so-so⭐️⭐️⭐️
This started out as a solid pick for me. The first half was fantastic, four stars at least. But the second half devolved into something entirely different. Apparently this is being turned into a series - I want to say Netflix? - but unless they change the concept a good bit, I think I'll pass.
I haven't done a readathon in a while, so I'm gonna go for this month's #20in4.
Books I'm planning to get to:
🎧 The Unsinkable Greta James
📖 The Boy from the Woods by Harlan Coben
📱 Aurora by David Koepp
My kiddo wanted to go shopping with a friend, but neither of them drive, so I get to sit in the car and read my book while they shop. I'm loving this one so far.
My husband has never been much of a reader. But in the last few months he's been devouring books for some reason (I'm beyond thrilled with this). He started with Jordan's Wheel of Time series and then read all of Cornwell's Saxon Chronicles. He's looking for books similar to Cornwell, but they aren't my thing, so I don't have any suggestions for him.
Any recommendations for similar writers / books / series?
I took Henry to the library after lunch hoping they had a Dog Man book he hasn't read yet. He lucked out. We came home with all of these plus the one I couldn't photograph cause he was already reading it.
Henry's doing a summer reading challenge where he gets rewards for reading. I asked if he wanted me to start a timer for him while he was reading this one. "Nah. I'm not reading this for the reading challenge. I'm just reading cause I want to." ? That's my boy.
I took my little man to Target this morning, and we went a little nuts in the book department. He scored a bit bigger than I did.
pickOh my goodness, this book was completely charming. My only complaint was that it needed more Marsellus chapters. 🐙🐙🐙🐙🐙
We are go for launch here at our LFL. Henry helped me set up the books. I've since added a few more plus a box of assorted colorable bookmarks. I'm so excited. I really hope our neighbors love to read.
#progress
My LFL should be totally installed and ready for books tomorrow afternoon. I'm thinking we'll do a grand opening sort of thing Saturday. Any suggestions for non-book items I should put in for this weekend, like bookmarks?
It's #botm day! What's in your blue box? 💙
What are your favorite books that take place on a desert island? I'm looking more for survival than romance, but I'll take recommendations for anything you love. So spam me with your faves, please! 🌴 😊
Got these two chunksters today. Now I have to decide which to start first. I'm thinking chronological makes sense.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I went into this without expectations, and while I feel some parts could have had a bit more depth, I really enjoyed McCarthy's writing. You get the sense that he didn't always get along with certain people he worked with, but he writes in an eloquent and respectful way that surprised me. Mostly you get a feeling for who he is and how he navigated his early success. If you were an 80's child, I highly recommend this one (get the audio).
I visited my happy place this morning. I hadn't been in a bookshop since last December. I expected to leave with a heavy bag or two, but I left empty-handed. 🤷♀️ It's not like I NEED more books. I've got hundreds on my tbr shelves, not even counting ebooks and audios. But still, it was weird to not really want anything. 😕
pickWow. That was some kind of roller coaster of a book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My Monday morning plans. I've been reading through this one off and on for a few months. I'm determined to finish it today. Drinking coffee from the mug my daughter gave me yesterday. ☕️📖
pickWhat a sweet little book. ❤️❤️
pickWhat a surprisingly delightful little book. I think this is my favorite of the year so far.
🧪🧪🧪🧪🧪
I've been dreaming of having a little free library for years. Yesterday, my husband asked if I still wanted to do it, and of course I said yes. So, looks like I'll be getting this one soonish. BIG Yay!! 😁
If you have a LFL or have been thinking about it, do you have any suggestions? Things you'd do again or do differently?
pickThis was deliciously adorable, even though rom-com isn't one of my favorite genres. I'd heard that Adam Driver was the inspiration for book Adam, but yuck, so Henry Cavill played the role in my head. 😁
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
April Stats:
Total Books Read/Listened To: 46
Reread: 6 (not in the photo)
Read from my physical tbr: 15
Books purchased: 2
Donated: 8
Current physical tbr: 663 (down from 700 at beginning of the year - yay progress!)
Best of April: True Biz by Sara Novic and Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys - both were ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Going to Barnes and Noble today for the first time this year. Hoping for a teensy bit of will power. (But not too much 😁)
My May #bookspin list. I'm working through a lot of series and trying to read almost entirely off my physical tbr shelves. 🤞
@TheAromaofBooks
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I really like this series. This one was particularly gruesome, but the story was excellent.
Does this get any better?? I'm about 18% in and....not loving it. It's kinda awful so far. I'm wondering what BOTM was thinking with this one. Maybe it gets better?
pickI was surprised how much I enjoyed this one. The story was clever and funny, and I loved the cast of characters. I've already placed book 2 on hold at the library.
panEver read a book where the mc is just so dumb it's painful? This one was like that. All of the characters were lacking in any positive attributes (and full of really - REALLY - awful ones), and the mc took stupid to a whole new level. Yeah the story was readable and all, but I hated just about everyone and honestly hoped they'd all just die in a swarm of bees by the end.
pickThis had a terrific start and a solid ending. The middle went a bit off the rails and could easily have been edited down a lot. I think overall it was a pick, but for a while there I actually thought about bailing.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Terrific book. Gives a fascinating glimpse at Deaf culture. I don't generally feel like I learn much from novels, but I got so much more from this one than just the story. I highly recommend it.
so-soThis has a similar feel to The Thursday Murder Club, but it's lacking the charm and humor. It was still a decent read, though the mystery wasn't all that great. I did end up liking a couple of the main characters well enough that I'd read the second book when it comes out later this year.
pan⭐️ ⭐️
Objectively, I feel like Flynn is a good writer. I enjoyed Gone Girl when I read it a few years back. And this one was written well enough, but it was extraordinarily graphic and icky in ways that made me very uncomfortable. I'm not usually squeamish about most things in books, but something about this one just didn't sit well with me. I don't think I'll be watching the miniseries.
As mom of a child with hearing loss, I'm so happy to see more deaf culture representation in books and film lately. 🤟
#botm
Happy Blue Box Day!
Gah! Went to start a new (to me) book, and the front cover fell off. 😳 I think this one cost about 50 cents at the FotL bookshop, so it's not like it was just off the press, but still.
FEBRUARY STATS
Books Read: 35
Books read from physical tbr: 6
Books bought: 5
Current tbr count: 679
Not a great month for reading books off my shelves, but I ended the month with one book less than I started it with, so I'll count that a win.
Best of March: The Amos Decker Books by Baldacci
Worst of March: The Pendergast Books. The last two have just been so disappointing.
I've got some audible credits, and I need some recommendations on what I should get. I'm pretty eclectic with genres, though my probable preferences tend towards sci-fi, actiony type stories, and mysteries - more into noir-ish stuff lately. But mostly I just want something that will keep me listening.
So, spam me with your favorites. Anything you loved. Starts of series, stand alones, whatever. TIA!
Esquire has curated a list of the 50 best fantasy books, and I was surprised by how few I've finished (6) and how many I've DNFed (more than 6, and three in the cover photo alone). So, what are your thoughts on this list? Anything that didn't make the cut that you think should have? And should I give Night Circus a third (4th?) try?
https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/books/g39385874/best-fantasy-books/
I'm loving this book, but it's making me feel incredibly stupid. Time travel books are my jam, and this one is impossible to put down. I'm hoping by the end I'll understand everything that has me scratching my head at the moment. So far, even though I'm struggling with some of the "thinkier" concepts, like quantum foam and Brandt-Lomonaco knots, this is the best book I've read this year.
I just created a DNF shelf on goodreads specifically for this book. I wanted to remind myself that I am DONE with this insipid series & should not pick it up any more no matter how much I want to know if she picks Norman, Mike or the cat. I got about 5 pages in not counting recipes. Maybe the dumbest 5 pages of garbage I've ever read. How did I enjoy the first few of these enough to suffer through the rest of the 28 increasingly awful books?🤷♀️
February's #bookspinbingo. No blackout this month but got a fair bit knocked out. Many were off my physical tbr, so that's good.
February re-cap.
Total Books Read: 20
Books from my tbr shelves: 12
Books brought in: 3
Books donated out: 20
Total physical books remaining in tbr: 680
Best of Feb: The Viscount Who Loved Me
Worst of Feb: The Cutthroat
Well, #botm got me this month. I've not used both of my accounts for several months, but with 12 new books to choose from, I was sunk. How many did you all end up getting this month?
![[tagged book]](https://image.librarything.com/pics/litsy_webpics/icon_taggedBook@3x.png){kind=icon}
