I was kind of in "science fiction" mode recently, and this book was on my to-read list and available as an audiobook, so I thought it would be perfectI was kind of in "science fiction" mode recently, and this book was on my to-read list and available as an audiobook, so I thought it would be perfect! Alas, it just was not for me. I listened to two hours of it (I believe it was a 10-hour narration), and that was enough. I was already a bit bored with it, but when the main character is introducing cannabis to a soldier from the 17th (?) century, I figured that was my sign to quit. The story had potential - the main character (whose name I can't even remember) - works for an agency as a "bridge". She is responsible for one person who has been plucked from history (after determining that said person will not create any paradoxes) and kind of introduces them to the present world. I can't remember why. It's interesting, some slow-moving books I have really enjoyed, but this one - no....more
Well, my kindle library book evidently expired today. I had been enjoying this story, but not loving it. It is very slow moving, but the writing (and Well, my kindle library book evidently expired today. I had been enjoying this story, but not loving it. It is very slow moving, but the writing (and translating) were beautiful. I had actually highlighted a number of passages for their beauty and thoughtfulness about life. I got 57% through the story. If I didn't have so many other books on my to-read list (and for my book group) I would actually consider checking this out at another time. I wish there was a pronunciation key for English speakers, because it is difficult to remember names I can't pronounce. The main character is kind of lonely and decides to open a bookshop, and also sell coffee there. At first, she kind of alienates people because she keeps to herself so much and doesn't cater to what's popular. She soon hires a younger guy to take care of the coffee. He had lived his life with the expectation of getting a great job after college if he just focused on school. That didn't happen. So he is kind of at loose ends too. The characters are very well-defined and give the reader a glimpse into an old Korean neighborhood. Not a whole lot happened in the first half of the book. I can imagine the owner finding her voice and perhaps getting together with one of the authors that gave a talk in the bookshop. She had some issues with her parents, too, that I hope get resolved. Anyway, a very different book for me - just a bit too slow and needing to read my next book club one....more
What a disappointment! I absolutely loved The Gunnel, and was so excited to see that Rowley had a new book available. But - for me, this one was not tWhat a disappointment! I absolutely loved The Gunnel, and was so excited to see that Rowley had a new book available. But - for me, this one was not the follow-up I was expecting. The basic story was kind of interesting. Six students who meet at Berkeley immediately bond with each other. After graduation (after one of them has passed on) the remaining five make a pact that they will always be there for each other. It is decided that the way they will do this is by making a promise to go to each other's "funeral" whenever a call is made, without asking questions. Each of them may make this call only once, when they are going through something BIG and need the support of good friends. The funeral is to let them know while they're still alive that they are very special and needed, no matter what has happened.
Part of what I didn't like was the fact that it was kind of depressing - the specter of death hangs over one of the characters. And I didn't especially LIKE the characters. They are in their forties now (I think...) and still seem so immature. There was at least one touching speech - but some of the scenes dragged on so long and were so unfunny that I decided to give up on the book. I got about halfway through, and was kind of curious as to how it will end - but not enough to keep reading....more
Well, I am finally realizing that Emily Henry books are not my cup of tea. She is a very witty writer, and I do appreciate that. I read one of her othWell, I am finally realizing that Emily Henry books are not my cup of tea. She is a very witty writer, and I do appreciate that. I read one of her other books for my book group, and again - very witty - but I am not the intended audience. The thing that bothered me the most was all the drunkeness. Basic plot is that a group of friends who met and/or roomer together during college, are all meeting again after about ten years. But, unbeknownst to the others, Harriet and Wyn who had been a couple for most of that time, have recently broken up. Have to say - I only got through about 50 pages and decided I'd rather read something else, but I have a feeling that they will end up back together by the end of the book.......more
Hmmm - I have to say, I was kind of disappointed in this book. I listened to about 3/4 of the story, but it got to the point that it got really depresHmmm - I have to say, I was kind of disappointed in this book. I listened to about 3/4 of the story, but it got to the point that it got really depressing, and I had a feeling it wasn't going to have an ending I was hoping for, so I quit. I really do like time travel books, and this book was described as like Groundhog Day, and heartwarming, so it sounded perfect for me.
It took a while to get into the story. Emma is a successful busy employee of publishing company (?) She is very very involved in her work, and has a difficult time making room for activities/meals with her family. Her husband Dan also works (somewhere) but not as intensively as she does. They have two kids, Poppy and Miles. The chapters vary between the present and the years leading up to the present. Dan and Emma met cute, and they agreed to each write the other a letter on the anniversary of the day they met. It has gotten to the point, though, that Emma is just too busy to write the letter - or to even remember their anniversary. Hurrying home one anniversary evening on December 3, late, they argue, Dan goes out on a walk with the dog, and is hit by a car and dies. The next morning, Emma wakes up next to him - an alive Dan - and December 3 has begun again. Something is going on with kids, which she has been to busy to notice, also. Anyway, she relives the day and tries to do some things differently, but the evening always ends with his death.
I really didn't notice a heartwarming-ness about the book. The letters that Dan wrote were always sweet, and the author did a great job with fleshing out his character that way. Emma thinks she is going crazy, and begins to act a bit crazy. But - I don't think I want to hear how everything turns out. Maybe I'll look it up online at some point, but I'd rather believe that all ends better than I am expecting....more
I really had a love/hate relationship with this book. I can't remember where I heard of it, but it is a mystery, so that automatically intrigued me. WI really had a love/hate relationship with this book. I can't remember where I heard of it, but it is a mystery, so that automatically intrigued me. When I picked it up from the library, I was surprised to see how long it was - in my edition, anyway, it is 574 pages! But, mysteries are usually much easier to go through quickly!
My first impression of the book was "great beginning!" Always a good sign. The reader knows there is a murder in a luxury hotel's Room 622. We don't know who it is, or who the killer is. The author (like the Anthony Horowitz mysteries) is also a character in this story. It's kind of a mystery within a mystery, within another mystery. I think. The chapters vary between the present day where the author (Joel) has broken up with his girlfriend, his publisher has recently died, and he gets talked into writing a book about this murder, by a woman he meets named Scarlett. We also learn about the events leading up to this murder, and are introduced to the bankers of the Ebezner bank in Geneva, and a woman named Anastasia. And we learn about the events transpiring the day of the murder. At first it was kind of fun, but it got to the point where I had a difficult time keeping the various storylines straight.
At times, I found the translation a little awkward, and it kind of annoyed me. An interlocutor???? Also, the characters didn't always seem believable. So, the writing was ok, the characters not greatly depicted, but I kept reading on. I really wanted to find out who was killed, who did it, who the next president of the bank would be, and who Anastasia ended up with. Finally, I got to page 376 (!!!!!) and just decided it wasn't worth it. I skipped to the end, and even after reading the last several pages, I couldn't figure out what happened. Oh well....more
I gotta say, I am disappointed. I read both Recursion and Dark Matter and gave them both five stars. i was so looking forward to this book. I checked I gotta say, I am disappointed. I read both Recursion and Dark Matter and gave them both five stars. i was so looking forward to this book. I checked it out as an audiobook. Granted - it kept me entertained on a long car trip, and I got through half of it......but it was more depressing than I expected. This wasn't what I wanted to think about. Logan, the main character, works for some government agency that deals with genetic violations. His mother, an amazing scientist, thought she was creating something to cure some type of disease but instead ended up killing millions of people. The world is still recovering from that disaster. Logan gets hurt in an activity. As he's recovering he finds that he is becoming kind of super-human. He's able to comprehend more faster, read people well, require less sleep, run without getting tired......The government is after him, wanting him to locate his mother, the bad guys are after him, his sister wants to continue what his mother started.....there's the beginning of a pandemic...... Too much for me!...more
This book had a lot of good reviews and sounded interesting. I listened to only about three chapters. The writing was good (as was the audio narrator,This book had a lot of good reviews and sounded interesting. I listened to only about three chapters. The writing was good (as was the audio narrator, but starting out with the deaths of two nice, innocent people was really disturbing. I didn't want to wait to find out the good that eventually ensued. ...more
This book was really interesting, and well-written, but it was getting harder and harder to read without getting sad, angry, frustrated........ I deciThis book was really interesting, and well-written, but it was getting harder and harder to read without getting sad, angry, frustrated........ I decided that it just wasn't the book I needed at this time. The characters were very believable, and very sad. I'd like to hope that the ending was eventually just and happy, but probably not.
Kiara and Marcus are siblings in Oakland. Father has died, mom has a LOT of issues and is in a halfway house or prison. Trevor is a young boy in the same apartment complex as Kiara, pretty much left to fend for himself. Huge rent increases loom in their future, and there is no money. Marcus hopes to become a rapper and spends most of his time "recording". Kiara can't find a job, as she has no resume to present, and ends up walking the streets of Oakland. That in itself is sad to contemplate, but one night officers of the Oakland Police Department get a hold of her, not to charge her, but to regularly "use" her as a reward in their card games. At this point, I had to quit reading. I guess I realized how easy it is to judge people and their decisions, but when it comes right down to it, who is to say what circumstances literally force a person to compromise themselves just to stay alive. And I know that the OPD may not be representative of the majority of officers, but I also believe that some people in a position of power abuse that responsibility.
So - well written, good story (actually based on a true account the author researched), but too believable and sad for me....more
Well, I was really enjoying this book, but I just don't have the time to finish it, and am in the midst of another book that is almost due also. I gotWell, I was really enjoying this book, but I just don't have the time to finish it, and am in the midst of another book that is almost due also. I got about halfway through, and regret that there just isn't enough reading time available for me these days. I don't feel so bad leaving this book, as it is pretty much a slow moving, but interesting commentary on the author's desire to follow in Washington's footsteps, to see what America is like today as compared to 20o years ago. The main idea I got was that it is just amazing how things work out - the right people at the right time, to accomplish a lot of good.
I was really enjoying this book - very interesting information on the beginnings, failures, successes of the Secret Service. Unfortunately, the book iI was really enjoying this book - very interesting information on the beginnings, failures, successes of the Secret Service. Unfortunately, the book is quite long, and I could only have it for two weeks, and things came up that prevented me from eating as much as I would have liked. But - the story is fascinating, and the author did a lot of research and interviews to be able to write a "story" so seamlessly.
I got the impression that, like so many other institutions in our society, the Secret Service often succeeded in spite of internal disorder and disagreement. And, like so many things in politics, different presidents wanted differing amounts of protection. And, Kennedy and Clinton were notorious for not wanting anyone to interfere with their romantic liaisons. The question then became - when is it ok for an agent to obey the president's desires, and when does it become a duty for national security.
As an aside - I hadn't realized that there had actually been a guard stationed in the box at Ford's Theater. He decided to go across the street for a drink, and that was when the opportunity for John Wilkes Booth to kill Lincoln arose.
I had to return the book right when 9/11 was being discussed. I enjoyed the snippets of lives of the various presidents and first ladies - how they interacted with the agents, and how the job is constantly changing. ...more
Interestingly, I haven't had a "did-not-finish" book in quite a while. I had been looking very forward to reading this new book. I only got about 10% Interestingly, I haven't had a "did-not-finish" book in quite a while. I had been looking very forward to reading this new book. I only got about 10% done with it on my Kindle, but found it very unfunny. I don't appreciate British humor, or Swedish humor, in books. And I don't know what type of humor I'd call this, but maybe I was expecting something laugh out loud funny. Or at least mental chuckling funny. But for me, this missed the boat.
Maybe there was something funnier or at least deeper after the guy dies......but I have another book waiting to read and don't want to find out....more
I am definitely getting more picky about the books I choose to read these days. The premise of the story sounded interesting - Addie makes a bargain wI am definitely getting more picky about the books I choose to read these days. The premise of the story sounded interesting - Addie makes a bargain with a stranger in the 1700's to be able to live forever, but is never remembered by anyone. In those early days, life for a woman would have been horrible. She did not want to be in an "arranged" marriage, didn't want to be told what to do. The chapters appear to switch between her teenage years in the 1700's, and 2014, where she is still around, but no one remembers having been with her. I guess at some point, another mysterious man comes into her life, but I wasn't interested enough to find out more. I only got 52 pages into the book, so I realize my review is really not worth much. But, as much as I am usually drawn towards time-travel-type stories, and parallel universe stories, I didn't like the evil that was so prevalent here. I know this book has gotten many rave reviews, but just not my type. Back to happier books for me, I guess....more
Huh - another book that I can't understand why so many people loved it. It is a quick read, but even so....I figured it would be torture to me to finiHuh - another book that I can't understand why so many people loved it. It is a quick read, but even so....I figured it would be torture to me to finish it. Every time I put it down, I wondered if it would be worth it to pick it up again. I finally decided that if it produced one more mental eyeroll, I would give up on it. And it did soon after. I got about 1/3 of the way through.
The chapters alternate between Ronni (who doesn't sound particularly attractive, as she describes herself, and who is very annoying. And somehow a gorgeous hunk of a cop is pursuing her. And the witticisms she is constantly thinking/saying don't strike me as humorous. She works as a nurse at a retirement home/care facility) and Violet (who lived at the care facility and regaled Ronni with her scandalous life). Anyway - Violet has died, and bequeathed a generous amount of money to Ronni if she will write her life story. The reader is treated to both their stories, which seemed so unbelievable and - I just didn't care. ...more
I was planning on reading the whole book - but I honestly wasn't enjoying it, and then found out that it was due back at the library in a few days, anI was planning on reading the whole book - but I honestly wasn't enjoying it, and then found out that it was due back at the library in a few days, and figured - what the heck. Why even bother.
This was a quick read - and it felt more like a historical teen romance novel. The subject was interesting - it took place in late 1800's Orcas Island in the San Juans, and present day Seattle/Orcas. The reader is introduced to Mei Lein who grew up in Seattle with her father and grandmother. I hadn't known about the history of the Chinese being so ostracized and driven out of their homes in Washington (and elsewhere, I'm sure). In this telling, over 300 are forcibly put on a ship ostensibly to go back to China, but instead thrown overboard. Mei Lein survives, and is nursed back to health by Joseph, a young white man on Orcas Island. In the present, Inara inherits a mansion from her aunt on Orcas Island, and leaves a possibly lucrative job with Starbucks to create a boutique hotel. She finds an unusual embroidered sleeve buried beneath floorboards in the house. To find out more about the sleeve, she contacts Daniel at UW. The reader learns about Mei Lein's history.
I started writing down quotes that just irritated me: she found herself "drawn to his sexy neediness..." To me, the romances were too formulaic and predictable, and there were too many convenient occurrences. Then I decided that overall, did I really care? No. I'm glad my horizons expanded to learn a bit about more injustices that occurred in our country's history, but I didn't care for this particular story....more
I feel so validated! I read about seventy pages of this book and asked myself - what does anyone see in this?????? Am I alone in thinking that it is dI feel so validated! I read about seventy pages of this book and asked myself - what does anyone see in this?????? Am I alone in thinking that it is depressing, and has unlikable characters? I looked up reviews on goodreads and saw that the first reviews I glanced over all gave it two stars. Even Sara had- whom I hadn't known had even read it, and she hadn't finished it either. The only thing that would have made me finish it would be to find out what exactly would bring the two main characters together. I read the last few pages and at least know how it ends, although I didn't learn Catherine's secret. Oh well. This evening I started watching Sharknado on someone's recommendation - not a me-movie. So I picked up this book to continue reading, and decided it wasn't a me-book. Very disappointing. Thank goodness I could watch Project Runway and feel good! The book is actually starts off interestingly - it's 1907 Wisconsin, and Ralph Truitt, a very wealthy man, is waiting for a woman at the train station. He has advertised for a "reliable wife" to come and be his bride. Catherine comes, but this is not the woman he had expected - she is actually very beautiful, but had sent a picture of a homely woman to him instead. Why all the mystery? She isn't planning on staying too long. Why? What is her story? Mr. Truitt has had tragedies in his past, and for most of his life all he can think of is sex. And the author goes into much detail about this. Over and over. An unnecessarily large number of paragraphs in each chapter. Time to read another book. ...more
Well, I got through over 200 pages of this book. And there is so much I loved about it. This story introduced me to an area I knew little about, and tWell, I got through over 200 pages of this book. And there is so much I loved about it. This story introduced me to an area I knew little about, and to a tradition I was unfamiliar with: South Korea and the haenyeo, women who dive and collect creatures from the sea, supporting their families. The story was fascinating - up until the brutal, vividly described violence. I loved the characters in the book, and was looking forward to finding out what happened to the two main ones, Young-sook and Mi-ja. The chapters switch back and forth in time, from the 1930's, when the girls first meet, and 2008, when Young-sook meets someone she never knew existed. These are two strong women, with different backgrounds, who end up marrying men, one who is good, and one who is questionable. I didn't learn exactly what made the two women lose touch, but the violence generated first by the Japanese, and afterwards by rebels and the Americans, was just too gruesome for me. And I know it was probably typical, which makes it even worse. I'll look forward to our book group discussion, and to finding out what happened in the last 1/3 of the book....more
To be fair, I only read about thirty pages of this book. Our book group chose to read any of Patterson's Women's Murder Club books for our December meTo be fair, I only read about thirty pages of this book. Our book group chose to read any of Patterson's Women's Murder Club books for our December meeting. I chose this one from the library - it was the closest to the first book that was available. The only other Patterson book I've ever read is the one he wrote with Bill Clinton, which I really enjoyed. I remember liking the short chapters and the pacing. But, somehow this one got to me - too much violence too early, and the violence involved kids. So - I decided to start another series someone had recommended to me. I had mentioned how much I loved the Spencer Quinn books "narrated" by a dog, and this person mentioned the David Rosenfeld books which also deal with dogs. Much better start to that one....more
hmmm. There were definitely some good quotes from this book, but overall I realized I just didn't enjoy reading it all that much. And I read all but thmmm. There were definitely some good quotes from this book, but overall I realized I just didn't enjoy reading it all that much. And I read all but the last few chapters. Part of it - I found it kind of depressing. I had never read any Anna Quindlen books, although I have a few friends who absolutely love her. I guess maybe I'm not into memoirs? Or at least memoirs of someone I don't have any knowledge of, who hasn't really piqued my interest in any way over the years. some quotes: "You dream yourself a life out of bits of fantasy and imaginings, like cotton candy, pink and mostly air. And then you have an actual life that has almost nothing to do with the cotton candy one." "I've aged into how I always looked." "In the country you are merely alone; in the city you're alone surrounded by thousands of others..." "Few religions foster a searching approach to spirituality." "I was raised in a Church that does not invite its people to go deeper, or to move very far beyond its outward forms."...more
True - I didn't really give this book as much of a chance as I might have, had I not also been reading a book I'm thoroughly enjoying at the same timeTrue - I didn't really give this book as much of a chance as I might have, had I not also been reading a book I'm thoroughly enjoying at the same time....... That said, this just didn't seem like a "me" book. I read about 30 pages on my kindle, and that was enough....more