Tuesday, July 9, 2019

Show Us Your Books: July 2019



Hey oh from vacation. I'll try and get on and read everything today but if I don't I'll catch you sometime this week. 

Here's what I've been reading since the last linkup.

Engrossing Reads

City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert - I have not read any of Gilbert's fiction before this book. I read Eat, Pray, Love, and found it self indulgent and annoying - not my kind of book, at all. I slid right into this big mama. The writing was superb, I enjoyed the telling, and it was absolutely a feminist novel despite all the displays of the patriarchy. Read it. OCNJ library hard cover

Before She Falls (Detective Anna Gwynne #3) by Dylan Young - I love when I order from Amazon and delay shipping so I can get kindle books like this free when my credits pile up. I continue to enjoy Anna and her crew. Amazon kindle e-book

Stars of Alabama by Sean Dietrich - I had no idea what this was about. I know nothing of Sean Dietrich - or Sean of the South as I've gathered he's called - except for the fact that he wrote a lovely rambling story here with characters worthy of investing in. A great read peppered with humor and beauty as well as real life suckiness. Thanks to Netgalley for the free read in exchange for an honest review. Book comes out today. 

Before We Were Strangers by Renee Carlino - I read this in my backyard in a few hours on a Saturday afternoon. I fell deep into it and it was an easy, quick read. Paperback that's been sitting on my bookshelf for well over a year
The Reckless Oath We Made by Bryn Greenwood - Much like All the Ugly and Wonderful things, this book is complicated. What I like about Greenwood's characters is that they are messy and flawed humans but you somehow root for them anyway, even when they fuck up. I hung around for two hours after I was supposed to leave for the shore to finish this. Then I thought about it the whole 1.5 hour car ride. Then I didn't start another book until the morning because I was still thinking about this. Books that make me think are the very tops in my book. There is an element to this book that will annoy a lot of people and I hope that doesn’t tank the whole book for them. Free e-copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Passed the Time Just Fine
Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center - I struggled hard with the first 50% of this book. I don't need to like characters to like books, but I do have a hard time when I think there's a life circumstance they're blaming holding their whole life back on that is so fucking ridiculous in the grand scheme of things...especially if there is an actual life circumstance they've experienced that is much deeper that the author skirts for most of the novel. It's hard to say what I really think without giving away plot points. I liked the second half much better when Cassie's head was un-lodged from her ass and as always enjoyed Katherine Center's writing. If you've read this and want to discuss more, comment below and I'll email you! Free e-copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Dear Amy by Helen Callaghan - This book was engrossing in that I didn't want to put it down, but definitely shook my head at some suspensions of disbelief that were required. Philly library paperback   

Takedown Twenty by Janet Evanovich - Did you ever read a book and the entire time you think you've read it, but you're not sure, so you keep going, oh yes you definitely read it, wait maybe you didn't, keep going, etc etc? That was me with this book. Final verdict and according to Goodreads and this blog to back me up, I don't think I read it. But we all know these books are so formulaic that it feels like you've read even the ones you haven't. This is as bad as it's ever been though. Just okay! Philly library large print paperback - didn't know it was large print and it gave me a massive headache

Tough Customer by Sandra Brown - Standard Sandra Brown with a lot of romancey things. Philly library hard cover

The Arrangement by Robyn Harding - What a ride - I could not put this down. Very readable and totally screwed up. Thanks to Netgalley for the free read in exchange for an honest review. Book releases July 30. 

Haunted (Michael Bennett #10) by James Patterson & James O. Born - I've read other Michael Bennett books. Not in order, which doesn't bother me and surprises me that it doesn't bother me, and not with a huge amount of interest. They do entertain me because it's like murder and mayhem interspersed with schoolboy love and faith and Irish people. Hard cover, own/bought at library book sale, will pass along
Love You More (Tessa Leoni #1, DD Warren #Something by Lisa Gardner - Look at me being very blase about reading not one but two series out of order. The first DD I read was down the line. I scored another DD at the library sale for 50 cents that I want to read on vacation, so I wanted to read this one before it first. I thought I was reading from the beginning this time, but since they're DD Warren books with other characters introduced and continued and numbered, I wasn't paying enough attention and only started at the first of the Tessa books. Oh well. Philly library paperback

Touch & Go (Tessa Leoni #2) by Lisa Gardner - This book was great. I don't know if there are more Tessa Leonis, but I will be seeking them out if there are. Paperback, own, bought at library sale
Fallen (Will Trent #5) by Karin Slaughter - The best of the series thus far even though it took me nearly four days to read. I was driving for nine hours one of those days and my nearly four year old niece kept commandeering it and reading it like she was actually reading it which was awesome, so those things took up some time. Philly library paperback

Not Worth It

 Lies by T.M. Logan - I wasn't sure if I should put this above or here. So here it is. If you are a quick reader and motor through books, it'll pass the time just fine. I read it in a few hours and had no ill will towards it. If you spend over a week reading a book and really want them to be worth it, this ain't it. Philly library hard cover

Did Not Finish

Dead Girl Running (Cape Charade #1) by Christina Dodd - Terribly uninteresting. Philly library paperback

What have you been reading? 
Linkup Guidelines:
This link up is the second Tuesday of every month. The next linkup is August 13,  2019 
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