WWW Wednesdays – July 18, 2018

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Time for another WWW Wednesdays, which is brought to you by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. If you too want to participate, answer the above questions and post that link on Sam’s page.

I haven’t done this post in a while, so I’m trying to catch-up a bit.

Currently Reading

A Tale of Two Murders by Heather Redmond

This is a NetGalley ARC mystery, published by Kensington Books. Two mysterious deaths occur that grab the attention of a young, ambitious journalist named Charles Dickens. Yes…it is thee Charles Dickens. I find that it is like taking a look into the life of Charles Dickens through a fictional tale. I am a bit into this book and am really enjoying it so far.

Roomies by Christina Lauren

I have never read anything by Christina Lauren and am looking forward to diving into this book. I only just started.

Educated by Tara Westover

I am listening to this book through my Libby app. This is a memoir about a girl who had a very secluded childhood in a religious, anti-government, survivalist family. She does not any formal education until she decides to go to college. As memoirs go, this has been a fascinating one so far.

Finished Reading

Beloved by Toni Morrison

This book has been on my Goodreads TBR list, since I first got a Goodreads account in 2010. With it making the list of the PBS 100 Great American Reads, I decided to finally pick it up. This book took me a long time to get through. I have to be honest, this book was not as powerful to me as it was to many other people I know, because I was a bit confused what was happening for most of it. The language, while beautiful, was confusing. I didn’t truly grasp what was happening until close to the end of the book. This is one of the few times I had to look-up more detailed reviews and synopses about a book after I finished it. I feel like it was the fact that there was some magical realism that made it a tough read for me. Did anyone else have this issue?

Down with Love by Kate Meader

I got this ARC from NetGalley and wanted to like it. It was a cute story with some entertaining characters – Charlie’s parents reminded me of my own parents and I loved Gina. However, the writing was just not great in places. This following quote drove me a bit nuts: “His hand in mine is the hot fudge sauce on my sundae, the relish on my dog, the topper on my Christmas tree.” I also dislike when a story-line is progressing between the characters and then one of the main characters decides to address the reader. I prefer not to be addressed by the characters but to live through their story. My basic synopsis is: Jaded bachelor, who does not believe in the institution of marriage, falls for spirited wedding planner, who very much believes in marriage and love.

Reading Next

Mindhunter by John Douglas

I have an audiobook version of this waiting for me on my Libby app. I really enjoyed the Netflix series based on this book, so am looking forward to diving into more detail about the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit.

The Lucky Dress by Aimee Brown

This is next up on my NetGalley ARC TBR list, published by Aria, and I believe it will be a nice balance while I am reading Mindhunter. 

Let me know what you are currently reading!

HAPPY READING!!!

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WWW Wednesdays – June 13, 2018

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

I semi-regularly join in on WWW Wednesdays, which is brought to you by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. If you too want to participate, answer the above questions and post that link on Sam’s page.

Currently Reading

Pachinko by Min Lee

I am finally reading Pachinko! It was the first book I received from BOTM last year. It was a National Book Award finalist and winner of the Reading Women Award for Fiction (which is a great book related podcast I listen to regularly). It is a generational story of a Korean family living in Japan. I am very much looking forward to reading this one.

Recently Finished

Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami

This was my third Murakami read, and I think it might finally be time to admit that no matter how much I want to like Murakami novels (or in this case short stories), I just don’t. His work is just not for me. I do like books that incorporate symbolism and open readers to different views of interpretation, but his stories end with the readers having more questions than answers, and I just can’t stand that.

Reading Next

The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin

This is one of my favorite book covers. I hope the book itself is as lovely. This is another book club read that will tie in nicely with Reading Women Month.

Feel free to let me know what you are reading.

HAPPY READING!!!

WWW Wednesdays – May 30, 2018

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

I’m joining in on WWW Wednesdays, which is brought to you by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. If you too want to participate, answer the above questions and post that link on Sam’s page.

Currently Reading

Lowcountry Bookshop by Susan M. Boyer

I normally don’t read a book in a series if I haven’t started from Book One, but I received this ARC (though I think it came out to the public yesterday) from NetGalley and thought I would give it a try. It seemed like a fun plot. However, this is the 7th book in the series and is causing me some issues as a first-time reader of this series. There is really no good introduction to the main character (or for that matter any of the characters), so it can be confusing. Although, I can say that the mystery plot does seem interesting and will help lead me to finish this book quickly.

Recently Finished

The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin

I read Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project last year and really enjoyed it. Then I also read Anne Bogel’s Reading People and realized that I was really interested in learning about different personality types. I find books like The Four Tendencies really useful in not just understanding others but understanding yourself. I don’t know…it is nice to feel some justification why I behave the way that I do. It can also assist you in changing on you react to those around you. Watch out everyone…I’m an upholder!

Next Read

Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami

This book is a June book club read and will be my third Murakami (technically I started 1Q84 as well but didn’t finish it). This is a collection of short stories, which is not a typical genre I read, so I am excited to expand my reading life a bit. This is why I joined book clubs.

Feel free to let me know what you are reading!

HAPPY READING!

WWW Wednesdays – May 16, 2018

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

I decided as part of Bout of Books challenge week, I would also join in on WWW Wednesdays, which is brought to you by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. If you too want to participate, answer the above questions and post that link on Sam’s page.

Currently Reading

Love and Ruin by Paula McLain

I am halfway into this novel by Paula McLain, author most known for The Paris Wife. I admittedly own The Paris Wife but have not read it yet. I received Love and Ruin from NetGalley. This book is about Martha Gellhorn’s life and especially her love affair with Ernest Hemingway. From the start of this story, you immediately feel engrossed in Martha’s life and her ambitions. You feel the Spanish War like you are there observing the shelling of Madrid with Gellhorn, Hemingway, and others. I am very invested to find out what the second part of this story has in store for me. I am also excited to have an opportunity to see Paula McLain present this book in a couple of days at my local independent bookstore, Brazos Bookstore.

 Recently Finished

In A Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson

I just finished listening to the audiobook narration of Bill Bryson’s In A Sunburned Country. It is a memoir of his travels in Australia. I personally love travel memoirs, and no one quite does it as well as Bill Bryson in my opinion. His mix of history, culture and sarcastic humor keeps you entertained for hours. I think almost everyone would enjoy this adventure story unless you are from Canberra, love cricket and/or work at the hotel where Bryson stated that he would “sooner have bowel surgery in the woods with a stick” than ever stay there again. I’m ready to hop on a plane to Australia right now!

Next Read

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

I will be reading An American Marriage by Tayari Jones for local book club. It was published this year, and I’ve read a lot of positive reviews. I’m very excited to get started on this one.