SUYB June 2018

Happy Show US Your Books day!! This is one of my favorite days of the month.



I did a crazy thing last month, I signed up for my Library's Adult Reading program. The goal is to read 30 books during the summer, I am not sure that I can do that, but I'm up for the challenge. 


 Today I'm linking up with Jana and Steph for Show Us Your Books.



Pachinko by Min Jin Lee



I really liked this book, it was very sad but the story kept me going. I learned a lot of about Koreans living in Japan. I really enjoy books that start out with the main character as a child and we see them grow up.  

Tales of The City by Armistead Maupin



I didn't like this book, I know it's a classic, but I couldn't focus on the characters, and didn't really care for their story. I picked this up  after seeing it as part of the Great American Read. I was surprised to have only read 32 books from that list.

Memoirs of A Geisha by Arthur Golden



I have read this one 5 times, last time about 8 years ago. I thought that this time around, it would bother me that it was written by a white man, but the story is so intricate and amazing, that I stopped thinking about it almost right away. I still love this book.... but it still bothers me how cleanly it ends. 

Janesville An American Story by Amy Goldstein



 This was a President Obama favorite books for 2017, and I hate how long I waited to read it. It was amazing! 

I work in an office that provides government funded training, and I hear the struggles of people wanting to find good paying jobs, and how our training is not making a huge change on their lives. This book was very informative, if you have a chance, check it out.

Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon



This was ok, I figured out the main twist half way through the book. I know this is YA, but it was asking me to suspend disbelief for a lot more than normal YA books. Like, how did she learn to swim if she couldn't leave her house? how did she have a passport if her Mom didn't want her to go anywhere, where did she get money for her trip from? many things didn't make sense.

 
Hunger by Roxane Gay



This book was so amazing!  Roxane Gay is obese, and this book is her observations on how we see and treat people who are overweight. The quote that stuck with me was "The bigger I am, the less room I am allowed to take". This has been one of my favorite books this year. 


Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds



Somebody in the link up recommended this, and I picked it up. It was so good! I normally don't do poetry, but this book was really good. I am picking up another book by the same author for July.

My So Called Bollywood Life by Nisha Sharma



I wanted to love this book about an Indian teen, but it went completely flat. I only finished it because I had nothing else. The book was a similar premise as When Dimple Met Rishi, but the characters were not interesting to me. 

 

How many of the Great American Reads have you read?


Comments

  1. I loved Memoirs of a Geisha when I read it probably 10 years ago. Such a good story. Fully intending to read Pachinko at some point!

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    1. Heather, I tried to comment on your blog, but couldn't. It might be a setting on my computer, I can't figure it out.

      Pachinko happens at similar timelines as Memoirs of a Geisha, that makes it very interesting to me.

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  3. I also love Memoirs of a Geisha, but I've never re-read it. I'll need to make it a point to pick it up again! I recently read Hunger as well and thought it was a very powerful read. I love Roxane Gay.

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    1. I twas obsessed with Memoirs for a few years, and I do that when I love books. I can't even begin to count how many times I've read Harry Potter.

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  4. I love Roxanne Gay. I have not read that one though.

    How awesome on that library program!

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    1. I've been wanting to read Bad Feminist for a long time, but kept putting it off. She is a great writer!

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  5. I just got Janesville this past weekend

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  6. Janesville. OMG. SO GOOD. It was one of my favorites of last year.

    I have a fairly extensive list of books in that genre if you're looking for some recommendations. Just let me know!

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    1. Yes, I would love more books on the subject please! I am on hold for Whitetrash and a few others on poverty ... but I can't remember the names.

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  7. I got Memoirs of a Geisha at a thrift shop a few years ago but never actually read it. I'm going to the beach this weekend so I will have to bring it with me!

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    1. It is an excellent book for the beach, a bit long but really engrossing.

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  8. I still need to read Hunger, but I did enjoy Bad Feminist by Gay. I saw the movie Everything Everything and it was kind of obvious (the twist) to me too; never had the inclination to read the book. I still need to read Long Way Down - Jason Reynolds is wonderful.

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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    1. I am reading Bad Feminist now! I have no desire to watch the Everything Everything, even though I like the actors in it.

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