The Great Carpezio
Pearl Clutcher
Something profound goes here.
Posts: 2,920 
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Post by The Great Carpezio on May 29, 2023 16:54:19 GMT
I read two books.
🟣Us Against You: Beartown #2
Fredrik Backman
Contemporary Fiction/Hockey/
Swedish
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
This was the second book in the Beartown series. For some reason (I am sure it has nothing to do with the end of the school year and very busy), it took me a while to read this. I flew through the second half of the book though. Backman crafts characters like no other, and I think the omniscient narration makes this novel series stand out so much.
ETA: I took a half point off after thinking about the book a bit more. It was a little slow in the first half imo.
🟣Small Things like These
Fiction/Novella/Ireland
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
This slight novella, carries a lot of weight. It tells the tale of a working man in Ireland in the 1980 who is confronted with some disturbing truths about a local convent and must navigate the moral complexity of doing the right thing. Exquisite, but:
ETA: Again, I took a 1/2 point off after thinking about it. I love that it was such a short novella, and it really was lovely, but I do think it could have been another 20 pages of development (and as much as I do love the ending, it is hard not to want more.)
What did you read this week?
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The Great Carpezio
Pearl Clutcher
Something profound goes here.
Posts: 2,920
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Post by The Great Carpezio on May 29, 2023 18:24:01 GMT
Ok, I am home and posted!
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gottapeanow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,742
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Post by gottapeanow on May 29, 2023 18:26:50 GMT
I finished two.
The One and Only Ruby, which is the third book in Katherine Applegate's adorable series. At the zoo, Ruby learns about friendship and growing up. She learns that it's okay to cry. She learns that we can always hold our memories close in our hearts. 5/5 stars.
I finished No Two Persons, which I adored. It's a story about how a book affects everyone, from the author to others, a bunch of intertwined short stories. It's gorgeous. One story in particular gutted me. 5/5 stars. This will probably be one of my favorite reads of the year.
I'm reading Only the Beautiful by Susan Meisner. Her books are always wonderful.
Lisa
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Post by lainey on May 29, 2023 18:47:33 GMT
I read The Whistling by Rebecca Netley This is a really good Gothic horror. Elspeth goes to work as a nanny on the remote Scottish island of Skelthsea, Mary her new charge hasn't spoken a word since the death of her twin brother William. Things start to go bump in the night and Elspeth doesn't know who to trust or where to turn. Genuinely creepy in parts 4 stars.
The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett I absolutely loved this, written entirely in emails, text/whatsapp messages, scripts, novel extracts and transcripts of coversations this was such an original novel and I couldn't put it down. 5 stars.
Everyone knows the sad story of the Alperton Angels: the cult who brainwashed a teenage girl and convinced her that her newborn baby was the anti-Christ. Believing they had a divine mission to kill the infant, they were only stopped when the girl came to her senses and called the police. The Angels killed themselves rather than stand trial, while mother and baby disappeared into the care system.
Nearly two decades later, true-crime author Amanda Bailey is writing a book on the Angels. The Alperton baby has turned eighteen and can finally be interviewed; if Amanda can find them, it will be the true-crime scoop of the year, and will save her flagging career. But rival author Oliver Menzies is also on the baby's trail.
As Amanda and Oliver are forced to collaborate, they realise that what everyone thinks they know about the Angels is wrong. The truth is something much darker and stranger than they'd ever imagined. And the story of the Alperton Angels is far from over.
I'm now reading Vox by Christina Dalcher
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Mystie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,299
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Post by Mystie on May 29, 2023 21:36:55 GMT
I haven't posted in a while, here are my good ones from the past several months.
I very seldom read romance, but this set of four books was available on Kindle Unlimited. They take place in a little Scottish town, and the adult siblings of a family each (one in each book) build careers and fall in love and the whole thing was really delightful. I was in need of something simple and cozy when I read them and they worked well! The first is The Winter Cottage by Rachael Lucas. (They need to be read in order.)
Five Came Back: A Story of Hollywood and the Second World War by Mark Harris. Non-fiction about five different Hollywood directors who served in the military in WW II and each man's experience. Among the five, they did everything from combat photography to military training films to recording the very first concentration camp footage. I found it all quite interesting. I like reading about classic Hollywood and WW II, so this was just my thing.
Member of the Family by Dianne Lake. Dianne was the only underage member of the Manson family (besides the babies and toddlers.) She wasn't involved in the 1969 killings, but she heard and saw enough afterwards to make her the key witness in the trial of Manson and the other killers. Her story is fascinating--in just a few years her parents moved from middle-class suburbia to homeless hippiedom and took Dianne and her siblings along. Dianne ran away from them at 15 and ended up in the clutches of the Manson family. This was an excellent read.
Fatherland: A Memoir of War, Conscience and Family Secrets by Burkhard Bilger. Bilger's grandfather was a member of the Nazi party in Germany, and was sent to be the schoolmaster and Nazi Party leader in a small town when Germany occupied France in 1940. This is the story of Bilger's years-long efforts to find out who his grandfather was and what his actions were during the war. It was another really interesting story--almost a mystery that unfolds as Bilger travels around Europe looking at archives and interviewing the few people left who were alive back then.
The Creation of Anne Boleyn by Susan Bordo. This is non-fiction; Bordo tells the historical story of Anne Boleyn and then examines the propaganda and myths that grew up around her in her lifetime, and in the centuries after her death. Then she examines the way Anne has been portrayed in fiction, popular history, and movies/series in the last couple hundred years. I enjoyed thinking about the way stories cling to historical figures, whether true or not. It makes me think of that line from Hamilton: "who lives, who dies, who tells your story?"
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mimima
Drama Llama
Stay Gold, Ponyboy
Posts: 5,017
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Post by mimima on May 29, 2023 22:01:27 GMT
I’ve been on a super busy overseas trip (to Israel and Jordan,) and then came home with Covid, so got behind a big long book and a lot of malaise for a bit. I seem to have knocked that down and am fever free, finally, so hoping to see my numbers go back up.
Finished:
Take My Hand by Dolan Perkinz-Valez. While I had a hard time with Civil’s overinvolvement, sometimes, I also appreciated her love for the girls. I vaguely knew about this case, but the details are important and I appreciated spending time learning about that. 3/5 stars.
Column of Fire by Ken Follett – Usually, this is exactly what I want to take on a trip – long, juicy, and engrossing so that I don’t have to take ten books. However, the only one of the three that this one featured was long. I found that there were times that I was sure I’d never finish, and there’s no way I am going to DNF after 750 pages! 2/5 stars.
Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn. For my IRL Book Club. Exactly what I expected. 3/5 stars.
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Post by pjaye on May 30, 2023 4:01:31 GMT
Lying in Wait by Liz NugentThis is an earlier book by the author who wrote Strange Sally Diamond that I recently rated 5 stars. This one is also set in Ireland with a strange cast of characters. A judge and his wife kill a young woman, and bury her in their backyard (not a spoiler as it happens right at the start of the book), The rest of the book is how this horrible secret affects everyone - the family of the missing girl, the couple who did it and their son. Lots of family secrets and one true psychopath. Not as good as Sally Diamond but it kept me interested. 3 stars No Two Persons by Erica BauermeisterI also read this, but didn't love it as much as gottapeanow did. The start is about a young woman and her relationship with her brother, and she writes a book about him, then we see the book go through the hands of several people. It got off to a rocky start for me, because the writing felt clumsy, and I couldn't get into the story at all, but it did get better. My main issue was that it didn't feel like one book, just a series of short stories that has a common character here and there. Some stories were good, some were quite unbelievable. Two stories I loved - the homeless schoolgirl and the book publisher. it ended on a high note so I rounded it up to 4 stars but would have rated it 3.5 on GR if I could. The Institution by Helen Sarah FieldsThis is another really good fast paced mystery/thriller. Set in a high security prison hospital on an island, in the locked ward for the criminally insane, one of the nurses is murdered and her unborn baby is cut out of her and is being held for ransom. An FBI forensic profiler has been called in to try to determine which inmate might have done it and also to try to find the baby before it's too late. Books like this often annoy me because they are so far fetched that I get annoyed at all the completely impossible things that happen - but this one does a good job of keeping it in the realms of possibility and so it is easy to stay in the story. Lots of twists and turns and I went along for the ride. 4 stars
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Post by mnmloveli on May 30, 2023 17:47:11 GMT
Great reading week for me ! THE LIE MAKER (‘23 - 5 STARS) BY LINWOOD BARCLAYDESCRIPTION : Your dad’s not a good person. Your dad killed people, son. These are some of the last words Jack Givins’ father spoke to him before he was whisked away by witness protection, leaving Jack and his mother to pick up the shattered pieces of their lives as best they could. Years later, Jack is a grown man with problems of his own. He’s a talented but struggling author, barely scraping by on the royalties from his moderately successful first book. So when the U.S. Marshals approach him with a lucrative opportunity, he’s in no position to turn them down. They’re recruiting writers like Jack to create false histories for people in witness protection—people like Jack’s father. The coincidence is astonishing to Jack at first, but he soon realizes this may be a chance to find his dad. Only there’s one problem—Jack’s father hasn’t made contact with his handlers recently, and they have no idea where he is. He could be in serious danger, and Jack may be the only one who can find him. REVIEW : I have read 14 previous books by Mr. Barclay, (10) 4/5 stars, (1) 3 star and (3) 1 star. His most recent book, Look Both Ways (‘22) I gave 5 Stars and his previous four other books, Take Your Breath Away (‘22), Find You First (‘21), Elevator Pitch (‘19) and A Noise Downstairs (‘18) all received 4 stars. VERY consistent writer for me. Always love this author’s writing style. This plot is very original for me and I’m enjoying the reveal of all the characters. There’s so many pieces of this puzzle and everyone has me intrigued. The suspense kept up the entire way. Very entertaining from the first page to the last page. BRAVO ! THE SENATOR’S WIFE (‘23 - 3.5 STARS) BY LIV CONSTANTINEDESCRIPTION : After a tragic chain of events led to the deaths of their spouses two years ago, D.C. philanthropist Sloane Chase and Senator Whit Montgomery are finally starting to move on. The horrifying ordeal drew them together, and now they're ready to settle down again—with each other. As Sloane returns to the world of White House dinners and political small talk, this time with her new husband, she's also preparing for an upcoming hip replacement—the latest reminder of the lupus diagnosis she's managed since her twenties. With both of their hectic schedules, they decide that hiring a home health aide will give Sloane the support and independence she needs post-surgery. And they find the perfect fit in Athena Karras. Seemingly a godsend, Athena tends to Sloane, and even helps her run her charitable foundation. But Sloane slowly begins to deteriorate—a complication, Athena explains, of Sloane's lupus. As weeks go by, Sloane becomes sicker, and her uncertainty quickly turns to paranoia as she begins to suspect the worst. Why is Athena asking her so many probing questions about her foundation—about her past? And could Sloane be imagining the sultry looks between Athena and her new husband? REVIEW : Previous books by this author (really two sisters!) were Stranger in the Mirror (‘21 - 5 Stars), The Wife Stalker ('20 - 4 Stars), The Last Time I Saw you ('19 - 3 Stars) and The Last Mrs. Parrish ('17 - Read '18 - 5 Stars). I had high hopes for this book that did not pan-out. At 45% the story is very slow so far. Nothing much happening. Hoping it picks up soon since many reviews mention twists in the last half. I barely made it through this book. The ending only got this book an extra 1/2 star. It didn’t make the read worth it. Very disappointed. NO TWO PERSONS (‘23 - 5 STARS) BY ERICA BAUERMEISTER DESCRIPTION : Alice has always wanted to be a writer. Her talent is innate, but her stories remain safe and detached, until a devastating event breaks her heart open, and she creates a stunning debut novel. Her words, in turn, find their way to readers, from a teenager hiding her homelessness, to a free diver pushing himself beyond endurance, an artist furious at the world around her, a bookseller in search of love, a widower rent by grief. Each one is drawn into Alice’s novel; each one discovers something different that alters their perspective, and presents new pathways forward for their lives. Together, their stories reveal how books can affect us in the most beautiful and unexpected of ways—and how we are all more closely connected to one another than we might think. REVIEW : First book by this author for me. Saw it talked about on last week’s thread. gottapeanow was reading next and looking forward to it; I see she finished and gave 5 stars. pjaye was also reading next and I see she finished, 3.5 Stars, and didn’t like it as much as gottapeanow and me. I liked the writing. I’ve heard this book sort of turns into 9 short stories of how the authors first novel affects them and some of these lives cross in the end. I flew thru this book. I enjoyed the individual stories and thought the ending, which tied some characters together was awesome. I found myself wishing that some of the individual stories went on further. I also wish there was a way to “hear” Theo’s whole story. Enjoyed this book immensely even though it wasn’t my usual thriller/mystery genre. Some quotes from the book that stuck with me………. * WANDERING IS A GIFT GIVEN ONLY TO THE LOST. * WE’RE ALL CARETAKERS OF THE STORIES. * ALL THAT MATTERS IS THAT WE TRY. * NO MATTER HOW GOOD A BOOK IS, SOMEONE WILL HATE IT AND THEYRE LIKELY TO TELL YOU; BUT AS LONG AS THAT BOOK IS ONLY IN YOUR HEAD, IT IS STILL PERFECT. Happy Reading ! |
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Post by roundtwo on May 30, 2023 18:33:18 GMT
Outline by Rachel Cusk
"An English woman writer flies to Athens to teach a summer writing workshop. On the plane, she meets an older Greek bachelor who tells her about his two failed marriages. The next day she meets with an Irish colleague from the writing school who also tells her his life story. In every chapter, the writer meets people and engages in long conversations on topics such as love, fiction, marriage, and intimacy."
This was for book club and only one liked it but when asked why, she couldn't explain it. It did spark some good discussion though.
The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson
"An uplifting and inspiring novel based on the true story of a librarian who created an underground shelter during World War II."
I enjoy historical fiction and reading stories about the home front during WWII. Those stories are often hard to read and this novel includes more than just a few of those, but overall it was uplifting. While the end was a little rushed, I did enjoy the book. The connection to Canada was pretty cool as well.
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hutchfan
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,104
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Post by hutchfan on May 30, 2023 18:51:59 GMT
I read Twice In A Blue Moon by Christina Lauren and this was one of my favorites by them.
During a whirlwind 2 week vacation abroad Sam and Tate fell for each other in the way that only first loves do sharing all their hopes, dreams and deepest secrets along the way. Sam was the first and only person who Tate-the long lost daughter of one of the world's biggest film stars-ever revealed her identity to. So when it became clear her trust was misplaced, her world shattered for good.
14 years later, Tate now an up and coming actress, only thinks about her first love every once in a blue moon. When she steps onto the set of her big break, he's the last person she expects to see. Yet here Sam is, the same charming confident guy she knew, but even more alluring than she remembers. Forced to confront the man who betrayed her, Tate must ask herself if it's possible to do the wrong thing for the right reason and whether "once in a lifetime " can come around twice.
This book has such a wonderful cast of characters, great loves that tie together and beautiful scenery.
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Post by freecharlie on May 31, 2023 0:09:29 GMT
🟣Us Against You: Beartown #2 Fredrik Backman Contemporary Fiction/Hockey/ Swedish ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 This was the second book in the Beartown series. For some reason (I am sure it has nothing to do with the end of the school year and very busy), it took me a while to read this. I flew through the second half of the book though. Backman crafts characters like no other, and I think the omniscient narration makes this novel series stand out so much. ETA: I took a half point off after thinking about the book a bit more. It was a little slow in the first half imo. So far, I've loved everything I've read from him. I do think the front end typically goes slow, but by the end it doesn't matter and I've loved the book |
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Post by smalltowngirlie on May 31, 2023 15:46:27 GMT
🟣Us Against You: Beartown #2 Fredrik Backman Contemporary Fiction/Hockey/ Swedish ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 This was the second book in the Beartown series. For some reason (I am sure it has nothing to do with the end of the school year and very busy), it took me a while to read this. I flew through the second half of the book though. Backman crafts characters like no other, and I think the omniscient narration makes this novel series stand out so much. ETA: I took a half point off after thinking about the book a bit more. It was a little slow in the first half imo. So far, I've loved everything I've read from him. I do think the front end typically goes slow, but by the end it doesn't matter and I've loved the book I am reading the third book now, The Winners, and have struggled through the first half. I had to step away for a little bit. I have promised myself to pick it up again this weekend. I just feel like there is a lot of extra in this book so far, meaning he is using a lot of words to say very little. A good editor would have helped. At least I feel that way. |
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Post by compeateropeator on May 31, 2023 16:49:09 GMT
So far, I've loved everything I've read from him. I do think the front end typically goes slow, but by the end it doesn't matter and I've loved the book I am reading the third book now, The Winners, and have struggled through the first half. I had to step away for a little bit. I have promised myself to pick it up again this weekend. I just feel like there is a lot of extra in this book so far, meaning he is using a lot of words to say very little. A good editor would have helped. At least I feel that way. I wonder if it is because of the translation? I believe he writes in Swedish. I love his books. I have not read The Winners yet, but my father has and enjoyed it. I look forward to reading it. |
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Rhondito
Pearl Clutcher
MississipPea
Posts: 4,661
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Post by Rhondito on May 31, 2023 17:05:20 GMT
I finished one:
The Second Life of Mirielle West by Amanda Skenandore This story takes place in the 1920s and is based on America's only leper colony in Carville, Louisiana. Mirielle West is a Hollywood socialite who is banished to Carville after suddenly being diagnosed with leprosy. Once there, she finds a life that is completely different to the one she had in California. 4 stars.
(This book is available on Kindle Unlimited for anyone who may be interested.)
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edie3
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,466
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Post by edie3 on May 31, 2023 17:37:28 GMT
I am reading The Measure and it is really good so far.
A luminous, spirit-lifting blockbuster that asks: would you choose to find out the length of your lif
Eight ordinary people. One extraordinary choice.
It seems like any other day. You wake up, pour a cup of coffee, and head out.
But today, when you open your front door, waiting for you is a small wooden box. This box holds your fate inside: the answer to the exact number of years you will live.
From suburban doorsteps to desert tents, every person on every continent receives the same box. In an instant, the world is thrust into a collective frenzy. Where did these boxes come from? What do they mean? Is there truth to what they promise?
As society comes together and pulls apart, everyone faces the same shocking choice: Do they wish to know how long they’ll live? And, if so, what will they do with that knowledge?
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Post by smalltowngirlie on May 31, 2023 19:07:44 GMT
I am reading the third book now, The Winners, and have struggled through the first half. I had to step away for a little bit. I have promised myself to pick it up again this weekend. I just feel like there is a lot of extra in this book so far, meaning he is using a lot of words to say very little. A good editor would have helped. At least I feel that way. I wonder if it is because of the translation? I believe he writes in Swedish. I love his books. I have not read The Winners yet, but my father has and enjoyed it. I look forward to reading it. I loved his first 2 books and could barely put them down. Maybe I had too high of expectations for this one, but it just does not feel the same for me. |
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Post by katiescarlett on May 31, 2023 19:43:41 GMT
I have started and stopped several books this week because they didn't grab me, or I wasn't in the right mood. This morning I started No Two Persons which was recommended here and I am really enjoying it so far!
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Post by cadoodlebug on May 31, 2023 23:13:00 GMT
Last week I finished an older book Winter in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand. As the book was nearing its end, I was panicked because there were a few major loose ends. Then I discovered it is a trilogy! Luckily the next two books are readily available. 4/5 stars
I just now finished The Lie Maker by Linwood Barclay who is a favorite author of ours. A twisty thriller. 4/5 stars
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Post by kluski on Jun 1, 2023 2:55:09 GMT
Just finished The Housemaid. I know, I’m late to the game. Work gets in the way of reading! I enjoyed it although it felt familiar. Onto book two…
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Post by trixiecat on Jun 1, 2023 11:32:07 GMT
I just finished The Butcher. It may or may not have been recommended on here. I give it 4 stars. It kept my interest the whole time and I wondered how it would end. It was interesting in that you knew who The Butcher was from close to the beginning of the book.
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Bridget in MD
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,006
Member is Online
Jun 25, 2014 20:40:00 GMT
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Post by Bridget in MD on Jun 1, 2023 13:57:56 GMT
3 Stars for Everything for You by Chloe Liese. This was my least favorite one in the series so far. The clear inspiration from Ted Lasso was just too blatant (and I love TL). But Olliver as Ted, and Gavin as a blatant Roy Kent (right down to the OI! expression) just didn't seem to jive. I also never enjoyed the Viggo/Olliver relationship - the pranking is just so juvenile and gets old. While the series increased by 4 years (I assume so CL can write Ziggy's and Viggo's stories soon, asthey are the youngest) It's hard to take the developing romance seriously with all the pranks added into it. The characters aged 4 years but not emotionally.
4 Stars for Falling by T.J. Newman. This is an action movie in book format. The pilot's family is kidnapped and his has to decide: crash the plane or ignore those orders and his family is killed. It's not deep, but it is entertaining.
3 Stars for Happy Place by Emily Henry. If this is supposed to be a summer, light-hearted rom-com book, this ain't it. Harriet & Wyn are part of a super tight college friend group. There was reluctance for them to start dating bc if they broke up, they were worried it would break up the group. Like custody battle over friends. Well, they break up and don't tell the friends, who are now gathering for one last week at a summer house in Maine, to relive the glory days. Wyn & Harriet agree to pretend to be together, and tell the friends after. The characters are quirky, the banter is fun, but the relationships seem... super forced. Ya, we all want to stay in that time where we have the BEST friends and all the inside jokes and feel the love but we also have to accept growth and growing pains. But the growth in this story just... hurts. Mostly bc the characters are so hellbent on nodding to thier past instead of embracing and shaping their futures.
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peaname
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,389
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Post by peaname on Jun 1, 2023 16:50:36 GMT
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
I listened to this on Audible, narrated by the author. Five stars, a great memoir.
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Post by pjaye on Jun 2, 2023 0:48:50 GMT
4 Stars for Falling by T.J. Newman. This is an action movie in book format. The pilot's family is kidnapped and his has to decide: crash the plane or ignore those orders and his family is killed. It's not deep, but it is entertaining. I enjoyed it as well. The author is/was a flight attendant so the detail about those parts will be quite accurate. Her new book has just been released - Drowning and I'll probably read it in the next couple of weeks. |
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Post by mnmloveli on Jun 2, 2023 1:07:09 GMT
4 Stars for Falling by T.J. Newman. This is an action movie in book format. The pilot's family is kidnapped and his has to decide: crash the plane or ignore those orders and his family is killed. It's not deep, but it is entertaining. I enjoyed it as well. The author is/was a flight attendant so the detail about those parts will be quite accurate. Her new book has just been released - Drowning and I'll probably read it in the next couple of weeks. I’m in the middle of her new book, Drowning and it’s just as good as Falling which was bought by Universal Studios in a seven figure deal. The author is writing the screenplay and will be an executive producer also. |
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