It's that time again, book nerds - the Show Us Your Books linkup with me and Jana of Jana Says! Please extend some decorum and try to visit and comment with both of your hosts, Jana & me, as well as a few other blogs who've linked up below so you can get your money's worth and get some book talk going.
So I was on vacation during this interlude and there are consequently a lot more books on my list below than there normally are - I usually read five to seven books a month and there are 17 listed below as well as more that I didn't finish. I typically share them in the order I've read them, but this time I've taken the liberty of separating them out into three categories: Engrossing Reads, Passed the Time Just Fine, and Hard No in case you're like WTF there's too much here to read. Here's what I've read since my last Show Us Your Books Post on June 9:
Engrossing Reads
Engrossing Reads
The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen - I've never read this author, and I've seen her everywhere. I truly loved this story, and I'll be reading more YA books by Dessen.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - One of my absolute favorite heroines and consequently one of my favorite books. It's been a few years since I read it, and it was nice to visit Jane again. It's also nice to know that at every point in my life that I've read this book, it still holds up. If you're looking to dive into a classic, I suggest this one.
Where They Found Her by Kimberly McCreight - This book was totally engrossing. So many moving parts. So many people who could've been good or bad. A great read.
Hopeless by Colleen Hoover - A really weird premise and some crazy dark shit that Hoover pretty much glossed over, but I liked the characters a lot. It was a really good beach read.
Bittersweet by Miranda Beverly-Whittmore - Your standard rich people have fucked up secrets and lies tale. It made for a good beach read. Everyone was just a little bit off their rocker and that seemed fine to me.
Pines (Wayward Pines #1) by Blake Crouch - I was sort of all WTF while reading this book. It was so weird and I had no idea where he was going with it most of the time as he laid the groundwork for the series, but I wanted to go along with him. When I finished reading this one, I was glad I had the next two at my disposal.
Wayward (Wayward Pines #2) by Blake Crouch - In my opinion, the best book of the trilogy. I almost missed my stop on the train because I was so into this one morning.
The Last Town (Wayward Pines #3) by Blake Crouch - I kept picking this up and putting it down as the margin left to read at the end narrowed. Although this was not the best book in the series, I didn't want it to end. I hope there are more. Do you get my drift, Blake Crouch? I read all three of these in a matter of five days (maybe less?). More more more please.
Passed the Time Just Fine
The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout - Oh dear, what to say...this was the okayest book I've ever read. That's not a rousing endorsement and you shouldn't take it as one. I kept waiting for a big thing and there was no big thing. I think Strout was going for some epic character family ties situation and she failed.
The Beach House by Jane Green - Mindless with dizzying coincidences, this was nonetheless enjoyable and a very quick read.
The Summer Girls by Mary Alice Monroe - Some of these characters drove me insane and the book went on a little too long, but it was like drifting out in the ocean and lazily considering going in but feeling too comfortable to get up and actually get to shore, so I read through it.
The Summer Wind by Mary Alice Monroe - Second in the series, I basically have one question out of these books and I'll read them all to find out. I skimmed some parts of this.
Heat Lightening (Virgil Flowers #2) by John Sandford - I love Virgil Flowers. This book was fucked up but good. I finished it on the ride down to North Carolina.
The Pledge (#1) by Kimberly Derting - Your standard YA Dystopian fare, this had a little bit of a Cinderella twist. It was alright. I don't see how they're going to make this a series.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie - I was relieved that I liked this book, the first Hercule Poirot novel Christie put out. I hated the Miss Marple I tried to read and thought Christie was lost to me, but I liked Poirot a lot.
Fly Away (Firefly Lane #2) by Kristin Hannah - It's been quite a long time since I read Firefly Lane. I can't even recall it too well, but I vaguely remember disliking Tully then and I dislike her now. I liked other aspects of this story though, and it was a quick one day read on the beach.
Rough Country (Virgil Flowers #3) by John Sandford - Another enjoyable romp with Virgil Flowers. If you read this book, that sentence will be funnier to you. I'll make my way through this whole series. They're not too taxing on the brain and I like the characters and the writing.
Hard No
Otherwise known as books I started and chose not to finish in June:
Hausfrau by Jill Alexander Essbaum - How dare this author use my word as a title, precluding me from writing a book under the same title about the glamorous art of housewifery, and make it such an un-enjoyable read? Pooh pooh.
A Half Forgotten Song by Katherine Webb - Isn't the title poetic? Doesn't it draw you in? Guess what doesn't draw you in? The book. Fart noise.
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman - Nothing grabbed me even though I really wanted it to because since it didn't, I had to walk up to the house and get another book.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - One of my absolute favorite heroines and consequently one of my favorite books. It's been a few years since I read it, and it was nice to visit Jane again. It's also nice to know that at every point in my life that I've read this book, it still holds up. If you're looking to dive into a classic, I suggest this one.
Where They Found Her by Kimberly McCreight - This book was totally engrossing. So many moving parts. So many people who could've been good or bad. A great read.
Hopeless by Colleen Hoover - A really weird premise and some crazy dark shit that Hoover pretty much glossed over, but I liked the characters a lot. It was a really good beach read.
Bittersweet by Miranda Beverly-Whittmore - Your standard rich people have fucked up secrets and lies tale. It made for a good beach read. Everyone was just a little bit off their rocker and that seemed fine to me.
Pines (Wayward Pines #1) by Blake Crouch - I was sort of all WTF while reading this book. It was so weird and I had no idea where he was going with it most of the time as he laid the groundwork for the series, but I wanted to go along with him. When I finished reading this one, I was glad I had the next two at my disposal.
Wayward (Wayward Pines #2) by Blake Crouch - In my opinion, the best book of the trilogy. I almost missed my stop on the train because I was so into this one morning.
The Last Town (Wayward Pines #3) by Blake Crouch - I kept picking this up and putting it down as the margin left to read at the end narrowed. Although this was not the best book in the series, I didn't want it to end. I hope there are more. Do you get my drift, Blake Crouch? I read all three of these in a matter of five days (maybe less?). More more more please.
Passed the Time Just Fine
The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout - Oh dear, what to say...this was the okayest book I've ever read. That's not a rousing endorsement and you shouldn't take it as one. I kept waiting for a big thing and there was no big thing. I think Strout was going for some epic character family ties situation and she failed.
The Beach House by Jane Green - Mindless with dizzying coincidences, this was nonetheless enjoyable and a very quick read.
The Summer Girls by Mary Alice Monroe - Some of these characters drove me insane and the book went on a little too long, but it was like drifting out in the ocean and lazily considering going in but feeling too comfortable to get up and actually get to shore, so I read through it.
The Summer Wind by Mary Alice Monroe - Second in the series, I basically have one question out of these books and I'll read them all to find out. I skimmed some parts of this.
Heat Lightening (Virgil Flowers #2) by John Sandford - I love Virgil Flowers. This book was fucked up but good. I finished it on the ride down to North Carolina.
The Pledge (#1) by Kimberly Derting - Your standard YA Dystopian fare, this had a little bit of a Cinderella twist. It was alright. I don't see how they're going to make this a series.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie - I was relieved that I liked this book, the first Hercule Poirot novel Christie put out. I hated the Miss Marple I tried to read and thought Christie was lost to me, but I liked Poirot a lot.
Fly Away (Firefly Lane #2) by Kristin Hannah - It's been quite a long time since I read Firefly Lane. I can't even recall it too well, but I vaguely remember disliking Tully then and I dislike her now. I liked other aspects of this story though, and it was a quick one day read on the beach.
Rough Country (Virgil Flowers #3) by John Sandford - Another enjoyable romp with Virgil Flowers. If you read this book, that sentence will be funnier to you. I'll make my way through this whole series. They're not too taxing on the brain and I like the characters and the writing.
Hard No
Otherwise known as books I started and chose not to finish in June:
Hausfrau by Jill Alexander Essbaum - How dare this author use my word as a title, precluding me from writing a book under the same title about the glamorous art of housewifery, and make it such an un-enjoyable read? Pooh pooh.
A Half Forgotten Song by Katherine Webb - Isn't the title poetic? Doesn't it draw you in? Guess what doesn't draw you in? The book. Fart noise.
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman - Nothing grabbed me even though I really wanted it to because since it didn't, I had to walk up to the house and get another book.
This link up happens the second Tuesday of every month. The next one is Tuesday, August 11.
Non-bloggers, what have you read recently? Let me know what you recommend and what to stay away from. Bloggers, link up your posts below.
