Weekly Reading Thread: June 19-25

I tried. I really, really tried to read Shuggie. But I just. could. not. Like you said, so incredibly depressing and gut wrenching. 

I finished Memphis. The timeline is a bit disjointed. The characters are deeply layered and flawed. The plot is great. 5/5 stars. 

I'm reading The Latecomer by Korelitz, author of The Plot. This book is very, very different from that one. I'm trying to decide what I think so far. 

Lisa 

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus for me too, and I also gave it 5 stars.
About a female scientist and the sexism she faces in the 1950s & 60s. Serious, but also funny in places, I loved some of her observations.
I listened to the audiobook & the narration was excellent and there's a good interview with the author at the end of it.
I loved it so much that it gave me a book hangover and I haven't been able to start another book.

That's quite a recommendation!

We both loved it!!

I have this one on hold at my library.... I'm 143 on the waiting list for 20 audio copies, and 183 on the Kindle waiting list for 35 copies. . lol... I'll get it eventually.

This is one of my all-time favorite books. I love this book so much that I just bought it for my son's (newish) girlfriend. (She lives in another country and loves to read.) I also bought her The Nightingale and We Are Called to Rise.

Lisa 

This week I finished 2 books and have another 2 in progress, plus 2 more ready to go at the library - it's going to be a busy few weeks!

The Trees by Percival Everett. Basically a BIPOC revenge fantasy, which I respect. I wanted to give it 4 stars because of the subject, but for me it was really a 3-star reading experience. None of the characters were really fleshed out and a lot of the dialogue seemed forced and stereotypical i.e. cop banter. I will say that I listened to the audiobook and that may have decreased my enjoyment in this case. If you read it, don't listen to the audiobook.

The Maid by Nita Prose. Unpopular opinion time. It was an enjoyable read (sort of) but there were so. many. problems. I really dislike when the main character is drawn as neuro-divergent but never stated explicitly. And while the main character was likeable, she didn't seem like more than a collection of autism traits which were very unevenly treated. It also made no sense that no-one in her world ever thought that she might be on the spectrum. The plot was preposterous, even for a cozy murder, and the characters were pretty one-dimensional and either 'good eggs' or 'bad eggs'. 2/5 for me.

I'm currently reading Crying in H Mart, a memoir that so far is fantastic, and Dial A for Aunties, a completely ridiculous fluffy rom-com book (more com than rom so far).

It's been a long time since I've posted on the reading thread. I read a lot of books that are not worthy to post about. LOL!

Anyway, I just finished one that was Pea-worthy to recommend. This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel. It's a Reese's Book Club pick from 2017 so you may have already read it. It's about a 5 YO boy who wants to start wearing dresses and identifies as a girl. I rarely give a book 5/5 but I did on this one.

I finished reading The Stolen Hours by Allen Eskens. It is a legal thriller and some parts had me holding my breath! 4.5/5

I started The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones and after a few chapters knew it wasn’t the book for me so I returned it.

I just finished reading Beartown and loved it. Parts of it did really make me angry though. I just realized there are 2 sequels. Has anyone read either of them? 5/5 stars

Next up is The Cage by Bonnie Kistler which was recommended by Peas.

I forgot to add that for Lessons In Chemistry the author said it is being made into a miniseries with Blake Lively in the main role (thankfully not Reece Witherspoon or Nicole Kidman this time!).
The book will lend itself perfectly to a miniseries and they should be able to stick to the story without changing anything...although what the dog is thinking could be tricky to portray.

Then I doubt you'll like Lessons In Chemistry either, as the overall tone and the main character are quite similar.

I loved The Maid, and I have no issues at all with characters not being "labelled" and I read an interview with the author and this was also a deliberate choice on her part

www.kobo.com/blog/in-conversation-with-nita-prose

I think there's plenty of people who go through life without specific diagnoses - to start with countless doctors I have with with who are super smart and yet lack basic people skills, so I don't mind them in fiction, and I love it when they succeed in their lives.

It was a good reading week !


LOOK BOTH WAYS (JUNE ‘22) BY LINWOOD BARCLAY : 5 STARS
DESCRIPTION:  These headlights are watching you…
The media have descended on Garrett Island, a small, isolated community that is the setting of a visionary experiment. All the residents’ cars were sent to the mainland and for the past month the islanders have been “driving” the Arrival, a revolutionary autonomous vehicle. With a simple voice command, an Arrival will take you wherever you want to go and, because the fleet is networked and aware of one another, car travel is now 100% safe. Sandra Montrose—islander, single mom, and public relations executive—prepares for Arrival Inc.’s flashy press event. Sandra is more than ready for this new world. Her husband died after falling asleep at the wheel and she’s relieved that her two teens, Archie and Katie, will never need driver’s licenses. But as the celebratory day gets underway, disaster strikes. A visiting journalist has vanished, possibly murdered. Before long, the Arrivals run amok, no longer taking orders from their passengers. They’re starting to organize. They’re beginning to hunt. And they seem hell-bent on killing any human they encounter.

I have read 13 previous books by Mr. Barclay, (9) 4/5 stars, (1) 3 star and (3) 1 star. Four of his most recent books, Take Your Breath Away (‘22), Find You First (‘21), Elevator Pitch (‘19) and A Noise Downstairs (‘18) all received 4 stars. This anticipated plot reminds me of John Marrs’ book The Passengers which I gave 5 stars; let’s see how this book measures up. Plot focuses on the fall-out from Industrial sabotage. This book reminds me of Stephen King’s The Store - you think it’s totally unbelievable and then you think again. Reads similar to a great disaster movie, if you don’t like that, move on. I was on the edge of my seat the whole book. What a ride! LOVED every mile!


THE FAVOR (‘22) BY NORA MURPHY : 4 STARS. 
DESCRIPTION:  Leah and McKenna have never met, though they have parallel lives.
They don’t—ever—find themselves in the same train carriage or meet accidentally at the gym or the coffee shop.
They don’t—ever—discuss their problems and find common ground.
They don’t—ever—acknowledge to each other that although their lives have all the trappings of success, wealth and happiness, they are, in fact, trapped.

Debut book by this author. Found on Goodreads’ Hot Mysteries & Thrillers of Summer 2022. Domestic abuse storyline might not be for everyone. I like the author’s writing style. Starts off by lulling me into a certain rythym and at about 30% boy oh boy did the storyline escalate abruptly. I felt the fear leaping off the pages as I held my breath. I thought it was a unique spin on a topic that is covered frequently. I’m looking forward to this author’s second book.


HAPPY READING !

Watch Out for Her looks really good !  Just downloaded a sample.  Thanks !

I also loved this book and how it showed the whole family was affected.  

Always love to see a book get re-recommended for any Peas that might have missed it.