Hosted by The Book Date.
After a solid start to my January reading, I’ve sort of gone off a cliff and feel a slump coming on. I’m hoping my current book can pull me back into 4 star (at least) territory. But, you know what’s not slumping?! TV…
I started both Making A Murderer and Fargo last week…and both were awesome! I didn’t realize Fargo was based on a true story OR that Kate Walsh was in it, both of which make me happy. My husband and I watched Episode 1 of Making A Murderer…he was initially skeptical, but I could tell he got sucked in by the end (despite being kind of over dark, traumatic TV while trying to unwind from work). The husband is not watching Fargo…that will be one of my “when he’s working late” shows.
I finished reading…
Troublemaker by Leah Remini (November 3, 2015)
This one was OK, but I preferred Going Clear, which delved deeper into the history of Scientology and L. Ron Hubbard as a person. Though, I possibly could’ve liked Troublemaker more if I had read it before Going Clear. However, Troublemaker did have some awesome celebrity gossip, especially about Tom Cruise and his wedding to Katie Holmes (i.e. the creepiest wedding of the century).
American Housewife by Helen Ellis (January 12, 2016)
This collection of short stories was hit and miss for me, which perfectly encapsulates the issue I normally have with this type of fiction. A mini review is most likely coming.
I’m currently reading…
Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Ed Tarkington (January 5, 2016)
I’m just 17% through this debut and haven’t really gotten to the meat of the story yet, but am enjoying the relationship between two brothers that’s the initial focus. Plus, it’s set in my home state (Virginia).
I tried, but wasn’t feeling…
The Longest Night by Andria Williams (January 12, 2016)
I made it to the 22% mark before realizing I was fairly bored and thought I had a pretty good idea of where the story was headed. This book was also kind of reminding me of last year’s A Place We Knew Well, which I wish I’d DNF’d.
Upcoming reading plans…
Youngblood by Matt Gallagher (February 2, 2016)
A “thrilling, tragic, and darkly funny” (Phil Klay, author of Redeployment) debut novel about the Iraq War. Kerry at Entomology of a Bookworm also said it was “excellent”.
I can’t believe we are halfway through January already! Im finishing up West Wing, not sure what’s next. I really should be reading more
Have a great reading week,
Shelleyrae @ Book’d Out
Good for you for DNFing something that wasn’t working! I also have “with husband” and “without husband” shows! He’s out of town this week, so no more Making a Murderer for me until this weekend. It’s prettttty intense.
With and without hubs shows are 100% necessary! I had thought we were in for another episode of Making A Murderer tonight, but then forgot it was the college football national championships. I’m sure you can guess what I’m watching at the moment!
You always have a few that I’m interested in. I already have Going Clear in my Audible library. I’m just waiting for that ‘nonfiction’ feeling to come over me. It doesn’t happen very often. LOL
I do want to try The Longest Night. We’ll see how it goes when I get around to it.
Going Clear definitely brings out the Scientology crazy!
And – Tara at Running N Reading liked The Longest Night, so I’d definitely give it a try!
I’m happy to hear about any books that I don’t have to put on my to-read list! (Although, for your sake, I hope the reading improves.) 🙂
Ha!! I feel the same way sometimes when I see others talk about their DNFs…especially for books I already have on my TBR and can then cross off.
I finished Making A Murderer in the space of three days – I was gripped. I told my partner about it whilst I was watching – live updates style – but he didn’t want watch because just my retellings was making him angry!!
I’ve seen Troublemaker around a few blogs at the moment and Scientology is one of those religions that intrigues me greatly. May have to give it a read, but probably only if I can find it at the library.
Happy reading!
I can’t wait to watch the second episode! I thought I was going to get to tonight, then remembered the college football national championship was on!
I think I liked Troublemaker more than you but I haven’t read Going Clear. I listened to the audio and Remini did a great job narrating it.
I wondered if I would’ve liked it more if I hadn’t already read Going Clear. Some of the shock value of the Scientology craziness was gone.
Reading is going slow with me this January because I’m also juggling TV shows. I just finished binge watching both seasons of Penny Dreadful; it was fantastic, but I think it had a bad effect on my reading.
I haven’t heard of that one! I feel like ebbs and flows of TV vs. reading aren’t a bad thing!
My fiance and I are trying to figure out whether we finish up with the third season of The Wire, which we’re about 1/4 of the way through, or if we take a break to watch Making of a Murderer because EVERYONE is talking about it. I’m reading Creative Mythology, which is the fourth and final volume of Joseph Campbell’s Masks of God series and it is going to take me ages to get through because they’re really dense and dry
I do feel like everyone is talking about Making A Murderer…and I feel so behind b/c I just started watching it!
Finishing The Happy Marriage by Tahar Ben Jelloun. It is the Moroccan version of Fate and Furies. Then I will get on a plane to Houston, read books on my iPad, mostly from 1962, the year I am reading for My Big Fat Reading Project. One of them is Sex and the Single Girl. OMG! We may not have come a long way baby, but we HAVE come a ways.
I love that cover for Only Love Can Break Your Heart! Will have to check that one out. I have Fargo on my list for after we finish Breaking Bad – very excited to watch.
Grr…Breaking Bad is another series we need to finish. We kind of lost interest midway through Season 2 and went onto other things, but I could go back to it.
Nice variety of books, of dear a DNF, but better to just stop and tick it off the list. What works for one reader doesn’t for others and nice to have it ‘dealt’ with!
True that!
Thank you- now I can cross Troublemaker and American Housewife off my TBR.
January has been a real schizophrenic month. I had a crazy amount of books to read (26) but so far they are 50/50 for really good and DNF. You already know, but Swans of Fifth Avenue is fabulous! I’m going backlist now with Ready Player One bc so many people gave it 5 stars.
So my husband and I are going away for a night this weekend and I need a REALLY good book. We did this last year and I was reading one of my top 3 books of the year! I’m thinking Swans could slide in there. We shall see.
I have Ellis, Tarkington, and Williams on hold at the library (they are on order); I’m not sure I want to tackle them, now. lol Although, there were some parts of A Place We Knew Well, so maybe I’ll enjoy Williams. I’ve been looking forward to Tarkington, but I’m “in the queue”…again! Ugh!
I’m almost halfway through Tarkington now and I’m REALLY enjoying it. Giving me a bit of a My Sunshine Away vibe.
YES on Youngblood! I hope you love it. I’m not sure I’d call it funny, though I suppose “darkly funny” may be appropriate… emphasis on the dark.
Me too! A friend of mine from college was a war contributor to Time Magazine along with Matt Gallagher, which is how the book got on my radar. And I imagine a war book is definitely the dark brand of funny. But, I like that.
You and Andi (Estella’s Revenge) have, essentially, the same comment about American Housewife; I think I’ll hold off on that one. I’m so glad y’all are watching Making a Murderer; can’t wait to see what you think after you’ve gotten into it further. I guess I’m going to have to start Fargo; all the cool kids are doing it – ha! I’m currently watching The Bachelor and reading blogs during commercials…so much crazy. 🙂
I am jealous!!!! I’m currently watching the NCAA national championship, which I appreciate, but would kind of rather be watching the Bachelor! Will catch up tomorrow when my husband isn’t around.
Young Blood is right up my ally. I’m all about the military memoirs. Helps me understand my bf better. They are great conversation starters for us to discuss his time there, half his life.
I have heard that Making a Murderer will firmly plant you on one side or the other. I’ve seen petitions and all kinds of things. But I’m like, it’s still a documentary which probably doesn’t include every single fact about it all. I am interested to try it, though, for sure!
I read the first couple pages of Youngblood and really loved the writing. Looking forward to starting it.
And – I saw an article recently about all the evidence that the Making the Murderer doc left out. I didn’t read it though, b/c I’m only 1 episode in and didn’t want to spoil it!
I LOVE the cover on American Housewife. As I said in a comment on another blog: The cover makes me laugh out loud when I see it.
Looks like a good week for you.
I hope you are enjoying it.
Elizabeth
Silver’s Reviews
My It’s Monday, What Are You Reading
Bummed that The Longest Night didn’t work for you! I’m finally getting to my ARC and am still curious to see where it’s going (I’m at 10% now). Still, good for you for giving up on it when you realized it wasn’t working out.
I didn’t read Going Clear, but I did read Inside Scientology and it was fascinating. I really need to pick up Remini’s book because I find her hilarious – I’ve heard the audio is pretty good.