I veered off towards a completely different topic after being at a slight loss as to what to read following Still Lives... and ended up glancing at one of my reading lists I put together early this year. I had forgotten about Stiff, but I‘m so glad I put it down because it is absolutely fascinating. Not for the easily queasy but so far it is the most interesting book I‘ve read this year!
so-soIt‘s not that I didn‘t enjoy the book — the bits about art and its relationship to female bodies and murder victims were the strongest parts, but I felt let down by the actual plot. The ephemeral love interests that floated in and out of the book, the various subplots between different characters that seemed to have little point... they detracted from an actually interesting whodunnit plot. Unfortunate ): #botm
My #botm for May arrived! Just cracked the first page and the first line has me hooked: “For the four years I‘ve lived in Los Angeles, the Rocque Museum has been my university and my workplace, offering me a degree in contemporary art and the cosmopolitan life — brilliant as the blues in a Sam Francis painting, decadent as a twenty-four karat cast of a cat testicle.” Whew! Color me intrigued.
pickAfter Circe I shifted gears to a different genre — and I powered through Then She Was Gone in three days. The plot kept me captivated, although I was able to figure it out relatively early on in the book, and it was an easy, quick read. Would recommend!
pickFinally finished the much hyped Circe! I enjoyed the book, and the ending was bittersweet but perfect. I do think the story took a little bit to develop and certain aspects I‘m sure went over my head as an Ancient Greek mythology novice... but still, Circe won me over. I wish I could spend a little more time in her universe!
IT HAPPENED!
For anyone who was at all interested in this case — a suspect has been arrested in the case of the Golden State Killer. Michelle McMara would have been so excited, and it is a little bittersweet that she is not here to witness this. But for those of you who haven‘t read this book yet — why not?! Now is the perfect time!
The hype for #Circe is setting some high expectations before I‘ve even cracked open my #botm choice! Hopeful that it doesn‘t fall short. For those of you who have already read it, how did it compare to your expectations?
pickAnn Patchett is undoubtedly a very good writer — and that‘s what I found so mesmerizing about this book, her prose. The people were a little difficult to keep track of (two families! Four parents! Six children!) and the storyline fell a little flat for me, but I enjoyed her writing and that was what made this a positive experience for me.
Reading before hitting the zzzzs... Ann Patchett certainly has a way with words. I‘ve never read a book of hers before but I‘ll keep an eye out for her other books because the prose is excellent. One of my favorite lines so far: “their relationship, which had been going on five years, was built on admiration and mutual disbelief.”
My #botm choices were Circe and Then She Was Gone — I couldn‘t choose! My pile is rapidly growing, and I wouldn‘t have it another way 🤓 what was everyone else‘s choice for April? #bookofthemonth
My cat approves of this choice for my next read! Just getting started and getting comfortable...
pickThe ending tugged at my heartstrings... Tayari Jones paints a tale of the effect of incarceration on families and individuals, and in a way that is compassionate towards all. Recommend 🙌
so-soFinished my March #botm, Abbi Waxman‘s Other People‘s Houses. It was pretty funny (in its honest depiction of what parenting looks like) but in the end I found myself annoyed with everyone. The ending seemed slightly rushed to me as well, and some things I wished would be addressed weren‘t... in which case that‘s just frustrating. Oh well!
pickI‘d never read a true crime novel before — now podcasts, on the other hand, I‘d listened to (Serial, anyone?). This was new, but I enjoyed the writing l of Michelle McNamara, and the interweaving of her own story with the killer‘s as he progressed through California. Definitely a good read for true crime fans. #truecrime
My pick for this month‘s #bookofthemonth! I‘m pretty excited about it — but too bad there‘s too many books and too little time... it‘s waiting for me temptingly on my nightstand!
I‘ve been reading this to fulfill the True Crime portion of the #popsugar reading challenge — and I‘m a sucker for true crime. It‘s a very tightly written book so far! #truecrime
pickI enjoyed it! Lisa Kleypas is a great writer, and while this isn‘t one of my favorites of hers, it does hit the spot with good banter, a strong businesswoman, and Victorian era medicine. A good, quick read!
#LitsyWelcomeWagon glad to be here!
1. Currently in KY, USA! Originally from New Jersey though.
2. Historical fiction, with scientific nonfiction as a close second.
3. Devil in Spring by Lisa Kleypas.
4. Donuts!!!!!
5. One cat, her name is Alice (:
6. Nope! Thanks for the welcome 🤗
pickI haven‘t read the first two in the series — I have watched Me Before You, though! — but I enjoyed Still Me, which was something I received through #bookofthemonth. I do wish the ending was better (choose yourself, Lou) but it was a good, fast read regardless.
