Books #30

[CommentBelow]

Ah I've just finished Sandwich by Catherine Newman and I'm a bit disappointed! I feel like the blurb alludes to it being more light-hearted than it actually was. It's not the summer/beach read it appears to be.

I also feel like the writing is trying to be intellectual but it comes across and clunky and I have to re-read sentences just to understand what she's trying to put across. I never read we all want impossible things so maybe this is just her style.

Spoiler: Sandwich Spoilers

Maybe I struggled to get into it because I can't relate to having such an open family. Like yes, my mum is menopausal but she doesn't strip off and announce to the room she's having a hot flash constantly

I liked Sandwich (although not as much as her first book), I do think some books are cheated by bad blurb / marketing. I went in blind to Sandwich so had no expectations of it being a summer read.
I did read a few reviews by people who were disappointed the book doesn’t portray the town of Sandwich accurately 🫢 (it’s not set there) I did read enough blurb to know that it’s called sandwich as the MC is between adult children and older parents.

However, Ministry of Time wins most inaccurately marketed book - ‘takes you on a journey through time’.. ‘fizzing with one liners’ erm no.

 

[ScoutFinch]

Here are all the Animal Ark books that I have on my bookshelf.
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Omg this has just unlocked memories

 

[slugella]

I've had a pretty good July after being in a slump for a few months.

You Belong With Me by Mhairi McFarlane - is a 1* too harsh @LaBlonde

Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner - 3.5* (I think I ruined this by watching the series first and I thought the TV series did it better.)

Jaded by Ela Lee - 4*

The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue - 3*

The Midnight Hour by Eve Chase - 3*

The Tenth Muse by Catherine Chung - 4*

Currently reading Go As A River by Shelley Read, only about 3 chapters in but really enjoying it so far.

 

[LaBlonde]

You Belong With Me by Mhairi McFarlane - is a 1* too harsh @LaBlonde

seems fair to me! i was considering two but when i came to write that post realised that i’d forgotten the names of every single character. literally everyone. i took it as a sign

 

[Chocolategoggler]

I read hardly any books for me this month
The 5 stars ones kept me going through my exhaustion (stress), and I think I've suitably raved about them on here already. They've also given me something nice to look forward to - sequel.
I'm currently ploughing through the Marriage Portrait - currently scoring 3.5 as it is put downable.
I need another addictive book - luckily now I've run out of library books (due to my stern, severe glare at myself re excessive library books) I can now move on to the set of 10 Georgette Heyer books you recommended for purchase a few months ago.....

 

[SaintLeo]

Here are all the Animal Ark books that I have on my bookshelf.
View attachment 3080628

As much as I love each and every one of you, the Animal Ark posts have ruined my night! I’d never heard of them so Googled and turns out when they were first being published I was heading off to uni. I feel sooooo old!

 

[lokp0009]

I have had the Loop Experience Pro for over a year now, brilliant for loud theatre, cinema, rugby and football matches and the stupidly loud gym classes!

I can read in silence when the other half is asleep but prefer noise so often have the tv on in the background and can read on public transport fine. I am also a psychopath who reads whilst brushing my teeth, walking round the house and on the treadmill and stair master at the gym, whilst stretching, blowdrying hair, getting dressed, on the way from the house to the car etc etc.

This is me too! I can read while doing almost anything. I’m fine with the TV on etc too. The only thing that distracts me is if my husband is playing his PS5 online. For some reason the silence then him talking drives me mental and I then have to put headphones in haha

 

[GoofyPrincess]

I'm halfway through Cold Granite by Stuart McBride and I'm loving it so far. The plot has me hooked (despite being a bit grim) and I'm especially loving the characters, patter and backdrop of the story being set in Aberdeen. I'm Scottish (though not from Aberdeen) but live abroad and love when I find a good book or tv show that reminds me of home - it's like a lovely warm nostalgia feeling in a book

Someone from here recommended it a while ago, I can't remember who but a huge thank you to whoever it was!

I feel like it could make a great tv show - would love to see that done.

 

[ToolaRoola]

As much as I love each and every one of you, the Animal Ark posts have ruined my night! I’d never heard of them so Googled and turns out when they were first being published I was heading off to uni. I feel sooooo old!

I didn't know them either, thought I'd missed out despite spending hours in the library as a kid.

But I was a teenager, too busy drinking in the park to read books

 

[twilightgarden]

I'm halfway through Cold Granite by Stuart McBride and I'm loving it so far. The plot has me hooked (despite being a bit grim) and I'm especially loving the characters, patter and backdrop of the story being set in Aberdeen. I'm Scottish (though not from Aberdeen) but live abroad and love when I find a good book or tv show that reminds me of home - it's like a lovely warm nostalgia feeling in a book

Someone from here recommended it a while ago, I can't remember who but a huge thank you to whoever it was!

I feel like it could make a great tv show - would love to see that done.

I love the Logan Mcrae series! Him and Steele are hilarious and it lightens the grimness a bit. I’m hoping he’ll write another one, he’s been doing standalones/other series lately and I haven’t enjoyed them anywhere near as much. I’m local to Aberdeen and attended an author event he did a few years back. He said he wouldn’t commission the series for tv as he wanted everyone to imagine what Logan looked like. Money talks so you never know.
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As much as I love each and every one of you, the Animal Ark posts have ruined my night! I’d never heard of them so Googled and turns out when they were first being published I was heading off to uni. I feel sooooo old!

I googled them and don’t recognise them. I would have been around the right age for them too.

 

[wishiniwasskinny]

My July Reads:
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Someone Else's Baby 8/10
The Kiss 7/10
Titanic Death on the Water 6/10
Gracie's Secret 5/10
Dolphin in the Deep 6/10
The Vanishing of Dr Winter 5/10
The Copperettes at War 6/10

Omg I used to love the Animal Ark books as a tween

 

[GoofyPrincess]

I love the Logan Mcrae series! Him and Steele are hilarious and it lightens the grimness a bit. I’m hoping he’ll write another one, he’s been doing standalones/other series lately and I haven’t enjoyed them anywhere near as much. I’m local to Aberdeen and attended an author event he did a few years back. He said he wouldn’t commission the series for tv as he wanted everyone to imagine what Logan looked like. Money talks so you never know.
-

I’m excited I’m just at the start of my Logan Mcrae journey! The books are quite pricey here on Kindle but I’ll probably treat myself to one a month and work my through them all!

Amazing you saw him at the book event!!

 

[twilightgarden]

I’m excited I’m just at the start of my Logan Mcrae journey! The books are quite pricey here on Kindle but I’ll probably treat myself to one a month and work my through them all!

Amazing you saw him at the book event!!

Can you get them from the library? I did that for most of them and read the whole series. Some are better than others but it’s one of my favourite series.

 

[Caffeine Fiend]

my july reads (as i’m unlikely to get another one before the month ends).

these ranged from wonderful to wanting to erase it from my memory:

fourth wing - rebecca yarros
long island - colm tobin
my dark romeo - people who should never write again
blue sisters - coco mellors
the stolen hours - karen swann
you belong with me - mhairi mcfarlane
tom lake - anne patchett

now onto my august challenge of only reading the random romances i keep buying in the works!

Did I read my Dark Romeo this month, yes. Was it so bad, yes. Am I now reading My Dark Desire, also yes. 🫣🫣

 

[LaBlonde]

Did I read my Dark Romeo this month, yes. Was it so bad, yes. Am I now reading My Dark Desire, also yes. 🫣🫣

CF you are braver than the us marines 🫡

the oreo scene in the first one will stay with me forever.

 

[Caffeine Fiend]

CF you are braver than the us marines 🫡

the oreo scene in the first one will stay with me forever.

I think this one is better actually marginally. I had heard that tbf but I dont like to read out of order.

 

[Katykatykaty]

I remember practically living in my library as a tween and my life changed when I discovered the suggestions folder. Every day I’d take it off the shelf, carry it to the study tables and add a new suggestion. One that jumps out of my memory was continually requesting more Animal Ark books. Now keep in mind that the library already had the full collection (which I’d read multiple times) and I was basically asking them to provide books that didn’t exist! I absolutely loved that suggestion book even if none of my suggestions actually came to anything.
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Another memory of that time just came to mind - it was the days pre mobiles and if I hadn’t come home from school my mam would ring the library to ask the staff if I was there. I was so well known there and there often that they were basically my unofficial afterschool club for about three years.

 

[Lyra1970]

Just finished Magpie. Liked it but wasn’t mind blowing .
Just about to start Still Life .
I have a huge TBR pile which I may take a photo of later .
I’m autistic and struggle hugely with any noise when I’m reading ( or not reading to be fair , unless it’s me playing Marc Bolan )
I bought Flare earplugs but not impressed by them.
To get to sleep I use a Snoozeband which is an eyemask and earphones in one and so comfy.
Have to have a podcast on or audiobook as it blocks my overactive mind . Shipping forecast works very well too

 

[twilightgarden]

I’ve discovered the Sleeping Forecast podcast on bbc sounds and I love listening when I’m reading in the evening or when going to sleep. It’s nice classical music mixed with snippets of the shipping forecast.

 

[chickhicks86]

I see you, book lovers