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Hosted by Kathryn at Book Date
June just might be my favorite month of the year. It truly has a lot going for it. To start, everything is green and flowers are in full bloom. It’s a gorgeous time of year. Add to that the long, long days of sunshine. And to top it all off is the promise of summer vacation coming very soon. As we finally approach the end of the school year, each week seems to breeze by, and then? Freedom. Freedom to do lots of things; one of which is reading! (Only 2 1/2 more weeks.)
Last Week’s Reads
I struggled a bit with both books I finished last week, but in the end really liked In the Distance With You. This novel from Chilean author Carla Guelfenbein was billed as a literary thriller, and for me it was definitely literary, but not so much thriller. Instead, it was a slow-building mystery that I almost put down, but kept coming back to and I’m glad I did. On the other hand, Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata started out weird, but interesting, and then moved to just plain weird. It’s a very short book, so by the time I reached the point where I wanted to quit, I was over halfway through, so did some skimming and finished it up. I’ll likely include both these books in a “Clearing the Shelves” edition the end of next week.
Currently Reading
I’ve been listening to Woman Last Seen in Her Thirties by Camille Pagan all week and still have a couple of hours left. My own life has so many parallels with main character Maggie’s life that you’d think I’d love this book. Sometimes I do, but other times she drives me crazy! Still, I’m eager to find out just where Maggie ends up. I feel a hangover coming on! Yes, I’m enjoying The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai THAT much. This dual timeline story follows a group of gay men in Chicago during the worst days of the AIDS crisis, and a mother searching for her daughter in Paris 30 years later. There are loads of connections between the two stories and I can hardly wait to get back to it. You’ll want to put a library hold on The Great Believers.
A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza – As of now this is a DNF for me. I gave it to the 29% mark, but the book had little plot, and I just wasn’t up for another character study novel. I could be convinced to go back, so let me know if you think I was hasty.
Likely to Read Next
Both Dreams of Falling by Karen White and Invitation to a Bonfire by Adrienne Celt are being released tomorrow and I hope to at least start both sometime this week. White’s book, a contemporary Southern story might make a perfect recovery book for me. Invitation to a Bonfire is somehow an historical fiction with psychological thriller elements to it, and that really intrigues me. I plan on making it my next audiobook.
I hope you have a great week in books!
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Ugh – sad to hear Convenience Store Woman was blah. I’d had my eye on that if you liked it, but I guess I’m glad it’s not yet another book I need to try to fit in?! I gotta say, though, the track record for a certain Summer Reading Guide isn’t looking too good.
You’re so right! The first two I tried from my Summer Preview were duds, but the third one makes up for both of those. It’s one of those books I almost don’t want to finish. Not perfect, but I still am loving it.
I think I might just skip A Place for Us after hearing what you and Sarah thought about it, I’m definitely not in the mood for a meandering read after 2 of my most recent anticipated reads have been disappointing…The Outsider and Us Against You. I hope your last weeks for school fly by, have a great reading week Susie!
Catherine didn’t much care for Us Against You either. I’ll read it eventually, but at this point am happy I didn’t get an ARC. Have a great week, Renee!
Ooh, The Great Believers sounds really good. ….*off to put a hold at the library*
Wise decision, Katie.
I can’t wait to get my hands on Dreams of Falling. Enjoy your week, and here are MY WEEKLY UPDATES
I thought Woman Last Seen … was just OK. Maggie was frustrating, the story was frustrating and lots of it didn’t ring true. To me, Calling All Invisible Women did a better job with the topic. Jeanne Ray, the author, is Ann Patchett’s mother!
Dreams of Falling is on hold and I just now put The Great Believers on hold (book hangovers are the best kind).
I think I’m with you on Woman. I have a little over an hour left, but as a woman who went through a divorce after a fairly long marriage, most of it just doesn’t ring true to me.
The Great Believers is on my list. I passed on Woman Last Seen (in print and audio), but I may keep it on my radar.
Dreams of Falling sounds really interesting and a great summer read. This week I’m reading a library book:
http://collettaskitchensink.blogspot.com/2018/06/what-im-reading-6418.html
Colletta
June is a nice month. Summer vacations were some of my favorite parts of teaching. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
Adding The Great Believers. Have a great week!
Thanks for stopping by, Ann Marie. You had quite the haul from BEA.
Convenience Store Woman is on my wishlist. My weekly update
I’d be really interested to hear what someone else thinks of Convenience Store Woman. Let me know what you think.