I Found You by Lisa Jewell B
I started this book back in October when our lives were slowly spiraling in a flurry of broken things and inconveniences. I did NOT have the patience for audiobooks and, instead, listened to every single episode of The Popcast (because I always need to be listening to something).
When I picked my Audible subscription back up in February and downloaded the app again, I decided I would finish this book.
I had stopped at 3 hours and it was an 11 hour book. I told myself I'd go to 4 hours and if I didn't care after that, I'd return it. Well, it got better. The first 3-4 hours was just set-up, apparently. By the end, I was fully invested and it was twisty in a slightly unpredictable way. I would recommend it if you like thriller-type books and this one flashed back and forth between past and present a lot, with many main characters. I will also move onto other Lisa Jewell books because this one didn't disappoint, overall.
Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance B+
I'm not quite from Appalachia but I can relate to so much of what Vance was talking about. My family didn't have the ups and downs that Vance's did, but I knew many that fell into that category. While I've never worked in inner-city schools, I've worked with many kids at or below the poverty line. All that to say, I appreciate that he wrote this book and I could visualize exactly what he was referring to most of the time.
I really appreciated his insights and can say, after his commentary on government/politics and leaving his small town for the military and college, that the theme of this memoir is pretty much why Donald Trump is our current President. There is a huge group of American citizens who always show up for the polls, don't have time for b.s., and also don't tweet their every thought because they don't have Twitter or care to have Twitter.
It doesn't mean the people in Appalachia don't believe in helping others or the American dream (because no one believes in it more). It means that they have priorities that do not align with the last administration's.
This was the most political book I've read in a very long time, and it didn't have the initial premise of politics at all. It just explained a lot, I thought.
Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew J. Sullivan B+
Once I got going with this, it was hard to put down. I ended up finishing it late on a Friday night. Kindle said it takes about 5 hours to read and I love a book that takes not all of my reading month to work my way through.
Anyway, I ended up getting the ebook from the library because I read about how many people also didn't care for The Little Bookshop on the Corner (I DNF'd that in December) and this was better if you wanted a book about a bookstore.
Truthfully, I didn't care for the bookstore aspect of it, but got really into the mystery.
Surprise Me! by Sophie Kinsella C
I was initially going to give this a D for dumb but then the ending somewhat pulled through.
Reading new Kinsella books (which I will always stupidly and loyally do) always makes me want to re-read her old stuff, which I then do and that leads me to a summer of re-reading some of my favorite fiction.
Anyway, the first hour of the audio was promising. Then it got dumb. Then the last 3 hours was good too. I don't understand why this always happens. I more or less felt the same about My Not-So-Perfect Life last year.
Instead of this, read anything she wrote before the year 2010.
The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen A+
Here's the blurb I wrote about it in a Friday Favorites post a few weeks ago. I didn't initially include it in this post because I didn't expect to finish it in March.
And then a question...
Do you pre-order books?
I've noticed that I will pre-order Denise Grover Swank books because I love her stories and her writing and the fact that it's a serial series that just goes on and on and on.
The Rose Gardner ones I will likely keep at forever. The Neely Kate ones are good too. I didn't like Deadly Summer (first in the Darling Investigations series), so I probably won't read more of those.
Yes.
Yes.
No.
Linking up with Jana and Steph!
Oh I want to read The Wife Between Us sometime! I like Lisa Jewell books in general - I liked I found you and another of hers, Girls in the Garden. Glad to hear that you liked Midnight at the Bright Ideas too - that book was not at all what I was expecting but I really liked it. I can barely think of a book about a bookstore that I didn't like though, so I'm one of those people. lol.
ReplyDeleteI totally preorder books - especially if its an author I love to support or read or if its in a series. I'm all about getting it the day its out!
ReplyDeletei never used to pre-order books but i am finding myself doing it lately. i still haven't read the second in the rose gardner series. glad you liked the wife between us, i have it at home so hopefully getting to it soon. i've heard mixed things about Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore but i think it's on my list. i was kinda disappointed in surprise me, but i loved my not so perfect life. can't win 'em all lol
ReplyDeleteYay for reading some good books this past month. I really enjoyed Midnight at the Bright Idea Bookstore. I'm curious what the author will write next. I don't tend to pre-order books too much, because I know I won't get to read them right away, but I feel like I should do it more - especially with the books that give you pre-order perks! :)
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
I read Hillbilly Elegy different, there wasn't much poverty in his life... he said it in the book, that they had money, they just wasted it on things they didn't need, like big trucks, electronics, and clothes. There was a lot of abuse, but overall he had so many things stacked on his side.
ReplyDeleteI just finished The Wife Between Us, and it was intense, but I needed more action in it!
I liked Midnight and Wife!
ReplyDeleteI loved Bright Ideas Bookstore!
ReplyDeleteI think if you read Hillbilly Elegy as a memoir, you come away with it with a lot of what you did. But you have to take it as representative of his experiences only rather than him speaking for a larger group.
I've heard such great things about The Wife Between Us--I can't wait to read it!
ReplyDeleteI'm a sucker for books about bookstores, and I do love a page-turning kind of read, so I really enjoyed Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore. And I haven't gotten around to The Wife Between Us but have seen so many reviews - and appreciate knowing that it isn't overly violent/disturbing. Looking forward to getting my hands on it!
ReplyDeleteI think I'm the only one this month who didn't read The Wife Between Us!
ReplyDeleteThat's a bummer the Surprise Me wasn't great. :(
I need to find "The Wife Between Us." Your review has me super intrigued.
ReplyDeleteThere are very few authors I pre-order, but I do occasionally.
I'd like to read Hillbilly Elegy, and I have the first Rose Gardner one on my TBR! :) I don't usually pre-order books, but there are some that I make sure to pick up ASAP. I'm generally more of a mood reader and used book lover, so it doesn't always matter too much to me. heheh :) XO - Alexandra
ReplyDeleteSimply Alexandra: My Favorite Things
I Found You sounds really Good! Adding it to my TBR list :)
ReplyDelete