Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Show Us Your Books! - What I Read in December

Link up your posts about the book(s) you've read recently with Jana of Jana Says and me!
Life According to Steph

The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star by Nikki Sixx - This book blew my minds. How does Nikki Sixx - or any addict - live through stuff like this? There's some crazy shit in this book.

Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult - I am not a member of the Picoult Cult. I don't love all of her books, but I loved this one a lot. I really liked both the present and past stories.

The Kingmaker by Brian Haig - This book is actually third in a series with the main character, Sean Drummond. I started reading it because I was on vacation and finished the other books I brought along (yes I still bring actual books on trips even though they're cumbersome) so I snagged it out of MFD's bag and I really liked it. I'll read more in this series. 

Prince Lestat by Anne Rice - I absolutely adored Interview With a Vampire and a few books that followed. Then I grew sick of the insanity with the super old crazy ass vampires and of Lestat himself and cast it aside. Rice cast her vamps aside too and poo poo'd her subject matter, and many years later decided to return to it. She should've left it in the past. This book was totally awful and I put it down 100 pages in.

Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson - Couldn't get past page 30. Life is too short and my list of books to read is too long to go to bed with books that don't click with me. 

The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta - Last linkup I mentioned Marchetta's Saving Francesca, which I liked so much I added this to my list. Marchetta's brand of angst speaks to my brand of angst. I enjoyed this book a lot.

The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant - Diamant's The Red Tent is one of my favorite books ever. She did me dirty with The Last Days of Dogtown and I haven't been back since. This book was her redemption for me. While there are threads that make it an entire book, it read more like small life chapters to me. I truly liked a lot of characters in this book, which is not surprising given that they're painted sort of as feminists before it was a thing women. This book is what I wanted The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street to be and it was not.

Still Missing by Chevy Stevens - This book was fucked! It reminded me a little of the Chelsea Cain Heart books for some reason. I thought the story had some holes, the author glossed over some significant stuff, and the writing didn't support the pretty decent plot fully, but I was compelled to stay up and finish it so that says something.

********************
Haikuesday
Winter days - long, dark.
Reading lights are always on.
Lesson concluded.
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A special happy happy birthday to my sister-in-law Aubrey, who turns the big 3-0 today!
My thirties have truly been my favorite and I wish the same for her.
Non-bloggers, what have you read recently? Let me know what you recommend!
Bloggers, link up your posts about the book(s) you've read recently with  Jana of Jana Says and me!
This link up will happen the second Tuesday of every month. 
The next one is Tuesday, February 10.


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37 comments:

  1. The Heroin Diaries is actually a fave of mine. I have Saving Francesca on a book challenge that I'm participating in that promotes reading Aussie authors. I loved Jellicoe Road, so I have high hopes for Saving Francesca and The Piper's Son.

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  2. Winter will bring about a lot of reading, it's too cold for anything else. The Heroin is on my to-read list. I am not a huge Picoult fan either she is really hit or miss for me, glad that was a good one. I DNF two books this month too, such a big disappointment.

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  3. "Reading lights are always on" - I love it! Now, I want to read the Nikki Sixx book!

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  4. I think I need to check out the Nikki Sixx book. I couldn't agree more. There are too many books to read to continue on past a certain point if you're just not feeling it.

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  5. Intrigued by the Nikki Sixx book. It's non- fiction. Right up my alley! Lights and love and angels to those who battle addictions.
    Perfect time to snuggle in and read !
    Love , your Momma

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  6. I am struggling with books lately. I seem to be more critic than reader. It isn't like I read fine literature! Seeking a good book but not filled with strife.

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  7. I started one last week (War Brides on Kindle Unlimited) and it was bad. I'm in the middle of The Expats and is from Blogging for Books. The reviews on Goodreads aren't that fantastic but I really like it. The Boston Girl is on my list.

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  8. I am not a member of the Picoult cult either ... but if you say its good Ill try it, I literally read anything Steph although December was a busy month work-wise so I read a whole lotta law books and not a lotta anything else lol

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  9. I read Losing It by Valerie Bertinelli and in that book she talked about her struggle with weight, but also some of her marriage with Eddie Van Halen and I honestly don't know how some of those rock starts are still alive today! It truly is amazing.

    Life is far too short to read a bad book.

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  10. i read the nikki six one...that was crazy and fascinating!

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  11. I am not a part of the Picoult cult but I have liked what I've read (only 2) and Leaving Time is on my list - her books kind of rip my heart out and smoosh it into the ground, so I can't read them that often lol.
    Good to know about Anne Rice. I was wondering what the heck she was thinking.
    I wish I could give up on books easily - I always hope they will get better but they don't. So stupid. I am getting better but it's still hard for me. Adding The Boston Girl and The Red Tent to my list :)

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  12. Oh man I loved still missing--but I read it several years ago and just got pulled into the story so fully that I read it in like a day--so I probably missed a lot of the "holes" just from being totally enthralled. I want to read Leaving Time. I'm with you--I like some of her books but not all!

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  13. It took me a long time to realize that if I didn't like a book it was okay to put it down. You're absolutely right, my list of books is too long to waste time on one that makes me hate reading. You've got a good list here, I'd say I would add some but I've been adding them as I seem you rate them on goodreads! haha

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  14. Loved, loved! Leaving Time
    (now I'm reading Two Sisters)
    This is a tough one.

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  15. The last Anne Rice book I read was the Vampire Armand. And I put that down 100 pages in.
    SIGHS. I have had to find other supplements for that genre!

    Leaving Time is on my bookshelf, someone gave it to me, and I never even started it. When I finish this book I am reading now (only 100 pages to go!) I am going to commit to LT!

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  16. The Boston Girl has me intrigued for obvious reasons!! xo, Biana -BlovedBoston

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  17. I always love these posts. I am in a reading rut and need to step up my game.

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  18. I had one book that I just couldn't get into, and put it down. I'm getting better with being able to just put say, no, not feeling it and finding a new one. One of favorite's of Anne Rice is the Mayfair Witches, but I agree a lot of her other vampire series just did not hit the mark, like her earlier work.

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  19. The Boston Girl was a favorite of mine. Loved the story!

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  20. Andrew loves the Brian Haig books (I'm assuming the same character? He has several) but I haven't gotten into them. I'm loving the library so I can abandon boring books with no guilt. I started listening to an audiobook this morning on my drive to work and it made the hour and a half (ugh, rain) in the car fly by, so I'm excited. It too was free from the library.

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  21. I am so glad you liked The Heroin Diaries! I'm actually considering reading it again because it's just THAT GOOD.

    I am a member of the Picoult cult. I almost broke away but her last two books sucked me back in. I felt the same way about Still Missing that you did. I loved the story but felt like something wasn't there. I read it in about two days a few years ago and I still remember it pretty clearly so it's obviously a good book! And the ending was just fucked up enough.

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  22. Totally agree --> Life is too short and my list of books to read is too long to go to bed with books that don't click with me.

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  23. Funny how Still Missing was my fave of the month! It was definitely a captivating story so maybe that is why I was such a fan despite some holes.

    I will need to check out Diamant's book. I LOVED The Red Tent (did you see the Lifetime special BTW?) but haven't read any of her other books. I think I have this one from Netgalley.

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  24. I loved Leaving Time too. Awesome book.

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  25. I've been majorly slacking in the reading department lately, and need to step up my game again. I received Gone Girl and Mariano Rivera's book for Christmas that I need to dive into ASAP :)

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  26. Wait. You read all this in December?!? I used to love to read, but I swear, I CANNOT find anything that I can stand to read past page 10. I kinda enjoyed Wiley Cash's A Land More Kind Than Home. But I was pissed at the ending. Fingers crossed. Looking forward to these posts of yours, though. I need some guidance for realz. #wannabeabooknerd

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  27. I read "Tell the Wolves I'm Home" per your recommendation in December. Loved it! I told myself I wasn't going to cry but that was a lie.

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  28. This is a great list, thanks! I just started Station Eleven and it's really good so far.

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    1. I'm in a long line for that at the library Marci. I'm glad to hear it'll be worth the wait!

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  29. Several of us read Leaving Time recently! I loved Still Missing by Chevy Stevens but wasn't a fan of Always Watching....another one of hers that I've read.

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  30. I haven't read a book since before the holidays! And I totally miss it. I've just been too darn busy. But favorite book in recent memory was All The Light We Cannot See. Fabulous. My fav book of last year in fact.

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  31. I loved the Red Tent too. Did you know it's coming to the big screen?

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  32. Reading Land of Love and Drowning and it's great!

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  33. Ooh -- Boston Girl sounds really good. I loved the Red Tent too. (PS - you are a reading superstar. Amazing number of books!)

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  34. I've never read a Jodi Picoult book, but everyone recommends her. Maybe I'll start with this one!

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  35. Like the previous commenter, I've also never read a Jodi Picoult book. I've heard a lot of good things about her, and the books are always recommended to me on Amazon. I know I've added at least one of them to my "To Read" list, but I don't think it was the one you mentioned here. I may have to check this one out as well!

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