Play Book Tag discussion
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Trim Challenge 2024: Announcement and Community Thread
#11 August The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan
3 stars
This book is about people who lose items and those who find them. Anthony's fiancé, Therese, passed before they married. He is still deeply in love with her. He feels that the items people lost have relevance to them and he has collected and tagged many of these. Upon his death he left Laura his home and gave her the responsibility of trying to find who the lost items belong to along with returning them.
Therese is still a presence in the house. Her sprit turns on music, locks doors and breaks things. With the assistance of her friend, Sunshine, and the gardener, Freddy, Lauren tries to find out what will help Therese rest peacefully.
While the book did not fully capture my attention; Sunshine and another minor character, Portia, add some comedy to the seriousness of the story. Friendships are important, as is keeping one's commitments. It is a sweet novel that readers who like happy endings will enjoy.
Duh! Just checking and it looks like I already read both of my choices for this month!
My #3 is One Summer in Paris by Sarah Morgan. It's from the nightstand piles - as all on this trim list have been so I know where it find it. Still behind - 3 books. I hope to knock off at least 1 of those soon. Alas I think my August trim book will slip into September - it's fat and I'm not getting much reading done.
My #3 is The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. I've had this classic on my TBR list for quite some time so this should be what I need to get around to it.
My #3 is Mansfield Park, which is supposed to be a buddy read with Pam. I'm really looking forward to it, I think it's the only Jane Austen's book I haven't read yet.
Diana wrote: "My #3 is Mansfield Park, which is supposed to be a buddy read with Pam. I'm really looking forward to it, I think it's the only Jane Austen's book I haven't read yet."Yes! I've been tempted to read this several times already this year but made myself hold off for the Buddy Read :)
Sallys wrote: "My # 3 is Mansfield Park as well"Pam wrote: "Diana wrote: "My #3 is Mansfield Park, which is supposed to be a buddy read with Pam. I'm really looking forward to it, I think it's the only Jane Austen's book I haven't read yet."
Yes! I've been..."
Oh, that's great! We'll make a nice group. Can't wait!
I already read one of my number 3 choices for a tag but I'm way behind after lots of deaths and funerals over the last 2 months so I'll pick a catch up.
Finished Aug #11The Taster / V. S. Alexander
4 stars
Magda is a German girl, living in Berlin in 1943. She does not care one way or the other about the Reich or the Nazis; her mother supports the Nazis, but her father does not agree with Hitler or this war (but he needs to keep quiet about it). Her parents are worried for her safety, so they send her out of Berlin to live with her aunt and uncle. Magda’s aunt insists she work for her keep, but the only job she is able to find, with the help of her uncle, is for the Nazis. She is chosen to be a “taster” for Hitler. She, along with other girls/women, taste his food before he eats to be sure it isn’t poisoned. but she needs this job. The work gets more dangerous as time goes on (for various reasons).
Another different perspective on WWII. This is, of course, based on real events – a mishmash of real events and real people, anyway. I thought it was very interesting. Interesting to see that not all Germans supported what Hitler and the Nazis were doing (and some, in fact, tried to sabotage what he was doing), plus interesting to see the danger that civilians (including those who did not support Hitler) in Germany also faced.
My #3 is Beloved by Toni Morrison which I think would be perfect for the tag, but my trim reading fell off a cliff about 3 months ago so I am unlikely to be able to finish :(
Meli wrote: "My #3 is Beloved by Toni Morrison which I think would be perfect for the tag, but my trim reading fell off a cliff about 3 months ago so I am unlikely to be able to finish :("Mine fell off a cliff 5 months ago. I'm still picking up the pieces!
Theresa wrote: "Mine fell off a cliff 5 months ago. I'm still picking up the pieces!"Although I wish nothing but reading success for you and your tbr that does make me feel better :P
I still find time to read consistently but I'm not even posting reviews these days :( I used to do all my Goodreads reviews during downtime at work and now there just isn't any.
Meli wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Mine fell off a cliff 5 months ago. I'm still picking up the pieces!"Although I wish nothing but reading success for you and your tbr that does make me feel better :P
I still fin..."
Much of my reviewing is late night.
#3 SeptemberThe Measure by Nikki Erlick
4 stars
Everyone in the world is magically left a box one day. In each is a string that has a measurement which correlates to the length of your life. Some people look inside to see their life span, while others don’t. Those with short stings start to be discriminated against by those with longer stings.
Some characters meet in a short string support group and become friends. Another person in the story is running for presidential office and has a platform against short string people.
The author shows how the world adjusts to this new box situation and the stages that they go through. Eventually people stand up for their rights and a movement to protect short string people begins.
Even though there is magical realism in this story. The topic of bigotry and discrimination can be applied to today’s society. It emphasizes the importance of being heard and standing up for your beliefs. The author wrote an entertaining story that questions the true way to measure the meaning of one’s life.
Finished #3 for SeptemberDeath Of A River Guide by Richard Flanagan - 4* - My Review
Aljaz Cosini, the titular river guide, is trapped underwater during a rafting accident on the Franklin River in Tasmania. As Aljaz faces impending death, he experiences a series of visions that merge his own life story with the history of his family, the land, and the indigenous people of Tasmania. The structure is nonlinear and comprises interconnected episodes which gradually reveal the reasons for Aljaz’s dire situation. They also cover his ancestors, who are a mix of different ethnicities and races, and a wide swath of Tasmania’s history.
We know from the start that Aljaz is dying, and his visions provide the structure for the narrative. We meet his fellow river guides and the unsuspecting tourists who are facing many more survival challenges than expected. My favorite part of this book is the story of Aljaz himself. The river serves as a metaphor for the journey of life and the passage of time. The structure occasionally gets in the way, with its constant shifts, but it is well-written and worth reading.
Finally got my August one finished!Lights Out by Elise Hart Kipness 3.5 stars. Completed 9/14/2024.
On to my September read, Apocalypse Z by Manel Loureiro
I opened a thread for the Mansfield Park buddy read if everyone's still interested...https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Just let me know when you guys want to start
Finished my second #3 for September - decided to read my backup too:Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See - 4* - My Review
This book is historical fiction based on a real person, Tan Yunxian, and set in China in the 15th century. Yunxian’s mother died when she was a child, and she was sent by her father to live with her grandparents. Her grandmother, one of the few female doctors, taught her Eastern medicine in the treatment of women. The family followed Confucianism so the emphasis for a woman’s life was that of being a good wife and mother. Yunxian and the midwife’s daughter, Meiling, become forever friends. The storyline follows their friendship, marriages, children, and experiences throughout their lives.
When Yunxian marries, she moves into her husband’s compound, the Garden of Fragrant Delights, and is subjected to the control of a stern mother-in-law. The lives of women in that culture were extremely limited. Propriety and family honor are valued, and Yunxian must ensure she acts appropriately. Even so, she eventually discovers ways to expand her freedoms and use her medical skills.
The story is a sweeping epic of family and culture. As with most of See’s works, there is a heavy emphasis on women’s issues. I can only say I am very glad not to have lived in that time and place, where women were under the strict control of their fathers, husbands, or sons. I found some of the so-called treatments very unusual and wonder how they ever could have worked, but apparently, they did (for the most part).
I feel that the author did a good job of placing the reader into the historical milieu. It even contains a bit of a murder mystery as well as contact with the rulers of the Ming Dynasty. The author does not shy away from describing the difficulties encountered by women of the period, but in the end, I found it an uplifting story of female friendships and women helping other women.
Just so everyone knows - Our Trim Picker for October is..... Jen K...
Amy wrote: "Just so everyone knows - Our Trim Picker for October is..... Jen K..."Oh gosh, thanks for the reminder!!
So glad Pam is back.!! I was gonna wait to invite you to pick in the new year. That maybe if you’re doing the buddy read, would you like to pick for November November?
All right, I've moved some stuff around and made Babel by R.F. Kuang my #3 - I had to read it for a book club anyway and it was such an undertaking. Really disappointed as I'd loved Yellowface. Only 1 star! Review is here.
September - # 3
The Sleepwalker – Chris Bohjalian – 3.5***
A known sleepwalker goes missing one night, leaving her husband and two daughters to search for answers. What an interesting concept for a missing-person mystery! I really liked Lianna as the main narrator. She is basically an adult, being a sophomore in college, but she is vulnerable. I could feel the continued tension of “not knowing,” and the slow realization of loss. The ending and final reveal of what happened was a stunner that I didn’t see coming.
LINK to my full review
I was doing well and fell of the wagon when summer started. I read my August this month and have my September one borrowed from the library. TBD on my July.Tomorrow, depending on time of tag announcement, I may have a delay but promise to get pick out within 24 hours. :)
Jen, our world, traveler and star trailblazer reader, we can certainly wait for you to get off the plane!
Book Concierge wrote: "September - # 3 The Sleepwalker
– Chris Bohjalian – 3.5***
.."
Ooooh, this sounds good!
Amy wrote: "Jen, our world, traveler and star trailblazer reader, we can certainly wait for you to get off the plane!"Thanks Amy! Just sleeping this time :)
Announcing the October Unofficial Challenge number:October will be #8
#8 is a great pick, Jen K! It is Women Talking by Miriam Toews and we have a buddy read together with Linda C. and Meli.I have it in hand too!
I have already read my 8's this year!!!! I put all my high priority books on Trim, like 36-48 of them and I have been knocking them off anyway. More time for witches and ghosts.....
Theresa wrote: "#8 is a great pick, Jen K! It is Women Talking by Miriam Toews and we have a buddy read together with Linda C. and Meli.I have it in hand too!"
I’ll join you in this buddy read if I may.
My #8 is Life After Life - Kate AtkinsonCompleted #3 - The Simple Wild - K.A. Tucker - 4 Stars - 9/6/24
Review
Amy wrote: "So glad Pam is back.!! I was gonna wait to invite you to pick in the new year. That maybe if you’re doing the buddy read, would you like to pick for November November?"Works for me, Amy. I can pick whenever you want
My #8 is Watership Down. I had that down as a potential buddy read, but I’m not sure with who… Anybody else reading this?
Jen K wrote: "October will be #8"Have to admit it's not one I'm looking forward to, but it's been on my tbr for a long time, and I'll be happy to get it off that tbr! I hope it's better than I'm thinking.
Probably one Anita would like (or did like? I'm assuming she's already read it): Runaway: Stories / Alice Munro
My number 8 is The Kraken’s Sacrifice by Katee Robert which would be great for Fall Into Smut 😂 but I also do a #31spookystories horror short story reading challenge in October so maybe no room for this 😢
I am dying to read something spoopy for October, so I think I'm gonna move some stuff around and try to read The Last House on Needless Street for my #8. We shall see...
Theresa wrote: "#8 is a great pick, Jen K! It is Women Talking by Miriam Toews and we have a buddy read together with Linda C. and Meli.I have it in hand too!"
I'm excited for this one! A different kind of spooky!
Theresa wrote: "#8 is a great pick, Jen K! It is Women Talking by Miriam Toews and we have a buddy read together with Linda C. and Meli.I have it in hand too!"
This was a very very good book! I cannot wait to follow the buddy read with you-It is a book meant to be read together by women!
Joanne wrote: "Theresa wrote: "#8 is a great pick, Jen K! It is Women Talking by Miriam Toews and we have a buddy read together with Linda C. and Meli.I have it in hand too!"
This..."
It made my top ten the year I read it.
Got my September trim book finished! Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End by Manel Loureiro 3.5 stars. Completed 10/1/2024.
Now onto my October #8 which is The Rule of One by Ashley Saunders
Play Book Tag
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I pick # 3