75 Books...More or Less! discussion
Archive (2019 GR Completed)
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Juli reads until she drops
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Loretta Lynn: Coal Miner's Daughter3/5 stars
Ok .... I am a huge Loretta Lynn fan. I was dying to read her autobiography..."
Oh that's so disappointing!!
Mod
Loretta Lynn: Coal Miner's Daughter3/5 stars
Ok .... I am a huge Loretta Lynn fan. I was dying to read her ..."
Yeah ... sadly. I decided to ignore it though and just enjoy her music. I want to be tolerant of different views even if I find them outdated.
Mod
In the Tall Grass4/5 stars
#118
Throttle2/5 stars
I decided to tackle some of the King duo's short stories. I really enjoyed In the Tall Grass. It plays on a very universal fear - getting lost - in an easy setting - a field of tall grass. We can all relate. We can easily imagine the feelings of claustrophobia and disorientation. The first half of the short story was very visceral and I wish it would've remained like that throughout the second half. This was a fun and creepy read and would've gotten 5 stars had it been 90% not knowing what's going on with an epic reveal of the paranormal source of the tall grass! Thottle is well written but not my cup of tea. A bit boring and not very imaginative or novel.
Mod
Husband Material3/5 stars
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Another book with great potential that just sort of falls flat. The premise is really cute - I like a good geeky plot - but the characters are overwhelmingly lacking in charm and the romance just seems completely off.
We meet Charlotte, a widow, who isn't truly over the death of her spouse, Decker, and who enters a weird personal spiral when she suddenly receives Decker's ashes and has to figure out how to proceed. Since his death, she revamped her life, started a geeky job as a coder, and re-entered the dating scene for which she developed a match-maker type algorithm. Brian, Decker's best friend, is also back on deck trying to help Charlotte navigate her way on what to do with her spouse's ashes.
This is where the book lost me. I am honestly utterly confused why Charlotte, a self-sufficient career girl at this point, falls back into the damsel in distress scheme asking Brian for every favor imaginable and making the decision process about Decker's ashes unnecessarily complicated. None of her distress seems genuine. Her internal turmoil appears more like an afterthought and zero of her actions drive the plot in a convincing way.
Furthermore, the budding romance between her and Brian is boring, completely lackluster, and just feels like an odd match. This is particularly off-putting when taking into consideration what she finds out at the end.
I am giving this novel 3 stars nonetheless because the writing was actually well done, some scenes were incredibly witty and funny, and despite me not being able to suspend disbelief for most of the time, the book did hold my attention. Overall, this is truly a fluff read and exactly what one might want to tackle over the holidays or on vacation.
Mod
Sense and Sensibility5/5 stars
There is a little Elinor and Marianne in all of us and Austen captures that beautifully!
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Otherworld3/5 stars
I think these types of stories aren't for me. I would enjoy this much more as a movie. This book ended in a sorry of cliffhanger which I'm not too pleased about.
Mod
Planet of the Apes5/5 stars
This was fantastic. How it must've changed literature when it was first published!
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Sharp Objects3/5 stars
Engaging thriller. Just lacked the special something I remember from Gone Girl. The identity of the murderer was also painfully obvious.
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The Sweethearts' Knitting Club2/5 stars
What did I just read? Gilmore Girl fan fiction??????
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The Rise of Magicks4/5 stars
What a crescendo to this trilogy! This book is action packed. I enjoyed all the battles, the strategizing, the magick.
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Red Dragon5/5 stars
This was an excellent read. I had a constant feeling of dread even though I knew who the killer was. Listening to the murders thoughts and believes and hearing about his back story really got to me.
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Snow & Rose6/5 stars .... this one made it into my hall of fame!
I loved every minute of it. I was surrounded by whimsy and magic. The book enchanted me. This is a wonderful reimagination of one of my favorite Grimm fairytales. I wish I could read this story again for the first time.
Mod
American Gods, Volume 1: Shadows5/5 stars
This story works fantastically well as a comic series. The illustrations are beautiful and some of them have a real Sandman-like quality. I loved the original novel but think that all crucial plot points were relayed appropriately in this graphic novel adaptation. I had the same atmospheric read this time as I did when I read the novel.
Mod
Watchmen3/5 stars
This just wasn't for me. I mean I get why this story is so beloved. I enjoyed a few chapters, specifically the ones involving Jon, but overall reading this felt like it just trudged on and on. I kept hoping to get emotionally invested but instead found myself bored most of the time. I had a hard time relating to the characters - they seemed all a bit flat. All in all, the book just felt overly intellectualized.
Mod
Aurafeuer2.5/5 stars
#133
Essenzstab3/5 stars
#134
Wechselbalg3/5 stars
#135
Feuerblut4/5 stars
#136
Silberregen3/5 stars
This series is just pure entertainment. There is nothing new or extraordinary about it. The stories are short and sweet and action-packed.
75 Books...More or Less!
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4/5 stars
It took me forever to get into this book. Like much, much longer than other books that take me forever to ..."
Yeah, it's mind-boggling how long it took me to immerse myself in the story. I'm not sure I could've done it as an audiobook. I probably would've not listened at all.