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Monday, April 27, 2020
Depressing Vacation-Gone-Wrong Novel Doesn't Appeal
11:19 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Jenna Carlson has planned the perfect getaway to celebrate her husband's 50th birthday. The bestselling YA novelist has rented a luxurious villa right on the beach in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. It will be the perfect place for the couple and their moody 16-year-old to relax and bond. Peter's best friend and business partner, Robert "Solly" Solomon, has also been invited along with Ingrid, his beautiful, much-younger wife, his teenage son from his previous marriage, and his 5-year-old autistic son from his current one. Solly's exuberance can be a bit much, but the vacation won't be as much fun without his larger-than-life personality. All in all, Jenna is patting her back for organizing what is sure to be a flawless trip, the vacation of a lifetime.
The Carlsons have barely stepped foot on the beach, however, before tensions start running high. Jenna's gritting her teeth over her daughter's surly attitude, Ingrid's insufferable begging for advice on novel-writing, Solly's irritating monologues, her husband's clandestine phone calls, and a budding romance between teenagers Clementine and Malcolm. Jenna wants everything to go smoothly, but her perfect vacation is slowly turning into a perfect nightmare ...
Back in February, I made a Top Ten Tuesday list about vacation-gone-wrong novels that I wanted to read. Tomorrow There Will Be Sun, a debut adult novel by YA writer Dana Reinhardt, was on that list because it fits the bill. While the problems the Carlsons experience on their getaway trip were interesting enough to keep me reading, I can't say I really enjoyed this book. The characters are almost wholly unlikable, Jenna being especially obnoxious. Although they do learn some valuable lessons from their beach vacation, the overall vibe of Tomorrow There Will Be Sun is negative and depressing. When I closed the book, I found myself asking, "What was the point of that?" It's not that I think the novel is poorly written—it's not—it just didn't appeal much to me overall. Bummer.
(Readalikes: Hm, I can't think of anything. Can you?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language, violence, and sexual content
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Tuesday, April 21, 2020
Top Ten Tuesday: Curbside Checkout, Here I Come!
2:40 PM
It's Tuesday again. I think. I don't know about you, but these days, my Tuesdays don't look much different from my Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays! Nothing much has changed here except I've read a few more books, cross-stitched for a few (okay, a lot more than a few) more hours, and watched more episodes of The Middle. I did have a Zoom meeting for my church "job" this morning, so that added some excitement to my day. Other than that, it's the same ole, same ole around here. I'm not complaining—we're all healthy and staying (more or less) sane at my house. An extended member of our family died last week of COVID-19 after several weeks in the hospital, so that was a sobering reminder of why we're all sheltering in place. Please keep yourself and your loved ones safe and healthy!
On a lighter note, it's time for Top Ten Tuesday. If you're not familiar with this fun meme, you really should be. Head on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the info. Today's topic is Top Ten Book Titles That Would Make Great Band Names. I love music as much as the next person, but I'm just not feeling this one today. Instead, I'm going to give you a glimpse into my obsession with organizing my main Goodreads TBR list. Because I reached the limit of how many books you can have in a bookshelf (5000, if you're curious), I had to make separate lists for non-fiction and children's books. EDIT: I'm so sorry if I freaked anyone out with my unintentional lie about Goodreads bookshelf limits! What I meant to say was that if you go over 5000 on a single bookshelf, Goodreads will no longer let you put those books in want-to-read order (at least I can't figure out how). Since ordering my books is my favorite part of GR list-making, I keep my lists under 5000. Does that make more sense? So, today I'm focusing on the books on my adult fiction "bookshelf," listing the entries in want-to-read order. I'm going to briefly mention the titles I've talked about recently or repeatedly and spend more time on those I haven't highlighted yet.
Here we go with Top Ten Books on My Goodreads Adult Fiction TBR List:
1. The Sea of Lost Girls by Carol Goodman—I already talked about this book here. I've also lamented the fact that a copy of it is being held hostage at my county library, gathering dust on the "Holds" shelf. Well, good news! I just learned that the library will start curbside checkout tomorrow. I'm stoked. I've been wanting to read this book ever since I heard about it, so yay! I will liberate my on-hold book as soon as I can tomorrow morning.
2. The Girl From Widow Hills by Megan Miranda (available June 20, 2020)—I enjoy Miranda's thrillers and this one sounds as intriguing as her others. It involves a woman who achieved celebrity status as a child when she miraculously survived a near-drowning. As the 20th anniversary of the event approaches, the girl—now a woman living under a different name—starts experiencing strange symptoms that link her disturbing past to her threatened present. Can't wait!
3. All the Ways We Said Goodbye by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White—I highlighted this title here.
4. In Five Years by Rebecca Serle—talked about it here
5. The Cutting Place by Jane Casey—Maeve Kerrigan is one of my favorite fictional police detectives. In Casey's newest, the 9th installment in the series, Maeve is sent to investigate the death of a young female journalist who was killed while working on a story about an elite gentleman's club. I'm in for anything Maeve!
6. The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate—I've talked about this one before. I'm in the middle of the novel right now and I'm really enjoying it.
7. The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan—I'm not sure what's going on with the U.S. publication of this book. It came out in Australia in February but is not available for a reasonable price anywhere else as far as I can tell (there is a $40.87 copy listed on Amazon and a $30.36 one on BookDepository). Presumably, the hang-ups are because of COVID-19. Hopefully, The Good Turn will be more widely available soon.
This is the third installment in the DI Cormac Reilly series, which I enjoy. The story begins with the suspected kidnapping of a young girl. Short-staffed and hindered by red tape, Cormac and his partner make a horrible mistake in the case, which leaves the former suspended and the latter banished to a small town where he discovers some odd findings in a murder case that has supposedly been solved ...
8. Please See Us by Caitlin Mullen—An Atlantic City boardwalk psychic starts having strange visions that she thinks are related to two recent murders. When she launches her own investigation into the killings, she puts herself right in a killer's path ...
9. Reviving the Hawthorn Sisters by Emily Carpenter (available October 20, 2020)—I enjoy Carpenter's immersive thrillers and her newest sounds just as intriguing as her other books. This one revolves around Eve Candler, a woman who has kept her grandmother's secrets for years. No one else knows that the revered evangelist and faith healer was a complete fraud and a con artist to boot. When an even bigger secret about her grandmother surfaces, Eve risks everything to find out the truth.
10. Before Familiar Woods by Ian Pisarcik—I love the big lies in small towns trope, so naturally, I find the premise of this book appealing. It has to do with the murders of two boys and the subsequent disappearances of their fathers. It's left to one mother to figure out what is happening in her not-so-quaint little town.
There you go, the top ten books on my adult fiction Goodreads TBR shelf. Have you read any of them? What are the most tantalizing titles on your TBR list? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I'll return the favor on yours.
Happy TTT!
Monday, April 20, 2020
Unlikable Characters + Unsatisfying Ending = Meh
12:28 PM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Em Moore has always been the quieter, less dynamic part of the successful writing duo, T.E. Blakemore. Now that Teddy Blake, her business partner and only real friend, has died, Em's not quite sure how to proceed. Unmoored but determined to finish T.E. Blakemore's latest project—a biography of famed actor and movie director Garrett Malcolm—Em convinces their reluctant publisher to let her continue solo. If she can't prove her ability to carry on alone, she could lose what little she has left in her lonely life.
Determined to prove her worth, Em talks handsome, intimidating Garrett into letting her finish his book. In order to gain closer access to her subject, she moves into a guesthouse on his property. Although the celebrity is less than forthcoming, Em is managing to slowly get to know him. Hints of skeletons in Malcolm's closet pique Em's interest even more. Scintillating secrets will ensure the book is a bestseller. When the police launch an investigation into Teddy's death, Em has to grapple with the shocking secrets of more than one man. Can she make sense of it all while completing the most important project of her career?
Despite dragging a bit in places, The Perfect Ghost by Linda Barnes is a compelling novel which took at least one turn I didn't see coming. I can't say I loved it, though. The characters are almost wholly unlikable, the story is depressing, and I found the surprise ending unsatisfying. All in all, then, I just didn't care for The Perfect Ghost much. Bummer.
(Readalikes: Hm, I can't think of anything. You?)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (a half dozen F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, and sexual content
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Saturday, April 18, 2020
Riches-to-Rags Memoir Funny, Poignant
7:32 PM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
English teacher Jennifer McGaha was casually going about her happy upper-middle-class life when she got the shock of a lifetime—she and her husband were bankrupt. Not only that but they owed over $100,000 in back taxes. Having always left the handling of family finances up to her accountant spouse, McGaha had no idea just how bad their money situation had gotten. Feeling betrayed, angry, and worried, she realized with alarm that she and her husband could go to jail, even though she had had no clue their yearly taxes weren't being paid. Although that didn't end up happening, the couple did have to make some major adjustments. And fast.
After acknowledging the part her own ignorance played in the situation and forgiving her husband, McGaha pressed on. Foreclosing on their dream home, the couple moved to the cheapest rental they could find—a ramshackle, 100-year-old farmhouse deep in a remote Appalachian holler. Even though it was infested with mice and falling down around their heads, at $250 a month, they would have to make do. With zero homesteading skills between the two of them, the McGahas set about learning how to do things they never could have imagined themselves doing: wrestling snakes, making their own yogurt, breeding goats, raising chickens, etc. In the middle of all their adventures and misadventures, the couple made an incredible discovery. Living closer to the land had brought them closer to each other, teaching them invaluable lessons about contentment, endurance, self-reliance, and the true meaning of home.
Flat Broke With Two Goats is a funny and poignant memoir about everything McGaha has learned from her riches-to-rags experience. While it deals with some heavy themes, on the whole, the book is upbeat and entertaining. It does ramble on a bit, making for some dull patches. It even takes an odd turn into a jarring section on the author's abusive first marriage, which doesn't seem to quite fit with the rest of the narrative. On the whole, though, Flat Broke With Two Goats is an engrossing, empowering memoir. Although I could have done without all the animal mating stories, overall, I liked this one, even if I didn't love it.
P.S. I listened to the book on audio and thought Pam Ward did an excellent job with the narration.
(Readalikes: Coop by Michael Perry)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (a dozen or so F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, and sexual innuendo/content
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
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2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge
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