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2020 - 04 - new-york - What did you read?
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The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James ★★★★★ shelved New York by 9 people
Set in a rundown motel in upstate New York, this was one creepy, spine-chilling, edge-of-your-seat thriller and I flew through the last half of it. (Nothing wrong with the first half, I've just been a little distracted lately.......). I loved the alternating timelines. The first, set in 1982, tells the story of Vivian Delany, a young woman who sets off for New York City only to be derailed and end up in upstate NY instead. The second timeline, set in 2017, tells the story of Viv's niece who is determined to find out what happened to her aunt who when missing 35 years earlier. This one finally brought me out of my reading slump!
Used for: Just Read it! Prompt 3
Shelf nomination: Urban Fantasy
Okay, since almost all of this is set in New York City, I'm going to count this even though so far I'm the only one who shelved it this way (and before I even remembered this theme).Mafia Princess by Nikki Kitchen ★
Wow, this was something. At first it didn't seem like this writing would be so bad, but it just was. I read this because I thought it would be a fluffy mafia romance, but even if it wasn't fluffy, that would have been fine. I won't go into all of the things--who knows, perhaps you will be like someone named Sarah who wrote that she was "loving the story so far, but the amount of spelling and grammatical errors are quite a distraction." That was last May and she has never come back and rated it or said that she finished it, but it's possible she did. Or you might be like Anjanetta Burke who gave it 2.5 stars and rounded it up even though she said that " gave this book 2 1/2 stars. While I enjoyed the story line this book was sometimes so confusing. The transition were horrible..."
These things above are true. There were things such as "beckon call" for "beck and call" and complEment for complIment--they don't mean the same thing. But wait, there is more. The author, who is from Utah, made the annoying mistake of using "drug" for the past tense of "drag" when this is a regional past tense that is more common in the American South (I had to look up to see if "drug" is even correct as a past tense, that's how much it irked me, but I am trying to be less pedantic after reading Accidence Will Happen: A Recovering Pedant's Guide to English Language and Style. But, when in doubt, use the standard English of the majority of people in a country unless you are using regional dialect. Otherwise it's going to rub most of your readers, if they are going to be a broader group than said region--the wrong way.
Aside from all of this, there is just so much more junk, but the worst is the very lame way the author put in a cliff hanger. Sure, I understand that if you are writing a series and are a new author, a cliff hanger is a very effective tool, but if you write this poorly, all you are doing is making things worse for your readers.
So, those looking for a Mafia read, if I got this for points on Amazon and was this unhappy, think twice before you spend money on it unless you are like those who gave this book a high rating because you don't care if the writing is any good as long as you like the story.
Shelf Nomination: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/... Europe (to keep it in the running)
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese ★★★★ shelved New York by 32 people
I found it hard to getting into this one at first. I even thought about giving up, but I'm glad I didn't. At some point, about half way through, I think, I became fascinated with Marion and wanted to know how his life turned out. The pace really picked up in the last half and the author's descriptions of the people and customs in Ethiopia were really interesting, if somewhat harrowing, at times. Once the character got to New York, I couldn't put the book down. Glad I stuck it out to the end!
Used for: Just Read it! Prompt 2 & Lost
Shelf nomination: Witches
The City Born Great [10-apr-20] ★★★
I picked this up after seeing the article Tien shared.
This is not something I'd normally pick up, but I wanted to try something out of my comfort zone. From page one I was curious about the main character. I'm not sure I fully understand the story. It's about a homeless person who is chosen by the city for unknown reasons. It's all rather vague, but the writing is very good.
Used for:
- prompt 1
Shelf nomination: male pov
Creation in DeathFinished 4/10/2020 5 stars
Review: Set in NYC
Somebody is kidnapping and torturing women and writing the time they lasted on their body. This is similar to a case Eve was involved in many years ago. Unfortunately they are picking women all involved with Roarke so he's taking this very personally. Peabody and Ian are so funny like usual in this book. Although they seem to be annoying Eve a bit less. On to the next book.
Used for: Seriously Serial 2020
Shelf Nomination: Anthology
Another BrooklynI really enjoyed this book. This was a stunning narration of the life of a young girl and her friends, growing through the years in Brooklyn. Different lives, different tragedies, but they still all came together to be practically one being as ephemeral as it may have been.
I think the author’s writing was amazing; it was interesting, unique, and engaging. This was a quick read when I actually had the time to sit and read it, but I think it was a great read.
Used for: Just Read It! Prompt 3
Shelf Nomination: Award-Winners
I read Lilac Girlsby Martha Hall KellyThis is about world war II told from three points of view. One point of view is from a woman in New York city who worked for the French consulate. The second point of view is Kasia, a Polish girl that was sent to Ravenbruk, the only concentration camp for women. She was held there for four years with her sister. The third ppint of view was of a German doctor who performed experimental surgery on the female prisoners. The New York character Caroline and the German doctor, Herta were real people.
I used this for just read it prompt 1.
Nomination shelf: fantasy
Severance by Ling Ma★★★★
A new infection, originating in China, has almost wiped out the human race. This book is exactly what I felt like reading right now! Books that aren't about pandemics just seem weird.
Candace is one of the last living people in new York city but she hardly seems to notice the world disappearing around her as she works away at her office job. Jumping from the past to the future, the story is about her upbringing as the daughter of Chinese migrants and her inner world more than the pandemic itself. Might have been a 5 star read if the ending was better.
I nominate happy
I read Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote.
An engaging story filled with timeless characters. It definitely captured the feeling of Manhattan.
I nominate pirates.
I read Just Kids a autobiography of sorts by Patti Smith about her and Robert Mapplethorpe. I found the book simple and descriptive. Interesting to see the scenes unfold knowing what the challenges of the times and lifestyle end up being.I like Jamie's idea so I nominate pirates as well.
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo★★★1/2
A young adult novel, written in poems. I liked Xiomara, the protagonist and the relationship with her mother and brother. The story line itself wasn't particularly exciting - a fairly standard YA coming-of-age.
Used for bookopoly
I nominate aww (which appears to be a combination of #AustralianWomenWriters and cute awwwww young adult fiction)
4 3 2 1 by Paul Auster★★★★
This is the story of the 4 possible lives of Archie Ferguson, who grows up in the 1950s and 1960s in New York. It's very long, but didn't feel like it dragged at all. It's a really good coming-of-age story, (or comings-of-age), and it could have been great. But I didn't feel like the 4 different lives thing was really used as well as it could have been. Until the last couple of pages, there didn't seem to be any reason for having the story told that way.
Used for JRI prompt 2 and mini challenge
I nominate chick lit
The City Born Great by N.K. Jemisin★★★★
This is a short story (available free online). Read in anticipation of beginning The City We Became. I loved Jamisin's Broken Earth trilogy and have wanted to read more by her.
This story did not disappoint. It's a wonderful, gritty view of NYC with just the right fantasy twist to open a fabulous new world of the city as living entity. I'm excited to read more about this in the novel.
Used for Seriously Serial
I nominate magic
I read the same story, Joanna :) I liked it too, though am not sure if I understand everything. Like who/what is the enemy?
The Woman in the Window★★★★
I found myself turning page after page....did she witness a murder or is she delusional? The woman lived in New York City, but that really wasn't a large part of the book. This book has been on my TBR and I'm glad I did!
I nominate southern lit
The Allure of Julian LefrayShelved New York x 3
I read this book on 4/11/20 and rated it *4 STARS*. It was set in New York City. I thought this was cute. Had some funny moments (brain bleach for the party that Jo's landlady invited her to *shudder*), and I really liked Jo and Julian's banter with each other. I wish we had gotten a little more of glimpse of their life/relationship after all the declarations but maybe we'll see that in the next book. I'm definitely looking forward to it.
Used for: Seriously serial 20 (part 2)
Shelf nomination: Kick-ass Heroines
Devoted in DeathShelved New York x 6
I read this book on 4/15/20 and rated it *5 STARS*. It is also set in NYC. After reading this installment of the long-running series, I just wanted to know: How do these people find each other? I think that was what was so scary. It's one thing if people are in the same family and they become crazy lunatics together but this was just the luck of the draw. And the fact that their craziness complimented each other made them even more convinced that they were destined to be together.
I still get creeped out thinking about it!
***Used for: Seriously serial 20 (part 2) and Just Read Prompt 4: Finish that Series
Shelf nomination: Kick-ass Heroines
Apprentice in DeathShelved New York x 5
I read this book on 4/16/20 and rated it *5 STARS*. It is also set in NYC. This was disturbing but it was so good. The story was engrossing and I loved the way Eve worked the case. The end was somewhat surprising but man was it good. The hit list at the end really sent chills down my spine. Really just amazing that there could possibly be people that evil (and while I know this isn't real, but I there are similar things that happen IRL).
Eve always thinks she could have turned out like her perps, but I don't believe that. I think her inner core was always there. She would always fight for right!
***Used for: Seriously serial 20 (part 2) and Just Read Prompt 4: Finish that Series
Shelf nomination: Kick-ass Heroines
Naughty BossShelved New York x 3
I read this book on 4/22/20 and rated it *4 STARS*. It is also set in NYC. This was short but it was funny. Alot of information was given through email conversations and it was a great way to move the story along when you don't have many pages to do it. I wish we could have gotten a longer epilogue because I really wanted to know how Mya's new tittle worked between she and Michael.
Used for: Seriously serial 20 (part 2)
Shelf nomination: Kick-ass Heroines
Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann★★★★
These are richly composed characters, but the book still felt a bit like a creative writing exercise. Remember the movie Crash? Me neither, but I remember generally that the premise was that there was a car accident that brought random people's lives into intersection. That's this book.
Loosely structured around a tightrope walk between the Twin Towers in 1974, the book tells the individual story of a large handful of semi-related New York characters--the prostitutes, including a mother/daughter pair, a strange Irish missionary, the missionary's brother, and various others. The women are the most well-developed and most interesting characters of the book. The men who make it in are almost entirely extraneous and boring.
The book escapes being boring because the writing is so sharp. McCann can write and can manage truly different voices for different characters, even those quite different from himself. I feel like this book didn't quite reach the author's potential, though.
Used for: Bookopoly and Just Read It and Blind Date
Shelf nomination: survival
The Mandibles: A Family, 2029–2047 by Lionel Shriver★★★1/2
This is the story of a wealthy New York family who lose everything in an economic apocalypse in 2029.
I'm really not sure what to think of this book. Was it satire or was it serious? The kids names are Google and Bing, surely that's a joke, they were born in the 2010s. It's all a bit of a right wing conspiracy theory; Mexicans have taken over the US, Muslims have taken over Europe, China dominates the world and causes all the economic problems in America, everyone needs a gun, pensioners are rich while everyone else starves.
The story isn't great and there's lots of financial details. But there's something about the way Shriver writes that I still loved. Her conveyance of characters and relationships is possibly the best of any writer I've ever read.
Used for bookopoly, Just Read It (prompt 3 and blind date)
I nominate science
Mod
Iu is basically the author's love letter to New York as her protagonist, Lillian Boxfish, walks through Manhattan, she basks in her beloved city and reminisces of her life here in her prime years.
It is basically a beautiful novel but just oh, so sad that it's really not what I needed right now plus it also contained that particular thing that I'd like to avoid in fiction, I was that tempted to drop it. So all in all, it's me and not the book. The book with its poignancy & concession to life in general rather depresses me even as it ended with a light hearted note, it wasn't enough to uplift me.
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk - and, unlike Tien, I gave it 5*What a wonderful little book. The narrator for the audiobook really captured this character and I think raised this book from what would have been a three- or four-star read to a five-star for me. It also doesn't hurt that I have fond memories of living in and walking around New York City, not in the mid-eighties when this book is set, but in the early 2000s. The author has hit on something important about the way that walking around a city puts people into contact with each other and with their city. That level of contact often feels lost out in mid-America where we all have plenty of space, drive our personal vehicles, and don't have these sorts of chance encounters nearly as often.
Used for bookopoly, Blind Date, and Just Read It
I nominate survival
Mercy House - finished - 4/25/20shelved as New york by 7ppl
i wasn't sure what to expect going into this but it sucked me in. I''ll admit that books with heavy religious themes/influence normally aren't my thing (this was very heavy on catholicism) - but i felt like the author did a good job of portraying both the good and the bad
Used for: Just read it - Prompt 1 (outside comfort zone)
Shelf Nomination: First in Series - https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
Murder on St. Mark's Place - finished - 4/25/20shelved as New York by 14ppl
this is a series that i've dabbled in over time - never read sequentially so taking advantaged of the Just Read It Series prompt to get caught up. Its a great comfort read mystery - i like the interactions between Sarah and the cop. The mystery was solid (I figured the who done it maybe 5 pages before the reveal)
Use: Just Read It - Prompt 4
Shelf Nomination: Victorian Mysteries (https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...)
First I read The Diviners ★★★★ (useful for Just Read It! Prompt 3), a young adult urban paranormal mystery set in New York City in 1926, where we follow a handful of characters whose lives have been touched by the supernatural in different ways, while the police are trying to catch an unusually violent murderer. The protagonist, Evie O'Neill, self-proclaimed flapper, ends living in New York City with her uncle- who owns a museum of the occult- and gets unexpectedly involved in a parallel murder investigation. I found the book fun and really liked the main characters and the atmosphere. I would have preferred, perhaps, less secondary characters and a different approach to the description of the 20s in the first chapters, which felt a little like the old advertisements (but it left me with a funny mental image of my great-grandmothers sitting down to comb their hair and thanking General Electric for the light bulb). Also, my Spanish edition was full of weird regionalisms...
Rating: 4 stars ~ Shelf nomination: TranslatedThen, I read Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother ★★★ (useful for Bookopoly and Just Read It! Prompt 3). The book was written by a mother obsessed with getting her daughters to be child prodigies in playing a respectable instrument as a way to develop the skills to be successful in their lives. I liked the book and found it very interesting but I can't say I enjoyed reading it. Perhaps in part because I wasn't in the mood for the situations described, but also because I found it repetitive: The mother insists in describing every homework, practice, performance and disagreement, all quite similar, and explains most of her obstacles with the same overgeneralizations about "Westerners" and "Chinese People". Also, the concept was a bit confusing: the author says it's a satirical memoir and a self-parody but at the same time it's non-fiction and the satirical elements aren't so easy to spot.
Rating: 3 stars ~ Shelf nomination: Epic
The Forgotten Room [30-apr-20] ★★★★
I love a good romance and this one has got three romantic story lines. The writing was beautiful. I should read more by this author. Each chapter is set in another time period and told by another person, it alternates between three different woman. This took some getting used to, but once you get to know the characters it's easy to follow.
Used for:
Prompt 3, Blind date, read-a-thon
Shelf nomination: kick-ass-heroines
I read one more in April for NY
Echoes in DeathShelved New York x 7
I read this book on 4/30/20 and rated it *5 STARS*. It is also set in NYC. This one was really interesting as it comes to the pathology of the killer. I really have to wonder how J.D. Robb/Nora Roberts comes up with this stuff! The killer didn't seem like a likely suspect to me at first until Eve started digging deeper. Really twisted but interesting stuff! I just can't believe that 44 books in and I'm still just as intrigued with this series as I was in the beginning!
***Used for: Seriously serial 20 (part 2) and Just Read Prompt 4: Finish that Series
Shelf nomination: Kick-ass Heroines
Book: Lover Mine ~ 04.20 ★★★★
# Tags: 4
Review:
I liked this installment better than the last two in the series. There wasn't so much 'woe is me, my life sucks' self-pity as there had been in the last couple. Don't get me wrong, there is still plenty of that but there was more proactive action taken by the protagonists in the book than prior books. There are still too many ongoing story arcs within the same book than I'd prefer, but the transitions felt smoother. All in all, this book restored my desire to continue the series. We'll see if it lasts.
Challenges: Just Read It Prompt 2
Nomination: vampire(s)
Book: Festive in Death ~ 04.15 ★★★★
# Tags: 5
Review:
As always, I loved reading about Eve and Roarke. They mystery was pretty good too ;-) Eve has such strong moral and ethical principals and it's always interesting to watch her navigate through her distaste for a victim she feels morally obligated to give her best to. She's continuing to stretch emotionally as well with those in her life besides Roarke. I love this series and these characters!
Challenges: Moving Mountain
Nomination: futuristic
Book: Fixed on You ~ 04.26 ★★★★
# Tags: 4
Review:
Pretty typical New Adult book which isn't to say I didn't enjoy it. I did for what it was. It was less angsty than many NAs, which I am grateful for. It was interesting to watch the dynamics between the MCs and the female MC and her family, then his family. It was good to watch her learn to trust in herself and her own strength and that her strength was a strength for him as well.
Challenges: Just Read It Prompt 4
Nomination: stalker
Book: High Heat ~ 04.27 ★★★★
# Tags: 1
Review:
Coming to the end of the series, there is still the ongoing arc of Nikki's mother's death and it will obviously get tied up in the next book. I don't like the decision she made in the end (view spoiler). I don't like that ever as a trope or even as a character action. To me it shows a weakness in the character and the relationship an author has built. And it only ever serves a purpose for the author and doesn't usually make the story better. But I digress. The actual suspense story was pretty good although I guessed the culprit pretty early own. I'll finish the series and decide after I see Storm in the last book if I want to read his series.
Challenges: Just Read It Prompt 4
Nomination: media tie in
Book: The Stopover ~ 04.29 ★★★★
# Tags: 1
Review:
Another New Adult, quite a bit more angst but still not over the top. Although there were other OTT aspects - the back and forth; push/pull from Jameson, the male MC. Overall I liked the book but it was really long and I think that back and forth aspect went on one too many times. I also didn't really understand the nature of the job Emily and her friends have. They call themselves reporters but they do it almost completely from their desks. I've seen the job of reporting handled that way... so either the author is lazy and didn't want to dig into how reporters really work or this is the new world of media empires where story ideas come in through internet leads and are written from a desk with little actual field work. Maybe it's both....
Challenges: Bookopoly
Nomination: journalist
I read one more in April for NY
The Allure of Dean HarperShelved New York x 3
I read this book on 4/30/20 and rated it *4 STARS*. It is also set in NYC. This was a cute enemies to lovers book that had a some LOL moments. I thought that the ending wrapped up a little too quickly and Dean did not have to gravel nearly as much as he should have. But I really liked those two together.
***Used for: Seriously serial 20 (part 2)
Shelf nomination: Kick-ass Heroines
Mod
Book: High Heat ~ 04.27 ★★★★
# Tags: 1
Review:
Coming to the end of the series, there is still the ongoing arc of Nikki's mother's death and it wil..."
LaurLa, I'm just shelving all our New York books for last month, and I can't tell which of these two Nikki Storm books you read (Message 33). You have the book cover for one, but the name of another. I can see it would be an easy mistake to make, since one comes right after the other in the series. Can you tell me which it is?
Mod
I used it for Prompt 1 (I only read it because it was on the month's shelf.)
Susan wrote: "LaurLa, I'm just shelving all our New York books for last month, and I can't tell which of these two Nikki Storm books you read (Message 33). You have the book cover for one, but the name of another. I can see it would be an easy mistake to make, since one comes right after the other in the series. Can you tell me which it is?"Sorry I missed this! I read High Heat. Thanks for catching it!
Mod
No problem. It's not like it really matters. But since you've answered, I'll be sure I shelved the correct one.
Pick-a-Shelf
Books mentioned in this topic
The Burgess Boys (other topics)Heat Storm (other topics)
High Heat (other topics)
The Allure of Dean Harper (other topics)
The Stopover (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Lionel Shriver (other topics)Colum McCann (other topics)
N.K. Jemisin (other topics)
Paul Auster (other topics)
Elizabeth Acevedo (other topics)
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April's Shelf is new-york
What did you read? Is it actually set in New York?