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

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

I know right? Crazy!

I feel like 2023 is finally making up for 2021. Everyone seems to be getting their groove back.

It is a great concept but so far the story seems scattered. I'm hoping it comes together.

Definitely try Symphony. You may have to wait a while for before the coffee I just can't seem to get into it.

Yikes, this is a dangerous list! The only one I've read: Remarkably Bright Creatures. The ones I want to read: all the others of course.

#56 The Galaxy, and the Ground Within Becky Chambers cleverly writes satisfying SciFi that somehow parallels real world issues that our society must address. Never more true than in this final installment of the Wayfarers series. I was sorry to see the end of the book and the series. 4 intergalactic truck stop stars. Audiobook. SciFi.

#57 Clean(ish): Eat (Mostly) Clean, Live (Mainly) Clean, and Unlock Your Body's Natural Ability to Self-Clean Somewhat disappointing. I really enjoyed Gin Stephens other books. In her other books she collates research on an issue (intermittent fasting) and presents it in layman terminology with a practical plan of action. Taking all the hype and static out of intermittent fasting and making it something acheivable. That was not the case with this book. She is promoting a clean lifestyle and it is anything but achievable if you do not live in an urban area and make tons of money. Also, I have read some in this area and I think some of her facts were disputable. I particularly disagree on her recommendation to always buy organic. It has been proven that the organic label can mean anything or nothing. Unless you live in a populous area you are unlikely to find organic with the guarantees or the brands that she promotes. Sorry, that's a rant which boils down to Gin needs to work on this one some more. 3ish stars. Audiobook. Nonfiction-Health.

#58 The Final Case: A novel A man helps his elderly father fulfill the duties of his final case as a defense attorney. The quiet atmosphere and the superb writing combine to make this a lovely book. Beware the action is limited but the emotion is powerful. 5 stars. ebook. Contemporary Fiction.

#59 A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them Horrible but also enlightening. There was so much here that I did not know. They say that those who do not know history are destined to repeat it. A lot of this is being repeated right now in our country. While I did not enjoy this book, I'm glad that it is out there to remind us of what we do not want to become. 3 it could have been better organized stars. Audiobook. Nonfiction-History.

#60 Camp Zero The characters all struggle to survive the climate apocalypse on their own terms. This has shades of a feminist manifesto but seemed to be afraid to embrace it fully. A tribe of CliFi amazons would have been more interesting. This didn't quite make it. I didn't love it. I didn't hate it. 3 stars. Audibook. SciFi/CliFi/Apocalypse.

Star Tally 2023

5 stars - 11
4 stars - 26
3 stars - 21
2 stars - 2

Current:
Built to Move: The Ten Essential Habits to Help You Move Freely and Live Fully Audiobook
The Story of Arthur Truluv ebook
Sweet Enough: A Dessert Cookbook ebook

Still ignoring but not ready to call it quits:
A Suitable Boy
Before the Coffee Gets Cold

Lea wrote: "Ioana wrote: "If Baldacci wasn't so prolific, I might consider him...but he has too many series, too many books. Maybe I'll change my mind someday."

Yes, I can understand that. I do own a couple o..."

So true!

For those of you that are hating Mickey Haller due to his portrayal by a certain someone on the big screen, look for the Lincoln Lawyer series on pay TV. I can't remember if it was on Prime or Netflix but it was really good. I think they combined the first two books because there was more to the story than in the Lincoln Lawyer. I liked the portrayal of Mickey Haller and you are going to love Earl.

Lillie wrote: "Only 2 left on this list?? Already? I’ll have to take a peek at your other list to see how that’s going. Are you thinking of adding a new list or two cause we have 7 more months to go! 😂"

I'm almost ashamed to admit I am thinking about another list. For some reason this seems to be working for me this year.

Me too! I need to get to it.

oooh you've got some great books there and you've already had a great month!

Hopefully I'll be joining you soon

Prayers for Bradley. My son in his mid twenties was diagnosed with Crohn's about 18 months ago. It's not the news a mother wants to hear but it is a very manageable disease. We are also discovering that it is a lot more common than I would have thought. I hope Bradley and his doctor can get a good treatment program going and he will feel better soon.

Looks like we will be trading series Bill I definitely want to try her other series now

Dark Tower is a good classic series choice Alondra and you're going to love Mercy Thompson.

Thanks Alondra. I'm actually considering a follow-up list but that's just too crazy for me.

Alondra wrote: "Completed: The Sun Down Motel



4.5 Stars

This was a perfect ghost story and I loved every inch of this book.... except for the end. Viv des..."


I enjoyed The Book of Cold Cases bySimone St. James. Your review makes me think it is time to try this author again.

Completed The Galaxy, and the Ground Within and with it the Wayfarers Series. I'm sad there are no more books in the series but thanks to Bill and a few other Goodreads friends I can't wait to start another Becky Chambers series - Monk and Robot.

The short synopsis for this book: four alien species (none of them human) are stranded together at the intergalactic equivalent of a truck stop for the duration of a galactic emergency. That doesn't really do this book justice. The more complicated version: Becky Chambers uses this tale about four aliens who are forced during a galactic emergency to find common ground and mutual respect for each other in order to save a child as an allegory for another not so alien society that needs to come together for the sake of its children not push each other further apart.

Becky Chambers is a master at combining the right amount of SciFi and serious literature. This Wayfarers series would satisfy even the hardcore SciFi lover but each installment also deals with serious issues of the human heart. I say human heart though the characters are seldom actually human. I also think Chambers is a master at complicated yet strangely intriguing book titles. I'm a sucker for great titles so I probably would have read these even they hadn't been really great stories all on their own. Just loved the series. Can't wait to read the Monk and Robot series.

4 trapped at the intergalactic version of Buccee's stars.

Favorite Quotes:

“People – a group comprised of every sapient species, organic or otherwise – were chaos, but chaos was good. Chaos was the only sensible conclusion”
― Becky Chambers, The Galaxy, and the Ground Within

“Emotions left unchecked could so easily metastasise, and she worked hard to never be that personally negligent.”
― Becky Chambers, The Galaxy, and the Ground Within

“But you can’t fix everything with cake.”
― Becky Chambers, The Galaxy, and the Ground Within

I agree with everything on your list. I thought of some of those - TFOTR and Agatha Christie. I wasn't sure if they would be universally considered classics yet. I think Huckleberry Finn is already there. Wouldn't you love the high school literature class that required you to read The Fellowship of the Ring and Murder on the Orient Express. Way better than Romeo and Juliet. I think Harry Potter will one day be considered classic. I think you could make an argument for that now based on its influence on pop culture and the sheer number of young readers that it inspired.

Wait maybe the Narnia series by C.S. Lewis. Anybody got another?