What Are We Currently Reading?

[truthaboutluv]

I just completed All of This Is True by Lygia Day Penaflor. It was okay, an easy enough Young Adult read. In general, I found the concept interesting but the execution was not as good as it could have been. I think the author tried to do a little too much and the development of her characters suffered a bit. I ended the book not feeling like I truly cared that much for any of the characters. If I had to pick one character I enjoyed the most, I'd say it was probably Penny. I didn't even feel much when 

Spoiler

Jonah died at the end, which I don't think was how I was supposed to feel. But I just didn't feel enough of a connection to the character to feel more than a twinge of emotion. 

[Wiendish Fitch]

1 hour ago, Jenniferbug said:

I'm reading this now. I'm about 200 pages in, and I still feel like there's a lot of plot lines to bring together. Honestly, I keep wanting her to cut it out with reviewing the girl's past and focus more on the artist colony at the house in 1862. It feels like a lot of treading water...enjoyable for now,  but no real momentum.

Yeah, The Clockmaker's Daughter wasn't bad, per se, but I do think it's the weakest of Morton's books so far. There's a bloat of plot threads and, as you put it, lack of momentum. I won't not recommend it, but just keep your expectations at the low-medium level, is all I'm sayin'.

Finally got around to reading The Romance Reader's Guide to Life. It's... different, so that's a pretty big plus. Hoping it won't disappoint.

 

3 hours ago, Sweet Summer Child said:

Okay, I finished The Leaving, and I want my money back.

  Hide contents

This book has a great premise, but completely falls apart once you realize it's basically a YA love triangle disguised as a thriller.  Six kindergartners are abducted from a playground and five of them return eleven years later, with no memory of who they were with, or what they were doing, all that time.  They set out to discover what happened to them, and to find out what happened to the kid that never came back.  Sounds pretty good, right?

Yeah, it isn't.  Almost immediately after the kids come back, we have two of them wonder whether or not they were a couple, because it feels like they were in love.  We get A LOT of that.  Then, the sister of the kid who is still missing decides she loves the guy in that couple, after having one, brief conversation with him.  So, we get a lot of huffing and puffing from her any time the guy acts lovey towards the girl, and she even stalks the girl out of jealousy, at one point.  At this time, I would like to remind you that this is the sister of THE KID WHO IS STILL MISSING.   You would think bigger things would be on her mind, but nope, she just wants some dick.

So, after 400 pages of this, we finally get the big reveal that the kids were taken by the army after a horrible shooting occurred at their school, and their memories were erased so they could grow up without trauma.  The kid who was still missing the whole time died of an asthma attack, and they buried him in a yard.  That's it, that's the big reveal.  I'm not kidding.

On top of the anticlimactic ending, we have NO characterization, to speak of (the book is told through three POV's, and their voices are NOT distinct), and a desperate attempt by the author to make things interesting by a lot of back-slashes and different font sizes, whenever the kids remember something, because...art?  IDK, but it just doesn't work.  I usually don't mind that type of thing, if it's done well, but this was just a mess.  It didn't add anything to the story, and it took up WAY too much space.  You could have shaved the book down by 200 pages if you cut all that crap.  Also, we only hear from two out of the five kids who come back; the other three disappear from the story, and we never get their POV's.  Why?  Why not cut the dickmatized sister's POV and include the other kids who are trying to remember who they are?  It's THEIR story, right?  Who made this decision?

Oh, and the parents and siblings of the kids who come back hilariously don't care about their return, like, at all.  One mom immediately starts pushing a book deal, and one brother says he's not even sure he likes his brother, or wants him back.  Nice.  I know that's how I would act, if a beloved family member returned after having been gone for years, and years.  Totally rings true.

Anyway, I did not like this book.  The premise had so much potential, but the execution was terrible.  The author thanks a friend "for the idea" at the end of the book, so that answers a lot of questions.  Ugh.

I'll chime in in the chorus of "Not reading it!". Sounds wretched. 

[Annber03]

Yeah, that is a shame, 'cause the premise definitely sounds interesting.

Spoiler

 

Regarding your mention of how the family reacts, the thing is, there could be a good story in that aspect of things. If a kid feels that way about a brother who's gone missing, maybe there's a deeper, darker reason as to why. And the mom pushing for a book deal could be an interesting angle, too, in the sense that she's more focused on the fame she could get from her son's disappearance than she is him and what happened to him.

But clearly, it sounds like this book did not even bother to delve into any of those possible avenues. Shame. 

 

[truthaboutluv]

6 hours ago, Sweet Summer Child said:

Okay, I finished The Leaving, and I want my money back.

  Reveal hidden contents

This book has a great premise, but completely falls apart once you realize it's basically a YA love triangle disguised as a thriller.  Six kindergartners are abducted from a playground and five of them return eleven years later, with no memory of who they were with, or what they were doing, all that time.  They set out to discover what happened to them, and to find out what happened to the kid that never came back.  Sounds pretty good, right?

Yeah, it isn't.  Almost immediately after the kids come back, we have two of them wonder whether or not they were a couple, because it feels like they were in love.  We get A LOT of that.  Then, the sister of the kid who is still missing decides she loves the guy in that couple, after having one, brief conversation with him.  So, we get a lot of huffing and puffing from her any time the guy acts lovey towards the girl, and she even stalks the girl out of jealousy, at one point.  At this time, I would like to remind you that this is the sister of THE KID WHO IS STILL MISSING.   You would think bigger things would be on her mind, but nope, she just wants some dick.

So, after 400 pages of this, we finally get the big reveal that the kids were taken by the army after a horrible shooting occurred at their school, and their memories were erased so they could grow up without trauma.  The kid who was still missing the whole time died of an asthma attack, and they buried him in a yard.  That's it, that's the big reveal.  I'm not kidding.

On top of the anticlimactic ending, we have NO characterization, to speak of (the book is told through three POV's, and their voices are NOT distinct), and a desperate attempt by the author to make things interesting by a lot of back-slashes and different font sizes, whenever the kids remember something, because...art?  IDK, but it just doesn't work.  I usually don't mind that type of thing, if it's done well, but this was just a mess.  It didn't add anything to the story, and it took up WAY too much space.  You could have shaved the book down by 200 pages if you cut all that crap.  Also, we only hear from two out of the five kids who come back; the other three disappear from the story, and we never get their POV's.  Why?  Why not cut the dickmatized sister's POV and include the other kids who are trying to remember who they are?  It's THEIR story, right?  Who made this decision?

Oh, and the parents and siblings of the kids who come back hilariously don't care about their return, like, at all.  One mom immediately starts pushing a book deal, and one brother says he's not even sure he likes his brother, or wants him back.  Nice.  I know that's how I would act, if a beloved family member returned after having been gone for years, and years.  Totally rings true.

Anyway, I did not like this book.  The premise had so much potential, but the execution was terrible.  The author thanks a friend "for the idea" at the end of the book, so that answers a lot of questions.  Ugh.

Yup, my feelings exactly. I summed it up as "when good book ideas happen to bad authors". And well as you said, the idea apparently wasn't even hers anyway. It just felt like it was a premise the author wasn't talented enough to pull off. And so what she created was a mediocre mystery that never really delivered on the premise's potential. 

[LBS]

Has anyone read Transcription by Kate Atkinson?  I normally love her books but am having a hard time getting into this one.  Does it get more interesting?  The lead is annoying me.

[SusieQ]

I've read it. It does get better, but it's nowhere as good as her others so I was a bit disappointed. I love all her other books and so looked forward to this one. That might account for my disappointment.

I agree about the lead. The best thing for me was a look at how civilians dealt with the war. Also a reminder that not everybody was against the Nazis. Familiar???

[Spartan Girl]

Okay, I finally got around to reading Beartown and it made me want to drop the atomic bomb on all those assholes.

[Haleth]

17 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Okay, I finally got around to reading Beartown and it made me want to drop the atomic bomb on all those assholes.

Read the sequel, Us Against You.  The assholes are even worse.  (It's a really good book though.  Hard to read in parts but it brings closure to everything.)

Edited November 23, 2018 by Haleth
Because I said the exact same thing on the previous page and hope I'm not so old that I repeat myself all the time.

[Spartan Girl]

3 hours ago, Haleth said:

Read the sequel, Us Against You.  The assholes are even worse.  (It's a really good book though.  Hard to read in parts but it brings closure to everything.)

 

Will do.

Edited November 23, 2018 by Spartan Girl

[DearEvette]

Just started the newest in the Peter Grant series by Ben Aaronovitvh, Lies Sleeping.  Listening to it o audio because the narrator is divine.  Enjoying it so far.

[Mindthinkr]

Thunderhead by Preston and Child. Looks like a good archeological mystery with some well researched background. I’ve just begun it but I like the main female character. 

[truthaboutluv]

I'm currently reading The Lies They Tell by Gillian French and almost half-way into the book and I'm feeling a little duped. The premise of the book sounded deliciously up my alley - rich family murdered except for one son, everyone in town blames girl's father who was the caretaker of the house, girl befriends last living son, trying to solve the mystery and clear her dad's name. Of course the book is also categorized as Young Adult and you'd think I'd have learned my lesson with those, though the last one I read, The Cheerleaders, was actually pretty good.  So I gave this one a chance and so far

Spoiler

nothing is happening. I'm almost 50% into the book and the main character Pearl and the dead family's son Tristan have shared maybe five sentences between them. Even though he is apparently a big key to the story. The mystery such as it was is moving at snail's pace with the only mildly interesting thing happening is Pearl finding a thumb drive with a video that showed Tristan's sister clearly running from someone months before she died. Of course Pearl has shown maybe a modicum of mild curiosity about this because she's more consumed by the asshole "best friend" she has not speaking to her because he's a douche who has strung her along enjoying her clearly being in love with him while he clearly does not reciprocate.

Meanwhile, there's a random developing relationship with her and Tristan's friend, which all I kind assume is that he's guilty or tied to what happened to the family and that's why he's included so deeply in the story. Because otherwise, what's the point? I just think the book is suffering from the same thing that hurts many of these Young Adult mysteries. The writers get caught up in also selling some romance or triangle and just other stuff that's really not that relevant to the mystery and the mystery itself is almost half-assed. I don't know, maybe the second half will be a lot better than the first half. 

[GaT]

12 hours ago, DearEvette said:

Just started the newest in the Peter Grant series by Ben Aaronovitvh, Lies Sleeping.  Listening to it o audio because the narrator is divine.  Enjoying it so far.

I just got mine today, it's next on my reading list.

I'm currently reading The Phoenix Illusion by Lisa Shearin. it's the 6th book in the SPI Files series. I really enjoy this series, but even though it's pretty popular, I didn't care for her Raine Benares series.

Edited November 24, 2018 by GaT

[Lovecat]

I listened to Liane Moriarty’s new one, Nine Perfect Strangers, on a long road trip last week.  It’s about 9 people who check into a health retreat, looking to re-start their lives after a 10-day cleanse.  The, uh, unconventional treatment protocol is slowly revealed, and all hell breaks loose. It was a fun ride, more of a detour into Crazytown than any of her other books, but still didn’t top my favorite of hers, What Alice Forgot.  I love the narrator who does all of the audiobook versions of Moriarty’s novels; I think she really enhances my enjoyment of the story, and I always look forward to a new one to sink my...ears into!

[Neko]

6 hours ago, Lovecat said:

I listened to Liane Moriarty’s new one, Nine Perfect Strangers, on a long road trip last week.  It’s about 9 people who check into a health retreat, looking to re-start their lives after a 10-day cleanse.  The, uh, unconventional treatment protocol is slowly revealed, and all hell breaks loose. It was a fun ride, more of a detour into Crazytown than any of her other books, but still didn’t top my favorite of hers, What Alice Forgot.  I love the narrator who does all of the audiobook versions of Moriarty’s novels; I think she really enhances my enjoyment of the story, and I always look forward to a new one to sink my...ears into!

I agree.  I just listened to Big Little Lies for the second time, and I probably wouldn't have bothered if Caroline Lee hadn't narrated the story.  Her voice is a little raspy and odd, but she still manages to give a distinct voice to every character.  Nine Perfect Strangers is on my list, and it's the book I'll probably use my next credit on.  I've heard good things about it.

Currently, I am reading Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine.  It's enjoyable so far, but I'm afraid it might get trope-y with the main character.  We shall see.

[Haleth]

14 hours ago, Sweet Summer Child said:

Currently, I am reading Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine.  It's enjoyable so far, but I'm afraid it might get trope-y with the main character.  We shall see.

I felt very uncomfortable reading this.  (The book, not your post. :) )  It was difficult to be inside the head of someone with so many emotional issues.  To me she was more pitiful than charming, although in the end I was glad to have read it.

[Spartan Girl]

Reading Us Against You. Don't you just love it when horrible people do terrible things and then act like they're the ones being victimized? JFC.

[Haleth]

11 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Reading Us Against You. Don't you just love it when horrible people do terrible things and then act like they're the ones being victimized? JFC.

Spoiler

It's bad enough when adults act badly wrt other adults, but they were doing horrible things to kids!

[AngelKitty]

On 11/24/2018 at 2:43 AM, GaT said:

I'm currently reading The Phoenix Illusion by Lisa Shearin.

I just looked this up on Goodreads and think I might like it, so put The Grendel Affair on my library hold list.

I'm currently reading Magic Binds and also ordered the next one in that series, Magic Triumphs, a title that sounds like a happy ending is in sight but I don't know how there won't be some tragedy along the way.

[cherrypj]

I finished Magic Bites a few weeks ago, and enjoyed it. But land alive, it was violent. I don't think I'll keep going.

Change my mind, as the meme goes! :) 

One thing I do, with non-fiction books, is look through all the photos/graphs/charts before I actually start reading (it gives me a sense of what I'm gonna get). In Big Game by Mark Leibovich, the first photo is a very un-photogenic picture of Mark Davis (Al's son), owner of the (soon to be) Las Vegas Raiders. Since I don't especially like football or its billionaire owners, it was an easy decision to toss it. (It was recommended by NextDraft, which usually gives good ones.)

I just finished Anne Tyler's latest, Clock Dance. It's good and zany and thoughtful as always--I love Anne Tyler--but also disquieting. I always feel bad after reading about fractured parent-child relationships. It makes me worry that it could happen to me and my kids--no matter my best intentions. (Olive Kitteridge was the same way.)

[Epeolatrix]

"Making Murder: The Fiction of Thomas Harris" by Philip L. Simpson. It's an overview of plot, characters, themes, symbolism, and allusion in all five of his currently published novels.

[helenamonster]

Just finished: Lethal White by Robert Galbraith (really JK Rowling). I thought it was the weakest of the mysteries in the series thus far, but she has me so completely smitten with the two leads that at this point she could just write a book of the two of them talking over drinks and I would adore it. The mystery just felt like it was trying to do too much, and therefore weakened the impact of the ending. And while I'm happy Robin

Spoiler

finally left that dildo of a husband (and loved the detail of an otherwise keen and observant character completely missing the flashing neon signs that she was being cheated on), I once again dread that Rowling is positioning her to end up with Strike. And while Strike is fun and a great protagonist, my girl Robin deserves so much better. Also, the absolute cheese of the man who can't commit overcoming that for ~*the only woman who understands him*~ would be absolutely too much. If anything, I'd prefer she put them together and have it completely implode so that they can get it out of their systems, learn their lessons, and move on.

Next up: The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager.

[truthaboutluv]

So I finished The Lies They Tell by Gillian French. I'll put it this way, I read a review after I was done, where the person perfectly summed it by saying that the most exciting and interesting aspect of the book was the synopsis. This book was truly the definition of not delivering at all on what was promised. I honestly don't even know how to begin summarizing how bad I thought this book was, even for a Young Adult mystery. 

 

58 minutes ago, helenamonster said:

but she has me so completely smitten with the two leads that at this point she could just write a book of the two of them talking over drinks and I would adore it.

Interesting. Does that mean they both stopped being judgmental, arrogant assholes to every single person they meet but each other? I read the first two books in the series and quit after the second one just because I couldn't stand Comoran and Robin that much individually and even worse as a pair. 

[helenamonster]

22 hours ago, truthaboutluv said:

Interesting. Does that mean they both stopped being judgmental, arrogant assholes to every single person they meet but each other? I read the first two books in the series and quit after the second one just because I couldn't stand Comoran and Robin that much individually and even worse as a pair. 

This may be a case of varying mileages...it's been a while since I've read the first two books in the series but I can't remember there being (or me being annoyed at) anything particularly judgmental about Strike and Robin. Full disclosure: I am a bit of a misanthrope so it's absolutely possible they are total shitheads but I, too, am a shithead and therefore might just find their particular brand of shitiness to not be anything to write home about.

Full disclosure part two: I am desperately trying to cling to something about JK Rowling I still like while she runs her mouth on Twitter and systematically destroys the Potterverse.

I've also always liked Robin (I have a weakness for plucky female characters) and am currently finding her character arc more relatable than I'm comfortable with. No spoilers, since it's a recurring theme with her over the course of the series, but there's something unsettlingly existential about how her life is sort of just things happening to her and big milestones being decided by her circumstances. I'm in a transitional period myself right now so the parts of Lethal White that deal with her lack of control over her personal life were very poignant to me.

[truthaboutluv]

1 hour ago, helenamonster said:

This may be a case of varying mileages...it's been a while since I've read the first two books in the series but I can't remember there being (or me being annoyed at) anything particularly judgmental about Strike and Robin. Full disclosure: I am a bit of a misanthrope so it's absolutely possible they are total shitheads but I, too, am a shithead and therefore might just find their particular brand of shitiness to not be anything to write home about.

Rather than have to write out my whole spiel again, I figure it would be easier to just copy and paste my post I made after I read The Silkworm. 

Quote

I completed The Silkworm more than a month ago but per my comment on the previous page, I wanted to comment on it again having read the whole thing. I officially hated it more than The Cuckoo's Callingand the conclusion of the mystery made no damn sense. Don't get me wrong, I got the explanation and accepted who the guilty person was but I just didn't buy how Cormoran figured it out and how the leap was made. The whole thing felt very rushed and thrown together. 

 

I also officially can't stand Cormoran and Robin. The point where I completely lost it was when Robin went to interview some old man who owned a book shop, about what he saw. She quickly makes some comment about the man giving off the pretentious air of someone used to only his company and thinking what he had to say was super important (paraphrasing). I think that was the point I literally screamed out loud, "oh for crying out loud, is there not ONE character those two meet that isn't judged and who they are critical of?" I mean seriously, couldn't the guy just be a nice little old man in his little book shop who may or may not have seen something relevant to the mystery? 

 

But the ultimate for me was the funeral for Robin's fiance's mother. Not only does Robin almost miss the funeral of the mother of the fiance she's been with for like seven years and known most of her life but then at the funeral we have to hear her thoughts on how she didn't really care much for the mother because she apparently didn't really like her, Robin. Like yes, let's judge the dead woman the readers barely even knew at her funeral no less. And then of course she apparently also can't stand the fiance's father or siblings. Like it is amazing Robin and Cormoran can get through a day being so turned off by everyone. It amazes me that JK Rowling clearly does not realize how unappealing this makes the characters. I agree with someone who wonders if that's how she is in her normal life so that's why she doesn't realize that it's a turn off. I gave the series two tries with the first and second book and that was enough. I'm not reading the third. 

[Neko]

Finished Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine.  I can't describe my feelings better than this clip can, so I'm just going to drop it, here:

[mojoween]

Regarding the Robert Galbraith books, I loved Lethal White...when Robin wasn’t in it.  I found her to be very whiny and unpleasant this go ‘round.

I’m STILL flabbergasted that

Robin went through with the wedding in the first damn place

.

Currently I'm reading Cherry by Nico Walker because I saw it on a book list and it’s already a slog to get through.  The writing is all over the place.

[alias1]

I read The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle (Stuart Turton).  Evelyn Hardcastle will die every night at 11pm until the main character can solve the mystery.  Beyond that, it's best not to read any spoilers.  The book is mind bending in it's originality.  I didn't really care about the characters, but I gave it 4 stars for its clever concept and ingenious plotting.   

[ursula]

Currently reading GRRM's Fire and Blood (Vol I?), which is far more engrossing than what amounts to a fictional history book deserves to be. I'm looking forward to the second volume.

[Minneapple]

4 hours ago, ursula said:

Currently reading GRRM's Fire and Blood (Vol I?), which is far more engrossing than what amounts to a fictional history book deserves to be. I'm looking forward to the second volume.

I finished this the other day. It's actually pretty good. Way less wordy than the A Song of Ice and Fire series. But OF COURSE it's only the first volume!

(But seriously, will we ever get Winds of Winter?)

[Joe]

24 minutes ago, Minneapple said:

I finished this the other day. It's actually pretty good. Way less wordy than the A Song of Ice and Fire series. But OF COURSE it's only the first volume!

(But seriously, will we ever get Winds of Winter?)

I'm not a gambling man, but if I was, I wouldn't bet on it.

[helenamonster]

7 hours ago, SierraMist said:

I read The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle (Stuart Turton).  Evelyn Hardcastle will die every night at 11pm until the main character can solve the mystery.  Beyond that, it's best not to read any spoilers.  The book is mind bending in it's originality.  I didn't really care about the characters, but I gave it 4 stars for its clever concept and ingenious plotting.   

This sounds interesting, and reminds me of my newest favorite horror movie guilty pleasure Happy Death Day (now a franchise with a sequel coming out in February). In Happy Death Day the main character is stuck repeating the same day over and over, and at the end of each one she is murdered. In order to break the loop she has to solve her own murder and survive past midnight.

I looked up when this book was published and it was earlier this year, only a few months after Happy Death Day came out. Probably an instance of parallel thinking/multiple discovery theory but interesting how two similar concepts can arise around the same time.

[LBS]

I just finished Kingdom of the Blind (Louise Penny) and am so disappointed that it is over.  I literally read the last 3 chapters at work on my lap like I was a kid again reading at the dinner table. (I got the hardcover too! It’s much easier to cheat read on my phone). I highly recommend this series if you like mysteries and Quebec and well developed characters.  Once a year, when her new book comes out, I plan a Louise Penny weekend in which I eat like the characters.  Last year I made homemade French onion soup and baguettes.  This year I was crunched for time so just got stinky French cheese, bread, and chocolate croissants* from Trader Joe’s.  If you get into her books, you’ll get the food because she uses it to set the atmosphere.  

*they are frozen and you let them prove overnight at room temperature and cook for 22 minutes.  They are so good!

[Hanahope]

I had meant to post my finishing of Unhinged by Omarosa.  

Short version, she ignored, excused, rationalized a lot of trump's objectional behavior because it opened doors for her in entertainment, and trump assured her that stuff he said was "just politics" not personal.  then, while in the campaign and election, she was caught up in the excitement. She finally had it after the Charlotte march with the 'very fine people on both sides' remark, followed shortly by rumours of the "n-word" tape, which she says actually exists (though no one has produced it).  She says she was planning on leaving after Christmas of 2017, when Kelly (who she says never liked her because she had 'free' access to trump until he took over) fired her for what she claims were 'made up' reasons, and then refused to let her collect her personal things because she wouldn't sign an NDA.

She confirmed that the trump campaign worked closely with the Fox News network and coordinated daily on talking points, spin suggestions and such.  I'm not sure that's a big surprise.

She remarks how she worked very hard to set up opportunities for meetings and such between trump and non-white groups, but most efforts were stymied or ruined by others (and trump didn't help either sometimes).

I thought it was a good book, with some interesting information.

I just started Fear:Trump in the White House by Bob Woodward.  Only 1/3 of the way through it.  Its pretty neutral, at least so far.  Its had scenes that show trump to be pretty strong on foreign policy (Syria attack) and eager to take control of the wars, but pretty weak on understanding economics and trade.  I heard some say its a slog, but I've only got it for 2 weeks, so I'll keep moving along.

[Katy M]

36 minutes ago, Hanahope said:

Short version, she ignored, excused, rationalized a lot of trump's objectional behavior because it opened doors for her

This doesn't surprise me.  I remember after she was on The Apprentice, she got a lot of backlash on the way she behaved, so she went on Dr. Phil to explain.  First she said it was all editing.  Dr. Phil pointed out that editing could leave stuff out, take things out of context and move things around, but it couldn't put the words into her mouth in the first place.  Then, she admitted that she had decided to act like that because quiet, polite black women would get no screen time.  Which is fine.  She did what she thought she had to do to get what she wanted (lots of screen time) and as it was just a TV show so she wasn't hurting anyone. But, it just kind of annoyed me that she was all like, "it was all editing.  I was nice to everybody."

[Spartan Girl]

I'm reading Jackie Chan's memoir Never Grow Up. It's entertaining, and I have to give him a lot of credit for his honesty about some less-than-stellar moments in his life. It's not easy to admit when you've acted like an asshole.

[Minneapple]

Finished Nine Perfect Strangers and it's OK. It starts out reallllllly slowly and I kept wondering if there was going to be any kind of plot at all. There were also too many characters, and some aren't developed well enough. It wasn't bad by any means, just not as good as The Husband's Secret or Big Little Lies.

[HazelEyes4325]

34 minutes ago, Minneapple said:

Finished Nine Perfect Strangers and it's OK. It starts out reallllllly slowly and I kept wondering if there was going to be any kind of plot at all. There were also too many characters, and some aren't developed well enough. It wasn't bad by any means, just not as good as The Husband's Secret or Big Little Lies.

Hmm, I received this from BoTM last month (I think) and thought I might bring it with me when I traveled at the end of this month.  However, this does not sound like vacation reading to me.  Maybe I'll find something else instead.

[Browncoat]

54 minutes ago, Minneapple said:

Finished Nine Perfect Strangers and it's OK. It starts out reallllllly slowly and I kept wondering if there was going to be any kind of plot at all. There were also too many characters, and some aren't developed well enough. It wasn't bad by any means, just not as good as The Husband's Secret or Big Little Lies.

I was considering it for a trip as well, but maybe I'll spend my money otherwise.

[truthaboutluv]

I just completed Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone. It's a book I've had for two years now but just never got around to reading. It was a nice, quick read. And I have to say, as someone who always prides myself on figuring out twists before they happen in a book, I did not see this one coming at all. And I didn't put it together until literally a page or two before the reveal. But I think part of that is because the synopsis never indicated that there would be a twist in the story, so I wasn't looking for it. I was positive

Spoiler

that Caroline would end up killing herself when she told Sam she suffered from depression. And I thought that would be the big drama in the story, where while she helped save Caroline by bringing her into the group, she herself would succumb to her depression. I wasn't wrong about her killing herself but didn't predict that it had been years before and that Sam was just imagining her. 

[proserpina65]

I just finished reading The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters.  It was pretty engrossing, although I do feel like I didn't really get an answer at the end.  I do have a theory about the end, namely:

Spoiler

that the narrator, Dr. Faraday, is the one who killed Caroline, not the supernatural presence which had been haunting the family's home.

[Neko]

I'm reading A Vindication On the Rights of Woman, by Mary Wollstonecraft.  Yeah, it's not a light read, lol.

[Hanahope]

Finished Fear: Trump in the White House by Bob Woodward.  I wouldn't say its a "slog" as another did, but it is sometimes hard to follow as he goes back and forth among various topics.  I guess they're sortof in a chronological order, but not always.  I always got to the end of one topic discussion wondering, so how did it resolve?  What did they do?  That sometimes these questions weren't answered by the book, but we do mostly know based on events after the book was published, demonstrate that in many respects, the book is already becoming outdated.  Certainly that is the case with the discussion over the Mueller Russia investigation.  I almost hope Woodward would go back to Dowd and ask him, 'so what do you think now?' and add that as an epilogue on future publications (assuming there are any - but I doubt Dowd would respond anyway).

It was interesting, and terrifying reading about Trump's dealings with NK and SK and others.  How he viewed the defense of our country as a business deal, that he didn't think we were winning (the business part, not the defense part).  It definitely solidified my opinion that a "businessman" is not necessarily the best suited to be president of the US.

[Hanahope]

Just started reading Rick Wilson's Everything Trump Touches Dies. Its fun reading his take down of GOP stalwarts, Ryan, Cruz, Christie, Gingrich, Priebus, etc.  Now he's bashing democrats for liking Hillary and Nancy.  I wish GOP strategists would own the fact that they made Nancy into someone to hate, there's nothing wrong with her otherwise.  He loves to criticize the dems for being so "one note" on abortion, yet doesn't see how its the exact opposite "one note" anti-abortion for the GOP.  And into the whole gun/nra bit and how democrats blow this issue too.  Ah, another book that will soon be "dated."

[helenamonster]

Just finished: The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager. I thought it was excellently paced and plotted--not sure if there are any plans to adapt this but think it would be very easy to do so, especially the way in which Sager seamlessly inserted the flashback chapters to mirror what was happening in the present day--there's something very cinematic about the way he does that. I was a little nervous when they revealed that

Spoiler

the land that Camp Nightingale was on used to be an asylum that we would be heading for a Shutter Island type ending (that the whole thing was playing out in Emma's mind while she was institutionalized). I find that sort of twist to be so pointless. To spend a whole book trying to piece together a mystery only for there to be no mystery to piece together would have been deeply aggravating. I liked some aspects of the ending (Vivian being alive and being the one to kill Allison and Natalie) but too much of the info necessary to piece this reveal together came too late, imo, especially the fact that Allison and Natalie had really been Katherine's friends, and that Vivian had blamed them for Katherine's drowning.

There were plenty of good red herrings (the Harris-Whites being sus, the creepy handyman, the aforementioned asylum) and the twist that the intro chapters to each part were actually about the new trio being missing, not the old one, were done beautifully. All in all, very much enjoyed it.

Next up: One Day in December by Josie Silver. It's not the kind of book I usually read but it's the holidays and it might be good for me to take a break from books about murders and missing persons.

[Jenniferbug]

I know I'm over a decade late to this, but I'm about 150 pages into Ron Chernow's biography, Alexander Hamilton. My dad was a massive history buff and read about little else, so historical reading isn't new to me, but it has been a while since I've read anything so dense, but also so interesting.

And yep, the soundtrack to Hamilton keeps playing in my head while reading!

[truthaboutluv]

Just completed Little Monsters by Kara Thomas. This is the second book of hers I've read in less than two months after discovering her work when I picked up her latest book, The Cheerleaders. I am officially a fan. I thought she did a great job in both books of developing the mystery, she wasn't guilty of what so many writers of Young Adult mystery/thrillers are guilty of - which is that they get caught in lame romance triangles, etc. the mystery part of the book falls flat. Few things 

Spoiler

I knew Jade was guilty as soon as Kacey and Ashley came over to Bailey's home and Jade mentioned sleeping in Bailey's bed and Bailey's mom mentioned how great Jade had been as a support and helping. Why did this tip me to her being guilty - because I felt certain the author got inspired to put in that bit from the true life crime that happened in the 80's where the 15 year old was murdered by her two friends who then were the ones to say she vanished. One of the girls similarly ended up staying in the dead girl's house, sleeping in her bed, bonding with her mother. It was really fucked up. 

I figured out Lauren was involved much later in the story. I couldn't figure out how exactly and I didn't think she'd be the one who actually did the killing but I knew she was involved somehow and that why she couldn't sleep and seemed so traumatized. Also, those diary entries of Bailey's were downright chilling for me to read. Only because I watch enough true crime shows to know that shit like this really does happen. Teenagers who are seemingly friends and seemingly innocent, plot to kill another one and most of the time for bullshit reasons like jealousy over a boy. 

On a completely separate note, I do think Andrew was in love with Kacey but she didn't feel the same or at least wouldn't let herself think of him in that way. As crazy and obsessed as Bailey was, I do think her thinking something was going on was based on what she saw in Andrew towards Kacey. And I feel like the author subtly confirmed that at the end when Kacey mentions him stiffening in a way he never had when they were in her bed hugging, while she was crying. 

Edited December 17, 2018 by truthaboutluv

[ScullyinApartment4]

Just finished The Hunger by Alma Katsu. Really didn't expect to cry (emotionally) during a gory fictionalization of the Donner party, but there you go. Four stars. And it wraps up my 52 book GoodReads challenge.

[Spartan Girl]

Viola Davis' recent comments about The Help movie got me to go reread the book.  And I have to say while I do like both the book and the film...I think the film kind of neutralized the racist white characters like Skeeter's mom.  It was a disservice to change Constantine and her daughter's story.  And while Hilly remained just the worst, I think the film's ending made it look like she slightly regretted getting Abileen fired.  JMO.

[callie lee 29]

Currently in reading two mystery anthologies, well one is mystery magazine: The best American mystery stories of 2018 and the current Ellery Queen magazine for Jan. After that, I'll read Fear by Woodward and then a couple of older books I haven't gotten around to yet on Rwanda and religion. Hopefully by then my requested copy of the new Stephanie Plum book will be in at my library. Mixed in will be weird "leader building" books my work has assigned. Currently it's a John Maxwell. 

On 12/14/2018 at 9:16 AM, Hanahope said:

Just started reading Rick Wilson's Everything Trump Touches Dies. Its fun reading his take down of GOP stalwarts, Ryan, Cruz, Christie, Gingrich, Priebus, etc.  Now he's bashing democrats for liking Hillary and Nancy.  I wish GOP strategists would own the fact that they made Nancy into someone to hate, there's nothing wrong with her otherwise.  He loves to criticize the dems for being so "one note" on abortion, yet doesn't see how its the exact opposite "one note" anti-abortion for the GOP.  And into the whole gun/nra bit and how democrats blow this issue too.  Ah, another book that will soon be "dated."

Hmm, I might have to look into this one...