I’m almost done listening to Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr (author of All the Light You Cannot See). It’s freaking amazing. It’s a little weird - has multiple timelines ranging from Ancient Greece to the future but you care so much about all of the characters in each one. It’s about the power of books and stories but not in a cheesy sentimental way. I am loving it and will be sad to finish. Excellent on audio!
I also recently loved Matrix by Lauren Groff. Who knew that a story about a medieval abbey would be so fascinating! Its fiercely feminist - the author wanted to write a book without men and she did! Was also great in audio (and much shorter than Cloud Cuckoo Land)
If you’re looking for more of a thriller, I really enjoyed Never Saw Me Coming by Vera Kulian. About psychopaths (the diagnosed kind) who are in a special study on a college campus. And then people start dying. It was very cleverly done and I was impressed it was a debut.
I’ve been on a WW2 kick lately. I just finished Forest of the Vanishing Stars. It’s the 10th WW2 historical fiction I’ve read since June. I’ve been trying to figure out why I am so drawn to the subject, and I think it’s the hope and resilience in the darkest times, because we are in dark times now.
And then I took a break to read Nomandland for a book club I just joined. That was a whole other type of depressing, without much hope at the end.
For fans of alternative timeline stories, you would probably like the Midnight Library.
I just read it for book club and the book club folks gave it universally good reviews.
LOVED Midnight Library.
Just finished Mexican Gothic.
Also loved it, but know that it really takes its time setting up. Just go with it, it gets really good! I liken it to reading an X-files episode. You know somethings off, but can’t figure out what’s what, then you start questioning some things, then it gets wild.
On the plane I read The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano about a woman who doesn’t want to have kids and her husband originally agreed, but changes his mind and then it splits into (eventually) 9 different realities based on what she does next. I really liked it, but I’m a sucker for alternate timelines/time travel/parallel universe stories. I love all of them lol.
Me too! Please tell you’ve read Life After Life by Kate Atkinson! One of my all time favorites.
Post by gerberdaisy on Oct 18, 2021 6:16:08 GMT -5
so far this month, I've read:
A special place for women: enjoyed it How to Stop time: Really liked it. After Midnight library, I wanted to read more of Matt Haig's books and this did not disappoint. The Boy from the Woods by Harlan Corbin: book club book, it was fine, most people either didn't like or thought it was okay. The ending was horrible, but obvious it was setting up for a sequel. The last thing he told me: ok, kept my attention, but just a little too much Camino Island by John Grisham: book club book. I enjoyed it, I think I'm just getting tired of mysteries that don't have something else behind it.
I've been in a reading slump. I haven't picked up a book in weeks. I had a stack of books from the library that I never even looked at before I had to return them.
Hoping this thread will give me some motivation. I just looked at my library account and I have We Are Not Like Them available for pickup. Going to grab that today and hopefully get back into the reading game.
I recently finished Where the Grass is Green and the Girls Are Pretty. You would think it would be a book about Guns N Roses but no it's Lauren Weisberger's newest book. Her books are always ridiculous and this one was, too, but I still liked it.
On the plane I read The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano about a woman who doesn’t want to have kids and her husband originally agreed, but changes his mind and then it splits into (eventually) 9 different realities based on what she does next. I really liked it, but I’m a sucker for alternate timelines/time travel/parallel universe stories. I love all of them lol.
Me too! Please tell you’ve read Life After Life by Kate Atkinson! One of my all time favorites.
I love Kate Atkinson, but found this book too upsetting to finish, given the subject matter.
And then I took a break to read Nomandland for a book club I just joined. That was a whole other type of depressing, without much hope at the end.
I loved Nomadland, but it is so bleak.
Emily St John Mandel's book The Glass Hotel (fiction) touches on some of the same themes. Unlike Station Eleven, this book is not science fiction, but has some of the same characters (takes place before Station Eleven).
Just finished The Rose Code, about code breakers at Bletchley Park during WWII. Good book, maybe a smidge too long though.
I have The Personal Librarian and The Paper Palace that both came in as library holds at the same time, not sure I'm going to get through both of those before they're due back though.
Post by BillyJoelLover on Oct 18, 2021 7:50:05 GMT -5
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
I’m having a hard time finishing it. I’m enjoying the story line itself but her constant use of a million analogies is super annoying. Just get to the point Glennon.
In the last month: Girls with Bright Futures by Tracy Dobmeier, loosely based on the Varsity Blues college admission scandal. Mary Jane by Jessica Blau, teenage girl is a summer nanny for a doctor with a famous client What Comes After by Joann Tompkins, mysterious girl turns up in town pregnant after 2 HS boys are killed Count the Ways by Joyce Maynard, follows a couple from early days of dating through marriage and kids Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas, prequel to The Hate U Give
And then I took a break to read Nomandland for a book club I just joined. That was a whole other type of depressing, without much hope at the end.
I loved Nomadland, but it is so bleak.
Emily St John Mandel's book The Glass Hotel (fiction) touches on some of the same themes. Unlike Station Eleven, this book is not science fiction, but has some of the same characters (takes place before Station Eleven).
I LOVED Station Eleven, but didn’t really enjoy The Glass Hotel as much. I know they’re super different, but it just wasn’t as captivating.
Emily St John Mandel's book The Glass Hotel (fiction) touches on some of the same themes. Unlike Station Eleven, this book is not science fiction, but has some of the same characters (takes place before Station Eleven).
I LOVED Station Eleven, but didn’t really enjoy The Glass Hotel as much. I know they’re super different, but it just wasn’t as captivating.
I kept on waiting for the shoe to drop in The Glass Hotel given the subject matter of Station Eleven. Felt a little weird that it wasn't dystopian.
Post by litskispeciality on Oct 18, 2021 12:39:27 GMT -5
I'm jealous of those of you going on planes.
7costanza, curious to hear your thoughts on The Lost Village. I just finished that too. It was good, but almost nothing like how it was billed? Also major, major mental health TW, and almost were they speaking bad about mental illness? Overall not a bad read if you know that going in.
I also finished Dear Evan Hansen
I started "The Best of Friends" (a Kindle book) and "True Crime Addict"
7costanza, curious to hear your thoughts on The Lost Village. I just finished that too. It was good, but almost nothing like how it was billed? Also major, major mental health TW, and almost were they speaking bad about mental illness? Overall not a bad read if you know that going in.
I also finished Dear Evan Hansen
I started "The Best of Friends" (a Kindle book) and "True Crime Addict"
I thought it was ok, I agree there was definitely a vibe of “depressed people are dangerous and scary and can snap at any moment”. I was hoping for a scary story, but while a few parts were suspenseful I wasn’t really scared. I also really did not like the ending, it was so unrealistic! Not so much the explanation for the disappearance but what happened in the intervening years.
Emily St John Mandel's book The Glass Hotel (fiction) touches on some of the same themes. Unlike Station Eleven, this book is not science fiction, but has some of the same characters (takes place before Station Eleven).
I LOVED Station Eleven, but didn’t really enjoy The Glass Hotel as much. I know they’re super different, but it just wasn’t as captivating.
I felt the opposite. Really liked the Glass Hotel. Station Eleven was fine, but I didn’t love it.
Let me guess: 550+ pages of explanations about every person, rock, and morsel in existence followed by 3 pages of rushed wrap-up with no explanation?
I will never understand his success.
Sometimes it can be tedious but I truly have loved some of his books. My favorites that stand out are 11/22/63 and hearts in Atlantis.
I think 11/22/63 is a perfect example of what I described. It was sooo good and intricate for about the first 2/3 - I really got a feeling for the time and place it was set - but then it's like he was rushed into finishing it and just completely crapped the bed with the ending. Entirely unsatisfying ending, and no explanations for anything.
Hating on Stephen King is one of my hills to die on, and I fully appreciate I will not win this war. 😂