a library book that came in at the same time as some other holds came in, but read a couple of the stories in Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks. In the interim I've picked up where I left off in Religion and the Decline of Magic, but it's slow going.

QOTW: Heights, especially bridges. I really hate getting stuck on a bridge in traffic. I know they're supposed to bounce a bit for stability but holy moses does it freak me out.

[aurora]

I'm (re-)reading Diana Gabaldon's The Firey Cross because I felt like I needed something escapist. Definitely serves that purpose.

Listening to (almost done) Before We Were Yours and enjoying it. I'm looking forward to being able to participate in Book Club again!

QOTW: definitely heights. I don't like heights.

One thing I did that apparently many people would find terrifying is go through a cave feature that was essentially a 50' tube where you had to lie on your side and wiggle through with basically no spare room. I apparently am not bothered by small spaces!

[aurora]

ufcasey, I also just finished Bury Your Dead a week or so ago. I'm really enjoying this series (listening via library audiobook).

[sassypants]

Aug 18, 2018 21:26:11 GMT -5 aurora said:

I'm (re-)reading Diana Gabaldon's The Firey Cross because I felt like I needed something escapist. Definitely serves that purpose.

Listening to (almost done) Before We Were Yours and enjoying it. I'm looking forward to being able to participate in Book Club again!

QOTW: definitely heights. I don't like heights.

One thing I did that apparently many people would find terrifying is go through a cave feature that was essentially a 50' tube where you had to lie on your side and wiggle through with basically no spare room. I apparently am not bothered by small spaces!

I hear you! When I was in grad school a group of 20 of us did a study abroad in Egypt. When we went to the Pyramids, one of the women's pyramids was open for tourists, but getting into and out of it involved bending at the waist at a 90 degree angle to go down (backwards and slightly sideways) and back up again. Only about 8 of us did it, and the size didn't phase me (though I was worried my leg muscles would give out--that kind of climbing is hard on an out of shape person!).

[rootbeerfloat]

Aug 17, 2018 13:29:39 GMT -5 minzy said:

Not a book, but I saw the movie Crazy Rich Asians last night. I’ve read 2/3 of the trilogy and the excess and superficiality doesn’t particularly appeal to me, but the idea of supporting diversity in film does. Hollywood’s last big film with multiple Asian leads was apparently The Joy Luck Club, 25 years ago, so I’m all for new talent getting some air time. It wasn’t a movie you’ll be pondering over for weeks or anything, but it was entertaining and would be fun for a book club or mom’s night out. I was on the fence before, but now think I’ll read the third book.

I saw it, too. And I've only read the first book because I found it annoying and didn't want to continue. But the movie was entertaining. And it had been so long since I read the book that I didn't really remember the parts that were different lol.

[rootbeerfloat]

I read Shifting Shadows, which is a collection of novellas and short stories from the Mercy Thompson world. I enjoyed all the stories of the secondary characters (Asil, Warren, Ben, etc).

QOTW: I dislike snakes and centipedes, which is pretty normal, I think. Octopus and squid - tentacles + brains - really freak me out, though.

[ssmjlm]

Finally finished my ARC, Lies by TM Logan - 1 star, absolutely terrible and the plot twist was such a letdown.

Finished the third book in the series, Everything We Give by Kerry Lonsdale, 3 stars - better than the second book, but I didn't "get" the reasoning for the third book. It seemed forced. I'm not really sure why the first book became a series, but I guess it's sort of like when they keep making movies in a franchise b/c someone is paying for it.

For a beach read as we head into the end of summer I read Stuck by Logan Chance, 2 stars. It kept showing up on my FB feed, but I have to say, a book with that much "following" and a pretty big grammatical error, automatically means a 1 star deduction.

Just started She Was the Quiet One although I was not a fan of It's Always the Husband, so we'll see. So far I am not at all grabbed by the story.

QOTW: I would say spiders, but now that I'm a mom, someone has to take care of the bugs, lol.

[Gato]

I'm kind of all over the place in my reading right now.  I'm working on:

Levels of Life - Julian Barnes - so far I love it.
The New Localism - Bruce Katz - very dry but an interesting POV.  David Brooks loves it but I actually think many of these ideas could/should be appropriated by the Left.
The Lives of Others - I just started this but am loving the writing

Just finished:

There Are No Grownups - Pamela Druckerman - the first two chapters started so promisingly but I thought most of it was filler and it did not answer the interesting questions she posed.  Bummer.

The Only Story - loved for its introspection.  It got me interested in other Julian Barnes; I'd never read him before.

ETA: I used to be super scared of public speaking.  So I took a singing class in college that had a master class component.  Performing before actual voice majors and professors used to make me shake so badly, and I would almost want to vomit.  But by the end of two years of this, I came to accept my fear, rather than trying to fight it or being ashamed of it.  This was an amazing lesson in life!

[tacokick]

Just finished The Late Bloomers Club by Louise Miller. It was cute and light. The author is a pastry chef so lots of details about food. It’s her second book based in the same town but it’s not exactly a series. I read a lot of heavy books so I like to sneak something light in there!

Reading Whistle in the Dark by Emma Healy now. I liked her first book a lot but I’m having trouble getting into this one.


QOTW: I really hate open spaces and heights. I’m pretty much okay on a bridge or something if I am in a car but I have a hard time walking over them. I’m not a huge fan of steps either and try to avoid them.

I don’t know if I’ve done anything brave! I have eaten some more unusual things like calf brains and crickets but I don’t know if that counts.

[tacokick]

Aug 17, 2018 10:05:02 GMT -5 ufcasey said:

Yesterday I logged my 800th review in Goodreads! I was kind of shocked by that honestly. (I'm always looking for new GR friends, add me if you are on there!)


Read:
Stay with Me by Ayobami Adebayo
4 stars/fiction
I can't say pretty much anything because it would spoil this, but it's vaguely like 'An American Marriage' only set in Nigeria and nothing to do with being incarcerated. That was helpful, I am sure LOL! Really good audiobook btw

We're Going to Need More Wine by Gabrielle Union
4 stars/memoir
I picked this up because it got a lot of good reviews by others on this board and you guys did not steer me wrong!

Unlit by Keri Arthur
3.5 stars/fantasy romance
You may know this author from her Riley Jenson series (if not, that's a werewolf/vampire/smexy times/investigator series fyi), but this first book in her new series has a lot more plot and I liked it (but didn't love it, though I will read the next book when it comes out)


Total so far for the year: 92

Currently Reading:
Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley - historical fiction/romance; this author has a shtick and by-golly she is sticking to it! (two storylines, one in the present, one set in the past, both set in the same location, both involving a little bit of romance - EVERY.SINGLE.BOOK) But I still like it so...

Bury Your Dead (#6 in series) by Louise Penny - mystery; I just love this series.

QOTW:
I am terrified of bees/hornets/whatever else flies and stings. If something buzzes near my ear, I am heading for the hills! However my favorite thing I have ever done on vacation (twice now) is paragliding (where you jump off of a cliff with a parachute already open behind you). It's sooooo much fun and in Switzerland the views are AMAZING

I just read the Gabrielle Union book too! It was interesting. I knew a lot of it but not the details.