Michelle’s Comments (group member since Dec 08, 2021)

Michelle’s comments from the On The Same Page group.

Alondra wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Thanks Alondra! Honestly, I don't know what has gotten into me, but I do know I'm enjoying reading again and that's great. Reading now includes a lot more listening than it used to..."

Check out your local library Alondra and use the Libby app. Free books! No hassle, unless you count the dreaded hold list.

Thanks Alondra! Honestly, I don't know what has gotten into me, but I do know I'm enjoying reading again and that's great. Reading now includes a lot more listening than it used to but whatever it takes.

It seems that I can always squeeze in another book from a series. It's the heavier stuff that bogs me down.

No fourth list Ioana but I think I've discovered the secret to finishing one. Serial Reading.

Winding this list down with The Brass Verdict.

The Lincoln is back on the road and Mickey is back in the game. He inherited a number of cases from a colleague including one very high stakes case. Unfortunately, the former colleague was murdered and if Mickey doesn't move carefully, he may be next. How can he win the case without any more casualties?

I enjoyed the second in the series as much as the first. Maybe even more. We got a little deeper into all the characters. There were plenty of twists and turns and an appearance by Bosch. I love that Mickey always defends his guilty clients but somehow justice is still served.

4 rigged jury stars.

Quotes I liked:

“Back when I was riding patrol, you know what we called a killing that came down to simple street justice?” “What?” “The brass verdict.”
― Michael Connelly, The Brass Verdict

“The Lincoln lawyer was back on the beat. The Lone Ranger was riding again.”
― Michael Connelly, The Brass Verdict

Congrats on being officially complete Alondra!

Alondra wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Alondra wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Deadline finished!

Half the team may be only a ghost in Shaun Mason's head but the news goes on. He tri..."


To be fair they did introduce zombie mosquitoes which is pretty cool. Maybe that deserves at least another half star.

Ioana wrote: "The list of good books keeps going and going, great update. I just noticed I had one more hold available, so I put A Psalm for the Wild-Built on it. Thank you for reminding me of th..."

You will love it Ioana. Reading it was like book yoga. Just breath and relax.

Catching up this thread again! Hot! Hot! Hot!

#98 Aurora Burning The second in the series suffered slightly from 2nd book slump syndrome but still held my interest and ended with a bang. Enough to make me want to read the next book. I always end up liking what this writing team comes up with even though it is unapologetically YA. 3 bad boy in black plastic pants stars. Audiobook. YA/SciFi

#99 Echo Burning I enjoyed it but this was not my favorite Reacher novel. I thought it was low on believable motivation even for this series. What it excelled at were incredible descriptions of the summer Texas heat. Since we were experiencing a little heat wave of our own in my area, these descriptive gems rang true. 3 egg on the sidewalk stars. Paperback. Thriller.

#100 A Prayer for the Crown-Shy This little novela was as delightful as the first in the series. There is no way to read about the sweet friendship between the tea monk and the robot without having one of those AaawwwwW! moments. 5 celebrate the introvert stars. Audiobook. Fantasy.

#101 Deadline This second book in the series shifts the focus of the series away from zombie apocalypse and toward massive conspiracy reveal. Not a bad thing unless you like apocalypse lit which, well, I sort of do. Still a good solid story. Very enjoyable. 3 where have all the zombies gone stars. (To be fair there were zombie mosquitoes in this one which is pretty cool.) Audiobook. YA/Apocalypse Lit-zombie.

#102 Hello Stranger I just really like to read Katherine Center. I'm never disappointed. This romantic tale centers around a young artist with temporary face blindness which results in predictable misunderstandings. Improbable, very predictable, and yet, a totally satisfying romantic success. 4 cheating on you with you stars. ebook. Romance.

#103 Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church A very timely, thought provoking and hopeful analysis of what church means. In this time of unrest and turmoil in our churches and in denominations, Held's reminders of what is really important provide healing for those who are struggling. 5 don't give up on the church stars. Audiobook. Nonfiction-Christian.

Star Tally 2023
5 stars - 14
4 stars - 47
3 stars - 38
2 stars - 4

Current:
Death Without Company Audiobook. Longmire #2
The Brass Verdict ebook. Lincoln Lawyer #2
Night Train to Lisbon ebook.

Currently reading The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly.

Alondra wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Deadline finished!

Half the team may be only a ghost in Shaun Mason's head but the news goes on. He tries to keep the reporting network ..."

I don't consider 3 stars a bad rating Alondra. I enjoyed the book. For me 3 stars just means that there was nothing exceptional about the book to push it up to 4 stars. 5 stars to me means it left me with that I wish this book would never end feeling or that I'm going to be thinking about this for a long time feeling. Deadline was fun and entertaining but I do think there could have been more zombies.

I've never read Charles Martin but several of his books are on my mental TBR. Your review makes me want to pick one up.

Deadline finished!

Half the team may be only a ghost in Shaun Mason's head but the news goes on. He tries to keep the reporting network they started running long enough to avenge his sister's death. Unfortunately, the conspiracy keeps getting larger the more he uncovers. Now he and his crew of reporters are just trying to keep far enough ahead of the news to stay alive.

There is not a lot of direct zombie contact (that's a good thing as far as the characters are concerned) in this book but the story with its ever-growing conspiracy is entertaining. Sadly, book 2 does leave us with a lot on unanswered questions so on to book 3. Lightweight and somewhat predictable but a good time.

3 zombie mosquitoes stars

Quotes I liked:

“I just find it interesting that kids apparently used to cry when Bambi's mother died. George and I both held our breaths, and then cheered when she didn't reanimate and try to eat her son.”
― Mira Grant, Deadline

“I recommend Avon Skin-So-Soft. It’s a bath product. It smells like someone fed a Disney Princess through a juicer, but it works better than anything else on the market.”
― Mira Grant, Deadline

Bill wrote: "Michelle wrote: "#95What Alice Forgot An excellent selection by my IRL book club. I do love Liane Moriarty. Her books always t..."

I loved the Wayfarer series too. You have a lot to look forward to. I already have the second book checked out. I hope I enjoy it as much as the first.

Listening to Deadline by Mira Grant. Zombie, zombie, zombie (when you read that pretend you are listening to The Cranberries song, that is how it sounded in my head).

Echo Burning done and done.

While hitchhiking through Texas, Reacher accepts what seems to be a ride with perfect timing. In reality it is a ride that entangles him in a domestic dispute and the politics of small-town Texas. Look out baddies Reacher is coming!

I enjoyed this book but, I think it suffered from the not uncommon mid series slump syndrome. The story started out great with Reacher as usual stumbling into someone else's trouble and making it his own. But it quickly devolved into Reacher following his gut through some very implausible circumstances because he "just knew". Even finding the last bad guy by following his hunches. It just didn't quite work for me. What did work was the author's description of the Texas heat. Reading about the blistering heat while enduring a similar heat wave of our own here at the end of summer was strangely enjoyable.

3 Reacher all up in his feels stars

Quotes I liked:

“Life is endlessly capable of surprises, so he knew one day he would come face to face with his physical equal. With somebody who might worry him. But he looked and saw this wasn’t the day. So he just smiled and looked away again.”
― Lee Child, Echo Burning

Lillie wrote: "Can't believe you're already half way done with the list too! My prediction is that by October, you'll need another list ;)

Going back to The Hidden Palace, for me, that was a case..."

I was not disappointed in The Hidden Palace Lillie. I just felt it lacked a little of the magic of the first book. Still very well written and I was fully engaged throughout. I would probably read her next book as well. Her writing is top notch.

As for lists, NO. This is the last list of 2023. If any time is left over between the end of this list and the beginning of 2024 lists I'm going to use it to work on my ongoing President's challenge. Besides I have to have time to develop my list for next year don't I?

Ioana wrote: "Michelle wrote: "A Psalm for the Wild-Built completed! I can't say enough good things about this little gem.

A traveling tea monk who..."

This is a good one Ioana and I wasn't kidding about the tea. You're going to need a big steaming mug of it when you sit down to read this one. Hope you enjoy them both!

A Psalm for the Wild-Built completed! I can't say enough good things about this little gem.

A traveling tea monk who brings comfort and care to others struggling with his own inner demons decides to go off road. He travels into wilderness territory and meets a wild built robot. The first robot seen by humans since the robots left civilization years before. The robot is just "checking in" on behalf of all robots to see if the humans want anything.

This story is like a warm hug. I strongly recommend reading it, preferably with a big mug of tea in hand. Becky Chambers manages to write so eloquently about the human condition even when her characters are not all human. I can't wait to read the next installment and anything else she decides to write. Lovely.

5 in desperate need of a tea monk stars.

Quotes I liked:

“We’re all just trying to be comfortable, and well fed, and unafraid.”
― Becky Chambers, A Psalm for the Wild-Built

“You and I -- we're just atoms that arranged themselves the right way, and we can understand that about ourselves. Is that not amazing?”
― Becky Chambers, A Psalm for the Wild-Built

#95What Alice Forgot An excellent selection by my IRL book club. I do love Liane Moriarty. Her books always take one of those what if moments you have in your head and follow it all the way down a crazy rabbit hole. In this case what if you lost all memory of a decade of your life, including your three children and the looming divorce from the love of your life? 4 how did everyone get so old stars. Audiobook. Contemporary Literature.

#96 Aurora Rising Terrific YA space thriller. Space cadets, time warps, angsty teen love and a double dose of witty teen sarcasm. Somehow it works. These authors also wrote the Illuminae Files series which I also enjoyed. Lots of great space action that you don't have to take too seriously. 3 Two hundred year old teenager fresh out of cryofreeze stars. Audiobook (full cast...nice). YA/SciFi.

#97 A Psalm for the Wild-Built I absolutely loved this little gem. Becky Chambers has a way of writing so eloquently about the human condition even when all of her characters are not human. I really, really want my own Tea Monk now. I won't spoil the story, but I strongly suggest you read it with a big mug of tea in hand. 5 Steaming mug of tea and a warm hug stars. Audiobook. Fantasy/SciFi

Star Tally 2023
5 stars - 12
4 stars - 46
3 stars - 35
2 stars - 4

Current:
Aurora Burning Audiobook. Just had to go for another round. I need light and spacey right now.
Night Train to Lisbon ebook. The opposite of light
Echo Burning paperback. Reacher is in trouble again.