cycworker
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,376
Jun 26, 2014 0:42:38 GMT
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Post by cycworker on Jun 28, 2022 1:17:49 GMT
I have now read 3/15 books for this year's Goodreads Reading Challenge. I'm behind, but it's summer break now, so I will catch up. Over the weekend, I finally finished Where'd You Go, Bernadette? and my re-read of Embers: One Ojibiway's Meditations Then I was able to read The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F$ck over the course of about 3 hours on the drive home from a trip. Friend took me to Kelowna for a mix of work & rest. I loved Bernadette. I know some folks thought that a couple of the twists were preposterous - and they were definitely over the top - but it was satire. I think there's value in good satire being over the top. I loved it. Although not a book I would read twice, I do think it did a nice job of both of poking some fun & making some good points. Embers is very much a spiritual book. I read it because I heard a quote from it at our Aboriginal Education grad night one year, and I wanted more. It has some beautiful writing. Think of it as almost a book of devotions, but from a different faith perspective. I thought The Subtle Art... was going to be humour/satire, and it wasn't. I'm glad I got it when I did, because the timing was perfect for me. I can't say it's got much in the way of original ideas, but it's fast paced, easy to read, and the points are valid. I would also say that yes, he swears a fair bit in the first 3 chapters, before he buckles down & gets more serious, so if that's going to offend, give it a miss.
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Post by freecharlie on Jun 28, 2022 5:38:29 GMT
I just finished US Against You by Fredrik Backman. If you'd asked me partway through I'd definitely not have given it 5 stars, but by the end, that is exactly what I am doing.
I have more highlights in this book than I ever have before.
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The Great Carpezio
Pearl Clutcher
Something profound goes here.
Posts: 2,936
Jun 25, 2014 21:50:33 GMT
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Post by The Great Carpezio on Jun 28, 2022 12:07:43 GMT
Carey Ann, I have both those books on my to read list, so good to hear your reviews. I thought nettle and bone looked a bit thin to do a good storyline. Others have complained about the lack of a romantic storyline. So I will see. I was surprised. I felt she crafted it in a way that I was able to fill in the blanks for world building. I read somewhere someone called it a cozy horror-fantasy, and once I read that, I felt it summed it up pretty well. Not an overly memorable book, but it’s quick, smart and probably the shortest fantasy-like novel I’ve ever read.
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Post by Bridget in MD on Jun 28, 2022 14:12:59 GMT
What did you read this week? Here are mine: 🟢 Lessons in Chemistry ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is currently a really popular book, and I totally see why. I will not be surprised if someone has bought the rights to it already. It has that type of vibe. The protagonist is a female chemist in the 1950s and early 60s and has to deal with all the misogyny one would come to expect for a woman of the time. It is a quick and entertaining read, and it touches on all of the current issues women are still encountering today. I think this is a book that can be enjoyed without critiquing too much, but I did have a couple complaints. My main issue is that the antagonists are SOOOOO douchey and horrible that I rolled my eyes a couple of times with the melodrama, and I also felt the narration felt a bit anachronistic. The protagonist was written for a modern white female audience, and she held “all the” modern progressive female traits of today. Of course, many feminists led the way in the 50’s and 60s, but most of them would be deemed “problematic” by today’s standards because they lived in a very different time with a different framework for seeing the world. Hey, I agree it's a great read and recommend the book. I looked forward to each page, but another “reader” friend mentioned the tone was off, and it was a little off for me too. 🟢 Nettle and Bone ⭐⭐️⭐1/2 This is a quirky little fantasy/horror-lite novel (I didn’t think it was very scary). Marra, the protagonist, goes on a quest with a dog made of bones, a chicken possessed by a demon, and a variety of other humans (or are they?), in order to save her sister who is married to an abusive prince. It does a good job of world-building in such a slim novel (under 300 pages), and the quirky characters are warm and made me smile. It follows the traditional hero's journey, I think it will not be a very memorable read, but it certainly was worth reading. I just put Lessons in Chemistry on my reserve list!!! I just finished The Book Woman's Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson. I gave it 3 out of 5 stars. It took me a long time to get back into Cussy's world, and I really don't feel like I got back with the Blue people community. Yes, the prejudice and heartache is there (and even more disgusting, IMO, this time) but I just felt that while Richardson meant for us to pick back up 17 years after BWOTC, I just didn't have that attachment or pull with to it. I also feel like Honey's story and the characters had SO MUCH more to go, and it just ended! Maybe there will be a BW #3? My newest book is A Net for Small Fishes. I also was trying to read A Suitable Boy but just had to put it aside.
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Post by mnmloveli on Jun 28, 2022 16:19:47 GMT
GREAT reading week for me ! THE SPITE GAME (‘18 - READ ‘22) BY ANNA SNOEKSTRA : 4 STARSDESCRIPTION: Mercilessly bullied in high school, Ava knows she needs to put the past behind her and move on, but she can’t—not until she’s exacted precise, catastrophic revenge on the people who hurt her the most. REVIEW: Recommended by my local Library. This is an Australian author’s 3rd and latest book. Her first book, Only Daughter (‘16) has been optioned to be a movie. First book by this author for me and happy to say I like her writing style a lot. Shows the ramifications of what bullying someone as a child can do to their psyche as they enter adulthood. Some bullies never change. If you like revenge type books, this one is for you. The plot does jump around quite a bit but I had no problem keeping up. THE LIES I TELL (‘22) BY JULIE CLARK : 4 STARSDESCRIPTION: Meg Williams. Maggie Littleton. Melody Wilde. Different names for the same person, depending on the town, depending on the job. She's a con artist who erases herself to become whoever you need her to be—a college student. A life coach. A real estate agent. Nothing about her is real. She slides alongside you and tells you exactly what you need to hear, and by the time she's done, you've likely lost everything. Kat Roberts has been waiting ten years for the woman who upended her life to return. And now that she has, Kat is determined to be the one to expose her. REVIEW: First book by this author for me was The Last Flight (‘20) which I gave 4 stars and then jumped right into The Ones We Choose (‘18 - Read ‘20) which also received 4 stars. Compelling story held my curiosity the whole way. I loved how it had two strong women characters, even if one was a con artist. I love the “cat & mouse” plot; intrigued me to see who would make the next smart move. Original storyline for me. Great ending ! LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY (‘22) BY BONNIE GARMUS : 5 STARSDESCRIPTION: Meet Elizabeth Zott: a one-of-a-kind scientist in 1960s California whose career takes a detour when she becomes the unlikely star of a beloved TV cooking show. Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel–prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with—of all things—her mind. REVIEW: Debut book by this author. I think the first reviews for this book were Mystie who liked it but didn’t love it and Rhondito who gave it 5 stars. As of last week, SabrinaP said it was her best book of the year so far and gave it 5 Stars. pjaye 5 stars and had a book hangover after; finaledition 5 stars, very much enjoyed, easy to get into; SockMonkey liked a lot, unexpectedly; mimima only 3/5. pjaye also mentioned this book is being made into a miniseries with Brie Larsen in the main role. I can’t wait for this series! Right off the bat, I love her writing style. Loved & laughed over her discussion with the student’s dad about lunch. By the time I got to the #2 pencil I was hooked and I was only 1/2 way thru the kindle sample. I loved the cleverness and offbeat responses of lots of Elizabeth’s responses - Kudos to the author. Absolutely loved the dog’s role in this story. Everything about this book was perfect for me. Finally, loved the last paragraph of the author’s acknowledgements, which I don’t always read, her apology to her dogs. Let’s all remember to GO NOW ! HAVE A GREAT 4th OF JULY WEEKEND !
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Post by mnmloveli on Jun 28, 2022 16:21:09 GMT
FROM : KING SMOKE NIGHTMARES ! LOL Corrected - should be THE KING OF SMOKE AND NIGHTMARES !
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Post by mnmloveli on Jun 28, 2022 16:38:16 GMT
What did you read this week? Here are mine: 🟢 Lessons in Chemistry ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is currently a really popular book, and I totally see why. I will not be surprised if someone has bought the rights to it already. It has that type of vibe. pjaye mentioned last week that it has already been picked-up for a series with Brie Larsen playing the lead role. Can’t wait to see this.
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Post by mnmloveli on Jun 28, 2022 16:43:13 GMT
Two for me this week. The Overnight Guest - for some reason I thought this was going to be a supernatural type novel and I kept avoiding it. After seeing so many positive reviews about it I decided to give it a chance, and I'm so glad I did. I enjoyed it so much and thought it was a great mystery. 5 stars!
After I finished The Overnight Guest, I jumped right into Before She was Found by the same author and enjoyed it. Not as good, but definitely worth a read.
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Post by mnmloveli on Jun 28, 2022 17:12:08 GMT
I just finished US Against You by Fredrik Backman. If you'd asked me partway through I'd definitely not have given it 5 stars, but by the end, that is exactly what I am doing. I have more highlights in this book than I ever have before. Now you can look forward to book 3, THE WINNER, due out on 10/4/22………….. Two years have passed since the events that no one wants to think about. Everyone has tried to move on, but there’s something about this place that prevents it. The residents continue to grapple with life’s big questions: What is a family? What is a community? And what, if anything, are we willing to sacrifice in order to protect them? As the locals of Beartown struggle to overcome the past, great change is on the horizon. Someone is coming home after a long time away. Someone will be laid to rest. Someone will fall in love, someone will try to fix their marriage, and someone will do anything to save their children. Someone will submit to hate, someone will fight, and someone will grab a gun and walk towards the ice rink. So what are the residents of Beartown willing to sacrifice for their home? Everything !
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Post by finsup on Jun 28, 2022 17:31:29 GMT
I just finished one very long book this week, 11/22/63 by Stephen King. I’ve owned the book since 2012 and was always hesitant to start it because it’s so long. DH decided to read it this summer, so I decided to pick it up too. I really enjoyed the story telling and the way the story unfolded. Stephen King is definitely a master at weaving a story. We’ve also started the Hulu series. So far we are just lukewarm on that. The book gets 4/5 starsFun note: I often used to drive past the place that was the time-travel portal in the book. I just finished listening to To Paradise. Her book a Little Life blew me away. This one was really 3 books in one and the first two parts were 3-star for me but the last was 5-star. I’ve only recently started embracing audiobooks and this was a 28-hour listen. I also read Remarkably Bright Creatures and loved it like many of you. I would have loved more Marcellus the octopus though!
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gina
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,228
Jun 26, 2014 1:59:16 GMT
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Post by gina on Jun 28, 2022 17:42:59 GMT
FROM : KING SMOKE NIGHTMARES ! LOL Kingdom of Sun Ash. I like it!
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Post by freecharlie on Jun 28, 2022 18:38:50 GMT
I just finished US Against You by Fredrik Backman. If you'd asked me partway through I'd definitely not have given it 5 stars, but by the end, that is exactly what I am doing. I have more highlights in this book than I ever have before. Now you can look forward to book 3, THE WINNER, due out on 10/4/22………….. Two years have passed since the events that no one wants to think about. Everyone has tried to move on, but there’s something about this place that prevents it. The residents continue to grapple with life’s big questions: What is a family? What is a community? And what, if anything, are we willing to sacrifice in order to protect them? As the locals of Beartown struggle to overcome the past, great change is on the horizon. Someone is coming home after a long time away. Someone will be laid to rest. Someone will fall in love, someone will try to fix their marriage, and someone will do anything to save their children. Someone will submit to hate, someone will fight, and someone will grab a gun and walk towards the ice rink. So what are the residents of Beartown willing to sacrifice for their home? Everything ! I am very excited about this! The books seem to drag, but at the same time I can't out them down. And while there is a lot and you think he is just filling pages...everything comes back around. I also love how it tackles problems in society without being about specific problems. I have so many highlights from this boom and have started recommending the series to everyone!
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finaledition
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,896
Jun 26, 2014 0:30:34 GMT
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Post by finaledition on Jun 28, 2022 22:30:31 GMT
There is a Swedish adaptation on HBO. It has subtitles. I really enjoyed it.
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Post by freecharlie on Jun 28, 2022 22:56:36 GMT
There is a Swedish adaptation on HBO. It has subtitles. I really enjoyed it. of beartown?
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Post by cadoodlebug on Jun 28, 2022 23:14:31 GMT
There is a Swedish adaptation on HBO. It has subtitles. I really enjoyed it. of beartown? Yes. Despite the hints in the book, DH couldn't believe Beartown was in Sweden!
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Post by monklady123 on Jun 28, 2022 23:36:37 GMT
I've recently finished a few books, since I always read more than one at once. lol The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn -- I've loved all of Quinn's other books, and this one was good also... But maybe not *quite* as good. A lot of it, especially at the beginning, was description about the way and the sniper on the battlefields. I found those parts a slog and I did end up skimming through them. What I didn't know before I started reading is that this female Russian spy was a real person! lol at me... They All Fall Down by Rachel Howzell Hall -- I read this one for a "locked room" prompt for a book group I'm in. It's the usual format of "group gets mysterious invitation to go to a deserted island and one by one they die". Agatha Christie did it better. Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica -- This was a quick read, with a good plot twist that I didn't see coming... And I'm usually pretty good at sniffing out the plot twists before the author tells us. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens -- My book group had a prompt this month for a book set in the 19th century, and I've wanted to read Oliver Twist for a long time. Actually it was a re-read although I read it 100 years ago. lol. I know the whole story line of course, from movies/plays, but I'd forgotten some of the details. The writing style is so much fun and if nothing else Dickens will teach you some new words.
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cycworker
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,376
Jun 26, 2014 0:42:38 GMT
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Post by cycworker on Jun 29, 2022 1:21:36 GMT
The Great Carpezio - what is the violence level of Nettle & Bone? Scary doesn't bother me but I don't do graphic violence. cadoodlebug - same question about The Cage. Will a lot of it gross me out?
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Post by cadoodlebug on Jun 29, 2022 1:58:09 GMT
cadoodlebug - same question about The Cage. Will a lot of it gross me out? I can't recall anything gross. If you mean *slasher* type gross, no.
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ComplicatedLady
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,037
Location: Valley of the Sun
Jul 26, 2014 21:02:07 GMT
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Post by ComplicatedLady on Jun 29, 2022 5:08:13 GMT
FROM : KING SMOKE NIGHTMARES ! LOL The Song Of Wind and Nightmares Not sure about that… Ds is The Daughter of Blood and Nightmares. That sound way cooler.
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Post by pjaye on Jun 29, 2022 5:49:14 GMT
FROM : KING SMOKE NIGHTMARES ! LOL I think you are meant to put 'The' 'of' and 'and' in between. So it would be "The King Of Smoke and Nightmares" Although we could make it a little more inclusive and King & Queen & Ruler like (son/daughter/child) should be interchangeable based on gender identity Mine is The King Of Shadow and Rose but a little tweak would get "The Queen of Shadow & Roses", and yours could be "The Queen (or Ruler) of Smoke & Nightmares" Good titles, but I doubt I'd actually read either of those books...lol
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Post by freecharlie on Jun 29, 2022 15:09:34 GMT
Mone would be The Land of Night and Nightmares.
I imagine it would either be horrible or genius with that name. Nothing in between
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Post by katiescarlett on Jun 29, 2022 15:46:58 GMT
By book would be The Land of Bones and Crows lol
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Post by cadoodlebug on Jun 29, 2022 17:07:18 GMT
The Empire of Fire and Ice.
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Post by catmom on Jun 29, 2022 17:24:33 GMT
This has been a stellar reading week.
I finished The Change by Kirsten Miller. It's a feminist revenge novel with a mystery and magical realism thrown in. It was a fantastic read with great characters. I'm not saying it's a literary masterpiece, but it was a cracking good read. 4.5/5 (realistically a 4/5, but I enjoyed it more than that).
I DNF'd Dial A for Aunties by Jessie Q Sutanto. It's not that the book is bad, I just didn't enjoy it. It's a completely ridiculous fun story with a bit of romcom and cozy murder (sort of) thrown in. So if you're in that mood do give it a try.
Currently reading Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow, Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby van Pelt and Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner- so far all are great.
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Post by freecharlie on Jul 1, 2022 2:33:15 GMT
I finished One of Us is Next by Karen McManus. It was written similar to the first one (one of us is lying) and is definitely young adult, but it is a nice, easy read
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Post by mnmloveli on Jul 1, 2022 3:18:08 GMT
I finished One of Us is Next by Karen McManus. It was written similar to the first one (one of us is lying) and is definitely young adult, but it is a nice, easy read One of Us is Lying was made into a series last year. It’s on Peacock, 8 episodes. I wasn’t a big fan of the book so I haven’t seen the series yet; it’s still on my TBW list.
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hutchfan
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,158
Jul 6, 2016 16:42:12 GMT
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Post by hutchfan on Jul 1, 2022 3:26:06 GMT
The Throne Of Wolfes and Snow for me.
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Post by freecharlie on Jul 1, 2022 3:28:58 GMT
I finished One of Us is Next by Karen McManus. It was written similar to the first one (one of us is lying) and is definitely young adult, but it is a nice, easy read One of Us is Lying was made into a series last year. It’s on Peacock, 8 episodes. I wasn’t a big fan of the book so I haven’t seen the series yet; it’s still on my TBW list. I'll have to get peacock for a month or something to watch that.
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The Great Carpezio
Pearl Clutcher
Something profound goes here.
Posts: 2,936
Jun 25, 2014 21:50:33 GMT
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Post by The Great Carpezio on Jul 1, 2022 3:38:43 GMT
The Great Carpezio - what is the violence level of Nettle & Bone? Scary doesn't bother me but I don't do graphic violence. cadoodlebug - same question about The Cage. Will a lot of it gross me out? It starts out really weirdly and kinda gross? I would say it is not graphic though.
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styxgirl
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,878
Jun 27, 2014 4:51:44 GMT
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Post by styxgirl on Jul 1, 2022 19:47:24 GMT
Over the weekend, I finally finished Where'd You Go, Bernadette? and my re-read of Embers: One Ojibiway's Meditations I loved Bernadette. I know some folks thought that a couple of the twists were preposterous - and they were definitely over the top - but it was satire. I think there's value in good satire being over the top. I loved it. Although not a book I would read twice, I do think it did a nice job of both of poking some fun & making some good points. If I remember correctly, years go, the Peas had a book club with a thread and a book each month and this was one of our reads. I remember enjoying it!
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