Weekly Reading Thread: Dec 30-Jan5

I started "The Birdcage" by Marcia Willett. Not sure what I think of it yet, it wasn't what I expected.

I DNF'd "Becoming" by Michelle Obama. My gawd, what a snooze.

I finished Slaves in the Family by Edward Ball, which is a book I started about 18 months ago! It's a very good book, but I got sidetracked about 2/3 through it and never got back to it. So I finished it off this week to squeak one more book into my yearly total. The book is about 20 years old, the author's ancestors were rice planters around Charleston (where i bought the book) and slave owners. The author tried to trace descendants of the slaves his family owned. Fascinating read.

And i finished The Ruin by Dervla Mctiernan, a mystery about a cold case that resurfaces in the life of the Irish cop who was involved with it. I really enjoyed it. This was one of Amazon's top books of 2018...I went through the list a couple weeks ago and got a stack of them from my library, so I'll be reporting on more soon.

I read Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney. It was a 5/5 for me and one of very few that I give 5 stars. It held my interest from page one when I read about how she is in a coma and what she is thinking/hearing (terrifically frightening) to the last words of the book. I did not want to stop reading.

I tried and failed to read Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield. I just couldn't get into it.

I'm picking up The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah today. One of my favorite written books was All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doer. That is an odd statement, but the words in the book were stunning, and while I loved the story, it wasn't my favorite story. But his words - he is such an artist with his words. I am hoping The Nightingale will be similar.

I have ONE book left to meet my goal of 50, so I've been reading like a fiend.

I finished The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai, one of my favorites of the year. Also read this weekend:

Odd One Out, by Nic Stone (Author of Dear Martin)
Heart Berries by Terese Marie Mailhot (Memoir/series of essays from an Indigenous writer
The Final Six by Alexandra Monir (Good if you liked Hunger Games or Red Rising series)


And now I'm currently reading The Space Between: Embracing Blackness in a White-Dominated World by Austin Channing Brown, which I should be able to finish today and meet my goal. (It's also quite good, and a complement to texts like "So You Want to Talk About Race," White Fragility" and "Between the World and Me."

With this book I rounded out the year with 41 books. An overwhelming record for me - I think the most I've ever read before was around 17-19. Next year I'm shooting for 50, but hoping I can surpass that goal.

I'd like to say how much I enjoy this post each week. I look forward to seeing what each of you have read and your thoughts on the books you read. So many times I find a great book here that otherwise wouldn't even be on my radar.

Here's to another year of reading together!

I truly can't believe this but I am still reading the same book A Dangerous Inheritance: A Novel of Tudor Rivals and the Secret of the Tower by Alison Weir and it's been 3 weeks! The only other books it's taken me this long to read are Diana Gabaldon's epic door stopper novels in the Outlander series. Although this book is long too at 507 pages vs. 800 pages and the print is much smaller so maybe they are about the same. In any case, I am truly enjoying every minute of this book. The writing is truly wonderful and I am learning so much while having fun fun at the same time. 

I want to thank each and every one of you that participates in these threads because without you we wouldn't have them. I get so many great ideas for books to read from them and enjoy reading this thread each week. A special thank you shout out to you thegreatcarpezio for getting us started each week! Here's to another great year of our reading thread!

Oh my gosh the only thing you missed was she mentioned Euclid Avenue eleventy billion more times! I listened to it on audio at 1.75x speed. We picked it for book club so I wanted to finish. It was interesting to hear a few snippets of being a mom and her DDs in the White House. I wouldn't have finished if I was reading it. I just listened while doing things. It would have been 19 hours at regular speed, ugg.

I am about 40 pages into The Nightingale. It is definitely better than Danielle Steele, but nothing whatsoever like Anthony Doer. You are correct, kibblesandbits  . I have already found quite a few puzzling things. Not outright wrong, but they would have been highly unusual if they had happened. I thought people loved this book? I've been on the wait list for at least 6 months for this one. So far, I find it interesting enough to continue. The writing is no worse or no better than most "regular" authors at this point. 

          Woops, I meant Reallyred. And the tip about finding it at your local library was made in kindness. Every book I read I get from my local library. 

FWIW, The Nightingale is one of my favorite books ever. All the Light You Cannot See was amazing but not nearly the same caliber, IMO.

Lisa

     I know exactly what you mean. I loved The Nightingale. While I can appreciate the excellent writing of All the Light You Cannot See and understand why it won the Pulitzer I hated the ending and much prefer The Nightingale between the two.  

If you like (or want to try) audiobooks...Apple releases six celebrity-narrated audiobooks, and they’re all free

So do I and I now do it from home with the library app, Overdrive.

Catching-up on posting my last few books for 2018.


Distress Signals by Catherine Ryan Howard : 5 STARS
I loved The Liar's Girl that I read first so much, I bought this one immediately after.  That one got 4 stars.

Strangers by MichaelBrent Collings : 4 STARS
A horror book that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire book.

You Will Know Me by Rachel Abbott : 4 STARS
About the world of a gymnast.  Was a little slow but Rachel's writing style was very comfortable and flows along at a steady pace. Might not have been my choice for an ending, but it suited the path the story was on.

Harvest Deep by Trent Pettry : 3.5 STARS
Another horror one for me.  Weird happenings in an old mine.  Definitely not for everyone.

Your Son Is Alive by James Scott Bell : 3 STARS
This was a good story but had no character development before all the action started.  Never knew I would miss "character development".  Missed it a lot !

My first book for 2019 is ……………….

This is How It Always Is by Lisa Frankel : 4 STARS
This book was recommend by a number of Peas and you were all right !  I thought the author did a good job showing that the issue of transgender affects the whole family.  The book was based partially on her family's personal experience.  Very touching. Good way to start the new year !

Happy Reading !