Trim the TBR—October Planning and Reporting

[Joi]

October trim: The Flight Attendant
3 stars

Sorry for the crappy formatting, I’m on app only right now. Quick review now, full review later when I’m back from vaca.

I’ve really enjoyed this authors other books and wide breadth of genres and writing capabilities. This was definitely on trend with the mystery thrillers now saws day.

It didn’t utilize the unreliable narrator as much as I thought it would- not as much as Girl on the Train or Woman in the Window. The drama and incident was BIG and important but downplayed by the unlikeable narrator. That being said, it was an enjoyable ride- I liked seeing into the flight attendant world and the “worst of the worst”. The ending felt super rushed however, and the action was pretty much all contained at the very end.

[annapi]

Ugh, I have two days left to finish The Selfish Gene and I'm really not feeling it! Too distracted by crime fiction! There's a real chance I won't make it :(...

[Jen]

I'm hearing you! Done my TRIM one but am zoning out on my monthly tag one. Over half way but.....

[NancyJ]

October 2019 Trim the TBR
A Monstrous Regiment of Women by Laurie King
4 stars
336 pages
Fits the October tag = Crime Fiction


A Monstrous Regiment of Women by Laurie King is the second in the series of crime detective books featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes. Mary Russell is turning 21, and her life is about to change. She's finishing college, gaining access to her inheritance, and figuring out how to spend her life. I love Mary's intelligence, her independent spirit, and the feminist angle of this book. The murder case itself starts a little slowly, but it was interesting to see the changes that Mary was going through. Some of the plot turns were a little hard to believe, but there were enough smart touches to make up for it. Overall it was a satisfying read.

It's interesting to read this series along with Maisie Dobbs series. Both women are intelligent, educated investigators in/near London during the same time in history. Their styles are very different, but both settings feel authentic. They have both dealt with characters damaged by the first World War.

[MargieD2017]

October Trim
# 32
Fit's the monthly Tag - NO
Pages - 432 (hardcover)

Amazonia by James Rollins 4*'s

This is an action-adventure-mystery full of suspense-science-fantasy and crime all rolled into one story that has you thrown from one thrilling scene to the next. The story is about a scientist whose father was lost in an expedition in the Amazon. A single survivor stumbles out of the jungle with a new arm present where none had been there on his entry to the jungle. The government wants answers and commissions Nathan Rand, the scientist, to lead an expedition back into the same area where his father was lost to acquire answers. So starts the most action-filled novel I have read in a very long time. Mixed up with terrific science, high suspense and tension, fantastical animals and plants, criminal efforts by a power hungry corporation to steal the biological findings and a touch of romance, this book has everything!

I didn't read the book but listened to the audio instead. The audio is definitely well done. The characters are distinctive in their voices and the pregnant pauses inserted at the most effective moments were delicious.

While I wouldn't call myself a commando action fan, I did enjoy this one. The author did an amazing job of describing the geography, the biology, the action and the fantastical flora and fauna.

[Nicole R]

Happy Halloween, all!!

I will be tallying up this thread on Sunday, November 3rd, so be sure to get any lingering reviews posted by noon that day!

[Linda C]

October Trim - #32



The Accidental Empress - Allison Pataki
3 stars
512 pages

Review: I picked up this book after visiting Corfu and touring Sisi's palace there. I had read a couple of online articles and was looking for more about her. This, however, was not what I had hoped.

It creates a romance out of her relationship with Andrassy, which was no more than rumors, never proven. It did give a strong look at the fact she was unprepared for becoming Empress and, therefore, at the mercy of a strong controlling mother-in-law and a husband steeped in protocol. I definitely felt sorry for her. Even though she was passionate about helping Hungary, I felt most of her actions were somewhat child-like. The fact that her later life became an obsession with her looks and travel just emphasized that.

I think if I want to know more I will go the non-fiction route.

[anarresa]

Kingdom of Strangers
by Zoe Ferraris
3 stars

Trim the TBR #32
359 pages
fits October tag: crime-fiction


The third book featuring Katya Hijazi.
The graves of many women are discovered in the desert and for the first time the department has to investigate a serial killer. At the same time Inspector Zahrani is troubled by the diappearance of his mistress and enlists Katya's help. Despite the circumstances Katya is excited to do some real investigating. Limited by the country's laws she imposes on Nayir for transportation. He gets a clearer view of the danger of Katya's work, but also why she wants to do it.

I enjoyed the stories of the first two book more than this one, but still like Katya and Nayir. I took a little too long between the second book and this one, it dives right into the new story. Unfortunately there's no confirmation of a fourth novel, though I will keep an eye out.

[Jemima]

Shoes Were For Sunday by Molly Weir

Trim the TBR #32
224 Pages
Does not fit TAG

Molly Weir was a successful Scottish actor who grew up on the backstreets of Glasgow. Born in 1910, she lived through two world wars and learned survival the hard way, growing up in a poverty stricken household, in a neighbourhood where that was the norm. This is her autobiography of that childhood and is told with acceptance and candour, with a refreshing lack of self pity. It was an amusing and interesting read of a very different childhood from my own experiences, and I enjoyed the stories which seemed to lack any true relevance to the significant political and social events of the time, as if unfelt and normalised by the children growing up at this time. A quick and enjoyable read, this has sat on my TBR for way too long.

[Nicole R]

Jen wrote: "My # 32 was Strange Weather by Joe Hill.
Does not fit the tag for all of the stories but Loaded (dude killing lots of people) and Rain (mad chemist making crystal rain and killing a..."

The actual book Strange Weather would need to fit the tag...

[Nicole R]

Points for October have been calculated! Please feel free to double check the spreadsheet to make sure I got your reads recorded correctly. You can find then in the last tab of the tracking spreadsheet.

If you have a question about the scoring, please send me a private message.