The Great Carpezio
Pearl Clutcher
Something profound goes here.
Posts: 3,165 
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Post by The Great Carpezio on Jun 30, 2019 22:57:16 GMT
Hello Readers!
What did you read this week?
I read an older book that I had downloaded a couple years ago
Oranges and Sunshine: Empty Cradles.
I downloaded this a couple years, or more, ago, and finally decided to start reading it on vacation. It’s an older book from the mid 1990’s.
A disturbing nonfiction about the migrant “orphan” schemes of the early to mid 20th century—narrated by the woman who helped expose the schemes, abuse and mismanagement of thousands of British children. The stories are sad and infuriating.
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finaledition
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,896
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Post by finaledition on Jun 30, 2019 23:15:50 GMT
I listened The Cactus by Sarah Haywood and really enjoyed. I would classify it as a perfect summer read-not as dark as Eleanor Oliphant, but a good prickly character to root for.
I’m next on the list for 5 books at the library which means they will all come available at the same time. Will probably search for something short so I can be ready for the wave of books coming my way.
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Post by CarolinaGirl71 on Jun 30, 2019 23:24:57 GMT
I listened The Cactus by Sarah Haywood and really enjoyed. I would classify it as a perfect summer read-not as dark as Eleanor Oliphant, but a good prickly character to root for. I’m next on the list for 5 books at the library which means they will all come available at the same time. Will probably search for something short so I can be ready for the wave of books coming my way.  I currently have 5 hardback books and 7 Kindle books on loan from the library. I'm going to return a few of them and get back on the list. Last week I read The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain - It was fabulous. Part of it was set in my teenage years (1970's) and it talked about events of that era, and I really identified with that part of it. There is also some time travel involved, and I really didn't want to read it because of that, but it was a book club pick, so I decided to persevere through it - but I loved it and maybe has opened my thoughts up to a new (to me) genre! I also read Queen Bee by Dorothea Benton Frank and really enjoyed it. I always like her books. I just started Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate. So far, it is really good! |
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gottapeanow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,912
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Post by gottapeanow on Jun 30, 2019 23:35:27 GMT
Two for me this week. Both were good reads. First up, Dear Wife by Kimberly Belle. This is told from three POVs, which definitely works. Marcus is the determined detective. Beth is the woman on the run. And Jeffrey is the accused husband, desperate to find his missing wife. This has been heralded as the next Gone Girl. (Hint: It's not.) And I wasn't that crazy about the twist. But once I settled into the idea, the ending was quite satisfying. A quick and suspenseful read. 4/5 stars. Next up was Heroine. Here's my GR review. Wow. First, be forewarned that this book could seriously trigger readers. This novel is about Mickey, a high school senior playing softball. Then she suffers a serious injury and is prescribed oxy. And so her problems begin. This is gritty. Harsh. Brutal. (After all, it opens with the death via overdose of Mickey's three addict friends.) The book takes a hard look at some of the reasons for addiction. Powerfully written. 4/5 stars. finaledition, I have seven books that all came up at the same time at the library. #TheStruggleIsReal. Lol. Lisa |
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janeliz
Drama Llama
I'm the Wiz and nobody beats me.
Posts: 5,666
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Post by janeliz on Jun 30, 2019 23:44:16 GMT
Run Away by Harlan Coben. A wayward daughter from a privileged NYC family, a hitman carrying out several seemingly unrelated murders, and a cult. This was another fast paced, enjoyable read from Coben.
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Post by NicL on Jun 30, 2019 23:49:03 GMT
I currently have 5 hardback books and 7 Kindle books on loan from the library. I'm going to return a few of them and get back on the list. I know this feeling too well!! You should be able to suspend a reservation. I do this on some of mine to give myself some space to read a few books that have come in but it means I'm not bumped down to the bottom of the list for the books I'm not ready for yet. Hope that makes sense. |
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Post by cindyupnorth on Jul 1, 2019 0:10:21 GMT
currently reading Yangsze Choo's The Night Tiger. Another Reese Witherspoon book club pick. The last 1 i read from it was a stinker, but I am LOVING!! this one so far, about half thru.
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tuesdaysgone
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,832
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Post by tuesdaysgone on Jul 1, 2019 0:22:14 GMT
Two great books for me
Based on great reviews here, I read Say Nothing: The True Story of Memory and Murder in N. Ireland. I was in Belfast in 1984 and remember seeing the graffiti along Falls Road. While I knew a few facts about the history of the Troubles, this excellent book filled in a lot of details for me.
I next read The Electric Hotel by Dominic Smith. I've read all his books and enjoyed each one. This is historical fiction about the early days of the silent film era. An aging French silent film director has been living in LA for decades, his movies and life largely forgotten. He is discovered by a graduate student and then the story of his career unfolds. While the central character is fictional, many of the other characters and the history of silent films are real. It begins a bit slow, but hang in there for a really great read.
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Post by leftturnonly on Jul 1, 2019 0:36:02 GMT
I decided to persevere through it - but I loved it and maybe has opened my thoughts up to a new (to me) genre!  Thanks to the (to me) random way Kindle puts books on sale, I now try to have several different genres going at once. The nice thing is that I appreciate them all more. It's really nice when I'm reading something that I can only take in small doses but I still have time to read, so I simply change to something that's completely different. First, be forewarned that this book could seriously trigger readers. I'm trying hard to finish The Marsh King's Daughter by Karen Dionne, which you gave 5 stars, but I'm finding it really hard going. The writing is excellent with none of that repetition that so very many other current books are guilty of. The story is amazing. It's the turning of a parent on a child with the extra level of cruelty taking the child by surprise that's slowing me down here. I'm nearly done & I'm going to try to finish it tonight or tomorrow. Finished! 4-5 stars Child Abuse by a parent warning
As fate would have it, in a pause from Marsh King's Daughter, in an effort to clear out something that's been on my Kindle for a while, I randomly selected Say Goodbye for Now by Catherine Ryan Hyde - audiobook borrowed from Kindle Unlimited needing to be returned. Lo and behold, another story with excessive parental cruelty to a child. On the positive side, Hyde didn't linger on describing abuse; it's not throughout the book (as it is in Marsh King's Daughter). And, I don't think any more than was absolutely necessary for the plot was described. With that warning out of the way.... This is really a story about racial inter-relationships in the deep south (Texas) in 1959, and it stands as a reminder to how far we've come in this country. Lovely story that is uplifting and renews a sense of hope. * note -- the audiobook switches chapters between a male and a female author, which I found a nice change of pace, but it's really odd to hear two different voices reading the same character. The man sounds so much like John Stamos, I just pretended that he was the one reading to me during his turn.  4+ stars - mostly for the positive message of seeing people not by their race but as individuals |
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edie3
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,117
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Post by edie3 on Jul 1, 2019 1:52:08 GMT
I read Miss Julia Takes the Wheel by Ann B Ross. A light read, funny at times.
Also read The Other Woman by Sandie Jones. Suspenseful, and did not end the way I thought it would.
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Post by refugeepea on Jul 1, 2019 2:47:06 GMT
Just wanted to drop in real quick and say I have decided to start reading books I have bought from library sales the last few years.  I only keep books I know I'll read again (that is rare) and I'll de-clutter in the process! I really don't put much thought into the books I purchase at these sales. It will be interesting.  These are small town libraries and some of these are probably quite old!
I'm starting with Sue Monk Kidd's The Invention of Wings. I liked The Secret Life of Bees but not The Mermaid Chair. So far, so good! |
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Post by NicL on Jul 1, 2019 2:51:14 GMT
I listened to The Ruin by Dervla McTiernan 4/5 stars
Quite a good mystery, worth reading/listening to. I loved the narrators Irish accent, though I didn't love some of the other character accents she did. Kept me interested and I am going to read #2 in the series.
Currently reading The Cactus as mentioned above. Good so far
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Post by NicL on Jul 1, 2019 2:52:48 GMT
currently reading Yangsze Choo's The Night Tiger. Another Reese Witherspoon book club pick. The last 1 i read from it was a stinker, but I am LOVING!! this one so far, about half thru. Her picks can be hit and miss can't they? I guess we all have different reading tastes |
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Post by auntkelly on Jul 1, 2019 2:53:39 GMT
I'm reading Grant by Ron Chernow, who wrote the biography of Alexander Hamilton upon which the musical is based. I would highly recommend this biography to anyone who enjoys American history.
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Post by NicL on Jul 1, 2019 2:56:54 GMT
Also read The Other Woman by Sandie Jones. Suspenseful, and did not end the way I thought it would. I thought this book was ho hum til I got to the end. Did not see that coming! I have her next book The First Mistake on reserve and hope it's as good |
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Post by maryland on Jul 1, 2019 3:12:52 GMT
I started to read The Farm and it was okay. I had to return it because as a best seller, it couldn't be renewed. I will finish it later.
We are on vacation and I love to read on the beach! I am reading Better Than This - Kathy Zane and it's pretty good. Not sure if I would recommend it though. I may read The Identicals or Summer of 69 after. We have a suitcase full of books to read!
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Post by leftturnonly on Jul 1, 2019 3:21:56 GMT
We have a suitcase full of books to read! And this is why I have fallen in love with my Kindle. It weighs just a teensy bit less than your full suitcase.  |
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scrapngranny
Pearl Clutcher
Only slightly senile
Posts: 4,949
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Post by scrapngranny on Jul 1, 2019 3:25:29 GMT
I currently have 5 hardback books and 7 Kindle books on loan from the library. I'm going to return a few of them and get back on the list. Last week I read The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain - It was fabulous. Part of it was set in my teenage years (1970's) and it talked about events of that era, and I really identified with that part of it. There is also some time travel involved, and I really didn't want to read it because of that, but it was a book club pick, so I decided to persevere through it - but I loved it and maybe has opened my thoughts up to a new (to me) genre! I just started Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate. So far, it is really good! I’ve read both of these books and loved them both. Like you, I’m not a fan of time travel books, but this one was different. |
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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 Jul 1, 2019 11:17:07 GMT
I’m reading THE MOTHER IN LAW by Sally Hepworth recommended here. I have a travel day tomorrow and needed something easy but not fluffy. So far this is perfect. I’m enjoying the writing and the story. Not far into it enough to say how it is.
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Post by tara595 on Jul 1, 2019 12:56:37 GMT
I'm reading Ask Again, Yes and loving it. It's a bit of a slow burn but it's beautifully written and I'm falling in love with the characters.
on a side note - reading has changed my life. I truly thought I'd never read again after I had kids, but I read even more now because I really make it a priority. I love how it helps me escape....
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Post by pjaye on Jul 1, 2019 13:13:20 GMT
I'm reading Ask Again, Yes and loving it. It's a bit of a slow burn but it's beautifully written and I'm falling in love with the characters Ha! I was just about to post and you beat me to it. Here's my version: I'm listening to Ask Again, Yes and not liking it at all, it's so slow and then all of a sudden it skips 10 years. I don't like how the author writes, it's very detached from the characters, like she's viewing them from a distance. And the characters, they are all so unlikeable and so insipid, no-one deals with anything and they just drift around aimlessly letting stuff happen to them. I've got about 3hrs to go and I'll be glad when they are over. |
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Post by SockMonkey on Jul 1, 2019 13:14:37 GMT
I finished Ask Again, Yes, which I really liked. Now I'm reading On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong. It is astoundingly good. And sad. He's a poet, and you can totally tell in the writing, but it's still quite readable. |
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Post by ihaveonly1l on Jul 1, 2019 14:25:16 GMT
Head's up- I see Kindle Unlimited is free for 3 months right now. I don't normally use it, but for free, I will. It seems like my libraries have particularly long waits on things lately. Too many ebook readers!
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Post by CarolinaGirl71 on Jul 1, 2019 14:54:27 GMT
I currently have 5 hardback books and 7 Kindle books on loan from the library. I'm going to return a few of them and get back on the list. I know this feeling too well!! You should be able to suspend a reservation. I do this on some of mine to give myself some space to read a few books that have come in but it means I'm not bumped down to the bottom of the list for the books I'm not ready for yet. Hope that makes sense. That's great to know! I am going to check into it! Thanks! |
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Post by ihaveonly1l on Jul 1, 2019 15:29:30 GMT
I finished The Mercy Seat. It was good but not great. I'm now on to A woman is No Man which I have been looking forward to.
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Post by leftturnonly on Jul 1, 2019 17:18:31 GMT
Head's up- I see Kindle Unlimited is free for 3 months right now. I don't normally use it, but for free, I will. It seems like my libraries have particularly long waits on things lately. Too many ebook readers! I signed up for 1 month free and have more than gotten my money's worth out of it. |
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Post by mnmloveli on Jul 1, 2019 18:34:43 GMT
Two for me that were just OK.
AFTER THE END BY CLARE MACINTOSH : 3 STARS
Description: Pip, Max & Leila explore the bravest and most terrifying words in the English language, WHAT IF.... A child's life in in the balance and just when you think there's no chance, another door opens.
Review: TRIGGER ALERT - CHILD ILLNESS & DEATH. This book is based on the real life event from the author's life. For anyone who has gone thru half of what these parents have gone thru, I have nothing but tears for you. I hope this book helped the author heal and can help others cope and see a path ahead. In the last half of the book, I loved how Miss Macintosh showed the two paths the judges decision set in motion. Very sad and emotional.
AWAKENED BY JAMES S. MURRAY & DARREN WEARMOUTH : 3 STARS
Description: A beautiful new subway in New York City unearths an ancient dark horror that threatens to destroy the city.
Review: The authors were making an appearance at a local book store for book 2 of this series. Thought I'd try book 1 because it looked scary. I thought it was a solid creepy book that would make a good movie BUT, I thought it went on a little too long. I was glad this NYC event had a conclusion. I think if they got out of the tunnel sooner and then started to find a world-wide solution, it would have been more complete for me. I have no desire to continue to book 2.
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Post by lesley on Jul 1, 2019 19:04:32 GMT
A couple of good ones for me since I last posted. The Woman Next Door by Sue Watson was kinda meh. I skimmed through about 60% of it, because the writing was kind of hackneyed, and it was annoying me. I'll give it 2/5, as I was interested in seeing how it ended. Predictably is the answer. Next up was Those Other Women by Nicola Moriarty. It was about two groups of women in an Australian city: mothers and 'deliberately not-mothers'. Each group has its own message board, which annoys and angers the other. I really enjoyed this actually, and it raised some good points about how women so often tear each other down. 3.5/5. I also completed Ask Again, Yes and I loved it. My friend appeared when I was 8 pages from the end, and didn’t leave for two hours! I could barely concentrate on our conversation because I so needed to finish it.  5/5 Im currently halfway through Searching For Silvie Lee by Jean Kwok. I’m enjoying the writing very much, and loving the Dutch setting. |
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gottapeanow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,912
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Post by gottapeanow on Jul 1, 2019 19:08:22 GMT
I finished Ask Again, Yes, which I really liked. Now I'm reading On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong. It is astoundingly good. And sad. He's a poet, and you can totally tell in the writing, but it's still quite readable. My sister just posted all the praise for this on FB this a.m. I just put it on hold at the library. Lisa |
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Post by leftturnonly on Jul 1, 2019 19:09:03 GMT
I also completed Ask Again, Yes and I loved it. My friend appeared when I was 8 pages from the end, and didn’t leave for two hours! I could barely concentrate on our conversation because I so needed to finish it.  5/5 And you're still friends?  Two for me that were just OK. Makes for a long, less happy week doesn't it? |
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I currently have 5 hardback books and 7 Kindle books on loan from the library. I'm going to return a few of them and get back on the list. 
I only keep books I know I'll read again (that is rare) and I'll de-clutter in the process! I really don't put much thought into the books I purchase at these sales. It will be interesting. 
These are small town libraries and some of these are probably quite old!
5/5