I didn't get very far--I have other things I wanted to read that took priority and I just couldn't bring myself to get around to reading it, which tolI didn't get very far--I have other things I wanted to read that took priority and I just couldn't bring myself to get around to reading it, which told me all I needed to know. Also, I didn't really enjoy Turner's narrative voice--there was something off-putting about it, and it didn't flow well (and she seemed like a handful, and not necessarily in a good way). I'm curious about her co-worker Angelica Huston's biographies...now SHE seems like she'd be a hoot and a half....more
Read about 100 pages, and just didn't enjoy it--the tone, the characters, the storyline. Not familiar with much of Lamb's other work besides "She's CoRead about 100 pages, and just didn't enjoy it--the tone, the characters, the storyline. Not familiar with much of Lamb's other work besides "She's Come Undone" (which I liked), but the conversation at book club didn't entice me to pick it back up....more
I didn't get very far into Huck Finn before Book Club actually arrived and then I didn't "have" to continue reading it. I know it's brilliant, and I kI didn't get very far into Huck Finn before Book Club actually arrived and then I didn't "have" to continue reading it. I know it's brilliant, and I know Twain's thoughts on morality, race, culture, and class are unparalleled, but that doesn't mean I actually wanted to pick it up and read it. Maybe if I get a little bit farther I'll enjoy it more. I'm not ruling out the possibility!...more
I won't rate a book I didn't get more than 12% into, but this isn't the book for me. Like other unhappy reviewers, the style didn't work for me (and yI won't rate a book I didn't get more than 12% into, but this isn't the book for me. Like other unhappy reviewers, the style didn't work for me (and you can tell that 12% into a story). Oral History is in the title, but that was probably my biggest problem with the story--I couldn't tell the people apart, and with the interview format I couldn't really get into their stories or connect with the characters, and I wasn't interested in continuing. I think if I wanted to read a post-apocalyptic zombie book I'd go with The Passage or The Stand, but I'm not going to spend more time on this one....more
I'm going to put this in the "did not finish...yet" pile, but I'm taking it off my currently reading list, because a) it just makes me feel guilty forI'm going to put this in the "did not finish...yet" pile, but I'm taking it off my currently reading list, because a) it just makes me feel guilty for having it on my list this long when I haven't been currently reading it for about 4 months, and b) I don't know when I"ll get back to it and I don't want to add it to my ridiculous long to-read list. So, 3 stars is what you get. I know, it's not fair to rate a book I'm only halfway through. Sorry, Patchett! I promise to finish you someday (I say hopefully) and give you a proper rating!
As of my place (about halfway through), it was definitely an odd book. Not unlikeable, but it didn't try very hard to be likable either. The characters all felt very standoffish and kind of removed, which might have been Patchett's point, but still didn't make for the most enjoyable book. But I haven't gone deep into the jungle yet which i guess is where the excitement happens.
...also, this was MY book club book choice that I hosted, so I feel double guilty for not finishing it. Ugh, I'm the worst. Hey, at least I know how it ends...that takes some of the pressure off!...more
I've avoided this book for years because just from reading the title I thought it would get on my nerves. Turns out, I was absolutely right. I made itI've avoided this book for years because just from reading the title I thought it would get on my nerves. Turns out, I was absolutely right. I made it a third of the way through, and I don't think it's going to get better. Jen Lancaster thinks she's so awful she's funny, and I know there are plenty of people who agree with her, but I'm not one of them. I think she's just awful. Smart, yes. Loves her boyfriend, definitely. Loyal, sure. But someone I want to spend a minute of my time with? Not on your life. Maybe I just have a thing against smart asses, or people who are incredibly obnoxious, but she's not "charming" enough for me to want to continue. Shut it, Lancaster....more
Hmm...I've been feeling a little scattered lately, in regards to book reading. This applies to multiple books. I've been having book infidelity, goingHmm...I've been feeling a little scattered lately, in regards to book reading. This applies to multiple books. I've been having book infidelity, going from book to book. Book infidelity, like regular infidelity (I assume), is bad form: I don't concentrate on one well, I don't give the one I'm currently reading a fair shake, and I give all books involved short shrift. Oh, and then I feel guilty for reading one while not finishing the other. So why do I bother even picking another one up when I'm not done with others? It must tempt me with its wayward cover and interesting book jacket.
This book caught my eye because the owner of our local book store recommended it, and I just happened to see it on my college library's book shelf. Karma!
But the karma excitement didn't translate into book love...I liked it. Didn't love it, and I thought it was too slow-paced while trying to make the reader THINK it was suspenseful, but i didn't think it was. I was curious about the characters' back stories, but not enough to wade through the whole thing. I got through about 100 pages, skipped to the end (this is my M.O.), saw what the rest was about, and...was not sorry I missed the intervening 200 pages. I admire what Pavone was aiming for, and I thought the female lead was intriguing, but i was expecting to be grabbed when you're dealing with a story about an undercover agent, and I just wasn't. If he was going for a slow burn, it was one bridge too slow...or something. But the first 100 pages? Totally worth 3 stars! :-)...more
I'm claiming an "it's not you, book, it's me" situation with this one. I started this 2 months ago (I onlyUgh--two Did Not Finishes in a week? I suck.
I'm claiming an "it's not you, book, it's me" situation with this one. I started this 2 months ago (I only said i started it in July on GR, but it was before that) and I thought it opened well, but other career books got in the way and I lost the thread of the story. And honestly, i was reading this on my kindle, and there are so many asides, diary entries and different narrations, and in my kindle version they all looked the same. So I had to restart passages over again after I figured out who in the hell was speaking. I think it would've earned 4 stars if I stuck with it, but after 30% (that's kind of my threshold) I was finished. The style just couldn't keep me going and I let too much time lapse. I liked the obvious research that went into Lincoln's life, and the stuff with Henry, and I'm sure I missed the good parts if I'd kept reading, but I have Rules of Civility and Major Pettigrew's Last Stand to start, and I'd rather get on with those already.
I am a crappy book club member. I know. I need to stop reading multiple books at once! Very, very bad habit....more
Can't grade it because I didn't finish it (and I honestly felt badly about that...it's kind of your job to finish book club books!), but it felt too mCan't grade it because I didn't finish it (and I honestly felt badly about that...it's kind of your job to finish book club books!), but it felt too much like work. I think this is Gwin's first book, and it showed. Way too much detail, and it just slowed down--I couldn't slog through it. I picked up a few others when i should have been reading this, and that's never a good sign! The book club ladies in general liked it, but the subject matter was so heavy (racism in the 60s, possible sexual abuse, alcoholism, race murders, KKK, etc.) that they told me I wouldn't miss much by moving along to the next book. Really, you just felt sorry for the poor 11-year old narrator, who was pretty much unwanted and ignored. Definitely not a happy tale, but good for book club discussions!...more
This was more "It's not you, book, it's me"--i'm just not in the mood for a book that doesn't really have a plot. It didn't hold my interest enough. IThis was more "It's not you, book, it's me"--i'm just not in the mood for a book that doesn't really have a plot. It didn't hold my interest enough. I actually quite enjoyed it as a character study of middle-aged Rwandan women, and I'm looking forward to the book club discussion tomorrow. But I needed something a little more straightforward. I was quite impressed by Parkin's ability to couch really difficult issues (genocide, the death's of Angel's two children, HIV, etc.) in a non-depressing tone, which is not easy to do. Reading it really made me more aware of what was going on in that part of the world. I think Parkin is an effective writer, this was just a case of the right book at the wrong time....more
Eh, just not my thing. I'm not into reading fantasy at the moment, and all the talk of daemons, vampires, and witches just didn't keep my interest. I Eh, just not my thing. I'm not into reading fantasy at the moment, and all the talk of daemons, vampires, and witches just didn't keep my interest. I Don't care what's in the dumb book. And i didn't think the writing was all that great. Next!...more
I give up! I can't do it. I remember loving Jane Eyre in high school, but apparently that was before i had actual things to do and I could devote a moI give up! I can't do it. I remember loving Jane Eyre in high school, but apparently that was before i had actual things to do and I could devote a month to a book that just seems to take FOREVER to read. Bronte really threw in as many descriptive words as possible, and after getting through a third of it, and knowing how it ends, I just couldn't hack it. And Rochester! Rochester is such an ass! He is no Darcy, my friend. Austen knew how to take a plot, add in some great characters, and finish it up in a reasonable amount of pages--I haven't yet found her writing to be interminable. But Bronte...gracious. GET TO THE POINT ALREADY.
I'm giving it 3 stars because I don't think it's a bad book, per se, just tedious. It started out with a lot of potential, but it just dragged on. The wife is crazy. He keeps her in the attic. He tries to be a bigamist (and FAILS) because again, he is a selfish ass. Apparently only when he's blind and disfigured (and crazy wife is dead) is he acceptable enough for poor plain Jane to take as her husband.
And you wonder why women try to fix damaged men? Read Jane Eyre!
Note: the latest movie is pretty good. And DONE IN TWO HOURS....more
This is an example of "it's not you, book--it's me". I got through about 100 pages, and liked it, but felt it was Pelecanos-lite to me. And I just hadThis is an example of "it's not you, book--it's me". I got through about 100 pages, and liked it, but felt it was Pelecanos-lite to me. And I just had too many other things clamoring for my attention. I might have bumped it up to 4 stars had I finished it, but I just wasn't compelled to and it's been sitting on my nightstand for just too long, so apparently it didn't suck me in enough from the beginning.
I'm kind of curious what happened to those two boys, and I hate leaving things unfinished, so it might pick it up later and skim to the end to figure out the mystery!...more
If I'm dragging through a book after 100+ pages, I often wonder whether I should bother finishing it, and then I wonder if I'll miss out if I don't. OIf I'm dragging through a book after 100+ pages, I often wonder whether I should bother finishing it, and then I wonder if I'll miss out if I don't. Often there are brief moments of guilt--what if I miss something really good? What if I was wrong about this book?
But you know what? Life is short and my to-read list is long. I dont have time for things that don't interest me, and I've rarely (if ever) given up on a book too early that I'd wished I had stuck with. "Ape House" is going to be one of those books.
I loved the descriptions of bonobo apes and their unique personalities, and I even liked their handler, but then she introduced a newspaper reporter and his semi-crazy wife, and I just couldn't get into their story (maybe I"m stuck too much on the girl meets boy story, and with the wife I was completely thrown off). I flipped through to the end, and there were porn actresses (I think) and reality shows with the apes, and I was just...done. I just need a more cohesive story, and I didn't feel like i was getting it.
It's funny, I remember loving Water for Elephants, but i don't remember a whole lot about it. Is it possible that Gruen is all that memorable of a writer?
Anyway, I was disappointed. I was hoping to be taken in by the apes, and while their development was fascinating, i thought Gruen biffed the landing. I might be too hard on it, but them's the breaks....more
As the year wound down, I just kept meaning to get through this, and it crawled for me. I think this was a book of bad timing and I just wasn't in theAs the year wound down, I just kept meaning to get through this, and it crawled for me. I think this was a book of bad timing and I just wasn't in the mood for it. It was just a mite too quirky for my tastes, and the author seemed to take on an overly British affectation that got on my nerves a bit. But still, i think it would've been a good book otherwise. But It's a new year--I'm not going to force it!...more
Eh--I think I'm over Hiaasen. The one book I really enjoyed from him was Skinny Dip, but besides that, he's just a miss from me. I don't think he's alEh--I think I'm over Hiaasen. The one book I really enjoyed from him was Skinny Dip, but besides that, he's just a miss from me. I don't think he's all that humorous, his stories are too unbelievable for me to enjoy, and in this case, practically every person was so unlikable that I could only make it to page 75. I read the epilogue and realized I just didn't miss out on much. I mean, would YOU want to spend lots of time with a Lindsay Lohan-type spoiled starlet, her crazy parents, some shady investor, her manager, and other wackadoo random folks? I'd rather not. Or short love affair ends here, Hiaasen!...more
Another one that just didn't grab me. Well-written, but frustrating, and ultimately I just became impatient with it. There are 3 different stories, anAnother one that just didn't grab me. Well-written, but frustrating, and ultimately I just became impatient with it. There are 3 different stories, and I know they're connected, but until page 150 (which was as far as I got), I couldn't figure out how they were connected, and by that time I was too irritated to continue, just WAITING for something to happen (which I'm sure was just around the corner). I skimmed to the end (I feel like I'm doing a lot of skimming these days) and there were lots of threads related to identity theft, leaving behind of old identities, the relationship between families--all of that had potential, and it was quite well-written, but I just couldn't stay with it. And even after seeing how all the characters were connected, I wasn't emotionally tied to any of them. I'm just in a mood for a certain kind of book, and this one is too complex (honestly) to fit that need. I'm sure Chaon's a brilliant author, but I think he's more challenging than I'm in the mood for right now.
...I think this says less good things about my reading tastes than it does Chaon's writing acumen!...more
I don't think this is the fault of Nora Roberts, but more that I just wasn't in the mood to read another romantic suspense woman-in-peril book with a I don't think this is the fault of Nora Roberts, but more that I just wasn't in the mood to read another romantic suspense woman-in-peril book with a creepy serial killer. Honestly, I'm tired of the serial killer genre in general. Taking a break!
Roberts did her research about search and rescue dogs and dog training, which I appreciated, and I enjoyed heroine Fiona's relationship with not only her 3 lovable S&R dogs, but the tough on the outside (and of course gooey-centered) Simon, a furniture maker. And Fiona is a character you can easily root for, definitely not a victim. But at 500 pages, it just seemed too long to me and since I kind of know how Roberts' books are going to go (which I understand is most of their appeal!), I didn't want to spend another 250 pages. For some reason it was just taking me too long to read without enough interest. And I thought she spent too much time with the serial killer, and I don't need to be in his head any more than necessary, thanks.
I was drawn to this book because of the charming cover and the premise (this is 5th in the series about a crime reporter for the Daring Detective newsI was drawn to this book because of the charming cover and the premise (this is 5th in the series about a crime reporter for the Daring Detective newspaper in the 50s who solves murders) but it was just a little too cutesy with the 50s-speak for my taste. It might've been my mood, but the characters didn't really sparkle for me and I lost interest about 80 pages in (I also put it down to read a few other things about 3 weeks ago, and that rarely ends well). Cozy mysteries aren't usually my thing, and I'm not sure this was one of the better ones. I wanted to like it more than I did. 2.5 stars....more
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