Reading challenge 2021

[willowsnn3]

#10/60 Afterland by Lauren Beukes
Most of the men are dead. Three years after the pandemic known as The Manfall, governments still hold and life continues -- but a world run by women isn't always a better place.

Just ok to me.

 

[K and K's Mommy]

#4 - The Last Thing You Surrender by Leonard Pitts, Jr
This is really good, but there are several disturbing scenes. I gave it 5 out of 5 on Goodreads which I try to only reserve for my very favorites. I find myself still thinking about the main characters a day after I finished which is always a sign of a good book for me.

This begins with a Black man saving a White marine during Pearl Harbor. The Black man dies and the marine is sent to see his widow. The book branches off in separate stories about the widow, her brother who witnessed his parents' lynching when he was nine, the marine, and his father.

 

[Tiggerish]

Herb of Grace by Adina Senft. Part of the Whinburg Township Amish series. This was not the first book in the series but it was the first one I have read. There was not any problem entering the series from the middle. It had been awhile since I have read any "Amish" stories and enjoyed this one.

How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. This book has been frequently reviewed here. I did find the writing style took some getting used to but the content is well worth reading.

Shade: A Tale of Two Presidents by Pete Souza. The author was an official White House photographer for Presidents Reagan and Obama. This is a book of photos taken of Obama and contrasted with quotes, tweets and news references of Trump. The Merriam-Webster definition of "throwing shade" is 'a subtle, sneering expression of contempt for or disgust with someone'. This book is all about throwing shade.

17-19 of 104

 

[OKW8297]

11. This is How It Always is by Laurie Frankel It is about a family who’s youngest child is trans gendered. This was outstanding. The best book I’ve read so far this year.

 

[Allison Joy]

5/15 -- The Black Star of Kingston be S.D. Smith
This is a companion book to the last one I read, and now I'm on to book 2 in the official series. It's interesting. Interspersed between the main books of the series, there are these companion stories that go back about 100 years before the current story. And it seems that the companion books continue where the last one left off. So it's almost like you get the main books, and the "flashbacks." The companion books are quite short, so now I know to go ahead and reserve the next book in the series along with the companion book. So... more fighting (and sailing!) rabbits in this book. I sometimes have to remind myself that I'm reading about rabbits, in a good way. The author makes them feel real and relatable, even though it's a fantasy series about rabbits. I've never read the Redwall series, but I've read at least one review that compares these books to them. I believe these would be intended for a younger audience, but enjoyable for adults as well.

 

[melk]

10/35 Good Dogs Don’t Make It To The South Pole by Hans-Olan Thyvold

Tassen is a dog whose owner dies but as a result he becomes very close to his owner’s wife. She is a retired librarian and tells Tassen the story of Roald Amundsen and his Greenland dogs on their trek to the South Pole.

Overall I enjoyed the book. The dog is the narrator, giving an interesting, and sometimes hysterical, perspective. I enjoyed the story of their relationship and how Tassen witnesses her grief, her drinking problem, and her aging. I found the side story about the South Pole expedition tiresome but the book was translated from Norwegian so I’m guessing maybe that’s a story that Norwegians are more familiar with, and thus interested in.

 

[mini22]

6/30 The Dark Side by Danielle Steel

 

[willowsnn3]

#11/60 Midnight Express by Billy Hayes
I saw this one mentioned her a couple times (or maybe last year's challenge) so thought I would try it. Glad I did, I enjoyed it.

 

[OKW8297]

12. The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan A sweet, charming story.

 

[mom2febgirls]

7/50 - Murder on Astor Place by Victoria Thompson
8/50 - Murder on St Marks Place by Victoria Thompson

I'm really enjoying this historical mystery series but I don't want to burn out by binging this whole series. I need to find more historical mysteries to read. Any suggestions?

 

[mini22]

7/30 Daddy's Girls by Danielle Steel

 

[JayMass]

7/50 "Nine Perfect Strangers" by Liane Moriarity. I was looking for a book to distract me from reality. Something that I wouldn't need to think to hard about. This definitely fits the bill, but I didn't really like it. It's certainly a promising premise--nine strangers meet at a unique high end retreat to detox and refresh. But I was just plain bored. I didn't care about the characters and literally NOTHING happens until well over halfway through. No thank you.

 

[Wendy1985]

6 the suger king shortstop

 

[Shellsbutt]

7/50 "Nine Perfect Strangers" by Liane Moriarity. I was looking for a book to distract me from reality. Something that I wouldn't need to think to hard about. This definitely fits the bill, but I didn't really like it. It's certainly a promising premise--nine strangers meet at a unique high end retreat to detox and refresh. But I was just plain bored. I didn't care about the characters and literally NOTHING happens until well over halfway through. No thank you.

Yes, I agree-this one was a real stinker! Even though it's been a few years ago now, I still remember how bad it was. I managed to finish the book, but still was so disappointed considering her other works. They can't all be great I guess

 

[willowsnn3]

#12/60 Maude by Donna Mabry
Another great recommendation from the challenge. One of my favorites so far this year.

 

[mini22]

8/30 Blessing in Disguise by Danielle Steel
9/30 The Numbers Game by Danielle Steel

 

[jen7233]

#9 Ballad of Snakes and Songbirds, Suzanne Collins. Primer to the original Hunger Games trilogy. Coriolanus Snow aka future President Snow is the main character. Some little nuggets in there about some future things. Pretty good book, a little long, but it engaged me enough and the font isn't so tight together. Only comment without giving any spoilers away is I felt his character changed too rapidly about 3/4 into the book. I felt like his character was going one way, still with some undertones of what we know he is because of the already much earlier released books, and then I felt like the author changed him too rapidly at this certain point 3/4 in, and I didn't totally buy into it. Can't say more in case someone wants to read it and hasn't yet. Still, I really enjoyed it.

 

[OKW8297]

#12/60 Maude by Donna Mabry
Another great recommendation from the challenge. One of my favorites so far this year.

I agree. It’s a great book!

 

[JayMass]

Yes, I agree-this one was a real stinker! Even though it's been a few years ago now, I still remember how bad it was. I managed to finish the book, but still was so disappointed considering her other works. They can't all be great I guess

I'm curious about the TV series though, looks like that might be good?????

 

[JayMass]

#3 - My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie
This is historical fiction about Eliza Hamilton. I liked it and learned more about Eliza.

I can't read the name "Eliza" without singing "Uh-LIE-uh-ZA" like Lin-Manuel!