Book Nook Cafe discussion
What did you read last month?
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What did you read in ~~ August 2024
August was a good reading month for me. Three of the seven books i read were not for the 2024 Challenge. Meet Me by the Fountain: An Inside History of the Mall--Alexandra Lange. If you are looking for memories of malls past, this might not be the book for you. If you are interested in the development of malls, their architectural features/plans, the business aspect (up to a point, not full of numbers), and possible futures, you may want to read it. I was satisfied, as it answered my questions & more.
Holiday in Death--J.D. Robb is a mystery, #7 in a long series. This was for a prompt, using holidays. This one used a man dressed as Santa as the rapist/killer. The series is set later in this century and, for me, the most interesting facts were about lifestyles--folks only look aged by choice, if they have any money at all, for instance.
Unleashed--Emily Kimelman is the first in a fairly new series. It's set in NYC, using areas locals would recognize, including Gracie Mansion, where the mayor lives. The MC walks dogs for a living, a business she got from a now-missing woman. There's a lightheartedness to the story but, while not graphic, it's also creepy, as in sexual perversions, of a sort.
The Editor: How Publishing Legend Judith Jones Shaped Culture in America--Sara B. Franklin. While i didn't know Jones's name, i've read many of the works she helped get published in the US, including The Diary of a Young Girl--Anne Frank, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and one of my favorite novelists, Anne Tyler. The book was a good introduction to her career with plenty about the woman herself.
The Moomins and the Great Flood--Tove Jansson. This is a children's book, written around the late 1930s, after a big Finnish-Russian War. The author wrote it for herself, creating a group of people, Moomins. They suffer relocation, missing family members, floods and other tragedies, which turned out to help comfort children recovering from WWII. This is the first in her series.
The Wild Trees: A Story of Passion and Daring--Richard Preston. While i've enjoyed other Preston books i've read (about eboli & other "hot" diseases), this one was fine. The topic is really Redwoods, their forests, as well as Sequoias. The facts are impressive and the climbers & scientists he discusses are sometimes eccentric but always committed to climbing and learning about large trees. I was happy to read about the canopies of these trees & all they flora & fauna they hold. Neat. I was less pleased when the author inserted his own experience into the mix, including tagging along as scientists performed their work.
A very nice month indeed, deb. A nice eclectic mix !
Deb, what a nice selection of books. The Moomins sounds like a comforting read, especially back in the time.
The Mall book sounds like it could be interesting. Malls really took off in the 80s. Around here, it appears that Malls are on the decline, but there aren't many other options either.
Nice reading month.
These are the books I read in August:Suitcase Girl
The Curator
The Hatchery - (4-star Trilogy) These books need to be read as one book. The first two books end in cliff hangers and give no resolution. Frustrating if you don't plan on continuing but wonderful if you are.
The trilogy has solid characters, action, mystery and an interesting concept. I enjoyed all three books.
My Reviews:
Suitcase Girl: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Curator: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Hatchery: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I also read 3 Graphic Novels:
The Field (4-star) - a nostalgic look at childhood when kids could ride their bikes and go into fields to explore for the day.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mazebook (4-star) - a man grapples with finding his peace after years of grief and agony.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
They Called Us Enemy (3-star) - a memoir looking back to the time of Japanese interment.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
And three more books:
The Rules of Half: A Novel (2-star) - a good story. This book has flaws: it contains way too many "problems" & "issues". Everything is thrown into this book. However, the story of Will & Regan is compelling and I didn't mind reading this story, even if my eyes rolled throughout.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Granny Who Stands on Her Head: Reflections on growing older (2-star) - not what it's pertained to be. It's not about reflections on growing older but memories of the author's as she looks back on her life. Plus a bit of self-promotion.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Lunatics, Imbeciles and Idiots: A History of Insanity in Nineteenth-Century Britain and Ireland (3-star) - an interesting look at the various asylums in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. I was expecting more of a history on mental illness. This is more about the asylums & laws themselves. Interesting but repetitive as each country is similar to the other.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This was a month of Threes. LOL
Hello everyone! For the month of August, I read four books.The first one was Frenzy by Robert Lettrick. I wrote an entire review on this book and you can read it here.
So this book is about Heath and a bunch of other campers trying to figure out how the animals at their camp became infected by super rabies while trying not to get infected and killed.
This book was friggin' awesome! It's basically a Goosebumps book on steroids. Like, it's so subtle about setting up that things aren't quite alright and it really sells just how harrowing and deadly the whole ordeal is. To quote my review, "Any animal will attack you, any animal can kill you. Any character can die, named or unnamed, developed or not so developed. There's next to no safe places either." What's also cool is that while the characters start out as little more than stock characters (i.e the bully, the nerd, etc), the book really allows them to evolve into characters that are much more real and much more fascinating as it goes on.
Honestly, the only real issue I had with it was that there were parts that made it feel rather dated, especially when it came to references to Justin Bieber, Facebook, and Skype. Though, to be fair, these parts weren't all that abundant, but they were still rather distracting when they did show up.
Rating: A
The second was Simon Thorn and The Wolf's Den by Aimee Carter. My full review can be found here.
The plot of this book basically involves a kid named Simon Thorn who tries to rescue his mom and along the way, discovers that he is an Animalgam (a.k.a someone who can shapeshift into an animal at will) and discovers some friends and long lost family.
So for me, this is one of those books that started out good, but gradually went downhill as it got to the end.
Now, don't get me wrong. There were some things that I actually liked. For example, the book was pretty creative and clever when it came to the characterization of Simon's Uncle Darryl by making him a relative that wasn't a complete villain and certain aspects of the worldbuilding were pretty cool too.
Unfortunately, this book really suffers from a wildly inconsistent shapeshifting system and choices made by certain characters that make absolutely no sense. Speaking of the characters, the character development was super rushed and super half-baked. It was as if the novel was afraid that if it took the time to flesh out the characters a little bit more and took its time to let things blossom naturally, the reader would lose interest or something.
Rating: D-
Another book I read this month was Sakamoto Days Volume One by Yuto Suzuki. Full review here.
This is the first entry in the series and to make a long story short, it basically centers around a retired legendary assassin named Taro Sakamoto who's trying to live his life as the owner of a convenience store and stuff, but various people from his past and whatnot just keep barging back into his new life.
For a book I bought on a whim, it's pretty damn great! The pacing is brisk without leaving the reader confused, some of the action is quite creative and hilarious, every element (including the more "out there" ones) feel grounded and believable, and there's so much action, humor, and touching character development packed into such a short book.
Though, I was a little surprised by how the book didn't do more to balance Taro, as he feels overpowered to the point where there really wasn't much tension or suspense whenever he was put in danger. I don't know. Maybe that'll get fixed in future entries.
Rating: A
The final book I read was Crashed Into My Kismet by S.A Thomas. You can read my full thoughts on it here.
This is a book that changes focus a few times throughout, but essentially, it's about the survivors of a plane crash (including the main couple, Ryan and Maya) not only having to work to survive on a deserted Thai island, but also have to work to get their lives back together once they get rescued.
For me, this book is rather polarizing. There was some stuff that I really liked, but there was just as much stuff that I didn't like.
Let me start with the positives. So given that a good chunk of the book deals with the survivors trying to get their lives back together, I think it was a pretty smart move to give both Maya and Ryan a common, post-rescue goal to have, as it helps the reader understand why they want to try and survive and gives them something to work towards as they try to get their lives back together. I also have to give credit to how, instead of (view spoiler) the book gradually builds towards it, making it feel a lot more believable and natural. On top of also having some pretty good pacing, it did keep me guessing as to where it was going a few times.
However, it clearly suffers from an insufficient amount of polish, as some of the dialogue is stiff even when it doesn't seem to make sense for the character, there's a number of grammatical errors (including missing and improperly spaced dialogue tags and so on), and the way that a certain chapters describes Maya's family feels rather out of place. Also, one the big twists relies on some of the characters being uncharacteristically dumb just to even make it happen.
Rating: C
Overall, August was kind of a mixed bag for me, but I am holding out hope that September will be a little better.
Hailey wrote: "Hello everyone! For the month of August, I read four books.The first one was Frenzy by Robert Lettrick. I wrote an entire review on this book and you can read it here.
So this book is about Heat..."
Glad you got a few As out of the month, Hailey. I enjoyed reading your thoughts.
The best book I read in August was by far and away, Held by Anne Michaels, It's only her third novel. She usually writes poetry, and was, for a time, the Poet Laureate of Canada. She's a native of Toronto and still lives there. Held is on the Booker longlist, and it's gorgeous. Those who can't stand jumps in time or imagistic storytelling instead of a linear plot, won't like it, though, even though it is gorgeous. I kind of liked her first novel, Fugitive Pieces more, but liked her second The Winter Vault less than Held. I write poetry every day, along with my novels, and read it every day, so I love her writing style.
I rate Held an A+, but I would caution anyone about its unusual structure. My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
...but I think most of you have already read it.
Petra wrote: "These are the books I read in August:Suitcase Girl
The Curator
The Hatchery - (4-star Trilogy) These books need to be read as one book. The first t..."
Wow, Petra! A lot! I enjoyed reading your thoughts on them all.
madrano wrote: "August was a good reading month for me. Three of the seven books i read were not for the 2024 Challenge. Meet Me by the Fountain: An Inside History of the Mall--Alexandra ..."</i>
I love [author:Richard Preston's books, Madrano. I'll put this one on hold at the library. Thank you! :-)
Here are my August reads. I enjoyed all the non fiction books I read. The two fiction books not so much. All in all a very nice month. 
The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War by Erik LarsonFormat: eBook
~ Non Fiction
~ Rated 4/5 Exceeded expectations
American Civil War (1861–65) was between the United States and 11 Southern states that seceded from the Union and formed the Confederate States . Fort Sumter is a sea fort island near Charleston, South Carolina. In 1861, Confederate troops fired on Fort Sumter. The books focus is on the lead up to the attack on the fort and the brief few days of fighting and it's fall. Fortunately, no one died during the attack. Ultimately it was a fire that led to the surrender.
The war left 750,000 people dead. At the wars end, in a moving ceremony, General Anderson, who was in charge of Fort Sumter, raises the American flag. Sadly, the night that Anderson raised the flag and the war finally ended, Lincoln was assassinated. The flag raising is still done every day at Fort Sumter. The book is well researched and very readable. I enjoyed it a great deal and gave it a 4/5 rating. One star off for no photos.
Fatherland: A Memoir of War, Conscience, and Family Secrets by Burkhard BilgerNon Fiction
Rated: 3/5 Good
Format: Immersion reading-- Audio book & eBook
The book is a memoir by a New Yorker magazine staff writer who investigates his grandfather, Karl Gonner. Gonner was the Nazi Party Chief of Bartenheim from 1942 to 1944 . Additionally, he was the head school teacher and principal and in charge of the local Hitler Youth. The story that unfolds is a morally complicated one that the grandson tries to learn more about.
Was he guilty or innocent of war crimes or was he a man who risked his life and that of his family to shield the villagers? As with many things in life, everything is not black and white but often grey. It's a fine line and complicated to be sure.
Sociopath: A Memoir by Patric GagneNon Fiction
Rate: 3/5 Good
Format: eBook
This was an interesting look at sociopathy. Sociopathy is now viewed as a spectrum disorder that is lumped with psychopathy and is now called antisocial personality disorder. She says that psychopaths have brain abnormalities, but sociopaths are different. They can learn to correct their antisocial behavior. Patrik seems to cling to this diagnosis and enjoys telling everyone she meets that she is a sociopath. At times I felt maybe she was a narcissist seeking the spotlight and enjoyed the reaction she got when she said it. Be warned. There is some controversy about the veracity of her story. It also got a bit repetitive. That said, I did enjoy this memoir.
The Guncle Abroad by Steven RowleyFiction
Rate: 3 minus /5 Okay
Format: Audio read by author. I recommend audio as he does a wonderful job. The first book in this possible series is The Guncle Which I enjoyed a lot. Guncle is short for Gay Uncle. We now find Patrick's brother is getting re-married in Italy. The kids are not too happy about it. That's pretty much the slender plot. The book was moving along okay until the last third. Then it just got too schmaltzy for my tastes. What little plot there is I saw the ending coming a mile away. Also the same jokes while fresh and funny in the first book, now seem a bit stale.
Quicksand by Nella LarsenFiction
Format: eBook
Rate: 2/5 Did not meet expectations
I read and enjoyed very much Larsen's Passing. So I was very much looking forward to reading Quicksand. The protagonist is Helga Crane. The story takes place in the 1920's. Helga, is a biracial woman. She never completely feels society accepts her. That said, she does seem to have a lot of supportive friends and family. She is thought of by most as quite beautiful and smart. She moves from the deep south where she worked at a prestigious school, to Harlem, NY during the Harlem renaissance. Feeling that she doesn't fit in she then goes to Chicago. Dissatisfied with Chicago she then moves in with her family in Copenhagen. Then back to Harlem, NY. Once again dissatisfied she finally ends up in a small poor town in Alabama. Unfortunately I found Helga hard to like. Her personality was almost manic. First she would be completely happy with her situation, family and friends then the next minute hated everything and everyone. She would make life changing decisions on the spur of the moment with little forethought and later much regret. She didn't learn from this impulsivity and the pattern continues throughout the novel. So I found it hard to be sympathetic.
The Truths We Hold: An American Journey by Kamala HarrisNon Fiction memoir
Format: eBook
Rate: 4/5
Published: 2019
It's not really an autobiography though there are stories about her life. The book is mostly about Kamala's stand on various policy issues and how she dealt with the issues on her jobs as District Attorney, Attorney General and Senator. This was a quick easy read. If you want to learn where she stands on important issues, I would recommend this book. To me, she comes across as warm, very caring and intelligent. The book also contains around 60 photos. Which I enjoyed looking at. The book was thoughtful discussion on serious topics like our criminal justice system, LGBTQ rights, immigration, women's rights, healthcare, climate change and much more. Agree or not with her, it was well presented and easy to understand and gives the reader food for thought.
Petra wrote: "They Called Us Enemy (3-star) - a memoir looking back to the time of Japanese interment...."
A nice eclectic month, Petra. Only 2 two stars.
I'm noting They Called us Enemy (Graphic Novel) I've not read many graphic novels but the few I've had, I enjoyed. Thanks for the title.
Hailey wrote: "Hello everyone! For the month of August, I read four books."
While August was a mixed bag for you reading wise, I enjoyed reading your reviews..
Bella (Kiki) wrote: "Hailey wrote: "Hello everyone! For the month of August, I read four books.The first one was Frenzy by Robert Lettrick. I wrote an entire review on this book and you can read it here.
So this boo..."
Thank you, Bella. I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed reading my thoughts on the books I read.
You said that you wrote novels. If you don't mind me asking, how many novels have you written and where can I find more information about them?
On the subject of novels, I too have written novels. My debut novel is called Kenji and Yuki: A Japanese Tale and I'm currently working on my second novel called I'm Pursuing a Monster. If you're interested, you can find more information on them right here: (https://haileysawyer.wordpress.com/my...)
Bella (Kiki) wrote:The best book I read in August was by far and away, Held by Anne Michaels, It's only her third novel. She usually writes poetry, and was, for a time, the Poet Laureate of Canada...."
I see the Booker short list is Monday, 16 September. Since you enjoyed this one so much, I hope it's on the list.
Alias Reader wrote: "Hailey wrote: "Hello everyone! For the month of August, I read four books."
While August was a mixed bag for you reading wise, I enjoyed reading your reviews.."
Thank you, Alias. I find the experience of writing reviews to be both entertaining and educational, even if I didn't end up liking the book.
Hailey wrote: "Bella (Kiki) wrote: "Hailey wrote: "Hello everyone! For the month of August, I read four books.The first one was Frenzy by Robert Lettrick. I wrote an entire review on this book and you can read ..."
Thank you for asking, Hailey. I've written three, but only my latest has been accepted for publication, and that's a three-book deal. So, you can only find them on my computer. LOL I'm glad the first wasn't published. I felt the ending and the theme were weak. The second, I think is fine, but I had a writing partner, and for some reason, that book didn't interest publishers. Maybe some day it will. Who knows? We have an agent who loves it. My third one, I'm very satisfied with, and it's the one that will be published. I'll let people here know when it's available. I feel very lucky it's going to be published since the chances of getting even a very good book published are very small, and this is a book that had to go to a big house.
Bella (Kiki) wrote: "Hailey wrote: "Bella (Kiki) wrote: "Hailey wrote: "Hello everyone! For the month of August, I read four books.The first one was Frenzy by Robert Lettrick. I wrote an entire review on this book an..."
Congratulations on finding some luck with your latest novel! Sometimes, it's the third time that's the charm.
Hailey wrote: "Hello everyone! For the month of August, I read four books.Another book I read this month was Sakamoto Days Volume One by Yuto Suzuki.
This is the first entry in the series and to make a long story short, it basically centers around a retired legendary assassin named Taro Sakamoto who's trying to live his life as the owner of a convenience store and stuff, but various people from his past and whatnot just keep barging back into his new life...."
Hailey, this book sounds really good. Thanks for the title.
Alias Reader wrote: "Here are my August reads. I enjoyed all the non fiction books I read. The two fiction books not so much. All in all a very nice month. [bookcover:The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak..."
Alias, I'm in awe of all the political books you read. What an interesting selection, too.
Petra wrote: "Hailey wrote: "Hello everyone! For the month of August, I read four books.Another book I read this month was Sakamoto Days Volume One by Yuto Suzuki.
This is the first entry in the series and to..."
You're welcome, Petra!
Petra wrote: Alias, I'm in awe of all the political books you read. What an interesting selection, too. ..."
Thanks, Petra. I would say the genre is more history. Though of course politics does come into play with all history.
Jon wrote: "Hi to everyone. In August 2024, I read "The Flower Bed', a novel by Michael Springer, The Flower Bed an Australian author. It was an excellent read, and the author blends the genre..."Thanks for the title, Jon. I'm not familiar with the book or author.
Unfortunately, I see there is no eBook version. It doesn't seem to have a lot of reviews yet on Amazon and no look inside feature. Maybe it hasn't been distributed in the U.S. yet.
Still, I'm happy to hear it was an excellent read.
madrano wrote: "August was a good reading month for me. Three of the seven books i read were not for the 2024 Challenge. Meet Me by the Fountain: An Inside History of the Mall--[author:Alexandra ..."
Very interesting reads! I had heard of the Moomins as cartoon characters, but didn't know the story.
Petra wrote: "These are the books I read in August:Suitcase Girl
The Curator
The Hatchery - (4-star Trilogy) These books need to be read as one book. The first t..."
What a month you had! Sorry to hear about Granny, the asylum book reminded me of 18th century-set fiction "sending away" unwanted family members.
Alias Reader wrote: "Here are my August reads. I enjoyed all the non fiction books I read. The two fiction books not so much. All in all a very nice month. [bookcover:The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak..."
Good going! I suspect sociopaths are a subset of narcissists.
Petra wrote: "These are the books I read in August:Suitcase Girl
The Curator
The Hatchery - (4-star Trilogy) These books need to be read as one book. The first t..."
What a fascinating variety of genres & approaches, Petra. Thanks for sharing (& warning) about each. Your graphic novel selections lead me to believe I’ve been sloppy in my choices.
I appreciate your honest reviews, they help us decide whether we want to read them or not. I hope next month is as successful for you.
Hailey wrote: "Hello everyone! For the month of August, I read four books.The first one was Frenzy by Robert Lettrick. I wrote an entire review on this book and you can read it here.
So this book is about Heat..."
Mixed bag, indeed. Your supposition that Sakomoto might suffer from translation difficulties makes sense. It’s a pity, as that’s the one i’m most drawn to. I will give it a go.
Thanks for sharing your considered opinions, Hailey. I like the way you balance your comments. Thanks.
Bella (Kiki) wrote: "I love [author:Richard Preston's books, Madrano. I'll put this one on hold at the library. Thank you! ..." I hope you like it, Bella. Reading about the climbs were good vicarious thrills!
Alias Reader wrote: "Here are my August reads. I enjoyed all the non fiction books I read. The two fiction books not so much. All in all a very nice month. ..."It sounds as though you had a rewarding month of reading, even if some aspects failed you. I’m grateful that you shared your thoughts with us here.
Jon wrote: "Hi to everyone. In August 2024, I read "The Flower Bed', a novel by Michael Springer, The Flower Bed an Australian author. It was an excellent read, and the author blends the genre..."Good August reading, Jon. It’s tough to decide whether or not to try it, knowing so little about it. It sounds as though it worked for you, though. Thanks for sharing.
John wrote: "Very interesting reads! I had heard of the Moomins as cartoon characters, but didn't know the story[..."Oddly enough, i saw an article about the life of the author, [author:Tove Jansson|45230], and wanted to read her bio. First, i decided to try her initial story. The best thing about it, imo, was that it didn’t try to be enchanting or charming. Just a neat story.
I had a pretty good August (reading wise...lol). 
I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney
4 Stars
Ok, kind of sad. I see that I rated it 4 stars, but can't remember the ending. So I really can't comment on this one, except that I must have thought it good at the time. LOL!
~~~~~~~~~~
Woom by Duncan Ralston
2 Stars
Ok, I usually don't finish a book if it's down in the 2 star rating, but I had to see how this one ended. Let me say....IT IS DISGUSTING!!!!! I can definitely say this is one that I would NOT recommend. Good thing it was short.
~~~~~~~~~~
My Life With Murderers by David Wilson
3 Stars
This one started out with promise, but ended up letting me down. I thought there would be more interviews with those in prison, but I found that it was more of a textbook style book instead of one that would entertain you.
~~~~~~~~~~
The Girl Behind the Gates by Brenda Davies
4 Stars
This one was hard to make it through at times. The way that Nora was treated was just horrible, yet the fact that she survived that long in the institution was remarkable. I enjoy books that involves types of psychological history.
~~~~~~~~~~
Paris: The Memoir by Paris Hilton
4 Stars
I was blown away at how much Paris went through during her adolescent years. After reading all of this, I actually gained an admiration for her that I didn't have before. I would have given this 5 stars, but the end kinda drug on for me with all of the business talk.
~~~~~~
Home by Harlan Coben
4 Stars
This was a pretty good story. There was a slight shocker at the end. Something that makes you say wow, not WOW. There was a fine line between getting just enough information to make you want to see what is going to happen and too much information that is making it drag on. I see that it's #1 in the Myron Bolitar series by him, so I may check out #2.
ETA: Oops, saw that it was #11, not #1. LOL
Here are mine, not a bad month overall ...The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A Visit to Don Otavio by Sybille Bedford ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Wandering Jews by Joseph Roth⭐️⭐️⭐️
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World by Gretchen Rubin ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Traveling Heavy: A Memoir in between Journeys by Ruth Behar⭐️⭐️⭐️
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
~*Kim*~ wrote: "I had a pretty good August (reading wise...lol). ..."
Kim, I keep saying I should read a Harlan Coben book. Though I am not big on series.
Oh no ! you read #11 and not #1.
John wrote: "Here are mine, not a bad month overall ..."
You had a very nice reading month, John.
I'm glad you enjoyed Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World as much as I did. If nothing else, when I go for my exercise walk I'm now more mindful to use all my senses to really see what is around.
Of the 5 I would say vision gives me the most pleasure. Reading, seeing nature.
The least would be sound. My gym insists on playing loud rock music. It's so loud I can't even listen to an audiobook or my own music as I would have to turn up the volume on my phone to ear damage levels. Yes, I've mentioned the problem but the workers (mostly young) don't care or probably think I'm nuts. I wouldn't mind low background music, even it was elevator music or what you hear in a grocery store, but this gets on my last nerve. Even the locker room has the music blasted in there.
I do know I'm sensitive to sound. I don't even like the radio on in the car. Some like to have the TV on all day even if they aren't watching it. I prefer silence.
How about you, John? Did the book help you experience your surrounding more through all your senses? What would you say is your neglected sense? What sense do you use most and enjoy?
The author does have a quiz.
https://gretchenrubin.com/quiz/the-fi...
Alias Reader wrote: "John wrote: "Here are mine, not a bad month overall ..."
You had a very nice reading month, John.
I'm glad you enjoyed [book:Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head ..."
Honestly, I think she was the most effective with smell as a neglected one. Touch didn't really work for me.
Alias Reader wrote: "~*Kim*~ wrote: "I had a pretty good August (reading wise...lol). ..."
Kim, I keep saying I should read a Harlan Coben book. Though I am not big on series.
Oh no ! you read #11 an..."
It was able to be read as a stand alone. I think the only thing that I missed out on was the history between a couple of the characters.
Re: Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the WorldJohn wrote: "Honestly, I think she was the most effective with smell as a neglected one. Touch didn't really work for me.
From her podcast (Happier with Gretchen Rubin) I know she is big into scents. She loves to get perfume samples.
Harlan Coben~*Kim*~ It was able to be read as a stand alone. I think the only thing that I missed out on was the history between a couple of the characters
."
Thanks. That's good to know. Though I would probably start with book 1.
Alias Reader wrote: "Thanks. That's good to know. Though I would probably start with book 1."I probably would have too. I didn't know it was (kinda) part of a series when I bought it. I got it because I've read him before and enjoyed his books, plus it was only $1. LOL!
~*Kim*~ wrote: "I had a pretty good August (reading wise...lol). I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney
4 Stars
Ok, kind of sad. I see that ..."
Kim, i’m glad to see you are finding more books to keep you engaged, unlike earlier in the year.
I love your comment on the first book —sometimes i marvel at how quickly i can forget the way a book ends.
John wrote: "Here are mine, not a bad month overall ...The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ..."
John, thanks for sharing your the reviews. The first one sounds very good to me. I very much appreciate your comments about your star ratings. Learning about the reasons, helps me understand your choices and what sways some readers.
madrano wrote: "~—sometimes i marvel at how quickly i can forget the way a book ends.."
That's nothing. Sometimes I look over my Books Read Journal and am totally surprised to see some of the books I've read. I don't recall reading them at all. To be a bit fair, my journal begins in 1999. Still, it's scary that I don't even recall the title ! Yikes.
LOL, sounds familiar, Alias. I’m guessing there are 20 or so titles i just don’t recognize. Sadly, sometimes, after reading my notes about a book, i still don’t recall it. Sad.
madrano wrote: "Hailey wrote: "Hello everyone! For the month of August, I read four books.The first one was Frenzy by Robert Lettrick. I wrote an entire review on this book and you can read it here.
So this boo..."
Thank you, madrano. So the versions I read of both Sakamoto Days Volume One and Simon Thorn and The Wolf's Den were English translations. However, it wouldn't surprise me if some of the latter's issues were a product of the translation.
Thanks for filling us in on that, Hailey.
madrano wrote: "Thanks for filling us in on that, Hailey."You're welcome, madrano!
August was a solid month for me. :)Dead End Tunnel by Nick Roberts - 5 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Open All Night by Thomas Davidson - 3 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Need to Feed by Anthony Renfro - 4 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Ghost Virus by Graham Masterton
- 5 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Veiled by Jeff Strand
- 5 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
That is my wrap up for August. :)
Not a bad month, Marie. All 3 and above.
Book Nook Cafe
Books mentioned in this topic
Ghost Virus (other topics)Open All Night (other topics)
Veiled (other topics)
Dead End Tunnel (other topics)
Need to Feed (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Jeff Strand (other topics)Thomas Davidson (other topics)
Graham Masterton (other topics)
Anthony Renfro (other topics)
Nick Roberts (other topics)
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Here is the Folder and thread to tell us what your monthly reads for August 2024 were.
Please provide:
~ A GoodReads link
~ A few sentences telling us how you felt about the book.
~ How would you rate the book