The Great Carpezio
Pearl Clutcher
Something profound goes here.
Posts: 3,019 
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Post by The Great Carpezio on Sept 16, 2024 14:14:43 GMT
This week I read a newly released somewhat spicy "romantasy"
Phantasma
Kaylie Smith
Romantasy (Romance/Fantasy) somewhat spicy
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Setting: Sometime in the early 1900’s magical New Orleans a necromancer ends up in a dangerous magical competition and falls in love with a being.
It was OK….It had pretty high Goodreads ratings and I am sure many people will love it. It started out pretty strongly but it just wasn’t my thing.
What did you read?
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Post by Bridget in MD on Sept 16, 2024 14:20:09 GMT
4 Stars for Lost in Prosperity by Judy Hannigan. Historical romance or westerns are not the genre I typically read, but when my friend and mentor told me her first book was published, I pushed this right to the top of my "To Read" list. The novel starts with a horrific accident: a stagecoach crashing down a ravine, and Jackson yanking Sam to safety. While she is safe, she has amnesia. Her lost memory is frustrating to her, because her body responds while her brain doesn't remember. Peppered with memories that she tries to understand, Sam has to re-learn who her family and friends are, and who is not to be trusted. Per the intro of the book: "As Sam and Jackson struggle to pick up the pieces of their lives and uncover the reasons why events from their pasts are converging to destroy their chance of attaining love and happiness, they learn the past isn’t nearly as important as the future they build together." I've been thinking about Sam and Jackson's relationship, and I wondered why they just didn't give up sometimes, as it just seemed so hard, and at times, they really didn't seem to "be destined" to be together.... except for a past that Sam couldn't remember connecting them. It really felt like a struggle, but that actually made the story more interesting than just a tyipcal love story. There are a lot of characters, a lot with minor roles, and sometimes that got confusing for me to remember why they may be important to the story. I do feel I need to mention a trigger warning for sexual abuse/rape, but this content is important to the backstory. As I said, this is not what I typically read, but I am interested to see how these characters interact and grow in future novels. There is also a give away for this book for another week! She's giving away 50 ebooks! www.goodreads.com/book/show/218352913-lost-in-prosperity |
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hutchfan
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,600
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Post by hutchfan on Sept 16, 2024 17:02:42 GMT
I read Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors.
⭐⭐⭐ from me. I wasn't into the graphic sex, all the drugs, plenty of family drama.
The three Blue sisters are exceptional-and exceptionally different. Avery, the eldest and a recovering heroin addict turned strait-laced lawyer, lives with her wife in London: Bonnie, a former boxer, works as a bouncer in Los Angeles following a devastating defeat: and Lucky, the youngest, models in Paris while trying to outrun her hard-partying ways. They also had a fourth sister, Nicky, whose unexpected death left the family reeling.
A year later, as they each navigate grief, addiction, and ambition, they find they must return to New York to stop the sale of the apartment they were raised in.
But coming home is never easy as it seems. As the sisters reckon with the disappointments of their childhood and the loss of the only person who held them together, they realize that the greatest secrets they've been keeping might not have been from one another but from themselves.
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gottapeanow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,828
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Post by gottapeanow on Sept 16, 2024 17:34:41 GMT
I read Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors. ⭐⭐⭐ from me. I wasn't into the graphic sex, all the drugs, plenty of family drama. I have this on hold at the library. I will give it 50 pages to see if I like it. I finished Worst Case Scenario just a few hours yesterday, basically binged it. Wow! I cried. It's super fast-paced and a great read. So far, this is my fave book by TJ Newman. 5/5 stars. Lots of TW in this one, mainly death. I also zipped through The Wedding People and thought it was lovely. 4/5 stars. TW: Discussion of suicide, animal death. My favorite read of the week was Joe Nuthin's Guide to Life. This is soooo heartwarming and just great up lit. There are a few wonderful lessons in it: Things aren't always what they seem. TW for family abuse and bullying. Just so heartwarming (Oh, I said that already!) and one of my fave reads of the year. 5/5 stars Lisa |
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Post by jeremysgirl on Sept 16, 2024 17:57:24 GMT
I read two this week:
Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come by Jessica Pan. I hate to dog on memoirs. I mean that is someone's life. However, she was hard to like. I didn't think it was very funny either. 3 stars.
The Courage to be Disliked by Kishimi and Koga. This was entirely based on the philosophy of Alfred Adler. Somehow they decided that there was some kind of Japanese hullabaloo involved. LIke I don't know, the Japanese have a philosophy based on Adler's psychology? It wasn't clear what was Japanese about any of it. The conversational style was easy to read, but seemed a bit patronizing. I agree with most of Adler's thinking, though. 3 stars.
I decided last night I needed some horror. So I pulled out a collection of Stephen King's short stories. Four Past Midnight. I'm reading the first one and enjoying it. Spooky season needs King.
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scrapngranny
Pearl Clutcher
Only slightly senile
Posts: 4,861
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Post by scrapngranny on Sept 16, 2024 18:14:19 GMT
A winner for me was The Measure, by Nikki Erlick. The was a novel exploring a world when everyone one over 22 was given a string forecasting how long they would live. Would you open the box the strung came in or not? A lot of life choices were made or changed depending on how the received the boxes.
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scrapngranny
Pearl Clutcher
Only slightly senile
Posts: 4,861
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Post by scrapngranny on Sept 16, 2024 18:14:19 GMT
A winner for me was The Measure, by Nikki Erlick. The was a novel exploring a world when everyone one over 22 was given a string forecasting how long they would live. Would you open the box the strung came in or not? A lot of life choices were made or changed depending on how the received the boxes.
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Post by ~summer~ on Sept 16, 2024 18:18:27 GMT
I read Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors. ⭐⭐⭐ from me. I wasn't into the graphic sex, all the drugs, plenty of family drama. I have this on hold at the library. I will give it 50 pages to see if I like it. I finished Worst Case Scenario just a few hours yesterday, basically binged it. Wow! I cried. It's super fast-paced and a great read. So far, this is my fave book by TJ Newman. 5/5 stars. Lots of TW in this one, mainly death. I also zipped through The Wedding People and thought it was lovely. 4/5 stars. TW: Discussion of suicide, animal death. My favorite read of the week was Joe Nuthin's Guide to Life. This is soooo heartwarming and just great up lit. There are a few wonderful lessons in it: Things aren't always what they seem. TW for family abuse and bullying. Just so heartwarming (Oh, I said that already!) and one of my fave reads of the year. 5/5 stars Lisa LOVED The Wedding People!! |
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Post by ~summer~ on Sept 16, 2024 18:20:20 GMT
A winner for me was The Measure, by Nikki Erlick. The was a novel exploring a world when everyone one over 22 was given a string forecasting how long they would live. Would you open the box the strung came in or not? A lot of life choices were made or changed depending on how the received the boxes. Ive been looking at the book glad you enjoyed it. I’m reading “This Time Tomorrow” by Emma Straub. About a woman turning 40 who wakes up as her 16yo self. So far it is enjoyable. |
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Post by cadoodlebug on Sept 16, 2024 19:16:53 GMT
Last week I finished The Truth About the Devlins by Lisa Scottoline. What a wild ride. If I was the main character, I would have killed several people before the story was finished. 4/5 stars
Now I'm about half-way through The Nature of Disappearing by Kimi Cunningham Grant. I'm pretty sure it was recommended here. I'm curious to see where it leads.
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hutchfan
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,600
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Post by hutchfan on Sept 16, 2024 20:48:43 GMT
I read Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors. ⭐⭐⭐ from me. I wasn't into the graphic sex, all the drugs, plenty of family drama. I have this on hold at the library. I will give it 50 pages to see if I like it. I finished Worst Case Scenario just a few hours yesterday, basically binged it. Wow! I cried. It's super fast-paced and a great read. So far, this is my fave book by TJ Newman. 5/5 stars. Lots of TW in this one, mainly death. I also zipped through The Wedding People and thought it was lovely. 4/5 stars. TW: Discussion of suicide, animal death. My favorite read of the week was Joe Nuthin's Guide to Life. This is soooo heartwarming and just great up lit. There are a few wonderful lessons in it: Things aren't always what they seem. TW for family abuse and bullying. Just so heartwarming (Oh, I said that already!) and one of my fave reads of the year. 5/5 stars Lisa I am starting The Wedding People this week. I think most people will like Blue Sisters but it was tad much in parts for me. |
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naby64
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,429
Member is Online
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Post by naby64 on Sept 17, 2024 0:58:48 GMT
I finished The Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros. I have now started listening to The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. I knew nothing going in but the narrator and his voices is making it very enjoyable. Laughed out loud in the car several times with one character's lines.
Cerulean Chronicles #1
The House in the Cerulean Sea
T.J. Klune
4.40
A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret.
Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.
When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.
But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.
An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.
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Post by Bridget in MD on Sept 17, 2024 11:59:42 GMT
I finished The Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros. I have now started listening to The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. I knew nothing going in but the narrator and his voices is making it very enjoyable. Laughed out loud in the car several times with one character's lines. I believe the sequel to House is coming out this month! |
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Post by monklady123 on Sept 17, 2024 12:40:00 GMT
Still having fun with my "...in Death" binge. This week I read Witness in Death, Judgment in Death, Betrayal in Death, and Seduction in Death, and listened to Naked in Death (which is the first in the series, and I've already read it, but I need non-challenging books for audio because my mind tends to wander.  ) I'm still managing to fit each book into one of my book group's September prompts. The prompts this month are very character driven so I haven't had any trouble. The only one I won't be able to fill is a book with a dragon or other mythical creature. I had hoped to be able to stretch that a bit to include the wonderful invention called the AutoChef. But the group's admin said no. lol. I figured she would but thought it didn't hurt to ask.  I honestly have no idea why I'm having such a good time with these books...they're not anything fancy, they're totally formulaic. But they're quick reads, I like murder mysteries, and I'm enjoying seeing how the characters interact with each other and how their relationships change. As I mentioned a few weeks back, there are something like 58 in the series  so I suspect I'll lose motivation before then. But at least for this month I'm determined not to read anything else so that I can fill all the prompts with "in Death".  |
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Post by trixiecat on Sept 19, 2024 11:21:24 GMT
I just finished Look In The Mirror by Catherine Steadman. Strong 4 star book.
Nina, still grieving from the loss of her father, discovers that she has inherited property in the British Virgin Islands—a vacation home she had no idea existed, until now. The house is extraordinary: state-of-the-art, all glass and marble. How did her sensible father come into enough money for this? Why did he keep it from her? And what else was he hiding?
Maria, once an ambitious medical student, is a nanny for the super-rich. The money’s better, and so are the destinations where her work takes her. Just one more gig, and she’ll be set. Finally, she’ll be secure. But when her wards never show, Maria begins to make herself at home, spending her days luxuriating by the pool and in the sauna. There’s just one rule: Don’t go in the basement. That room is off-limits. But her curiosity might just get the better of her. And soon, she’ll wish her only worry was not getting paid.
I really liked this book and was on the edge of my seat at different parts. There was a twist at the end as well.
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naby64
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,429
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Post by naby64 on Sept 19, 2024 13:48:55 GMT
Well, a book came up at the library and I grabbed it while available. It's new and there was a large wait.
Black Bird Oracle by Deborah Harkness. Book 5, I believe, in the All Souls series. Discovery of Witches and all.
All Souls #5
Black Bird Oracle
Deborah Harkness
4.18
Diana Bishop journeys to the darkest places within herself—and her family history—in the highly anticipated fifth novel of the beloved #1 New York Times bestselling All Souls series.
Deborah Harkness first introduced the world to Diana Bishop, Oxford scholar and witch, and vampire geneticist Matthew de Clairmont in A Discovery of Witches. Drawn to each other despite long-standing taboos, these two otherworldly beings found themselves at the center of a battle for a lost, enchanted manuscript known as Ashmole 782. Since then, they have fallen in love, traveled to Elizabethan England, dissolved the Covenant between the three species, and awoken the dark powers within Diana’s family line.
Now, Diana and Matthew receive a formal demand from the Congregation: They must test the magic of their seven-year-old twins, Pip and Rebecca. Concerned with their safety and desperate to avoid the same fate that led her parents to spellbind her, Diana decides to forge a different path for her family’s future and answers a message from a great-aunt she never knew existed, Gwyneth Proctor, whose invitation simply reads: It’s time you came home, Diana.
On the hallowed ground of Ravenswood, the Proctor family home, and under the tutelage of Gwyneth, a talented witch grounded in higher magic, a new era begins for Diana: a confrontation with her family’s dark past, and a reckoning for her own desire for even greater power—if she can let go, finally, of her fear of wielding it.
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)
so I suspect I'll lose motivation before then. But at least for this month I'm determined not to read anything else so that I can fill all the prompts with "in Death". 
