What Are We Currently Reading?

[Ohiopirate02]

On 6/27/2024 at 9:54 PM, blackwing said:

I've discussed about this before, but some of these co-authors of his are now established in their own right.  Yet they seem to keep publishing books "co-authored" with him.  It's curious that almost none of them decide to break out on their own and publish as a standalone author.  I'm wondering if Patterson has some kind of prohibition against this in the contracts.

I don't think these co-authors are locked into any kind of contract that prohibits them from publishing their own work. A quick peek at some of the author's profiles on Goodreads shows authors who are midlist at best. The life of a midlist author is tough. They are not making enough money to quit their day jobs, so they have to balance a full-time job, family commitments, and a writing career. It's rarely sustainable in the long run, and many authors burn out. I can see how an author would consider writing one or two manuscripts a year for James. It's a steady gig that gives them the satisfaction of being a published writer without all the anxiety and stress that goes with publishing your own manuscript. It's really no different than being a ghost writer. At least James is kind enough to acknowledge their contributions. 

[blackwing]

7 hours ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

I don't think these co-authors are locked into any kind of contract that prohibits them from publishing their own work. A quick peek at some of the author's profiles on Goodreads shows authors who are midlist at best. The life of a midlist author is tough. They are not making enough money to quit their day jobs, so they have to balance a full-time job, family commitments, and a writing career. It's rarely sustainable in the long run, and many authors burn out. I can see how an author would consider writing one or two manuscripts a year for James. It's a steady gig that gives them the satisfaction of being a published writer without all the anxiety and stress that goes with publishing your own manuscript. It's really no different than being a ghost writer. At least James is kind enough to acknowledge their contributions. 

They might not be superstars in the publishing world, but after so many books as "co-author" with Patterson, I would think that they would have developed some name recognition.  If I were one of them, I would want to keep my arrangement with Patterson, because as you said, it's still pretty much guaranteed money because the book will sell, even if Patterson takes the lion's share of profits.  But I'd want to use the name recognition to get a publishing contract of my own with the same publisher.  And have the book billed as "by the author of ABC with James Patterson".

When you say that James is kind to acknowledge their contributions... I say it;s the least he can do, since I suspect he doesn't do any of the writing at all.

[Zella]

58 minutes ago, blackwing said:

They might not be superstars in the publishing world, but after so many books as "co-author" with Patterson, I would think that they would have developed some name recognition.  If I were one of them, I would want to keep my arrangement with Patterson, because as you said, it's still pretty much guaranteed money because the book will sell, even if Patterson takes the lion's share of profits.  But I'd want to use the name recognition to get a publishing contract of my own with the same publisher.  And have the book billed as "by the author of ABC with James Patterson".

When you say that James is kind to acknowledge their contributions... I say it;s the least he can do, since I suspect he doesn't do any of the writing at all.

I agree that I wouldn't term Patterson kind for it. But I also doubt these authors have a market without Patterson, which is sadly ironic since I agree his involvement in the books are minimal. 

At the library where I work, Patterson is very popular, and none of our patrons ever seems to care about or even know his coauthors. There's another person's name on the cover, but they just want the next Patterson. I suspect the publishers and the coauthors are very aware that it is much more lucrative for them to just continue to churn out these books in conjunction with Patterson rather than attempt to pivot to a solo career.

Edited July 2 by Zella

[MsNewsradio]

On 6/26/2024 at 12:06 PM, SusieQ said:

Totally agree about "The Silent Patient" . The twist was a cheat. Couldn't understand all the glowing reviews.

The Silent Patient raves utterly enrage me because the entire book had plot holes, but the ending in particular made *zero* sense. The praise of that book for me is the definition of "the Emperor has no clothes".

[Anela]

21 minutes ago, MsNewsradio said:

The Silent Patient raves utterly enrage me because the entire book had plot holes, but the ending in particular made *zero* sense. The praise of that book for me is the definition of "the Emperor has no clothes".

I didn’t get very far with that book.  I’m glad I saw these comments, so I won’t go back to it.  
 

I really need to start with Discworld. 

[MsNewsradio]

On 7/3/2024 at 12:35 PM, Anela said:

I didn’t get very far with that book.  I’m glad I saw these comments, so I won’t go back to it.  
 

I really need to start with Discworld. 

Terry Pratchett is my favorite author, and I highly recommend the Discworld series. Do you know what book you plan to start with? (Forgive me if this has been discussed before). Terry’s books don’t necessarily need to be read in chronological order, but rather you also have the ability to read them by character track (witches, wizards, Death, Night Watch, etc). His website has a good primer either way you choose: https://www.terrypratchettbooks.com/discworld-reading-order/ 

I’m very excited for your ability to experience him for the first time. He was a funny and brilliant author and we lost him far too soon. 

[Anela]

3 hours ago, MsNewsradio said:

Terry Pratchett is my favorite author, and I highly recommend the Discworld series. Do you know what book you plan to start with? (Forgive me if this has been discussed before). Terry’s books don’t necessarily need to be read in chronological order, but rather you also have the ability to read them by character track (witches, wizards, Death, Night Watch, etc). His website has a good primer either way you choose: https://www.terrypratchettbooks.com/discworld-reading-order/ 

I’m very excited for your ability to experience him for the first time. He was a funny and brilliant author and we lost him far too soon. 

I read good omens, years ago, and a Tiffany aching book, nine years ago.  When my library had some of his books.  I bought The Colour of Magic, last year, thinking I’d start at the beginning. My state libraries apparently don’t have the physical books anymore, but the online library does.  They have a big companion to the Discworld series, and a book of different stories.  
 

I want to read the hitchhiker’s guide, too.  I watched the tv show, as a kid, and saw the movie, but I’ve never read the books.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=im9N8bin7Pc

I have a small pile of magical realism books, like under the cerulean sea, a wizard’s guide to defensive baking , through the whispering door.  Thank you for the link. :)

Edited July 5 by Anela

[Spartan Girl]

On 7/3/2024 at 12:13 PM, MsNewsradio said:

The Silent Patient raves utterly enrage me because the entire book had plot holes, but the ending in particular made *zero* sense. The praise of that book for me is the definition of "the Emperor has no clothes".

Having just read the book, I agree.

Spoiler

Really, dude?! Instead of dumping your cheating wife and just telling the lover’s wife her husband is cheating on her, you had to do your own version of Saw? That’s way too convoluted.

I only like books where all the characters suck if it’s done well. This was not done well.

And yet this was a bestseller while I can’t even get a godamn agent. Unbelievable.

[EtheltoTillie]

I tried Bright Creatures but lost interest. Read a summary to find out the twist. It reminded me of the movie The Shape of Water. 
 

I’m now trying Valley Verified. So far enjoying it. 

A friend of mine recommended Don Winslow. I did not like the Cartel book I tried but I am enjoying the first of the surfer detective series. Dawn Patrol. 

[Lyinfait]

On 6/26/2024 at 3:06 AM, Dani-Ellie said:

Incidentally, I had the same problem with The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, which the internet in general also seems to be wild about. Maybe I read too many thrillers but I've seen the same things done in much better ways.

Thank you! I have avoided reading anything else by the author because I had an issue with the unreliable narrator. It just makes me go into a mini rant each time I think of it. 

[EtheltoTillie]

Ha ha.  I passed on a book by Michaelides at the Little Free Library today!  Even free isn't worth it.

[Irlandesa]

I really appreciate all of the The Silent Patient shade in this thread.  I read it because I had read good reviews of it but when I got to the end, I felt like I missed something and frankly, stupid.  I don't think I could summarize it if I tried and that's really unlike me. 

But you all make me feel better about myself. 

[Zella]

Some time ago, I was bitching on here about how unrealistic A Gentleman in Moscow was in its Soviet setting and how off-putting I found that.

Currently reading Andrey Kurkov's The Silver Bone, a mystery set in early Soviet Kyiv and it's a much more authentic depiction of the era. Probably not too surprising given the author is Ukrainian and spent half his life living in the Soviet Union. It also gives me absurdist Bulgakov vibes, which is not everyone's cup of tea, but I enjoy it. The book is really funny in a very dry, offbeat, dark way. 

I haven't gotten to the mystery side of the story yet (about 50 pages in), but I'm really enjoying the book so far. It's part of a series, and if I'm not mistaken, the second one's English translation is slated to be released next year. 

[Ohiopirate02]

16 hours ago, Zella said:

Some time ago, I was bitching on here about how unrealistic A Gentleman in Moscow was in its Soviet setting and how off-putting I found that.

Currently reading Andrey Kurkov's The Silver Bone, a mystery set in early Soviet Kyiv and it's a much more authentic depiction of the era. Probably not too surprising given the author is Ukrainian and spent half his life living in the Soviet Union. It also gives me absurdist Bulgakov vibes, which is not everyone's cup of tea, but I enjoy it. The book is really funny in a very dry, offbeat, dark way. 

I haven't gotten to the mystery side of the story yet (about 50 pages in), but I'm really enjoying the book so far. It's part of a series, and if I'm not mistaken, the second one's English translation is slated to be released next year. 

I read this one a couple of months ago and enjoyed it. What I really liked about it was the fact that it was written for an Ukrainian audience, and the narrative never gets bogged down by exposition. The author only has to explain the time period and not the city itself or Ukrainian culture like how an American author would. And, the story stays understandable.

[Zella]

31 minutes ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

I read this one a couple of months ago and enjoyed it. What I really liked about it was the fact that it was written for an Ukrainian audience, and the narrative never gets bogged down by exposition. The author only has to explain the time period and not the city itself or Ukrainian culture like how an American author would. And, the story stays understandable.

Yes I'm enjoying that too! And I just got to the point that it becomes a mystery, and it might be one of my favorite twists on how an amateur finds themselves a crime solver. 

[abbyzenn]

Just finished reading Ruth Ware's One Perfect Couple.  This was the first book of her's that I found a page-turner.  Her books are hit or miss with me with several I didn't even finish.  I find usually her lead character(s) are not likeable or interesting.

[isalicat]

I'm just finishing the latest Jane Casey (The Close), which is in the Maeve Kerrigan series (I had read the previous book - The Cutting Place - immediately before). What a great series! These two novels flow right into each other and although the crime solving is first rate, it is the incredible panoply of relationships that make these compulsive page turners. I highly recommend!

[Rushmoras]

Well, I'm still reading (sporadic) War and Peace Volume 2, only now I'm at Part 3, and having finished Chapter 10 of Part 3. Um, a lot of things happened in the book, but... how do I say this... I don't remember anything from what I've read, because it was so dry and boring! God dammit.... Well, the last chapters that I've read dealt with Pjotr wanting to reform the Masons Lodge (because I think in Part 2 he was admitted as a member), but other members looking down upon him for his radical proposals. Anyways, he goes back (formally) to being a husband to... I like to say Ellen her name is, but I really do not remember..., but the last chapter that I've read was about his journal about Pjotr's dreams... and in it...

Spoiler

well, let's just say that my previous observation about him "being a tongue-tied virgin around women" might be a little off, but also kinda true, considering that what I've gathered from the last chapter, that he is a closeted gay...

Anyways, seriously, Volume 2 will be the last issue of War and Peace that I will read. I just... it's so dull and boring...

 

EDIT:

Spoiler

oh, yeah, gay observations, I've mentioned them in May in this topic, it just that this chapter actually born credence to them...

 

Edited July 13 by Rushmoras

[grommit2]

Aggh...Just tried to finish Less, by Andrew Sean Greer.
Book won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and is listed as a National Bestseller.
There was a premise here that should have kept me interested. But, alas, it just did not make me want to finish.  Sigh.

[SusieQ]

I gave up on Less after about 20 pages. Heard  great things about it but it did nothing for me. Too many other books to read to keep reading something you don't like.

[andromeda331]

10 hours ago, SusieQ said:

I gave up on Less after about 20 pages. Heard  great things about it but it did nothing for me. Too many other books to read to keep reading something you don't like.

So true.

[sugarbaker design]

23 hours ago, grommit2 said:

Aggh...Just tried to finish Less, by Andrew Sean Greer.
Book won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and is listed as a National Bestseller.
There was a premise here that should have kept me interested. But, alas, it just did not make me want to finish.  Sigh.

 

16 hours ago, SusieQ said:

I gave up on Less after about 20 pages. Heard  great things about it but it did nothing for me. Too many other books to read to keep reading something you don't like.

Oh my goodness, I read Less twice!  The first time I read it, it was in April 2020, the COVID restrictions, lockdown, death toll and isolation was starting to take a toll on my spirit.  I was not in a good way.  My library had just shut its doors, I had to rely on my TBR pile.  Luckily, I had a paperback copy of Less.  I picked it up and the crisp prose, the humor, the generosity of spirit and overall civility, just lifted my spirits, when it was really needed.

I followed Less with The Magician's Assistant.  It was a double whammy of healing art.  I'll be forever grateful to Andrew Sean Greer and Ann Patchett.

[SusieQ]

Different strokes for different folks, as they say.

[Haleth]

On 7/7/2024 at 10:44 PM, Irlandesa said:

I really appreciate all of the The Silent Patient shade in this thread.  I read it because I had read good reviews of it but when I got to the end, I felt like I missed something and frankly, stupid.  I don't think I could summarize it if I tried and that's really unlike me. 

But you all make me feel better about myself. 

I never read TSP but I read The Maidens. It was terrible. I hated it. 

[EtheltoTillie]

I couldn’t make it through Less either. 

[EtheltoTillie]

Has anyone read books by Elin Hilderbrand?  She's in the news this month, as she announced she won't be writing anymore of her Nantucket novels.  I just grabbed one at random from the library shelf to see.  I got What Happens in Paradise..  She's supposedly a little bit chick lit/ a little bit serious lit.  She went to Iowa Writers Workshop.  According to this article in the WSJ, everyone at Iowa hated her work. 

https://www.wsj.com/style/elin-hilderbrand-author-beach-read-retirement-a8db209f?st=gnfc2d9pvcqe4i4&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

 

[Browncoat]

2 hours ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Has anyone read books by Elin Hilderbrand? 

I've read several of her Nantucket books.  They're nice and fluffy and fairly predictable.  Quick, light, and inoffensive --  they're a nice palate cleanser from some of the more serious books I sometimes read.  

[Angeltoes]

I just read the Paradise trilogy.  It was good but it easily could have been condensed into one book.  I haven't read any of her Nantucket books.

[Zella]

I've not read her work and wasn't in an MFA program, but my English master's program was in the same department as a fairly well-regarded MFA program. So, I had a lot of classmates and even some friends who were in an MFA program. From that experience of watching their dynamics and listening to their stories, as well as taking undergrad creative writing classes, I could totally see how Hilderbrand's work would be completely shredded at Iowa without her work actually being bad. There's a real snobbery about some genres in those circles that was undoubtedly even worse in the 90s. 

[Ohiopirate02]

19 hours ago, Zella said:

I've not read her work and wasn't in an MFA program, but my English master's program was in the same department as a fairly well-regarded MFA program. So, I had a lot of classmates and even some friends who were in an MFA program. From that experience of watching their dynamics and listening to their stories, as well as taking undergrad creative writing classes, I could totally see how Hilderbrand's work would be completely shredded at Iowa without her work actually being bad. There's a real snobbery about some genres in those circles that was undoubtedly even worse in the 90s. 

Now I want to research who was her cohort in Iowa in the 90s. Just to see who gave Elin a hard time and see if I have read any of their literary fiction. I am sure I have suffered through at least one of their books. 

ETA--I did find a partial list of IWW alumni from 1996-1998, and none of the names are jumping out at me. It appears that Elin is the biggest success from her years in Iowa. 

Edited July 18 by Ohiopirate02

[Zella]

1 hour ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

It appears that Elin is the biggest success from her years in Iowa. 

That's some delicious irony. LOL

[EtheltoTillie]

On 7/17/2024 at 6:09 PM, Angeltoes said:

I just read the Paradise trilogy.  It was good but it easily could have been condensed into one book.  I haven't read any of her Nantucket books.

I got the middle book. It was the only one on the shelf at the library. I’ll report back. 

I also like that her first story was published in Seventeen. That’s another big deal that the Iowa snobs wouldn’t understand.  My best friend was the fiction editor at Seventeen for a while, although not at that exact time. 

[Ohiopirate02]

On 7/19/2024 at 3:03 PM, EtheltoTillie said:

I got the middle book. It was the only one on the shelf at the library. I’ll report back. 

I also like that her first story was published in Seventeen. That’s another big deal that the Iowa snobs wouldn’t understand.  My best friend was the fiction editor at Seventeen for a while, although not at that exact time. 

There was a shift sometime after Elin attended to bring in more diverse students to the IWW, and it has bled into the types of books the alumni of the program publish. There are more popular fiction titles coming out of the program. Authors like Kiley Reid, Cristina Henriquez, and Xochitl Gonzalez for example. 

[EtheltoTillie]

43 minutes ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

There was a shift sometime after Elin attended to bring in more diverse students to the IWW, and it has bled into the types of books the alumni of the program publish. There are more popular fiction titles coming out of the program. Authors like Kiley Reid, Cristina Henriquez, and Xochitl Gonzalez for example. 

Thanks for this.  I have no idea who any of those three authors are.  I will check it out. 

ETA:  I realize I did read about the new book by Zochitl Gonzalez and decided it didn't sound great.  These are all Jenna/Reese selections.

I think Kiley Reid sounds interesting. 

Edited July 22 by EtheltoTillie

[EtheltoTillie]

Early review:  I am two thirds of the way through Long Island Compromise, by Taffy Brodesser-Akner.  IMHO it's stellar.  Even better than her Fleischman Is in Trouble, which I also liked.  She is truly creative in the way she sets out in great detail situations that seem wacky yet real.  She is a very important writer, I think.  Her nonfiction is also of the highest caliber. 

[Ohiopirate02]

3 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Thanks for this.  I have no idea who any of those three authors are.  I will check it out. 

They are all WOC writers who write more mainstream fiction, and could all easily publish a piece in Seventeen Magazine. Also, all of them have had books in the various celebrity book clubs this year. Kiley Reid's Come and Get It was a Good Morning America Book Club pick in January, and her debut Such a Fun Age was a Reese Witherspoon pick also would have been what she was working on while in the program. Cristina Henriquez's The Great Divide was a Read with Jenna pick. And, Xochitl Gonzalez's Anita de Monte Laughs Last was a Reese Witherspoon pick. I have read all of these books, and all are pretty good. My favorite is Anita de Monte Laughs Last. I'm a sucker for a good art world story plus ghost.

[Rushmoras]

Completed Part 3 of Lev Tolstoj's "War and Peace" Volume 2. It ended with Count Nilolaj proposing to Natasha, but postponing the wedding for a year to appease his father. I mean, we are back to nobility salon intrigues after Part I, which ended with Nikolaj being indebted and running away to war, which was at least interesting, and Pjer shooting someone in a duel. And now... this... eh...

Two more parts of Volume 2 left...

Edited July 23 by Rushmoras

[Calvada]

On 7/10/2024 at 3:37 PM, isalicat said:

I'm just finishing the latest Jane Casey (The Close), which is in the Maeve Kerrigan series (I had read the previous book - The Cutting Place - immediately before). What a great series! These two novels flow right into each other and although the crime solving is first rate, it is the incredible panoply of relationships that make these compulsive page turners. I highly recommend!

I love Jane Casey's Maeve Kerrigan series.  It is a series I am always recommending to people.  The Close was published in 2023, and I've got her 2024 book A Stranger in the Family on my To Read pile.  I buy her books, so I've had it since late June, but I had a lot on my schedule earlier this month as well as a couple library books I had to get through first.  I should be enjoying this in the next few days.  

[Hanahope]

I read Oath and Honor by Liz Cheney, that a friend loaned me. It was pretty good, learned some new information about things that went on behind the scenes surrounding Jan 6 (for non-gopers). the last third of the book was devoted to the Jan 6 committee, and I already knew 90% of that info from reading the news and watching the hearings. the book did not delve into political policy or much of her history or her dad's. it primarily stuck to this topic. 

Mike Johnson had a significantly larger role in the pre-Jan 6 stuff than I knew before.  it makes me believe that the whole parade of "unacceptable" house speaker nominees and failed votes after Kevin was forced out was a big circus act to eventually elect the real nominee, Johnson. that was the plan all along.  They had to go through a whole bunch of completely far right people first in order to make johnson look more moderate. but he is just like jim jordan and the rest. Johnson is just quieter about it. he was always 100% a trump supporter as Liz makes very clear.

my only complaint about the book is her lack of follow up (or at least writing about it). for example, she writes about speaking with Paul Ryan, who is now on the Fox board, about doing a big series on the election and trump's misinformation about the results, after he lost all the court challenges.  before jan 6. she wrote that ryan/fox was totally on board with 'moving on' from trump and exposing that everything trump was saying was a huge lie and to save the party, they had to pull people away from the cliff edge of misinformation. she wrote that fox did apparently shoot this series (at least that is what she was told) and it was ready to broadcast, but at the last minute, it was shelved. she never explains why. she says she doesn't know why. well why didn't you ask paul ryan???

there were a few other instances of where she speaks to people about X, told things, but then when the opposite happens, she doesn't go back to that person and say, what happened? or at least she didn't write about it. so a lot of loose ends in that respect.

[Bookish Jen]

I just finished reading one of the worst books I have ever read in my life. It's a novel called "Blank" by Zibby Owens. It's about a woman on the heels of her first successful book gets a mad case of writer's block (even though she has quite a bit of time to write a follow up). Instead of concentrating on writing her second book, she decides to convert her pantry into an office. She's spent her entire advance and is in danger of having to pay her advance back to the publisher. So what does she do? Instead of writing an actual book, she submits a blank book, and claims it's a treatise on the publishing industry. Despite, some pushback, the protagonist is actually taken seriously, and later wins a major book award, one of her besties wins a Pulitzer for her expose on the publishing industry, and the protagonist totally revamps and improves the publishing industry.

This book also includes a cheating spouse, a friend who is sleeping with the aforementioned spouse to make money to support herself, a perfect man who pops up at the perfect time and falls madly in love with the protagonist, and a instant friendship with a famous writer. It's completely over the top and not in a good way. And the writing is just awful. It turns out Zibby Owens is a total nepo baby and the daughter of a billionaire. I'm sure this helped her get her writing career, because isn't her actual skills that got her a book deal.

[Ohiopirate02]

21 minutes ago, Bookish Jen said:

I just finished reading one of the worst books I have ever read in my life. It's a novel called "Blank" by Zibby Owens. It's about a woman on the heels of her first successful book gets a mad case of writer's block (even though she has quite a bit of time to write a follow up). Instead of concentrating on writing her second book, she decides to convert her pantry into an office. She's spent her entire advance and is in danger of having to pay her advance back to the publisher. So what does she do? Instead of writing an actual book, she submits a blank book, and claims it's a treatise on the publishing industry. Despite, some pushback, the protagonist is actually taken seriously, and later wins a major book award, one of her besties wins a Pulitzer for her expose on the publishing industry, and the protagonist totally revamps and improves the publishing industry.

This book also includes a cheating spouse, a friend who is sleeping with the aforementioned spouse to make money to support herself, a perfect man who pops up at the perfect time and falls madly in love with the protagonist, and a instant friendship with a famous writer. It's completely over the top and not in a good way. And the writing is just awful. It turns out Zibby Owens is a total nepo baby and the daughter of a billionaire. I'm sure this helped her get her writing career, because isn't her actual skills that got her a book deal.

I am dying laughing at the premise of this book. It reads like a white woman's version of Percival Everett's Erasure. 

[Rushmoras]

Almost towards the end of Lev Tolstoj "War and Peace" Volume 2 Part 4. I guess, its better (different) from the rest of the parts, because at least a great deal of it is about a hunting of wolves in a forest, which I've found at least entertaining.

Spoiler

Also, something is happening to Nilolaj in this, because the way, I don't know, let's say chapter 12 ended, it seemed that he suffered some sort of brain damage randomly, because he started hallucinating or something...

 

[Spartan Girl]

Just finished The Quiet Damage: QAnon and the Destruction of the American Family. It was fascinating to read about how many different kinds of people that got sucked into the cult. But depressing too. If you’re looking for a happy ending to the families the book interviewed, you’ll be disappointed.

[Zella]

I tried to get into David Wroblewski's Familiaris but gave up after 2 chapters. It's not bad, per se, but it is very meandering and the characters are the type of quirky people who only exist in literary-ish historical fiction, which I am never a fan of. LOL I loved the book it is a prequel to, The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, back in the day, but it has been about 15 years since I read that. I don't know if my taste has changed that much in a decade and a half or if this book just lacks whatever it was that made that one click for me. But I decided I wasn't slogging through another 900+ pages to see if it improved. 

I started Waubgeshig Rice's Moon of the Crusted Snow instead and am enjoying the experience much more. 

[Annber03]

44 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

Just finished The Quiet Damage: QAnon and the Destruction of the American Family. It was fascinating to read about how many different kinds of people that got sucked into the cult. But depressing too. If you’re looking for a happy ending to the families the book interviewed, you’ll be disappointed.

Oh, wow, I didn't know there was a book about this (though I shouldn't be surprised there would be, it's a ripe subject for such a thing). I'll have to check that out. 

[blackwing]

In my never-ending quest to find good books like "And Then There Were None", I keep coming across mostly bad imitations.

I read The Unwedding by Ally Condie.  I should have know right away to avoid this book, because it was a Reese's Book Club pick, and so far, every book that I've read that was one of her picks has been awful.  Woman has terrible taste in books, I think she just buys into the hype and causes these terrible books to get even more hyped.

Nonetheless, I chose to venture forward, because this book was billed as "The White Lotus meets Agatha Christie".  And I liked both.  Should have known better.  I've noticed that publicists are currently loving to compare every mystery book to some combination of Agatha Christie, Knives Out, and The White Lotus.  Um, no.

The premise of this book:  a woman and her husband had booked a vacation at a luxury resort in California to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary.  But the husband dumped her for another woman.  The woman can't stand the thought of her ex-husband taking the new girlfriend on this trip, so out of spite, she decides to go alone.  She discovers that there is a lavish wedding taking place at the resort.  She stumbles across the dead body of the groom in the pool.  She is initially accused of killing him, so in an effort to clear her name, she tries to discover who killed him, and inserts herself into the lives of everyone in the wedding party.

This book had a good premise and all the hallmarks of a classic ATTWN wannabe... group of strangers, cut off from the outside world, a murder occurs, oh nos!  Who is next?

Unfortunately, the book is complete trash.  The characters are awful.  The plot is awful.  The dialogue is awful.  Above all, the solution is so incomprehensible and random that there's absolutely no way a reader could have solved it.

I feel dumber for having read this book.  And I will add Ally Condie to the list of authors I will definitely avoid in the future.

 

I also read The Main Character by Jaclyn Goldis.  This one was billed as a contemporary homage to Agatha Christie.  It actually takes place on the Orient Express.

A woman who used to be a television news anchor ends up working with a famous author.  The author bases her bestselling books on the lives of real people.  She chooses a main character, interviews them and all of their friends and family, and creates a fictionalised version of their lives.  The woman is chosen as the author's main character.  As the book is about to go to print, the author, who is Italian and lives in Italy, rewards the woman with a lavish all-expenses-paid trip on the famous Orient Express.

However, as soon as she steps on board, she is shocked to discover that her ex-fiance, her brother, and her best friend have all also been invited on this trip.  Of course, they all have secrets.  Why has the author invited them all?

This book is marginal at best.  Showed a lot of promise but in the end, it was very predictable.  It's told from the perspective of each of the four guests as well as the author.  That's the part that didn't really work for me, because if we really are privy to each of these people's perspectives, why does this book take so long to reveal each of their secrets?  Incredibly irritating.

[isalicat]

I just finished a trilogy from 2016 by Erika Johansen - I'm not sure what they are called collectively, but its very well written and adult fantasy/sci fi (very little of the latter but some). The first book is The Queen of the Tearling and basically is told from the point of view of a 19 year old woman who has been raised in a remote village in a feudal country that is vassal to the more powerful country next door. She discovers she is now to ascend the throne of her land and is taken to the capital to be crowned, where she will be in mortal danger and discover her remarkable legacy and destiny. It was a great good fun read, a little gruesome at points but also very inventive in world building and excellent character creation and development.

[Anduin]

The new James SA Corey book, the Mercy of Gods. It's... interesting. Am I enjoying it? I don't know, but I read over 100 pages this afternoon, seems like a goer.

The basic premise. Aliens invade and kidnap all the best humans, set them to work on doing tasks to help the aliens conquer better. But it's going to be a mistake that they kidnapped humans, they tell you that straight up. So far, it turns out that the aliens are at war with another species.

Weird thing, these humans aren't on Earth. They have apparently never heard of Earth, but they have things like dogs and coffee. My suspicion is that their planet is one of those colonised during the second half of the Expanse novels. Once they overthrow the kidnapping aliens, they'll find the records of Earth and set off to visit, making this perhaps an interquel set between the last chapter and epilogue of the last novel. But given my track record with predictions, I'll probably be entirely wrong. :)

[Rushmoras]

Almost towards the end of Lev Tolstoj's War and Peace Volume 2. 30 or so pages left until Part V is completed. Um. now, Natasha seems to be swoon by Anatolij Kuragin - a womanizer, a drifter, a swindler etc. etc. - even though she promised her hand to, um, Nikoalaj I like to think his name is.

In all honesty, I have no idea what is the purpose of the book - to show us how nobility is living in Russia for 90 percent of the time, and then what people are doing after the battles are over? I mean, sure...

Most interesting character in the book is Pjer, because he's such a naive goofball that everyone can sway to their side, if they would just talk to him; also, he's a drunk goofball most of the time.

[isalicat]

9 hours ago, Rushmoras said:

 

In all honesty, I have no idea what is the purpose of the book - to show us how nobility is living in Russia for 90 percent of the time, and then what people are doing after the battles are over? I mean, sure...

This is the best critique of War and Peace I've seen in a long time and I agree entirely. I slogged through (and I have no difficulty reading other Russian "classics") and was also completely at a loss when I finished as to why I had bothered. So I watched a six hour Russian film version to see if I was missing some great insight or lesson; nope.