I read a lot this month, so if you want to skim, here are my recommendations (but there's a lot of those too, so you really should read why I recommend them to decide for yourself. #sorrynotsorry): Between Shades of Gray, Angela's Ashes, Everything I Never Told You, The Girl on the Train, Shotgun Lovesongs, Moon over Manifest, Galveston.
1. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys - I love a historical fiction book that actually expands my knowledge. This book did just that. While reading, I found myself googling things about Lithuania, the Balkans, and Stalin. This book is heart-wrenching, even horrific at times with tales of brutality, starvation, and disease...but it is wonderful and beautiful, and I highly recommend it (if you enjoy historical fiction). 5/5
This book was included in a couple of book challenges I'm in (The Official 2015 TBR Pile Challenge and Semi-Charmed Kind of Life Summer Book Challenge 2015).
2. Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt - I'm not sure if it was a good idea or a terrible idea to read these two books in a row. This one, a memoir, so in a way, it was even more awful in its brutality because the author actually experienced the horrors that he describes. The imagery is so strong and truthful, that I could feel the anguish of Frank and his experiences in extreme poverty, his grief, his hunger, his confusion, and his Catholic guilt. 5/5
This book was included in a couple of book challenges I'm in (The Official 2015 TBR Pile Challenge and Semi-Charmed Kind of Life Summer Book Challenge 2015).
3. Darkside by Belinda Bauer - My goodness, I don't know how to rate this book. The majority of time it was somewhat slow and boring. But, by the end, I was stuck to the pages wanting to know, needing to know what in the hell was going to happen, "whodunit", and how it was all going to end. I was riveted the last 50 pages or so. But, is it worth reading the previous 250+ to get to the good stuff? 2.5/5
This book was included in Semi-Charmed Kind of Life Summer Book Challenge 2015.
This book was included in Semi-Charmed Kind of Life Summer Book Challenge 2015.
4. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart - I didn't love it. I feel like I'm supposed to love it, but I didn't. It was a 2014 Goodreads Best Book. It wouldn't have received my vote. I read it in a day and a half; obviously, it kept my attention. I just didn't think it was great. 2.5/5
This book was included in Semi-Charmed Kind of Life Summer Book Challenge 2015.
5. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins - Well, I had to read this, didn't I? Every other blogger has read it or plans to read it, and my cousin recommended it to me as well. I am often skeptical when a book receives so much attention and praise. But, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I enjoyed each severely flawed character. I enjoyed the pace. I enjoyed the ending. For me, this book deserves the attention it is getting. 4.5/5
I read this as part of the Literary Ladies book challenge.
6. The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion - At times, I was bored; other times, I was entertained. Pretty sure I didn't need a sequel to the much more loved The Rosie Project. 2.5/5
Read for Literary Ladies and Aussie Author Challenge.
This book was included in Semi-Charmed Kind of Life Summer Book Challenge 2015.
5. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins - Well, I had to read this, didn't I? Every other blogger has read it or plans to read it, and my cousin recommended it to me as well. I am often skeptical when a book receives so much attention and praise. But, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I enjoyed each severely flawed character. I enjoyed the pace. I enjoyed the ending. For me, this book deserves the attention it is getting. 4.5/5
I read this as part of the Literary Ladies book challenge.
6. The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion - At times, I was bored; other times, I was entertained. Pretty sure I didn't need a sequel to the much more loved The Rosie Project. 2.5/5
Read for Literary Ladies and Aussie Author Challenge.
7. Shotgun Lovesongs by Nikolas Butler - I really liked this book. I don't think I ever fell in love with it, but I really, really liked it. I enjoyed the Wisconsin small town becoming its own character thoroughout the book. For me, some of the characters felt less developed than others. Or maybe I just connected to some more than others. I especially liked Beth. I don't want to tell you her story, so I won't tell you the specific reasons why I liked her. Let's just say, her predicament and her experience seemed relatable and authentic. 4/5
Read for Literary Ladies Book Challenge.
Read for Literary Ladies Book Challenge.
8. Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool - Winner
of the 2011 Newberry Medal for Children's Literature, Moon Over
Manifest is a delightful book. Filled with mystery, adventure, and
colorful characters, the story bounces between 1918 and 1936 as a little
girl discovers her identity. 4/5 Read for Book Challenge by Erin (that's me!)
9. Galveston by Nic Pizzolatto - The
author of this book is the creator of the television show, True
Detective. Let's just say that he does not write happy, light-hearted
stories. The imagery is dark, heavy, and thick much like the humidity in those
parts. The descriptions of sub-cultures in Southern Louisiana and
Southeast Texas are so real and so true. Knowing that part of the country well, it felt like I know somebody
who knows someone that is related to one of these characters. It is not a quick-paced thriller. It's slow and steady, then bam! a murder...slow and steady, then whoa! a secret revealed. 4/5 Read for Book Challenge by Erin , and I can count it towards a one-word title for Literary Ladies Book Challenge.
10. Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng - Part of me wanted to devour this book and not put it down; the other part wanted to read it in small increments so I could absorb it and savor it. The story is told from the perspectives of different characters, from present to past...yet, it flows. It's not choppy. It doesn't break these times or perspectives into different chapters like so many other books do. It just flows really, really well. It is heartbreaking, gut-wrenching, and I felt this in the very depths of me. It is a beautiful, disastrous, powerful book, and I recommend it. 5/5 Read for Book Challenge by Erin
11. The Dead Women of Juárez by Sam Hawken - The first third of the book, the pace was pretty slow, but the story showed promise. There is a very real problem in Juárez, Mexico with
females being brutally murdered or going missing never to be heard of
again. Most of these cases remain unsolved. This fictional
book does center on characters impacted by these cases, but it felt
vague, hollow, and almost like the author lost his direction, so he
changed central characters in the middle of the story. 2/5 Read for Book Challenge by Erin
Challenges Update (really for my own personal bookkeeping):
Semi-Charmed Summer Book Challenge = 10/12; finishes August 31st; I have the two remaining books at home...I just need to read them.
Literary Ladies Book Challenge = 4/10; finishes September 21st; Two of the books remaining, I have checked out from the library, the other four I own, so I should finish this.
Book Challenge by Erin = 4/10; finishes October 31st; Juggling with the two challenges above, but I will definitely finish. After all, I host it...I'm gonna finish it.
Aussie Author Challenge = 8/12; finishes December 31st
The Official 2015 TBR Pile Challenge = 6/12; finishes December 31st
Next up: Summertime by Vanessa Lafaye, Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult, This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper, Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides...I'm so inconsistent how much I read per month. If I get through those, you better believe I have more on standby.
I hate how 50SOG has ruined my life.. when I saw Between Shades of Grey I was worried, lol.
ReplyDeleteI have Shotgun Lovesongs on my TBR list and I definitely enjoyed both Everything I Never Told You and Girl on the Train.
I'm totally going to copy you next month and update my challenge at the bottom of the post. That is a genius idea (and keeps me on track)!
I couldn't even make it all the way through the Rosie Effect, I was so disappointed.
ReplyDeleteMoon over Manifest looks interesting, adding it now!
I REALLY want to read Girl on the Train, and I have We Were Liars on my list too but I know a lot of people don't seem to like it much so I've debated skipping that one.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to try Between Shades of Gray. I can't believe you read that and Angela's Ashes back to back. LOL
ReplyDeleteSo many mixed reviews about the Girl on the Train. Ill review it soon! Love your honest reviews and I Want to read we were liars!
ReplyDeleteI heard Frank McCourt speak once and loved him, but have STILL not read Angela's Ashes. I really need to fix that. Everything I Never Told You sounds great, and I'm in the same place with The Girl on the Train.
ReplyDeleteDang, you read a lot. I have Girl on a Train on my list to read. Right now I'm struggling through Goldfinch.
ReplyDeleteI added Between Shades of Gray to my list, as well as Galveston. I keep hearing good things about Everything I Told You so I guess I should check that out as well.
ReplyDeleteAngela's Ashes is such a depressing read. I read it years ago so don't remember too much about it, just that it was sad.
I started The Rosie Effect and Don annoyed me so much after 4 sentences that I had to stop, read other stuff, and say that I'll go back to it.
ReplyDeleteSo many things to say about your books. Angela's Ashes, Girl on the Train, Everything I Never Told You...all read, all enjoyed. I read Angela's Ashes years ago. Still haven't seen the movie. Don't know that I will.
We Were Liars and Shotgun Lovesongs (on my nightstand!) are on my TBR list already and I'm adding Galveston because that's my kind of book.
I forgot to say that Middlesex is one of my all time favorites so can't wait to hear what you think. I read This is Where I Leave you earlier this year and thought it was decent.
ReplyDeleteI also love Everything I Never Told You, though I did find it a tad choppy. Angela's Ashes sounds like a must-read.
ReplyDeleteI've heard great things about The Girl on the Train too but wasn't sure if it was just hype. But this post convinced me that I need to read it! Definitely putting it on my list!
ReplyDeleteAlways love your book recs! I'm with you on "We Were Liars," I read it quickly but something about it, I didn't love it either.
ReplyDeleteI felt the same way about The Rosie Effect. I've had Everything I Never Told You on hold for every at the library and it's taking forever to get to me! I'm adding Shotgun Lovesong to my list!
ReplyDeleteadding between shades of gray and everything i never told you to my list. i really did not like we were liars at all, glad we are on the same page. KC loves true detective so i'll have to let him know about that book!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know Nic Pizzolatto had wrote a book! I love True Detective and the fact that it's a crime thriller of a book too tells me I may really enjoy that. What do you think about Jennifer Lawrence being cast in The Rosie Project film?
ReplyDeleteI loved Girl on a Train and Moon Over Manifest (which I included in my Teen Book Club reads for the teens). We Were Liars and Everything I've Never Told You are on my list to read already but I added a few more from your recommendations. thanks for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteMoon Over Manifest is on my List. Looks awesome!
ReplyDeleteI loved Everything I Never Told You and The Girl on the Train. I, oddly, never liked Moon Over Manifest when I tried to read it a few years ago. I do have it on my bookshelf at school though.
ReplyDeleteHave you read Teacher Man by Frank McCourt? It focuses on his adult life and his career. I liked it but it was also slightly depressing.
I did not like We Were Liars. I just read it last-ish week.
I LOVED Nineteen Minutes! We Were Liars is my book about summer choice for the literary ladies challenge. I'm kind of eh on it. But I've liked every book I've read so far for the challenge!
ReplyDeleteI clicked on Everything I Never Told You. I've seen the cover before and you gave a very good, convincing recommendation. Off to read the synopsis!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you liked The Girl on the Train. I thought it was a fun read!
ReplyDeleteAnd I really need to read The Rosie Effect.
I really want to read Shotgun Lovesongs, I've heard so many good things about it.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way you do about We Were Liars and The Rosie Effect. I listened to We Were Liars on audio and didn't like it. The Rosie Effect was humorous in some parts but like you said, don't think a sequel was needed!
ReplyDeletei was disappointed by We Were Liars as well! i was expecting a great story given the rave reviews but it was boring and i skimmed through a lot of it.
ReplyDeleteI was so glad The Girl on the Train lived up to the hype because like you, I'm skeptical of books that get so much attention. I can't believe I've never read Angela's Ashes. I should do that. I hope you like Nineteen Minutes - it's one of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteI was a fan of Everything I Never Told You too. I did like The Rosie Effect a bit more than you did but I think it was also because I read it on vacation so basically loved everything. Ha!
ReplyDeleteTotally adding Between Shades, I like historical fiction, and have not had one of those in a while!! I think I'm going to have to read the Rosie Project, since I've seen it mentioned so much, but there certainly seems to be very mixed reviews on The Rosie Effect.
ReplyDeleteI really loved The Rosie Project but now I am struggling to read The Rosie Effect. I started it a while ago but then stopped because it was really boring. But I guess I have to keep going at some point. The Girl On The Train is on my list, I did not have much time to rad lately but now things are not as busy anymore. Thanks for your recommendations!
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