The Great Carpezio
Pearl Clutcher
Something profound goes here.
Posts: 2,930 
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Post by The Great Carpezio on Mar 19, 2018 2:35:54 GMT
Calling all readers!
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hutchfan
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,134
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Post by hutchfan on Mar 19, 2018 3:33:48 GMT
I read The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah .
I still love The Nightingale best of all by her.
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Mystie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,299
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Post by Mystie on Mar 19, 2018 3:40:59 GMT
I read America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray, a novel about Thomas Jefferson's daughter Martha Jefferson Randolph. It was excellent.
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gottapeanow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,752
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Post by gottapeanow on Mar 19, 2018 6:01:09 GMT
hutchfan , you might want to hide your comment about The Great Alone as a spoiler for others who haven't read it yet.  My son was on spring break this week, so I got some extra reading in. First, I read No Exit by Taylor Adams. This is an indie published book, and I thought it was very well-done. Darby, who is 19 or 20, is driving through a snowstorm in Colorado and gets trapped at a truck stop with four other people. While there, she stumbles across a little girl locked in a van. But who kidnapped her? Cell service is down, and who knows when help will arrive. Here's a little more info. Excellent plot and premise. Much too violent. Loved the twists. Darby is a hero. Jaybird is an even bigger hero. Needed a bit more editing of structural issues. 4/5 stars Next, I finished An American Marriage by Tayari Jones. Everything works here -- the plot, the premise, the characters. Even so, I was underwhelmed. 3/5 stars Next up was The French Girl by Lexie Elliot. Six friends enjoy a week-long holiday in France. But the next-door neighbor, Severine, the French Girl, goes missing. Ten years later, her body is found. Now five of the friends (one is now deceased) are under suspicion. This had a bit of a supernatural vibe that I thought went a bit too far. I got tired of these types of sentences, "Tom is Tom, or is he?" "Lara is Lara but maybe not." No. Just no. But I thought the plot was quite well done, and the characters nicely developed. 4/5 stars. And finally, I am still in somewhat of a book hangover as I just finished Girls Burn Brighter, the stunning debut from Shobha Rao. All the book feels. Content warning: Extreme violence, horrendous physical and sexual abuse, rape, sexual slavery, and more. A one-sentence summary: This novel follows two friends who are torn apart by horrible circumstances across India, Dubai, and the U.S. I had to stop and catch my breath in a few spots. Despite the horrors, the beautiful literary writing and the precious friendship and incredible bonds between these two women made it worth it. However, toward the end of the book, I do felt that the violence became a bit gratuitous. 5/5 stars and definitely a favorite read of the year. Lisa
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Post by PolarGreen12 on Mar 19, 2018 6:54:55 GMT
hutchfan , you might want to hide your comment about The Great Alone as a spoiler for others who haven't read it yet. Lisa Too late 😔 |
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tuesdaysgone
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,832
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Post by tuesdaysgone on Mar 19, 2018 9:48:03 GMT
It is my life long ambition to read every book that has won the Booker Prize for fiction; and it will take a life time!
I just finished the 1992 winner Sacred Hunger and it was excellent. At over 600 pages, it was a commitment but I loved every page. Set in the 18th century, the novel follows a slave ship as it leaves England headed to Africa. On the last leg of the voyage to Jamacia there is a mutiny and the survivors are cast ashore in southern Florida. A second plot line follows the life of the ship owner's son and his obession with finding the ship. Of course parts of the book are very brutal and at times difficult to read, but even the most awful events from history need to be chronicled and understood. This novel does an outstanding job of helping us take a look back at this terrible time.
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lesley
Drama Llama
My best friend Turriff, desperately missed.
Posts: 7,180
Location: Scotland, Scotland, Scotland
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Post by lesley on Mar 19, 2018 9:56:26 GMT
hutchfan , you might want to hide your comment about The Great Alone as a spoiler for others who haven't read it yet. Lisa Too late 😔  Yup.  |
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Post by tara595 on Mar 19, 2018 11:58:22 GMT
I also read The Great Alone this week, and I absolutely loved it. I'm having a major book hangover and don't want to start another book because this one was so good, but it also got me excited for more great reading. I highly recommend it!
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Post by jassy on Mar 19, 2018 12:15:10 GMT
I read The Bear and The Nightingale by Katherine Arden. I'm really not sure how this book got on my radar - maybe here? I never read fantasy but I liked it! It's set in the 14th century in Russia. The main character is a girl with the gift of second sight who is stuck in the midddle of a clash between the old ways and old gods and Christianity. It reads like a dark fairy tale, and I found it quite compelling and enjoyable. I do think this would be a hard book to keep track of on audio unless you are familiar with Russian words and naming structure. Like the main characater Vasilisa is also called Vasya and Vasiloshka - all those Russian diminutives are hard to keep track of when you are dealing with so many characters. 4/5.
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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 Mar 19, 2018 12:36:41 GMT
The Wife by Alafair Burke. This one has a lot of great reviews on Goodreads, but it was a swing and a miss for me. One dimensional characters and a twist that was supposed to be thrilling but was instead totally underwhelming.
Her Final Breath by Robert Dugoni. This is the second book in the Tracy Crosswhite series. I listened to it on Audible (free with my Kindle Unlimited—-love that!) while I painted a few rooms and it was perfect. Suspenseful and engaging. I’ll definitely continue with this series.
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pudgygroundhog
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,643
Location: The Grand Canyon
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Post by pudgygroundhog on Mar 19, 2018 13:16:12 GMT
I read:
The Maze at Windermere by Gregory Blake Smith. 4/5 stars.
The Last Coyote (Harry Bosch #4) by Michael Connelly. 3.5/5 stars.
Just started the final book in the Shades of Magic trilogy, A Conjuring of Light. I was going to read Girls Burn Brighter, but it sounds depressing as hell and I wanted something lighter first.
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pudgygroundhog
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,643
Location: The Grand Canyon
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Post by pudgygroundhog on Mar 19, 2018 13:20:26 GMT
And finally, I am still in somewhat of a book hangover as I just finished Girls Burn Brighter, the stunning debut from Shobha Rao. All the book feels. Content warning: Extreme violence, horrendous physical and sexual abuse, rape, sexual slavery, and more. A one-sentence summary: This novel follows two friends who are torn apart by horrible circumstances across India, Dubai, and the U.S. I had to stop and catch my breath in a few spots. Despite the horrors, the beautiful literary writing and the precious friendship and incredible bonds between these two women made it worth it. However, toward the end of the book, I do felt that the violence became a bit gratuitous. 5/5 stars and definitely a favorite read of the year. Lisa I have this one on my Kindle and was going to start it last night, but couldn't stomach it right now and started another book instead. I will probably read it next. I know it's supposed to be really good, but egads, it sounds tough to read (kind of like A Little Life). I used to read a lot more books like this (well written, compelling stories that often have some difficult details), but have found in the past year or so I've gravitated more towards escapist reads. |
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hutchfan
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,134
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Post by hutchfan on Mar 19, 2018 14:08:12 GMT
hutchfan , you might want to hide your comment about The Great Alone as a spoiler for others who haven't read it yet. Lisa Too late 😔 Sorry! |
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hutchfan
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,134
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Post by hutchfan on Mar 19, 2018 14:08:59 GMT
Yup. Sorry! |
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hutchfan
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,134
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Post by hutchfan on Mar 19, 2018 14:34:40 GMT
hutchfan , you might want to hide your comment about The Great Alone as a spoiler for others who haven't read it yet. My son was on spring break this week, so I got some extra reading in. First, I read No Exit by Taylor Adams. This is an indie published book, and I thought it was very well-done. Darby, who is 19 or 20, is driving through a snowstorm in Colorado and gets trapped at a truck stop with four other people. While there, she stumbles across a little girl locked in a van. But who kidnapped her? Cell service is down, and who knows when help will arrive. Here's a little more info. Excellent plot and premise. Much too violent. Loved the twists. Darby is a hero. Jaybird is an even bigger hero. Needed a bit more editing of structural issues. 4/5 stars Next, I finished An American Marriage by Tayari Jones. Everything works here -- the plot, the premise, the characters. Even so, I was underwhelmed. 3/5 stars Next up was The French Girl by Lexie Elliot. Six friends enjoy a week-long holiday in France. But the next-door neighbor, Severine, the French Girl, goes missing. Ten years later, her body is found. Now five of the friends (one is now deceased) are under suspicion. This had a bit of a supernatural vibe that I thought went a bit too far. I got tired of these types of sentences, "Tom is Tom, or is he?" "Lara is Lara but maybe not." No. Just no. But I thought the plot was quite well done, and the characters nicely developed. 4/5 stars. And finally, I am still in somewhat of a book hangover as I just finished Girls Burn Brighter, the stunning debut from Shobha Rao. All the book feels. Content warning: Extreme violence, horrendous physical and sexual abuse, rape, sexual slavery, and more. A one-sentence summary: This novel follows two friends who are torn apart by horrible circumstances across India, Dubai, and the U.S. I had to stop and catch my breath in a few spots. Despite the horrors, the beautiful literary writing and the precious friendship and incredible bonds between these two women made it worth it. However, toward the end of the book, I do felt that the violence became a bit gratuitous. 5/5 stars and definitely a favorite read of the year. Lisa Sorry! |
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Post by kckckc on Mar 19, 2018 14:40:47 GMT
Thanks to the 16 hour round trip to visit our son this week, I finished 4 books.
The Boat Runner by Devin Murphy. A coming of age story of a young Dutch boy during WWII. 3/5
The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin. Four children visit a fortune teller and are told the dates they each will die. The story is how this changes the way each sibling lives their life. Overall a rather sad book. This one has received so much good press that I was expecting more. 3.5/5
The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg. Arthur, an 80+ year old widower connects with a troubled teenage girl. This one was a little predictable and a little sappy, but oh so charming. A very quick read. 5/5
Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie. The intertwined stories of two British, Muslim families of Pakistani heritage. I thought this one had a slow start, but overall was a very good book. 4.5/5
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Post by annabella on Mar 19, 2018 14:45:01 GMT
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid It's a fictional book probably inspired by Liz Taylor or another old Hollywood actress.
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Post by lynnek on Mar 19, 2018 15:29:26 GMT
I read two last week. First was The Alice Network by Kate Quinn. It has been talked about quite a bit and I will agree with the buzz! It was very good. I enjoy stories that are based on true events. I also liked how the author fit very small true details into the story line just to give it all that much more authenticity.
I also read Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward. I actually listened to this on audio and there were three different narrators. I did not mesh well with the woman. Her tone and inflections didn't make sense to me in places. I heard the characters differently in my head. That is the first time that has ever happened for me. I ended up rating it a 4 star but debated a 3 star because of her.
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finaledition
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,896
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Post by finaledition on Mar 19, 2018 16:39:28 GMT
Sort of two for me this week.
Caroline: Little House Revisited by Sarah Miller- Oh how this gal who still owns her childhood copies of Little House books wanted to love this book, but sadly it was kind of boring. Overall, I gave it 3/5 stars, probably an extra star just for nostalgia alone, but it just took me quite awhile to get through it.
The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed out the Window and Disappeared-This was a book club selection and it will be my first book club that I attend where I abandoned the book half way through. I can usually power through anything, but at some point I realized i needed to go back and reread a good bit because I totally had no comprehension of a good chunk and that thought was so depressing, I just gave up. I know this was a well liked book, but it just wasn't for me.
I have a Joshilyn Jackson book on audible that I haven't gotten to. She tends to be a pretty consistent author for me and hopefully a safe bet for a good read this week.
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gottapeanow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,752
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Post by gottapeanow on Mar 19, 2018 19:44:07 GMT
pudgygroundhog, yes, Girls Burn Brighter does remind me of A Little Life in that level of intensity. It's good to give yourself a break. Looking forward to your thoughts when you get to it! Lisa
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Post by mnmloveli on Mar 19, 2018 20:17:46 GMT
Gottapeanow - if you liked No Exit by Taylor Adams, keep your eye out for EyeShot by Taylor. It’s also very good. Wait for a sale; think I got it for $.99 or $1.99
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mimima
Drama Llama
Stay Gold, Ponyboy
Posts: 5,020
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Post by mimima on Mar 19, 2018 20:46:49 GMT
I read 1066:The Hidden History in the Bayeux Tapestry by Andrew Bridgeford. It argues that the Tapestry (actually an embroidery) was not done by the Normans but by the English. There was some interesting history but it was dry in a lot of places.
I then read a Middle Grade book in a series by an internet friend of mine, A Year of Every Tuesday. It was sweet, though a series of short stories which are not my favorites. I enjoyed the visit to the world.
Lastly, I read a book about Despondency (Acedia) and time, Time and Despondency Nicole Roccas. It was excellent Lenten reading and was an excellent description of Acedia and had some real world, though religious (if you are not into that), ways to address.
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gottapeanow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,752
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Post by gottapeanow on Mar 19, 2018 20:54:14 GMT
Gottapeanow - if you liked No Exit by Taylor Adams, keep your eye out for EyeShot by Taylor. It’s also very good. Wait for a sale; think I got it for $.99 or $1.99 Thank you so much! Will do. |
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Post by craftmepink on Mar 19, 2018 21:42:41 GMT
I've been into reading WWII historical fiction lately. I finished reading The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck about three German women after WWII. The beginning was quite good but the second half of the book was not as good. I would give it 3/5 stars.
I also finished Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys about a Lithuanian girl and her family during WWII. They are taken to Siberia (more like imprisoned) due to the Soviet Union's conquest of Lithuania. Fascinating and sad read at the same time, 4/5 stars.
I'm currently reading The Orphan's Tale by Pam Jenoff about 2 women during WWII, one a Jewish woman hiding her identity and another a young girl who took a baby, both working at a German circus.
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Post by SockMonkey on Mar 19, 2018 22:05:13 GMT
I finished Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor and it was so good I dived right into the sequel Akata Warrior. The world-building and team of young people fighting evil reminded me of Harry Potter, only set in Nigeria and weaving in African folktales and mythology. It's middle grade/YA and really fast reading. Next up after that is Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit [ Amazon Link OR Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America's Favorite Guilty Pleasure by Amy KaufmanWe'll see! |
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Post by mnmloveli on Mar 20, 2018 0:48:31 GMT
Two for me ........
House Rules by Jodi Picoult. An older Picoult book about a boy with Aspergers. I thought the writing was a little choppy but I still enjoyed it and really felt for her and her boys. I didn’t like how she ended it UNTIL I read the discussion question concerning the ending; then I got it !
4/5 Stars for me.
Every Last Lie by Mary Kubica. Most TwoPeas liked the whole book but a number of them hated the ending. I totally agree. I thought the whole book was very “wordy” and because of the ending, it made the whole book seem like a waste to me.
3/5 Stars for me.
Happy Reading !
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Post by birukitty on Mar 20, 2018 13:14:42 GMT
Two for me this week:
First up was a book called White Chrysanthemum by Mary Lynn Bracht. I was first drawn to this book by the cover and because I thought it was about the Japanese Ama divers who were free diving women divers who dived for pearls. There are very few left today. Instead this historical fiction book was about a Korean free diver named Hana in 1943 who along with her mother and a group of women dive (these divers are called haenyeo) for seafood from the bottom of the sea each day which they then sell at the market. Hana was taught this skill from her mother who will go on to teach your youngest sister Emi when she is old enough. For now Emi sits on the beach guarding the buckets of catch from the birds. Hana has a happy home life with her mother, father and sister. She is 16 years old when the book begins and her sister is 12. Hana has lived her entire life under Japanese occupation but as a Haenyeo she experiences an independence few Koreans can still claim. One day from the sea she watches as a Japanese soldier makes his way towards the beach. She swims as fast as she can so that she is in time to hide her sister and sacrifices herself in order to save her sister. She is forced to become one of the "comfort women" in a Japanese military brothel. The book shifts back and forth between Hana's story and her sister's story when Emi is an older woman. It is a part of history I knew nothing about and I'm glad I was able to learn about it through this book. It is written very well and I highly recommend it. I gave it 5 stars on Goodreads.
Next up was The Indigo Girl by Natasha Boyd. I'm going to rewrite the review I left on Goodreads this morning. While my favorite genre is historical fiction what I enjoy even more is learning about a person or a part of history I previously had no knowledge of. This wonderful book taught me the story and history of an absolutely amazing young woman that takes place during 1739-1744 in Colonial South Carolina. Sixteen year old Eliza Lucas is left in charge of the running of her father's three plantations while he returns to Antigua to pursue his military and political ambitions. Left at home with her are her mother and youngest sister. She's also left in charge of the slaves her father owns. Eliza is an extremely intelligent young woman with a kind and understanding heart. She has no interest in marriage or the frivolous details of courtship. She is an insatiable reader at a time when it was thought that too much reading for women would drive them mad. Her biggest focus is trying to keep her father's three plantations running and when she discovers he has mortgaged 2 of them this becomes almost impossible. Finding out how much the French pay for Indigo dye she believes it might be the secret to their survival. Based on research and filled with quotes from letters written by Eliza Lucas this book was impossible for me to put down and even though it is only March I know it will be one of my favorite books of the year. Another 5 star book!
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Post by GamGam on Mar 20, 2018 13:30:55 GMT
Two for me this week: Thank you for sharing your enjoyment of this book. Sounds like just the genre that I love to read. Will put it on hold. Next up was The Indigo Girl by Natasha Boyd. I'm going to rewrite the review I left on Goodreads this morning. While my favorite genre is historical fiction what I enjoy even more is learning about a person or a part of history I previously had no knowledge of. This wonderful book taught me the story and history of an absolutely amazing young woman that takes place during 1739-1744 in Colonial South Carolina. Sixteen year old Eliza Lucas is left in charge of the running of her father's three plantations while he returns to Antigua to pursue his military and political ambitions. Left at home with her are her mother and youngest sister. She's also left in charge of the slaves her father owns. Eliza is an extremely intelligent young woman with a kind and understanding heart. She has no interest in marriage or the frivolous details of courtship. She is an insatiable reader at a time when it was thought that too much reading for women would drive them mad. Her biggest focus is trying to keep her father's three plantations running and when she discovers he has mortgaged 2 of them this becomes almost impossible. Finding out how much the French pay for Indigo dye she believes it might be the secret to their survival. Based on research and filled with quotes from letters written by Eliza Lucas this book was impossible for me to put down and even though it is only March I know it will be one of my favorite books of the year. Another 5 star book! |
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gottapeanow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,752
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Post by gottapeanow on Mar 20, 2018 20:00:58 GMT
mnmloveli, I felt the same way about Every Last Lie. I'm a huge Mary Kubica fan but thought this was terrible. birukitty, White Chyrsanthemum is one of my very favorite reads so far this year. It was beautiful. Glad you felt the same. Lisa
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scrapngranny
Pearl Clutcher
Only slightly senile
Posts: 4,763
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Post by scrapngranny on Mar 20, 2018 22:42:06 GMT
This week I read A Stolen Marriage, by Diane Chamberlain. This is the first book by this author I have read. I enjoyed the story, but I doubt it is one I will remember. I know she is very popular with a lot of Peas, I’m kind of surprised I had never read one of her books before. It would be a good vacation read. I would give it a 3/5.
I have started The Immortalists, by Chloe Benjamin. I’m not very far into it yet, so I don’t have an opinion.
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Yup. 
