This week I binged every current episode of the new season of Love is Blind! I stayed up until 1:30am on Sunday night😅 then I watched all of the new episodes Wednesday- oh my did the tide turn and things are getting messy! I've watched all seasons of the US version of this show and I have to say I've seen some couples with amazing love stories go on to get married so I think it can work- more so than The Bachelor/Bachelorette. This current season is much better than the last one. I'm feeling very invested in certain people and I love the fact that this show shows hard conversations surrounding finances, religion, politics, etc. After one episode this week I'm also feeling very smug that I raised young men who know how to boil water🤣.
I'm also watching The Golden Bachelorette and I cannot tell you how much I love this show. I've cried every single episode but also I've laughed and finished ever episode with a smile. Seeing older people putting themselves out there for a second chance at love is heartwarming, but with this show I'm also thoroughly enjoying seeing the friendships between the men. They literally love each other, support and wncourage each other and have said the friendships they've made there have changed their lives. If you watch no other episodes of this, at least give this week's episode 4 a watch, The Chippendale dancers were on (yes please:) and then the guys on the group date had to put on their own show in front of a live audience (all proceeds went to cancer charity) and it was so good and so funny. Kudos to these men for really putting themselves out there, it was inspiring and just fun to watch
Ok reading wise- I finished reading THE MIGHT RED by Louise Erdrich and while I'm really glad I read it, it was just ok in the end for me. I love a love triangle which was one of the storylines that drew me into this story. I also love a book where there's a local bookstore and the town's people stop in and there's plenty of book talk to go around. I really enjoyed the mystical/spiritual aspect to many parts of her writing, especially regarding nature and our impact on the environment. I learned a lot about the history of pesticides and what's been done to farming and our food supply- for all these reasons I was compelled and interested throughout the story and for the first 40% I was sitting at a solid 4 star rating. However, the second half of the story started to feel like Erdrich wasn't quite sure which storylines to focus on. It felt more scattered and a bit repetitive to the point that the plot began to feel slow and circular to me. Granted, I tend to like plot a lot, so I realize this feeling may just be my personal preference. I do enjoy a small town story and you get that here, along with a look at a culture different from my own which I also really appreciated. As for the love triangle, it fizzled for me, I think because it was so dragged out and lacked tension. This is a hard one to review because I liked a lot about it, but in the end I'm sitting at probably a 3.25 star rating. As for the audio - Marin Ireland narrates and she's hit or miss for me and the way she chose to narrated a couple characters started to bug me by the halfway point and I switched more to reading on my kindle
I'm sorry THE MIGHTY RED didn't grab you. I own it so hoping. Renee, did you like her previous book: THE SENTENCE? Somehow I'm remembering that you did and it didn't hit yoy either, while I thought it was one of the best books of that year. I'm hoping you and I aren't aligned on Erdrich!
I really look forward to these weekly posts - they bring me book joy. This week has been another stressful weather week. I’m currently in a RV as my husband and I travel full time. We had to leave western NC 2 + weeks ago and have been in VA. We will be going back next week. We have a house under construction and found out we are free of damage. Can’t wait to get and see for ourselves. And then Milton. All my family is in SW FL and I’ve about had no focus for almost a week. Everyone is fine. Please no more this year!
So this last week I listened to KINGDOM OF THE BLIND by Louise Penny. I save her books for times like this. The familiar characters help. And I read THE SECRET, BOOK AND SCONE SOCIETY because there’s nothing like a cozy mystery. I should be ready to get back to my “October fall” read THE BROKEN GIRLS.
I have a couple of book reading friends that will occasionally read a book together, but I wish I had more of that. And I thoroughly enjoy a couple of podcasts, but I’m not much of a watcher. I do enjoy Murders in the Building though. My husband just asked me if I’m writing a novel. I guess I had a lot to say this week! Thanks Renee. I appreciate the work you do and have enjoyed following you after your podcast work.
So happy to hear your house under construction had no damage, that had to be so stressful waiting to hear! Also glad everyone in Florida was ok, yes the south needs to have no more weather issues- for years! It's been so much for you all. How is your travel going otherwise. I'm fascinated by the fact you're traveling full time, you must see so much of the country. I love having a comfort series to turn to- have you love the Penny series?
We’ve been traveling for 5 years and have been to 44 states and there is still so much to see. We are such National Park and State Park fans. We have especially loved seeing locations that are different than FL. Out west really opened our eyes! Yes, I have loved the Louise Penny series. I like to pick it up when I’m stuck.
Very excited to see your list of book recommendations!
Watching: Slow Horses. Love it so much! We rewatched the first three seasons, one episode per day, and tonight we're watching the final two eps of season 4 — with homemade chili and blankets because it's officially fall here in Prague. This show is just the right mix of drama and humor with fantastic characters, world-class acting, and excellent London scenery. It's super suspenseful and makes me laugh, and that's my favorite combination.
Reading: I've finished my 'assigned' reading for our podcast (YAY! It was great, and I'm glad now to have a break.) and yesterday I started THE MADNESS by Dawn Kurtagich. It's a retelling of Dracula, sort of, set in modern Wales. Whiffs of Jeffrey Epstein. Lots of Welsh folklore. Potentially unreliable narrator. Fun nods to Stoker's original. Prickly relationships. I'm loving it so far and will probably finish tonight. Then I'm on to DIAVOLA by Jennifer Marie Thorne and THE HITCHCOCK HOTEL by Stephanie Wrobel after that.
Listening: I've read Wilkie Collins' THE WOMAN IN WHITE before, and it's fantastic. I'm currently listening to the audiobook, narrated by Ian Holm — he played Bilbo in The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies. It's so good. He does a great job smoothing out the sometimes clunky 19th-century language, and the way he delivers the text really amps up the perilous nature of the story. Perfect for walking on gray, gloomy days. —Mel
I"m so glad you mentioned Slow Horses, I wanted to read that series but I don't think it'll happen so I think I'll watch the show, love what you said about it, especially the combination of suspense and humor - and London!
I can't wait to hear what you think of Diavola, I won't forget that family. The audio was great
First of all, I am super excited about this list! I can’t wait to see what you put together, Renee. 🤩
One of the things I delight in most regarding my reading life is definitely my bookish communities like this one! I love hearing what everyone is reading and what they think. I also tend to read what I’m in the mood for and not pressure myself to read things I’m not pulled toward.
I had two huge hits to start the month after a slumpy September! THE CURSE OF PIETRO HOUDINI (liked the first half ok, was obsessively reading at the 50% mark) 4.5⭐️ and TWENTY FOUR SECONDS FROM NOW by Jason Reynolds 5⭐️. I rarely read YA anymore and almost never read middle grade but I have adored everything he’s ever written. He makes me feel good about the world.
All of this is so true! And no one would be sad about an issue 2 😉. Jason Reynolds about social issues as well is just growing up so some of his books are heavier than others. LONG WAY DOWN is one of the most brilliant books I’ve ever read, but it’s a heavier one. As the mom of boys, I think TWENTY FOUR SECONDS FROM NOW would be the perfect place to start and it’s definitely more of a feel good book. All of his books are fantastic on audio!
I'm very excited about getting my list finalized and out- if I could just stop going down rabbit holes of recommendations - I think this means I'll need an issue 2 in the future. I know for a fact that my reading life would be boring and so much less than it is without the bookish communities I'm in- and I wouldn't have met so many people (like you) that I consider friends. Books are truly the great connectors and I cherish having these online spaces to talk about our reading but also about our lives! I'm so glad October reading is going better for you- I've never read Jason Reynolds but you've convinced me I need to give it a try.
I used to watch Dancing With the Stars many years ago and I started again this season! I can’t wipe the smile from my face!!! It’s exactly perfect for these tumultuous times
Nothing to do with Renee's questions but a question of my own. Yesterday I heard an interview by the author of MADWOMAN (Chelsea Bieker) and she interested me enough that I want to read it. Wondering if they are any thoughts out there?
I dnfed it mainly because the second person narrative structure wasn't working for me. Tina loved it so you might, I'd love to hear what you think if you read it
I would like to but don't plan to start it for a while. I'll let you know when and if you haven't gotten to it yet, let's do it. Or reach out for me. B&N is still closed so I don't know when I'll get a copy.
My 11 day visit with my brother that i had not seen in 7 years came to an end early this morning. Consequently, I did not read in the past 11 days. I intend to finish LIKE MOTHER LIKE DAUGHTER. Not sure what I will go with next as I will be lucky to finish this current read. To make reading fun or enjoyable, I like discussing books with others. Reading this blog and seeing what everyone else is reading is my favorite thing to do to keep me motivated and plugging away. I usually avoid books slumps by going through the post here. I have several sources for my books and like to rotate the books that I am going to read by choosing one or two from each source and seeing that list go down. Believe it or not, I have no friends that read. So I find it difficult to find anyone to do a buddy breed and discuss the book afterward. Occasionally, my brother will read the same book that I’m reading approximately around the same time that I’m reading it And we will discuss it.
How was your visit and trip with your brother? Did you get your apples?:) Your reading strategies are similar to mine. I need to get the chat up and running here on Substack, you could probably find someone here in this group that would buddy read something with you
My visit was gret. I lso got to see few of his friends that used to adore m haha. Back in the day when i was a high school Senior and my brother and his buddies were Freshman, the legal age in NY was 18. I know i know Catholic and all but i was the supplier for the guys’ parties. Anyway, i got to see 3 of the gang and they reimbursed me in kind. Also, cousins that ai had not seen since ‘92 happened to be in NY the same time so we all met for dinner at a place on Lake Ontario. Needless to say, i did not make it to the cider ill for apples, glazed doughnuts and cider. Time flew by too quickly.
I’m commenting on this late but I just finished Nobody Wants This on Netflix and found it to be a winner! I fell in love with the characters right away!
I finished up MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON and liked it but got a little confused with characters at the end. Maybe because I was so exhausted from travel. I’m listening to THE ONE and loving this! I’m about 25% in.
I'm loving Tell Me Lies S2 and looking forward to the new season of Made In Chelsea coming up!
I keep my reading life fun by reading things I truly love no matter how silly other people find them - like Young Adult, childrens' books, graphic novels and books with pretty covers - reading widely for me is incredibly nourishing!
This week I'm onto the MEMORY OF BABEL by Christelle Dabos - I'm on a mission to finish this series and loving being solely devoted to it without distraction!
This week I finished reading TELL ME EVERYTHING by Elizabeth Strout, and I loved it. It was so fun to revisit many of the characters from her other books. She is so good at everyday details and dialogues; her books go down easy for me. This one focused mainly on Bob Burgess, and THE BURGESS BOYS is the only Elizabeth Strout book that I have not read. I have it on my Kindle now and plan to read it soon.
For making my reading life fun, I love to buy books and add them to my small shelf for unread books. Getting a new book in the mail is always a fun thing, and I enjoy browsing bookstores too. I also enjoy reading/listening to what others recommend and reading your book thoughts here on Substack is a bonus! Thanks Renee!
I'm looking forward to Tell Me Everything, I haven't read anything other than My Name is Lucy Barton. I might read an Olive or I might just jump into Tell Me Everything- It's good to know you didn't read The Burgess Boys and still loved it. I'm with you, I also love to buy books to curate my shelves at home. It makes me happy to stop by and shop my shelves and pick them up and move them around in anticipation of the day I decided to actually read one haha. So glad you're here and enjoying my Substack:)
I am watching Elisabeth, High Potential and Dancing with the Stars.
The book I’m currently reading is JACKIE AND MARIA by Gill Paul. It’s historical fiction about rivalry between Jacqueline Kennedy and Maria Calles (an opera singer) I’m obsessed with any read about Jackie Kennedy and this one does not disappoint.
No matter what store I go into, target, a grocery store, my husband can always find me by the books. Always searching for my next read via podcasts, goodreads, the library.
Several others mentioned Dancing with the Stars, I'll have to jump in on this season, I've enjoyed that show so much in the past. Glad your current read is so good, I think rivalry stories about famous people are fascinating
I just finished THE GOLDFINCH by Donna Tartt. I am glad that I read it, but it was a bit of a chore. I didn’t realize it was such a long book, and felt there was an awful lot of unnecessary “padding” of the story throughout. Now I’m on to THE LOST APOTHECARY by Sarah Penner, and hoping for a more enjoyable experience.
I adore the Great British Baking Show, as others have mentioned. Something new is that I have watched most of season 4 of Only Murders in the Building. I tried season 1 way back when and didn’t find myself engaged. I spent a few days with a friend this past week, and watched the current season with her as she is a fan. I found myself enjoying it, and will continue now that I’m home.
I don’t really struggle to find reading enjoyable, and I don’t have difficulty deciding what to read next. I have plenty of books on my Kindle thanks to BookBub and Amazon Prime reading. Plus, I finally got the hang of the Libby app last year and now use that to secure all the new releases that won’t be cheap to purchase for a long time. I don’t care if I have to wait months in the virtual line. Oh, and my beloved Stephen King who publishes something delicious on a regular basis! I do wish I had a friend who loves reading as much as I do but at the rate I plow through books, I don’t think I would have the patience to slow down for a book club or a buddy read.
Sorry The Goldfinch was a bigger win for you - did you happen to listen to any of it? Im asking because I listened to quite a bit of it and I do thing the audio narration helped with those long parts because the narrator was so good. My mom just read it in print and felt the same way as you, she liked it but said she thought there were way too many longer boring parts. I've never tried The Great British Baking Show or Only Murders, thanks for those suggestions. Oh I also love Stephen King! Even thought I haven't read all his books or loved all of the ones I've read I always get excited about a new King. I cannot wait for his next book in the Holly Ginny series
No audio, read it on Kindle. I struggle with audio books. I hate earbuds (and my husband doesn’t want to hear my books. Plus, I lose focus faster when I’m not physically reading. I had to retrain myself to read after I retired. The last 10 years of working in particular really blew my ability to concentrate! So I think listening to books makes it too easy to tune out? I have the attention span of a gnat.
I will say part of my trouble with this book is the misery that was heaped on one poor child. I think I prefer “happily ever after” endings?
Your appreciation of Stephen King is part of what drew me to you! I’ve also enjoyed a lot of other books you’ve discussed in the past few years. Now I have a shelf in Goodreads for “recommended by Renee”!
You’re probably saving your ears with no earbuds! I often wonder if I have mine in too much. We will have to talk more about Stephen King! What are your favorites of his? I think I’m going to put together a ranking of all of his books I’ve read before the end of the month. That made my day to hear you have a shelf in my honor❤️
I have so many favorite Stephen King books! I adore the Mr. Mercedes trilogy, and particularly the character Holly Gibney. Love that he gave her her own book! Billy Summers was good, and Joyland. Mr. Harrigan’s Phone was a quiet little short story, and I really enjoyed the adaptation they made of it on Apple TV. I don’t like many of the movies made from his books, but this one stayed true to the story. 11/22/63 was excellent, of course. As much as I’m glad for his super long books (stories I don’t want to end!), I’m truly a big fan of his short stories. Lots of bang for the buck there!
In my “reread from the beginning” project, I am currently slogging my way thru It. I buy all his books in print and this is when I’m sorry they are so long! It’s hard to hold this book, as it’s 1138 pages!
I’ll be interested to hear what you’ve read and how you rank them!
I’m watching Emily in Paris and I’m enjoying that. Recently I read The Book of Witching and it was very good. I finished in a day and a half. Now I’m reading Wayward which has the same theme but involves more characters and timelines. For my chunky book, I think I’m going to pick up Great Expectations. I’ve had the book in my house for a while now and listened to Novel Pairings podcast discuss it and feel very motivated. I also remember seeing a black and white movie of it when I was a little girl and I loved it.
Glad you're enjoying Emily, it's one of my favorite shows- the settings, the fashion, the drama haha . Good luck with your big chunky read, keep me updated on how it goes
I just finished listening to THE SEQUEL last night by Jean Hanff Korelitz, and I liked it way more than THE PLOT. I also found that I enjoy Julia Whelan's audio narration way more when it's NOT a romance. I think it's because she's not doing the "sexy male" voice that drives me nuts. I just started reading GOD OF THE WOODS by Liz Moore in print last night. I know it's about a summer camp, but something made me want to wait until fall.
I agree with many of the things Renee listed as ways to keep reading fun. I love my bookish online community even though I am not an active producer of content. I have a buddy read group from the Currently Reading podcast, and we read a book every month and chat about it together but then also engage in bookish chatter pretty much every day. I feel like my hobby of reading is different than my hobby of listening to book podcasts, building my TBR, being a patron of several book podcasts and engaging with that content, and talking about books. I love it all!
Oh my gosh you are spot on about Julia Whelan and her sexy male voices! I don't care for her narration when it's a romance but I loved her narration of The Sequel, she brought nutty Anna to life. I love that Jean Hanff Korelitz really upped her game for The Sequel, it was so much fun to listen to. Love the hobbies adjacent to reading that you mention, I also incorporate all of those things into my reading life and I think that does help keep things fun
This week I binged every current episode of the new season of Love is Blind! I stayed up until 1:30am on Sunday night😅 then I watched all of the new episodes Wednesday- oh my did the tide turn and things are getting messy! I've watched all seasons of the US version of this show and I have to say I've seen some couples with amazing love stories go on to get married so I think it can work- more so than The Bachelor/Bachelorette. This current season is much better than the last one. I'm feeling very invested in certain people and I love the fact that this show shows hard conversations surrounding finances, religion, politics, etc. After one episode this week I'm also feeling very smug that I raised young men who know how to boil water🤣.
I'm also watching The Golden Bachelorette and I cannot tell you how much I love this show. I've cried every single episode but also I've laughed and finished ever episode with a smile. Seeing older people putting themselves out there for a second chance at love is heartwarming, but with this show I'm also thoroughly enjoying seeing the friendships between the men. They literally love each other, support and wncourage each other and have said the friendships they've made there have changed their lives. If you watch no other episodes of this, at least give this week's episode 4 a watch, The Chippendale dancers were on (yes please:) and then the guys on the group date had to put on their own show in front of a live audience (all proceeds went to cancer charity) and it was so good and so funny. Kudos to these men for really putting themselves out there, it was inspiring and just fun to watch
Ok reading wise- I finished reading THE MIGHT RED by Louise Erdrich and while I'm really glad I read it, it was just ok in the end for me. I love a love triangle which was one of the storylines that drew me into this story. I also love a book where there's a local bookstore and the town's people stop in and there's plenty of book talk to go around. I really enjoyed the mystical/spiritual aspect to many parts of her writing, especially regarding nature and our impact on the environment. I learned a lot about the history of pesticides and what's been done to farming and our food supply- for all these reasons I was compelled and interested throughout the story and for the first 40% I was sitting at a solid 4 star rating. However, the second half of the story started to feel like Erdrich wasn't quite sure which storylines to focus on. It felt more scattered and a bit repetitive to the point that the plot began to feel slow and circular to me. Granted, I tend to like plot a lot, so I realize this feeling may just be my personal preference. I do enjoy a small town story and you get that here, along with a look at a culture different from my own which I also really appreciated. As for the love triangle, it fizzled for me, I think because it was so dragged out and lacked tension. This is a hard one to review because I liked a lot about it, but in the end I'm sitting at probably a 3.25 star rating. As for the audio - Marin Ireland narrates and she's hit or miss for me and the way she chose to narrated a couple characters started to bug me by the halfway point and I switched more to reading on my kindle
I'm sorry THE MIGHTY RED didn't grab you. I own it so hoping. Renee, did you like her previous book: THE SENTENCE? Somehow I'm remembering that you did and it didn't hit yoy either, while I thought it was one of the best books of that year. I'm hoping you and I aren't aligned on Erdrich!
I really look forward to these weekly posts - they bring me book joy. This week has been another stressful weather week. I’m currently in a RV as my husband and I travel full time. We had to leave western NC 2 + weeks ago and have been in VA. We will be going back next week. We have a house under construction and found out we are free of damage. Can’t wait to get and see for ourselves. And then Milton. All my family is in SW FL and I’ve about had no focus for almost a week. Everyone is fine. Please no more this year!
So this last week I listened to KINGDOM OF THE BLIND by Louise Penny. I save her books for times like this. The familiar characters help. And I read THE SECRET, BOOK AND SCONE SOCIETY because there’s nothing like a cozy mystery. I should be ready to get back to my “October fall” read THE BROKEN GIRLS.
I have a couple of book reading friends that will occasionally read a book together, but I wish I had more of that. And I thoroughly enjoy a couple of podcasts, but I’m not much of a watcher. I do enjoy Murders in the Building though. My husband just asked me if I’m writing a novel. I guess I had a lot to say this week! Thanks Renee. I appreciate the work you do and have enjoyed following you after your podcast work.
So happy to hear your house under construction had no damage, that had to be so stressful waiting to hear! Also glad everyone in Florida was ok, yes the south needs to have no more weather issues- for years! It's been so much for you all. How is your travel going otherwise. I'm fascinated by the fact you're traveling full time, you must see so much of the country. I love having a comfort series to turn to- have you love the Penny series?
We’ve been traveling for 5 years and have been to 44 states and there is still so much to see. We are such National Park and State Park fans. We have especially loved seeing locations that are different than FL. Out west really opened our eyes! Yes, I have loved the Louise Penny series. I like to pick it up when I’m stuck.
Seeing the National Parks sounds amazing, I hope to visit at least one someday
Very excited to see your list of book recommendations!
Watching: Slow Horses. Love it so much! We rewatched the first three seasons, one episode per day, and tonight we're watching the final two eps of season 4 — with homemade chili and blankets because it's officially fall here in Prague. This show is just the right mix of drama and humor with fantastic characters, world-class acting, and excellent London scenery. It's super suspenseful and makes me laugh, and that's my favorite combination.
Reading: I've finished my 'assigned' reading for our podcast (YAY! It was great, and I'm glad now to have a break.) and yesterday I started THE MADNESS by Dawn Kurtagich. It's a retelling of Dracula, sort of, set in modern Wales. Whiffs of Jeffrey Epstein. Lots of Welsh folklore. Potentially unreliable narrator. Fun nods to Stoker's original. Prickly relationships. I'm loving it so far and will probably finish tonight. Then I'm on to DIAVOLA by Jennifer Marie Thorne and THE HITCHCOCK HOTEL by Stephanie Wrobel after that.
Listening: I've read Wilkie Collins' THE WOMAN IN WHITE before, and it's fantastic. I'm currently listening to the audiobook, narrated by Ian Holm — he played Bilbo in The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies. It's so good. He does a great job smoothing out the sometimes clunky 19th-century language, and the way he delivers the text really amps up the perilous nature of the story. Perfect for walking on gray, gloomy days. —Mel
I"m so glad you mentioned Slow Horses, I wanted to read that series but I don't think it'll happen so I think I'll watch the show, love what you said about it, especially the combination of suspense and humor - and London!
I can't wait to hear what you think of Diavola, I won't forget that family. The audio was great
First of all, I am super excited about this list! I can’t wait to see what you put together, Renee. 🤩
One of the things I delight in most regarding my reading life is definitely my bookish communities like this one! I love hearing what everyone is reading and what they think. I also tend to read what I’m in the mood for and not pressure myself to read things I’m not pulled toward.
I had two huge hits to start the month after a slumpy September! THE CURSE OF PIETRO HOUDINI (liked the first half ok, was obsessively reading at the 50% mark) 4.5⭐️ and TWENTY FOUR SECONDS FROM NOW by Jason Reynolds 5⭐️. I rarely read YA anymore and almost never read middle grade but I have adored everything he’s ever written. He makes me feel good about the world.
All of this is so true! And no one would be sad about an issue 2 😉. Jason Reynolds about social issues as well is just growing up so some of his books are heavier than others. LONG WAY DOWN is one of the most brilliant books I’ve ever read, but it’s a heavier one. As the mom of boys, I think TWENTY FOUR SECONDS FROM NOW would be the perfect place to start and it’s definitely more of a feel good book. All of his books are fantastic on audio!
I'm very excited about getting my list finalized and out- if I could just stop going down rabbit holes of recommendations - I think this means I'll need an issue 2 in the future. I know for a fact that my reading life would be boring and so much less than it is without the bookish communities I'm in- and I wouldn't have met so many people (like you) that I consider friends. Books are truly the great connectors and I cherish having these online spaces to talk about our reading but also about our lives! I'm so glad October reading is going better for you- I've never read Jason Reynolds but you've convinced me I need to give it a try.
I used to watch Dancing With the Stars many years ago and I started again this season! I can’t wipe the smile from my face!!! It’s exactly perfect for these tumultuous times
That's a great feel good suggestion! I forgot the new season is on
Nothing to do with Renee's questions but a question of my own. Yesterday I heard an interview by the author of MADWOMAN (Chelsea Bieker) and she interested me enough that I want to read it. Wondering if they are any thoughts out there?
I dnfed it mainly because the second person narrative structure wasn't working for me. Tina loved it so you might, I'd love to hear what you think if you read it
I also have it. If you’d like to buddy read it let me know.
I would like to but don't plan to start it for a while. I'll let you know when and if you haven't gotten to it yet, let's do it. Or reach out for me. B&N is still closed so I don't know when I'll get a copy.
👍🏻
My 11 day visit with my brother that i had not seen in 7 years came to an end early this morning. Consequently, I did not read in the past 11 days. I intend to finish LIKE MOTHER LIKE DAUGHTER. Not sure what I will go with next as I will be lucky to finish this current read. To make reading fun or enjoyable, I like discussing books with others. Reading this blog and seeing what everyone else is reading is my favorite thing to do to keep me motivated and plugging away. I usually avoid books slumps by going through the post here. I have several sources for my books and like to rotate the books that I am going to read by choosing one or two from each source and seeing that list go down. Believe it or not, I have no friends that read. So I find it difficult to find anyone to do a buddy breed and discuss the book afterward. Occasionally, my brother will read the same book that I’m reading approximately around the same time that I’m reading it And we will discuss it.
Forgot to mention that i like doing book challenges and prompts. Most of the time anyways.
How was your visit and trip with your brother? Did you get your apples?:) Your reading strategies are similar to mine. I need to get the chat up and running here on Substack, you could probably find someone here in this group that would buddy read something with you
My visit was gret. I lso got to see few of his friends that used to adore m haha. Back in the day when i was a high school Senior and my brother and his buddies were Freshman, the legal age in NY was 18. I know i know Catholic and all but i was the supplier for the guys’ parties. Anyway, i got to see 3 of the gang and they reimbursed me in kind. Also, cousins that ai had not seen since ‘92 happened to be in NY the same time so we all met for dinner at a place on Lake Ontario. Needless to say, i did not make it to the cider ill for apples, glazed doughnuts and cider. Time flew by too quickly.
I typed my reply to you and it messed up so badly. Please excuse the bloopers. I don’t know what the issue is with my keyboard and this app.
I can read your reply just fine:) It sounds like a fun trip and a great time together with old friends. Hope they reimbursed you with good wine!
One of the guys is a PT bartender nd one worked on Wall Street and the other was a corrections officer. I didn’t corrupt them badly. 😀
I’m commenting on this late but I just finished Nobody Wants This on Netflix and found it to be a winner! I fell in love with the characters right away!
I finished up MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON and liked it but got a little confused with characters at the end. Maybe because I was so exhausted from travel. I’m listening to THE ONE and loving this! I’m about 25% in.
I loved that show too! I heard it will be back for season 2 yay. The One is such a thought provoking thriller!
I'm loving Tell Me Lies S2 and looking forward to the new season of Made In Chelsea coming up!
I keep my reading life fun by reading things I truly love no matter how silly other people find them - like Young Adult, childrens' books, graphic novels and books with pretty covers - reading widely for me is incredibly nourishing!
This week I'm onto the MEMORY OF BABEL by Christelle Dabos - I'm on a mission to finish this series and loving being solely devoted to it without distraction!
Yes! love your passion for reading whatever you enjoy!!
This week I finished reading TELL ME EVERYTHING by Elizabeth Strout, and I loved it. It was so fun to revisit many of the characters from her other books. She is so good at everyday details and dialogues; her books go down easy for me. This one focused mainly on Bob Burgess, and THE BURGESS BOYS is the only Elizabeth Strout book that I have not read. I have it on my Kindle now and plan to read it soon.
For making my reading life fun, I love to buy books and add them to my small shelf for unread books. Getting a new book in the mail is always a fun thing, and I enjoy browsing bookstores too. I also enjoy reading/listening to what others recommend and reading your book thoughts here on Substack is a bonus! Thanks Renee!
I'm looking forward to Tell Me Everything, I haven't read anything other than My Name is Lucy Barton. I might read an Olive or I might just jump into Tell Me Everything- It's good to know you didn't read The Burgess Boys and still loved it. I'm with you, I also love to buy books to curate my shelves at home. It makes me happy to stop by and shop my shelves and pick them up and move them around in anticipation of the day I decided to actually read one haha. So glad you're here and enjoying my Substack:)
I am watching Elisabeth, High Potential and Dancing with the Stars.
The book I’m currently reading is JACKIE AND MARIA by Gill Paul. It’s historical fiction about rivalry between Jacqueline Kennedy and Maria Calles (an opera singer) I’m obsessed with any read about Jackie Kennedy and this one does not disappoint.
No matter what store I go into, target, a grocery store, my husband can always find me by the books. Always searching for my next read via podcasts, goodreads, the library.
Several others mentioned Dancing with the Stars, I'll have to jump in on this season, I've enjoyed that show so much in the past. Glad your current read is so good, I think rivalry stories about famous people are fascinating
I just finished THE GOLDFINCH by Donna Tartt. I am glad that I read it, but it was a bit of a chore. I didn’t realize it was such a long book, and felt there was an awful lot of unnecessary “padding” of the story throughout. Now I’m on to THE LOST APOTHECARY by Sarah Penner, and hoping for a more enjoyable experience.
I adore the Great British Baking Show, as others have mentioned. Something new is that I have watched most of season 4 of Only Murders in the Building. I tried season 1 way back when and didn’t find myself engaged. I spent a few days with a friend this past week, and watched the current season with her as she is a fan. I found myself enjoying it, and will continue now that I’m home.
I don’t really struggle to find reading enjoyable, and I don’t have difficulty deciding what to read next. I have plenty of books on my Kindle thanks to BookBub and Amazon Prime reading. Plus, I finally got the hang of the Libby app last year and now use that to secure all the new releases that won’t be cheap to purchase for a long time. I don’t care if I have to wait months in the virtual line. Oh, and my beloved Stephen King who publishes something delicious on a regular basis! I do wish I had a friend who loves reading as much as I do but at the rate I plow through books, I don’t think I would have the patience to slow down for a book club or a buddy read.
Sorry The Goldfinch was a bigger win for you - did you happen to listen to any of it? Im asking because I listened to quite a bit of it and I do thing the audio narration helped with those long parts because the narrator was so good. My mom just read it in print and felt the same way as you, she liked it but said she thought there were way too many longer boring parts. I've never tried The Great British Baking Show or Only Murders, thanks for those suggestions. Oh I also love Stephen King! Even thought I haven't read all his books or loved all of the ones I've read I always get excited about a new King. I cannot wait for his next book in the Holly Ginny series
No audio, read it on Kindle. I struggle with audio books. I hate earbuds (and my husband doesn’t want to hear my books. Plus, I lose focus faster when I’m not physically reading. I had to retrain myself to read after I retired. The last 10 years of working in particular really blew my ability to concentrate! So I think listening to books makes it too easy to tune out? I have the attention span of a gnat.
I will say part of my trouble with this book is the misery that was heaped on one poor child. I think I prefer “happily ever after” endings?
Your appreciation of Stephen King is part of what drew me to you! I’ve also enjoyed a lot of other books you’ve discussed in the past few years. Now I have a shelf in Goodreads for “recommended by Renee”!
You’re probably saving your ears with no earbuds! I often wonder if I have mine in too much. We will have to talk more about Stephen King! What are your favorites of his? I think I’m going to put together a ranking of all of his books I’ve read before the end of the month. That made my day to hear you have a shelf in my honor❤️
I have so many favorite Stephen King books! I adore the Mr. Mercedes trilogy, and particularly the character Holly Gibney. Love that he gave her her own book! Billy Summers was good, and Joyland. Mr. Harrigan’s Phone was a quiet little short story, and I really enjoyed the adaptation they made of it on Apple TV. I don’t like many of the movies made from his books, but this one stayed true to the story. 11/22/63 was excellent, of course. As much as I’m glad for his super long books (stories I don’t want to end!), I’m truly a big fan of his short stories. Lots of bang for the buck there!
In my “reread from the beginning” project, I am currently slogging my way thru It. I buy all his books in print and this is when I’m sorry they are so long! It’s hard to hold this book, as it’s 1138 pages!
I’ll be interested to hear what you’ve read and how you rank them!
I like to buddy read as well and try to guess the twist with said buddy 😋 I've been watching NOBODY WANTS THIS and it was lovely 💝
We binged Nobody Wants This, I really loved it
Weyward. By Emilia Hart.
I’m watching Emily in Paris and I’m enjoying that. Recently I read The Book of Witching and it was very good. I finished in a day and a half. Now I’m reading Wayward which has the same theme but involves more characters and timelines. For my chunky book, I think I’m going to pick up Great Expectations. I’ve had the book in my house for a while now and listened to Novel Pairings podcast discuss it and feel very motivated. I also remember seeing a black and white movie of it when I was a little girl and I loved it.
Glad you're enjoying Emily, it's one of my favorite shows- the settings, the fashion, the drama haha . Good luck with your big chunky read, keep me updated on how it goes
Absolutely 💯
I just finished listening to THE SEQUEL last night by Jean Hanff Korelitz, and I liked it way more than THE PLOT. I also found that I enjoy Julia Whelan's audio narration way more when it's NOT a romance. I think it's because she's not doing the "sexy male" voice that drives me nuts. I just started reading GOD OF THE WOODS by Liz Moore in print last night. I know it's about a summer camp, but something made me want to wait until fall.
I agree with many of the things Renee listed as ways to keep reading fun. I love my bookish online community even though I am not an active producer of content. I have a buddy read group from the Currently Reading podcast, and we read a book every month and chat about it together but then also engage in bookish chatter pretty much every day. I feel like my hobby of reading is different than my hobby of listening to book podcasts, building my TBR, being a patron of several book podcasts and engaging with that content, and talking about books. I love it all!
Oh my gosh you are spot on about Julia Whelan and her sexy male voices! I don't care for her narration when it's a romance but I loved her narration of The Sequel, she brought nutty Anna to life. I love that Jean Hanff Korelitz really upped her game for The Sequel, it was so much fun to listen to. Love the hobbies adjacent to reading that you mention, I also incorporate all of those things into my reading life and I think that does help keep things fun