 Icelandic cafe decor. These are color coordinated books that look cool, but the books have been cut away about 3 inches from the spine so that they can be displayed. The bookshelves don't need to be full sized this way, but the books are unreadable.
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 The Forever Ship. Francesca Haig. 2017. The Forever Ship: Oh, it has been a terrible year for books for me. I was very excited that the audio version of this was finally released several years after I loved the first two books in the series (Fire Sermon). I loved the first book, liked the second, but absolutely hated this one. Violent, unfocused, and meandering, a few days after I finished it, I can't even remember how it ended. A huge disappointment, I would go so far as to take Fire Sermon off my previous list of recommended reads because I would be worried someone might try to finish the series. Justin didn't even finish it.
 A Mind of Her Own. Paula McLain. 2019. A Mind of Her Own: This was a free audible book last month, so I downloaded it. It was decidedly mediocre. Interesting in parts, but not compelling with not much to comment on. It is really short, it was free, and some of the story was interesting. That said, it just didn't have enough to offer to be a recommendation.
*** Comments Julie: Agreed.  The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell. W. Kamau Bell. 2017. The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell: Written by an obviously smart and funny comedian, there were parts of this book that were funny, poignant, and brilliant. However, the editing left something to be desired, which repetitive parts that should have been cut and an ebb and flow to the narrative that really could have done without the ebb. Where are the editors? Not recommended overall.
*** Comments Julie: Read this one too and similar response.  Desperate Duchesses. Eloisa James. 2007. Desperate Duchess: Sometimes I just want a light romance. You know, something sexy, not rape-y. I don't need a lot of plot or character development. I'm not really that picky, am I? And yet, once again, this romance just sucked. I just couldn't care about any of the characters. The sex scenes weren't even good. Just nothing here to recommend.
 Folsom Untold. Danny Robins. 2018. Folsom Untold: This free audible download was a treat. Narrated by Danny Robins with his unique cadence and accent, it tells the history behind the Johnny Cash song. I was skeptical that the topic could keep my attention for two and a half hours and yet the journalistic style felt more like a podcast in its production value than a book. Tragic, funny, and interesting. Recommend.
 Lucky Suit: Just slightly more than a short story, this quick little romance was really fun. The set-up is clever, the characters fun, and the story moves fast and holds together. Only recommended for those already partial to romance.But still a recommendation.
 The Things They Carried. Tim O'Brien. 1990. The Things They Carry: Assigned to one of my kids at school a while ago, I finally got around to reading it. I am not a fan of the war novel and this was no exception. There were some characters to like, but the most compelling thing about the book was the title and idea of the book, which focused on the things that the soldiers carried with them to war. At the beginning in particular, I liked this thematic choice, especially in the opening scenes where it felt like a series of short vignettes around this concept. Somewhere, though, this got lost and it started to feel like every other "war sucks" novel out there.
*** Comments Julie: Read this one too. We have similar choices this year Me: This is probably because I was following whatever someone was talking about in the moment--interviews on NPR or Trevor Noah and what friends were reading in book groups or based on online recommendations.  The Christmas Hirelings. Mary Elizabeth Braddon. 1875. The Christmas Hirelings: A historical fiction about unhappy and bored rich people trying to make themselves feel better by doing something for the underclass, which of course reflects their narcissism and inability to see the obvious reality of income disparities. It wasn't a bad read, it just didn't wow me. Not recommended.
P.S. In making this post, I realized this was written by a woman in 1875, so perhaps I might have taken that into account in my review given how little was published by women in that era.  A Curious Beginning. Deanna Raybourn. 2013. A Curious Beginning: I quite enjoyed this book, which was billed as romance, but really did not deliver on that front at all. It was more of a mystery with a surprisingly complicated storyline that held together well and carried through the entire book with consistency and depth. The protagonist is unusual in that she often just not very likeable. She is harsh and judgmental, but I rather liked how she navigated relationships and interactions in an unexpected way and yet it was consistent with her quirky character so it was believable, if not endearing. Recommend.
***  The Firebrand and the First Lady. Patricia Bell-Scott. 2016. I'm going off-list next to read The Firebrand and the First Lady for the Soroptimist book club meeting next month. After that, I think I will read Last Call next. The Firebrand and the First Lady. Not on my list, but when I hear from three sources that I should read a book, I always add it to my list. In this case, I added it to the Soroptimist book club list and it is the book for tonight's book club meeting. This is the story of the relationship between Eleanor Roosevelt and Polly Murray, who was about 25 years younger than her. Unlike Empty Without You, which explores the relationships between Eleanor and her lover Lorena Hickock, this is a story about mentorship and how having close inter-generational relationships can impact the mentor as much as the mentee. Polly was a Black activist, who was also lesbian, a lawyer, and later a minister. Because it wasn't just a compilation of letters, but weaved narrative into the story, I found it a much more compelling read than Empty Without You. It really made me reflect on what we gain when we read out to develop friendships with folks who do not really appear similar to ourselves at all on the surface. It was a great reminder of all we have to learn from each other and all we have to give to each other. Definitely recommend this one. |
AuthorI'll read anything a friend recommends & I love telling people what I think about it. Every year, I read 50 books recommended by 50 different friends. Welcome to My 50 Bookish Friends Blog. SearchCategories
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