Books #8 Reading chats

[Caffeine Fiend]

Id agree with the above. You do become more emotionally invested as more of Shuggie is revealed to you.


I have nearly finished 100 Years of Lenni & Margot. It really is lovely isn't it. I haven't felt overly sad yet reading it yet which is surprising considering the subject matter. I have to work today so have the last 20% to read tonight.

 

[Limery]

I'm sure it's been discussed to death but I've fallen down a rabbit hole of watching Booktubers reading vlogs of A Little Life I'm scared! I am intrigued by the author but not sure I'm ready for that one, considering giving To Paradise a try.

 

[Caffeine Fiend]

I've paused A Little Life for now. The sheer length of it, just gets me down. Long chapters too.

If the subject matter isnt depressing enough the length has tipped me over the edge.

 

[LaBlonde]

I'm sure it's been discussed to death but I've fallen down a rabbit hole of watching Booktubers reading vlogs of A Little Life I'm scared! I am intrigued by the author but not sure I'm ready for that one, considering giving To Paradise a try.

i adored a little life - though i am interested as to how it still manages to be one of booktubes’ favourites considering the subject matter

honestly, to paradise is much of the same trauma just on a different topic so i wouldn’t assume you’re getting a “lighter” read with that one.

 

[Limery]

i adored a little life - though i am interested as to how it still manages to be one of booktubes’ favourites considering the subject matter

honestly, to paradise is much of the same trauma just on a different topic so i wouldn’t assume you’re getting a “lighter” read with that one.

I knew of the book but never delved any further into what it was until I fell down that particular rabbit hole it definately polarises opinion. The author's writing style and characterisation sounds like something that appeals to me so I think I shall buckle up and one or the other a try....

 

[Caffeine Fiend]

I actually read a really interesting review on A Little Life recently. I havent read all of the book so can't comment fully yet. I also thought this persons review of Bear Town was brilliant.

 

[Kittycat86]

I have persevered with ‘a little life’ I have 200 pages left and at this point it’s a labour of love and battle of the wills which I will win.

I only heard about it through booktube, the woman reading it was describing this book as monstrous in its subject matter and had found it truly distressing and heartbreaking.
She sobbed her way through it, and when it was over she wished she’d never read it as it’s affected her that badly.

I heard all of this and thought right this is a book I need to read.
I’m skimming a lot of what is written as it’s just filler fluff to pad out the ridiculously long chapters and can still keep up with the story.

The subject matter is dark but that’s probably the only interesting thing about the book, it’s dubbed as misery porn but quite frankly it’s misery from boredom while reading it but I will finish it.
I must be broken or heartless as I’m just bored and finding the whole thing and everyone in it tedious.

The characters are basic and superficial and even though have suspicions and curiosities about Jude they are pretty surface level and don’t delve much deeper considering the years of friendship and love for him.
Jude himself just suffers for suffering sake at this point and I just wanna shake him and tell him to get a grip and get some help.
I’ve lost patience with that character a while ago.

It’s all very much how many dark subjects can I throw at 1 person in a book and get away with it and the author herself in interviews doesn’t seem the most endearing person or appropriate for writing what she has.
It’s definitely misery porn but for the fact it makes you miserable and depressed at the thought of having to carry on reading it and living in the mind of someone who rather suffer than get help.

What I will say is, you need to be in the right mindset to take this book on.
It’s taken me months and I’m still struggling when I can usually finish a book in a week.
If you’re easily triggered or overly emotional it’s gonna take you down with it.
I’m not a fan but I’ve seen and read so many reviews that have raved about how beautiful and heartbreaking it is and loved it.

 

[ScoutFinch]

I loved The Paper Palace!

I’m currently reading the Emma Griffin series by A J Rivers. They are ok, the usual FBI agent/serial killer stories.

I take it back about these books being ok. The first one was quite a quick read and so I gave the second one a go. It’s ridiculously unbelievable and the author doesn’t seem to have the first clue about police procedurals and it’s bothering me that no research whatsoever appears to have been done. I can’t DNF though so need to plough through and find something else

 

[Caffeine Fiend]

I hate myself that Im a DNF-er. its a bad trait to have.

 

[ScoutFinch]

I hate myself that Im a DNF-er. its a bad trait to have.

I wish I could! Life is too short to waste on bad books, but I’m too obsessed with my yearly challenge so I plough on

 

[Caffeine Fiend]

I wish I could! Life is too short to waste on bad books, but I’m too obsessed with my yearly challenge so I plough on

Haha this is me. Plough on for the numbers

 

[fernly]

I'm also not a DNF-er and did struggle with Shuggie probably for the first half. I'm not sure saying it gets better is the right phrase, but it certainly got me more emotionally invested by the end?

Agree with this so much. Shuggie Bain definitely gets more emotional and more interesting and you get attached to it as you read the second half of it. I read the first 100-150 pages not with high hopes (it was still good and i loved the political background) but as i read the last parts it got better and better and now I love it.

 

[strawb]

i'm trying to finish a book by a local author who is an acquaintance of mine, and i've been trying to finish it for months maybe even years and i'm having such a difficult time with it but i can't give up

 

[Warpaint]

I got lent 'A little life' by a friend but she goes by all these award winning, NY times bestseller type lists. Which often hype up way too much.

As I said before with it:

Spoiler

We never really find out why they ended up such good friends and why they tolerated Jude, they all have these fantastic careers that are not set in any sort of reality, they are unaffected by any world events, everyone around Jude was a complete enabler and that Doctor friend would be struck off for just allowing him to carry on even though Jude got progressively worse throughout his life. Also you have to suspend almost all your belief with Jude's past stuff, we got an odd clunky explanations in long rambling chapters.

 

[chickhicks86]

The only other book I've never finished, apart from Shuggie, was a Sarah Morgan one. I do normally persevere, honest!

 

[Caffeine Fiend]

So the reason I persevere is because the best book I read last year was a struggle for the first 40%

What if it ends up being the best book I'll ever read? Well I'd never know but still

 

[SaintLeo]

So the reason I persevere is because the best book I read last year was a struggle for the first 40%

What if it ends up being the best book I'll ever read? Well I'd never know but still

You can’t leave it at that @Caffeine Fiend! What was this best ever book?!

 

[Caffeine Fiend]

You can’t leave it at that @Caffeine Fiend! What was this best ever book?!

Aw sorry ha Ive been here a long time and assume everyone has too I did not stop talking about this book the end of last year. Not saying its the best book Ive ever read that spot is taken by Mario Puzo's The Godfather however it was my favourite of last year and I read Shuggie Bain last year

Bear Town by Frederik Backman.

 

[SaintLeo]

Aw sorry ha Ive been here a long time and assume everyone has too I did not stop talking about this book the end of last year. Not saying its the best book Ive ever read that spot is taken by Mario Puzo's The Godfather however it was my favourite of last year and I read Shuggie Bain last year

Bear Town by Frederik Backman.

Don’t worry, it’s me! I struggle to remember what books I’ve read never mind anyone else!

Heard quite a few good things about Bear Town. It’s going on the TBR!

 

[Caffeine Fiend]

Don’t worry, it’s me! I struggle to remember what books I’ve read never mind anyone else!

Heard quite a few good things about Bear Town. It’s going on the TBR!

It is a slow burner with a lot of characters Its part 1 of a trilogy. I think Im going to start the second one tonight or tomorrow. Ive put it off incase its also a slow burn. however Ive seen Bookstagram people have ARC of the final book so I best get reading.