SUYB May 2018
Happy Tuesday! It's Show Us Your Book Day!
Today I'm linking up with Jana and Steph for Show Us Your Books.
Simon Vs The Homosapien Agenda by Becky Albertalli
I saw the trailer for the movie Love, Simon and started to wonder if it was a book, after some research I found the book. I really enjoy reading books before watching the movie.
I really liked this book, it was very cute and it made me cry at the end. It had all the YA angst that I enjoy. Somewhere in the middle it got a little slow, but I kept reading because I really wanted to know if Simon and Blue would finally get together. Spoiler alert, the did and it was awesome!
The Dinner by Herman Koch
I picked this book at random at the library as my car audiobook. And I was very glad that it was a car book, because I would not have kept reading if I had it as a real book. The writing was very well done, and strong, hence the book being an international best seller. But the book made me very uncomfortable in so many ways! The main character was unlikable, which I'm fine with... I just needed a redemption at the end and didn't get it.
We're Going to Need More Wine By Gabriele Union
I read this one earlier this year, but then I saw my library had it available as an audiobook, and immediately requested it again, because I wanted to hear Gabriele Union read it.
A Simple Favor by Darcey Bell
Another book that is going to be a movie. I really enjoyed this crazy thriller, it kept me guessing for most of the book. It has all of the ingredients I like on thrillers, unreliable narrators, characters who are shady and have questionable morals, and different points of view. I also enjoyed that chapters from the book were in Blog format.
What I didn't like was that they used Domestic Violence as a reason to tie up the end... it is not ok to mock abuse, it felt lazy from the author.
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jasmyn Ward
I enjoyed this book, but I felt like I need to read it again to understand it more. I got this along with another book with a long wait list, and rushed through it.
The Woman In The Window by A.J. Finn
This book moved very slowly, but stayed interesting enough to listen during runs and long drives. I liked the unreliable narrator and the twists at the end of the book.
Did Not Finish
The Great Alone by Kristen Hannah. I started it, and got about half way through it, but couldn't stand the father anymore! I know that he had his issues, but I just couldn't stand the way he was treating his family anymore. Plus, I had gotten 2 other books with long waiting list and focused on those instead.
Today I'm linking up with Jana and Steph for Show Us Your Books.
Simon Vs The Homosapien Agenda by Becky Albertalli
I saw the trailer for the movie Love, Simon and started to wonder if it was a book, after some research I found the book. I really enjoy reading books before watching the movie.
I really liked this book, it was very cute and it made me cry at the end. It had all the YA angst that I enjoy. Somewhere in the middle it got a little slow, but I kept reading because I really wanted to know if Simon and Blue would finally get together. Spoiler alert, the did and it was awesome!
The Dinner by Herman Koch
I picked this book at random at the library as my car audiobook. And I was very glad that it was a car book, because I would not have kept reading if I had it as a real book. The writing was very well done, and strong, hence the book being an international best seller. But the book made me very uncomfortable in so many ways! The main character was unlikable, which I'm fine with... I just needed a redemption at the end and didn't get it.
We're Going to Need More Wine By Gabriele Union
I read this one earlier this year, but then I saw my library had it available as an audiobook, and immediately requested it again, because I wanted to hear Gabriele Union read it.
A Simple Favor by Darcey Bell
Another book that is going to be a movie. I really enjoyed this crazy thriller, it kept me guessing for most of the book. It has all of the ingredients I like on thrillers, unreliable narrators, characters who are shady and have questionable morals, and different points of view. I also enjoyed that chapters from the book were in Blog format.
What I didn't like was that they used Domestic Violence as a reason to tie up the end... it is not ok to mock abuse, it felt lazy from the author.
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jasmyn Ward
I enjoyed this book, but I felt like I need to read it again to understand it more. I got this along with another book with a long wait list, and rushed through it.
The Woman In The Window by A.J. Finn
This book moved very slowly, but stayed interesting enough to listen during runs and long drives. I liked the unreliable narrator and the twists at the end of the book.
Did Not Finish
The Great Alone by Kristen Hannah. I started it, and got about half way through it, but couldn't stand the father anymore! I know that he had his issues, but I just couldn't stand the way he was treating his family anymore. Plus, I had gotten 2 other books with long waiting list and focused on those instead.
I am one of (what feels like) the very few who disliked Kristen Hannah's Nightingale so much that I didn't finish... was maybe going to try The Great Alone since it sounded so different, but you're making me think twice :) And I agree - Sing, Unburied, Sing feels like a book that might need two reads, it's so complex. I thought it was beautiful though.
ReplyDeleteThe Nighingale was long, but I did enjoy that one. I have read that other of her books are not as good.. I just have so many books to read, that I don't feel bad skipping Great Alone.
DeleteI'm really curious about Gabrielle Union's memoir - glad you loved it. I'm a big fan of Simon Vs. and I really liked the movie Love, Simon too.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
oh bummer about the great alone - yeah the father was awful. i quite liked gabrielle union's book (i listened as well) though i wasn't a huge fan of the Simon book.
ReplyDeleteI loved The Great Alone but felt like murdering the father the ENTIRE time. Even when he was acting "okay."
ReplyDeleteSimon has been on my TBR for a long time. It looks really good but there are so many dang books I want to read and not enough time. I have not read The Great Alone yet. Hopefully the father doesn't make me want to quit the book as terrible characters have made me do so before. Typically, though, it's the annoying ones that bother me the most.
ReplyDeleteI love these posts of yours. I don't know how you get through so many quickly, but I always get at least one book from your list to add to mine. This time it's The Woman in the Window. I had read about it in Entertainment Weekly and never added it to my list. I'll keep in mind that it can move slowly, but will keep my interests. :)
ReplyDeleteI did not enjoy The Dinner at all. The cover was the best part.
ReplyDeleteSing Unburied Sing was weird but so so good.
Well I have the Woman in the Window on hold at the library but now I think I may enjoy A Simple Favor more! Are you going to go see Love Simon now?
ReplyDeleteI loved The Great Alone but like you, I hated the father and he made me feel tense the whole time I was reading because I just knew things were not going to get better. I think that was what made it such a memorable reading experience for me though, in some ways! Totally gotta stick to your guns though - there's plenty of other books out there!
ReplyDeleteI didn't love The Nightingale (The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult is so much better if you like that genre), so I purposely wouldn't pick up another Kristin Hannah book. I'm always suspicious of books everyone says I "have" to read too...weird, right?
ReplyDeletePlus, having lived in Alaska, I look at it from a skewed viewpoint I think? I tend to also avoid books about places I've spent a lot of time in.
I am definitely interested in reading The Woman in The Window! I'm surprised you didn't enjoy the Great Alone, I haven't read it yet, but most people are saying they loved it, I'm not sure yet if I'm going to give it a try.
ReplyDeleteThe Great Alone took me awhile to get into to, but I ended up enjoying it. I liked The Woman in the Window but I feel like it got too much hype and wasn't that great. I'm adding A Simple Favor to my to read list.
ReplyDeleteYou're the first person I've heard say anything bad about The Great Alone! Lol. It's good to have well-rounded reviews on books, though! We're Going to Need More Wine looks good. I like Union. The Dinner has a great cover but I haven't heard good things about it.
ReplyDelete