What Are You Reading - 2024

[Christine]

I’m reading a book called Just the Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica

[PattyMacDotComma]

Popular author Catherine Ryan Hyde chose an intriguing title, Life, Loss, and Puffins for her story of two kids, outsiders (one's only 13!), who embark on a quest/road trip, seeking real experiences, away from classrooms and screens. I suspended disbelief and enjoyed the ride.
My review of Life, Loss, and Puffins

[Christine]

[Christine]

I’m reading a book called She's Not Sorry by Mary Kubica

[PattyMacDotComma]

A cute new children's picture book, A Wild Windy Night by Yui Abe is wilder and windier than little Ricky expected!
My review of A Wild Windy Night

[PattyMacDotComma]

Caroline Kepnes woke up The Bad Friend with a satisfying (to me) surprise in her short story from the #NeverTell collection.
My review of The Bad Friend

[Kristie, Moderator]

I finished these two:

- my If Something Happens review
- my Rom-Commers review

Currently reading Hidden Valley Road for the yearly challenge, finishing Check & Mate, and about to start Starter Villain for the group read.

[Sandra, Moderator]

I had a Henry James moment and finished The Aspern Papers, The Beast in the Jungle and The Jolly Corner.

I also finished The Canterville Ghost.

I started My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry for my book club.

[Jayme, Moderator]

Sandra wrote: "I had a Henry James moment and finished The Aspern Papers, The Beast in the Jungle and The Jolly Corner.

I also finished [book:The Cantervil..."

Sandra I love your romp through the classics.

[Jayme, Moderator]

I started Stoner by John Williams and am really enjoying it.
I hope to finish How Not to Age: The Scientific Approach to Getting Healthier as You Get Older this week. I've been slogging through this since January. It has some nuggets of wisdom, but seems a bit extreme in other areas.

[Sandra, Moderator]

Jayme wrote: "Sandra I love your romp through the classics."

In general I like classics, and there are so many I think I should have read by now...

[Sandra, Moderator]

Jayme wrote: "I've been slogging through this since January."

No joking, it is 640 pages!

[Janice, Moderator]

I'm reading The Curious Secrets of Yesterday on Kindle, and will be finishing Lessons in Chemistry today. I have 1:37 left to listen in the book. I'll start Holly next.

[Kristie, Moderator]

Janice wrote: "I'm reading The Curious Secrets of Yesterday on Kindle, and will be finishing Lessons in Chemistry today. I have 1:37 left to listen in the book. I'll start ..."

What did you think of Lessons in Chemistry?

[Janice, Moderator]

It was just okay. I certainly did not find it laugh-out-loud funny which the book blurb states. I was more angered by the way women were treated. Actually, the book blurb should have had some trigger warnings. I loved the dog the best. Loved how he called the daughter, "the creature".

[Kristie, Moderator]

The dog part sounds funny (and cute). If I do read it I will go in not expecting humor.

[Christine]

I’m reading a book called Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

[Cherie]

I just started reading for my hike in Moria.
I am almost finished with . One more in the series and it will be done.

I am currently listening to . I am not sure how I feel about it yet.

[PattyMacDotComma]

Acclaimed author John Boyne's praise convinced me to try Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano He reckons it's one of the best books about a young person: "outstanding storytelling, great writing, absolutely The Real Deal." I won't argue!
My review of Dear Edward

[Christine]

I’m reading a book called Liar's Point by Laura Griffin

[Janice, Moderator]

PattyMacDotComma wrote: "Acclaimed author John Boyne's praise convinced me to try Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano He reckons it's one of the best books about a young person: "out..."

That's a great endorsement from John Boyne.

[Kristie, Moderator]

I just finished Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams for the yearly challenge. I read most of it while waiting for my library hold on Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family to be available, but I put it aside to read Hidden Valley Road first so I could use both for the challenge and just finished Why We Sleep.

I thought Hidden Valley Road was ok, but it didn't seem to have a good focus. Part of it was about the Galvin family and part of it was about the developing field of psychotherapy, including the research and researchers. Although the two are related, I felt like it jumped between them in a fractured way and ended up feeling like it could have gone deeper into both subjects.

Why We Sleep was really interesting. It felt a little repetitive and preachy at the end because the author is so passionate about sleep, but he gave a lot of information that I didn't know and referenced many studies. I thought it was excellent.

I am still reading Check & Mate and Starter Villain. I am more than half way through both and enjoying them both.

I just started Being Henry: The Fonz . . . and Beyond for the yearly challenge. It bounces around a bit, but it seems like that is on par with Henry Winkler.

[Sarah]

I have just finished reading Starter Villain for the group read. I haven't participated in a group read since before the pandemic, feels good to participate again. I am reading another Scalzi, or listening I should say, the final installment of the Dispatcher series Travel by Bullet. I seem to have stalled on the kindle version of The Power

[Sandra, Moderator]

It's good to have you participating again, Sarah. :)

[Sarah]

Thank you Sandra.

[Janice, Moderator]

I'm really disappointed. I was so excited to start Holly and I think I'm going to bail. I find myself not wanting to pick it up to listen to it.

Will Wheaten narrated all the previous books with Holly in them and he gave her a unique voice that highlighted her specialness. This narrator just charges through, glossing over her mannerisms, making her a one dimensional character. I can't find Holly in her narration.

This means I have to rethink my first 3 books of the El Camino Trail. As Holly would say, "Oooof".

[Kristie, Moderator]

Oh, that's disappointing, Janice. I also thought it took away from Holly's charm a bit. I'm sure they switched because they wanted a woman to narrate from her perspective. I really did think it was a good book though. Maybe you can try again another time or in another format?

Why do you need to rethink your other 3 books?

[Kristie, Moderator]

I just read Galatea today. I hadn't read anything by Madeline Miller before and I really liked her style. I look forward to trying one of her longer stories. This one was very short.

I also finished Starter Villain. I thought it was cute. It is a quick, fun read.

[PattyMacDotComma]

Janice wrote: "PattyMacDotComma wrote: "Acclaimed author John Boyne's praise convinced me to try Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano He reckons it's one of the best books a..."

That's a great endorsement from John Boyne.

Yep - that's what convinced me!

[PattyMacDotComma]

I'm glad that Stephen King ventured out of horror into old-school mystery territory with Retired Detective Bill Hodges, a likeable guy who finds new purpose in catching the villainous Mr. Mercedes.
My review of Mr Mercedes

[Janice, Moderator]

Kristie wrote: "Oh, that's disappointing, Janice. I also thought it took away from Holly's charm a bit. I'm sure they switched because they wanted a woman to narrate from her perspective. I really did think it was..."

Holly was the first book in the El Camino Trail. So, I needed to find a new King author/title book to replace it. Then I needed to make sure the connections with the next two books work. I managed to keep book 3, so I only needed to replace book 1 and 2.

[Janice, Moderator]

Kristie wrote: "I just read Galatea today. I hadn't read anything by Madeline Miller before and I really liked her style. I look forward to trying one of her longer stories. This on..."

The Song of Achilles was my first Madeline Miller book, then Circe. I loved them both.

[Kristie, Moderator]

Ohhh... 🤦🏼‍♀️ I read that as a series name, not a challenge trail. lol I was wondering if it was the same narrator and you just really didn't like her or if the 'series' no longer fit your challenge. Clearly my brain is shut off for the night. Glad your third book will still work.

I have both The Song of Achilles and Circe on my TBR. I think I may start with Circe when I can fit it in somewhere.

[Sarah]

I will be reading Circe soon as i bought it on audio. I loved song of achilles when we did it for a groupmread years ago.

Sorry to hear you are struggling with Holly narration, Janice. When you mentioned a female narrator, i thought to myself 'i don't remember a female narrator'. I had to go look at the details and yes, it was a woman. No recollection lol. This was the first one on audio and i thought it was good. But i didnt have the comparison like you.

[Janice, Moderator]

I think that's the pitfall that happens when you change a narrator at the end of a series. I understand the reasoning behind having a woman narrator, but it didn't work for me in this instance.

I just checked Libby through my library and put a hold on the ebook. It's popular, and will be several months before I get it. But, it's better than paying $20.00 for the Kindle book when I already bought the audiobook.

[Sandra, Moderator]

I hope the ebook works better for you, Janice, whenever you get to it.

[Christine]

I’m reading a book called The Perfect Child by Lucinda Berry

[Christine]

[PattyMacDotComma]

The late Alice Munro's stories are among my favourites. Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage: A Story is right up there. An unlikely, cross-Canada search for a better life. Loved it.
My review of Hateship... etc.

[PattyMacDotComma]

I imagine the colourful music scene of Taylor Jenkins Reid's best-selling Daisy Jones & The Six will be better onscreen with real music and everyone looking high and beautiful.
My review of Daisy Jones and the Six

[Sarah]

I finished listening to Travel by Bullet which concludes the series. Now moved on to another short audio with Artificial Condition. I really liked the first one which i read on kindle. This one is feeling a little dry, we'll see what happens.

[Sandra, Moderator]

I'm listening to The Invisible Man and reading Black Boy

[Kristie, Moderator]

I started Little Fuzzy for the group theme.

[Christine]

I’m reading a book called Funny Story by Emily Henry

[Christine]

I read some of those books Sarah

[Sarah]

I bailed on Artificial Condition. I heard it but it just wasn't going in. So I have shelved it as 'start come back later' and perhaps I'll read the actual book but won't be in any hurry. Decided to move on to the audio of Project Hail Mary which I've heard good things about. I really like the other 2 books I've read by the author.

[Janice, Moderator]

I finally finished book 1 in badge 2, so now I can start The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise.

[Kristie, Moderator]

I've just started Kind Is the New Classy: The Power of Living Graciously for the monthly challenge.

[PattyMacDotComma]

Sarah wrote: "I bailed on Artificial Condition. I heard it but it just wasn't going in. So I have shelved it as 'start come back later' and perhaps I'll read the actual book but won't be in any h..."

Decided to move on to the audio of Project Hail Mary which I've heard good things about. I really like the other 2 books I've read by the author.

I envy you the fun of listening to Project Hail Mary. So far, it's my favourite audio ever!

[PattyMacDotComma]

I expected to and did enjoy "Ernest Cunningham's" second novel (by Aussie author Benjamin Stevenson, of course), Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect. The trademark humour is there, along with murders and secrets. Good fun!
My review of Everyone on this Train is a Suspect