August Reads (10)

 

*Did not like it at all

**It was okay

***Liked it

****Really really liked it

*****Absolutely loved it

 

3-stars

***The Library of Lost Things (L. Namey, Fiction)

I’m on a YA kick lately.  This one was good, but a bit lacking in some areas.  It’s about a 17-year-old who loves books and lives with a secret:  her mother is a hoarder.  The ending was rushed and didn’t make much sense, but it was still a quick and not bad read.

***Pale Rider, the Spanish Flue of 1918 (L. Spinney, Non-Fiction)

Fascinating, although VERY wordy.  I found myself skimming a lot.

 

4-stars

****The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise (D. Gemeinhart, Fiction)

This is a Young Reader books that is about Coyote Sunrise and her dad (Rodeo), who live in an old converted school bus.  They travel the country trying to escape the memories of the tragic accident that killed Coyote’s mother and two sisters five years previously.  Although heartbreaking, this book made me smile many times. 

****The Flatshare (B. O’Leary, Fiction)

This was a quick easy read (or listen…I listened to it on audio).  Somewhat predictable, but not cringy.  She has a new book that just released called The Switch that I look forward to reading.

****Rules of Civility (A. Towles, Fiction)

Friendships, accidents, deceit, love.  This book moved pretty slow for me, but Amor Towles writes so wonderfully that I still gave it 4 stars.

****Kristy’s Great Idea – Babysitters Club #1 (A. Martin, Fiction)

I am going to re-read these.  They were the only thing I read in 5^th and 6^th grade.  I LOVED these books!  I’m so glad they are making a comeback (due to the Netflix series, which I’m almost 99% sure I’m not going to watch).  I am kicking myself for not keeping my collection of these books! 

****The Diary of a Bookseller (S. Bythell, Non-Fiction)

The title says it all…it’s the diary of a bookseller in Scotland.  He records the day-to-day operations of running a used bookshop.  I found it hilarious, although he seems to be a bit grumpy.

****Empty (S. Burton, Non-Fiction)

The memoir of a podcast editor that suffers from anorexia and binge eating.  And I say ‘suffers’ because she’s not really cured.  Lots of feelings about this one, lots of triggers.

****Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls – Babysitters Club #2 (A. Martin, Fiction)

Book two.  😊

 

5-Stars

*****Hamnet (M. O’Farrell, Fiction)

Ten stars.  Maggie O’Farrell has managed to do it again.  First, let me emphasize that you do NOT need to know Shakespeare AT ALL to love this book.  I know very little about Shakespeare, and what I do know….I’m not a fan.  But this is not a book about Shakespeare.  It is about his son, Hamnet (Hamlet), and his wife Agnes.  And his daughters.  And his father and mother.  And his siblings.  And his wife’s family.  And what happens to all of them when Hamnet dies from the plague at age 11.  Everyone handles grief in different ways, and this incredible book explores every one of them.  If I didn’t have so many others book to be read, I would immediately start this one again.  That’s how good it is.

 

DNF:      Pull of the Stars (storyline I didn’t feel comfortable reading)

                This is Going to Hurt (author had very unkind comments about JWs)

 

Total Books Read: 10 (7 Fiction, 3 Non-Fiction, 2 DNF)

June/July Reads (5)

I think I've FINALLY pulled out of my reading slump.  Yay!  Hopefully I'll have larger numbers in August/September.

*Did not like it at all

**It was just okay

***Liked it

****Really really liked it

*****Absolutely loved it

***This is the Story of a Happy Marriage (A. Patchett, Non-Fiction)

Almost a 4-star….this was more of a collection of non-fiction essays that were published by Ann Patchett over the years.  She is an amazing writer and I learned a lot about her.  Like how she used to work at Gourmet and 17 Magazine.  She has no kids by choice (and is fairly vocal about it), she passed all of the mental/physical exams to be a cop.  She has an obsession with her dogs.  Lots of gems.  But a few slow spots…I prefer her fiction books.

***P.S. I Still Love You (J. Han, Fiction)

Book 2 of a 3 book series.  Lots of cheese, but lots of sweetness too.  

***I Was Told It Would Get Easier (A. Waxman, Fiction)

Mother/daughter college tour trip.  There was a lot of back and forth which I didn’t mind, but it seemed that nothing really happened until the last few pages.  So I found myself skimming a lot.

****Pandemic (Y. Ventresca, Fiction)

This YA book was written in 2014, but honestly it could have been written about Covid.  Even the flu in this book was almost identical to Covid.  Lots of heavy themes though going on and the ending was a bit rushed, but I flew through it.

****Always and Forever (Fiction, J. Han)

The last of the Lara Jean trilogy.  Overall a very cute series.

Total Books Read: 5 (4 Fiction, 1 Non-Fiction, 0 DNF)