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What have you just read? Opinions, recommendations, reviews Part 2
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Sandysbookaday (taking a midwinter break)
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Jan 19, 2018 12:20PM
Finished a ☆☆☆☆☆debut novel
The Devil's Claw by Lara Dearman My spoiler free review can be found at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... and my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
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I have managed to read quite a few books since I last posted here. Anyone interested can see the full list & my thoughts on my thread (https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...).Most recently, I finished Martin Eden, which was excellent, and a reread of an old favorite, Heyer's first published novel, The Black Moth.
Speaking of Oscar Wilde, I just read Lady Windermere's Fan. I wish I had read it sooner, I really enjoyed the combination of wit and social satire.
Ken wrote: "Speaking of Oscar Wilde, I just read Lady Windermere's Fan. I wish I had read it sooner, I really enjoyed the combination of wit and social satire."Wilde's plays really sparkle with that 'combination of wit and social satire'! If you haven't read it yet, you should try his An Ideal Husband. The only one I found a bit lacking in that department was his Salomé.
Just finished reading Room 207: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...I loved this book from the first to the last page. Could have finished it in one sitting but wanted to slowly devour it so ended up reading it in 2 days. I highly recommend
Finished Summer Hours at the Robbers Library 3.5 stars . My review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I finished The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin last night. I really enjoyed this short book.
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Petra wrote: "I finished The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin last night. I really enjoyed this short book.
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."
That is one my TBR - I will have to move it closer to the top!
I finished Mrs. Hemingway. I ended up liking it a lot.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Finished listening to
The Drowning Season by Alice Hoffman. Not my favorite book by this author, but still worth the read. My spoiler free review can be found at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... and https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
I really enjoyed Reservoir 13. Probably a 4.5* for me but rounded down to a 4 because I'm trying to be more stingy with my stars this year!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Heather wrote: "I really enjoyed Reservoir 13. Probably a 4.5* for me but rounded down to a 4 because I'm trying to be more stingy with my stars this year! https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2..."
I have been thinking about reading another by Jon McGregor. This one - So Many Ways to Begin. I liked If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things. I think you might l like it. The writing ad the message is what I liked best about it, but it was a mystery and the one I want to try next isn't classified as such. I am really not a mystery lover.
YAY, if everybody loves all the books they read, it is impossible to pick the best.
Chrissie wrote: "Heather wrote: "I really enjoyed Reservoir 13. Probably a 4.5* for me but rounded down to a 4 because I'm trying to be more stingy with my stars this year!
https://www.goodreads.c..."
They both look interesting, I think I will add them both to my wishlist and maybe try If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things. I love his way with words and the way Reservoir 13 talked about lots of quite boring things but was beautiful and compelling at the same time. Definitely preferred the McGregor book to Eleanor Oliphant!
https://www.goodreads.c..."
They both look interesting, I think I will add them both to my wishlist and maybe try If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things. I love his way with words and the way Reservoir 13 talked about lots of quite boring things but was beautiful and compelling at the same time. Definitely preferred the McGregor book to Eleanor Oliphant!
Heather wrote: "Definitely preferred the McGregor book to Eleanor Oliphant"There is NO comparison.! Like night and day.
Just read Joyce's The Dead, which I loved, and before that Flaubert's Sentimental Education, which was a real slog in spite of both the subject matter and themes interesting me and my being a fanatic of Madame Bovary. But SE could have been a third shorter and would have been better, IMHO. Lots of redundancy, especially in the first half. Too many parties, too many conversations that were just like other conversations, too many characters who overlapped in function or really didn't need to be there. Next up: giving Jonathan Franzen one last shot by rereading The Corrections. Never cared for him much (speaking of bloated and redundant and in need of editing) but the critics seem to think I'm wrong. I'd like to know why.
I do enjoy finding a new mystery writer with good characters! Aussie author Zane Lovitt has written the very entertaining Black Teeth, which I thoroughly enjoyed. 
4.5★ Link to my review
Finished
Best Friends Forever by Margot Hunt over the weekend. An excellent psychological thriller. My spoiler free review can be found at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... and on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
So
What Happened? Hillary Rodham Clinton wrote a pretty good book is what happened.Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Diane S ☔ wrote: "Finished I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes With Death
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."
I think this sounds really interesting. I think it is one I would like to get to this year
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."
I think this sounds really interesting. I think it is one I would like to get to this year
Just finished
. a 5 star emotional and impactful read! My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
First, a rant turned review of Menagerie - 3*Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Then... Wasn't gonna post my Prince of Thorns "not really a review", but ppl seemed to like it, so I'll risk it. Oh, 3*:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
+ there's an interesting convo in the comments, though not really about the book.
My review of I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Leslie wrote: "Petra wrote: "I finished The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin last night. I really enjoyed this short book.
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show......"
I just heard that Le Guin died yesterday. Such sad news...
Heather wrote: "I really enjoyed Reservoir 13. Probably a 4.5* for me but rounded down to a 4 because I'm trying to be more stingy with my stars this year! https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2..."
I loved this one too, Heather.
Just finished Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel - absolutely loved this one and looking forward to reading the next two in the series.My review is here:-
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I finished listening to Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town, an eye-opening look at rape, the justice system and the feeling of entitlement. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Leslie wrote: "Leslie wrote: "I just heard that Le Guin died yesterday. Such sad news... .."I heard that, too, Leslie. It's so sad. This was the first book written by her that I'd read and I have a few more to look forward to. I read a little about her and think I would have really liked her. She seems like a real straight-shooter.
I have finished a few books recently. The best of them was Appointment in Samarra, which I find I appreciate more and more since I finished it.
Finished and enjoyed
The Daughter by Lucy DawsonMy spoiler free review can be found at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... and my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
I have also just written a short review of The World Below by Sue Miller, the reason being I have not felt well. Here it is:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
for whatever it is worth.
Petra wrote: "Leslie wrote: "Leslie wrote: "I just heard that Le Guin died yesterday. Such sad news... .."I heard that, too, Leslie. It's so sad. This was the first book written by her that I'd read and I have..."
Yes heard only yesterday - another of the greats gone.
Read the next 2 books in Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising sequence - The Dark Is Rising - review here - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1397626371 and Greenwitch - review here - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2271955168.
Leslie wrote: I just heard that Le Guin died yesterday. Such sad news..."Pam wrote : Yes heard only yesterday - another of the greats gone."
Yes very sad, just added A Wizard of Earthsea to my TBR for 2018. A re-read from many years ago, probably just after SEACON 79 at which she rightly won an award. Ah happy days
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