Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Show Us Your Books! - What I read in February

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

The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls by Anton DiSclafani - Meh. I think this author overestimated himself, writing this book as if it would be a sweeping tale of secrets and gender and family in the late 1920s/early 1930s. It was not. The main character is selfish and greedy, which I suppose could describe a lot of us at 15. There was too much fat in this book, scenes provided, I suspect, so the author could write them...not because they advanced the narrative or contributed to characterization or plot. The ending was a big loud fart too, with no smell to back it up. It just sort of petered out and left you like...Okay? What was the point?

Even in Paradise by Chelsey Philpot - This reminded me a lot of Gossip Girl, and not in a good way. I liked none of these characters, which makes it hard to like a book unless they're intriguing (they're not, they're pretty flat) or the writing is excellent (it's not bad but not great). This is a YA novel you can skip.

Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty - I read the first of the Jessica Darlings last month. I was unsure how I'd feel about this one, but I think I liked it more than the first. I'll continue on with the series.

Rocks: My Life in and out of Aerosmith by Joe Perry - When I started this, I was like wow, Joe Perry is quite articulate and really throwing his soul into overly poetic writing. Then I realized that was the cowriter. Cripes, some of it was so flowery. I liked the stories Joe told, even when they seemed out of place to where the book was at that point. One of the things I liked the most was hearing about where he came from and how normal and not rock-n-roll or hard his upbringing was. I'm not the hugest Aerosmith fan and this comes nowhere near Nikki Sixx's autobio, but it wasn't bad. Joe Perry seems like a really stand up guy.

My Sunshine Away by M.O. Walsh - This reads like a love story to Louisiana, and in particular to Baton Rouge. This makes sense given that it's the author's home and also the setting for the novel. I liked this book a lot but felt some things that were important were glossed over while things that weren't were given a lot of play. Overall enjoyable for many reasons, one of which was that I faintly felt the rocking cadence of some Pat Conroy-ish descriptive writing. I've always been a sucker for a good southern novel.

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel - This book was so weird. I appreciated that it wasn't overly dramatic as most world ending books are. I liked some of it, but I wasn't crazy about it. It didn't engage me so that I couldn't put it down, which was what I was expecting given the hype and praise it got everywhere.

Rage Against the Dying by Becky Masterman - The main character of this book is a 59 year old kick ass lady with white hair. I really liked reading a book with an older protagonist who didn't come with the trappings of age we see in so many novels. Some of this was formulaic suspense, but I enjoyed Brigid and her husband (and they have pugs) so I'll read more of these - I think Brigid Quinn is a recurring character for Masterman.

Killer Wasps by Amy Korman - This was written by a local writer and my old boss's sister-in-law. I was petrified I wouldn't like it and would have to sweep it under the rug but I liked it a lot. It was light and fun and had some Philly-area flavor and characters that made me laugh. It would make for a great beach read, and it appears to be the first in a series. I'll read the next one when it comes out

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Haikuesday
Birthday in five days...
Anticipation is strong.
Give me all the cake.  
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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 happens the second Tuesday of every month. 
The next one is Tuesday, April 7.


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32 comments:

  1. My Sunshine Away got added to my "to read" list. Yay books!

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  2. The first review, hilarious. Sounds like a dud. My Sunshine Away sounds good, going to add it to my list.

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  3. I've been going back and forth on whether to read Station Eleven. Maybe I'll skip it.
    My dog's birthday is today. He's having pupcakes. What kind of cake are you getting? The best part of a birthday is seriously choosing the dessert, in my opinion.

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  4. always love these posts from you. I have to link up one of these days (when I get my ass in gear and read more). I'm going to get My sunshine away, read it and then give it to my mom- she will eat that shit up!

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  5. i finished a book called Bird Box and it was a good book. i haven't read a book in a while that kept me turning the pages. now i'm off to lurk these books at my library and probably have to wait 10yrs to read them.

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  6. I like that Rage Against the Dying has a 59-year-old main character since I will be 59 soon. Perhaps I will read it.
    Some day I will read that Girl on the Train book. I was late to the Gone Girl game, but I did like it.

    Queenie's birthday week
    She's the boss, applesauce
    Let her eat cake

    Love, Your Momma

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  7. You are always so honest with your reviews so I know exactly what to steer clear from and what to read!! Thanks girl! xo, Biana - BlovedBoston

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  8. The ending was a big loud fart too, with no smell to back it up -hahahahaha i love that SO much.
    I'm so glad you liked the 2nd Jessica Darling, hope you continue to like the series!
    Sounds like you didn't have the best luck this month, hate when that happens - adding rage against dying and my sunshine away to my list!

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  9. Too bad many of these books fell flat for you, especially the first one ;). I'll put Killer Wasps on my to-read list since it has some Philly flavor. Too bad about Station 11 as well. It did get lots of hype.

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  10. I'm currently reading My Sunshine Away. I had hoped to be finished with it in time for this month's post, but I'm not. Argh!

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  11. hahaha I loud at the "big loud fart" part. That's when you know you really disliked a book. lol! I really like Aerosmith so I may have to check out Joe Perry's book.

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  12. Station Eleven and My Sunshine Away are on my to-read list and Rage Against the Dying sounds interesting. I'm not sure if I'll read Joe Perry's. I like a good rock memoir but I'm on the fence about this one.

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  13. I love these posts as I am always on the hunt for a new good book and your honest reviews make it super easy for me to pick my next read. Thanks!

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  14. Did not read a lot
    just one slow-moving novel
    about Winston's war.

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  15. None of these really jumped out at me to add to my list except maybe the Megan McAffrey series. Maybe.

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  16. Yay! I added some of the books you read to my must read list. I love finding new books!!

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    1. Me too! Lots of good ones out there in this link up today!

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  17. I just picked up My Sunshine Away from the library! Jacob started Station Eleven, but walked away from it. He reads almost anything, so that makes me think I probably won't check it out.

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  18. Your first review is too funny :) I had not heard of Station Eleven, the description does sound interesting, it might go on my maybe list.

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  19. Station Eleven is on my "to read" list :)

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  20. I have so many books on my to-read-list. Right now I just started Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. Then after that, I think I will re-read The Lovely Bones. I can't seem to find really good books that I am super interested in. I will have to look into these!

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  21. I really enjoyed My Sunshine Away but didn't love it either. I felt like the main even was kind of downplayed in the end. I'm still trying to decide what I'm going to read next!

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  22. I read The Storied Life of AJ Fikry and looooooved it. We Are Not Ourselves, which was good but brutal. Currently reading The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk. It's a book about trauma that I'm reading for school, but it's pretty good if you're interested in the impact of trauma on the human brain. Also not a happy book. I need something light and fluffy next.

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    1. We Are Not Ourselves was HARD. I fear that - being married to it or going through it myself.

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  23. I loved the Jessica Darling series!

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  24. Rage against the dying sounds intriguing. I like reading books with a different kind of protagonist as well. Adding to the list!

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  25. I just got a shit ton of books from the used book sale at the library. After I'm done with those I'm going to start on the Little House series... I can't wait - it's been so long! :D

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  26. My running list of to reads is always growing. I read Joey's book and I really liked it! Couldn't put it down, read it in one day!

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  27. Oh my gosh you read a lot of books last month?! I've read a couple that I've been meaning to write up but I didn't get there yet. But I love reading others recommendations for books!

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  28. I wondered about Station Eleven. I always worry the really hyped books will fall flat and I just stare at the cover when I finish and say "that was it?!?" Because that seems to happen often.

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  29. You need to read Calling me home by Julie Kibler! So good!

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  30. You need to read Calling me home by Julie Kibler! So good!

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