GiantsFan
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,450
Site Supporter
Jun 27, 2014 14:44:56 GMT
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Post by GiantsFan on May 11, 2015 2:15:14 GMT
Hi Reading Refupeas!, I didn't see a thread yet, so here it is.
Not a good reading week for me. I had some work issues and I got very little reading time in.
Anyway, I finished Crow Hollow by Michael Wallace. This was a Kindle First book (You choose one of four books, a month before release). It was OK. It's historical fiction set in 1676. It was interesting about the Puritains, Quakers, Indians and the Crown. I also think it was a bit unbelievable in parts and predictable. Overall it was OK.
I really tried to like The Glassblower by Petra Durnst-Benning. This book came highly recommended, but I just couldn't get into it. I thought the writing was way to juvenile and simplistic. I actually checked to see if it was a YA book. It's not. Maybe it was the narration of the audio version, but all three sisters really just bugged me. I got almost half way and had to ditch to keep my sanity.
Now I'm halfway through with The Storied Life of AJ Fikry. So far I like it. I hope the end doesn't disappoint. (Except I keep reading his name as Firky, not Fikry)
I'm looking to load up Kindle for an upcoming trip, so what have you been reading this week?
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Post by sugarmama on May 11, 2015 2:42:34 GMT
THE NIGHTINGALE by Kristen Hannah. I really liked it--it was hard to put down!
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Post by shannoots on May 11, 2015 2:47:55 GMT
I read To All The Boys I've Loved Before. It's a YA book and it was just alright. It didn't have a conclusive ending but there is a sequel coming out this month so maybe that is why? I will probably read the sequel just to see what happened.
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Post by sugarmama on May 11, 2015 2:49:27 GMT
shanoots, I just recommended that book to my teenage daughter.
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Post by lynnek on May 11, 2015 3:07:00 GMT
After a bad steak of books, finally this week I got some winners. Thank goodness!
I read Where They Found Her by Kimberly McCreight who also wrote Reconstructing Amilia. This book is about a baby who is found dead on a college campus and a reporter trying to figure out who the baby belongs to and how it died. I liked this. A quick read with enough twists and turns to keep it interesting.
Then a friend recommended All The Truth That's In Me by Julie Berry. It was a very interesting book! Do not judge it by the cover. I am not even sure the blurb is a great description. It is about two girls who disappear but only one returns and she is maimed. But there is so much more to the story than just that story line! It is a YA book but I felt like it is very well written and a great story that many people would enjoy!
I started Inside the O'Briens by Lisa Genova who also wrote Still Alice. I like it so far too.
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Post by auntkelly on May 11, 2015 3:48:35 GMT
I'm reading Bringing Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel. It's the sequel to Wolf Hall. I'm not too far into Bringing Up the Bodies, but so far, it's not as good as Wolf Hall.
I took a road trip this weekend and listened to the audio book Killing Kennedy by Bill O'Reilly, which I thought was pretty good.
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gottapeanow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,813
Jun 25, 2014 20:56:09 GMT
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Post by gottapeanow on May 11, 2015 5:04:43 GMT
Two for me this week. Both excellent.
First up, the much-acclaimed The Girl on the Train. I won't bother with a summary since so many have already read this. I was riveted and absolutely loved this. 5/5 stars from me.
Next up, Memory Man by David Baldacci. I just finished this a couple of hours ago. Here is my GR summary:
Memory Man is built on an interesting premise that might seem really far-fetched if anyone but David Baldacci tried to pull it off. But true to form, Baldacci does an admirable job.
Due to a freak accident, Amos Dekker never forgets anything. Ever. He puts those skills to excellent use as a police detective and carved out a good life with his wife, Cassie, and their precious daughter. However, when they are killed with not a clue in sight, he spirals downward and loses everything, including his job.
A tragedy tears his town apart, and the police and FBI admit they need his expertise. As he helps track the killer with his former partner and an investigative journalist, the dots begin to connect. But will he lose his life to bring this case to justice? 4/5 stars. (less)
Lisa
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Sept 28, 2024 15:01:26 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 11, 2015 7:50:25 GMT
I'm almost done with The Vacationers. A family and some friends spend 2 weeks at a home in Mallorca. I grabbed it because I've been to Palma where the novel is set - and did enjoy hearing about the island. An absorbing story of family dysfunction and the challenges of marriage that held my interest. Next up is a book I heard about from cadoodlebug called Girl Underwater.
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tuesdaysgone
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,832
Jun 26, 2014 18:26:03 GMT
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Post by tuesdaysgone on May 11, 2015 10:16:46 GMT
Two great books this week:
The Dead in their Vaulted Arches. This is part of the Flavia de Luce mystery series. I love the precocious little Flavia, but some of the books were very formulaic. Not so with this one. I guess this was the last book in this part of the series so the author took things in a different direction. A light read, but funny and refreshing.
Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman. Since Gaiman is one of my favorite authors, predictably I loved this collection of short stories. Each one is so different; it's a challenging reading experience to switch gears so often, but the writing is wonderful. In the preface he gives a background on each story. Fascinating.
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Post by shannoots on May 11, 2015 12:52:43 GMT
shanoots, I just recommended that book to my teenage daughter. That's funny...I usually like YA but I think I would have liked this one more if I was actually a teenager!
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Post by pjaye on May 11, 2015 13:16:00 GMT
I am still working my way through my “bingo card” reading list that I created for this year. I am usually put off by series – don’t want to wait another year or more for the next one and sometimes I think they drag it out on purpose, with better writing and better editing, one book would have been enough. However I did decide to add a couple of popular series to my list for this year, and it just so happens they ended up next to each other on the same “bingo line”. First up was Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs, which I followed straight after with Hollow City. These books are about 17yo Jacob who grows up with his grandfather telling him stories about living in an orphanage during the war where all of the children had special powers (called ‘peculiars’ in the book). Jacob thinks these are just fairy tales until one day when his grandfather is killed and then he & his father travel to the island near Wales where the orphanage is located. Up until this point I was caught up in the story.
Then we learn about ‘whites’ and ‘hollows’ (monsters with super strength and multiple tongues) who hunt & kill the peculiars. Then it turned into running and fighting monsters with someone from either side dying. I don’t mind a bit of supernatural in my books but battling monsters really isn’t my thing. I thought the writing was OK and liked the narration of the audiobook, they just weren’t my type of books. There’s a third book out later this year, but I won’t be reading it. Next up is the Mara Dyer trilogy. The first book is The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin. Mara is 14yo and the book starts when her best friend, boyfriend and boyfriend’s sister are killed when an old building collapses, and Mara survives. She suffers from PTSD and hallucinations after the accident and goes to a new school where she meets a mysterious new guy. Then they discover that Mara seems to have some sort of psychic powers.
I felt the author didn’t quite know where to go with this, she introduces the idea of powers and then veers off into a YA love story, and then suddenly switches back to the paranormal stuff with full forces. Much of the writing is good, but there are a couple of really unbelievable things that happen that almost made me stop reading. The first book was OK and I’d give it 3 stars. Went straight into the second book The Evolution of Mara Dyer and am about 20% done. It’s keeping my interest, so I’ll see where it goes. Unless it really dives off the deep end, I'll also read the third one The Retribution of Mara Dyer.
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Post by kckckc on May 11, 2015 13:51:46 GMT
I finished two books this week - one print and one audio.
The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukhaerjee. This one won the Pulitzer for nonfiction a few years ago. I listened to this one on audio. An excellent book - the history of cancer and cancer treatment. There were a few sections where the biology was over my head, but overall a book that was very understandable for the layman.
Bittersweet by Susan Wittig Albert. The latest addition to the China Bayles mystery series. I have really enjoyed most of this series, but thought this one was just okay.
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~Susan~
Pearl Clutcher
You need to check your boobs, mine tried to kill me!!!
Posts: 3,259
Jul 6, 2014 17:25:32 GMT
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Post by ~Susan~ on May 11, 2015 16:00:28 GMT
I have been on a run of bad books lately and it doesn't seem to be getting any better First up is The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. This book held my attention and made me flip the pages, but I cannot believe all of the pathetic women in it! I understand the main character with her drinking and whatnot, but none of the others weren't portrayed any better. I really wanted to like this book, but I had it figured out way before the ending and I really wasn't impressed by any of the characters. They were all just so pitiful. I gave the book 2 out of 5 stars. Secondly, Gone Girl. I am probably the last person anywhere to read this book. After reading it, I wished I was the only person who had never read it. I thought it was horrible. The first half had me interested, but the second just infuriated me. Terrible, self-centered people who weren't likeable in the least and the story was way out in left field. I gave it 1 out of 5 stars. I will not be reading any more books with the word girl in the title for a while, lol
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The Great Carpezio
Pearl Clutcher
Something profound goes here.
Posts: 2,973
Jun 25, 2014 21:50:33 GMT
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Post by The Great Carpezio on May 11, 2015 17:22:18 GMT
The last month or so I have really slowed down with my reading. It is such a busy time of year, and I have been reading some challenging books. The two I have finished in the last couple of weeks are:
Far from the Madding Crowd: I read this one for book club, and we plan on going to the movie together. I know it is considered a classic, but I realized how much the Victorian vernacular annoys me. Here was my review: I must expostulate, in a somewhat jocular manner, upon this Victorian vernacular— wherein, certainly, and with a great heaving sigh—the peculiar type one often descends upon during the sprightly spring lambing season. Henceforth, and with an impassioned tonal quality----
I realized I'm not a fan of Victorian speech patterns, and I'm not a fan of Bathsheba for oh so many reasons. I didn't hate the storyline, but there were a lot of stupid things these people did, and it's hard when the main female protagonist is supposed to be an independent woman ahead of her time, but she is ingratiating in so many ways.
The other book I read was The Country of Ice Cream Star. This might be one of the most challenging books I have ever read. If you look at the reviews, a lot of people gave up on it, but those who stick with it, seem to really enjoy/love it. It is written in a "new" language based off from today's language if the only people who lived trough the next year were mostly urban African American children and teens, and then they have children, but they (the parents who live through this year) die by the time they are 22, and this has been going on for 100 years. So, it has ebonics and slang elements, but it is also very poetic and insightful. I really loved this book, but really, it was SO hard to read. I would recommend reading the first twenty pages or so (they are free online.) See if you can make it through. The storyline was quite engaging. I adored the protagonist (Ice Cream Star 15), and the way their world was slowly revealed through naive narration. it is set up for a sequel. This was a truly original book, but you will have to work for it!
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Post by GamGam on May 11, 2015 17:23:09 GMT
THE NIGHTINGALE by Kristen Hannah. I really liked it--it was hard to put down! Me too!
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Post by epeanymous on May 11, 2015 17:26:08 GMT
I'm finishing up The Bone Tree. I enjoyed Natchez Burning but this is too action-movie, and I will be glad to be finished.
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Post by birukitty on May 11, 2015 17:31:05 GMT
Two for me this week and first up is a historical novel by Hazel Gaynor called "A Memory of Violets-A Novel of London's Flower Sellers" which I really loved. This book covers the story of the London's poverty stricken flower sellers, and this story centers around two sisters who are motherless with an alcoholic father who forces them to be the breadwinners of the family. The youngest sister is 4 and blind, and the eldest is 6 or 7 and walks with a crutch. An accident happens (won't say what it is because I don't want to spoil the book) that leaves echos through the lives of both girls. It is a shocking look into the lives of this era as so many of the poor were forced into this life, but there is a light of hope in this true story of a man who builds an orphanage and a home for the older girls where he teaches and employs them to make artificial flowers. Hazel Gaynor is an excellent writer who writes characters that you come to care about and vivid scenes. I found myself wanting to go to bed at night (where I read before I fall asleep) just so I could find out what happened next. Highly recommended!.
Next was a non-fiction book called "The Zookeeper's Wife-A War Story by Diane Ackerman. It was a good book and I'm glad I read it. I've read a lot of WW2 books, and this one taught me a lot about Poland and especially this amazing family and their courage in saving 300 people during the war all the while risking their own lives. I liked reading about the animals in their lives when they'd bring them in the house and how it added a lightheartedness to not only their lives but also to their "guests"-the people they were hiding from the Nazi's. What an amazing family! We have a relative living near Warsaw and one day I hope to go visit him and his family (my parents are going this Spring) and visit this Zoo.
At the end of the book it gives a lot of facts about Poland and I didn't realize how strong the resistance was in Poland, and I didn't know that along with 6 million Jews killed in the Holocaust, 3 million Catholics were also killed. I knew that there were Gypsies, Polish people, Slavs, and all kinds of other people the Nazis saw as "undesirables" but I didn't realize how that there were so many Catholics killed. Obviously I'm not trying to take anything away from the Jews, it's just something I didn't know.
Debbie in MD.
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Post by cadoodlebug on May 11, 2015 18:14:55 GMT
I have been on a run of bad books lately and it doesn't seem to be getting any better First up is The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. This book held my attention and made me flip the pages, but I cannot believe all of the pathetic women in it! I understand the main character with her drinking and whatnot, but none of the others weren't portrayed any better. I really wanted to like this book, but I had it figured out way before the ending and I really wasn't impressed by any of the characters. They were all just so pitiful. I gave the book 2 out of 5 stars. Secondly, Gone Girl. I am probably the last person anywhere to read this book. After reading it, I wished I was the only person who had never read it. I thought it was horrible. The first half had me interested, but the second just infuriated me. Terrible, self-centered people who weren't likeable in the least and the story was way out in left field. I gave it 1 out of 5 stars. I will not be reading any more books with the word girl in the title for a while, lol I agree with your assessment of Girl on the Train. I think perhaps it will make a more interesting movie? As far as Gone Girl, I never read the book but thoroughly enjoyed the movie.
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paigepea
Drama Llama
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Posts: 5,609
Location: BC, Canada
Jun 26, 2014 4:28:55 GMT
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Post by paigepea on May 11, 2015 19:08:06 GMT
Hi peas who read!!
I'm sorry I haven't started the thread for the last two weeks. The last two Sunday's were crazy for me and when I logged in to post it was already done.
I'm hoping someone is interested in taking on this weekly thread. I'm having some trouble with my eyes and haven't been able to read much lately. Strabismus - double vision is getting worse.
Ill of of course still be on this thread - keeping a to-read list if nothing else!
Thanks!
paige.
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Post by candygurl on May 11, 2015 19:11:14 GMT
THE NIGHTINGALE by Kristen Hannah. I really liked it--it was hard to put down! Me too! Also loved this book! Currently reading the third book called 'A Dark Mind' by T.R. Ragan. Love her books and they were recently on sale at Amazon so I bought books 3-5. Good series!
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Post by GamGam on May 11, 2015 22:58:56 GMT
Two for me this week and first up is a historical novel by Hazel Gaynor called "A Memory of Violets-A Novel of London's Flower Sellers" which I really loved. This book covers the story of the London's poverty stricken flower sellers, and this story centers around two sisters who are motherless with an alcoholic father who forces them to be the breadwinners of the family. The youngest sister is 4 and blind, and the eldest is 6 or 7 and walks with a crutch. An accident happens (won't say what it is because I don't want to spoil the book) that leaves echos through the lives of both girls. It is a shocking look into the lives of this era as so many of the poor were forced into this life, but there is a light of hope in this true story of a man who builds an orphanage and a home for the older girls where he teaches and employs them to make artificial flowers. Hazel Gaynor is an excellent writer who writes characters that you come to care about and vivid scenes. I found myself wanting to go to bed at night (where I read before I fall asleep) just so I could find out what happened next. Highly recommended!. Next was a non-fiction book called "The Zookeeper's Wife-A War Story by Diane Ackerman. It was a good book and I'm glad I read it. I've read a lot of WW2 books, and this one taught me a lot about Poland and especially this amazing family and their courage in saving 300 people during the war all the while risking their own lives. I liked reading about the animals in their lives when they'd bring them in the house and how it added a lightheartedness to not only their lives but also to their "guests"-the people they were hiding from the Nazi's. What an amazing family! We have a relative living near Warsaw and one day I hope to go visit him and his family (my parents are going this Spring) and visit this Zoo. At the end of the book it gives a lot of facts about Poland and I didn't realize how strong the resistance was in Poland, and I didn't know that along with 6 million Jews killed in the Holocaust, 3 million Catholics were also killed. I knew that there were Gypsies, Polish people, Slavs, and all kinds of other people the Nazis saw as "undesirables" but I didn't realize how that there were so many Catholics killed. Obviously I'm not trying to take anything away from the Jews, it's just something I didn't know. Debbie in MD. I have heard of the Zookeeper's Wife, and it sounds very interesting . Thanks for such a details post about it. I'll put it on my must read list.
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Post by tara595 on May 12, 2015 11:30:26 GMT
I'm almost finished with Accidents of Marriage by Randy Susan Meyers for my book club. I'm really enjoying it so far and can't wait to discuss it!
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Post by birukitty on May 12, 2015 19:12:08 GMT
Susan, you jokingly said "I will not be reading any more books with the word Girl in the title for a while, lol Just wanted to let you know that I just started reading my next book last night and the title? "The Girl With All The Gifts" by M.R. Carey Debbie in MD.
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Post by birukitty on May 12, 2015 19:16:05 GMT
Hi peas who read!! I'm sorry I haven't started the thread for the last two weeks. The last two Sunday's were crazy for me and when I logged in to post it was already done. I'm hoping someone is interested in taking on this weekly thread. I'm having some trouble with my eyes and haven't been able to read much lately. Strabismus - double vision is getting worse. Ill of of course still be on this thread - keeping a to-read list if nothing else! Thanks! paige. Paige, I'm so sorry to hear about the trouble you're having with your eyes. I hope they get better very soon. No worries and you don't have to apologize to us for not starting the thread. Is there someone on this thread that would like to take over for Paige? If not I'm happy to do it, but if someone wants to that's fine too. I just want to make sure we don't lose it because I love having this thread every week. It's great hearing about the books that Peas love (and hate) and I know I've used it several times to lead me to books that I've enjoyed reading. Debbie in MD.
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Post by sillyrabbit on May 12, 2015 19:17:21 GMT
I have been on a run of bad books lately and it doesn't seem to be getting any better First up is The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. This book held my attention and made me flip the pages, but I cannot believe all of the pathetic women in it! I understand the main character with her drinking and whatnot, but none of the others weren't portrayed any better. I really wanted to like this book, but I had it figured out way before the ending and I really wasn't impressed by any of the characters. They were all just so pitiful. I gave the book 2 out of 5 stars. Secondly, Gone Girl. I am probably the last person anywhere to read this book. After reading it, I wished I was the only person who had never read it. I thought it was horrible. The first half had me interested, but the second just infuriated me. Terrible, self-centered people who weren't likeable in the least and the story was way out in left field. I gave it 1 out of 5 stars. I will not be reading any more books with the word girl in the title for a while, lol I agree with you on The Girl on the Train. I don't get the hype. The funny thing is that for me, it totally reminded me of Gone Girl. But I really liked Gone Girl and thought Girl on the Train was a bad knockoff.
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The Great Carpezio
Pearl Clutcher
Something profound goes here.
Posts: 2,973
Jun 25, 2014 21:50:33 GMT
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Post by The Great Carpezio on May 12, 2015 19:24:37 GMT
Hi peas who read!! I'm sorry I haven't started the thread for the last two weeks. The last two Sunday's were crazy for me and when I logged in to post it was already done. I'm hoping someone is interested in taking on this weekly thread. I'm having some trouble with my eyes and haven't been able to read much lately. Strabismus - double vision is getting worse. Ill of of course still be on this thread - keeping a to-read list if nothing else! Thanks! paige. Paige, I'm so sorry to hear about the trouble you're having with your eyes. I hope they get better very soon. No worries and you don't have to apologize to us for not starting the thread. Is there someone on this thread that would like to take over for Paige? If not I'm happy to do it, but if someone wants to that's fine too. I just want to make sure we don't lose it because I love having this thread every week. It's great hearing about the books that Peas love (and hate) and I know I've used it several times to lead me to books that I've enjoyed reading. Debbie in MD. I would be willing to do it, but Debbie, if you would like to do it, that is OK with me too. I did it for a couple of weeks when Paige was on vacation this winter and thought it was fun, but I am not going to fight anyone over it either. Although a book death match might be amusing. ;-p
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Deleted
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Sept 28, 2024 15:01:26 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2015 19:27:08 GMT
I read two Taylor Stevens books, The Doll and The Catch, in the Michael Vanessa Munroe series. They were good -- exciting plots are her forte. I was having a hard time concentrating, but it wasn't the fault of the books.I really enjoy a good kick-ass woman protagonist, and I love Michael Vanessa's planning abilities. I enjoy her being twenty steps ahead of everyone else in the plot. The African maritime setting of The Catch is also cool -- I don't know much about Somalia, Kenya, Djibouti.
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Post by sillyrabbit on May 12, 2015 19:32:39 GMT
Last week I finished two books. The first was Trans-sister Radio by Chris Bohjalian. I have really liked some of his books in the past (The Double Bind is one of my faves and Midwives was good as well) so I had high hopes. The story involves a divorced female school teacher who falls in love with a man who is transgender and soon to have sexual reassignment surgery to become female, and the fallout of that relationship. It was just okay...I learned quite a bit about transgender issues (the book would mention things so I would research to learn more) so I liked that part. But the ending was absolutely ridiculous. Seriously. So unbelievable that I shake my head just thinking about it. I'd give it 2.5 out of 5 stars.
The second was The Girl You Left Behind by JoJo Moyes. This one was also just okay to me. It had flashbacks between WWI and the present tense...I enjoyed the WWI parts of the story, but the present day story was a bit lame to me. I'd give it 3 out of 5 stars.
I'm not sure what I'm gonna read next. I haven't read a REALLY good book in forever it seems. Maybe I'm just becoming too hard to please as I get older. Who knows?
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Post by birukitty on May 12, 2015 19:56:21 GMT
Carey Ann-if you'd like to take over the Reading Thread that's great. I was willing to do it if no one else wanted to, so we didn't lose this thread.
Debbie in MD.
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The Great Carpezio
Pearl Clutcher
Something profound goes here.
Posts: 2,973
Jun 25, 2014 21:50:33 GMT
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Post by The Great Carpezio on May 13, 2015 0:18:51 GMT
I would be willing to take it over. I'll start this next Sunday.
Paige, I hope your eyesight gets better soon. Thanks for taking it for the last year.
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