Ioana's 2024 Independent Challenge

[Ioana]

First Lie Wins This was a fast and very entertaining read. I've guessed early on who Mr.Smith was, but the big reveal surprised me. My first Ashley Elston book, but I want to read more. 4 stars, maybe 4.5?

[Bill, Moderator]

It sounds quite different.

[Ioana]

It reminded me of Gone Girl. So if you liked that one, try this one too.

[Lea]

Adding First Lie Wins to my TBR. :-)

[Ioana]

Lea wrote: "Adding First Lie Wins to my TBR. :-)"

I hope you like it. But if you don't, blame Lindsey, not me ;-) I read the book because she liked it.
I think Alissa has it on the waiting list now, too.

[Ioana]

How to Stand Up to a Dictator. This was on my TBR for a while, but Bill pushed it up, and I'm glad he did. I had never heard of Maria Ressa before, but what an amazing person! Strong in her convictions, brave journalist, creator of the online news site Rappler she had the clarity to see long before the rest of us how the internet news and social media will replace traditional newspapers and TV news, how the public can be manipulated, how Facebook will impact the way information is collected and distributed.
She was arrested and convicted in Philippines by Duterte, seemingly for libel and tax evasion, but in reality for her opinions.
She was a Nobel Peace Prize laureate in 2021 and is a model of how integrity should govern our lives. "Don't become a monster to fight a monster!"

[Bill, Moderator]

Ioana wrote: "How to Stand Up to a Dictator. This was on my TBR for a while, but Bill pushed it up, and I'm glad he did. I had never heard of Maria Ressa before, but what an amazing person! Stron..."

I'm glad you were as impressed as I was. I saw her on Stephen Colbert once and she was so articulate and thoughtful...

[Ioana]

You made me look for it, thank you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpWev...

[Bill, Moderator]

Ioana wrote: "You made me look for it, thank you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpWev..."

My pleasure.

[Ioana]

The Promise of Stardust - although not perfect, this was a good book and it would be a perfect book club read. This is not a spoiler, as all of this is in the book's blurb: Matt and Elle have a great marriage, and the only thing they wish for and don't have is a baby. One day she has an accident and becomes brain dead, and they all agree to let her go. Until it turns out she is pregnant. Matt's mother has her life directive, and Elle does not want a slow death like her mother's; Matt wants to keep her alive until the baby is born.
You see where this is going, and all the topics you think are going to be discussed are discussed. Interesting, but predictable. 3 stars.

[Ioana]

I loved Cutting for Stone, it's one of my favorite books ever. His new book The Covenant of Water, not so much. It was fine, but too long and too meandery. 3 stars.

[Lea]

I agree with you about The Covenant of Water. I really wanted to like it more than I did. Not that it wasn't good. It just wasn't as good as I wished it to be.

[Ioana]

Yes, I know exactly how you feel. I think he did a good job narrating it, but it was the book itself...

[Alissa]

I still need to read Cutting for Stone and I own it,.. ::hides::

[Ioana]

Alissa wrote: "I still need to read Cutting for Stone and I own it,.. ::hides::"

Don't hide :-)
But I hope it makes it on one of your multiple lists soon, and I hope you'll like it as much as I did. You're reading a lot of other good books, and I understand...not enough time.

[Patricia]

I loved Cutting for Stone as well & owned it for several years before I got to it. Hoping to love The Covenant of Water as well, but I know high expectations can be a hindrance!

[Ioana]

Patricia wrote: "I loved Cutting for Stone as well & owned it for several years before I got to it. Hoping to love The Covenant of Water as well, but I know high expectations can be ..."

I hope you will love it! A lot of people did, just look at that 4.45 average rating.

[Ioana]

Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen. I had never heard of the Tarahumara Indians in the Mexico's Copper Canyon, and their ability to run (very fast) for hundreds of miles, with no rest. If this sounds out of this world, this is the book for you.
It's not perfect, and there is a lot of anecdotal evidence, where I was hoping for more scientific one. But overall, a very interesting book, but not enough to convince me to start running. 3 stars

Bridge to Terabithia. Man, oh man...what a good story. Not growing up here I've missed a lot of children books, but thanks to Alissa and Lea, I'm slowly catching up. I loved Jess and Leslie, their relationship, their chats and their Terabithia. And you know I cried in the end...
Yes, my audiobook had the author's interview. It was interesting to hear that adults find the ending sad, while the children don't. I guess I'm not a child anymore. 4 stars.

[Michelle]

Ioana wrote: "Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen. I had never heard of the Tarahumara Indians in the Mexico's Copper Canyon, and their abili..."

I really enjoyed Born to Run. Like you said its not really scientific but so many odd little stories. I never thought running could be that interesting. Don't you want to just take off barefoot on a 50-mile run now?

[Ioana]

Michelle wrote: "Don't you want to just take off barefoot on a 50-mile run now?

No. 🤣🤣🤣

[Michelle]

Ioana wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Don't you want to just take off barefoot on a 50-mile run now?

No. 🤣🤣🤣"


Me neither. LOL
But it was still a great book.

[Ioana]

Michelle wrote: "Ioana wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Don't you want to just take off barefoot on a 50-mile run now?

No. 🤣🤣🤣"


Me neither. LOL
But it was still a great book."

True. I love books where I learn something new.

[Lea]

I'm glad you liked Bridge to Terabithia! I'm not a child anymore either. Even though I lived here my entire life, and read a fair bit, it was the first time I read that book! I think there are a few more children's books we need to read together. :-)

[Ioana]

Lea wrote: "I think there are a few more children's books we need to read together. :-)"

Sounds great, let's do it!

[Lea]

Ioana wrote: "Lea wrote: "I think there are a few more children's books we need to read together. :-)"

Sounds great, let's do it!"

Yes!

I just finished the Winnie-the-Pooh books, and I'm in the middle of the Wizard of Oz books. After that, let's figure out what books we need to read (or in my case, re-read - I always re-read one book or book series every year from my past...)

About Bridge to Terabithia (view spoiler)[I also thought it was so real that one of Jess's recurring thoughts after he hears about Leslie is to think that he is now the fastest runner in the 5th grade. I think that's when I started to lose it. It just felt so real and raw - the jumbled thoughts that a person has when they are going through grief like that. (hide spoiler)]

[Ioana]

Grieving is hard for adults...I can't imagine how kids deal with it. Or how the parents help the kids deal with it...

[Ioana]

The Collected Regrets of Clover. I've never heard of a death doula before; yes, this is areal job. I enjoyed the book and the characters, with lots of good quotes worth noting and remembering. While there is death in this book, it's not macabre or depressing. It's a way to understand and value life; appreciate the people in our lives, and hope to die with few regrets. 3.5 stars.
"The secret to a beautiful death is to live a beautiful life. Putting your heart out there. Letting it get broken. Taking chances. Making mistakes"

[Alissa]

Ioana wrote: "The Collected Regrets of Clover. I've never heard of a death doula before; yes, this is areal job. I enjoyed the book and the characters, with lots of good quotes worth noting and r..."

I LOVED this one, what an interesting concept!

[Ioana]

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store I am torn about this one. I liked the narration, the voice and the tempo, I liked the main characters and their interactions. But there were so many other, smaller characters, and the story moved so much to cover them all, in what seems like a disjoint way. Maybe reading it would've been a better option for this book. 3 stars.

[Patricia]

Ioana wrote: "The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store I am torn about this one. I liked the narration, the voice and the tempo, I liked the main characters and their interactions. But there were so many..."
I tried Deacon King Kong in audio but got lost & went for the hard copy instead. I'll be reading Heaven & Earth with my book club in a few months. I will definitely stay away from the audio with this one!

[Ioana]

Patricia wrote: "I tried Deacon King Kong in audio but got lost & went for the hard copy instead. I'll be reading Heaven & Earth with my book club in a few months. I will definitely stay away from the audio with this one!"

This was for my book club, too. Can't wait to see what the ones who red the actual book thought of it.

[Alondra, Moderator Schmoderator]

Ioana wrote: "The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store I am torn about this one. I liked the narration, the voice and the tempo, I liked the main characters and their interactions. But there were so many..."

This is a huge complaint from quite a few readers; audio and real book. I think I may add it anyway, because I do pretty good with a ton of characters.... a la ASOIAF. LOL

[Ioana]

Alondra wrote: "This is a huge complaint from quite a few readers; audio and real book. I think I may add it anyway, because I do pretty good with a ton of characters.... a la ASOIAF. LOL"

Just **a little** different than ASOIAF 🤣, but still a good book. Take your time with it.

[Ioana]

The Pale-Faced Lie. Interesting memoir about growing up on a reservation, in a dysfunctional family, with an abusive father, maybe a criminal, definitely a liar, and a mentally ill mother who cannot protect her children. Life was not easy, but the story is from the young boy's, then later young man's perspective. There is sadness and anger, but lots of events are just fun. And throughout it all, the constant idea that education is the way out.
If you liked Educated and The Glass Castle, this book is for you. 4 stars.

[Ioana]

A Guest in the House. Bill made me do it, and I enjoyed it. I loved the graphic art, the alternation of black and white and color, and the story itself. But someone has to explain the ending to me, because I'm sooo confused.
(view spoiler)[ Beth was Sheila, right? Sheila did not drown, but she ran away, overwhelmed, right? Then who was the ghost??? (hide spoiler)]

[Bill, Moderator]

Ioana wrote: "A Guest in the House. Bill made me do it, and I enjoyed it. I loved the graphic art, the alternation of black and white and color, and the story itself. But someone has to explain t..."

I found it confusing too. And you may be right.

[Ioana]

Bill wrote: "I found it confusing too. And you may be right."

Reading other reviews, apparently we are not the only ones :-)

[Bill, Moderator]

Ioana wrote: "Bill wrote: "I found it confusing too. And you may be right."

Reading other reviews, apparently we are not the only ones :-)"

We are always right, Ioana.

[Alondra, Moderator Schmoderator]

Ioana wrote: "Just **a little** different than ASOIAF 🤣, but still a good book. Take your time with it.."

Most definitely; but I was thinking with the amount of characters, secondary characters. 😂

[Ioana]

The Girls Who Went Away: The Hidden History of Women Who Surrendered Children for Adoption in the Decades Before Roe v. Wade
My first (or 2nd?) 5 stars book this year. It's not perfect, it's somewhat repetitive, but every single story is heart wrenching and unique. All these very young girls in the 60s and early 70s, with 0 sex ed and 0 knowledge of how pregnancies happen, who become pregnant and were forced/convinced/bullied into giving the baby for adoption. It is hard to imagine today what they went trough, the way they were treated by society, by the church and sometimes by their families, and their lack of input in such a life changing decision.
Can you imagine a priest telling such a young mother that she can't marry the father of her baby because he is not a catholic? And because she is not married her baby cannot be baptized, thus he/she will forever stay in purgatory in the afterlife?
The only solution is to give the baby to a "good family" who deserves the baby? With all the implications of that statement? Then continue her life as if nothing had happened?
This book is the story of countless such mothers, their experiences, their lives, and in many cases, the story of their children.

[Lea]

Ioana wrote: "My first (or 2nd?) 5 stars book this year. It's not perfect, it's somewhat repetitive, but every single story is heart wrenching and unique. "

Wow, that book sounds interesting, but also heartbreaking. I've added it to my TBR.

[Ioana]

Lea wrote: "Ioana wrote: "My first (or 2nd?) 5 stars book this year. It's not perfect, it's somewhat repetitive, but every single story is heart wrenching and unique. "

Wow, that book sounds interesting, but ..."

Yes, interesting and heartbreaking. Keep tissues close by.

[Ioana]

The Rosary Girls New series, following a newly formed team of detectives in Philadelphia. This was their first case, a serial killer targeting young girls and posing them holding a rosary. Good mystery, lots of twists and turns, and I'll continue reading the series. 3 stars.

[Ioana]

The Fourth Monkey Another new series, another serial killer. But this one is really sick (mentally) and after the first few chapters, this is really hard to put down. There are the 3 monkeys we all know, hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil, but for this killer there is a fourth one: do no evil. Coming from a killer, this is such a hypocrisy, and the punishment is not to kill the one who did the evil thing, but his daughter. This is not a spoiler, we learn this in the first few pages.
I really liked the book, good plot, good writing, good pacing, but it's a very graphical book, and the ending was perfect. Can't wait to read the next one.

[Bill, Moderator]

I haven't heard of any of those new series. I will not, will not, may check them out.

[Ioana]

Bill wrote: "I haven't heard of any of those new series. I will not, will not, may check them out."

>> I will not, will not.....maybe you'll change your mind. But be aware, The Fourth Monkey is very difficult to read at times, that is a really sick puppy.

[Bill, Moderator]

Ioana wrote: "Bill wrote: "I haven't heard of any of those new series. I will not, will not, may check them out."

>> I will not, will not.....maybe you'll change your mind. But be aware, [book:The Fourth Monkey..."

Thanks for the warning.

[Ioana]

Those We Thought We Knew Good book about a current days small town in North Carolina, where the ideas of the KKK are still alive. There are many layers and the relationships between people go deep and go far back in time. Nowadays, it's not robes and lynchings, but politics and economic opportunities. Beautiful writing, interesting concepts and food for thought of what it means to be racist. And how such ideas get passed from a generation to the next. And how we think we know someone, and the reality is, we don't. 4 stars.

[Alondra, Moderator Schmoderator]

Ioana wrote: "The Fourth Monkey Another new series, another serial killer. But this one is really sick (mentally) and after the first few chapters, this is really hard to put down. There are the ..."

I already have this on my tbr. It looks good. I'm glad you enjoyed it. :)

[Ioana]

Alondra wrote: "I already have this on my tbr. It looks good."

This is another book where you realize that all the monsters are human.