Hosted by The Book Date.
I had a lot going on last week that had nothing to do with reading. I started training for my second Sprint Triathlon (June 12 in Stamford, CT) and was immediately humbled by the bike. Not only was I incredibly sore after two long rides, but I initially forgot how to downshift my gears! Needless to say, peddling up hills was a bit difficult. We also potty-trained our daughter this weekend, which actually went well. But, all this sadly left no time for Readathon.
After a string of solid reads in the second half of March and early April, I’ve fallen back into a mini slump. My last few books haven’t hit the spot and I’ve had a number of failed samples/DNFs. I’m hoping May can turn things around.
I finished reading…
The Midnight Assassin by Skip Hollandsworth (April 6, 2016)
The story of the first serial killer in the U.S. (who haunted Austin, TX in the 1880’s) is pretty fascinating, but some aspects of the story of it made it hard to get invested. Mini review to come.
I’m currently reading…
Some Possible Solutions by Helen Phillips (May 31, 2016)
After trying two books that didn’t stick, I decided it was time to pick up a likely winner. This collection of short stories by the author of The Beautiful Bureaucrat (one of my favorite books of 2015) kicked off with a top notch first story, but has been hit and miss since then. I’m almost halfway through.
I tried, but wasn’t feeling…
Zero K by Don DeLillo (May 3, 2016)
My first thought when I started this was that it might be one of those books that I just don’t “get”. After 16%, I was kind of bored and, though there were some brilliant sections about the main character’s childhood, much of the present day story (especially Ross’ dialogue) was kind of indecipherable to me. But, I think I’ll probably end up powering through it later this week.
The Bricks That Built the Houses by Kate Tempest (May 3, 2016)
I made it a whopping 3%. I just couldn’t focus on the story or the characters. It was all very hazy to me. I doubt I’ll pick this one up again.
Upcoming reading plans…
I really have no idea. Possibly something from my list of “books to try before the end of the year” (maybe The Expatriates by Janice Y.K. Lee or Tuesday Nights in 1980 by Molly Prentiss). Or, maybe I’ll break down and read The Girls by Emma Cline. I’ve been trying to hold off until closer to publication date, but this impending slump may warrant jumping on it now.
Sorry to hear that you’ve been in a reading slump. Maybe try something completely different, or something by a favourite author?
I hope something sticks for you this week. I always seem to feel a slump after a good round of reading; the books just don’t seem to measure up afterward.
Me too! My slumps tend to come around when I’m distracted by my personal life…I need to be better about recognizing I’m going to be distracted and choosing books accordingly!
I haven’t read Don DeLillo, but I think that seems to be his style. I’d be interested in what you think if you end up finishing it! I really hope you find a read that sticks – The Girls was GREAT.
Uh oh – that doesn’t make me want to keep reading – ha! I’m about 1/4 through now and I think I’m going to put it aside for good. And I can’t wait for The Girls – I’m pretty distracted by my personal life right now, so don’t want to start it immediately, but will once things settle down at home (i.e. my daughter finally gets healthy about weeks of on and off sickness…most currently her 2nd bout with the flu).
Triathlons and potty training… ugh! I know my daughter has done Stamford before, and she may even be signed up this year.
I’m not familiar with any of the books you’re reading now, but am already looking forward to The Girls. Tuesday Nights in 1980 sounds good, too.
That’s awesome about your daughter! Can’t wait for The Girls!
The Girls is really good. I couldn’t wait to read it. It’s a bit raw and sad but definitely held my attention. Timely since one of the Manson girls just got paroled.
I don’t mind raw and sad…and am so looking forward to it! Glad to hear you enjoyed it!
You did have a lot going on! Good luck with the training!
Thank you!
Congrats on the potty training! That’s not too far off for us too!
It’s always interesting to read a second book when you loved the first one by a certain author. I hope the rest of the Phillips stories are great for you!
It is, right? The Phillips stories are proving to be a bit hit and miss…grr! But, that’s typical for short stories for me.
Good luck with your training and the potty training too. I have a really hard time putting down a book that I get to 10% on but am getting slightly better at quitting books that don’t grab me. I hope whatever you pick next is amazing. Here is what my week looked like. Happy reading!
I used to be terrible at quitting books that weren’t working for me, but I started doing it last year and it’s been great. Too many books, too little time…
Bummed to hear that there are aspects of The Midnight Assassin that you didn’t like! It knocked Lauren of Malcolm Avenue Review’s socks right off, and I snapped it up on NetGalley. Hoping to get to it soon.
Absolutely agreed on the hit-or-miss nature of Some Possible Solutions, though the good definitely outweighed the meh for me (I finished it during Readathon). The first story was indeed a knock-out, and the last one wrecked me, too. I’m hoping to draft a review soon, and I’m looking forward to going back and revisiting some others.
I know – I remember reading her review! My mini will go up on Thu and you can see specifically what my issue was…maybe it won’t be one for you!
And so glad to hear the last story is great! I’m having trouble pushing through right now (around 65%) and that’s giving me something to look forward to!
I’m sad to hear Some Possible Solutions hasn’t been amazing all the way through!! I’ve been saving it, because I expect it to be excellent and perfect. But now I’m nervous. I’m also slumpin and nothing’s really piquing my interest right now. What is going on with us??
I feel like so many people have been slumping this year! What is up?! There’s a blog post brewing in my brain about this, but I need to figure out something better to say than “have the books just stunk this year?!”
I’ll be interested to hear your thoughts on so much slumping. I know for me it has just been a rough 8 months or so. I think with politics the way that it is, all the deaths that seem to be occurring, it just feels like a downer time for most everyone I know. Sometimes reading can take me out of that depressing space, but sometimes there’s just no getting there or concentrating. I know I’ve been harder on some things and not as hard on others because I just don’t have the gumption. It’s a strange time, that’s for sure. I’m anxious to read what you thought of Midnight Assassin. Wonder if your disconnects were similar to mine.
I hope you break out of your slump! I sometimes find that picking up an easy book helps or short!
I’m planning to shift to something easy next – I agree that’s what I need!
How embarrassing about the bike gear shifting! 😉 I write this knowing you know I have no idea how a bike shift works nor could I compete in a triathlon if someone put a gun to my head.
Sorry about the recurrence of a slump. I can’t complain right now, but still feel as if the year has been schizophrenic- I’ve had 3 5 star loves recently so am anticipating a bunch of DNFs to follow. Please DNF something on my TBR- you know I use you to cull the herd.
Haha! The silver lining was that the mental berating I was giving myself made the ride pass by faster!
Three 5 stars all together is awesome!! I’d take that any day! I’ve only had 3 the entire year…and they’ve been very spread out.
And – I can’t cull your pile for you because I don’t have ARCs for any of them!!! Except June, which I might read soon.
None of these were on my radar so I need to check these out. enjoy
Whelp, I guess this takes a couple of potentials off my list, Sarah; thanks, as always! I will definitely read Some Possible Solutions, just because I do enjoy short stories, but I will adjust my expectations. I finished The Throwback Special, and it was okay for me, but I’ve just started 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl and I love it, so far. I hope things are going well with your daughter and, yes, getting back on that bike has GOT to be tough! Jonathan is training for a gran fondo and he’s lamenting the fact that he’s taken so much time off – ha!
I think you should read Some Possible Solutions – even though it was overall meh for me. There were definitely some shining stars and it’s short. I’m sorry The Throwback Special was just okay for you 🙁 I knew when I read it that it was totally hitting the spot for me, but that it would likely not have really wide appeal.
And – what is a gran fondo?!!
Boo to reading slumps! Here’s hoping the next book you select is so fantastic, it knocks that reading slump back to the Stone Age!
Thank you AND – I’m now on to the next one and I’m really loving it (The Expatriates by Janice Y.K. Lee)!!