Books #30

[HoGi]

I've DNF 3 books in a row recently - House of Earth and Blood, Olive Kitteridge and The Secret Barrister. I don't know what is wrong with me, but nothing seems to be grabbing me enough to stick with it. I love Elizabeth Strout especially, but I only read 2 chapters of OK before I gave up. I have been to the library this morning though to get an actual physical book, as it wasn't on Borrowbox - Station Eleven. Has anyone read it? It's so long since I got a physical book, I was quite surprised to see they no longer put them in the plastic covers!

Loved Station Eleven, it was written before covid but it's interesting how closely real life followed fiction! Made it very relatable.

My library better not stop plastic covers...makes them perfect books to read in the bath

 

[Libbylulu]

I’ve not read many 5 this year but I’m currently reading Know My Name - Chanel Miller. I’m only half way through and can’t recommend it enough. I’m also listening via audible so her recounting her story makes it even more powerful

 

[Caffeine Fiend]

I’ve not read many 5 this year but I’m currently reading Know My Name - Chanel Miller. I’m only half way through and can’t recommend it enough. I’m also listening via audible so her recounting her story makes it even more powerful

It is such a powerful story. She is such a strong person. I listened on Audible too!

 

[SaintLeo]

okay, folks of the thread who have read tom lake (a five star delight of a book) i have a spoilery question and would appreciate your thoughts.

was duke emily’s father? i read that part so many times and it can read (imo) as her getting an abortion OR her finding out she’s pregnant with the nurse holding her hand. and joe has such a visceral reaction to seeing duke holding toddler emily. was she already pregnant when she met joe again or does the timeline not timeline. i am

Literally just finished reading and came straight here to find out what this question was!!

Spoiler: Tom Lake Spoiler

As I was getting to the end I did wonder if that was going to be a twist - revealing Duke as Emily’s father - but I think an abortion is the right interpretation. There’s the emphasis on the fact it happened years before the move to the farm, and she says there were always things she would never tell the girls or Joe. Of course that could mean she didn’t tell Joe she was already pregnant and let him think Emily was his, but I don’t think the timeline would timeline and also it just doesn’t work with the relationship they have.

 

[LaBlonde]

Literally just finished reading and came straight here to find out what this question was!!

Spoiler: Tom Lake Spoiler

As I was getting to the end I did wonder if that was going to be a twist - revealing Duke as Emily’s father - but I think an abortion is the right interpretation. There’s the emphasis on the fact it happened years before the move to the farm, and she says there were always things she would never tell the girls or Joe. Of course that could mean she didn’t tell Joe she was already pregnant and let him think Emily was his, but I don’t think the timeline would timeline and also it just doesn’t work with the relationship they have.

these are my feelings too - the timeline just doesn’t quite add up, i think she directly says that it’s years before the farm and there’s a bit earlier where she says she’s skipped all the courtship part of her and joe’s story, so i think it just isn’t possible. it did make me pause a bit though as i think she wrote it deliberately opaquely!

 

[Booklover]

Enjoyed The Murder After the Night Before. Will check out her other work. Now a bit late to the party, starting Cleopatra and Frankenstein today. This is the 4th book of 5 from my birthday present haul from my son he bought me last month.

 

[Blueblue123]

I liked How to Kill a Guy in Ten Ways! Now reading Haven't They Grown. Halfway through and it's good so far.

 

[wishiniwasskinny]

I’ve just finished A Certain Hunger by Chelsea Summers. 3.5 for me. Definitely entertaining, if you like books about psychopath women. But at the end I felt she added in too much info and there was a significant relationship with another woman that wasn’t fleshed out enough.

The Bee Sting is my next read.

 

[Ding]

I've had my first big reading slump of the year so far and only read one book this month (and it wasn't even good) Just haven't been in a reading mood. Just started my first Lisa Jewel book though, None of this is true. Hoping it will get me out of my slump!

 

[Merpedy]

My current roundup:

Doppleganger by Naomi Klein: once I got past the first couple of chapters it became pretty interesting. A lot of it has left my mind now so perhaps that say something but she had some really interesting points on duality with Jews and Israel at the end. I wish she had picked that as the main topic rather than this COVID stuff, because again… I’m just over the COVID conspiracies and reflecting on them

Red Memory by Tania Branigan: really interesting but it’s the first book I’ve read on the subject and I feel like the author isn’t great at introducing the subject to a new audience. I constantly feel like I’m missing a lot of context and I will never get those answers from the book. It’s also hard to keep track of who is who, there’s some bits where I still don’t know who the person is and their significance

I’ve currently put it down and honestly there’s a good chance I won’t come back to if

Love in the time of cholera - picked it up mostly because I wanted a romance book and I hate the current trend of YA romance books and none of the new books seem to offer anything interesting

Love the writing style. Might reignite that spark in fiction books and I might pick up more classics

 

[emerald]

Random question for you all, do you listen to anything whilst you read? I usually "need" to have some kind of ambience YouTube video on during the day/evening but magically have no problem reading in silence before I go to sleep. I've seen people in reading vlogs read with films/TV on in the background, which I used to do as a teenager but flummoxes me now. Even music with words in is too much for me some days.

 

[Caffeine Fiend]

Random question for you all, do you listen to anything whilst you read? I usually "need" to have some kind of ambience YouTube video on during the day/evening but magically have no problem reading in silence before I go to sleep. I've seen people in reading vlogs read with films/TV on in the background, which I used to do as a teenager but flummoxes me now. Even music with words in is too much for me some days.

I have to wear my loops if Im sitting reading with general back ground house noises or I cant concentrate at all

 

[LaBlonde]

Random question for you all, do you listen to anything whilst you read? I usually "need" to have some kind of ambience YouTube video on during the day/evening but magically have no problem reading in silence before I go to sleep. I've seen people in reading vlogs read with films/TV on in the background, which I used to do as a teenager but flummoxes me now. Even music with words in is too much for me some days.

nope - or if i DO then it can only be instrumental music, i can’t listen to anything with lyrics. this is i think why i also struggle with audiobooks

i used to be able to read with tv on in the background (like now with the olympics i would happily sit there with a book) but i can’t do it anymore, it has to be one or the other!

 

[emerald]

nope - or if i DO then it can only be instrumental music, i can’t listen to anything with lyrics. this is i think why i also struggle with audiobooks

i used to be able to read with tv on in the background (like now with the olympics i would happily sit there with a book) but i can’t do it anymore, it has to be one or the other!

That's what prompted the question, I have fond memories of reading with the 2008 Olympics in the background on my year 10 summer school holiday Not sure I could do that now but I haven't tried yet!

 

[Blueblue123]

Random question for you all, do you listen to anything whilst you read? I usually "need" to have some kind of ambience YouTube video on during the day/evening but magically have no problem reading in silence before I go to sleep. I've seen people in reading vlogs read with films/TV on in the background, which I used to do as a teenager but flummoxes me now. Even music with words in is too much for me some days.

Usually listen to music with lyrics, typically songs I've heard so often it doesn't matter if I'm not paying full attention. I might read with an uncomplicated film or tv show on in the background. Something I've seen before or would put on while doing something else like cleaning or if someone is over at mine.

On the odd occasion, I read in silence. Usually before bed.

 

[LaBlonde]

That's what prompted the question, I have fond memories of reading with the 2008 Olympics in the background on my year 10 summer school holiday Not sure I could do that now but I haven't tried yet!

we should both try with the swimming later i have a lot of memories of being curled up with my book while my dad watched cricket or golf but i think even that would be too distracting for me now!

 

[Pinkii]

Random question for you all, do you listen to anything whilst you read? I usually "need" to have some kind of ambience YouTube video on during the day/evening but magically have no problem reading in silence before I go to sleep. I've seen people in reading vlogs read with films/TV on in the background, which I used to do as a teenager but flummoxes me now. Even music with words in is too much for me some days.

depends what im reading, generally i have brown noise but if im reading a fantasy book I like to listen to fantasy inspired playlists (instrumental only)

@Caffeine Fiend are loops good? The older im getting the less tolerant I an becoming of noise and keep seeing this advertised on tik tok but always assume its a scam

 

[emerald]

depends what im reading, generally i have brown noise but if im reading a fantasy book I like to listen to fantasy inspired playlists (instrumental only)

@Caffeine Fiend are loops good? The older im getting the less tolerant I an becoming of noise and keep seeing this advertised on tik tok but always assume its a scam

I can't sleep without brown noise, but the downside of that is that I can't listen to it during the day without wanting to sleep

 

[Albrouze]

Random question for you all, do you listen to anything whilst you read? I usually "need" to have some kind of ambience YouTube video on during the day/evening but magically have no problem reading in silence before I go to sleep. I've seen people in reading vlogs read with films/TV on in the background, which I used to do as a teenager but flummoxes me now. Even music with words in is too much for me some days.

I will sometimes put on am instrumental playlist on Spotify if I feel like I'm distracted while reading, but don't usually. I can read sitting on the couch beside my husband while he watches TV and just tune it all out. I read my book today while waiting in nail salon where a woman was inexplicably on FaceTime on speaker looking at shoes and screaming at whoever was on the other end. Apart from being mildly interested in whatever was going on there, I was able to keep reading
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I can't sleep without brown noise, but the downside of that is that I can't listen to it during the day without wanting to sleep

I don't even know what brown noise is

 

[emerald]

I will sometimes put on am instrumental playlist on Spotify if I feel like I'm distracted while reading, but don't usually. I can read sitting on the couch beside my husband while he watches TV and just tune it all out. I read my book today while waiting in nail salon where a woman was inexplicably on FaceTime on speaker looking at shoes and screaming at whoever was on the other end. Apart from being mildly interested in whatever was going on there, I was able to keep reading