I read a TON this month-- good books, lots of mind-numbing time home with the kids where I didn't have enough mental space to do work but needed to do something besides stare at my phone. I am having a hard time with my own book, so I have been procrasti-reading quite a bit.
16. My Mrs. Brown by William Norwich: This book is well reviewed and on a lot of summer lists, but I really didn't like it. Super preachy and over-written. Maybe going to an old-time novel vibe, but it just came across as stuffy and the writing was at odds with the plot and not in the cool, quirky way I think the author intended.
15. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah: I was not a a huge fan of this book, maybe because it was overly hyped. Some funny anecdotes, though.
14. A Separation by Katie Kitamura: This book has an interesting plot and is set in a beautifully described Greece, but I couldn't connect.
13. Chaos by Patricia Cornwell: I always like a good Scarpetta book, but I didn't check this one out at the library when I saw it like 10 times in the new release area because I thought I had already read it, based on the flap description. Then it arrived on my holds shelf, and I realized that it was in fact a new book. But it didn't feel new.
12. The Girls in the Garden by Lisa Jewell: Serviceable thriller/mystery. It's got memorable characters, but it's not "The next Girl on the Train" as promised by the blurb.
11. The Young Widower's Handbook by Tom McAllister: I feel like the title explains a lot. I liked this one.
10. It's Always the Husband by Michelle Campbell: I loved that this one started in college with a group of dysfunctional friends, and I was guessing the whole way through. A good thriller.
9. In This Moment by Karma Brown: This is a good, quick read about female friendship and parenting and marriage.
8. The Reminders by Val Emmich: Liked this sad little story about a 10-year-old with a photographic memory and a widower who write a song.
7. Relativity by Antonia Hayes: A compelling story of an unhappy family in Australia. The little boy character was really realistic, and I liked both of his terrible parents.
6. Woman No. 17 by Edan Lepucki: This book has interesting characters and an original plot-- you should definitely read it.
5. The Idiot by Elif Bautman: What a terrific coming-of-age story-- worth a read for sure.
4. Confessions of a Domestic Failure by Bunmi Laditan: Loved it. Totally funny and a joy to read-- excellent send-up of modern mom culture-- she totally gets it.
3. Harmless Like You by Rowan Hisayo Buchanan: This is beautiful and haunting and riveting. Read it-- you won't be sorry.
2. All Grown Up by Jami Attenburg: This book is wonderful. I loved the way she zoomed in and out across time, and the main character was an asshole but I loved the book anyway-- always a tough line to toe. It's a great book.
1. Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton's Doomed Campaign by Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes: THIS IS GREAT. I could not look away. Read it. The last 2 paragraphs make the other 400 pages TOTALLY WORTH IT. So sad.
1 comment:
Hey harry all the books that you have discussed here were on my to read books list. Thnak you for giving such great reviews about these books. Now i can easily select which ones i need to read.
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