Play Book Tag discussion
Footnotes
>
Trim 2021 – The Official Unofficial Challenge Thread
Finished my # 2 Yip! Even though it was a poor read-The Tournament
Historical mystery, taking place in 1546, involving a fictional account of a chess tournament in Constantinople. Players are invited by the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Among those players, an Englishman who is accompanied by the girl Princess Elizabeth and her tutor. While the contest gets underway dead bodies start showing up and Elizabeth and her tutor become the gum-shoes to help solve the mystery of who killed them. I know it is fictional, but it seemed just too out there for me. I did not hate it, but I struggled to finally finish it. There was grossly described ( and I am not a prude) sexual encounters that in my opinion were unnecessary.
Not really what I was expecting from this book. One of the MPG tags should have been "alternate reality".
Amy wrote: "HayJay friend! First is has to turn up at the library. But when it does, it will be next up after my Fly book, second in line! How about you?"I'm going to be buying the book as the wait list at my library is long. With that, I'll be good to start whenever works best for you.
Joanne wrote: "Finished my # 2 Yip! Even though it was a poor read-The Tournament
Historical mystery, taking place in 1546, involving a fictional account of a chess tournament in Constantinople..."
It's off the TBR! That's a plus!
Finished both my number 2's.... The Ninth House and A Spark of Light! What fun this buddy read was?
I couldn't get All Your Perfects this month so I switched it with Beartown. And I had finished it already. Here is my review.
I finished my #8 a bit early! Had a head start-I started reading it before the number was chosen. It is one of the few books on my TBR that I actually have on my bookshelves. I have kept it since reading it for the 1st time in HS, because I knew I wanted to reread it eventually. Eventually came in January. A Farewell to Arms 4 stars
Here is my review:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Good for you! Especially since you probably had two 8's - lol! Glad you are clearing it off....
I think we are three of us for Lions of Fifth Avenue - myself, Hayjay, and Kelly. Someone, I think it must have been Hayjay, asked me when I was going to start it. I have the answer to that. I picked it up from the library today. The next book after I finish the one I am reading is my Fly the Skies book. So I anticipate Lions will be the second one I read in February. So like maybe early Feb? Like 5th, or 6th for me? How about you guys, or anyone else who might pick it up with us?
so my #10 The Night Circus just came in from the library, looks like I'll be reading/listening to that one early! Will probably start it tomorrow.
That's on my list (I think), but a no go for February :(
Enjoy, Charlotte! Night Circus is one of my favorite books ever! Love it!
Jenni Elyse wrote: "Enjoy, Charlotte! Night Circus is one of my favorite books ever! Love it!"I decided to go with the audio version since it's been tagged by so many people as Magical Realism and that is, sadly, one of my least favorite genres... it's more the Realism aspect of it.
Charlotte wrote: "so my #10 The Night Circus just came in from the library, looks like I'll be reading/listening to that one early! Will probably start it tomorrow."I adored Night Circus! Let yourself get lost in it!
Charlotte wrote: "I decided to go with the audio version since it's been tagged by so many people as Magical Realism an..."
I'm not a magical realism fan, either, but I really liked The Night Circus! I really liked the atmosphere.
I finished my #2 book.The Stranger Beside Me: Ted Bundy: The Shocking Inside Story - Ann Rule - 4.5 Stars
In the early 70’s, former Seattle Police Officer, Ann Rule, began volunteering at a suicide crisis hotline in Seattle, where she befriended her co-worker, a handsome law student named Ted Bundy.
In early 1974 a series of brutal murders of young women in Seattle shocked the city, and Rule was contracted to write a book about them. Very early, eyewitness descriptions pointed to Bundy as a person of interest. However, authorities were overwhelmed with tips and leads. Because of his respectability, he was not followed up as a serious suspect at the time.
Rule refused to believe in his guilt, even when he was extradited to Colorado to face murder charges. While there, Bundy escaped from custody in Colorado and traveled to Florida, where he killed three women and raped and killed a twelve year old girl. It was not until his capture in 1978 and subsequent trial in Florida that Rule finally accepted that the man she thought she knew was the perpetrator of the crimes she was writing about in her book.
What makes her book unique is that she was able to write about one of the most notorious serial killers in history, from the personal perspective of a longstanding friendship. She does an excellent job of balancing personal perspective and objectivity. Her simple, fact-based narrative allows the reader to uncover the story and association much the way she did herself.
This book was the first that Rule wrote and is still her most popular. She updated it in 1986, 1989, 2000, and 2008 with interesting information about her last phone call with Ted and several stories of women who may have met him over his active years.
Ann Rule always gave readers a well researched and fascinatng glimpse into the world of murder. She died in 2015 but left over thirty books about true crime, primarily set in the Pacific Northwest.
Finished my #2! Without You, There Is No Us: My Time with the Sons of North Korea's Elite by Suki Kim. Really enjoyed it, and feel great because it was one of the oldest books on my TBR. Here is the review!
Okay ... totally reading out of order# 12 on my list (has NOT been called yet)
The Secret Life of Violet Grant – Beatriz Williams – 3.5***
Williams uses a dual timeline and dual narrators to tell this story of Vivian Schuyler, Manhattan socialite and wanna-be advertising exec in 1964, and her aunt Violet Schuyler Grant, who endured an unhappy marriage to pursue her dreams of scientific research in 1914 Europe. I was quickly engaged and continuously interested in this story line. While I’ve grown tired of the dual timeline that is so popular these days with historical fiction, I thought Williams did a very good job of using this device.
My full review HERE
# 6 on my list (Has NOT been called yet)
What Alice Forgot – Lianne Moriarty – 3.5***
After a head injury, Alice Love awakes thinking herself 10 years young than she is, and with no memory of the last decade. What an interesting concept! Moriarty does a great job writing about women and their relationships – with friends, with siblings, with spouses. Here we have a woman who is possibly getting a “do-over” … or is she? Can she really erase the last ten years? Does she want to? I liked this approach to how our past shapes our present and future.
My full review HERE
Had to switch it up. Exiles has not come in yet so my # 8 is Pachinko!
Sigh... and I'm changing my book back to the original plan, after all. It turns out I bought the ebook! Who knew!? I must have at one point, and likely bought it BECAUSE my library didn't have it!
So, I will probably try to read both it AND the substitute I was going to use.
So, Daughter of Time: A Time Travel Romance by Sarah Woodbury.
BC - you are on a roll! I would have signed up for Violet Grant with you, but I already had two buddy read books on number 12!Sally - fabulous! You can read the Exiles with me in March! I am flying from Cuba to Australia then with this book, and Christina Baker Kline is my author of the year, and this is my kickoff. I'm so glad. Maybe others will join us. I will invite as the March tag gets going.
Cindy - I am excited to hear what you think of Daughter of Time. it landed on my list a long time ago, as it was so well loved. I hope we both like it!
Sounds good Amy. I also will try to join you when you read Lions of Fifth Avenue
I'm reading Pachinko, followed by Lions of Fifth Avenue!
Amy wrote: "Cindy - I am excited to hear what you think of Daughter of Time. it landed on my list a long time ago, as it was so well loved. I hope we both like it!..."Just to be clear - this is not the Josephine Tey book! (I know it's very popular; I'm not sure how popular the Woodbury book is, or even how I heard of it!)
The book I'm reading with the same title is by Sarah Woodbury.
I will pick up Lons of Fifth Avenue this weekend!
Amy wrote: "Cindy, I think I meant the other - lol!"That was my guess! :-)
So I'm officially 0 for 2 for the trim this year!The Orphan Master's Son is going to the DNF tag. I think there's a reason it's sat on my TBR so long.
I just started a new job, and I'm in remote on-boarding and training all day every day. And at the end of the day I just can't read another word. I know my reading is going to fall off dramatically over the next couple months. So maybe this book was just too "heavy" for right now.
Almost done with Pachinko. Picked up Lions of Fifth Avenue today!So I'm set!
Sue wrote: "So I'm officially 0 for 2 for the trim this year!The Orphan Master's Son is going to the DNF tag. I think there's a reason it's sat on my TBR so long.
I just started a new job, a..."
I listened to the audio during a LONG drive to/from Texas. And I had the added incentive that it was a selection for my F2F book club. Heavy is definitely the word for it. Good choice to put it aside ... at least for now.
January call out - # 2
A History of Loneliness – John Boyne – 5*****
Against the backdrop of the priest pedophile scandal, Father Odran Yates narrates his life story, from early childhood to his time in seminary to his long career as a priest and the final conflict that forces him to examine his part in the scandal. Boyne’s writing is marvelous. His characters are complex. This is a book I will be thinking about for a long time.
My full review HERE
February - #8The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie SocietyMary Ann Shaffer - 4 stars
You know those books which everyone reads, but you? Well, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society was one of them for me and I had to be forced into reading it before I actually did. I'm sure part of my reluctance was the epistolary nature of this novel, which is not necessarily my favorite and truth be told, I tend to avoid them. That being said I found this novel to be extremely enjoyable to read and populated by extremely likeable and somewhat quirky characters.
And what can I say about Guernsey, the only thing I knew about it previously was cows. Now I find I want to visit for an extended period.
Such a fun book to read, but with a serious side. The time period is immediate post war England and main character, Juliet is a writer trying to find her next project when she begins to exchange letters with a number of members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Much a the novel is lighthearted in tone but there is both romance and tragedy tucked into this fine novel.
I finished my #8! Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson - only 3 stars, alas. I am a fan of his, too, so this was a little disappointing. I think I wasn't the target audience for this one. Full review here.
Finished my #8 for February. It is a beautiful, moving, and sad story of relationships not easily defined:Tin Man by Sarah Winman - 4 stars - My Review
February - #8 - first of 2Finished Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri, a YA alternative history fantasy set in India. I give it 2.5 stars bumped up to 3 stars. It was a pretty good read for a debut YA fantasy, although I am eternally confused as to what defines books like this as YA vs. just plain old adult fantasy - fewer and less graphic sex scenes? Can't be age or protagonists alone or lack of violence as that does not apply here.
This was originally my September 2020 Unofficial Trim read that did not happen. It was also an extra book I got from Hebah in the Book Swap in late 2019. So happy to have this read and off the TBR!
Jen K wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "My number 2 is Ghana Must Go and I think I have a buddy read for this."That's me! I requested the physical from the library (plenty available) and the audio is ..."
I'm just starting this a month late. How are you doing?
Booknblues wrote: "Jen K wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "My number 2 is Ghana Must Go and I think I have a buddy read for this."That's me! I requested the physical from the library (plenty available) and..."
I finished last month and have just been slacking on my review. I mostly enjoyed it, a very different immigrant experience than Behold the Dreamers but perfect for family drama.
Jen K wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "Jen K wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "My number 2 is Ghana Must Go and I think I have a buddy read for this."That's me! I requested the physical from the library (pl..."
I got bogged down last month and just recently began reading. So far so good.
I finished both my #8 - Into the Water and The Painted Veil. Both were so-so:)Here are my reviews:
The Painted Veil
Into the Water
So glad that people are getting their buddy reads, and that even if not everyone has loved their books, that they have come off the TBR! Trim 2021 appears to be running smoothly, and we are all excited to see what's next.OliverMagnus has agreed to be the Trim Picker for March, and sometime after Anita announces the March tag, she will announce the number. So you all can get organized. Good luck friends!
Proving to be another year that is just flying by! March already!?
January #2Ghana Must Go - Taiye Selasi - 4 stars
Taiye Selasi's novel Ghana Must Go is a heartfelt and beautiful book about a family torn apart in unusual circumstances.
It has a unique structure beginning with Part 1, Gone with Kweku Sai's death. We meet his children and wife, each unique and interesting characters who carry their hurts and betrayals with them.
This just missed being a 5 star read for me, because of one incident which I think went too far and was unnecessary.
I am truthfully hoping that we see more novels written by Taiye Selasi
February # 8The Fires of Vengeance-Great buddy read with Johanne in our Epic Fantasy Group. Have not written my review yet, but a solid 4 stars
The Unofficial Trim Pick for March is #7My #7 is Daughter of Sand and Stone by Libbie Hawker. It's been on my TBR for over five years so I'm happy to finally get to it.
My #7 is The Kiss Quotient... I've been wanting to read this for a long time and looking forward to it. Doesn't fit March tag :( BOOO!
Mine is actually the Opposite of Fate - Essays by Amy Tan. I'm super excited to read this, because I have wanted to for a while, but I also feel its really timely with themes I have been thinking about. I also have these quirky lists where there are books that were high priority to me in each of the years, and because of Trim, I have knocked them off. This book, the opposite of fate, is my second to last of my 2017 list and all of 2018 is on it too, as well as a little of 2019. The only other one in 2017 is Caspian Rain, and when its called, I will fly to Iran that month. I have really appreciated deeply this 36 month challenge....
My #7 is The Penelopiad - for once not a doubled up month and it is short! I can finish the Marlon James and catch up on Edgar nominee reading.
My number #7 is also a fantasy book! The Last Wish, the first book in the Witcher series. I'm excited because I've been wanting to get to this one for awhile. The Witcher 3 is one of my favorite video games.
Play Book Tag
Books mentioned in this topic
The Creation of Eve (other topics)Let the Great World Spin (other topics)
Last Night in Nuuk (other topics)
Last Night in Nuuk (other topics)
Last Night in Nuuk (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Colum McCann (other topics)Fiona Davis (other topics)
Sharon Kay Penman (other topics)
Ann Rule (other topics)
Diane Chamberlain (other topics)
More...
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
4 stars
Leigh Bardugo has written an exciting story about Alex Stern and the houses at Yale University. Alex has a troubled past and is a high school drop out; but she has a special talent and is offered a scholarship at Yale. Alex can do is see ghosts, and she will use this skill as a member the Lethe House to help watch over the eight main secret society houses at the university. These societies use magic to do experiments, and ghosts are drawn to them. Things go wrong and Lethe is responsible for preventing problems and fixing others. Alex does not fit in at Yale, and she is struggling in her classes. She is still learning her role in Lethe when a few things happen. There is the murder of a girl from town that Alex thinks is related to the school and the person at Lethe training her goes missing.
The book starts off slow and the reader has many questions, but as the story goes on pieces of Alex's past are told. She is forced to take risks and gains confidence. This is a thriller with magic added in and the answer to the mystery is not one the reader would expect. The author does a good job of mixing real parts of Yale with creative fictional elements. She ends it all with a new situation leading to a next book and I am already looking forward to this sequel.