The Great Carpezio
Pearl Clutcher
Something profound goes here.
Posts: 2,983
Jun 25, 2014 21:50:33 GMT
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Post by The Great Carpezio on Aug 8, 2022 5:17:31 GMT
I read a pretty popular and often reviewed one this week:
🟡 Daisy Jones and the Six ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Told in the style of a interview, members of a 70’s rock band and those in their orbit, tell the story of the band’s rise to fame.
It started a bit slow for me, but it really picked up. I could tell which band it played off from right away.
What did you read this week?
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gottapeanow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,817
Jun 25, 2014 20:56:09 GMT
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Post by gottapeanow on Aug 8, 2022 5:44:39 GMT
I had two winners this week.
Dreaming of Flight by Catherine Hyde Ryan. Hyde Ryan knocks it out of the ballpark yet again. How could you not love this book? Super sweet, and a perfect summer read.
Stewie Little — yes, like the mouse — has had a bit of a tough life. He spends his days caring for hid chickens, left to him by his dear departed gam.
Then he meets Marilyn. And that's when everything changes. My only complaint is that this read a little bit like YA. Even so, 5/5 flying stars.
The Measure by Nikki Erlick. I can hardly believe this was a debut novel. It's incredible. Run — don't walk — to read this book!
Told from several perspectives, this novel starts out as Sci-Fi, and that theme pervades the entire book. But it turns into so. much. more. It's haunting and gorgeous and stunning. It turns into a character-driven story, but the pace moves along nicely.
That ending. All. The. Feels. Honestly, I can't recommend this enough. 5/5 stars. This will definitely be one of my top two favorite reads of the year.
I'm off to buy a copy to gift my sister.
Lisa
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Post by pjaye on Aug 8, 2022 9:24:52 GMT
Signal Moon by Kate Quinn. This was an Amazon first reads last month. I love her books and this was an interesting little story that has a bit of magical reality when a female British naval officer scanning for Nazi communications gets a signal from an American officer in 2023. It would have been a stretch to write a full novel around this - but it worked as a short story & I enjoyed it.
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden. This has a really high rating on GR, but I struggled with it. Domestic abuse and coercive control is a hot topic right now in real life and in fiction. The issue I had with this is that it was too over the top. If the perpetrator had been written with more subtlety it would have been more effective - some of it was too ridiculous and it kept taking me out of the story. There was a point that I almost gave up on it...but I had some boring stuff to do so I just left the audiobook on and finished it. The narrator pronouncing groceries as growsh-rees was really annoying me too. I only gave this 3 stars, but I seem to be in the minority when it comes to this one.
Take It Back by Kia Abdullah. This one grabbed me right from the start - so many interesting themes. Set in the UK, a teen girl with facial deformities accuses 4 Muslim classmates of raping her. The woman she reports the rape to at a local sexual assault center is also a Muslim. It's her vs the boys and it isn't clear who is telling the truth. I thought it was well written and thought provoking and I'll read more by this author. I gave it 5 stars in GR.
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Post by jeremysgirl on Aug 8, 2022 10:48:40 GMT
I read What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Fat by Aubrey Gordon. I like the podcast Maintenance Phase and so I thought I'd like Aubrey's book too. And I did like it however, I think it could have been done in one nice sized magazine article or even a series of articles or blog posts. I thought it was a bit repetitive. I have been a normal sized person and I have been what she refers to as small fat. Basically size 16/18 and I haven't experienced the same level of unkindness that someone on the super fat scale has had. Some, but not all and certainly not as extreme. I thought it was a perspective worth listening to.
I'm in need of an audiobook suggestion. Something sociology/psychology/human behavior/memoir. So if you have some nonfiction to recommend, I'm all ears. Thank you.
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purplebee
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,790
Jun 27, 2014 20:37:34 GMT
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Post by purplebee on Aug 8, 2022 13:31:04 GMT
I read a good beach read this week: “The Boardwalk Bookshop” by Susan Mallory. Typical “womens’ fiction” about three women who share ownership in a beachfront store, and all have issues to resolve. I did enjoy it, sometimes fluff is just what I need to read!
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janeliz
Drama Llama
I'm the Wiz and nobody beats me.
Posts: 5,641
Jun 26, 2014 14:35:07 GMT
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Post by janeliz on Aug 8, 2022 14:03:28 GMT
Vacationland by Meg Mitchell Moore. I thought this was a bit too “family at the summer house” formulaic. Not a bad read, just nothing new or interesting other than the fact that it was set in Maine.
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Post by katiescarlett on Aug 8, 2022 14:41:25 GMT
The Measure by Nikki Erlick. I can hardly believe this was a debut novel. It's incredible. Run — don't walk — to read this book! Told from several perspectives, this novel starts out as Sci-Fi, and that theme pervades the entire book. But it turns into so. much. more. It's haunting and gorgeous and stunning. It turns into a character-driven story, but the pace moves along nicely. That ending. All. The. Feels. Honestly, I can't recommend this enough. 5/5 stars. This will definitely be one of my top two favorite reads of the year. I'm off to buy a copy to gift my sister. Lisa Thanks for this recommendation! It sounded interesting so I looked it up on scribd and it is narrated by my favorite narrator, Julia Whelan, so it will be my next listen!
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Post by fotos4u2 on Aug 8, 2022 15:10:15 GMT
Three more for me this week:
The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren. 5 stars. A great way to start my week with an enjoyable read. A nice chic lit read about a woman who finds out her genetic soulmate is the owner of the genetic dating company. It was interesting to think about whether finding out someone is your soulmate would actually make it more likely or not.
Wallflower in Bloom by Claire Cook. 4 stars. This one was so good, but also could have been so much better if she'd just continued the story a little longer. It ended pretty abruptly. About a woman whose brother is a famous guru. She's tired of living in his shadow so decides to sign up to do Dancing with the Stars.
Book Lovers by Emily Henry. 5 stars. I was hesitant about this because I wasn't sure it could live up to the hype, but it really did. The idea behind it is a different look at the traditional romance trope of a person going to a small town and falling in love leaving behind their city/career-obsessed boyfriend/girlfriend. The story is supposed to be told about that city/career-focused girl who goes to a small town because her sister drags her there. Will she also follow the trope of falling in love with the small town or will she stick to who she is deep down?
Next up "You Deserve Eachother" by Sarah Hogle or "Does My Body Offend You" by Mayra Cuevas
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SabrinaP
Pearl Clutcher
Busy Teacher Pea
Posts: 4,407
Location: Dallas Texas
Jun 26, 2014 12:16:22 GMT
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Post by SabrinaP on Aug 8, 2022 15:55:31 GMT
I read a pretty popular and often reviewed one this week: 🟡 Daisy Jones and the Six ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Told in the style of a interview, members of a 70’s rock band and those in their orbit, tell the story of the band’s rise to fame. It started a bit slow for me, but it really picked up. I could tell which band it played off from right away. What did you read this week? Which band? I thought about Fleetwood Mac.
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Post by catmom on Aug 8, 2022 17:24:34 GMT
I've been on vacation the last few weeks.
False Witness by Karin Slaughter. She writes thriller/mystery with strong female characters and usually includes some social issues, and also her books can be unusually graphic and gory. The first chapter includes every trigger possible, but that's the only truly graphic part. The writing and characterization were incredibly well-done, and I actually finished the book with a new and more empathetic view of people with addiction. Plus it's a great story. 5/5
Then I revisited another new book by an author I enjoy The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James. Ooph. Great premise - a woman who writes a blog about true crime cold cases has one fall in her lap, plus a bit of a ghost story thrown in. But it was just not great. The ghost story did not need to be there and was mostly a distraction, and the rest of the story was not fully fleshed. Oh, and the mystery is resolved half way through the book. 2/5.
I read another of Simone St. James earlier books that is well-reviewed to regain my faith in her, The Broken Girls. It was pretty good but maybe a bit formulaic (or maybe I shouldn't have read the books back to back). 3/5
I've been reading The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton for 4 weeks now and I'm still only 60% through. It's soooo slow and I realized yesterday I don't actually care how it ends. So it will likely be DNF'd
I just finished Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett at the recommendation of a Pea. It was a quirky and delightful read, somewhat light but not without substance. 3.75/5
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Post by mnmloveli on Aug 8, 2022 17:40:59 GMT
Two great reads for me !
THE SECRETS OF US (‘21 - READ ‘22) BY LUCINDA BERRY : 4 STARS DESCRIPTION: Foster sisters Krystal and Nichole have always been there for each other, so when Nichole is committed to a psychiatric hospital after trying to kill her husband, Krystal drops everything to defend her. Scarred by a hard upbringing, Nichole and Krystal managed to construct comfortable lives for themselves. Krystal became a respected lawyer, and Nichole was happily married to an architect—until Nichole starts raving that her husband isn’t her husband, believing that he’s an imposter.
REVIEW: First three books by this author for me were Under Her Care (‘22 - 3 Stars), The Best of Friends (‘20 - 4 Stars) and The Perfect Child (‘19 - 4 Stars). Another great read. The plot shows that your past can always come back to haunt you, especially if it’s not fully settled. Great writing and a tale that moves along quickly, never knowing what’s around the next corner. I really enjoyed the “before” sections explaining their childhood situation. I would have liked an additional 50 or so pages showing Krystal and Nichole’s path forward.
TRAPPER ROAD (STILLHOUSE LAKE BK 6) (‘22) BY RACHEL CAINE (Deceased) & CARRIE RYAN : 5 STARS DESCRIPTION: Before Rachel Caine passed away in 2020, she had a partial manuscript that she never got to complete. Rachel spoke to her husband, friends and working buddies of her dream to finish the series. Carrie Ryan took the reins to complete this series with Trapper Road. I’m hoping she does Rachel’s series justice. Gwen Proctor has always been willing to do anything it takes to protect her kids. But there are some things even she can’t protect them from. When a violent incident at Connor’s school brings the press to Gwen’s doorstep, she agrees to take a case out of town hoping to keep her family out of the crushing media spotlight. The case is that of a missing girl, last seen getting into a truck with a stranger before disappearing. Gwen has a reputation for finding those who are lost, but this time something is wrong. Her instincts are off, and every clue she uncovers only raises more doubts, not just about the missing girl and the circumstances of her disappearance, but also about the fragile safety Gwen’s created for her family.
REVIEW: Previous 5 books I read in the Stillhouse Lake Series are Stillhouse Lake 5 stars, Killman Creek 5 stars, Wolfhunter Lake 4 stars, Bitter Falls 4 stars and Heartbreak Bay 5 stars. Book 6 starts off just as good as all the others. Author Carrie Ryan has the same ability as Rachel Caine to bring you right back into the family. At 25% I’m so happy that Rachel’s characters are so real in Carrie’s mind & writing. Bravo! Lots of action in this book which kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved the growth of all the characters. Loved the ending which leads me to believe that Carrie Ryan will be continuing Rachel’s StillHouse Lake Series. I recommend starting this series at the beginning so you can find your connection to all these characters and plots.
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Post by mnmloveli on Aug 8, 2022 17:41:21 GMT
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gottapeanow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,817
Jun 25, 2014 20:56:09 GMT
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Post by gottapeanow on Aug 8, 2022 17:48:31 GMT
Signal Moon by Kate Quinn. This was an Amazon first reads last month. I love her books and this was an interesting little story that has a bit of magical reality when a female British naval officer scanning for Nazi communications gets a signal from an American officer in 2023. It would have been a stretch to write a full novel around this - but it worked as a short story & I enjoyed it. The Housemaid by Freida McFadden. This has a really high rating on GR, but I struggled with it. Domestic abuse and coercive control is a hot topic right now in real life and in fiction. The issue I had with this is that it was too over the top. If the perpetrator had been written with more subtlety it would have been more effective - some of it was too ridiculous and it kept taking me out of the story. There was a point that I almost gave up on it...but I had some boring stuff to do so I just left the audiobook on and finished it. The narrator pronouncing groceries as growsh-rees was really annoying me too. I only gave this 3 stars, but I seem to be in the minority when it comes to this one. Take It Back by Kia Abdullah. This one grabbed me right from the start - so many interesting themes. Set in the UK, a teen girl with facial deformities accuses 4 Muslim classmates of raping her. The woman she reports the rape to at a local sexual assault center is also a Muslim. It's her vs the boys and it isn't clear who is telling the truth. I thought it was well written and thought provoking and I'll read more by this author. I gave it 5 stars in GR. I bought The Housemaid b/c of all the buzz around it. (It's self-published and not available at my local library.) I have a bunch of books from the library that I need to read, so I haven't read it yet but maybe I can get to it this week. I read Take It Back last year and thought it was sooooo well done. That ending! What a great twist! The author has a new book coming out Sept. 3. Truth Be Told.
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Post by mnmloveli on Aug 8, 2022 17:58:37 GMT
The Measure by Nikki Erlick. I can hardly believe this was a debut novel. It's incredible. Run — don't walk — to read this book! Told from several perspectives, this novel starts out as Sci-Fi, and that theme pervades the entire book. But it turns into so. much. more. It's haunting and gorgeous and stunning. It turns into a character-driven story, but the pace moves along nicely. That ending. All. The. Feels. Honestly, I can't recommend this enough. 5/5 stars. This will definitely be one of my top two favorite reads of the year. I'm off to buy a copy to gift my sister. Lisa I’ve seen quite a few people talking about this book. I’ve been tempted but since I’m one of those people who does not want to know my death date or how long I will live, I’m not sure about this one. Seems like it would be very sad and depressing. Maybe you have to be in the mood for this type of book or at a certain point in your life.
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Post by mnmloveli on Aug 8, 2022 18:04:58 GMT
Take It Back by Kia Abdullah. This one grabbed me right from the start - so many interesting themes. Set in the UK, a teen girl with facial deformities accuses 4 Muslim classmates of raping her. The woman she reports the rape to at a local sexual assault center is also a Muslim. It's her vs the boys and it isn't clear who is telling the truth. I thought it was well written and thought provoking and I'll read more by this author. I gave it 5 stars in GR. I LOVED this book too ! Her second book, Truth be Told, is just as good with some of the same characters. She has a new book coming out 9/20/22, Next of Kin which I have already pre-ordered. Here’s the description / my review of Truth Be Told………… DESCRIPTION: Kamran Hadid feels invincible. He attends Hampton school, an elite all-boys boarding school in London, he comes from a wealthy family, and he has a place at Oxford next year. The world is at his feet. And then a night of revelry leads to a drunken encounter and he must ask himself a horrific question. With the help of assault counsellor, Zara Kaleel, Kamran reports the incident in the hopes that will be the end of it. But it’s only the beginning. REVIEW: Love when an author quickly reminds you of the main character’s past history. Great writing & handing of a tough subject. This author highlights some very real challenges within families and different traditions that some of us might not be aware of. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book with a shocking ending. This would be a GREAT book for a book club read since there is so much to be discussed, especially at the end. You can read this book as a stand-alone novel, but reading her first book will give you more insight into her heritage and career issues.
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Post by mnmloveli on Aug 8, 2022 18:12:42 GMT
I read Take It Back last year and thought it was sooooo well done. That ending! What a great twist! The author has a new book coming out Sept. 3. Truth Be Told. Truth Be Told is already out (2020). It was awesome too. See my post above. Kia Abdullah’s new book due 9/20/22 is titled Next of Kin. I’ve already pre-ordered; can’t wait !
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naby64
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,224
Jun 25, 2014 21:44:13 GMT
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Post by naby64 on Aug 8, 2022 19:08:26 GMT
I read a pretty popular and often reviewed one this week: 🟡 Daisy Jones and the Six ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Told in the style of a interview, members of a 70’s rock band and those in their orbit, tell the story of the band’s rise to fame. It started a bit slow for me, but it really picked up. I could tell which band it played off from right away. What did you read this week? Which band? I thought about Fleetwood Mac. Yep, the author said the Nicks/Buckingham relationship really played into her thoughts in the writing of this one. I am reading(listening) to a book for a challenge. A book written by a Duo. It is State of Terror by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny. I am 6 hours from being done. I have to keep reminding myself it is a work of fiction. Or is it...
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Post by rymeswithpurple on Aug 8, 2022 19:34:04 GMT
I recently finished The Fact of a Body, and really enjoyed it. My husband and I have also been buying books for our new nephew at the used bookstore, so we have been reading Goosebumps and Wishbone Classics to each other on Sunday nights. I picked up Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, and started that last night. jeremysgirl - I have my way too long want to read list saved on my Google drive. I would imagine some of it might be what you're looking for as I like a lot of those subjects. Let me know if you'd like the link.
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Post by cadoodlebug on Aug 8, 2022 20:18:18 GMT
Last week I finished Watch Out for Her by Samantha M. Bailey. It was recommended by mnmloveli and maryland. It was a good read but left me sad. 4/5 stars. Now I’m reading The Island by Adrian McKinty which was also recommended here. I’m about 2/3 of the way through and it is BRUTAL and horrifying! But I'm still reading...
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gottapeanow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,817
Jun 25, 2014 20:56:09 GMT
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Post by gottapeanow on Aug 8, 2022 21:24:25 GMT
The Measure by Nikki Erlick. I can hardly believe this was a debut novel. It's incredible. Run — don't walk — to read this book! Told from several perspectives, this novel starts out as Sci-Fi, and that theme pervades the entire book. But it turns into so. much. more. It's haunting and gorgeous and stunning. It turns into a character-driven story, but the pace moves along nicely. That ending. All. The. Feels. Honestly, I can't recommend this enough. 5/5 stars. This will definitely be one of my top two favorite reads of the year. I'm off to buy a copy to gift my sister. Lisa I’ve seen quite a few people talking about this book. I’ve been tempted but since I’m one of those people who does not want to know my death date or how long I will live, I’m not sure about this one. Seems like it would be very sad and depressing. Maybe you have to be in the mood for this type of book or at a certain point in your life. From the very beginning, some characters don't look at their string length and don't find out their date of death. The book is as much about how people handle the knowledge (or lack thereof) as about the idea of the strings. IMO, it was not sad or depressing at all. And as to Truth Be Told, thanks for this. I am not sure what date I was looking at. I'm bugged b/c my library doesn't have it. So I might have to just buy it, especially since you liked it. Lisa
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Post by pjaye on Aug 9, 2022 1:35:19 GMT
've been reading The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton for 4 weeks now and I'm still only 60% through. It's soooo slow and I realized yesterday I don't actually care how it ends. So it will likely be DNF'd Give up now!...lol. I ploughed through to the end and it wasn't worth it. Nothing gets explained or becomes any more clear. I bought The Housemaid b/c of all the buzz around it. (It's self-published and not available at my local library.) I have a bunch of books from the library that I need to read, so I haven't read it yet but maybe I can get to it this week. I'll be interested to hear your thoughts. The plot is also VERY similar to another book that a lot of us have read, that I won't mention because it will give away something major in this book too. Therefore it also felt like a bit of a copy to me. Kia Abdullah’s new book due 9/20/22 is titled Next of Kin. I’ve already pre-ordered; can’t wait ! Thanks, I'll look out for it - although I don't usually like reading books by the same author too close together, especially if I just finished one I realled liked.
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Post by mnmloveli on Aug 9, 2022 3:27:52 GMT
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styxgirl
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,943
Jun 27, 2014 4:51:44 GMT
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Post by styxgirl on Aug 9, 2022 3:56:27 GMT
I read a pretty popular and often reviewed one this week: 🟡 Daisy Jones and the Six ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Told in the style of a interview, members of a 70’s rock band and those in their orbit, tell the story of the band’s rise to fame. It started a bit slow for me, but it really picked up. I could tell which band it played off from right away. What did you read this week? I guessed this one right away too. LOL I listened to the audio book and it was very well done!
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styxgirl
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,943
Jun 27, 2014 4:51:44 GMT
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Post by styxgirl on Aug 9, 2022 4:14:30 GMT
Just finished the audio book “The Second Life of Mirielle West” by Amanda Skenandore
It was a good book. The medical descriptions became a little redundant but then, I felt bad for not wanting to be reminded of it. I learned a lot about Leprosy and even googled to learn more.
SPOILER ALERT BELOW (Peaing mobile so can’t used spoiler feature) I’m glad Mirielle was able to find a second life and some happiness. I felt that the end was wrapped up so fast.
It was a looong book (to me) I would have liked for the events on the epilogue to be expanded on as part of the book, but it was already long. Maybe the author could have taken out a lot of the redundant descriptions and given the epilogue events more attention.
NEXT “READ” FOR ME:
Gonna download “Where the Crawdads Sing” next. My DDs best friend let her borrow the book so I want to check it out while she’s interested. Lol. Also a friend of mine just watched the movie and raved about it.
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finaledition
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,896
Jun 26, 2014 0:30:34 GMT
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Post by finaledition on Aug 9, 2022 4:30:20 GMT
Two books for me. I finally got to Anne Tyler's French Braid. I liked the ending (a lot!), but did not enjoy the rest of the story nearly as much. The characters were just -ugh- to me.
Then I listened to the audio book Acts of Violet by Margarita Montimore. She wrote Oona Out of Order which I absolutely loved. But I definitely can't say the same about this book. First, I have to say it is one of the better narrated books-its narrated my multiple people and the story lends itself to this amazing production as it recreates mystery podcasts very well. But this totally fell flat. I just wanted it to be over so bad.
I have a newly released book-hot off the presses and can't wait to dive in and hopefully come away with a better recommendation next week.
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Post by maryland on Aug 9, 2022 13:14:42 GMT
Last week I finished Watch Out for Her by Samantha M. Bailey. It was recommended by mnmloveli and maryland . It was a good read but left me sad. 4/5 stars. Now I’m reading The Island by Adrian McKinty which was also recommended here. I’m about 2/3 of the way through and it is BRUTAL and horrifying! But I'm still reading... I cannot remember what a book was about even if I just read it a few weeks ago! So I will have to read some reviews, because I can't remember how I felt after reading. Probably the same as you mentioned.
I am reading The Island and it's so good!
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Post by maryland on Aug 9, 2022 13:16:16 GMT
I read Local Woman Missing and loved it! I am reading The Island and so far it's really good! I am listening to That Summer - Jennifer Weiner and really enjoy it too.
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Post by auntkelly on Aug 9, 2022 15:01:22 GMT
I read Billy Bathgate by E.L. Doctorow. I loved it. I would go so far as to say it is one of my all-time favorite books.
Now I'm reading Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance by Alison Espach. It's really good so far.
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naby64
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,224
Jun 25, 2014 21:44:13 GMT
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Post by naby64 on Aug 10, 2022 14:17:17 GMT
I just finished State of Terror by Louise Penny and Hillary Rodham Clinton yesterday on audio. Really good book! Last night I finished The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Scwhab. Oh my goodness, I loved it. I only read it at bedtime and a couple of nights I was so tired I couldn't read. On those nights I was disappointed to not read any of the chapters.
So now I am listening to The Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant. Just started it yesterday afternoon late. Not sure how I feel about it yet. Bedside table reading tonight will be Beach Town by Mary Kay Andrews.
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Post by grammadee on Aug 10, 2022 14:35:29 GMT
You ladies read so many different interesting books! I am in the middle of the huge Wheel of Time series (book #8 of 13 or 14). Have not watched any of the TV series.
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