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Hosted by Kathryn at Book Date
Finally, all gifts are wrapped and mailed. Or, at least that’s what I thought on Saturday afternoon…until I remembered that we’re doing a secret Santa thing at work. It was not my choice to participate. I was bullied into it. I lost the slip of paper with my recipients likes and dislikes on it and I nearly forgot entirely. Luckily, the name I drew is a friend, so running around on Sunday for a week’s work of small gifts wasn’t too painful. NOW, I’m done! Hopefully, I can get back to some serious reading and increase my December count of books up a little from the woeful two where it’s currently stuck.
Be sure to stop by tomorrow for Novel Visits Winter Preview 2019 and on Thursday for my BEST BOOKS of 2018!
Last Week’s Reads (or not?)
No, I did not have a three books week. In fact, of these three books I only finished Little Deaths by Emma Flint. I listened to this one on audio and wasn’t crazy about one of the two narrators which may have tainted my feelings about this book. I found it a little overwrought and maybe just a tad too cliched in its period elements. Still, it kept me listening these last two weeks. I didn’t have much reading time last week, so find it very sad that I wasted almost all of it on two books that just didn’t do it for me. Happiness by Aminatta Forna got so slow it just wasn’t making ME happy, and as hard as I tried, I just couldn’t care about anyone in We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler. I gave up on each at about the 30% mark. (Too long!)
Currently Reading
I’m still hitting Libby up for backlist books, but these may be it for a while. I’m already halfway through with Fire Sermon by Jamie Quatro and Am really enjoying this little story of a woman with very conflicted feelings about an affair she’s having. In my hunt fo a books, Sarah from Sarah’s Bookshelves suggested Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones. It was available immediately on audio so I jumped. I’ve only listened to about 30 minutes, but like the narrator very much, so already feel like it’s going to be a real winner.
Likely to Read Next
Without a doubt my next book will be a January 2019 release. There are a lot of great sounding books in January (as you’ll see tomorrow), so it’s time to get going. I mentioned The Perfect Liar by Thomas Christopher Greene last week and still think a thriller will be perfect for my next read. If not, then I’ll likely take up The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker. (Yes, the author of The Age of Miracles.)
I hope you have a great week in books!
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Your Secret Santa is calling “Visa gift card” to me!! Haha!
Yay! So glad you’re listening to Silver Sparrow! And, that you’re starting The Dreamers soon! I was planning to start 2019 releases after I finish my current book, but then One Day in December came in from the library. So, I’m now pushed out just a bit.
That Secret Santa thing was a gift for EACH day this week! I realized today that both the Tayari books have that conflict/relationship triangle thing going on. Interesting? Makes me curious about her parents.
Ugh… the forgotten Secret Santa would have definitely ruined my day. Glad you were able to get it all done. My daughter just started Silver Sparrow (in print) and is already saying she thinks I should read it.
I think if you like American Marriage, you’d also like Silver Sparrow (though I still have a long way to go).
The Perfect Liar is definitely on my list. I remember really liking Silver Sparrow. I’m all into light reads and catching up with series (mystery, fantasy) this time of year. Once my deadlines are met and my clients shut down for the holidays, I’ll likely tackle something more serious.
I just started The Perfect Liar this evening, but not far enough in to make any sort of judgement yet.
Secret Santas can be fun – depends on whose name you pick. I do hope you find some books you love to read in December. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
I loved Little Deaths because it made me think and honestly I didn’t expect the ending at all. But maybe with the audiobook it would be different :S
I started to suspect the ending, but not until it got pretty close. I did like that twist.
We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves–I had it spoiled for me and thought it was not nearly as good as so many people had raved about it said it was. I thought it was SO slow.
You’re right….SO slow. That’s what finally made me give up. The bursts of interest were just too few and far between. Thanks for stopping by.
Susie, Annie from the podcast From the Front Porch highly recommended Fire Sermon so I’ll be interested in your thoughts on it.
Yay for being done with your shopping. Now hopefully you can get some serious reading time in. Dreamers is up next for me too.
Meh! Those are my thoughts on Fire Sermon. It was an interesting idea, but the emotional angst that this couple suffered, just seemed overwrought to me.
Good to know…there was a reason why I hesitated adding Fire Sermon to my list and now I’m glad. I don’t like angsty musings. Thanks for vetting it but I hope your next book is much better. There’s nothing worse than reading a meh book when reading time is short.
I think The Dreamers will be good. Does Libby differ from OverDrive at all? What’s the difference? Do they have the same stock? thanks.
I’m pretty sure Libby is a part of Overdrive. I’ve never used Overdrive, but I hear Libby is a little easier to navigate, though I’m no expert.
I’m glad I didn’t have any Secret Santa obligations this year. December has been unpredictable. My weekly updates.
Hope your reading time picks up soon Susie. I feel more busy than I’d like lately and my reading is suffering which I hope to remedy as soon as I get all my presents wrapped. I’m really curious to hear what you think of Fire Sermon, that was on my radar but fell off along the way
I finished Fire Sermon this morning and was not wowed by it. Too much angst and guilty consciences for me. Happy reading!