I think I'm actually further along, but my bookmarks aren't syncing from device to device. Anyway, I'm just not digging it (it's sooooo slooooow and boring, so far), so I'm bailing at 1:05:26 / 6%.

I'm actually pretty bummed about this—I've been looking forward to reading it for a long time. Maybe someday I'll try again.

This was very much what I expected based on the blurbs & reviews. It was entertaining, but overly long and not twisty enough, IMHO. Still, would rate it above average (maybe 3+/5)

I've exhausted my renewals and must return to the library. I read only the introduction and a smattering of letters, but I looked at all of the art at least twice through. It's impossible to pick a favorite—there's a lot of fun and gorgeous work.

". . . libraries are bastions of democracy and oxygen for the life of the mind, which, as my great-grandfather knew, is our single most ferocious frontier of resistance to inequality and injustice." [from the introduction]

Didn't live up to the premise or my expectations, but not bad either. Would have liked a couple of supporting characters to have been further developed.

I'm torn about how to rate this numerically. I gave the first in the series a 3+. For much of this, second, installment, I might have rated the same. Ultimately, however, I'd rate it a 2+ or 3- because of graphic description of extreme violence, including a sexual assault. This is supposed to be entertainment! Sexual assault is not entertaining. Full stop.

Again, with the cliffhanger ending!!!! When the third book comes out, I'm buying it right away. No more jealousy because my bookish friends read it weeks ago. No more waiting for this mystery chick! 😉

“Oh, the snakes don‘t bother me none. I like them more than people sometimes.“ [1:31:05 13%]

🐍🐍 🐍 🐍 🐍
💙 💙 💙 💙 💙

[Milo is looking dry here because this was taken a couple days before he shed. Now he's all shiny and bright again! He's posing with my first-ever knitted gnome, Gnora.]

#PetsOfLitsy #SnakesOfLitsy #Milo

Aspects of the writing were beautiful. Overall, I wasn't excited or wowed.

As a family, we first read this in 2003. I still love it, years/rereadings later!

While this book has a similar feel to Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series (one of my fluffier pleasures), I was dismayed by the violent portrayal of a sexual relationship. Aspects of the way it was written clearly qualify as sexual assault and rape, even though other interchanges are consensual. I might have been interested in continuing the series for character development and humor. I won't now.

Loved the funny bits—you know, the ones that elicit a snort! 😂

September reading recap: 19 (not including bailed: 2)

**********

*4-star reads (in order of reading)*
The Rules of Magic, Alice Hoffman
The Garden of Small Beginnings, Abbi Waxman
The Institute, Stephen King
The Innocent (Will Robie #1), David Baldacci
Midnight at the Blackbird Café, Heather Webber

**********

*honorable mention (3+/4-)*
The Keeper of Lost Things, Ruth Hogan

I can't remember how I came across this relationship-heavy, multi-generational, small-town tale, but I'm so glad I did!

I was hoping for a fun romp. Instead got a hot mess.

On the plus side: animals and fun new friends, including the local drag queen/pug parent (really, too minor a character).

On the minus side: poor judgment in the face of a hurricane, sexual assault, animal abuse, over-the-top family drama (can't detail this much for fear of spoiling), cavalier treatment of a gun incident, and general ridiculousness.

I can see that this is much admired, but I am not getting into it. I don't feel anything for these characters yet, and I suspect that there's a lot of "extra" description that isn't adding value. [bailing at 8% / 1:22:49]

Guessing the bad guy before the end didn't diminish my reading enjoyment. My first impression of Will Robie/this book was that it reminded me of a cross between the movie Wild Target and Lee Child's Jack Reacher character. I like both of those a lot, so this book was a pretty good pick for me.

[I thought this was my first Baldacci, but my log says I read one of his in 2006. 😂]

Having rated Jennifer Government highly twice, I was looking forward to Machine Man. What started out as a 4-star read for me, ended up a 2. The first (almost-)half was darkly funny and clever. Then, it just plodded on, becoming more and more ridiculous with no real progress or development. It was a chore to finish.

Fairly predictable and occasionally unreasonably convenient, and yet I really enjoyed it. There are a few nice relationships, and we get to hear some of the stories from different times and perspectives.

I've really liked everything I've read of Tropper's . . . until this one. For the bulk of this one, I was disappointed. Really close to the end, it started getting funny . . . until the very end, when it fell on its rump again. Sigh. I'll appreciate the chuckles I got. I guess I can't expect him to hit it out of the park every single time. 😉

TIL: dog-narrated mysteries are not my jam. Now I know! 😂 It was fine, but it could have been better (and/or shorter!) without all the dog commentary.

I really tried, y'all. Romance is not the genre for me.

Well, now maybe I'll be able to concentrate on real life again.

I was underwhelmed. It was OK. If you‘re a fan, I‘d love to hear what was most appealing to you.

The illustrations are beautiful!

I wanted to like this more than I did. It was promising at times, but then would take a disappointing turn in the writing/plot. I'm unsure whether I'll continue reading the series. I liked the cultural aspects of the story (and the cover photo). Torn between Pick and So-So.

I know that it looks like I haven't been reading for a few days. Crazy, right?! I *have* been reading; but, I've been in Washington DC doing annual Save the Children Action Network volunteer leadership training & advocating for kids with our legislators. It may take me a day or two to catch up my various reading logs.

I reread tagged book for virtual book club. Found a few new tidbits.

[Photo from Uber ride on the way back to the airport Tu pm.]

I've had this on my TBR for ages, but was never really all that interested in reading it (I'm not a short story fan). I finally read it out of desperation (empty Overdrive pipeline), and I'm glad I did. Some of the stories were pretty funny. Others not so much. But, I'm glad to get out of my comfort zone occasionally.

I didn't know what to expect (maybe I didn't expect much). Probably between a pick and a so-so. I'll err on the positive—I did laugh.

Overdrive can't keep my pipeline full because of its stingy hold limit, so I'm really reaching for things to read. DH conked out early tonight, so I had extra jigsaw and reading time to myself.

Nice enough story about a single mom doing the best she can for her young son and herself. I especially liked the relationship development between Zoe and the three kids (besides her son) in her care. I was satisfied with the ending, despite its predictability.

Having recently and thoroughly enjoyed The Bookish Life of Nina Hill *and* having received lovely mail from the author, I didn't hesitate to read Waxman's debut. Who knew that a story about a grieving young widow and her family could be so funny?! I especially enjoyed Lillian's relationships with her sister and her gardening teacher, as well as the antics of her 7- and 5-year-old daughters . Highly recommend.

Meh. There were layers of story line, which was good; but, I wasn't engaged by the characters. Fairly predictable ending. Could have been shorter and more/at least as effective.

I read/loved Practical Magic in spring 2007. I was just as entranced (at least according to memory, though a few things have happened since then 😂) with this prequel. It was neat to read the aunts' backstory. I can hardly wait to reread Practical Magic, and maybe watch the movie just for good measure (even though they aren't exactly the same).

August reading recap: 19 (not including bailed: 7)

*4-star reads (in order of reading)*

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, Abbi Waxman

Truly Devious, Maureen Johnson

As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust (Flavia #7), Alan Bradley

The Salmon of Doubt, Douglas Adams

No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference, Greta Thunberg

Half of a Yellow Sun, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (4+)

Not My Father's Son, Alan Cumming

Too much memoir and nice-nice bipartisan talk; not enough policy. It's not bad; it's perfectly fine. She's possibly the least charismatic/interesting politician I've read so far. Obviously, I won't disqualify her from consideration; she's just not at the top of my list *based on this book*. [I'll do more research on her if she's still in contention come voting time.] Apropos of nothing, I always enjoy a mention of one of my ex-boyfriends.

It was a fine cozy mystery. Some funny bits. Thanks to other Litsy folk, have the first series (season) of the TV show waiting for me at the library. The book kept me company while I was puttering around the house today, culminating in starting a new jigsaw puzzle tonight.

Wow! I recommend listening for Cumming's lovely Scottish accent; but, I'll also be borrowing the print edition for the photos and to revisit some passages that particularly spoke to me.

Bailing at 16%. Too much Mary. Not enough mystery.

I'm 55% in and I just can't be bothered anymore. I'm a tiny bit morbidly curious about what happens to Scarlett and her baby; but, it just shouldn't take this long for so little to happen. Moving on. . . .

I truly enjoyed the book & its narration by Michael Sheen. I didn't read far into The Golden Compass, because at the time that NOS was at that reading level, the content was not appropriate for him yet. We tabled it; I never returned. I may read the His Dark Materials series if I love the Book of Dust series.

Elements of La Belle Sauvage bring to mind Diane Setterfield's Once Upon a River, which I read in January and found even more captivating.

Given the daily assault we've been living through since the start of the 2016 US presidential campaign, I don't need the insanity of either our temporary employee in the White House's or the 1%'s shenanigans in my fiction. If I choose to read nonfiction about the atrocities, that's on me; but, I need fun fiction to get through each and every day now. It's too soon to find humor in this bullshit.

This. This is a rare exception to my “no historical fiction“ rule. Adichie is an amazing writer. Her writing is beautiful, heartbreaking, sharp, humorous—whatever is needed. [I am now exhausted! Time for some fluff.]

I'm glad to have been able to read this so soon after publication. More importantly, I appreciate the opportunity to learn a better framework and more accurate language/thought process.

It's too soon for me to “rate“ the book. I need to process. I may never actually quantify. The subject matter is critically important. The author is thoughtful and intelligent. Let's get to the work that needs to be done—on ourselves and our society.

Slightly less awesome than Ready Player One, which is OK because it's its own thing. I was still mightily entertained. I'm still thinking about the ending (not sure I'm all in on that). I love, love, love Wil Wheaton narrating Cline's books!

put a pin in it @ 59:35 (10%)—not funny; just whiny

I hadn't heard of Kilgariff, Hardstark, or their podcast before coming across the book. I'm not likely to start following their podcast now (not interested in more true crime in my daily life than we're already experiencing via our government). However, I whizzed through the book today. [It didn't hurt that I had a puzzle to work on, and that I made time for self-care tonight after a brutal day yesterday.]

I don't remember much of the second installment; but, I remember not liking it as much as the first. I think this, the third, is slightly better again, though I wondered most of the way through when I would have liked to read this—maybe at age 6? So, it mightn't appeal to precocious readers. Given that it's targeted to middle-graders, there's nothing exceedingly sinister in the content.

Tagged book was my birthday present (February) this year from NOS and DIL (as of June). Saturday (almost exactly six months later), Number One Son and I made The Saturday White Bread when we visited them. I was thrilled at how easy it was (having only used a bread machine previously). That NOS is a clever one! Now I have the confidence to try more of the recipes.

This tiny book of teenager Greta Thunberg‘s speeches packs a big punch . . . if only the “adults” in power will listen. We are dangerously close to the point of no return—when there will be no way to sustain life on the planet. I hope everyone will read these speeches and then call their legislators to demand that the greater good be served by drastically changing our destructive ecological behaviors. Listen to the scientists.

So many factors make this one difficult to assess/rate. It's translated from a language and culture about which I know essentially nothing. I believe I understand the point the author is making. What I don't understand is how it's being received by so many reviewers. I don't see this as a fun, quirky read—Keiko is mightily abused and oppressed. While there is some dark humor (one of my faves), overwhelmingly, the book is bleak.