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Reader's Choice
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Reader's Choice Spring 2023
I loved Stolen Lady but I love reading about art. I enjoyed Light from Uncommon Stars even without playing the violin but I've played other instruments so that might help.
Oh ugh. I only flipped through Blown to Hell for the pictures. Audio saving me from editing issues again hooray!
I'm just catching up on this group - sorry to be checked out! Good to know that there are editing issues with Blown to Hell and Stolen Earth - I'll let the committee know and we'll watch for that in the future. I listen to so many of these, so I also don't see the typos.One more month to read the rest of these - I've been slowly making my way through a David Baldacci book, but I need to get going on the rest of the RC books.
TBR - yes, a century or so to get through them all!!
I am an editor, so I probably notice these things a lot more.I might get through my TBR in ten years if no books are ever published again.
The Collector's Daughter - 3 starsComfort Me with Apples - 1 star
The Hacienda - 4 stars
Nowhere for Very Long - 5 stars! (I loved it so much I went to the author's book signing last year at the City Library. I got to pet all of her dogs, it was magical.)
The Patron Saint of Second Chances - 4 stars
The Sired of Sussex - 3.5 (I like my romance a little spicier, this was at about a bell pepper level.)
The Stolen Lady - 3.5
All Her Little Secrets - 3Comfort Me with Apples - 4
Dead Silence - 3
The Hacienda - 3
The Last Chance Library - 4
Light from Uncommon Stars - 2
No Cure for Being Human: And Other Truths I Need to Hear - 4
The Stolen Lady - 4
They Can't Take Your Name - 4
Just finished They Can't Take Your Name. I liked it. Did not expect the very ending. It wasn't like a punch surprise, but kind of a nice surprise.
Julia wrote: "The Sired of Sussex - 3.5 (I like my romance a little spicier, this was at about a bell pepper level.)"I appreciate you sharing that. I can handle that, but not a ghost pepper! Good to know which one it is!
The Collector's Daughter - 3 starsComfort Me with Apples - 4
Dead Silence - 3
The Hacienda - 3
The Last Chance Library - 4
Light from Uncommon Stars - 2
No Cure for Being Human: And Other Truths I Need to Hear - 4
The Stolen Lady - 4
They Can't Take Your Name - 4
Loved the Patron Saint. Had me laughing and smiling through it all. The Collector's Daughter - 3 stars
Comfort Me with Apples - 4
Dead Silence - 3
The Hacienda - 3
The Last Chance Library - 4
Light from Uncommon Stars - 2
No Cure for Being Human: And Other Truths I Need to Hear - 4
The Patron Saint - 5
The Stolen Lady - 4
They Can't Take Your Name - 4
I really liked that one too. It was very sweet.
Britt, Book Habitue wrote: "Reminds me of Benedict Cumberbatch's complete inability to say penguin, lol. At Summer's End was not what I wanted it to be.... but if you like domestic drama and healing....and are not bothered ..."
Thanks for your thoughts on At Summers End. I was just going to start that, but I think I will pass.
The Collector's Daughter was surprisingly gripping. Kind of bored by They Can't Take Your Name. I felt like I was watching it all from a distance instead of in the story.
Enjoyed No Cure for Being Human. Stolen Earth was pretty generic.
I can fit in a few more: looking at Mango-Mambo, Summer's End, or Nowhere.
Found Siren of Sussex just meh. With the last third or so I couldn't wait for it to get over.The Collector's Daughter - 3 stars
Comfort Me with Apples - 4
Dead Silence - 3
The Hacienda - 3
The Last Chance Library - 4
Light from Uncommon Stars - 2
No Cure for Being Human: And Other Truths I Need to Hear - 4
The Patron Saint - 5
Siren of Sussex - 2
The Stolen Lady - 4
They Can't Take Your Name - 4
Nowhere For Long - The author and I are so very different, but through the book I found myself longing for some of the things she longed for. I hope she is in a good place now.The Collector's Daughter - 3 stars
Comfort Me with Apples - 4
Dead Silence - 3
The Hacienda - 3
The Last Chance Library - 4
Light from Uncommon Stars - 2
No Cure for Being Human: And Other Truths I Need to Hear - 4
Nowhere For Long - 4
The Patron Saint - 5
Siren of Sussex - 2
The Stolen Lady - 4
They Can't Take Your Name - 4
Patty wrote: "Nowhere For Long - The author and I are so very different, but through the book I found myself longing for some of the things she longed for. I hope she is in a good place now.That's one of the many things I love about books! They let us see into other people's lives and experiences. Books are windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors.
I read about 10 percent of Nowhere Very Long and quit. It was well written, but I was so bored, which I had predicted. I gave it a shot.
Based on votes at Hunter, Nowhere might win and it makes me want to demote it to 2 stars even more.
I use Hunter too and saw that. I was puzzled and thought maybe I was missing something after all, but it turned out my instincts were correct. I haven't put my vote in yet.
I wonder if it makes a difference if you read it or listen to it. I listened to it and was never bored - thought I would be bored listening to it which was one reason I left it more for last, but was pleasantly surprised.
Just gave up on Blown to Hell. Right now I have so many little details to keep track of that I can't handle a book with a ton of details. So far I think it's probably a good book, just not one I care to read at the moment.
I am almost done with that one. I kept zoning out on the audio version. It is very meticulous with dates and names. The second half is less about testing and more on the long-term health effects.
A couple of us on the committee recommended Blown to Hell, but you’re right, there were a lot of details. I love history, so maybe in the future, we shouldn’t recommend books with too many details. Good observation - thank you!
Darin wrote: "A couple of us on the committee recommended Blown to Hell, but you’re right, there were a lot of details. I love history, so maybe in the future, we shouldn’t recommend books with too many details...."I think details are fine. Lots of people really like them. And some will like books like that who won't like the other books on the list. For some of us timing just makes a difference and for me this isn't the right time.
Patty wrote: "I wonder if it makes a difference if you read it or listen to it. I listened to it and was never bored - thought I would be bored listening to it which was one reason I left it more for last, but w..."I listened to it. I think I just struggle with the Insta/Influencer concept as a whole.... and then looking at some of the reviews made it that much harder to like her attitude.
Darin wrote: "A couple of us on the committee recommended Blown to Hell, but you’re right, there were a lot of details. I love history, so maybe in the future, we shouldn’t recommend books with too many details...."I don't mind a lot of details, but it can make the audio harder to follow. But it would have taken way too long to read otherwise (nonfiction always takes me longer).
Don't stop recommending history!
I only have TWO left, but my life is crazy busy between now and the end of the month..... so we'll see if I manage both.Stolen Earth isn't available on audio, so that's the real question mark right now.
Stolen Earth and Blown to Hell are the two I am not listening to, so they have taken a lot longer to read.Blown to Hell is pretty good (twenty pages to go); I knew nothing about the subject before.
I had a hard time getting into Stolen Earth despite being a sci fi fan. It's pretty generic.
Britt, Book Habitue wrote: "Darin wrote: "A couple of us on the committee recommended Blown to Hell, but you’re right, there were a lot of details. I love history, so maybe in the future, we shouldn’t recommend books with too..."Awesome - thanks, everyone, for the feedback!
I listened to They Can't Take Your Name and didn't like it too much, but I felt I was missing stuff, so I skimmed through it, and the ending was completely different from what I remember listening to. So I guess I'm losing my mind.
I restarted They Can't Take your Name four times because I kept falling asleep, lol. It's me, not the book. I mean, probably anyway. Fourth time's the charm? Maybe anyway.
I'm soooooo busy this week....I doubt I'll manage Stolen Earth unless I can bribe someone to read it to me.
Oh my gosh They Can't Take your Name is dragging.....I very very much want to know what happens. It's a good and important STORY. Unfortunately I'm finding the BOOK .....well, boring. Sigh
They Can't Take your Name..... sigh. I've never felt so guilty for giving a bad rating because it is an important story, but I was bored and then right around the end of part three it takes this weird left turn....and it's not even a good story anymore. It's all over the place. The fact that it's a first novel explains a LOT but wow that was hard to get through. And I'm sorry but the ending is stupid.
FYI, the app just shows spoilers. It's not hidden, lol.
Running list -
Comfort Me with Apples - read
No Cure for Being Human - 3.5
Blown to Hell - 4
Nowhere for Very Long - 2 (I gave it 3 originally but it's being demoted)
Patron Saint of Second Chances - 4.5
The Stolen Lady - 5
Mango, Mambo, and Murder- 3.5
Look What You Made Me Do - 1
Light from Uncommon Stars - 4
The Hacienda - 3
The Collector's Daughter - 4
A Flicker in the Dark - 3.5
All Her Little Secrets - 3
The Siren of Sussex - 3
Dead Silence - 4
If You Ask Me - 3
At Summer's End - 3
The Last Chance Library - 4.5
They Can't Take your Name - 2
I'm in charge of our elementary school book fair this week, so we'll see if I survive with enough brain power intact to manage Stolen Earth before it's May.
I'm still trying to write a review for Take Your Name. The author already liked my (blank) review, so now I feel even worse about it.I teach orchestra at two schools, and the book fair has been messing up my class. Elk Run was last week, and Farnsworth is this week.
Stolen Earth doesn't take much brain power, although I was never able to keep the characters' names straight.
I wish we had an orchestra. My daughter was one of only 2 to sign up for the before school orchestra offered, so they didn't do it at all.The author of Take your Name messaged me thanking me for my honest review..... I tried to be nice but....
At Farnsworth I have kids from Pioneer and Hillsdale who didn't have enough sign up at their schools.
They asked if we wanted to do that but the child in question is designation 4 of 5 and I couldn't deal with complicating my mornings that much. Hopefully we can get a few more kids next year. If nothing else it may be both of mine lol.
I'm not doing morning classes right now; mornings are already too hectic.
I don't love morning classes but our elementary gets out at 3:45 so after school leaves very little time for....well, anything. There's no good solution.
Pretty sure it was. I didn't get to Stolen Earth in time.
Final tally:Read:
The Hacienda – 2.5
Comfort Me With Apples – 4
All Her Little Secrets – 3.5
A Flicker in the Dark – 3.5
Look What You Made Me Do – 3
The Patron Saint of Second Chances – 3
Dead Silence – 4
They Can't Take Your Name – 2.5
Light from Uncommon Stars – 3
The Stolen Lady – 3
Stolen Earth – 3
The Last Chance Library – 3
No Cure for Being Human – 4
The Collector's Daughter – 3.5
Blown to Hell – 4
Nowhere for Very Long – DNF (~2 stars)
Didn't get to:
At Summer's End
If You Ask Me
Mango, Mambo, and Murder
The Siren of Sussex
Dead Silence was my favorite of the group.
Mod
Thanks as always for posting your thoughts. I love to hear what people think of the list.
My Final:All Her Little Secrets - 3
Blown to Hell - didn't finish
The Collector's Daughter - 3 stars
Comfort Me with Apples - 4
Dead Silence - 3
A Flicker in the Dark - 4
The Hacienda - 3
The Last Chance Library - 4
Light from Uncommon Stars - 2
Look What You Made Me Do - 4
No Cure for Being Human: And Other Truths I Need to Hear - 4
Nowhere For Long - 4
The Patron Saint - 5
Siren of Sussex - 2
The Stolen Lady - 4
They Can't Take Your Name - 4
Currently working on Mango, Mambo and Murder even though voting is over.
Mod
First Place: The Last Chance Library
Second Place: A Flicker in the Dark
Third Place: The Collector's Daughter
Thanks again for all your support with this program! We'll be back with a new list in July!
Ellen is there any chance we can get the whole ranked list?
Mod
The Last Chance Library
A Flicker in the Dark
The Collector's Daughter
All Her Little Secrets
Nowhere for Very Long
The Siren of Sussex
Mango, Mambo, and Murder
At Summer's End
Look What You Made Me Do
The Stolen Lady
Dead Silence
If You Ask Me
The Patron Saint of Second Chances
Comfort Me with Apples
No Cure for Being Human
The Hacienda
They Can't Take Your Name
Stolen Earth
Light from Uncommon Stars
Blown to Hell
Ellen wrote: "Absolutely! Here you go, in ranked order:The Last Chance Library
A Flicker in the Dark
The Collector's Daughter
All Her Little Secrets
Nowhere for Very Long
The Siren of Sussex
Mango, Mambo, and ..."
It makes me sad how low some of my favorites are on this list, lol.
Britt, Book Habitue wrote: "Ellen wrote: "Absolutely! Here you go, in ranked order:The Last Chance Library
A Flicker in the Dark
The Collector's Daughter
All Her Little Secrets
Nowhere for Very Long
The Siren of Sussex
Mang..."
I get it! I loved "The Patron Saint of Second Chances" and was surprised it was so low.
I saw you demoted Nowhere for long. I'm curious why.
Patty wrote: "Britt, Book Habitue wrote: "Ellen wrote: "Absolutely! Here you go, in ranked order:The Last Chance Library
A Flicker in the Dark
The Collector's Daughter
All Her Little Secrets
Nowhere for Very L..."
This list is a tally of every single library branch's votes combined, so the final tally will be different than your branch's tally.
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Books mentioned in this topic
The Collector's Daughter (other topics)A Flicker in the Dark (other topics)
The Last Chance Library (other topics)
The Patron Saint of Second Chances (other topics)
Stolen Earth (other topics)
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Light from Uncommon Stars was interesting, but I play the violin, and it might be boring for anyone who doesn't.
I started Blown to Hell on audio but kept zoning out, so I switched to the hard copy and am now exposed to tons of punctuation errors. Who puts a comma between a subject and a verb?? This guy.