Bookworms 2020

ruby_eskimo

I always forget about the R&J picks, think its because I always have a massive TBR pile anyway!

Finished Eat, Pray, Love and must admit I had to skim a few bits where it was a bit too "my life is falling apart" but overall it wasn't bad.

Since then I've also finished:

- The Invisible Crowd by Ellen Wiles: a story about an asylum seeker in the UK, trying to go through the legal process.  Have to admit I didn't really like it as I'd read another book a few years ago that was very similar but I felt got the issues at hand across a lot better.
- Meaty by Samantha Irby: I really enjoyed this first collection of Samantha's essays and definitely found them amusing.
- We Are Never Meeting in Real Life by Samantha Irby: the last of the three collections of essays and probably my favourite of them all
- The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod: Someone recommended this to me as a good self-development book.  I hated it to be honest, it wasn't anything new and I felt it was really repetitive all the time.
- The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones: Really enjoyed this subtle horror novel that follows 4 friends who grew up on a Native American reservation and when they were teenagers they killed a herd of Elk, now strange things are happening to them...felt it built suspense quite well, wasn't too gory in it's descriptions and things happened in a quite matter of fact way.  Very similar to The Southern Bookclub's Guide to Slaying Vampires in that regard but just not funny.
- No One Listens to Your Dad's Show by Christian O'Connell: I loved listening to Christian when he was on Absolute Radio in the UK and so picked this book up from the library which tells the reasons why he left and how he and his family dealt with the move to Australia.  Very well written and deals with a lot of mental health issues in a very supportive way. 

Now back on my Philippa Gregory kick with The White Princess which I should finish this evening!

Charly27

gettingtheresometime said:

Well finished both 'Because of you' & 'The Holdout' - whilst BOY was better than Dawn French's Yes, I remembered why I'm not really a fan of her's ...it was OK but not sure it was one of R&J's best picks.

The Holdout though was a surprise - I'd been told the ending wasn't what you'd expect and it certainly wasn't.

Currently reading another R&J pick - 'Playing Nice' by JP Delaney. I've read one of his other books before (The Girl Before) so have high hopes for this one

I thought similarly gettingtheresometime, although I enjoyed BOY more than two of JF’s own novels, ‘Eloise’ and ‘I do not sleep’. Thought Dawn French was a better writer. Totally agree with you about the ending of The Holdout and I thought ‘Playing Nice’, my first JP Delaney was a largely engaging read. Also read ‘American Dirt’ another of R & J’s picks which I felt although a work of fiction, did open my eyes about violence in Mexico. I have read lots of romantic fiction since finishing these as I couldn’t concentrate for a while on any NF. Currently reading Kate Humble’s ‘Thinking on my Feet’, a book about walking. I’ve read 34/52 target this year and found new authors as well. 

My TBR pile is still growing 🙆🏼‍♀️ As fast as I read, more seem to be added! 

gettingtheresometime

Charly27 said:

gettingtheresometime said:

Well finished both 'Because of you' & 'The Holdout' - whilst BOY was better than Dawn French's Yes, I remembered why I'm not really a fan of her's ...it was OK but not sure it was one of R&J's best picks.

The Holdout though was a surprise - I'd been told the ending wasn't what you'd expect and it certainly wasn't.

Currently reading another R&J pick - 'Playing Nice' by JP Delaney. I've read one of his other books before (The Girl Before) so have high hopes for this one

I thought similarly gettingtheresometime, although I enjoyed BOY more than two of JF’s own novels, ‘Eloise’ and ‘I do not sleep’. Thought Dawn French was a better writer. Totally agree with you about the ending of The Holdout and I thought ‘Playing Nice’, my first JP Delaney was a largely engaging read. Also read ‘American Dirt’ another of R & J’s picks which I felt although a work of fiction, did open my eyes about violence in Mexico. I have read lots of romantic fiction since finishing these as I couldn’t concentrate for a while on any NF. Currently reading Kate Humble’s ‘Thinking on my Feet’, a book about walking. I’ve read 34/52 target this year and found new authors as well. 

My TBR pile is still growing 🙆🏼‍♀️ As fast as I read, more seem to be added! 

It was a toss up as to whether I read Playing Nice or American Dirt first so think that will be next on the list!

I listened to the audiobook version of The Girl Before and whilst it was a good book, it was well narrated as well.

ruby_eskimo

Let us know how American Dirt is when you get to it gettingtheresometimes, it's on my wish list at the library which is already huge!

Finished The White Princess as expected so now onto the next book club choice: Germinal by Emile Zola, a classic I wasn't aware of but about 40 pages in and I can see it's going to be interesting, even if it is all about French miners.  Not sure it's that quick of a read though as it sent me to sleep last night 😏

Charly27

There’s no hope for me! Just reserved two paperbacks at the library 🙆🏼‍♀️

Blackcats

I enjoyed Another Woman's Child by Kerry Fisher.  It was an interesting subject and really thought provoking - touching on the almost subconscious racist views in a middle class friendship group.  Some of the comments and views of the characters made me cringe because they were so realistic.  The plot and the characters are really good. 

ruby_eskimo

Definitely sounds like an interesting read @Blackcats

I've finally finished Germinal and actually really enjoyed it.  For a translation of a classic, it was actually written in quite a contemporary style so easy to read and the imagery really came to life of the miners and the world they lived in.  Quite sad and harrowing in parts though.

Starting back on my own pile of books to read rather than library books so up next is The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green - he's one of my favourite authors and this is is his first foray into non-fiction.  I've listened to a couple of episodes of the accompanying podcast and his prose is just so descriptive that I find it really relaxing to read and listen to.  Should be finished with this one fairly quickly.

zenobia

 Could you please help. I am trying to find a book for a friend, She thinks it was written by lady called Rachel who was married to a policeman and they had maybe 6 children between them. The book may be written like a diary about her everyday life. Hope someone can help Thanks

Charly27

zenobia said:

 Could you please help. I am trying to find a book for a friend, She thinks it was written by lady called Rachel who was married to a policeman and they had maybe 6 children between them. The book may be written like a diary about her everyday life. Hope someone can help Thanks

Sorry sounds interesting but unfortunately can’t help. Hopefully another bookworm can x

Abbafan1972

I am currently reading "Never Greener" by Ruth Jones and I am enjoying it so far.  I got to about 20% but then other things took over, but I've resumed reading it and am now over 70% into it.  It is a book that time jumps, but it's not hard to follow.