3/1: My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante, translated by Ann Goldstein (physical book I own, 2011) - CBBC book for February! I know it was a polarizing book, but I love it. 5/5 stars
3/2 The Less People Know About Us: A Mystery of Betrayal, Family Secrets, and Stolen Identity by Axton Betz-Hamilton (library, 2019) - Betz-Hamilton's identity was stolen as a child and it has had long-last repercussions for her financial well-being ever since. How did that even happen? I liked this book, but think the two-part Criminal podcast "Money Tree" and "The Less People Know About Us" tells it better. 4/5 stars
3/6: Spy, Spy Again (Valedmar: Family of Spies #3) by Mercedes Lackey (library, 2020) - Magical creatures. A teenage boy who doesn't know what to do with his life. Fight scenes! 3.5/5 stars
3/6: Lassiter (Black Dagger Brotherhood #21) by J.R. Ward (library ebook, 2023) - This is the last book in the series, I think, other than some prequels and the like. It was so good. I felt quite satisfied with it as an ending. Ward gets criticized for not having a happily ever after ending in these books and I actually think that's what makes a ridiculous book series about vampires so good - the couples have real, long-term relationships with highs and lows and horrible life events that get in the way of happy sometimes. Someday I might reread this whole series again and write detailed reviews for each of these books, but this is a series I do recommend despite its absolute zaniness. If you're looking for a true romance series, this isn't for you, but if you like really developing characters, this might suit you. 4.5/5 stars
3/9: The Memory of Animals by Claire Fuller (library, 2023) - Do you think any pandemic book will ever be able to live up to Station Eleven? Fine, but not great. 3.5/5 stars
3/9: Vicious (Villains #1) by V.E. Schwab (library audiobook, 2013) - Pretty good. I enjoyed it, but didn't love it. I would have listened to the next audiobook right away, but the wait is "several months" on Libby, so who knows if I'll ever read more? 3.5/5 stars
3/17: The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles (Mossa and Pleiti #2) by Malka Older (library, 2023) - Oh, such a lovely book. 4.5/5 stars
3/19: 10 Things That Never Happened (Material World #1) by Alexis Hall (university library ebook, 2023) - Sam is such a great guy. He can do better than Jonathan. 3/5 stars
3/21: Heartaches by the Numbers: Country Music's 500 Greatest Singles by Bill Friskics-Warren and David Cantwell (university library, 2003) - I was always going to argue with the choices, but I also didn't love the way the entries were organized or written. 3/5 stars
3/23: The Ghost in the House by Sara O'Leary (university library, 2020) - Haunting book, no pun intended. 4/5 stars
3/25: 172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad, translated from the Norwegian by Tara Chace (library, 2008) - I truly disliked this book, but kept reading. I think the first 100 pages could have been eliminated entirely and the book would have been better for starting in medias res. But there were some mentions of one of my best friend's hometown, so at least I could keep sending her pages. 2/5 stars
3/27: Payback in Death (In Death #57) by J.D. Robb (library ebook, 2023) - Fifty-seven books! In this series! And they are still so much fun to read. I mean, they're meh mysteries, but the sprawling cast of characters is such a blast. 3.5/5 stars
3/28: Every Last One by Anna Quindlen (library, 2010) - Eh. Stories about motherhood rarely appeal to me and this was no different. Quindlen has some writing tics I can not stand, especially with her narrator flipping back in forth between current time and memory with no segue or transition and making almost every scene super confusing. 3/5 stars
Average star rating: 3.61/5 stars
Did Not Finish:
What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma by Stephanie Foo - A friend recommended this book to me, so I downloaded the audiobook and made it through about ten minutes before I realized that I need to do some soul homework before I'm ready for it. DNF at about the twelve-minute mark, so I hardly gave it a chance.
French Braid by Anne Tyler - I dunno, friends. This book was boring as hell. I was reading it at night and every morning I'd have to reread what I read because I couldn't remember. DNF at about 30%.
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How was your reading month? Did you read anything truly wonderful or truly terrible?
I read French Braid and I found it very upsetting because of some things in my own life. I didn't think it was boring though, but upsetting. I haven't read a single other one on your list. I had a really great reading month in March, a lot of 4 stars and a couple of 5s. I had a couple of duds too, that's the way it goes.
ReplyDeleteI don't know. Maybe I'll give French Braid another shot someday, but it was really not working for me this time around. You read My Brilliant Friend!! You may not have loved it, but you read it!
DeleteWHAT WHAT WHAT- you didn't like Every Last One??? Noooooo... i love that book so much. Well, just goes to show, we all have different tastes. I haven't read any of your other ones, but definitely plan to read the Malka Older one. The first one was so good.
ReplyDeleteYeah, sorry about that. I didn't want to write up a full review because you and Birchie were so enthusiastic that I didn't want to be a snot about it. Just because I didn't love it doesn't mean it's not someone else's favorite book!!
DeleteMy reading month was dismal. Let's just leave it there. HA. (I brought 2 books along on our trip and somehow managed to read like, 2 pages.). I'm hoping to read more now in April!!!
ReplyDeleteReading comes and goes in waves. I don't suppose most people are nearly as compulsive about reading as I am!
DeleteYes, if I had a nickel for every time I've read a non-fiction book after listening to a podcast about it and realized that the podcast said it better...oh well.
ReplyDeleteWe are polar opposites on MBF and Every Last One! I enjoyed the journey and the company with MBF but after a while it just didn't gel for me. ELO was one of those books that just hit right. But we both win because we both got a 5 star book out of the deal;-)
I have read some great books that I found out about on podcasts and this one was good, but I almost wonder if I should have listened to the audiobook because what made the podcast so great was her voice.
DeleteNot every book is for everyone and I'm happy we all found our bliss last month!
The Less People Know About Us was a book I read in a single night. (I knew nothing about the story.) And then I couldn't sleep because I was just so heartbroken for that poor girl. ARGH! I know I fail so often as a parent, but the things some kids have to overcome is just NOT FAIR.
ReplyDeleteYeah, the story is so crazy. It's crazy how many challenges some children have to overcome. Maybe that's the best way to convince yourself that you're not a great parent! In this case, comparison is not the thief of joy!
DeleteI've only read My Brilliant Friend on your list and I liked it too! I read and didn't like The Housemaid, By Frieda McFadden. It was one of those that I 'just knew' it would get better and right until the end, I hated it. I'll never get those 12 hours back!
ReplyDeleteI'm currently reading Good Luck With That, by Kristan Higgins and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.
Looks like most of your books were good for you though!
I'll never get those 12 hours back! Oh, how many times I've felt that way after an unsatisfying book.
DeleteIt was a good book month for me - so far 2024 has been great!
I love Every Last One and would like to read it again after all the chatter about it recently with other bloggers. I read it before I had kids and loved it then so it seemed to appeal to me if though I didn't have kids when I read it. I imagine it will hit very differently now that I have kids! I also really liked French Braid but it is SOLIDLY character driven which isn't for everyone.
ReplyDeleteMy March reading was so so over all. Family Family was my favorite, but it has a prominent theme of motherhood so probably one for you to skip!
I am clearly missing the gene that make everyone enjoy French Braid and Every Last One, but that's okay. There are plenty of books out there for everyone.
DeleteI liked 10 Things That Never Happened much more than you did - but I'm married to a grumpy man, so maybe Jonathan wasn't completely irredeemable to me? I did go back and re-read his bit in Husband Material, and wow, he is even more of a jerk in that book. Also I listened to it on audio and I though the narrator fabulous.
ReplyDeleteI'm *sooooooo* close to finishing My Brilliant Friend!
I am also married to a grumpy man, but he is NOT a jerk and Jonathan is absolutely terrible. JUSTICE FOR SAM!!
DeleteI liked Every Last One, though that's all I remember about it (well, some horrific details) since I read it in 2011. I know that much because I reviewed it on my blog. HANDY! I listened to French Braid and I remember liking it, but nothing else. Are you sensing a theme? I didn't review that one, though, so we have to go with my general feeling.
ReplyDeleteNow that I'm about 1/3 through The Story of The Lost Child (EARTHQUAKE!) I will say that while I have LOVED all of these books, I think My Brilliant Friend is my least favorite. It feels like it was setup for the rest of the books in a way, and I'm not sure it stands alone well. I think I'm going to have to do a post about the series on my blog, and you and I can discuss all four books, and everyone else can go paint their nails or mow their lawns or something.
I thought all four of those Neapolitan books were so good. I should just reread all of them since we just read MBF. I will pore over your post about the series!! It will just be me and you in the comment section and that's awesome.
DeletePsst... I suspect Anne Tyler is a bit overrated. I was very irritated by her writing in _Clock Dance_ her novel right before this one. Especially her white lady tic of loudly announcing the blackness of two incidental and generically portrayed characters. Did I mention this novel takes place in Baltimore? One of the few cities in the US where the population is majority black!
ReplyDeleteHa. I am not sure I would have picked up on that writing tic, but now I will. It seems like we might be in the minority on Anne Tyler and that's fine. I'm glad she's around for those who like her.
DeleteI also thought French Braid was just okay, and Every Last One was good but not gushingly. As you know, I did not love MBF, but to each their own! I am kind of sad to hear that you didn't love the new VE Schwab, as I did like Addie Larue and her other trilogy.
ReplyDeleteI thought Addie LaRue was mostly unrelentingly sad and it stressed me out. Maybe it would be different if I read it in a better head space. I think Schwab is mostly a 3-3.5/5 star author for me, it seems like.
DeleteI had a great reading month, which I am not even slightly taking for granted! Of these, I have read the Malka Older (as you know) and DNF'd My Brilliant Friend, sigh. It just wasn't for me. But isn't it nice that there are so many books for so many readers?
ReplyDeleteIt is lovely that there are so many different books for different readers. But I bet authors would appreciate it if we were more consistent as readers!
DeleteI finished the month with two 2-star reads in a row, BUT April is really starting out with a bang so I have high hopes that April will be better than March. However, my favorite book of March was The Final Revival of Opal & Nev. I'm really glad I tried the book again on audio because it'll probably be one of my favorites of the year!
ReplyDeleteOpal & Nev was SUCH a good read. I enjoyed it immensely and I'm glad you enjoyed it, too!
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