Book Club

[smoky22]

Thanks @LoriLori.  I always value your opinion.  You do such great reviews!

[LoriLori]

Awwww, thanks so much, @smoky22.  Love hearing that.  Thanks!

When you finish "The Lovely Bones" I'd love to know your opinion of what I think was a bad choice.  Maybe you will think it's clever and appropriate, and you can convince me.  I'm open to it.  

And anyone else too.  Hopefully those who have read the book know exactly what I'm talking about.

[SparklesMcGee]

I finished some more books!

A Murder for the Books, book 1 in the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series by Victoria Gilbert: This was the exact book I was looking for in my reading. I have been looking for a new-ish cozy mystery series that wasn't hokey or lame. This one was great. I am looking forward to book 2 and am considering pre-ordering book 3 that comes out in February!  One of my favorite parts of this book was the interesting and fun secondary characters. I am looking forward to seeing how they are all doing in book 2 :-)

I also read:

Girl, Wash Your Face! by Rachel Hollis - this is a non-fiction advice/self-help book that was chosen by someone else in my In Real Life Book Club. It wasn't my cup of tea - that is not to say that the advice was appropriate for me and I didn't learn something, I just didn't really get into it like my IRL Book Club did. They all raved about it while I sat there looking forward to the vote for next month's pick...  I read it really fast (it's only 240 pages), but I didn't feel compelled to take notes or sticky note the entire thing like others did... I feel like I read it wrong-- oh well. I will say that there were parts that I really enjoyed. The end of each chapter had a feature that I quite liked.

Now I am reading:

I am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez (next month's IRL Book Club pick)

Knot My Sister's Keeper by Mary Marks (cozy mystery)

The Christmas Wishing Tree by Emily March (ARC that I need to review by the end of the month)

Us Against You by Fredrik Backman (I just haven't been ready for this one yet...)

[sunala]

Last night I finished Just Between Us by Rebecca Drake.  It's about four close friends who band together when one of the four gets into serious trouble and she needs their help.

I enjoyed the book and there were a few twists at the end. I recommend it!

[smoky22]

Well, I finished The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold) and I'm not sure how to review it.  I didn't love it, didn't hate it.   I can't decide whether to give it 4 stars or 2 stars.  The first half really was intriguing but I thought it went downhill from there.  And really that ending?  All she wanted to do was come back to earth and do what?(???).  In  one way, it's basically just a very different coming of age story.  (I loved the grandmother, she reminded me of my first mother-in-law).  And some of the writing is painfully pretentious (she buttered her toast with her tears).  See, now I'm leaning towards 2 stars again.  

[Alter Ego]

@smoky22 LOL - Although I remember the book and some things are fuzzy, the reason she returned was something I can’t forget.  

[SWEET]

I finished Dance Like You Mean It by Jeanne Skartsiaris.  Next up is Brittany Terwilliger The Insatiables.

[Lilysmom]

So, I skipped 200 pages and read the last 50 pages of Tami Hoag’s A Thin Dark Line.  The books was about 450 pages.  I usually love this author.  This time I would struggle to give this a rating off 3 out of 5.  Probably 2.75 is more realistic.  I don’t recommend.  Glad I skipped the 200🤓.  LM

[smoky22]

@Lilysmom  sounds like you are due a good book, too!

[roeroe1005]

I finished reading The Summer I Met Jack.  It was a little long, a little too wordy, but interesting.  It's based on a "rumor" that Jack Kennedy's former lover gave birth to his daughter. 

After reading it, I had to google names because I'm nosey!

Today I began reading Love and Ruin by Paula McLain.  It's the story of Martha Gelhorne and Ernest Hemingway during the Spanish Civil War and their lives afterwards.  I think she was his 3rd wife.  Ms. McLain also wrote The Paris Wife, which I enjoyed.  I just started reading this and am already skipping paragraphs ...

Next book up is Before And Again by Barbara Delinsky.

And I have 4(!) books waiting for me at the library!  Good thing I'll be at the beach several days.