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2023 Independent Challenges
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Ioana's 2023 Independent Challenge
Michelle wrote: "Ioana wrote: "Iron Lake is the 1st in a very long series by William Kent Krueger. I loved his stand-alones This Tender Land and Ordinary Grace but this..."Interesting. I liked This Tender Land much more...
I've skipped the prequel, because it came out so much later, like an after thought. It's not like Iron Lake was bad, but not good enough to have me invested in a long series (that might add even more books, considering that #18 came out in 2022).
The Distant Land of My Father. This has been on my TBR since 2013 and I finally decided to read it. I'm glad I did, I've enjoyed it more than expected. In fact, it's my first 4 stars of the year. Set mostly in Shanghai, China it follows the life of Joseph Schoene, a Chines-born American business man from the 1930s (life was good, affairs were going well) through the 1940s under the Japanese occupation and then the 1950 with the rise of communism.Lots of details that make it feel real, although this is just fiction. Told from his daughter's point of view, the book is not only about life in China, but also family ties, and how they change and evolve during one's lifetime. A very good story.
I love historical fiction! That sounds good & I'm adding it ... if I've not already done it. :-)2024 list ... hmmmm
Martha wrote: "I love historical fiction! That sounds good & I'm adding it ... if I've not already done it. :-)2024 list ... hmmmm"
2024 is not that far away, I can't believe January is over already.
Ioana wrote: "Martha wrote: "I love historical fiction! That sounds good & I'm adding it ... if I've not already done it. :-)2024 list ... hmmmm"
2024 is not that far away, I can't believe January is over alr..."
Crazy, isn't it?! I haven't started my '24 list, but have definitely been thinking about it. I'd like to finish the Kinsey Millhone series for one. And maybe another non-fiction brick or 2.
I took a short break from the 2 books I'm currently reading (no reason why, they are both very good), but I got sucked into a graphic novel.Funny and good, I'm really enjoying it and will definitely read more. For now, Saga, Volume 1 and Saga, Volume 1...and I'm working on #3 already 🤣
Alissa, I'll blame this on you!!!
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Funny and good, I'm really enjoying it and will definite..."
Sounds interesting... Darn.
Bill wrote: "Sounds interesting... Darn."10 volumes published, 4 more announced...but fast, easy reads. Give them a try.
Continued with Saga, Volume 3 and Saga, Volume 4, still very enjoyable and I will continue with this, because my library has all 10 books.
The Winners was the last in the Beartown series, and as powerful as the others. Backman breaks my heart, then he puts it back together only to break it again, but I will read anything that he writes.I've read the prior 2 books in this series in 2018, and at the time I did not expect a 3rd one. But it came, and then I was afraid I'd not remember much of the first 2. Not to worry, Backman has a wonderful way of reminding the reader about characters and events, and nothing seems forced.
I loved every line of this book, if I was to make a list of favorite quotes I'd copy/paste at least half of the book. I will probably reread this at some point, but I need to recover first. 5 stars.
Rosemary's Baby. I've never seen the movie, so I had no idea what to expect. Plus, I'n not a horror fan, but I decided to give this a try and I could not put it down. There's a sequel... I need to read it and see what happens next. I need to know. 4 stars.
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There's a seque..."
I agree. It was a surprisingly good book. I've 'enjoyed' the movie a few times. I have the 2nd book and look forward to seeing if it's as good.
Ioana wrote: "Rosemary's Baby. I've never seen the movie, so I had no idea what to expect. Plus, I'n not a horror fan, but I decided to give this a try and I could not put it down. There's a seque..."
Ooh, I didn't know there was a sequel, might have to see if I can get a copy of that.
Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "Ooh, I didn't know there was a sequel, might have to see if I can get a copy of that."Yes, written 30 years later, Son of Rosemary. It will be interesting to see how this ties in with the 1st one...
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I've only read Rosemary's Baby (excellent) and Sliver (not so good). I've got a few others on my shelf to try. I think I may have read Boys from Brazil many years ago...
Martha wrote: "I love Ira Levin. The Boys from Brazil is another of his great books. Disturbing."Yes, I've read it a few years ago. But I did not realize it was the same author, thank you!
Bill wrote: "I've only read Rosemary's Baby (excellent) and Sliver (not so good). I've got a few others on my shelf to try. I think I may have read Boys from Brazil many years ago..."Good to know about Silver, but there are some of his other books that look interesting. I will probably try some of them...
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Good to know..."
Besides Son of Rosemary, I've got A Kiss Before Dying, The Stepford Wives and This Perfect Day. He seems to have been kind of prolific.
Bill wrote: "Besides Son of Rosemary, I've got A Kiss Before Dying, The Stepford Wives and This Perfect Day. He seems to have been kind of prolific."Well, whoever reads them first must come here and let the other one know about it. Let's hope they are all enjoyable.
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Well, whoever reads them first must come here ..."
👍👍👍👍
I've read A Kiss Before Dying. Very good. I need to read The Stepford Wives. So many of his made good movies, too.
Martha wrote: "I've read A Kiss Before Dying. Very good. I need to read The Stepford Wives. So many of his made good movies, too."And just like that, you've added one more book to my TBR...as if I needed any more 🤣
Bill wrote: "Martha wrote: "I love Ira Levin. The Boys from Brazil is another of his great books. Disturbing."I've only read Rosemary's Baby (excellent) and Sliver (not so good). I've got a few o..."
I've also read Sliver, and must have thought A Kiss before Dying was OK, I have a copy on my bookshelf along with Rosemary's Baby
LOL, Martha 🤣Desley, I think you'd like Rosemary's Baby. It's not too long, and very well written. It is a classic for a reason, you'd never think it was written more than 50 years ago.
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Desley, I think you'd like Rosemary's Baby. It's not too long, and very well written. It is a classic for a reason, you'd never think it was written more than 50 years ago."
There weren't so many words available to us back in the those olden days but we could still tell a mean story. 😉😏
Shows you that all the "new" words were not actually really needed. Like...like...
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👍👍👍😃
Ioana wrote: "LOL, Martha 🤣Desley, I think you'd like Rosemary's Baby. It's not too long, and very well written. It is a classic for a reason, you'd never think it was written more than 50 years ago."
I did enjoy it enough to keep it, I think I have the film as well
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There's a seque..."
I can't believe you delved into this weirdness. Good for you!!! LOL
This was a different type of "horror"... I think, as the reader, you can see all the red flags/warnings, but the MC could not and by the time she did, it was too late.
Alondra wrote: "I can't believe you delved into this weirdness. Good for you!!! LOL"Not only that, but I liked it! Much better than vampires 🤣
Ioana wrote: "Alondra wrote: "I can't believe you delved into this weirdness. Good for you!!! LOL"Not only that, but I liked it! Much better than vampires 🤣"
I love the movie! That scene at the end is terrifying ... more so than current horror stories.
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It's excellent.
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Not only that, but I liked it! Much better than vampires 🤣"
Cool beans. The movie is crazy. I don't think there is a remake; but if there is, just make sure you watch the original with Mia Farrow.
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Not only that, but I liked it! Much better than vampires 🤣"
Cool beans. The movie is crazy. I do..."
It seems there was a 4-hour mini series made in 2014, starring Zoe Saldana & Patrick Adams as the couple. I've not seen and don't ever plan to. Why ruin an excellent movie.
Noted! The original movie with Mia Farrow 👍
Same with A Kiss Before Dying. I don’t know if there’s been a remake, but a very young Robert Wagner played that part so well.
Martha wrote: "Same with A Kiss Before Dying. I don’t know if there’s been a remake, but a very young Robert Wagner played that part so well."Hmmm, I haven't seen that one either...🤔
Demon Copperhead. I admit, I would read any Kingsolver book, I just love her. This one did not disappoint, and I wish I had read David Copperfield to "get" more of the parallels, but this was very satisfying in its own.Life is not black and white, and there are so many nuances in people. We see how past experiences and interactions shape who the characters become, how politics and social reality (school and medical availability, family stability and role models, availability of a car or public transportation and much more) play a role in how they develop. It also shows the opioid crisis impact from the regular people's perspective, and this ties nicely into the other books I've read about this recently. 4.5 stars
Blake Crouch is a another favorite author, and I've read Run because of that. This is an earlier book so maybe that's the reason it doesn't measure up...It's a page turner, that's for sure, but while the premise is interesting, the story is just a sequence of events, where the family we follow just runs north. The first half of the book is somewhat boring and I hated Jack, the father and his decision making. They continue running and the second half of the book gets gorier and gorier, and then salvation comes miraculously at exactly the right moment.
We don't know why/how this started, why the lights affected some and not the other, if any other children were affected (the only child in this book in Cole), and the pretty nicely tied with a bow ending does not explain why/how this ended. I was not happy with it. 2.5 stars, rounded up.
Your review of Demon Copperhead is so good and so convincing that I just added not one book but two to my to read library list. Demon Copperhead and David Copperfield. I don't know when/how it will happen but I'm totally sold.
Michelle wrote: "Your review of Demon Copperhead is so good and so convincing that I just added not one book but two to my to read library list. Demon Copperhead and David Copperfield. I don't know when/how it will happen but I'm totally sold."I'm doing the same, Michelle. And not paying any attention to Ioana next time she tries claim she's not part of the enabling group around here. :-) 8 weeks hold for Demon Copperhead, who thinks I can squeeze in David Copperfield before that? I'm not thinking I'll be able to.
Michelle wrote: "Your review of Demon Copperhead is so good and so convincing that I just added not one book but two to my to read library list. Demon Copperhead and David Copperfield. I don't know when/how it will..."I don't think you'll be disappointed. I'm very tempted to read David Copperfield soon, but 800+ pages, ouch. I need to gather some courage... the audiobook is almost 34 hours long...
Lea wrote: "And not paying any attention to Ioana next time she tries claim she's not part of the enabling group around here. :-) 8 weeks hold for Demon Copperhead, who thinks I can squeeze in David Copperfield before that? I'm not thinking I'll be able to."Not fair...for any book I might add to your TBR **you** (you know who you are) add 10 on mine. And I'm a slow reader, I can't win this race...
8 weeks, almost 900 pages or 34 hours. Sounds doable. Do you have any long road trip planned?
Ioana wrote: "Lea wrote: "And not paying any attention to Ioana next time she tries claim she's not part of the enabling group around here. :-) 8 weeks hold for Demon Copperhead, who thinks I can squeeze in Davi..."You might win the race if you keep convincing us to add them on 2 at a time. 34 hours is one long audiobook.
LOL, I think you add way more books to my TBR than I add to yours. I'm the grumpy old lady that acts more as a TBR remover than an adder by complaining about random minor consistency details that bother no one else. In my next life, I'm going to be a continuity editor for these authors!!No major road trips by myself, maybe a minor road trip here or there, but with my husband, who has to approve all audio selections and is into podcasts at the moment. I don't think he'll go for a 34 hour classic book. But maybe?
I am also hoping to read Wayward this month, which is another 816 page (34 hour) book as well as finish up The Priory of the Orange Tree (848 pages) so I'm thinking I vastly underestimated the number of tomes I'd be reading this year on the Tomes Challenge. Happy reading friends, and keep adding to my TBR! :-)
LOL, you're not old. Grumpy, maybe....just kidding🤣🤣🤣Do you think I'd like The Priory of the Orange Tree?
On The Same Page
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Sorry to hear that. Iron Lake is on my challenge list. I also read This Tender Land and Ordinary Grace. Liked both but loved Ordinary Grace. I also read Lightning Strike which is a prequel to the series. I liked it but it was written long after Iron Lake so I don't know.