Talk Healthy

Finished A Window Opens by Elisabeth Egan. It was pretty good but very predictable. Husband loses job, wife goes back to work, works too hard, misses kids, realizes family is what is really important.

Jeff bought me a book, it's called The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski. It was originally written in Polish and translated and then a video game (The Witcher) was based off the books. I appreciate him trying but I'm so not in the mood to read this right now. He thinks because it has a dragon and a guy with a sword on the front I'll like it because of Game of Thrones. Oh and he loves the video game.

Finished Jane Eyre. I didn't remember much apart from the ending. Such a good story, but it kind of reminded me of why I'm not a huge fan of the classics. Frequent 20-page long dialogs with flowery language? Yeah, it's fun for a while, but it gets tiring. The internet and modern age have broken me for the classics.

Then I read Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella. It was fun, if not memorable. Reading this after Jane Eyre felt like stretching after a workout.

This morning I started This Charming Man by Marian Keyes. I thought I was done with her after The Mystery of Mercy Close, but decided to give this a shot. And last night I started The Martian, though I only read a couple of pages and am not sure if I'll keep reading it.

I started "Yes Please" by Amy Poehler. I was desperate for something to take camping, and none of my holds were coming in. This was available. It's only ok so far. I've laughed a couple of times, but overall it's on the underwhelming end of the spectrum.

Bugsy, I did Yes Please as an audio book and I think that's why I liked it. I don't even know or like Amy P really but she has great delivery.

Here's what I've read recently.

The Hand That Feeds You - AJ Rich --- I liked this a lot. Quick read.
Furiously Happy - Jenny Lawson --- Some parts were hilarious. Some not. Worth reading.
A Window Opens - Elisabeth Egan -- Agree with mellen that it was predictable but I felt it was well written. I liked it.
Everything Everything - Nicola Yoon -- If you like YA, you have to read this. I loved it. Really.

I think I have the new Jane Green in my bag. I have no idea what it's about or whether I'll like it. I was desperate at the library the other day and didn't have a lot of time to browse.

Blush, I have that same book in my bag. Too funny!

Couldn't get into The Martian. OR into This Charming Man. Then I read Attachments by Rainbow Rowell. Cute, highly readable, but I just don't get the hype over this woman. Then I started The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella last night, but again, I don't know if I'll finish it. The premise is beyond stupid. I mean, I could see myself wasting 2 hours of my life to watch a movie about it, but reading it will take me like 6-8 hours. I don't know if it's worth it. We'll see.

Anyone read A Suitable Boy? That book has been on my radar forever, but it's 1492 pages long. Ugh. I don't know if I can commit to ONE book for the next several weeks.

So I am giving up on Amy's book. As much as I like her, this is just not doing it for me.

Then good news came that Judy Blume's new book, "In the Unlikely Event," came in from Holds for me. I DL'd it last night but wasn't feeling well this morning and just wanted to zone out on my commute instead of start a new book. Has anyone here read it?

Sil we agree on something! I don't get the Rainbow Rowell hype either. I've never been able to finish one of her books.

I'm giving up on this crazy book Jeff got me to read that was translated from Polish. I'm going to start After the Parade at lunch today.

Mellen, I did like Attachments and Eleanor & Park, especially E&P. I just didn't love them. And I HATED Landline. I just don't think she's this fabulously talented writer everyone seems to think. If we're talking chick-lit alone, I think Jennifer Weiner is a million times better.

I love Jennifer Weiner's older stuff. Not a fan of her last few books at all.

Finished After the Parade - it was good, a little slow moving.

Started The Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs last night. I like it so far.

I finally finished the Wool trilogy last night (Dust was the final book). Loved it. Now I'm reading 3 epilogue stories that were published separately.

Wait, there are three more epilogue stories for Wool? Written by Hugh Howey? Dammit, I need to go find these. I always get so confused trying to find his stuff on Amazon.

Finished The Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs. It was good, fairly mindless.

I have Dietland at home, but can't seem to get into it. I have The Heart Goes Last and Welcome to the Night Vale at the library on the hold shelf. Need to get up there before Friday.

EDIT: Yup. Totally confused. Spudd, would you mind posting the names?

Mellen, it's 3 short stories, by Hugh Howey. It's in a trio of books called "The Apocalypse Triptych" which contain other short stories as well. Kenneth found them somewhere where someone had combined them into a single ebook. I can probably send it to you if you want.

I finished that last night, and it left me a little unsatisfied, but it was still really good.

Now I'm reading "Should We Eat Meat" which is written by a scientist who is attempting to scientifically look at the pros and cons of eating meat. I hope he says we should eat it because I have half a pig in my freezer. Anyway, so far I've just read the prologue.

If you could send it that would be awesome. What's the best way?

Blush, have you read Life After Life? Did you like it? This was another hype I didn't get... A God in Ruins is about the brother, right?

I (finally) finished Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart. The book was not the greatest and I haven't had the best 10 days or so of my life, but I didn't want to give up on yet another book after 100 pages, so I didn't. But... sigh. I had high hopes. It was recommended to me by goodreads because I liked Rebecca. I actually LOVE Rebeccca. And, um, no. Nice Coaches had a few similarities, but that's all. The pros: I liked the setting (castle in France, 1958 (set and written IN 1958), young English woman hired to be a governess to a rich 9-year-old orphan.) Sounded right up my alley. Yes, similarities to Jane Eyre, too. The young woman's boss even calls her "Jane Eyre" a couple of times, which I found funny. I liked the writing. But the plot was beyond silly. Too naive. The mystery was not very mysterious at all. The romance was insipid. The whole thing was very predictable. It's a shame. I'm not giving up on her, though.

Then I started The Mountain Story on Blush's recommendation I haven't read much yet.

I finished "In the Unlikely Event" by Judy Blume last night. Will start "Grace" by T. Greenwood next.

Bugsy wrote:I finished "In the Unlikely Event" by Judy Blume last night.

And..?

Ha sorry, I was on the plane and being instructed to go into airplane mode when I posted that. I liked it! It has interesting characters, whose lives overlap with one another, and it had a bit of that classic Judy Blume wrt adolescence. But this is for adults and felt as such. Honestly, it makes me want to reread some of her books that I'd devoured as a teen and don't remember so well anymore. I agree with Blush that it's not my favorite of the year or anything, but it's worth checking out.

I read a bunch of "Grace" on the plane home today and am digging it so far, though it has me waiting for a moment of horribleness that seems to be on the brink of happening.

Thanks for elaborating! I've never read any Judy Blume.

I wasn't crazy about Grace, but I hope you'll like it. Her writing is as good as usual, though.

I read Welcome to the Night Vale. I liked it but it was weird.

Now I'm about halfway through The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood. It's excellent so far. Curious to see if I'll like the ending. The goodreads crowd seems very split on this book, people either love it or hate it.