The Great Carpezio
Pearl Clutcher
Something profound goes here.
Posts: 2,930 
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Post by The Great Carpezio on Aug 2, 2015 16:31:10 GMT
It was a slow reading this week for me. I only completed one book, but I have a couple nonfiction "long haul" books I'm reading in the background. One is the Quron which, to be Minnesota nice, is "interesting" and could, "maybe", use an editor. (I know it's meant to be memorized and oral, so I "get" why its written the way it is, but, well, it is "interesting.)"
So, I read The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Henry Fry. This one has been out for a while, but I really enjoyed this journey story. It is a fairly simple and cute story on the outside, but there are some pretty tough topics it tackles along the way. Aging, grief, regrets, relationships, mindfulness, depression, etc...
What are you reading this week?
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Post by sues on Aug 2, 2015 17:23:19 GMT
I finished The Rosie Project and LOVED it. I just flew through that book.
I went right into The Rosie Effect, since it was available - and this one is stressing me out a little. There are too many bad decisions being made, layered one after the other.
My purse book is A is for Alibi. I know. It's super old. I've seen the alphabet titles for decades and wondered about them. The book was on a used shelf at the library, so I grabbed it for less than $1. So far, so good- but I'm not that far into it.
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paigepea
Drama Llama
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Posts: 5,609
Location: BC, Canada
Jun 26, 2014 4:28:55 GMT
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Post by paigepea on Aug 2, 2015 17:25:06 GMT
Last week I finished A FaLL OF MARIGOLDS by Susan Meissner. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it. I added it at the end of last weeks thread that I'd finished it and loved it but don't know if it was seen because I added it during the week, so I just wanted to make sure to reiterate here. It was written well, back and forth in time between a woman who lost her husband on 9/11 and a nurse who works on Ellis island accepting immigrants, and it is how both of their lives are changed due to a chance encounter with a scarf.
I'm now half way through WHEN THE MOON IS LOW by Nadia Hashimi. It is a new release, second novel by this writer, about a woman and her children escaping the Taliban regime in Aphganistan. It is well written and very interesting. I'm enjoying it so far.
Looking forward to to hearing what everyone else is reading.
Paige.
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akathy
What's For Dinner?
Still peaing from Podunk!
Posts: 4,546
Location: North Dakota
Jun 25, 2014 22:56:55 GMT
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Post by akathy on Aug 2, 2015 18:18:48 GMT
I read The Color of Secrets. It was about an English woman and the daughter she had with a black American serviceman during WWII. I found it very interesting.
I'm now reading Crooked Little Lies.
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Post by sues on Aug 2, 2015 18:22:22 GMT
I read The Color of Secrets. It was about an English woman and the daughter she had with a black American serviceman during WWII. I found it very interesting. I'm now reading Crooked Little Lies. I just finished Crooked Little Lies right before The Rosie Project. I'll be interested to hear if you like it or not. |
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Post by cindyupnorth on Aug 2, 2015 18:25:28 GMT
I finished "The Truth According to Us" by Annie Barrows. I liked it. I wrote about it in last wks thread. I give it a 8/10.
Now I am starting "How to start a fire" By lisa Lutz. It was recommended on here. so far it's been ehhhh. So we will see.
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Post by littlebee0408 on Aug 2, 2015 18:36:44 GMT
Hi everyone!
I read 2 books this week. One great and one not so good, so it balances out.
First up was Luckiest Girl Alive, and I finished it, but didn't really enjoy it much. Two stars.
Next was Judy Blume's latest (and last?). In the Unlikely Event. I enjoyed the stories intertwined in the book, and found myself invested in the characters. I recommend it! 4 stars ( really 4.5)
Now I'm on a Tatiana de Rosnay kick (Sarah's key) reading A Paris Affair and then The Other Story.
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tuesdaysgone
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,832
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Post by tuesdaysgone on Aug 2, 2015 18:45:41 GMT
Reality is crashing down on me (family in town and back to work) so I only had time for one this week.
Ghettoside: A True Story of Murder in America. The book was written by a journalist for the LA Times and chronicles the gang violence and crime in South Central Los Angles. It focuses on one particular murder of a young black man but also covers other cases. It was an eye opening account of what life is like in the inner city. I don't agree with all her views from a sociological perspective, but she presents her argument well and has spent much of her career studying this social climate and the violence that is so prevalent in this area. It was a very interesting read.
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Post by hmp on Aug 2, 2015 19:25:49 GMT
I read "As You Wish" by Cary Elwes this weekend. He played Westly in The Princess Bride. It is about the making of the movie. If you like the movie you'll enjoy the book. It's a charming bit of fluff and makes for a good summer read.
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Post by guzismom on Aug 2, 2015 21:21:46 GMT
Just returned from vacation and picked up Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee. I hope I won't regret it....
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Post by auntkelly on Aug 2, 2015 21:29:17 GMT
I just finished A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. It was okay, but I thought it could have been half as long as it was. It was one of the few times I have read a book and thought the movie would be better than the book.
I am in the mood for a nonfiction book, so I am starting Victoria: A Life by A. N. Wilson, a biography of Queen Victoria.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 19, 2024 8:13:49 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2015 22:25:52 GMT
Listening to The Girl He left Behind. Very hard to follow while listening. I think I am going to have to read it to get all the details I keep missing. One click digital does not allow FF or RW so if you miss something you have to listen to the whole chapter again. Also listened to Oprah's "The Things I know for sure". This is my favorite from it: "I believe that a negative statement is poison. I'm convinced that the negative has power. It lives. And if you allow it to perch in your house, in your mind, in your life, it can take you over. So when the rude or cruel thing is said—the lambasting, the gay bashing, the hate—I say, "Take it all out of my house! Those negative words climb into the woodwork and into the furniture, and the next thing you know they'll be on my skin." Maya Angelou
Also read The Idea of Love..also pretty good. www.amazon.com/Idea-Love-Patti-Callahan-Henry/dp/1250040329/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1438554295&sr=1-1&keywords=the+idea+of+love |
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Post by Legacy Girl on Aug 2, 2015 22:25:47 GMT
I just finished reading Beach Town by Mary Kay Andrews this evening. I enjoyed getting to know the characters in this relatively light, summer read. I gave it four stars on Goodreads.
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GiantsFan
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,294
Site Supporter
Jun 27, 2014 14:44:56 GMT
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Post by GiantsFan on Aug 3, 2015 0:42:04 GMT
I finished A Necessary Evil by Alex Kava. It's the 5th in the Maggie O'Dell series. It was OK. And apparently I'll be reading #6 in the near future, since I accidentally clicked the "buy with 1-click" button for the next in the series. Luckily it was only $4.99.
Currently reading "Where We Belong" by Emily Giffin. And listening to "The Mask" by Taylor Stevens.
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gottapeanow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,752
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Post by gottapeanow on Aug 3, 2015 2:09:28 GMT
While on vacation, I finished The Bone Tree by Greg Isles. It was excellent, and I gave it 5/5 stars.
However, be sure to read Natchez Burning first. So much background is included from this book, and I think it enhances the enjoyment and certainly the context, of The Bone Tree.
I am now reading Landline by Rainbow Roswell. I am not too far in, but enjoying it so far.
Lisa
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Post by maryland on Aug 3, 2015 2:59:58 GMT
I really liked "Finding Jake" and reading The Beach Quilt - Holly Chamberlain and it's good too.
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Post by RobbyKay on Aug 3, 2015 3:12:57 GMT
Hi Reader Peas!
I'm struggling to begin a new novel this week. I've picked up and put down several. I'm slowly working my way through Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
That's all I've got.
Happy Reading!
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Post by pjaye on Aug 3, 2015 3:18:42 GMT
I started the week listening to The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George. Dammit! I was so looking forward to this and it sounded like the sort of book I’d love, but it just wasn’t. The blurb says it’s about a “literary apothecary” a bookseller who can intuit what you need to read and ‘prescribe’ books to heal what ails you. Unfortunately this part was only in the first couple of chapters and then it turned into a sappy romance novel. Set in modern times and written in a very simplistic style that I often like (but this time the author couldn’t pull it off), about a man who sells books on a floating book barge in Paris. Twenty years ago he had a long term affair with a married woman; one day she left him without warning, leaving a letter behind. He refused to read the letter and has lived a lonely & miserable life ever since. Then he reads the letter and sets out to find her. Two male friends join him and from then on it’s just a pathetic trio of men travelling on a boat longing for their women. What a disappointment.
It’s really a 2.5 star read (listen) for me, but I rounded it up to 3 on GR. If you want to read a simple love story, then you’ll probably like it, but I felt the blurb was misleading and it wasn’t what I expected (or wanted) it to be at all.
Next was The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. I wasn't planning to read this just yet but I got the audiobook free via a Goodreads group, so it moved up the list.
It’s set in WW2 in France during the Nazi occupation and tells the story of two sisters and what they did during the war. This was OK, I didn’t love it because I’ve read other books set in the same era that have handled this same subject much better , I also felt the main characters were a bit ‘flat’ and I didn’t really connect with them. Still, it’s hard not to listen to a book on this topic and not be moved, the events that it covers are always heartbreaking. I gave it 3 stars, but I think if someone hasn’t read many WW2 books that cover Nazi occupation/Holocaust etc. then it will probably have more of an impact than it did for me.
Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica. This is a new release (I was first on the list at the library). Set in modern times, middle aged Heidi sees a young homeless girl with a baby and offers to help her…she takes the girl and the baby home with her and from then both of their stories are told in flashbacks. I’m a bit torn on this one. It’s being called a ‘thriller’ but it really is just a sad story about two women that have had horrible things happen to them who end up in a situation that spirals out of control, the characters are likeable and I just felt really sorry for both of them….so it missed the ‘thriller’ aspect for me. However I was totally caught up in their story and wanted to know more and what happened. 4 stars.
I've just started Wolf Winter by Cecilia Ekbäck, set in Swedish Lapland in 1717 about a family who move there to start a new life, one of the first things that happens is their daughter finds the mutilated body of one of their neighbours. I think it will be a bit of a cold and creepy listen!
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Post by pjaye on Aug 3, 2015 3:23:50 GMT
So, I read The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Henry Fry. This one has been out for a while, but I really enjoyed this journey story. It is a fairly simple and cute story on the outside, but there are some pretty tough topics it tackles along the way. Aging, grief, regrets, relationships, mindfulness, depression, etc... What are you reading this week? Are you going to read The Love Story of Miss Queenie Hennessy now? I had about 6 months between the two (waiting for it to come out in audiobook) in hindsight I would have loved to be able to go straight on to the other side of the story. I'd definitely recommend it. I loved Queenie more than Harold.
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Post by smokeynspike on Aug 3, 2015 6:14:58 GMT
I am almost to the end of Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. I am really enjoying reading it, but it is really heartbreaking to think about people who have major disabilities and can't do the things that I take for granted every single day. I'm glad there is a sequel coming out next month because I will be sure to pick it right up. It will be interesting to see what they do with the movie that is coming out in April of next year.
Melissa |
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smginaz Suzy
Pearl Clutcher
Je suis desole.
Posts: 2,606
Jun 26, 2014 17:27:30 GMT
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Post by smginaz Suzy on Aug 3, 2015 6:34:48 GMT
I read Killing Monica by Candace Bushnell, and I think I must just be tired of her. I could not get into the antics of any of the characters.
I also read All the Light We Cannot See which was engaging and at least I cared about the characters, even the ones that were beyond redemption.
I also finished You Couldn't Ignore Me If You Tried: The Brat Pack, John Hughes, and Their Impact on a Generation which was an interesting look at those movies from when I was much younger. It continued to color my personal view of Andrew McCarthy in a less than favorable way. I read McCarthy's book some time ago (The Longest Way Home: One Man's Quest for the Courage to Settle Down) and he just strikes me as a difficult person to like. Not that he gives a shit about my opinion of him in any way. I also was not aware that Hughes turned into a jerk by pretty much everyone's account. Or perhaps the same qualities that made him such an interesting writer exacerbated some of his behaviors. I was engaged in the book, so that's something.
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Post by kristi521 on Aug 3, 2015 13:16:48 GMT
I read Finding Jake from recommendations from this board. It was a fast read. Very heartbreaking story.
Also read Those Girls by Chevy Stevens. For me, it wasn't my favorite from this author.
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pudgygroundhog
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,643
Location: The Grand Canyon
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Post by pudgygroundhog on Aug 3, 2015 13:22:57 GMT
Reality is crashing down on me (family in town and back to work) so I only had time for one this week. Ghettoside: A True Story of Murder in America. The book was written by a journalist for the LA Times and chronicles the gang violence and crime in South Central Los Angles. It focuses on one particular murder of a young black man but also covers other cases. It was an eye opening account of what life is like in the inner city. I don't agree with all her views from a sociological perspective, but she presents her argument well and has spent much of her career studying this social climate and the violence that is so prevalent in this area. It was a very interesting read. I heard an interview with the author on Fresh Air that was good (I haven't read the book). You might like it: Jill Leovy on Fresh Air |
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janeliz
Drama Llama
I'm the Wiz and nobody beats me.
Posts: 5,633
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Post by janeliz on Aug 3, 2015 13:25:53 GMT
I finished Elin Hilderbrand's The Castaways. A few of the characters were really tough to take, but the story held my interest.
In an effort to stave off the winding down of summer break, I decided to pick up another Elin Hilderbrand summertime tale and I'm now reading The Island.
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purplebee
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,734
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Post by purplebee on Aug 3, 2015 13:31:33 GMT
Read the newest by Jane Green, "Summer Secrets"
Kinda fluffy but with a bit of serious about a young woman struggling with alcoholism. OK read, but not as good as some of her others.
Started "Inside The O'Briens" by Lisa Genova as recommended here a while back. Been putting it off, but picked it up last night and it sucked me right in.
Thanks for all the reviews and recommendations. A good part of my reading choices are based on this thread!
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pudgygroundhog
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,643
Location: The Grand Canyon
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Post by pudgygroundhog on Aug 3, 2015 13:40:31 GMT
I finished The Rosie Project and LOVED it. I just flew through that book. I went right into The Rosie Effect, since it was available - and this one is stressing me out a little. There are too many bad decisions being made, layered one after the other. My purse book is A is for Alibi. I know. It's super old. I've seen the alphabet titles for decades and wondered about them. The book was on a used shelf at the library, so I grabbed it for less than $1. So far, so good- but I'm not that far into it. I felt the same thing about the Rosie books. The second lost a lot of the charm and lightness of the first. I'm current on Sue Grafton's books (her latest comes out this year). Some are better than others, but they are always quick, enjoyable reads for me. I really like Kinsey. I finished "The Truth According to Us" by Annie Barrows. I liked it. I wrote about it in last wks thread. I give it a 8/10. Now I am starting "How to start a fire" By lisa Lutz. It was recommended on here. so far it's been ehhhh. So we will see. I read The Truth According to Us recently and thought it was great. I also just discovered she wrote the Ivy and Bean series, which probably helps explain why she writes children characters so well. I haven't posted in these threads in awhile. Recent books I've read that I liked and gave 4/5 stars on Goodreads: The Star Side of Bird Hill by Naomi Jackson Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari Early Warning by Jane Smiley Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf The Rocks by Peter Nichols The Children's Crusade by Ann Packer The Life and Death of Sophie Stark by Anna North I'm almost finished with A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. This book is well written and compelling, but is definitely one of the most depressing books I have ever read. |
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Post by lynnek on Aug 3, 2015 15:02:30 GMT
I too read The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah last week. I enjoyed it. I am not sure what to read next. I just need to settle on something and start it. I didn't read at all yesterday which is unheard of for me. I need to get something going!  |
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Post by myliesmom on Aug 3, 2015 15:15:23 GMT
While on vacation, I finished The Bone Tree by Greg Isles. It was excellent, and I gave it 5/5 stars. However, be sure to read Natchez Burning first. So much background is included from this book, and I think it enhances the enjoyment and certainly the context, of The Bone Tree. I am now reading Landline by Rainbow Roswell. I am not too far in, but enjoying it so far. Lisa |
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Post by ingrid6 on Aug 3, 2015 15:16:33 GMT
I am almost to the end of Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. I am really enjoying reading it, but it is really heartbreaking to think about people who have major disabilities and can't do the things that I take for granted every single day. I'm glad there is a sequel coming out next month because I will be sure to pick it right up. It will be interesting to see what they do with the movie that is coming out in April of next year.
Melissa I really enjoyed Me Before you. Thanks for the heads up - I had no idea that there was a sequel coming out. I'll definitely be picking it up. |
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Post by utmr on Aug 3, 2015 15:36:44 GMT
I read Andrew Britton's "The American". 3-ish and meh. Typical terrorist-type thriller. The main character was a jerk and all the women were stupid, beautiful, and falling at his feet. And not to spoil it, but the antagonist turned out to be South African, so even the title made no sense. I have the next in the series on my shelf. It may be a while before I try it.
After that I needed some brain candy, so Maeve Binchy's "Echoes" fit the bill. Sweet, pleasant 1950-60's Ireland. Nothing surprising but sweet and pleasant. 4
John Sanford's "Gathering Prey". It comes to a turning point at the end of the book, so it will be interesting to see where Davenport goes next. I've liked Flowers better than Davenport lately, so I'd like more Virgil please. 4.5
Kevin O'Brien's "Disturbed". An ok story about bad things happening to people on a culdesac street. Ok story, but too coincidental. 3
Nevada Barr "Track of the Cat". 3.5. Not sure what I think if this series yet.
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