I read (listened to) GOOD MATERIAL, by Dolly Alderton, after reading a strong review in the NYT, calling it one of the best books of the year so far. I read (listened to) GOOD MATERIAL, by Dolly Alderton, after reading a strong review in the NYT, calling it one of the best books of the year so far. Not sure what that says about everything else that's been published this year, but I didn't like it as much as the reviewer did.
GOOD MATERIAL is about Andy, a stand-up comic who is reeling from a breakup. His girlfriend, Jenn, blindsided him after four years in a relationship. The writing was strong, the characters were well-developed, but the pacing was off; about 2/3 through, I was entirely sick of hearing Andy whine about how much he misses and still loves Jenn.
In the end, the narrator switches from Andy to Jenn's POV. She explains a lot, which helped, but didn't save the story for me. The voice actors were great, though. Andy sounded just like Jamie Tartt from Ted Lasso. That was fun and unusual for a book set in England.
This is my first book by Lisa Jewell, but it won't be my last. While there was no great twist at the end, this is a well-told, gripping suspense novelThis is my first book by Lisa Jewell, but it won't be my last. While there was no great twist at the end, this is a well-told, gripping suspense novel about two women who randomly meet in a restaurant while celebrating their birthdays with their respective husbands. They are "birthday twins." One seems sane; the other not so much. I believe the original premise must have been, How can two people born on the same day in the same hospital end up with such different lives? I like that question.
I listened to the audiobook, which was fantastically narrated and edited.
Emily Henry's books are like popcorn: delicious, mindless munching. She is a good storyteller, the dialogue is solid, and the endings (though generallEmily Henry's books are like popcorn: delicious, mindless munching. She is a good storyteller, the dialogue is solid, and the endings (though generally predictable) always have a slight twist that keeps me engaged. And, if anyone likes audiobooks, Julia Whelan, the narrator, is phenomenal.
Happy Place is highly entertaining and a perfect beach read/go for a walk/travel book.
Not a bad premise, but also not terribly original. Fortunately the ending saved the book for me—I wanted to know how it would resolve—but the dialogueNot a bad premise, but also not terribly original. Fortunately the ending saved the book for me—I wanted to know how it would resolve—but the dialogue throughout was pedestrian and clunky. Also, I listened to the audio book which was a mistake; the narrator struggled (and failed) with the various accents.
Such a sweet and touching story. I loved it. It's especially amazing considering it's a debut novel by Laura Spence-Ash. Her writing is clean and lyriSuch a sweet and touching story. I loved it. It's especially amazing considering it's a debut novel by Laura Spence-Ash. Her writing is clean and lyrical, truly lovely. There is just enough atmosphere and description to make you feel like you're living in the novel with out any "boring parts."
BEYOND THAT, THE SEA is the story of Beatrix, a young British girl who is sent to America by her parents at the start of WWII. Apparently that wasn't uncommon, though I didn't know anyone did that. Eleven-year-old Beatrix, soon known as Bea, lives with the Gregorys: mother, father, and two boys: William, 13, and Gerald, 9. We can see immediately there might be feelings between Bea and the boys; that is just one storyline that kept me turning the pages. After the war, Bea returns to London, a strange and different world.
I recommend this to anyone who loves historical fiction.
I really enjoy the Cormoran Strike/Robin Ellacott detective series, though they are beginning to run together. Galbraith (aka JK Rowling) is—duh—an exI really enjoy the Cormoran Strike/Robin Ellacott detective series, though they are beginning to run together. Galbraith (aka JK Rowling) is—duh—an excellent storyteller. The book is gripping with just the right amount (ie. not too much) of graphic detail to give a serious story the gravitas it demands.
In this one, Robin must infiltrate a religious sect, commonly believed to be a cult, in order to get a man out after his father becomes worried about him.
Most enjoyable for me, though, is the relationship between Strike and Robin. I will definitely read every one of these novels.
Anthony McCarten is more famous for being a filmmaker (The Theory of Everything, The Darkest Hour, The Two Popes ... ) but whether film or books, boy Anthony McCarten is more famous for being a filmmaker (The Theory of Everything, The Darkest Hour, The Two Popes ... ) but whether film or books, boy is he a storyteller!
GOING ZERO is about ten people (5 lay people, 5 professionals) who attempt to go off the grid for 30 days for the chance to win $3,000,000. A big tech company run by the cocky Cy Baxter teams up with the CIA to test their ability to find anyone. We know from the description that librarian Kaitlin Day is assumed to be an easy person to catch. I thought that would ruin the ending, but it doesn't. There are enough twists and turns here to keep you turning the pages as fast as you can.
This book brings up enough controversy (pros and cons) of surveillance, facial recognition, and national security to keep readers engaged in that debate for a long time to come....more
Kurt Vonnegut once said no book should have a prologue. I think TOM LAKE, by Ann Patchett, needs a prologue. It has a good premise: during the Covid-1Kurt Vonnegut once said no book should have a prologue. I think TOM LAKE, by Ann Patchett, needs a prologue. It has a good premise: during the Covid-19 lockdown a mother of three grown daughters tells them about the summer she dated a famous movie star—before he was famous. But it doesn't start there at all. It starts with the mother as a teenager, the first time she auditioned for Emily in the play of Our Town. The mother, Lara, was "discovered" by a Hollywood agent in the play and flown out to California to star in a movie. While waiting for the movie to premiere, she finds herself in Tom Lake, Michigan, doing summer stock, with Peter Duke, an actor who later became an A List movie star.
It's a sweet story, very character driven, but it's slow and quiet. Meryl Streep narrated the audiobook, which was both a plus and a minus. I mean, it's Meryl Streep, but you never lost yourself in the story because it's Meryl Streep. Then at the very end, there's a strong political message. That surprised me.
I am a big fan of Ann Patchett, but this wasn't my favorite book of hers.
I listened to this one for something "light" based on its good reviews. Goodreads really needs to have genre-specific ratings. This book is obviously I listened to this one for something "light" based on its good reviews. Goodreads really needs to have genre-specific ratings. This book is obviously popular within its target audience, but it doesn't deserve such a high overall rating, IMO.
EVERY SUMMER AFTER is the story of a 30-something magazine editor who goes "home" for the funeral of her ex-boyfriend's mother. It easily could have been a "women's fiction" beach read, but much of the story was told in flashbacks to their teenage years. That part of the story felt like YA. But some scenes (flashback and present-day) were fairly graphic for YA, to the point of being Romance. I'm okay with Romance ("sex on the page") but I've never known anyone as obsessed with "sucking his bottom lip" as this author.
I might have liked it better if it had had a different editor.
WRONG PLACE WRONG TIME, by Gillian McAllister, is a time-loop mystery. You have to buy into the premise, but McAllister does a very good job of makingWRONG PLACE WRONG TIME, by Gillian McAllister, is a time-loop mystery. You have to buy into the premise, but McAllister does a very good job of making it believable. The story was engaging and exciting. I listened to it, and really couldn't wait to get back to the story any time I had to break away.
After her son commits a murder (no spoiler there), Jenn keeps waking up on days in the past, days before the murder. She realizes she's being given the chance to relive her life, in hopes—she thinks—of being able to stop the murder. You'll have to read it yourself to find out if she does!
This book is powerful. The story doesn't hit you over the head right away; it seeps into your core until it makes you feel almost nauseous at the trutThis book is powerful. The story doesn't hit you over the head right away; it seeps into your core until it makes you feel almost nauseous at the truth it reveals. I read it (listened to it) twice because there's so much to it.
I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU, by Rebecca Makkai, isn't a classic whodunit, per se. Yes, a girl dies and the story is about getting to the truth of her murder. But the book goes deeper and makes a subtle statement on the reality of our world today.
I highly recommend this book. It could be read as a simple mystery, but it has so much more gravitas than that. Read it. You'll see....more
REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES, by Shelby Van Pelt, was a sweet story that was also utterly predictable. It equates to a Hallmark after school special, iREMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES, by Shelby Van Pelt, was a sweet story that was also utterly predictable. It equates to a Hallmark after school special, in my mind, complete with the exact happy ending we all saw coming. I'm surprised it has such a high score here on Goodreads.
The writing was good, despite a lot of alliteration, as was the dialogue. The big knock was the plot.
Also, I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator, while I think she did a good job, was simply too young to voice the 70-year-old protagonist.
If you're looking for non-taxing entertainment, you will like this story.
I was looking for a light-hearted audiobook recently, and this fit the bill perfectly. If you're not familiar with Julia Whelan, you are missing out oI was looking for a light-hearted audiobook recently, and this fit the bill perfectly. If you're not familiar with Julia Whelan, you are missing out on a real talent. She is amazing.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING is the story of Swanee and Nick, two audiobook narrators who are brought together by Nick's romance-writing aunt to narrate her final book. Swanee, who had sworn off any more romance books agrees only because she needs the money. Romance ensues.
The story is deeper than one might expect, but still light enough—and laugh-out-loud funny enough—to happily distract the reader/listener from the real-life world we have to face everyday. It's predictable as one might expect, but has a lot of layers to keep the story interesting.
I really wish goodreads would allow us to rate books by category; this doesn't have the gravitas to rank up there with literary award winners, but it is an easy book to recommend.
There is a lot to like about THE MAID, by Nita Prose, but its biggest attribute, IMHO, is light entertainment. As the winner of Goodreads 2022 MysteryThere is a lot to like about THE MAID, by Nita Prose, but its biggest attribute, IMHO, is light entertainment. As the winner of Goodreads 2022 Mystery & Thriller category, I expected a much more complicated plot. It doesn't even read like a whodunit. It reads more like a character-driven story of an autistic maid (although they never use the word autistic).
The maid, cutely named Molly, is a 25-year-old woman who lives with her grandmother and works at the Regency Grand. She is meticulous and regimented, but struggles to understand human nuances. When she discovers the body of a frequent hotel guest, we quickly learn who is legitimately her friend and who uses and takes advantage of her.
I am happy to have read this book, but don't think it deserved to win the top mystery choice of last year. (Read THE PARIS APARTMENT for a better mystery.)
If you have a chance, listen to this audiobook. Bono narrates it and he's marvelous. Even if you're not a huge U2 fan, the chapters about the early daIf you have a chance, listen to this audiobook. Bono narrates it and he's marvelous. Even if you're not a huge U2 fan, the chapters about the early days of the band would be fun for anyone who makes music. Plus, Bono does impressions—and he's really good! He relays stories and conversations he's had with everyone from Paul McCartney to President Obama to Nelson Mandela and Johnny Cash.
The later parts of the book get into his activism and religion. Those parts interested me less, but it's Bono's life story, so the book wouldn't have been complete without them.
I am a big fan of Kate Quinn, and also of WWII British spy stories, so this was a no-brainer choice. It was entertaining, but it's a short story, so oI am a big fan of Kate Quinn, and also of WWII British spy stories, so this was a no-brainer choice. It was entertaining, but it's a short story, so obviously it doesn't go as deep as her novels. This one takes a little leap of faith with the plot, but it was worthy of a listen.
I am a big fan of Louise Penny and her Armand Gamache series, but A WORLD OF CURIOSITIES felt disjointed and a little forced. I listened to the audiobI am a big fan of Louise Penny and her Armand Gamache series, but A WORLD OF CURIOSITIES felt disjointed and a little forced. I listened to the audiobook—which may have played a part in my rating. The first third of this book jumped around to three different time periods, and it was difficult to keep them straight. [Note to editors to add subtitles with the dates for books like this ... or at least longer pauses at the breaks.]
Once Penny established the backstory, then the mystery took off and the pace improved. The crew at Three Pines discovers a hidden room above the bookstore with a very large mysterious painting inside. Soon Chief Inspector Gamache's worst fears are confirmed, and the team must face a monster.
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