Trim Challenge 2022 – Community and Announcement Thread

[Book Concierge]

My # 15 is The Hindi-Bindi Club by Monica Pradhan

[Jenni Elyse]

I really liked All Around the Town, LibraryCin. I hope you like it too.

[Jen]

Sue wrote: "Here's the Klara and the Sun buddy list from the first post:
Sue, Lynda, Oliver, Heather, Diana, Sally, Shelley, Jen + Hayjay and anyone else who'd like to join

My library hold shows me still a fe..."

Might read Klara and the Sun even though it is not on my TRIM list because it is on my physical tbr pile.

[KateNZ]

Same - I own Klara and the Sun, so should probably join in :)

[Theresa]

KateNZ wrote: "Same - I own Klara and the Sun, so should probably join in :)"

Me too but August stack so high already, may have to trail behind in September.

[KateNZ]

If I trail with you, we can read it together…

[Kelly]

#9 May

The Wish by Nicolas Sparks



3 stars

Link to review: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Sallys]

I am loving my August book, News of a Kidnapping. It's not my usual book but I'm learning a lot. Next is Call the Midwife.

[Kelly]

July- #7

After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid



3 stars

Link to review: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Theresa]

Sallys wrote: "I am loving my August book, News of a Kidnapping. It's not my usual book but I'm learning a lot. Next is Call the Midwife."

You are on a roll, Sally!

[Theresa]

KateNZ wrote: "If I trail with you, we can read it together…"

Love nothing better than to dawdle along in the rear with you, Kate!

That first week of September beckons.

[Jen]

Finished my first option for August; Blake Crouch "Run". Perfect for my current frame of mind. Now to try and read something for the July PBT...so not motivated.

[Theresa]

Jen wrote: "Finished my first option for August; Blake Crouch "Run". Perfect for my current frame of mind. Now to try and read something for the July PBT...so not motivated."

Maybe one of David Sedaris essay collections? He tends to be funny, satiric, snarky. My favorite is Holidays on Ice - I reread just about every other year - very dark humor.
Tagged memoir 708 times. Would also give you a Christmas in July read.

[Jen]

Theresa wrote: "Jen wrote: "Finished my first option for August; Blake Crouch "Run". Perfect for my current frame of mind. Now to try and read something for the July PBT...so not motivated."

Maybe one of [author:..."

That does look kinda funny and I do like a bit of snark.

[Charlotte]

My 15 is The Tear Collector by Shawn Burgess, it's a debut work by a guy that I went to high school with. I didn't really know him but he was friends with my BFF (although she's friends with EVERYONE). I thought it would be good to support a new author who I kinda know and bought the book when he released it. It has then sat on my shelf. My BFF read it and thought it was good. Maybe it's time to finally give it a try.

[Book Concierge]

JULY # 7


E Is For Evidence – Sue Grafton – 3***
Book five in the “alphabet” series has PI Kinsey Milhone dreading a not very merry Christmas; she’s accused of insurance fraud and finds herself out on her own trying to clear her name. What I love about the series is the time frame – no cell phones or computers. Kinsey has to rely on her wits and good old-fashioned leg work to ferret out the information she needs. There are a lot of characters, most of whom are suspects, and enough twists and turns to keep this reader guessing right up to the reveal.
LINK to my full review

[Kelly]

#15 - August

Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

3 stars

This novel looks at the life of Hannah Martin from two views. It tells what would happen if a different decision is made at one point in her life and the paths she would take as a result from it. The story alternates between the two realities. Sometimes there are similarities and others there are not. One side includes Hannah being the victim of a car accident and the other leads to a person from her past.

The story includes interesting secondary characters. Hannah’s best friend is an example and she shows her support for Hannah throughout the entire story.

This is not my favorite Taylor Jenkins Reid book, but it is still enjoyable. It has a unique way of looking at Hannah’s life and the reader hopes that either path will lead to happiness.

[Sue]

I created this post for a Klara and the Sun Buddy Read:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/new?c...

I know a bunch of people have this tagged for August, and anyone who'd like to join us is welcome!

[Meli]

I forgot to report that I finished my July #7 book, Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke.

Review here.

[Booknblues]

My number 15 was The Only Woman in the Room

My reveiw:
Hedy Lamar was an amazing woman, an actress who also made an incredible scientific invention, which was meant to help the allies. In Marie Benedict's novel The Only Woman in the Room we are given the story of Lamar's life starting with when she was a young Austrian actress, Hedy Kiesler.

Her story is told in first person, which sometimes is effective, but I felt that Benedict did not provide enough depth of character and that Lamar often came off shallow, whiny and vain. My central problem with the book, is that I wanted more insight and character and it fell a bit short for me.

[Theresa]

Finally read one of my 2 options for #8 - I am a couple months behind:

The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware

4.5 stars

Harriet, a/k/a Hal, Westaway, an orphan barely surviving as a tarot card reader on Brighton Pier, one day receives a letter from a lawyer in Penzance stating her grandmother has passed away and she needs to attend the funeral. Plus, there might be an inheritance. The only problem: Hal knows that was not her grandmother and she can't possibly be the real heir. Yet...if she could claim it, even if only a couple thousand, it would change her life. Hal heads to Penzance only to find herself staying in a dark gloomy mansion so gothic, in such decay, there is no question that it harbors dark secrets. As for 'the family', much is awry there as well. In fact, Hal as the unknown missing heir is like a pebble tossed into a calm lake, causing ripples that grow to a tsunami that not only rips open all that is hidden, but also overturns all Hal thought she knew were true about her life.

Ruth Ware has here given us a brilliantly written modern gothic that totally encloses the reader into its world. The atmosphere and setting has all the expected tropes - gloomy, dark, decaying, isolated house, a threatening storm, a nasty creepy servant, and a nearby threatening body of water - yet it feels fresh, modern, and timeless at the same time. Ditto the familiar inheritance trope, the complexity of the family relationships and secrets keeps the reader as confused as Hal.

I kept going between 4 and 5 stars on this one and it really is a 4.5 star read. I did have a few niggles - such as (view spoiler)[Harding's children are added for a momentary plot point or two but not really incorporated, too few hints of the villains Jekyll/Hyde persona, a few other weaknesses in character and story development (hide spoiler)]. But once again, Ware takes classic mystery tropes and makes something fresh and modern.

[Jen]

Finally finished Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail which I have been trying to get through for almost 2 years. It was not on my official trim for this year but is still a book I wanted to be done with and try to see why so many people have loved it. I still have no idea on that, but to each their own. It was not the book I thought it would be when I bought it after reading others' reviews and certainly not a book I would have finished if I hadn't spent the money buying it. I thought it would be adventure on the PCT it wasn't. But on the plus side it is done and I never have to read it again.

[Heather Reads Books]

At last I have finished my trim pick for May: Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb. 5 stars and like, a million hearts (particularly for Burrich 👀).

The review is here.

[Sallys]

Is there a buddy read for Violeta?

[Amy]

You and I have a few on tap that may not be related to Trim. I would read Violetta with you!

[Joy D]

Finished #15 for August:
Memoirs of an Addicted Brain: A Neuroscientist Examines his Former Life on Drugs by Marc Lewis - 4* - My Review

Unusual combination of memoir and brain science. The memoir tells Marc Lewis’s personal story of addiction, which began in boarding school and continued in college in the Berkeley drug scene of the 1960s. The ambiance of the 1960s counterculture is vividly depicted. He also describes his drug-related experiences in Malaysia, India, and Canada. His drug usage results in his arrest for theft and, eventually, in recovery. What makes this memoir unusual is that it is interspersed with a description of what is occurring inside his brain when he ingests these substances. Marc Lewis is a neuroscientist. He articulates the biological and chemical processes underlying addiction.

I found this book fascinating. It describes the biological interactions in the brain, such as the functions of orbitofrontal cortex, ventral striatum, dopamine receptors, glutamates, and the like. He explains the natural opioids that occur in our bodies, and how a lack of these, which are triggered by a variety of sociological and interpersonal factors, may lead to addiction.

I learned a great deal from this book. The memoir portion is absorbing. I think it could have included a bit more about his recovery. The science is informative. I enjoy reading widely in the fields of psychology, brain science, and addiction, and very much enjoyed this one.

[Sallys]

Amy. Are you still up to reading Violeta. I just startec

[Amy]

I'll order it from the library right now. I just finished Forest of Vanishing Stars. I know that you and me and HayJay wanted to read the Book of Names together at some point as well.

[Sallys]

Amy. I see that you’re reading French Braid. I had taken it out of the library but never got to it. How is it

[Amy]

Hmm. Just good. Not amazing, not bad. Very Anne Tyler.

[Amy]

Just want to mention that Charlotte is the Trim Picker for September. I went ahead and trimmed message one, to make sure that only available numbers are left.

[Sallys]

I loved loved loved Violeta. I love everything Isabel Allende writes. So that was my first #15. About to start Klara and the Sun.

[LibraryCin]

#15

All Around the Town / Mary Higgins Clark
4 stars

Laurie was only 5-years old when she was kidnapped. Two years later, she was let go, but she had blocked out everything from the time she was with her abductors. When Laurie is in the early 20s and her sister Sarah, a lawyer, now in her late 20s, their parents die. More trauma. Laurie is now in college and has a good relationship with one of her professors, but when he is found murdered, signs point to Laurie. She doesn’t remember.

It wasn’t fast paced, but many psychological “thrillers” aren’t. This was much about the psychology. Really interesting read; I imagine the author would have had to do a chunk of research on this. I’ve not read much about it; I think I have only one other book tagged (view spoiler)[multiple personality disorder (hide spoiler)], which is actually surprising as I do find it fascinating.

[Amy]

I won’t be far behind you Sally!!!!

[Charlotte]

And the trim number for Sept is....

22

And my number 22 is Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah

[Jenni Elyse]

My #22 is Vampire Academy. Perfect timing for the Peacock show. Hopefully, I can get to it this month. I started school again so we’ll see.

[Booknblues]

After the PBT reveal, I am always super excited to get the trim #
and my #22 is The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley.

I have 3 of her books on my tbr but have never read her. Looks like this is a time travel

[Amy]

Mine is the Arrangement!!!

[Sue]

My #22 is Malibu Rising.

Still on the wait list at the library for my August book.

[Book Concierge]

My # 22 is Lucky in Love by Kasie West .... will help me knock off one more prompt on each of two challenges I've been working on since July 2014!

[Theresa]

#22 is Leavin' Trunk Blues by Ace Atkins - second in a series I discovered during poll tally - crime fiction set along the Blues Trail. Excellent books and fitting my current reading mood!

[Heather Reads Books]

My #22 is The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia... I'm excited, sounds like a perfect spooky read for the start of fall.

[LibraryCin]

My 22 is Titanic Survivor: The Newly Discovered Memoirs of Violet Jessop Who Survived Both the Titanic and Britannic Disasters by Violet Jessop.

[Diana]

My #22 is A Good Girl's Guide to Murder

[Sallys]

My #22 is Three Floors Up.

[Meli]

Heather Reads Books wrote: "My #22 is The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia... I'm excited, sounds like a perfect spooky read for the start of fall."

Nice! I really want to read this one as well sometime.

My #22 is Willard.... um, but I don't even have this book 😂 I have Ratman's Notebooks which is by the same author. So, if I can fit it in I will read that.

[Meli]

I guess Willard is just an alternate title, maybe after the film adaptation was released?

[Kelly]

I will read Firefly Lane also.

[Jen]

my options are: Where They Found Her/Devoted/The Bookshop of Yesterdays

All look quite mindless so that suits me fine.

[Hannah]

I've got really behind in reading for this and writing my reviews for the books I have read, so here is the review for my #8 (June):

Here to Stay by Sara Farizan – 4 Stars

This is now the third book by this author, and I have rated all of them at 4 stars. I really like how the author does not shy away from difficult topics, with this book being about identity, prejudice and racism, showing up the ignorance of many people in modern society towards cultures other than their own in her work. Bijan is a teen who seems happy to fly under the radar of most of the students at his school. However, when he is called up from the bench to score the winning basket in a high school match, his life suddenly changes, and not for the better. Someone is unhappy about Bijan’s new popularity or talent, and so they anonymously send an email to the whole student body of a photo making Bijan look like a terrorist. The story is sensitively written and the main character is very likeable. It deals with many issues facing teenagers today, and could lead to some very good discussions about identity, outside pressure, friendship and how well you can actually know the people you spend your time with.