What did you read this week? Friday, Aug 6

[ssmjlm]

What's everyone reading? 

QOTW: What is one author everyone else seems to love, but you can't get into their books?

[ssmjlm]

I just finished The Therapist by BA Paris. I have to say, I loved Behind Closed Doors, but I have been let down by every book since. This one was yet another helpless woman thriller trope. Kind of disappointing. Oh and part of the book is the main character thinks someone is in her house, yet she didn't Amazon Prime some cameras? Maybe that's just an American thing? I mean, England has better CCTV all over than we do (based on my extensive Netflix watching).

Also now that I've marinated on it a bit, it reminded me of Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson, a lot. Crap, this would be the second book this summer that I've read that's almost plagaristic.

QOTW: I have 2, Taylor Jenkins Reid and Colleen Hoover. It's not that they're bad writers, they just seem to always have everyone falling all over themselves every time they hit publish.

[travella]

I am still reading The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.

QOTW: I'll have to come back to this, no one is coming to mind at the moment.

Liane Moriarty is an author I don't enjoy. I've read a bunch of her books because they always sound good, but they always end up a 2* rating (with the exception of one book that got a 3).

[tacokick]

I read

Model by Cheryl Diamond (because she wrote that other memoir I think she made up, this also seemed greatly exaggerated)

For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing

Trejo: My Life of Crime, Redemption, and Hollywood by Danny Trejo and Donal Logue

We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz (I have read so many remote locations/backpacking novels lately!)

Brat: An '80s Story by Andrew McCarthy

When the Reckoning Comes by LaTanya McQueen

Did we ever do a “what we read in July” post?

QOTW:
I don’t read/can’t get into any of the fantasy/sci fi/historical fiction that seems to be so popular now so the list is long. Out of genres I do read, I can’t get into the Louise Penny books at all and people really seem to look forward to them.

[charlatti]

I finished Godspeed by Nickolas Butler, which was very good and unsettling. Just finished Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty, which was much lighter. I saw a lot of negative reviews for that one — it seemed pretty on par compared to others of hers I’ve read, and I liked it. Also read A Special Place for Women, which took a turn I was not at all expecting and did not enjoy.. The book is not quite what the description indicates.

QOTW: Diana Galbadon, though I don’t know if that counts since it’s just the one series, and Ruth Ware. I like mysteries and thrillers, but hers don’t work for me.

[meowmaps]

I read Dial “A” for Aunties this week. Pretty vapid. Another 2 star rating for me.

Now I’m reading The Escape Room by Megan Goldin. Fine so far.

QOTW: I don’t question Tolkien’s writing prowess but I really couldn’t get into the material. A friend of mine growing up insisted I had to read The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. I read most of it but then stopped at some point because I was bored. I also never got into the Harry Potter books but enjoyed The Casual Vacancy.

[rootbeerfloat]

I read Snapped by Alexa Martin, which was the last in her Playbook series (contemporary sports romances). This one was probably the best as it addressed social justice/players kneeling.

QOTW: Well, I only read one Liane Moriarty book, but it turned me off from reading any more.

[Vespasia]

I just finished The Mermaid by Christina Henry. It wasn't as dark as some of her other books but I really enjoyed it.

QOTW: For books I expected to like, I would say Sarah J. Mass.

[estrellita]

Recently finished A Spark of Light. It was good and makes you really think. I will say though this book needs a HUGE TW considering the topic. I'm sure it's not a surprise, but I wasn't expecting such.. detail. The twists toward the end were interesting, although one was just kinda meh for me.

Started The Municipalists. Not too far in yet!

QOTW: Hmm.. maybe Gillian Flynn. I liked Gone Girl until the end. Then I hated it. It ruined the whole book for me! I also read Sharp Objects and it was just weird.

[tacokick]

Aug 6, 2021 13:15:49 GMT -5 charlatti said:

I finished Godspeed by Nickolas Butler, which was very good and unsettling. Just finished Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty, which was much lighter. I saw a lot of negative reviews for that one — it seemed pretty on par compared to others of hers I’ve read, and I liked it. Also read A Special Place for Women, which took a turn I was not at all expecting and did not enjoy.. The book is not quite what the description indicates.

QOTW: Diana Galbadon, though I don’t know if that counts since it’s just the one series, and Ruth Ware. I like mysteries and thrillers, but hers don’t work for me.

Nine Perfect Strangers is going to be a mini series on Hulu this month. I think the 18th?

[mrspez07]

I just finished The Office of Historical Corrections. It was ok. Writer is good, just couldn’t connect with the characters. I also struggle with short story books, the abrupt endings drive me crazy. The novella was the best of the group.
I’m also reading Hail Mary but have barely started.

QOTW:
Roxanne Gay

[Nonny]

I'm reading Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries, which is both hilarious and absolutely fascinating. It's taking me a long time to get through though, because I keep stopping to look up words - half of the time because the book is expanding my vocabulary, and half of the time because Kory Stamper will make a casual reference to something about the word, and then I'm like, wait, what?  And I have to delve just a tiny bit deeper.

There is also some great footnotes. I'm in the chapter right now that's called something like "irregardless, made up words" and she was talking about how people hate the word irregardless even more than the word moist and there was a footnote for moist noting that it was a perfectly cromulent word (even more hilarious, my browser is now flagging "irregardless" and suggesting regardless, but takes no issue with "cromulent"). 

I'm also beta reading another of my book group member's books. This one I would describe as magical realism for an adult audience. I don't read a lot of magical realism, and it's really well written, but I'm taking is slow like I always do so I can provide accurate and helpful notes. I'd call this book at least 90% done, unlike my other friend's middle grade, that was maybe 50% of the way there.

QOTW: TJ Klune immediately comes to mind, just because I read it recently everyone else seems to have loved The House in the Cerulean Sea, and I thought it was overly twee, and just not well written at all. There are definitely others. LOL! I'm very picky.

[litskispeciality]

I made really good progress on "How to Murder Your Life", and I just barely started "A Reliable Wife".

QOTW: Don't flame me for this, but I haven't had luck with Neil Gainman. Maybe I'm reading it wrong?

I didn't love 9 Perfect Strangers, but I'll probably tune in to the show. I was surprised at the cast, I figured it would be more B list. I haven't watched "Panic" on Amazon Prime yet either, but I don't think I'm missing much lol.