What have you just read? Opinions, recommendations, reviews Part 2 Showing 5,701-5,750 of 10,005

[Joy D]

Finished this unusual book about a female chess prodigy with addiction issues:

The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis - 3 stars - My Review

[Sandysbookaday (taking a midwinter break)]

Started We Are Not in the World by Conor O'Callaghan after finishing the very disappointing The Orphan's Gift by Renita D'Silva. My spoiler free review can be found at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... and my webpage sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

[Christine]

Sandy how are both of your books going?

[PattyMacDotComma]

I enjoyed this excellent, timely read that Aussie author and journalist Julia Baird has been researching for a long time. Phosphorescence: On Awe, Wonder and Things That Sustain You When the World Goes Dark just happened to be launched during a pandemic, right when we need it!
4.5★ Link to my "Phosphorescence" review

[Faith]

My review of How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Canadian Jen]

Finished . My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Luffy Sempai]

My review of Dying to Call You:-

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Joy D]

Impressive work, beautifully written. I can't believe I had not read anything by Toni Morrison before now:

A Mercy by Toni Morrison - 5 stars - My Review

[Dale]

My review of Death at Wentwater Court by Carola Dunn

2 stars
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Joy D]

One of the most unusual and creative books I have ever read:

The Stone Raft by José Saramago - 4 stars - My Review

[Phrynne]

My review of By the Light of the Moon by Dean Koontz

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Faith]

My review of August by Callan Wink

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Tamara]

I finished Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome. I've read this classic umpteen times, but it never gets old. I start laughing as soon as I pull it off my bookshelf. I recommend it for anyone who wants a good laugh.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Sandysbookaday (taking a midwinter break)]

I have started Given in Evidence, a collection of crime short stories by a variety of authors after finishing the enigmatic and compelling We Are Not in the World by Conor O'Callaghan which I rated 4.5/5. My spoiler free review can be found at https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/... and https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Phrynne]

A reread of Brotherhood in Death by J.D. Robb

My review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Sandysbookaday (taking a midwinter break)]

I will be starting Little Disasters by Sarah Vaughan after finishing a 3 star collection of crime short stories Given in Evidence by various authors. My spoiler free review can be found at https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/... and https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Dale]

My review of The Jazz Files by Fiona Veitch Smith

4 stars
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Luffy Sempai]

My review of Five Run Away Together:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Faith]

My review of The German Heiress by Anika Scott

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Phrynne]

My review of The Daughter of Victory Lights by Kerri Turner

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Nancy from NJ]

Finally finished House of Spies by Daniel Silva. Took me days to read this book which was similar to some of this authors other books. Now I’m on to a book, The Angel Tree by Lucinda Riley, an author who I have enjoyed in the past.

[Greg]

Nancy from NJ wrote: "Finally finished House of Spies by Daniel Silva. Took me days to read this book which was similar to some of this authors other books. Now I’m on to a book, The Angel Tree by Lucinda Riley, an auth..."

Hope you enjoy the new one as much as the ones in the past Nancy!

[Petra]

I finished 2 books today:

The Girl from Oto (4 star)
This is the first of a trilogy. It could be read as a stand-alone, although when you reach the end you want to continue the story of Miramonde.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

U.S.A.: The 42nd Parallel / 1919 / The Big Money (3 star)
This is a mostly interesting look at a thin slice of America through the lives of a very thin slice of Americans. These people don't seem to learn from mistakes.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Greg]

Petra wrote: "I finished 2 books today:

The Girl from Oto (4 star)
This is the first of a trilogy. It could be read as a stand-alone, although when you reach the end you want to continue the sto..."

Great review of the Dos Passos books Petra!

I agree with your ratings, ranging from 2-3 stars, though the books really fascinated me at points . . . definitely a dog's eye view of history fractured in many little pieces, without a ton of structure. Some parts dragged for me a little, but I still enjoyed the books as a different historical perspective.

A little like some historical tidbits in E. L. Doctorow's books. Yeah, Doctorow often has an agenda, but he uncovers historical tidbits that often get overlooked, and those things did happen. Small as they are in the scheme of things, like violent police raids orchestrated by titans of industry on striking workers who were peacefully traveling along a rail line . . . can't remember which book that was in, but it was based on a very real historical incident. Those facets of the historical story are important; they add another layer I think.

Anyway, Dos Passos was trying to do something amazingly ambitious, and it wasn't 100% successful, but I was really intrigued by the effort regardless.

Great review!

[Petra]

Greg wrote: "Anyway, Dos Passos was trying to do something amazingly ambitious, and it wasn't 100% successful, but I was really intrigued by the effort regardless...."

Thanks, Greg!
I agree that this is an important piece of work. Dos Passos did write an ambitious and interesting slice of life. He does bring out many mostly forgotten tidbits of news of the times. I quite enjoyed reading the news clips at the start of each chapter.
The violent police raids were in the third volume.

[Nichole]

My review of Booked for Trouble: A Lighthouse Library Mystery by Eva Gates:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Greg]

Petra wrote: "Greg wrote: "Anyway, Dos Passos was trying to do something amazingly ambitious, and it wasn't 100% successful, but I was really intrigued by the effort regardless...."

Thanks, Greg!
I agree that t..."

Ah, so Dos Passos covered those raids too! I didn't remember. I know they were in one of Doctorow's books too. I read these books so long ago, things are getting a little fuzzy. :)

[PattyMacDotComma]

Several people suggested I'd like The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman, and they were right!
4★ Link to 'Ocean' review

[Greg]

PattyMacDotComma wrote: "Several people suggested I'd like The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman, and they were right!
4★ Li..."

Loved that one Patty!

Beautifully written and full of wisdom throughout - highly quotable. Liked the touch of mysticism at the end with the three women. Had a Jungian feel to it, something wythological and ancient.

One of my favorites of Gaiman's, though I enjoyed Stardust just as much in a simpler and totally different way.

[Phrynne]

My review of The Geometry of Holding Hands by Alexander McCall Smith

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Kim]

Tamara wrote: "I finished Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome. I've read this classic umpteen times, but it never gets old. I start laughing as soon as I pull it off my bookshelf. I ..."

I agree Tamara - I start laughing as soon as I see the cover - and Three Men on the Bummel is nearly as funny too!

[Joy D]

Just finished this depression-era historical fiction, set in Philadephia and New York, which, unfortunately, seems more like a modern novel set in a historic time:

Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris - 3 stars - My Review

[B. P.]

Today is the birthday of May Ayim. This is the only available English-language book I've read by her: Blues In Black And White: A Collection Of Essays, Poetry, And Conversations

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Tamara]

Finished The Law of Inheritance by Yasser Abdellatif, translated from the Arabic by Robin Moger. It's a series of vignettes that flash back and forth in time, capturing the zeitgeist of Cairo in the 1990s. I thought it was quite good.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Christine]

Sandy how are both of your books going?

[Faith]

My review of Shorefall by Robert Jackson Bennett

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Phrynne]

My review of Laid In Earth by Graham Brack

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Dale]

My review of In Every Heartbeat by Kim Vogel Sawyer

3 and a half stars
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Sandysbookaday (taking a midwinter break)]

I have started Strange Hotel by Eimear McBride after finishing the 4.5 star Little Disasters by Sarah Vaughan. My spoiler free review can be found at my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/... and https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Maja]

Read and enjoyed The Guinevere Deception

My 4 ⭐ review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Raul]

My review of Buddenbrooks: The Decline of a Family by Thomas Mann

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I really liked this book.

[Joy D]

This book is a little gem. It deserves to be more widely known:

Montana 1948 by Larry Watson - completed 5/2/20 - 5 stars - My Review

[Greg]

Raul wrote: "My review of Buddenbrooks: The Decline of a Family by Thomas Mann

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I really liked this book."

Great review Raul - a book I have always meant to read!

[Raul]

Greg wrote: "Raul wrote: "My review of Buddenbrooks: The Decline of a Family by Thomas Mann

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I really liked this book."

Great revie..."

Thank you, Greg! I highly recommend it.

[Christine]

Sandy how are both of your books going?

[Sandysbookaday (taking a midwinter break)]

About to begin Mum & Dad by Joanna Trollope after finishing the 2.5 star Strange Hotel by Eimear McBride. This would have to have been my most challenging read yet. Check out my review to find out why. It can be found at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... and on my webpage sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
Strange Hotel is available to request from NetGalley until June 30, 2020.

[Phrynne]

My review of Aurora Burning by Amie Kaufman

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Dale]

My review of The Space Between by Dete Meserve

4 stars
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Joy D]

Since The Mirror and the Light came out this year, I thought I'd read Hilary Mantel's trilogy, starting with the first book:

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel - 5 stars - My Review

[Maja]

Read and thoroughly enjoyed the fairy tale retelling Stepsister

My 5⭐ review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...