You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
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Chit Chat About Books
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What are you reading? - 2021
Janice wrote: "My first read for the toppler tomorrow, is the group themed read, The House in the Cerulean Sea"I hope you love The House in the Cerulean Sea as much as I did. It's a real favourite.
Ten-year-old Rae is home alone in Aussie author Emily Spurr's moving debut novel, A Million Things. Kids are canny creatures, and Rae is one I am sure will be remembered.
4★ Link to my review of A Million Things
This children's book (yes, children's book) introduces kids to drag queen RuPaul! It's a new one in the Little People, BIG DREAMS series by Mª Isabel Sánchez Vegara, who has produced countless inspirational biographies that even grown-ups can learn from.
4★ Link to my review of RuPaul with several illustrations to entertain you.
Janice wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "I’m at chapter 10 and I’m tapping my foot…[spoilers removed] Forgot to mention earlier - I also like the reference to Extremely Upper Management - that’s hilarious!"Did you mean fo..."
Lol - was for the other thread - I’ll repost there - thanks!
Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them is just what it says it is. Francine Prose is a highly regarded literary authority who knows her stuff, but isn't stuffy. She also knows how to poke fun at herself.
5★ Link to my review of Reading Like a Writer
Popular Aussie author Rachael Johns has written about a mother who is surprised to find herself pushed into Flying the Nest without her kids! Her fans will enjoy this one.
3.5★ Link to my review of Flying the Nest
I'm suddenly in the mood for non-fiction so picked up A Short History of Nearly Everything. I also have a fiction book going, A Long Petal of the Sea
I have an empty slate! I read 5 toppler books this week and finished my ebook, We All Looked Up. It was a rare 1 star which I probably wouldn't have finished if I didn't want it for my museum challenge.I will start The Night Tiger on ebook and The Last Green Valley on audiobook. Both are for my museum challenge. The second is a new release.
Peggy wrote: "I'm suddenly in the mood for non-fiction so picked up A Short History of Nearly Everything. I also have a fiction book going, A Long Petal of the Sea"I have A Long Petal of the Sea on my Museum spreadsheet for Peru or Tokyo, Peggy. I'd be interested in your impressions.
It's okay so far Roz. The writing is good and I'm interested in the story, it just feels quite slow. Like a 600 page book instead of the 300 pages it is. Also it feels there's a lot of telling and explaining, but not so much showing.
Hmm, slow going. I've run into that a lot lately. I've never read anything by this author although I seem to have several on my tbr. I was looking at The Japanese Lover as a backup.
I only read one other book by her, but I own several. A long petal of the sea has a 4.09 rating on GR, so it might be just me who finds it slow ;-)
I have read three of Allende's books. It always seemed slow at the first, but as the stories progressed, they picked up, if I remember correctly. I did comment in my reviews for them, if you are interested. I read The House of the Spirits, Eva Luna, and Zorro. I have A Long Petal of the Sea on my TBR list.
I'm not in a reading slump exactly, but for some reason I have been super picky and fussy about books. In the last 2 weeks I gave up on 4 books I started, and that is probably the amount of books I usually give up in a year! I also have another 2 paused, since I am not sure I if will come back to them or not. But I really want to read. I really want to find something I can submerge in and get lost, that is how I know it is not a reading slump. I'm liking Frenchman's Creek, though, but I still feel like I haven't got over this weird state I'm in yet.
I think I'm still in toppler mode. I read 1/2 of The Maidens today. Either that or reading was just more tempting than cleaning. lol
That sort of sounds like a slump to me, Sandra. Nothing is really suiting you. I think there are two types of slumps - one where you just don't feel interested in reading and one where the books just don't grab you. I hope you find something engaging soon tp pull you out of it.
Kristie wrote: "I think there are two types of slumps - one where you just don't feel interested in reading and one where the books just don't grab you."You might be right, Kristie. It is the first time I have one of this type, anyways. Usually if I'm in a slump and I do not feel like reading I just do something else until I feel like reading again. I do not suffer it, really. But I'm annoyed now.
I’ve had this type a few times now. Everything I read is just meh. Eventually something will grab my attention enough to break me out of it. Maybe try something by a favorite author?
My Year Of Living Vulnerably sounds like a memoir by talented, tormented Aussie journalist, author, and broadcaster Rick Morton, but it dives into culture, politics, philosophy, and science, especially PTSD and the brain. Fascinating stuff and a great read!
5★ Link to my My Year of Living Vulnerably
Kristie, I brought from the library THE LOST MAN by Jane Harper. I usually devour her books, so I'm hopeful about this one.
Oh good! I hope you love it, Sandra!
PattyMacDotComma wrote: "My Year Of Living Vulnerably sounds like a memoir by talented, tormented Aussie journalist, author, and broadcaster Rick Morton, but it dives into culture, politic..."I'm so glad you enjoyed this! I really like Rick, but haven't gotten to this one yet. Looking forward to it!
Good luck Sandra. Reading slumps are the worst, and sometimes you need that perfect book to break it. They can also be allusive though.
Thank you, Kristie and Rusalka. I know this is a more of a "life slump", tbh. I keep walking around trying to get organized and do at least one thing of the huge amount of things waiting for me, but I don't seem to be able to focus. I'm lost. This probably makes the reading slump more annoying, because I need more than ever to get lost in a book and give my back to the world. But that is topic for a different thread. :)
Sounds like you're overwhelmed, Sandra. Maybe something light and fluffy in a book might help both a life and reading slump. That's usually what I turn to if I need diversion. Something like Jana Deleon's Miss Fortune is a good choice something that is silly but funny.
Oh. I get those all encompassing slumps too. They are so very annoying but yet, meh. Hope you get through this one soon, Sandra. Hopefully the weather pulls you out soon!
Sounds like the slump I was in recently. My to do list just kept getting longer and longer because I wasn't getting anything accomplished, including reading. Hopefully, it's short lived. I like Janice's Miss Fortune idea too. Sometimes a bit of humor is helpful.
Rusalka wrote: "PattyMacDotComma wrote: "My Year Of Living Vulnerably sounds like a memoir by talented, tormented Aussie journalist, author, and broadcaster Rick Morton, but it di..."I'm reading in the wrong order, due to library waiting lists. I got this first (just lucky) and One Hundred Years of Dirt is waiting for me now! I'm a fan of his too, Rusalka.
I loved Aussie author Tabitha Bird's imaginative debut novel, and I've just enjoyed her latest, The Emporium of Imagination. I'm pleased she weaves her magic in her hometown of Boonah, Qld, but I want this Emporium to open near me, please!
4★ Link to my Emporium of Imagination review
I am listening to A Long Petal of the Sea and reading Wet Desert: Tracking Down a Terrorist on the Colorado River. I am supposed to be reading Jane Austen: A Life Revealed but I have not managed to start it yet.
I finished reading Wet Desert: Tracking Down a Terrorist on the Colorado River last night. It was a great story! This was a debut novel and took the author 15 years to get it done. He had never written anything but technical manuals before, but he had done years of research and thinking about the storyline before he took his first class in "how to write a novel". If you are looking for a thriller, I can recommend it!I started reading Jane Austen: A Life Revealed. Meh...
Sounds interesting. From the title, I thought it would be non-fiction. Who knew? Another one goes on my tbr.
I started listening to The Thursday Murder Club, but kept dozing off on the plane today. I was so tired that I had to keep reminding myself of who all the characters were... and I never fall asleep on planes, even when I try! I'm at 42% and the book will be automatically returned to the library in just a few days, but now I'm not sure how much I missed. I may have to start it over.
Sandra wrote: "Kristie, I brought from the library THE LOST MAN by Jane Harper. I usually devour her books, so I'm hopeful about this one."I just put that book on my list for the new challenge I am doing!
I just finished While Justice Sleeps which I wanted to check out because I am a Stacey Abrams fan girl (for her social justice work). Turns out she can write a damn fine legal thriller too!
I just started Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty. It is a chunkster (512) page nonfiction account of the Sackler's whose pharmaceutical company Purdue Pharama created Oxycontin.It is riveting and fascinating. Did you know that "broad spectrum" is not a medical term? It was a term created by the Sackler medical advertising company to sell a new antibiotic. I'm almost a little afraid to find out what else I will discover.
Katrisa wrote: "I just finished While Justice Sleeps which I wanted to check out because I am a Stacey Abrams fan girl (for her social justice work). Turns out she can write a damn fine legal thril..."Just added it to my TBR. Thanks, Katrisa lol.
Katrisa wrote: "I just finished While Justice Sleeps which I wanted to check out because I am a Stacey Abrams fan girl (for her social justice work). Turns out she can write a damn fine legal thril..."I've been wanting to check this one out. I was surprised when I realized it was the same Stacey Abrams. I thought she is multi-talented and does she have time to sleep? lol
Kristie wrote: "I was surprised when I realized it was the same Stacey Abrams. I thought she is multi-talented and does she have time to sleep? ..."She must have clones, lol!
I loved An Imaginary Life by acclaimed Aussie author David Malouf. What a strange and fascinating life he's dreamed up for the exiled Roman poet Ovid, banished forever to a remote village with primitive customs (and no common language).
5★ Link to my review of An Imaginary Life
I finished The Last Green Valley. While I enjoyed the story, I felt that the author was pushing a viewpoint a bit too much. I will start Doomsday Book tomorrow.
I just started Dog Eat Dog
for the monthly challenge and it started off pretty good. I think I'm going to enjoy the humor in it. I'm not 100% sold on the narration yet though.
I don't know what to read next! In other years all my reading was for ylto activities (each month group read, monthly challenge, and 2-3 for the year long challenge). This year I very quickly realized I was never going to get to badge 2 (even though it was my plan) so now I also have time to read without any reason. But I've got sooooo many books I have no idea what to choose.
That's a good problem to have, Peggy. Every year I say I'm going to do less challenges, etc so that I can do more mood reading and read some of the books I own, but I never really do. I'm curious to see what you choose.
I am reading Enemies of Doves which I own and also happens to further the yearly challenge and I am reading Reason for Hope: A Spiritual Journey by Jane Goodall which is excellent.
Kristie wrote: "That's a good problem to have, Peggy. Every year I say I'm going to do less challenges, etc so that I can do more mood reading and read some of the books I own, but I never really do. I'm curious t..."I'm the same, but the challenges are so much fun! So it wasn't intentional that I have so much freedom now ;-) with every book I consider I also think 'but what if this turns out to be the perfect and only book I have for some future challenge?'
I decided on Zondagskind. It's Dutch fiction (but I think may be based on the author's life) about a girl with asperger syndrome growing up in the 80s and 90s, when not much about this was known. (But what if I need a book with bird cages on the cover?)
I do that too. lol And I can't tell you how many times a theme or challenge comes up and I still think that the book I just finished would have fit perfectly.
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You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
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