October 8, 2019

Books in 2019 (Post #8)

I don't know why I feel the need to say this, but if you're here for a Goodreads synopsis...you can click on the Goodreads link.  Summaries are not my thing and copy-pasted summaries are definitely not my thing.

Also, this month I'm keeping track of *how* I read the book.

And, new things: I downloaded Scribd. I'm still on my free trial but I did some quick searches and discovered that 4 or 5 of my TBR books are on the audio portion so a month or two of paying $10 a month to listen to them seems to be worth it. I haven't tried the ebook component but I'm assuming this app may be good for me just because it'll get me back into audiobooks (multitasking productivity) and, with unlimited listening, much cheaper than Audible was, though I haven't used Audible in over a year.


Good:



Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens hardcover

I couldn't put it down. I read it in less than a week, which is quick for me as a general rule. Everyone seems to be of the consensus that it starts off slow but, even if that's true, it pulled me in right away. I really enjoyed the writing.



The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell ebook c/o Netgalley

Another one I couldn't put down. I read it in a day because it was on my Kindle and so easy to flip pages. I like/love all of Lisa Jewell's books but this was was comparable to I Found You when it came to layering the characters and plot with the past and the present.



The Silent Patient by Alex Michaeledes hardcover

I put off this book for a few months, after seeing it constantly on this link-up, because I didn't like the cover. However, I like books that take place in Great Britain, instead of the U.S. When I actually read up on what it was about, I decided to try it.
If we were grading it, I'd give it a B-. It wasn't perfect (I can't even pinpoint why) but it was enthralling. The short chapters made it easy to keep going. Recommended if you like mysteries. It wasn't as much a thriller to me as a mystery of what-the-heck-actually-happened.


Meh:



The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman hardcover

I initially liked this a lot more than I've liked anything else in this genre, and it's actually marketed as romance at my library. I thought Nina had much, much more to her character than the typical quirky-girl heroine. Then, I found myself annoyed. She had a very easy life and that bugged me. She's like a teenager. She wouldn't step out of her comfort zone for a second, even though there was nothing to technically hold her back. She reminded me of those grown adults who say they really needed that 10-11 hours of sleep they got...we could all do with 10-11 hours of sleep, Karen. You don't need it more than anyone else.

Also, no wonder she was screwed up: her mom basically abandoned her to be raised by a nanny and, while that might not seem like a big deal, now that I'm learning what goes into raising a small toddler, it's a big deal.

I wanted to find that planner that she has, though. A day-to-day one might be beneficial to me right now. The set-up seemed perfect.

I did read the Goodreads 1-star reviews because that's a guilty pleasure of mine for books I don't love (NEVER for books I DO love) and most people complained about the writing being too much and the dialogue being all over the place.

Lastly, I was pulled in immediately by the bookstore customer hating P&P, as I do too, but then realized that probably wasn't the character I was supposed to be identifying with. Oops.

(If this had taken place in Great Britain, I think I would've found it infinitely more enjoyable. The L.A. setting made it an easy set-up for stereotypes.)


DNF:


The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin hardcover
I could've read it, really. But I couldn't keep any of the characters straight and so I just moved on. I think on audio it might be good, so I'm not writing this one off completely.



In September I had said I wanted to read two books and I read four so that's a check in the win column. Honestly, if I had stressed myself out about it, I could've finished two more, but I didn't. 

Right now I'm reading Christmas Shopaholic (released next week) from NetGalley, The Alice Network (audio), and Not That I Could Tell (audio).

Thoughts on those? 

Linking up with Jana and Steph!

12 comments:

  1. I loved Crawdads - it's been awhile since I flew through a book like that, but it was probably my favorite this year.

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  2. Love Crawdads! So glad it lived up to the hype. You are the second one to recommend Jewell's book, looking into that one.

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  3. That's funny about Nina - you're right - England would have changed the whole vibe of it.
    Book review days are weird for me - I too dont want to type a summary, but its hard to describe my thoughts without it. I need a blog book review class :)

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  4. I have every one of these either on my shelf or kindle waiting to be read. lol - the silent patient will be read soon and i love your thoughts on it

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  5. LOVED Where the Crawdads Sing! I read (listened) to it a few months ago in days. It had been awhile since I’ve been sucked in by a book. Liked The Silent Killer. I pre-ordered The Family Upstairs audible & cannot wait for it to come out in November. Lisa Jewell’s books are usually pretty good.

    I’ll have to check out Scribd as I’ve never heard of it. I get 1 audible credit per month but could definitely go for something cheaper.

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  6. I do hope to read The Silent Patient sometime soon - it seems like a great Fall read.

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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  7. The Silent Patient was so propulsive to me because I HAD to find out why she wouldn't speak. I really loved The Immortalists but it's definitely not a for everyone story (what story is though?) but I still think about it two years later. I got approved for The Family Upstairs and it will be my first Jewell book so I'm really excited. She's been on my TBR forever but haven't found time picked up one of her books. Now I have! :D

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  8. I loved Crawdads and am trying to see the author when she comes around these parts in November.

    I'm a Lisa Jewell fan.

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  9. Crawdads is on my list however it's gotten pushed further down by the others I've added, ha!

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  10. Crawdads was excellent. I really enjoyed Nina but I think it was more of a timing thing than an actual book thing. I think that happens sometimes--you find a book you wouldn't ordinarily like at a particular moment and it clicks.

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  11. In the back of Nina Hill, the author said she got the planner pages from happydigitaldownload.com!

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  12. oooh good to know about the lisa jewell book, i have that on my kindle.

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