Challenge: 50 Books discussion
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Connie F's 2018 challenge
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102.
Ghosted ***There is a really great twist in this book, but there were spots in this book that dragged on a little. The character development was pretty good with not only the two main characters, but also most of the supporting characters. Now being fair, I picked this book up because it was one of the choices for July from Book of the Month, and I didn't notice it was listed as romance and that is one of my least favorite genres. I will say that the twist really made me think whether anyone could get past that type of situation and be with a person.
103.
Anthropology of an American Girl ***When I started reading Anthropology of an American Girl, I really thought this would be a 5 star read for me. Unfortunately, this book is very long, longer than it needed to be - there was some serious editing needed. However, there were moments of really beautiful and inciteful writing by the author. It was those little snippets that kept me going. Now some of my feelings for this book are nostalgic, I grew up in the 70s and 80s and only kids from my generation can understand the sheer terror of going to gym class, seeing that stupid rope and knowing you were about to humiliate yourself on rope climbing day. The main character, Evie, said some things that are totally my thought process, like wondering why women blame the other woman when their man cheats, instead of pinning the blame on the guy who just cheated on you! Some moments in this book made me chuckle "One thing Americans do best is mispronounce words they know nothing about. It’s a confession of sorts. It’s like saying, We may be stupid, but we’re not pretentious." However, being stuck in Evie's head for over 600pp and all that teen angst, at times was a bit painful. Another slight issue I had, is that some times, adult authors writing teenagers (or children) tend to write them like an adult. There were times in the novel, especially when Evie was in high school, and I just thought, I don't know any 17 year old who would think like that our think about that topic. I don't know, may be me and most of the kids I went to school with were just super shallow and uninformed!
104.
Faithful Place ****I really like Tana French. I'm not someone who likes to read books in a series (been there/done that Alex Cross and Kay Scarpetta), because A. it's too much of a commitment and B. I usually get sick of the character! What I love about Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad is that each book follows a different central character. The first book's main character if Rob Ryan. You meet his partner Cassie Maddox. Her second book is Cassie Maddox and you meet Frank Mackey. So now in this third installment, it's about Frank Mackey. I read a lot of literary fiction and one thing I find when I switch back to genre fiction is that it really lacks in character development and some times the writing is dumbed down a bit. Not with Tana French novels. She gives you really good character development and not just of the main character but of most of the characters she is writing in each novel. Her plots tend to be a little dark, but I think her books are so worth it. (less)
105.
Broken Harbor ****This is the 4th installment of the Dublin Murder Squad and a solid read. I can't say enough about Tana French's storytelling. Her character and plot development is fantastic and the pacing is always good. The main character in this book was Mick "Scorcher" Kennedy, introduced in book 3 "Faithful Place." I was dubious going into this book, because Kennedy was not really a character I cared for in book 3, however, Tana French did not disappoint, and in the end you understand the character a lot more and I gained some compassion for him. Highly recommend any Tana French novel to anyone looking for a good mystery!
106.
The Secret Place ****I love Tana French's storytelling. This is the 5th book in the Dublin Murder squad and the main character in this book is Detective Steven Moran. Steven Moran was a bit player in the last book that Frank Mackey was the main character and in this book you also see a teenage Holly Mackey, Frank's daughter. That's how this series goes, French introduces you to a bit character in one book, and then the next book they are her main focus and you get really good character and story development. This was not my favorite in the series, but still a solid book. The pacing on this book was a little off, and I think that was because she had alternating chapters between the investigation with Det. Moran and then the Holly and her friends' storyline. Also, a bit of magical realism which really isn't my bag, but still a solid read, even if it was my least favorite of the series.
107.
To the End of the Land ****I'm giving this 4 stars because I did really enjoy this book, but there were some pacing issues. I bought this Kindle book back in 2010 when it came out and haven't gotten around to reading it because it's 652 pp. However, I also listened to the audiobook on Playster and that made it a little less daunting. After the prologue (which was a bit confusing and a little boring) the book really picks up after that, especially after Ora and Afram get out on the road. This is a character driven novel. The story is about Ora, a mother and her friend Afram going on this hike through Galilee in Israel. Ora and Afram are old friends and lovers who haven't seen one another in many years. On this trip, they tell each other all about their lives that the other wasn't a part of. At about 500pp I was thinking the book needed to end, but there were still some pretty good developments in the story between page 500 and the end of the book.
108.
Salvage the Bones 3.5 *I really had to think about this review. First, I will say I think Jesmyn Ward is a fantastic writer. She really gets you immersed in the atmosphere her books. I was told this book was about Hurricane Katrina - but really, the underlying theme of this book is motherhood and maternal actions - Esch with her brothers, Randall with little brother Junior, and Skeetah with his dog China. The book starts with China giving birth to her puppies. This family is very poor but they have a lot of love for each other and the kids have to pretty much raise themselves. That being said, the first 3/4 of the book I felt this was a 3 star read, it was good, but not as good as the 4 star books I've recently read. Then around 3/4 of the way through the family is in the eye of Hurricane Katrina, and I was right there with them - the fear and anxiety was palpable. One of the main reasons I didn't love this novel, is there is a dog fighting storyline and the second reason is I kind of felt that at times, Ward sexualized the relationship of Esch and her brothers and the relationship between Skeetah and his dog. Maybe I'm just a perv, IDK, but it made me uncomfortable, and not in a good way!
109.
The Haunting of Hill House**Another scary book that was a disappointment in the "scary" department. I thought the movie was scarier. However, I did enjoy Shirley Jackson's writing. Their were some definitely funny and witty conversations between the guests of Hill House, yet I felt like both the plot and character development were lacking. Which is a recurring problem I see in many of the classics I read. A bright spot of this audiobook, however, was the narrator David Warner, who did his best to bring the characters to light!
110.
My Best Friend's Exorcism **1/22.5*s. This was a silly little book, but boy did it take me down nostalgia lane!!! I did enjoy the friendship between Abby and Gretchen. It could've used some editing and there were a couple times I felt the pacing slowed a little, but other than that a very quick read. Not scary at all (although I grew up in the 70s and 80s with horror movies so it takes a lot to scare me). If you grew up then, you may enjoy all the 80s pop culture references!
112.
Ohio ***This is a really ambitious novel, a bit more like interconnected short stories which come together culminating in a bit of a shocking end. I'm not crazy about this type of format and there were areas of this novel that just didn't work and the pacing slowed considerably. However, his character development is great and I wasn't expecting what happened in the last few chapters. There are four main characters whose stories are told in their own chapters. I felt that the stories of Stacy and Tina were the strongest and most interesting. Four former classmates come home in 2013, their paths cross and their lives, secrets and regrets are revealed, all being told in present day as well as flashbacks to the recent past of their high school days. (less)
113.
Baby Teeth *****For me, this was a 5 star thriller. Maybe because I'm so used to the same ole-same ole when it comes to thrillers that I've gotten a bit bored with them. So this totally different approach, I found refreshing (and disturbing). Is a child born a psychopath. Can baby tell when their mother doesn't really want to be a mother and can that push the child toward psychopathy? That's the question I got from this book. It was very disturbing, and it would've been even without the French woman story line (which was completely unnecessary). I still thought this was a great read for me.
114.
The Line That Held Us *****I really enjoyed this book. The story follows 2 friends after one of them accidentally murders someone and the consequences that follow. The book is very dark, but I liked the author's exploration of how no one is all good or all bad. Good people can do bad things and people that other's think as bad, may have circumstances that made them that way. Also those bad people may do good things. Anyway, I really enjoyed this book, it was different than anything I've read this year.
115.
Greetings From Afghanistan, Send More Ammo: Dispatches from Taliban Country **With the title of this book, I expected some sarcastic sense of humor in the writing. Unfortunately, that's not what you get here. I'm a vet, so I get that sense of humor, and there were a few times I think the author was trying to be funny, but it didn't work. Another disappointment is that this was not a book. They were blog posts that were put together in a book format in order to take advantage of the public's curiosity and interest in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Unfortunately, it was obvious these were blog posts, and the writing just wasn't up to par with what I usually read. I will say that the author was thoughtful in his writings and did bring up some good observations with respect to war, Afghanistan and it's people and the relationships between military people in a war zone. Unlike books like Generation Kill and Jarhead, this book just doesn't compare.
116.
Wink Poppy Midnight **1/2The writing is atmospheric and her characters are whimsical. There was a lot the reader is expected to figure out and I didn't feel like the author quite pulled off this plot, as I didn't think what happened made any sense.
117.
Bone Gap ***I purchased this book because I saw it was nominated for the National Book Award. I went into it knowing nothing about the book (which I tend to like to do). However, one area of writing I really don't get on with well is magical realism, and that's the crust of the plot in this book. The writing is good, that pacing was fine, I just don't like stories with magical realism, just my preference. If you do like that in your literature, you may like this book.
118.
The Life Before Her Eyes **1/2This is one of those rare books where the movie worked better than the book. It was an o.k. read but a much better movie.
119.
A Gate at the Stairs***I'm not really sure what to say about this book. It's a character driven novel about a young girl in college and her life during her first few years of college switching between her college life, college job and life with her family. I found Lorrie Moore's writing really good. The book is paced well and flows, but the plot was really lacking and parts of the story felt a bit disjointed. Again, I did feel her writing was very good and I will pick up another of her novels in the future.
120.
The Goldfinch ***1/23.5 stars (I can't round up because I think I liked The Secret History a little more than this book and I gave that 4 stars). What can I say about Donna Tartt's writing? She pulls together these big, character driven novels with unlikeable characters, that just grabs my attention and makes me want to continue on. In this book you follow the main character, Theo, as a child through early adulthood, while his life is turned upside down several times. Throughout the book he makes some really bad decisions, and at times treats people really poorly. This book was a little slow at parts and probably didn't need to be as long as it was. I will say that around 100-150 pp to the end I thought the actions of the main character were so frustrating that I was literally yelling at the audiobook and ready for the book just to be over, but then she turned the story around. There was one or two other parts of the book that made me frustrated that way, but I think that says a lot about the writing that it can get that type of reaction out of the reader! I enjoyed this book for the most part and finished it in about 3 days which is pretty good for a book this size. As usual I mostly listened to the audiobook and the narrator, David Pittu, did a fantastic job. A couple characters had accents and they sounded very realistic and he did a good job changing his voice for each specific character.
121.
American Wife***1/2Overall, I really enjoyed this book. There is great character development with both the main character Alice and her husband. The main character, Alice, is modeled after Laura Bush, including the storyline of a tragedy that happened to her in high school, which I vaguely remember hearing about. However, I think the majority of Alice's beliefs, etc. were fictionalized. My main complaint, it was too long and by the last 100 or so pages I just wanted it to be over. There were actually a couple places where I laughed out loud and one spot that brought tears. I may pick up another book by this author, I thought her writing was good and the story flowed pretty well up until the end.
122.
172 Hours on the Moon **Interesting concept, poor execution. I'm not sure if it was the writing or the translation. There was a lot of hype for this book when I purchased it, I don't think it lived up to it.
123. The Dinner List
**Another meh read. List 5 people, living or dead, you'd want to have dinner with, that's what this book is about. The dinner that actually happens. Sabrina's 30th birthday dinner, she has some issues to deal with and the dinner helps her work through them. Ultimately, a little boring read. Also, I'm not a fan of author's reading their own audiobooks it's always hit or miss, and this was a miss.
124.
The Postmistress **This was just an o.k. read. Takes place in WWII in Europe & Massachusetts. The story never really captured my attention.
125.
Everything You Want Me to Be **This book has alternating chapters of three characters. It's a murder mystery. The author gives you lots of choice for whodunnit and it did keep me guessing, but all-in-all this was just an o.k read. It was a bit cliched in parts and sometimes the dialogue was a little silly. It is narrated by Caitlin Thorburn, John Moraitis, Jeff Harding, and they did a pretty good job.
126.
Waiting for the Morning Train**I had to pick a book to read for my Michigan History class, and this was available on Kindle. I'm not a fan of memoirs unless they read like novels, but this one did not. Bruce Catton was a well known historian, especially his books about the Civil War. I felt that his writing was clunky at times and it made it difficult for me to read. This book is a combination of a history of the state of Michigan, in particular the west side of the state where Catton grew up, and part coming of age memoir. Catton was born in the late 1890s and the book takes place through 1917 or 1918. However, Catton didn't write this book until 1972 and as an older man he was looking back on his childhood and our history as a country, but also our history as mankind, and his insights were very relevant even today. I think if you really like nonfiction or memoirs you may like this book, just wasn't really my cup of tea.
128.
Transcription **Disappointing read for me. I was really looking forward to my first Kate Atkinson book and it fell flat. A WWII novel about a woman working as a transcriptionist for MI-5. The chapters switch between after the war and during the war and I'm not sure if it's because I was listening to the audio book but there were times I was confused about the timeline. The plot and characters were pretty boring IMHO.
129.
My Lady Jane ****I really enjoyed this audiobook. Fictional account of Lady Jane Grey's 9 days as Queen of England. Part historical fiction, part magical realism (which normally isn't something I enjoy but this audiobook was really good I overlooked it!)
130.
The Trespasser ****Still love Tana French. This book did have 2 characters from the previous book but this time Antoinette Conway was the main character and her partner Stephen Moran whom we saw in her last book as the main character, took a back seat. Again, this is a murder mystery/police procedural, but Tana French really gets you into the heads and lives of her characters. Great character and plot development as well as pacing of the book, I didn't feel like it dragged much - maybe a little toward the end that could've been edited down. If you liked her other books, I think you will enjoy The Trespasser.
131.
Melmoth ***I'm not sure what to say about this book. It was good, but like The Essex Serpent, I didn't feel like it was anything great. Melmoth is a legend of a woman who defied God and was punished to roam the earth alone for eternity, she tries to persuade the living to join her. There are several characters in this book that got a little confusing on audio. Also the book switched between present day and reading stories from a research paper/book, which again, made it a little confusing to follow on audio. However, the narrator of this audio book, Jan Cramer, does a fantastic job.
132.
Where the Dead Sit Talking ***This was a well-written moderately-paced book about a young Native American boy going through the foster system in Oklahoma. This is a character study of this young boy, not much of a plot here, so if you enjoy character driven novels, especially about Native Americans in present-day or near present-day (this book took place in the late 1980s), you may enjoy this book.
133.
The Air You Breathe****134.
Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging*****135.
Invisible City***136.
The Witch Elm**136.
The Keeper of Lost Things **137.
Somebody to Love: The Life, Death and Legacy of Freddie Mercury****138.
Queen Unseen: My Life with the Greatest Rock Band of the 20th Century****139.
#FashionVictim**140.
More Happy Than Not**
Challenge: 50 Books
Books mentioned in this topic
The Keeper of Lost Things (other topics)More Happy Than Not (other topics)
Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging (other topics)
Invisible City (other topics)
The Air You Breathe (other topics)
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I liked the structure of this book. The main character of this book is an author and the chapters alternate between her life and what is happening in her new novel as she writes it. I also really liked the way it ended, because I thought Cate Holahan was going to choke and end it in a really cliché way, but she didn't. However, it didn't keep me on the edge of my seat. I prefer books with a little more character development and other than the main character, this was lacking. Lastly, I think the book of the unreliable narrator is overdone at this point. I did still find the book entertaining and if you're looking for an easy mystery - you may like this book.