Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Show Us Your Books - What I Read in May

Well mon frers, we've entered summer reading season. I foresee many hours of beach reading in my future. Or front porch reading. Or, when it's too hot, couch reading. So, basically the same as the rest of the year only more outside than in. Do you have any new reading spots summer brings out?

Linkup Guidelines:
This link up happens the second Tuesday of every month.
The next one is Tuesday, July 12, 2016
1. Please visit and comment with both of your hosts, Jana & me
2. Please display the button (need it? let me know) or link back to us on your blog post
2. Please visit a few other blogs who've linked up and get some book talk going!

Here's what I read since the last linkup. When the previous month ends on a Tuesday, SUYB always seems late but here it is, right on time, on the second Tuesday of the month like always. 

Engrossing Reads

Red Rising (Red Rising #1) by Pierce Brown - I was unprepared to like this book as much as I did. I had to request the second one immediately. (see below) (library hardback) 

The Girl in 6E (Deanna Madden #1) by A.R. Torre - A book about a psycho...my favorite kind. I found this very interesting and really good. And, shocker, I found the psycho likable. I'll read the second one. (library paperback)

Golden Son (Red Rising #2) by Pierce Brown - Solid second book in this trilogy, and I think I liked it better than the first book. Parts of it, anyway. I'm anxiously awaiting the third book. (library hardback)

The After Party by Anton DiSclafani - Fucked up people up in here! I loved the story though, even though the narrator was on my very last nerve by the end. I love reading about women in the 1950s and how different life was then from now. (library hardback)

You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour and David Levithan - I read this through the Orlando tragedy at the gay club...and this is a YA novel about gay kids and kids coming out. It was so full of love and hope. It was a comfort to me. A little wild fanciful week in the world of these kids. I enjoyed it. (free from Netgalley, e-book)

Passed the Time Just Fine

The Cocktail Waitress by James M. Cain - First of all, the cover on this book is awesome. I plucked it off the shelf, and I think it was a shocker when it first came out. These days, with what shocks, it was tame. I liked it though. (library hardback)

How to Start a Fire by Lisa Lutz - I liked Lutz's examination and chronicling of female friendship in this book. It's written non-linearly, which I know is a problem for some people. I don't think it could have been written another way and told as well. (library hardback)

The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney - Eh. This reminded me of another book I read last year - the title escapes me - where I was waiting for something to happen and it never did. I didn't like most of the characters, I thought there was one extremely extraneous plotline that annoyed me, and it fell flat for me. (library hardback)

Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-BennWell written but not sunny in any way. My stomach hurt over the struggles in this book...all of them. The dialect was hard for me and it took me a little while to get into it, but once I was in, I was in. ( free e-copy from Netgalley)

Deadline (Virgil Flowers #8) by John Sandford - In addition to the awesome name Virgil Flowers and the even better nickname That Fuckin' Flowers, Virgil has a friend named Johnson Johnson. No shit. This crime series is also hilarious. Keep pumping them out John. (library hardback)

Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy - I thought it was okay. The subject was heavy. It was YA angsty on top of that. And I didn't like one of the main characters. I would have hated it if Murphy wasn't an excellent writer. But she is. Discussed on The Armchair Librarians here. (library hardback)

Hard No
Flesh and Blood (Kay Scarpetta #22) by Patricia Cornwell - Time to put Dr. Scarpetta to bed, Patricia. The nit picking among her little crew is super annoying. (library hardback)



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37 comments:

  1. Hello to The After Party and Houston socialites in the 1950s...of course, I added that one.
    You know, I'm doing that Around the World in 80 Books, so obviously, I enjoy reading books set in other countries. Here Comes the Sun sounds like one I'd enjoy.
    I heart Virgil, and you know this.

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    1. Yup, The After Party sounds like a good read :)

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  2. Really nice blog,It's really helpful to kids discover ways to love the sound of language before they even observe the existence of printed words on a page. reading books aloud to kids stimulates their creativeness and expands their expertise of the world. My name is Nagaraj Now I'm working in Outdoor advertising ad companies in Delhi It enables them develop language and listening talents and prepares them to understand the written phrase. whilst the rhythm and melody of language turn out to be part of a toddler's life, studying to read can be as herbal as learning to stroll and communicate.

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  3. Ah, maybe the ending on a Tuesday thing is the reason it seemed to take forever for the link-up to roll around this time. That makes sense. I thought maybe it was because I actually had my draft (mostly) ready to go this time. That almost never happens these days.

    I know we talked about this before, but I’m so glad you liked The Girl in 6E! I think I’m going to try to work the third book into Erin’s challenge.

    How to Start a Fire and The Nest are on my list already. I have my hold on The Nest paused at the library, but I should get it pretty quickly once I resume my hold. I’m now a little concerned that I won’t like it very much, though, because it annoys the shit out of me when I feel like nothing happens in a book. (See my review of The Magic Toyshop.)

    Here Comes the Sun sounds intriguing … I’ll be adding that one!

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  4. Red Rising is on my list for Erin's 5.0 Challenge and I can't wait to read it. Heard so many good things. The After Party is currently sitting on my dresser, waiting for me to dive in too. :) I'm going to add the Virgil Flowers series to my list. I love a good series and need to check it out - starting with book 1, of course. I used to love the Scarpetta novels but stopped reading them for one reason or another. I can no longer remember what irritated me. As much as I love a good series, it makes me sad when they overstay their welcome.

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  5. I loved Scarpetta. Now I cannot read gruesome books. Or details of gruesome news. Happy, heartwarming stuff with nice endings for this old heart. Lol! I love reading to the grandchickens and hearing them read to me! One lucky Mommom Poopsie!
    Carpe Diem. Love. Your. Momma.

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  6. Glad to see you just thought The Nest was OK - it seems to be the go to book I keep seeing everywhere lately.
    I'm intrigued by The Girl in 6E

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  7. I liked The Nest, but like you, I didn't really like any of the characters even though I found them interesting. I was so confused as to why I liked the book so much when I didn't like the characters, haha. It was a quick read for me though. I think I'm going to have to check out Sandford's books...they sound entertaining.

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  8. Ok fine, I am adding the Virgil Flowers series to my list. You have convinced me! I had added The Nest when I heard you and Jana talking about it on the podcast. Sucks it fell flat. I will listen to the episode on it before I bother with it to hear both of your thoughts.

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  9. I'm intrigued by Red Rising. I thought the dystopia series thing had been said and done, but once in awhile, a good one comes out. If you read 2 of the books this month, it must be decent, right?

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  10. My favorite reading spot is my back deck . . . it gets the morning shade . . . the flowers are blooming and the birds are singing . . . bliss. Love a good book suggestion. I used to love Patricia Cornwell - growing up outside of Richmond made it all the more interesting since she would set her books there. Haven't read her in years though! Have a fabulous Tuesday!

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  11. Linking up for the first time, finally! Red Rising and The Girl in 6E sound good, I don't know how you read so many books in one month #lifegoals.

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  12. I got confused by the timing - I had my book post ready last Tuesday, and then when you posted something else had to go back and check the date - ha! The After Party sounds really interesting. It's always fascinating to see how much life has changed in relatively little time.

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  13. I added The Girl From 6E but your other must reads were already on my list.

    I found The Nest to be eh too, I usually like family drama stories so I expected to like it more.

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  14. I read The Girl in 6E sometime last fall, I think. I have the next one in the trilogy on my TBR, but haven't gone there yet. LOL! So many books, not enough hours in the day. Two of my summer reading spots, if it's pleasant and not so stinking' hot and/or humid, are out on my deck, in an adirondack chair, with my dog and in a chair on my parents' deck overlooking the woods in WV...

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  15. a couple weekends ago, i dragged a pillow and blanket out and read on my deck. it was amazing. a little uncomfortable, but amazing. i need a comfy chair out there, we have nothing. i love reading outside! i think i will read A LOT on the cruise and i can't wait!
    i am SO glad you are liking Red Rising. it's on my list, but i know it's not your normal kind of book so i was a bit worried haha. i hope i like it! the nest is on my list, i'm hoping to read it before you guys chat about it on the podcast.

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  16. The Girl in 6E sounded so good that I added it after the last Show Us Your Books. It sounds like I need to get on it and read it fast! I really want to read The After Party! It's set in Houston, where I live, so I think that side of the book really fascinates me. Plus the fact that you really liked the book makes me want to read it even more! I just added Red Rising to my list as well! It sounds like a great book!

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  17. I felt the same way with The After Party and The Nest!

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  18. I've seen Red Rising so often before but for some reason never read the synopsis. Now that I have, it sounds so interesting! I think the cover threw me because it seems so masculine, even though I love fantasy novels. Adding that and the girl in 6e to my list.

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  19. Just added Red Rising and You Know Me Well to be TBR list!!

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  20. That is such a great quote. Putting Red Rising and Girl in 6E on my TBR! Oooh fun! XO - Alexandra

    Simply Alexandra: My Favorite Things

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  21. Looks like you found some great series!

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  22. Need to learn more about the red rising series. I have heard Here Comes the Sun is a tough book, been thinking about trying it but not ready for a tough read.

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  23. The After Party and The Girl in 6E are going on my list right now! I love books about crazy people!

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  24. I added The Girl in 6E and Red Rising to my to read list. I surprisingly enjoyed The Nest more than I thought that I would. I'm debating about adding the Lutz book to my to read list. I've read the Spellman Files and the Passenger and thought they were okay.

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  25. I've been thinking about reading The Nest but if it's just meh then I'm probably going to skip it, no time for non-great books!

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  26. When you hit 22 books in your series it might be time for a new series :) Thanks for all the recommendations!! I love going through everyone's reads every month!

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  27. I really enjoy reading series because I'm so sad when a book ends and this allows it to last longer! The Red Riding series sounds like one I should check out!
    Xo, Evelina @ Fortunate House

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  28. I can't decide if I want to read Side Effects May Vary based on your podcast, but I do want to read Dumplin' so I'll do that and then contemplate Side Effects. I gave up on Scarpetta quite a while ago. I used to love her. I still can't quit Kinsey Millhone, though.

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  29. Added Red Rising and The Girl in 6E. Those sound right up my alley. I have The Nest and How to Start a Fire on my to reads list, so I'll be interested to see what I think of them. I was also "meh" about Side Effects.

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  30. If only I still had summer vacation so I could read nonstop for three months...ah the good old days! I am looking forward to hanging out by the pool with a book though! I'm looking for a good series to get into and The Girl in 6E looks interesting!

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  31. I need to know your secret of reading so many. I'm still reading harry potter but can't wait to switch it up!

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  32. red rising is on my to read list. i had it before but it was during the time when eleventy billion books came in at once so i had to return it unread :(

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  33. I'm even more intrigued by The After Party now, and your review makes me feel better about waiting to read The Nest.

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  34. I read How to Start a Fire too. I don't mind non-linear; and I agree that it served the purpose of this book well. I actually have a WIP that I always intended to be non-linear, and it might still end up being so. Anyway, I think my issue was that I read it by audiobook and I do like to hold a thumb in pages sometimes so I can glance back and refresh my memory of where and when I am reading about, but obviously that's not possible with an audiobook.
    The rest of these, honestly, I don't think I have the heart or the stomach for!

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  35. Sorry I didn't link up this time. Work has been busy, when I usually start drafting posts. I'm still reading though :). Putting that 6E book on my list!

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