Golden Child | 
panI read this book with my local reading group. I really didn‘t like it - I don‘t like books containing child or animal abuse. It seemed far too padded out at times and I absolutely hated the ending. I‘m so pleased I‘ve finally finished it so I get on and read something more pleasant!
A library book which I‘m reading with my local book club. The theme is a story set in South America so we‘re in Trinidad.
panThis was a struggle. I was intrigued by the Caribbean setting and enjoyed the depiction of life in Trinidad, but ultimately I didn‘t connect. The treatment of one of the twins is so hard to stomach, I almost DNF. I‘m glad to have learned about this part of the world (I went down a rabbit trail about India‘s history with the island), but it was a slog. Better character development would‘ve helped the author make the emotional impact she wanted. 2⭐️
pickTrinidad, 1980s. An inheritance, a break-in, a missing twin. What starts as a mystery/thriller develops into a painful family drama. Parenthood. Ambition. Achievement. Education. Family. Trust. Sibling love & sibling rivalry. Evocative settings. A new word for me: “steupses,” that disdainful whistle between the teeth. P195 “Everything Peter does is perfect, and everything he does is wrong. Paul steupses quietly, thinking about it.” 2019
Still on my tbr shelf 🫣🤦🏻♀️
#Moon 🌝
#OminousOctober
https://www.moongiant.com/phase/today/ this is so cool and happening tonight! 🌝
pickThis book was a bit of a mix for me. I think the story was quite good, showing a bit of what it‘s like to live in Trinidad, but I think a slightly different structure would have served the book well. Instead, it was between pick and so-so for me.
pickThis book is an example of why I‘m better for reading fiction. I wanted to dislike Clyde with with every piece of my being - how could he make the decision he made? Only fiction allowed me to consider his perspective and and consider his actions in that place and time. It‘s devastating that decisions such as his are made in this world. This was not lighthearted or easy to read.
so-soStrange coincidence that this is the second book set in Trinidad I‘ve read this month!
Peter and Paul are twins. Peter was born first and Paul‘s birth was difficult, he was born with the cord around his neck, and the Dr told his parents he might not ever be normal because of oxygen deprivation. So Paul was brought up being told he was the R word.
This is a dark tale, as Paul goes missing at the beginning of the book. It‘s mostly flashback.
so-soI have mixed feelings about this book. On the whole, I like Adam‘s style, although she does have a tendency to be a little too detailed describing everyday actions sometimes. But after a lengthy lead-up, the ending felt rushed, and overall I‘m left feeling unsatisfied.
5th book crossed off my #BookSpinBingo card, and first book down for the #SuperSeptember readathon.
so-soI liked Adam's style and will be interested to check out her next book. However, this book felt rushed. I felt as though I barely got to know the characters because there was little to no background. The violence was both gratuitous and vague. It didn't provide much insight or history about Trinidad. It felt like an early draft and really could have benefitted from fleshing out more details.
pickA guy wrenching debut of poverty and family desperation. Set in Trinidad, a set of twins are born to a poor family. One is a gifted prodigy while other is born with special needs. As the "golden child" is favored and eclipses the less fortunate sibling, a crime involving the pair will leave their parents making a questionable sacrifice that will haunt them
Thank you dear Misty for sending this book, some cards, and note sheets for me, and for including some tissue paper for Froedrick. His morning is made! ❤️💚❤️
Merry Christmas my lovely friend!
#Moonlight
#Fallisbooked
I‘m pretty sure that‘s a half moon 🌙 on the cover of my tbr book 📚📚 AND my birthday card from @Mitch 🥰
Loving all the birthday love!!
This has been a slow reading week for me, as I have been distracted by life. But I hope to jump back into the tagged book today. #fridayreads
What are you reading on this fine Friday?
[The hashtag #fridayreads was started on Twitter by Bethanne Patrick.]
pickSlow, removed and heartbreaking story of what choices a father makes to give hope to only one of his twin sons. A rare insight into Trinidad in the 1980‘s and its disintegration into corruption and poverty. The book has gotten very mixed reviews because the plot‘s crucial points are played out in the mind of a man we, the reader, can not understand. Haunting. #trinidad #sjpbookclub
so-soThe story was executed very well and I liked her style, I just didn‘t connect to it at all. Without giving too much away, the story was bleak to the extent that I didn‘t enjoy it or understand the statement it was trying to make. However, I did like it enough to be interested in future works of hers.
1. Tagged!
2. The stage adaptation of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. It‘s the only adaptation better than the book. Seriously.
3. Goodreads. There‘s so much other mess going on on Instagram it‘s easy to get distracted. Plus Goodreads with the great giveaways.
#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain
1. There are things about the ‘90s I miss but I wouldn‘t want to bring back the hardships and oppression of past eras.
2. Any kind of paper. I read my Kindle very rarely and I can‘t do audio at all. Puts me to sleep.
3. Younger, 35 in September!
4. Nope.
5. 👍🏼
#friyayintro @howjessreads
pickA devastating tale of siblings, parental love and expectations, corruption, and greed, this has gotten mixed reviews but is well written and affecting. Full review at https://booknaround.blogspot.com/2019/01/review-golden-child-by-claire-adam.html
panTold mostly from Clyde's perspective, there is a complete lack of growth and trajectory. There's not much of a story and what little there is, is lacking in character development. I wanted more of the twins—they are perfect opposites, two halves of a whole. As mentioned, the ending is devastating, detached, and abrupt. Given the length of the story, there was certainly room to flesh out the characters and explore more depth of the plot.
pickI can see why the reviews on this are so mixed. All I can say is you will have STRONG feelings should you choose to read it.
so-soGolden Child is a debut novel by Claire Adam, who grew up in Trinidad where the novel is set. It is about a set of twins, one who seems destined for great things while the other suffers from issues occuring during his birth. Most of the novel revolves around when one son goes missing. ⬇️
It is cool and cloudy, one of my favorite weathers after snow and rain. It is perfect weather for a wood fire and a good book. The smell of the fire is also one of my favorites after the smell of rain and snow.
Heading to the California State Capitol today with my daughter‘s 4th grade class! So far all is quiet on the bus. I just might get a few pages in. #fieldtrips
BBC Radio 4 - powerful - as it says, Betrayal, love and terrible choices. #R4radiodrama
After A Place For Us, I want to read everything out of SJP for Hogarth. I finished earlier today and I don‘t know how to rate it. It‘s so crushing. It‘s going to bother me for a while. It‘s a very fast read. I don‘t think I‘ve ever read about Trinidad before, so I feel like I‘ve learned something about that place through this novel.
I won a GoodReads giveaway! I guess I really should pay more attention to my email, since this completely surprised me. 😊
#bookmail
pickThe main question in this story set in Trinidad is - who would you choose/save? The father of the two boys is in this situation, and the story is mainly told from his perspective. Besides this personal drama also runs the story of the place itself - dealing with poverty, violence, corruption, limited opportunities ...
Solid 3⭐️
#Booked2019 #NewIn2019
My finished Red Lentil & Tofu Dal--a simple & nourishing vegan soup is on the blog for #soupersundays. It's not the prettiest soup, but it is delicious. Here with rice & one of my current reads, an #ARC for an upcoming book tour. I've only just started it & see some mixed reviews on Litsy so we'll see.
Link to soup recipe is below. 😋🍲
“A deeply affecting debut novel set in Trinidad, following the lives of a family as they navigate impossible choices about scarcity, loyalty, and love.”
If you‘ve been thinking about reading this #BOTM choice, I‘m hosting a #giveaway of it on my blog. Stop by and you could win! http://bit.ly/2TKjyJD (ends 2/13/18, US addresses only)
panThis was my #BOTM add on for January- and honestly, I wish I had skipped it! But I‘m incapable of passing up a twin story... but this book, set in #Trinidad is frankly brutally depressing and completely unsatisfying. It moved quickly for me- but that had more to do with the oddly large font size than the actual pacing. Character development is lacking and the ending is just deflating...
Ozzie is sniffing my next review book to see if it‘s edible or otherwise interesting to him.
panThis book was SO slow. The story itself is sad and I'm sure all too real. There was a lot of slang in the book, which is fine if you know what it is, but I do not and it kind of takes me out of the story because it's not explained. There's no real connection to any of the characters for me.
so-soThis book fell very flat for me. I was expecting more character development and a conflict that was not so black and white--the conflict, in my opinion, should have been more drawn out. Instead it was brushed over and almost unbelievable. I also didn't feel like I cared about the characters all that much. ⭐⭐⭐/5 #botm
panThat was disappointing. Way too slow for me and dry. It was all over the place and by the end I wasn‘t even sure what happened really. Not my fave from #botm. But, it‘s okay. I liked my other book from them 😊
pickA story of parental love told in the context of a missing twin, how the stories were create become reality. This book, set in Trinidad, has a very strong sense of place and community. Despite being about a missing child, this book isn't as plot driven as you'd think. If you're looking to settle into a book that'll take you away this is a good option. Ending did feel a bit rushed, but I can see how elements of it were very effective.
Got some book mail today! Two #BOTM picks and my #LMPBC ! 📚📚📚
@TheBookKeepers @johanna414 @ConfessionofaBookaholic
bailed
