Tuesday, October 11, 2016

I show you my books*, you show me yours vol.21

*My husband looked over my shoulder and saw this post title.  He giggled and said "I thought that said boobs."  I replied "Uhm.  Yeah.  I know.  It's a play on words."  He said "oh, good one."  That's about the most interest he's ever shown in my blog.


Jana & Steph are bringing us book lovin' bloggers our favorite day of the month again - Show Us Your Books day!  It's the day of the month that my goodreads gets the most activity...and I do love myself some goodreads.  Be my friend (if we aren't already.)  Plus, our hosts are celebrating two years of this link-up.  With many of us naming this "our favorite link-up", I think they've done us book lovin' bloggers a favor by hosting it.  Thanks to Jana & Steph!

What I've read since our last link-up:

1.  Sister by Rosamund Lupton - About 2/3rds in, I found myself ready for this book to end. I kept reading because I wanted to know how it all ended, but I wasn't a fan. 2/5

2.  Blood-Drenched Beard by Daniel Galera - I don't have a DNF often, so when I do, it's worth mentioning.  This one confused me.  The reviews are great, and the synopsis sounds interesting to me.  I sluggishly read 100 pages, and I had another 300 to go, but I wasn't into this book enough to care what happened. Not at all.  So, I took a lesson from other book bloggers, quit it, and moved on.  My tbr list is too long to waste my time on a book I think I'm *supposed* to like but don't.
Plus, what's up with the lack of quotation marks for dialogue?  Annoying and confusing.

3.  Life or Death by Michael Robotham - I liked the story, but I had some issues with its edits, and I wrote a post about it that you can read here.  4/5

4.  Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin I enjoy reading children's literature every once in a while.  (I think this is considered "middle grade".) This is a poignant story that pulls at the heart, especially for dog lovers.  4/5

5.  The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison - The last few years, I've made a point to read a "challenged" book during Banned Books Week.  This year, I looked at this list (since the theme was to celebrate diversity) and spied The Bluest Eye.
An examination of how racism leads to self-hatred, the loss of innocence, abandonment, misplaced aggression, and so many other devastating impacts. It's my first Toni Morrison book and won't be my last. 4/5

6.  Private Paris by James Patterson and Mark Sullivan - Admittedly, there are liberties taken in this book that are pretty stretched, but it's fiction, right?  For the enjoyment and entertainment factor, I will regularly read James Patterson books as long as he is publishing them.  I prefer some of his series more than others, and I enjoy the character "Jack Morgan" in the Private books.  Maybe because, by his physical characteristics that are described (tall, blonde, football player build, good-looking), I picture him to look like Chris Hemsworth.  4/5

7.  The Dry by Jane Harper - A debut by an Australian author that was receiving lots of attention and rave reviews.  Two separate mysteries are the central stories in this book that is tense and atmospheric.  The author does a tremendous job at describing a town, its culture, and its characters.  A well-written book for those who enjoy crime fiction.  4.5/5

Something to remember during the current political climate:

Next up (finally):  Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart

Have you read any of these?  Do you want to?

27 comments:

  1. I love the cover to Blood Drenched Beard and it's too bad it didn't live up to its cover. But good for you for DNFing it. It's not easy for me to do that either but I'm getting better. There are too many good books to read to waste time on a bad book. The Dry sounds good. I'll have to see if my library has it!

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  2. The fact that your husband got the joke made my day. Not even kidding.

    That last one sounds like a book I'd enjoy.

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  3. Hahaha, your husband cracks me up. My boyfriend doesn't read my blog but I sometimes tell him what I'm writing about and he's happy to remind me to take my photos for "photo an hour" day.

    I read Sister when it first came out and I really liked it. I can see how it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea though.

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  4. I have Rain Reign but I cannot read dog books. (I should've added this to my 3 Things post yesterday). I start to cry. Like, I can't even handle it.

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  5. Adding The Dry.

    Song of Solomon is my favorite Toni Morrison.

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  6. SO glad that you enjoyed Rain Reign! I have added The Dry to my Goodreads TBR. It looks interesting!

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  7. The Dry sounds really good, and I'm going to check out Rain Reign, I love good middle-grade fiction every once in a while too!

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  8. The Bluest Eye sounds really familiar. Maybe we read it in high school? I'm adding it out of curiosity and because I need a little more diversity in my reading.

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  9. Since I have a BBBS little, that Rain Reign appeals to me so I'm adding it to my library list! I had a DNF this time, so sad when they don't live up to their descriptions or covers.

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  10. I love that last pic :)
    Its so aggravating when you have to DNF but its such a relief when you finally give in & give up caring about the trying to force something. Not everything is for everyone.

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  11. Hahaha that is hilarious that he thought it said boobs. I think I am going to add Rain Reign to my list!

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  12. I'm glad The Bluest Eye was good! I keep buying Morrison books at library book sales despite never reading any and this is one of the books that I have! I am all about DNFs, although it's kind of depressing when you have to DNF so far into a book.

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  13. Girl Waits With Gun is on my TBR list. That Rain Reign books sounds great but I'm always so hesitant to read dog-related stories because they destroy me. Maybe I could handle that one. Haha.

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  14. Hahaha I love your husband's comment. I am on the hold list for Girl Waits with Gun and hoping to read it sometime soon!! I enjoy James Patterson's books too because I find they really do pass the time quite nicely and I always (sort of) know what to expect. I enjoyed a few of the Private books & I like Jack Morgan too but I haven't read that one yet!!

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  15. they have definitely done us a favour! 3 cheers for jana & steph!
    kc will randomly want to read my blog and it's always right after i talked about shopping or something and i'm like NO GO AWAY haha.
    lack of quotation marks is enough for me to DNF a book. i've only read one like that, and i almost quit it but instead switched to audiobook and really liked it.
    is rain reign by the same ann m martin of babysitters club fame?! i might check it out.
    The Dry is on my list! so is girl waits with gun.

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  16. I added "The Dry" to my list. Sounds right up my alley!

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    1. I don't know why the comment wouldn't save my profile :( But, it was me.

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  17. Haha I had to laugh at your husband's comment. Eric actually reads my blog, but I think he mostly just skims over the book reviews since we don't really have the same taste in books. (And probably also because I usually talk about them as I'm reading them anyway.)

    I'm sorry you didn't like Sister. :-( I read it last year (I think) and liked it, but I feel like I read it after I'd been in a huge reading slump ... So maybe it seemed better than it actually was because it kept me interested. It's hard to know with things like that sometimes. Sometimes it's a right book, right time sort of thing (or, conversely, a wrong book, wrong time thing).

    I've read a few books with no quotation marks, and I've never understood that. I've actually been able to overlook it if the book is really good, but it mostly just annoys me. Is it really that difficult to use them? I wouldn't think so.

    I've wanted to read The Bluest Eye for a long time, but I've never gotten around to it. Maybe one day. I'm also adding The Dry to my list ... You know I love crime fiction!

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  18. I don't think that I could read Rain Reign because animal books always make me so sad. I read Where The Red Fern Grows when I was younger and I think that it really messed me up. I also agree that I think that I'd love James Patterson no matter what. I still haven't read any of the Private series, but I'm always optimistic that I'll get around to it eventually. The Dry sounds really interesting, and you know that I'm always up for a thriller! I need to check it out!

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  19. I'm definitely adding The Dry, sounds really good. No question marks is very confusing and would definitely make me ditch a book, especially if I wasn't really enjoying it anyway. My husband rarely reads my blog, and hates appearing on it himself, so you're not alone!

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  20. Sometimes a book just isn't worth it! I also don't like when authors forego traditional (meaning observed, purposeful rules by which we all abide so we can communicate properly and effectively through text! Agh!) grammar rules and punctuation. It almost never adds any "quirk" to the story like I must think they do, and almost always takes away from the reading experience.

    I saw Ann M. Martin and had immediate flashbacks. Never read this one though!

    I have still yet to read a full Toni Morrison, which I hate! I've read excerpts from some throughout school and always wanted to take it further. I'll add this one to my list.

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  21. I LOVE that quote at the bottom. So true!

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  22. Is that the same Ann M. Martin who wrote the Baby Sitter's Club books? I'll have to check that out.

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  23. I love that Ann M Martin is still writing books! I have another one of her newer books on my shelf that is also about dogs. Rain Reign sounds really interesting though...I enjoy a good middle grade book here and there!

    I too DNFd a book this last month which is a rarity for me. It's hard for me to do, but ya, so many books out there waiting to be read instead!

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  24. We did a whole unit on Toni Morrison in college. Really enjoyed her writing!

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  25. PUNCTUATION MATTERS!!! I really struggle when authors take liberties with punctuation rules. We have rules for a reason! To make life easier for most of us.

    That said, it is still shitty when authors bend the rules to make the reader uncomfortable. NO. FOLLOW THE RULES!

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  26. I just DNF ed this weekend. I couldn't anymore. Looking into Rain Reign and The Dry now. Bummer about Sister, but really glad you liked your Morrison. I haven't read anything of hers yet. XO - Alexandra

    Simply Alexandra: My Favorite Things

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I love comments, and I enjoy our interactions. I respond via email, but if you're a "no reply blogger", I can't. Don't think I'm ignoring you!