Book Club

[Alter Ego]

I finished listening to ISOLA by Allegra Goodman.  Reese's monthly book club pick, this book was fascinating as it's based on a true story. Noble woman is abandoned on an small island in New France with her lover and nurse...in the 1500's! Much of her story is really unknown because, well, she was a woman and there are only small references to her (including in the Queen's writings).  I thought the book itself was a good, straightforward read. Possibly missing that extra oomph to make it great, but I definitely enjoyed learning about this historical person.

Current reading GMA's book club pick.

[abbalulu]

I read The Swans of fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin. I got interested in the topic after watching the series based on this book last year. I enjoyed the book but was sad that these women based their self worth on status and money. Little did they know ( or I suppose care) that those of us living in "fly over country" had little knowledge about the scandal perpetrated on them by Truman Capote. It really was "first world problems." But I do admit I was curious enough to then go read Unanswered Prayers which caused all the scandal. Truman too ended up wasting his life and talent after writing In Cold Blood. 

I also read Revival by Stephen King about what happens to a preacher after his wife and son are killed in an automobile accident. 

Then I read Fannie Flagg's The All Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion which I thoroughly enjoyed. 

[kindred cats]

Apparently, many of you read Behind Her Eyes when it came out in 2017.

I just finished it last night and agree that the ending was beyond believable and therefore a disappointment.

Too crazy for me! 

[feline groovy]

Just finished 'Same As It Ever Was', the second novel by Claire Lombardo.

It was on my TBR list as I loved her first novel 'The Most Fun We Ever Had'.

Both stories are absorbing family sagas you just dwell in, my favorite kind of book.

She is a uniquely-expressive author who writes with great insight and empathy.

[CANDLEQUEEN]

Just finished The Second Mrs Strom by Kaira Rouda, it was very good, took me a bit longer to read it as I have been sick,  but it was a good read, somewhat predictable but yet enough twists and turns to keep it interesting!

I am now starting The Boyfriend, by Freida Mcfadden. Can't wait!

[teganslaw]

I liked "The Swans of Fifth Avenue." The book took me back to a different lifestyle that I didn't know. I recognzed some names, but wasn't familiar with the scandals that involved them. 

"Revival" was very good, but parts of it were scary. Although fiction, some of it seemed very real to me. This was one of King's best books since it invoked strong emotions. 

[smoky22]

I read To Die For by David Baldacci, the third installment in his series The 6:20 Man. Travis Devine is former Army Ranger, now part of Homeland Security. There's plenty of action, as with any David Baldacci thriller.  If you're a fan of this author you will like this one too.  Nice escapist fare.

Then I read There Are Rivers In The Sky by Elif Shafak. I loved her previous book The Island of Missing Trees.  Goodreads gives this book 4.42 stars so I expected to love this one as well.  It follows the lives of three people across different timelines whose lives are tied together by water and ancient Mesopotamian culture.  There is the poor boy born in the slums of 1850's London, the Islamic state teenage girl in 2014, and the female hydrologist studying water in 2018 London. 

Unfortunately I felt this book was way too long, the characters not that interesting, and the plot not compelling. I am completely in the minority but I couldn't wait to be done with it. 

After finishing that book, I needed something lighter, and am now reading Small Pleasures By Claire Chambers, in which a woman claims her daughter was the result of a virgin birth.

[Judaline]

I just checked my library account for my holds. Three have just come in and the new Robert Crais (Elvis Cole) is "in transit" !!!! Why does this happen to me so much? What's a girl to do??? (read 'em, I guess)

[AngelPuppy1]

Currently a little more than half through with God of the Woods.. I guess it has been on the best seller list for a good while.  It's pretty interesting.  It's a mystery of sorts.  

[SWEET]

Mariah Stewart's The Head That Wears The Crown was a really good book about a divorced mother w/two kids who lives in PH, leads a normal life, and finds out she's the Grand Duchess of a small European town.