The Great Carpezio
Pearl Clutcher
Something profound goes here.
Posts: 2,930 
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Post by The Great Carpezio on Jul 19, 2015 18:25:34 GMT
Welcome to another week of reading. This week I read two good books. First up: I'll Give you the Sun (Trailer), a YA selection that came highly recommended by a couple coworkers (high school librarian and fellow English teacher who doesn't care for most YA lit). There are a couple of love stories, but they are well done and not really the heart of the story. I rounded up to 5/5 on this. I'd recommend for older teens due to sexual content. Next: End of Days (book 3 of Penryn/Angelfall series) Archangels and demons have breeched Earth and Penyrn must find a way to save what is left of humanity. Enjoyable post-ap series. YA. |
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Post by maryland on Jul 19, 2015 18:30:52 GMT
I'm reading Everyday by David Levithan. Good so far!
Got the Martian and All the Single Ladies - Dorthea Benton Frank for vacation!
I'll Give You the Sun - was one I checked out before but couldn't get into it. I will try that again! |
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Post by Dori~Mama~Bear on Jul 19, 2015 18:34:17 GMT
I just put a hold on I'll give you the sun at my library. It sounds like a good book. Thank you
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Post by kellybelly77 on Jul 19, 2015 18:41:20 GMT
I finished up Doc by Mary Doria Russell. A biography on Doc Holliday. It was a very good read! It chronicled Doc's life from childhood until he left Dodge City for Arizona. She did not detail the shoot out at OK Corral, which was a little disappointing! Now I have to read another book about that!
Mainly, I picked it up because my maternal side is related to the Earps. There was a fair amount in the book about all the Earp boys and Doc's girlfriend Kate Harony. I would give it 4 stars!!
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Mystie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,299
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Post by Mystie on Jul 19, 2015 18:56:28 GMT
I read a lot this week because my DH had surgery, so I was waiting in the hospital and then keeping him company at home, and I really plowed through the books! (He's doing great, btw.)
The Girl With All the Gifts is a zombie novel with an interesting slant--about a girl who is one of a number of children who have been infected with the zombie virus, but are still able to think and reason. What does this mean for humanity? DH and I both read it and enjoyed it very much.
Bettyville: a Memoir is about a middle-aged man who moves home to rural Missouri to take care of his elderly mother who's developing dementia. There's a lot going on in this book...it's sort of a tribute to his parents, a look at how the parent-child relationship changes with old age, and a memoir of his process of coming out of the closet and yet never being able to wholly acknowledge to his parents that he is gay. Lots going on, but it's well-written and I liked it.
Eighty Days: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland and Their History-Making Race Around the World. I had never heard of this race, between two female reporters in 1889, to try to beat the eighty-day record written about by Jules Verne. It was a fun read--made me wish I could go back in time and see the world as it was then. Lots of details about travel in that era, the lives of women reporters, the history of the places they traveled through.
More Than Happy: The Wisdom of Amish Parenting. I am not a parent, but I saw this at the library and picked it up because the Amish interest me. I think it really is a very wise book--the author got to know several Amish families intimately and talked to the parents and observed how they raise their kids and what "English" parents could learn from them. Some of it is just common-sense, but there's a worldview that the Amish have, about being part of a family and a community, that really steers their kids down a good path.
All Roads Lead to Austen: A Year-Long Journey With Jane. I am a sucker for books about Jane Austen. This one was about an English professor who organizes reading groups in five different Latin American countries to read Jane Austen. There was lots of information about the various places she visited, plus a love story. It wasn't anything earth-shaking, but I had a fun time reading it.
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Post by shannoots on Jul 19, 2015 18:57:39 GMT
Welcome to another week of reading. This week I read two good books. First up: I'll Give you the Sun (Trailer), a YA selection that came highly recommended by a couple coworkers (high school librarian and fellow English teacher who doesn't care for most YA lit). There are a couple of love stories, but they are well done and not really the heart of the story. I rounded up to 5/5 on this. I'd recommend for older teens due to sexual content. Next: End of Days (book 3 of Penryn/Angelfall series) Archangels and demons have breeched Earth and Penyrn must find a way to save what is left of humanity. Enjoyable post-ap series. YA. I'm going to check out I'll Give you the Sun. I like to read YA and haven't read one recently. |
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Post by shannoots on Jul 19, 2015 19:00:22 GMT
I finished Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah. I think I posted last week that it was slow in the beginning. I ended up giving it a 4.5/5 stars. I loved it after I got into it.
Not sure what is up next...I probably shouldn't read because I need to do lesson plans for the upcoming school year.
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tuesdaysgone
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,832
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Post by tuesdaysgone on Jul 19, 2015 19:43:29 GMT
I only had time for one book this week.
I read We Are Called to Rise (McBride). The story is set in Las Vegas and features four main characters. Although unknown to each other, a single tragic event means their lives will cross. A couple of the characters are better developed than the others and I saw the ending coming a mile away, but it was a good book. It was a 3/5 for me.
I just began another book this afternoon, but I'll wait till next week to discuss.
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tuesdaysgone
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,832
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Post by tuesdaysgone on Jul 19, 2015 19:45:22 GMT
I finished up Doc by Mary Doria Russell. A biography on Doc Holliday. It was a very good read! It chronicled Doc's life from childhood until he left Dodge City for Arizona. She did not detail the shoot out at OK Corral, which was a little disappointing! Now I have to read another book about that! Mainly, I picked it up because my maternal side is related to the Earps. There was a fair amount in the book about all the Earp boys and Doc's girlfriend Kate Harony. I would give it 4 stars!! You'll need to read her next book, Epitaph, next. It picks up where Doc leaves off and features the Earps prominently. It's all about the events leading up to the shoot out at the OK Corral. |
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akathy
What's For Dinner?
Still peaing from Podunk!
Posts: 4,546
Location: North Dakota
Jun 25, 2014 22:56:55 GMT
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Post by akathy on Jul 19, 2015 20:31:59 GMT
Mystie I read Bettyville: a Memoir as well and I didn't really like it. It was very boring to me. I'm really surprised I kept at it. I've just started Summer by the Sea by Jenny Hale.
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Post by auntkelly on Jul 19, 2015 20:43:50 GMT
I read Finding Jake: A Novel by Bryan Reardon. It was a quick read and the narrator (a stay at home dad married to a corporate lawyer) drew me into the story right away. I highly recommend it for a good summer read.
I'm now reading The Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll. It's also a good summer read w/ a narrator you love to hate.
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gina
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,224
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Post by gina on Jul 19, 2015 21:18:45 GMT
I finished up Where They Found Her by Kimberly McCreight yesterday. I gave it {barely} 3/5 stars. Aside from one, none of the characters were likeable and there were so many that it was hard to keep track of them all. I didn't feel connected to them or the story for basically the entire thing.  "At the end of a long winter, in bucolic Ridgedale, New Jersey, the body of an infant is discovered in the woods near the town’s prestigious university campus. No one knows who the baby is, or how her body ended up out there. But there is no shortage of opinions." The story is told through various forms i.e. first person narrative, web articles, comment sections on social media. It was very easy to figure out who the baby belonged to, imo. I ended my Goodreads review calling it a "thriller that wasn't thrilling". I started The Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll last night. I am also listening to Caught by Harlen Coben on audio.  |
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Post by cawoman on Jul 19, 2015 21:42:18 GMT
I read Isle of Palms by Dorothea Benton Frank. I loved it as I do most of her books. Her stories take place in SC and the characters are so likable. This one was one of my favorites.
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gottapeanow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,752
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Post by gottapeanow on Jul 19, 2015 22:20:38 GMT
I am reading The Bone Tree by Greg Isles. So far, so good. To me, it's like reading more of Natchez Burning as the book picks up minutes - maybe one minute after - where NB left off. At 800+ pages, it is a doozy, but I really want to finish it this week.
Oh, I finished Paper Towns by John Green. I thought it was okay and actually think that it will play out better on the big screen. I kept imaging scenes as a movie while I read. The story premise is very strong but the actual execution of it seemed weak. So I gave it a 3/5.
Lisa
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QueenoftheSloths
Drama Llama
Member Since January 2004, 2,698 forum posts PeaNut Number: 122614 PeaBoard Title: StuckOnPeas
Posts: 5,955
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Post by QueenoftheSloths on Jul 19, 2015 22:53:02 GMT
The Queen of the Tearling it is a borderline YA book, set in the "neo-feudal future". I liked it, and the sequel just came out, can't wait to continue the story!
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Post by RobbyKay on Jul 19, 2015 22:58:05 GMT
Hi Reader Peas!
This week, I took the plunge and read Harper Lee's Go Set a Watchman. I enjoyed it. I had read the hype about Atticus Finch being not as honorable as he was in To Kill a Mockingbird, but I was willing to risk my perception - and I was fine with it. Honestly, more than anything, I think it's a shining example of why even a great author can benefit from the advice of an editor.
Right now, I'm reading Among the Ten Thousand Things by Julia Pierpont. It's about a family that starts to break apart when the father's affair is revealed when he breaks up with his mistress, and she sends all of their intimate communications to his home - where the kids discover it. I heard about it on a book review podcast, so I'm hoping something interesting pops up soon. I'll let you know next week.
Happy reading! |
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 17, 2024 22:24:43 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2015 23:02:55 GMT
I've been super busy this week getting ready for a Colorado vacation, so I'm still reading The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins and it is by far the most bizarre, creepy, edgy book I've ever read.
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purplebee
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,732
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Post by purplebee on Jul 19, 2015 23:10:52 GMT
Just finished "Little Known Facts" by Christine Sneed. Story about an aging Hollywood star and the way his life/fame has affected his family. Kinda depressing, but it did hold my attention. Not thrilled with the ending. I would rate it a 2.5 or 3.
Have Among Ten Thousand Things in to to be read pile.
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Post by annabella on Jul 20, 2015 1:08:02 GMT
I just started Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland she is the only African American soloist dancing with the American Ballet Theatre
and
Down the Rabbit Hole: Curious Adventures and Cautionary Tales of a Former Playboy Bunny
by Holly Madison
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Post by maryland on Jul 20, 2015 1:12:28 GMT
Welcome to another week of reading. This week I read two good books. First up: I'll Give you the Sun (Trailer), a YA selection that came highly recommended by a couple coworkers (high school librarian and fellow English teacher who doesn't care for most YA lit). There are a couple of love stories, but they are well done and not really the heart of the story. I rounded up to 5/5 on this. I'd recommend for older teens due to sexual content. Next: End of Days (book 3 of Penryn/Angelfall series) Archangels and demons have breeched Earth and Penyrn must find a way to save what is left of humanity. Enjoyable post-ap series. YA. I'm going to check out I'll Give you the Sun. I like to read YA and haven't read one recently. The book I mentioned above Every Day is also YA and pretty good! I have read about 1/3 so far. |
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Post by maryland on Jul 20, 2015 1:17:52 GMT
I read Isle of Palms by Dorothea Benton Frank. I loved it as I do most of her books. Her stories take place in SC and the characters are so likable. This one was one of my favorites. I just looked it up on Barnes and Noble and it looks good! Will have to look for it at the library. Have you read her new book? |
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MsKnit
Pearl Clutcher
RefuPea #1406
Posts: 2,648
Jun 26, 2014 19:06:42 GMT
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Post by MsKnit on Jul 20, 2015 1:19:19 GMT
Hi Reader Peas!
This week, I took the plunge and read Harper Lee's Go Set a Watchman. I enjoyed it. I had read the hype about Atticus Finch being not as honorable as he was in To Kill a Mockingbird, but I was willing to risk my perception - and I was fine with it. Honestly, more than anything, I think it's a shining example of why even a great author can benefit from the advice of an editor.
I agree. The writing/story was not of the caliber of TKAM. It read like a first attempt. The multitude of southern sayings left me wondering what she was trying to say. Plus the use of the term 'Honey' was done to death. The parts of the book that I enjoyed were Jean Louise's remembering events of her childhood. After finishing Go Set a Watchman, I began reading The Time Between by Karen White. I'm enjoying it. |
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Post by GamGam on Jul 20, 2015 1:27:21 GMT
I'm about 2/3 of the way through The Wright Brothers by David McCullough. This is so very interesting. Lots of facts about these brothers and their family that give this book life. I find myself cheering for them as each decision was made. They were creative geniuses. And McCullough's writing is superb. He tells the story with such smooth prose, and just the right balance of details told versus left untold as the story progresses. I highly recommend this book. So much history surrounding these men.
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GiantsFan
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,294
Site Supporter
Jun 27, 2014 14:44:56 GMT
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Post by GiantsFan on Jul 20, 2015 2:19:09 GMT
I read As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust by Alan Bradley. This was by far my least favorite of the Flavia deLuce stories. I have a lot of questions about and issues with this book... Didn't anyone notice the smell of a body stuffed up a chimney? How in the world did they light a fire and in that room and not smoke themselves out? Why did Clarissa Brazenose have to disguise herself and come back as Fabian? Was she having an affair/child with Ryerson? If her sister doesn't know, what about her parents. And what happened to the other two. Why didn't her Father ever contact her? And lots more questions....
I didn't particularly have a problem with her going to study Canada, but there were just to many hanging threads.
On audio I finished The Bees by Laline Paul. This was fictional story about Flora 717's life as sanitation bee. I'm sure there was lot of research and time involved in writing it but it was slooooow. If I had been reading instead of listening I would probably have ditched it. |
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Post by pjaye on Jul 20, 2015 3:10:56 GMT
I listened to I'll Give you the Sun last year and it was one of my favourite books of the year & I also gave it 5 stars.
Loved that there was a strong non-stereotypical gay teen main character.
I didn't realise there was a movie coming out - I hope they don't change Noah in the film because that would be really disappointing.
Is that Al Pacino in the trailer? He's exactly what I imagined the artist Garcia would look like. If it is, I hope he can do a good Spanish accent!
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finaledition
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,896
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Post by finaledition on Jul 20, 2015 3:39:31 GMT
I finished listening to Beautiful Ruins. I really wanted to like it-in fact, I did love all the Italian characters' storylines. But-and maybe this was just a problem listening to it on audio, but this book just jumps back and forth and back farther and then to many different locations. However, I did get teary at the end. So I guess this week, I loved the ending but struggled with the story.
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Post by mirabelleswalker on Jul 20, 2015 3:49:18 GMT
I just started Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland she is the only African American soloist dancing with the American Ballet Theatre She was recently promoted to principal--the first ever African American principal at ABT. |
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Post by AussieMeg on Jul 20, 2015 3:59:25 GMT
I just read "Barracuda" by Christos Tsiolkas. He is the guy who wrote "The Slap", for those of you who have read it or watched the TV series. And if you thought that the characters in "The Slap" were largely unpleasant, the main character in this book is just as unlikable LOL! My stepmum lent me the book a year or so ago, and I hadn't gotten around to reading it yet. She said that she wasn't sure that it was appropriate for DD (who was 16 at the time) to read, because it had some fairly gritty sexual (mainly gay sex) stuff in there. I did let DD read it it last week, she finished it in one day. She then told me that she felt a bit uncomfortable knowing that her grandma had read it and her mother was about to read it!
I would recommend the book. The reviews I have read on-line are split - some loved it, some hated, most would agree that was raw and in-your-face. It is set in Melbourne where I live, and I would be interested to see whether all the Australian / Melbourne references are distracting to an overseas reader, or whether you are able to read the book as if it were set in your country.
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The Great Carpezio
Pearl Clutcher
Something profound goes here.
Posts: 2,930
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Post by The Great Carpezio on Jul 20, 2015 4:02:03 GMT
I listened to I'll Give you the Sun last year and it was one of my favourite books of the year & I also gave it 5 stars. Loved that there was a strong non-stereotypical gay teen main character. I didn't realise there was a movie coming out - I hope they don't change Noah in the film because that would be really disappointing. Is that Al Pacino in the trailer? He's exactly what I imagined the artist Garcia would look like. If it is, I hope he can do a good Spanish accent! I don't know if it's going to be made into a movie. The trailer that I posted it was just one someone made--- I believe. Pacino would be great. I think it would be a great movie! |
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The Great Carpezio
Pearl Clutcher
Something profound goes here.
Posts: 2,930
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Post by The Great Carpezio on Jul 20, 2015 4:06:41 GMT
Just checked. I'll Give you the Sun---movie rights bought by Warner Brothers.
Yay.
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"At the end of a long winter, in bucolic Ridgedale, New Jersey, the body of an infant is discovered in the woods near the town’s prestigious university campus. No one knows who the baby is, or how her body ended up out there. But there is no shortage of opinions." The story is told through various forms i.e. first person narrative, web articles, comment sections on social media. It was very easy to figure out who the baby belonged to, imo. I ended my Goodreads review calling it a "thriller that wasn't thrilling".
