Weekly Reading Thread: March 25-31

I read Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl (20 years after everyone else because that's how I roll.) It took a bit but it ended up really speaking to me as she pulled all her stories together and I saw the meditative framework under the whole thing. Excellent.

I read The Owl Killers, a medieval mystery. The novel is set in 1321 England in a small village that is suffering from hard times (floods and famine). Two very different forces are at work in the village: a mysterious group of masked men known as the Owl Masters who terrify villagers though intimidation and superstition and a community of women known as a beguinage who work to serve the poor. The two groups are pulled into conflict.

This is the second book I've read by this author, Karen Maitland, and I really enjoy her writing.

The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine. This one was a bit of a slog for me. It’s a genre I gravitate to quite a bit, and it just didn’t live up to my expectations. The characters felt cartoonish, and I didn’t find myself caring at all about how the story concluded.

Three and a bit books for me since I last posted.

The first was The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth. This was a nice easy read about three neighbours each thinking that the others have it all sorted, and of course, that is rarely the case.  I really enjoyed it and will return to this author. 4/5.

Next was something a bit different. Erotic Stories For Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal. It is set amongst the Gujarati community of Southall in London, and was definitely a bit of an eye-opener!   It was a good story, about a young woman who is hired to teach a creative writing class - or so she thinks. When she realises it is actually an adult literacy class, she has to change her approach. There are all sorts of subplots going on, although I never thought it too crowded or confusing. 3.5/5

The Lost Girls of Camp Forevermore by Kim Fu pulled me in with its haunting title. It was different from what I was expecting. Five girls aged from nine to twelve have a traumatic experience when they attend a summer camp. The main storyline forms linking chapters between accounts of how each girl's life is affected by what happened to her. It’s an intriguing structure, and it worked well. However, the outcomes were quite sad, and I was left kind of depressed and a bit dissatisfied. The writing itself was very good, very evocative and descriptive. I wanted to like it more than I did. 3/5. 

The other book that I read only part of was Every Note Played by Lisa Genova. It's about a world famous concert pianist who is diagnosed with ALS. I had to stop it about 30% in, because I found the descriptions of his deterioration too upsetting. (My brother died from this awful disease four years ago. He and I were estranged for the last four months of his life so I missed the very worst aspects of his illness.) 

I've just started Christadora by Tim Murphy, and it’s promising so far. 

I’m reading Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi.

I’ve been really sick, and reading a lot when awake, so this past week I also finished Akata Warrior by Nnedi Okorafor and The Bright Hour by Nina Riggs. Both were good.

My reading list is so long! I have An American Marriage by Tayari Jones on my list to read soon, but I’m kind of all over the place in what I’m wanting to read right now.

I finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society today. It was my second go-round - I re-read it since the movie's coming out. I didn't remember liking it much the first time and I feel similarly this time. I was never really drawn into the story. I didn't look forward to reading it each day and didn't feel compelled to finish it. At least it was short .

I started The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty today. It's an older one of hers (2005) and I've liked her other books. So we'll see...

Two for me this week.

Accidental Heroes by Danielle Steel.
A security agent at JFK finds a postcard of the Golden Gate Bridge with an ominous warning. A decorated Air Force pilot, a pregnant flight attendant and a dedicated TSA Agent's lives converge on a flight from New York to San Francisco. First 80% of the book was 5 Stars for me, constant building of tension. Last 20% was 3 Stars, very rushed and cookie cutter summaries.

The Friend by Teresa Driscoll.
On a train with her husband, miles from home and their four-year-old son, Ben, Sophie receives a chilling phone call. Two boys are in hospital after a tragic accident. One of them is Ben. Hours from home Sophie is second guessing leaving her son with Emma because she barely new her. At first I thought it was a little drawn-out and pulled in too many directions. But it did keep me turning the pages to figure out what was going on, which I think is what a good MYSTERY should do. Teresa does bring it all together in the last 40% of the story; you will see it start to come together very nicely, page-by-page.
4 Stars for me.

I read Consent by Leo Benedictus It was a weird read and I'm not sure I quite understood the ending but I enjoyed it. It takes my books read to a grand total of 3 for this year, I can't seem to find my reading mojo (or my anything else mojo)

Since I last posted, I finished The Reunion by Samantha Hayes. A psychological thriller about a young girl who disappears in her sister's care. She is never found. It's now years later and her sister decides they need to have a reunion of all their group who was there the day her little sister disappeared. A lot of stuff going on now that they are grown ups. And then another young girl disappears. It was pretty predictable with only one part surprising me in the end. It was okay. I gave it a 3/5 on Goodreads.

Next I read Best Day Ever by Kaira Rouda. I don't remember where I heard about this book, maybe here, but I was on a wait list for it for a long time. When it came up, I didn't even remember what it was but I started reading it and it was...different. I never really got psychological thriller out of it, but I couldn't put it down so that's a good thing. Mostly because I was wondering where it was all going. Paul loves his wife and has planned the "Best Day Ever" for her at their summer lake home. But his wife has a few plans of her own. Most of the book is Paul's thoughts and most of it takes place in their car on the drive to the lake house. Paul is a total narcissist and basically bat shit crazy but kind of funny too. It's a quick read. I gave it a 3/5 too on Goodreads.

Now I'm reading Beartown by Fredrik Backman. I'm not that far into it but I really like it. I'm a huge hockey fan so that part of the story appeals to me. So far, so good.

This was my feeling as well ... I have not read any of her other books so I don't know if this is her usual way of doing things ... anyway, I did enjoy it and would recommend it       4/5

You should read The Nightingale by Kristin  Hannah it ranks as my second favorite book ever. I loved The Great Alone but The Nightingale is better at least n my opinion.

I actually own "The Nightingale" ... it's on my e-reader but I haven't gotten around to reading it ... I will   

I read Hardcore 24 by Janet Evanovich. Typical Stephanie Plum book.    I'm now reading Class Mom by Laurie Gelman and I think for the first time, listening to an audio book, called The Purple Diaries: Mary Astor and the Most Sensational Hollywood Scandal of the 1930's.  I listen to it when I'm walking my dog or in the car.  I'm not sure why I never try audio books, but I think I'll look for another one when I finish this one.   It's been fun listening to it.

Just finished one that I’ve had for awhile-The Opposite of Everyone by Joahilyn Jackson. This is the third book I’ve read by this author and my favorite so far. I really liked the main character and found the way she sized up people to be very interesting.