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2023 Independent Challenges
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Ioana's 2023 Independent Challenge
Ioana wrote: "I was on vacation, so I read less lately and did not post any updates in a while, but I'm back.The Black Echo is the 1st Harry Bosch book. Need to say more? I've read some books in t..."
I haven't read any of these (although I've seen some of the adapted-for-tv Bosch episodes and enjoyed them) and after reading your descriptions, the Bosch is the only one I think I'll look at.
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The Black Echo is the 1st Harry Bosch book. Need to say more? I've read some books in t..."
Out of these 5; I own 3 and have read only 1. Of course, Harry Bosch has been read. I've made good progress in the series, but need to get back to it. Glad you enjoyed the 1st. He is a complex character.
Ioana wrote: "I was on vacation, so I read less lately and did not post any updates in a while, but I'm back.The Black Echo is the 1st Harry Bosch book. Need to say more? I've read some books in t..."
I really need to pick up the Bosch series! Really enjoyed the tv (??) series
Hope you had a great time on vacation!
Welcome back! I hope you had a fantastic vacation! :-) My book club was talking about Pineapple Street too last month! I'm glad they picked something else, I didn't have any interest in reading it. Their new idea for this month doesn't look like it is going to work for me either, I may need to find a new book club. :-) :-) :-)
Lea wrote: "My book club was talking about Pineapple Street too last month! I'm glad they picked something else, I didn't have any interest in reading it. Their new idea for this month doesn't look like it is going to work for me either, I may need to find a new book club."My old book club dismantled when Covid hit, and this is a new one (new people) we are trying to form. Growing pains, I hope we'll get better in time.
Ellie wrote: "I haven't read any of these (although I've seen some of the adapted-for-tv Bosch episodes and enjoyed them) and after reading your descriptions, the Bosch is the only one I think I'll look at."I enjoyed the Bosch series a few years ago, and it's hard to read the books now without seeing Titus Welliver.
Not a bad thing, but he's not at all how I imagined Harry Bosch. 🤣
Bill wrote: "I've only read The Black Echo and enjoyed very much. I need to refresh myself on the series."Yes, you should.
And from a pure selfish point of view - if you stay busy with things I've already read or are already on my TBR, you won't have to time to add a lot more others. 🤣🤣🤣
Lillie wrote: "I really need to pick up the Bosch series! Really enjoyed the tv (??) series"Thanks, Lillie. I really like series where each book is a stand alone more or less, and you can leave the series alone for a while, then come back and still enjoy it.
Ioana wrote: "Thanks, Lillie. I really like series where each book is a stand alone more or less, and you can leave the series alone for a while, then come back and still enjoy it."That's good to know! Trying to keep all of the actions in a long running series is hard.
Lillie wrote: "Trying to keep all of the actions in a long running series is hard."So true....and I don't know how it happened, I just started a new one like that, with 8 books in the series 😱
Apollo 8: The Thrilling Story of the First Mission to the Moon Exactly what I needed after the dud for my book club. Amazing story and amazing achievement! 4 very well deserved stars.
Ioana wrote: "Apollo 8: The Thrilling Story of the First Mission to the Moon Exactly what I needed after the dud for my book club. Amazing story and amazing achievement! 4 very well deserved stars."Glad you really like this one. Hard to read books you drag thru. Enjoy ☺️
Kristine (So Behind, but keep having life events) wrote: "Glad you really like this one. Hard to read books you drag thru."Non-fiction books always work for me 😉
The Seven Sisters I've had this on my TBR for a long time, and decided to read it. It's listed as HF a genre that I generally enjoy, so why not?Well, this started ok, albeit with some hard to believe premise, but turned into a romance book (not my genre) and then it turned bad pretty fast. Stilted dialogues, "happy" coincidences one after another, and then the story itself:
(view spoiler)
I will not continue this series.
Ioana wrote: "The Seven Sisters I've had this on my TBR for a long time, and decided to read it. It's listed as HF a genre that I generally enjoy, so why not?Well, this started ok, albeit with s..."
I’ve read 5 of the 8 books and they were ok for me since I read romances in my younger years and was used to the tropes. Stopped there because I saw that the next two were over 800 pages each!! Also, my tolerance for romance has gone down significantly though I do enjoy a happily ever after every now and then.
Lillie wrote: "I’ve read 5 of the 8 books and they were ok for me since I read romances in my younger years and was used to the tropes. Stopped there because I saw that the next two were over 800 pages each!! Also, my tolerance for romance has gone down significantly though I do enjoy a happily ever after every now and then."Maybe if I was 20-30 years younger 😉 but even then, I was never a romance reader.
Oh, no! Well at least it is no longer on your TBR and you've completed all that you will on that series. Onto the next book!
Lea wrote: "Oh, no! Well at least it is no longer on your TBR and you've completed all that you will on that series. Onto the next book!"My thoughts exactly. I was not sure about my current one either, but surprise! I'm enjoying it. More about it later, let's see if I don't change my mind.
Ioana wrote: "The Seven Sisters I've had this on my TBR for a long time, and decided to read it. It's listed as HF a genre that I generally enjoy, so why not?Well, this started ok, albeit with s..."
What a shame you didn't enjoy it, I like that series, even though I don't normally read romance. My favourite so far is The Shadow Sister, Beatrix Potter and a bookshop!
Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "What a shame you didn't enjoy it, I like that series, even though I don't normally read romance. My favourite so far is The Shadow Sister, Beatrix Potter and a bookshop!"I liked the 1st half of the book, but there was way too much romance for me in the 2nd half. And too many convenient twists and coincidences for my taste, but that may explain why I like NF and I don't like fantasy. Just the way my brain is wired...
I'm glad you enjoyed it, did you finish the series? I noticed there is a new one, just published, co-authored by her son.
The People We Keep I have mixed feelings about this book. April's life was hard and I try to understand her life choices but (view spoiler)I enjoyed the narration, but somehow the music theme and the same narrator Julia Whelan constantly reminded me of Daisy Jones & The Six. I loved that one, but this one seemed a repeat.
And the nice ending with a pretty bow...again, a little bit much for me. 3 stars
Ioana wrote: "Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "What a shame you didn't enjoy it, I like that series, even though I don't normally read romance. My favourite so far is The Shadow Sister, Beatrix Potter and a booksho..."I've read the first 4, saving myself for one a year.
Ioana wrote: "The People We Keep I have mixed feelings about this book. April's life was hard and I try to understand her life choices but sex and a relationship with a 27 year old man is a hard..."I felt similarly about TPWK. Not a bad story but at times a really uncomfortable story. Overall the relationships were cringy particularly the one you mention.
Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "I've read the first 4, saving myself for one a year."That's a nice pace, I do the same for some series. We need to finish some to make room for others, right?
I also had mixed feelings about The People We Keep. I read several rave reviews and it was a community read where I live, so I had high expectations. It just didn't live up to the hype for me.
Ok, seeing as 3 of you had mixed feeling about The People We Keep, I'm going to add this to the maybe, someday, if I run out of books list
Ioana wrote: "Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "I've read the first 4, saving myself for one a year."That's a nice pace, I do the same for some series. We need to finish some to make room for others, right?"
We do, and I didn't want to finish it before the last book had been published, although hairdresser suggested stopping where I am, reading the last one, then starting from the beginning. Despite being over 600 pages, I can whizz through them, the one I just read was about 700 pages and I read it in 5 days
Patricia wrote: "I also had mixed feelings about The People We Keep. I read several rave reviews and it was a community read where I live, so I had high expectations. It just didn't live up to the h..."I did not know much about it when I started it, and I liked the beginning. But after the first third or so...I changed my mind. There were too many things/actions/relationships I could not agree with, and then the ending was too nice and perfect.
Lillie wrote: "Ok, seeing as 3 of you had mixed feeling about The People We Keep, I'm going to add this to the maybe, someday, if I run out of books list"I don't think that's ever going to happen, and I don't want to be the reason you are not reading a book, but in this case, it might be fine. It's not a bad book, but it has many flaws and there are a lot of better books out there. Happy reading!
Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "Despite being over 600 pages, I can whizz through them, the one I just read was about 700 pages and I read it in 5 days"That's how you know a good book at the right time. I'm so happy you enjoyed it!!
Ioana wrote: "Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "Despite being over 600 pages, I can whizz through them, the one I just read was about 700 pages and I read it in 5 days"That's how you know a good book at the right ..."
Yes, especially as it was one of the sister's stories that I didn't think I'd enjoy much
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Interesting book, but a little bit repetitive."
I've been watching all of the documentaries on Youtube. There are a ton of serial killers I had never heard of and it was quite shocking. The old FBI stats stated 75 working the US at any one time. I think the number dropped, but anything more than 1 is scary.
Alondra wrote: "I've been watching all of the documentaries on Youtube. "There are documentaries on Youtube???
Indianapolis: The True Story of the Worst Sea Disaster in U.S. Naval History and the Fifty-Year Fight to Exonerate an Innocent ManI think I've lived under a rock all this time, I had no idea what this story was about, and I've read quite a few WW2 books in my life. Wow, what a fascinating read, but be warned, difficult at times! Recommended to all interested in WW2 history and/or court drama. 4 stars.
I was mesmerized reading this book and like you I wondered why we haven't heard more about it. Really interesting.
Michelle wrote: "I was mesmerized reading this book and like you I wondered why we haven't heard more about it. Really interesting."There are a few other books on this topic, but this is one of the best ones, apparently. For me, it was just luck that I picked up this one.
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There are documentaries on Youtube???"
YYEESSSSS!! Tons. I love free stuff; and youtube is the last vestige of it. LOL
Alondra wrote: "YYEESSSSS!! Tons. I love free stuff; and youtube is the last vestige of it. LOL"How did I not find them until now???
Unpopular opinion, so please don't be too harsh. I did not like Remarkably Bright Creatures. I liked Marcello, but nothing else. Not the story (predictable and with too many happy coincidences to feel real), not the pace of it (too slow, boring), not any of the human characters (some were ok, but...see before...happy coincidences). There must've been other ways to bring these characters together, it just seemed forced.
Ioana wrote: "Unpopular opinion, so please don't be too harsh. I did not like Remarkably Bright Creatures. I liked Marcello, but nothing else. Not the story (predictable and with too many happy c..."i really liked this one but I completely agree with your opinions on it.
Onto the next one!! =)
Alissa wrote: "Onto the next one!! =)"Yes, thankfully better ones now. Updates soon :-)
Hang the Moon. I loved her The Glass Castle, which was non-fiction. This one is fiction, decent, but IMHO although good, nowhere as good as the other one. I guess that's the problem with authors who have a very good book before. We come in with too high expectations, at least I did.I liked Sallie, young, strong, smart, but at times her actions did not match her age, she's only a teenager in a man's world, in rural Virginia. But I guess in that time and place, it might happen, I don't know. There were too many storylines, and some of them were dropped during the book, only to be "found and fixed" in the last chapter.
This book/family has been compared to Henry VIII, and there are so many similarities that you cannot miss them. Some character names, so many deaths, illegitimate children, dealing with the illegitimate children and their mothers, dealing with infertile wives, strong daughter/weak son, and so on, and so on.
Overall, a 3 stars, maybe 3.25 for me.
It is hard not to compare books written by the same author--even they are a totally different genre! Especially when you really like that first one. Even though I've heard a lot about Hang the Moon, I haven't been sold on it, so you probably confirmed that. There has to be a few books I don't want to read!
Patricia wrote: "It is hard not to compare books written by the same author--even they are a totally different genre! Especially when you really like that first one. Even though I've heard a lot about Hang the Moon..."I really don't want to suggest you should not read it, it's not a bad book. But it seems you don't seem convinced it's for you, and I don't want to push you to read it either.
I'm glad I read it, I don't think it was a waste of time, I just expected more. Better story, more credible, fewer story lines...
Not growing up in US, I was not familiar with Matilda, the book or the movie. So I think it was Alissa who first recommended it, and I had to read it. What a heart-warming, funny and lovely story. I really enjoyed it.In the beginning I knew Matilda was special, but I did not realize just how special. I was worried, this little 5 years old girl read more classics than I did in ....hmm, let's not mention how many....years. But then I recovered, Matilda is really special, and that explains it. That's my explanation and I'm sticking to it.
Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors was not my first book on this topic. It was good, riveting survival story, but it lacked the personal point of view in I Had to Survive: How a Plane Crash in the Andes Inspired My Calling to Save Lives. In "Alive" the events are carefully researched, there are lots of details, but the author felt detached from the tragedy, and just a spectator/narrator. Still, a solid 3 stars.
Beneath the Tamarind Tree: A Story of Courage, Family, and the Lost Schoolgirls of Boko Haram is an important story that needs to be told. But while I appreciated the social comments and background, I wanted more about the girls, and less about the author's personal life and beliefs. Yes, she was lucky to have an educated mother, and her mother's achievements are to be appreciated, But they did not belong in this book, IMHO.
The girls' story and what they lived through is horrendous, but the book describes everything from a distance, and I never felt the emotion, and the connection to them. At the time Isha Sesay was a CNN reporter, and I don't know, maybe a good one. But the book is sterile, cold, lacking the emotion that this subject warranted and needed.
And then...what happened to the other girls???3 stars.
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The Black Echo is the 1st Harry Bosch book. Need to say more? I've read some books in the middle of the series, but I want to go back to the origin, and read the ones that are left in order. 4 stars.
Tell No One. Decent mystery, I've guessed the "who" but not the "why" early on, but entertaining read. Thankfully his books are stand alones, so no series pressure, but I'll read more of them. 3 stars.
All the Broken Places is the 2nd book in what's now a duology. I did not expect it, I don't think it was needed, but I'm glad I've read it, and finished a series in the process. Guilt (real or just perceived) is a hard thing to live with. 3.5 stars, rounded up.
Pineapple Street. Definitely not my kind of book, and if it wasn't for my book club, I would've never even picked it up. No plot, no characters to care about...1 star.
Jackaby I liked the first half, but did not care about it later. That's unfortunately true for me with a lot of fantasy books, and the reason I don't read much in this genre. I'll keep trying. 3 stars.