What are you reading for August?

[Anonymous]

I just finished The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz. I guess the genre is literary thriller. I was looking for a light but not stupid vacation read, and this worked for that, but I was somewhat disappointed. The stolen plot that is the engine of the book is not as compelling as the book demands and asserts. Not a bad read, and went down easily and mostly enjoyably, but I will happily leave it in a A Little Free Library to go on its merry way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Currently reading Chain Gang All Stars—taking a bit to get into the flow of the story.

Up next is Mr. B about George Balanchine and the New York City Ballet.

Also—just read True Biz—fiction about a school for deaf people and the controversy about cochlear implants and teaching sign. Completely, completely fascinating. The ending is a smidge bizarre but I learned a ton.

I loved True Biz. I "read" it as an audio book, and they used sound effects to convey the signed dialogue, which reviewers said was printed in a special way in the actual book. It was very well done.

True Biz is a little polemical at times and the writing is so-so. But I learned so much from it that I did not mind. Overall, I give it 4.75 out of 5!

+1,000. This is exactly how I felt about it. So glad someone else read it and found it fascinating!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Currently reading Chain Gang All Stars—taking a bit to get into the flow of the story.

Up next is Mr. B about George Balanchine and the New York City Ballet.

This poster again. I DNFed Chain Gang All Stars. The violence was a little too graphic for me, and I didn’t care about figuring out all the characters.

It got some pretty rave reviews, which I’m a little surprised by. It probably was a great pitch but the rest of it just wasn’t there for me.

I’m glad there are others out there who are secret ballet fans! I have no connection to ballet at all other than being able to sneak in to see the NYCB rehearsals because we had a friend that worked backstage at Lincoln center. I was so obsessed with the principal dancers from the 1970s/80s/90s. Suzanne Farrell, Allegra Kent, Patricia McBride, Lourdes Lopez.

[Anonymous]

Untamed by Glennon Doyle

my head and heart exploded, was exactly what i needed to read at this time.

[Anonymous]

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah - really good but sad

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Currently reading Chain Gang All Stars—taking a bit to get into the flow of the story.

Up next is Mr. B about George Balanchine and the New York City Ballet.

This poster again. I DNFed Chain Gang All Stars. The violence was a little too graphic for me, and I didn’t care about figuring out all the characters.

It got some pretty rave reviews, which I’m a little surprised by. It probably was a great pitch but the rest of it just wasn’t there for me.

I’m glad there are others out there who are secret ballet fans! I have no connection to ballet at all other than being able to sneak in to see the NYCB rehearsals because we had a friend that worked backstage at Lincoln center. I was so obsessed with the principal dancers from the 1970s/80s/90s. Suzanne Farrell, Allegra Kent, Patricia McBride, Lourdes Lopez.

I recommend “Astonish Me” for ballet fans!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just finished The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz. I guess the genre is literary thriller. I was looking for a light but not stupid vacation read, and this worked for that, but I was somewhat disappointed. The stolen plot that is the engine of the book is not as compelling as the book demands and asserts. Not a bad read, and went down easily and mostly enjoyably, but I will happily leave it in a A Little Free Library to go on its merry way.

My feelings exactly! You can’t hype this mystery plot for 2/3 of the book and then unveil a nothingburger. It’s like the wizard in the Wizard of Oz, man behind a curtain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I haven’t read much worth recommending in August, but as the month is drawing to a close, I think I found a good one!

I’m 60% through The Centre by Ayesha Siddiqi and so far it’s good! I look forward to digging back into it each day because the story is suspenseful and the main character/narrator has a rich, complex perspective/ inner monologue. So far it feels a tad muddled with some subplots and characters that seem extraneous, but perhaps they will all come together in the end. Even if every end doesnt get tied up, it’s a compelling story.

The pieces of The Centre all came together! Wow, great book!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh tried Pineapple Street. I finished it but what an unsatisfying book.

I am reading a lot of Elin Hilderbrand and cozy mysteries

We warned you about Pineapple Street, lol!

All the positive press and buzz for pineapple street is proof of publishing world nepotism and favor trading. The author must be really terrifying or really charming. The book is so dumb!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I listened to a cozy mystery called "Beaches, Bungalows and Burglaries" by Tonya Kappes.
I thought it was poorly written, poorly edited, and I didn't care for the narrator.
It is book one in a series of 30 plus and counting.
The premise is good --A 30 year old woman married a guy 30 years her senior. Turns out he had been ripping people off with ponzi schemes the woman knew nothing about. He went off to jail and all their assets were seized except for a run down campground in Kentucky. She moves to the campground, makes some friends, solves a murder, pulls some weeds and suddenly the campground is booked up a year in advance.

I looked up the author. She published 24! books last year.

This is like 50% the plot of the glass hotel haha.

[Anonymous]

For the secret ballet fans—I recommend the podcast The Turning!

[Anonymous]

I finished Homestead by Melinda Moustakis.

This is a first novel set in 1950s Alaska, just as the territory becomes a state. It has good descriptions of the landscape and people, but it's really about building a marriage between two people who barely know each other. It took me a while to get into this - she uses a sparse, clipped writing style - but I stuck with it and really was impressed by the end.

[Anonymous]

Tiny Sunbirds, Far Away by Christie Watson

Really loving this book! It's a unique read being told from the perspective of a 12 year old, and filled with opportunities to share the emotions and experiences of each character. The characters and information stick with you and I find it very enjoyable!