Podcast
Mini Episode 42, featuring Brittany Block, aired last Wednesday!
And, a full length episode featuring Jordan Moblo (@jordys.book.club) talking about growing a #bookstagram account will air this Wednesday.
AND, beginning in mid-January, I’ll be releasing a NEW MONTHLY BONUS PODCAST EPISODE for Patrons! Every month, I will share my own picks in the book recommendations portion of the regular show. So, I’ll share:
- 2 Old Books I Love
- 2 New Books I Love
- 1 Book I Didn’t Love
- 1 Upcoming Release I’m Excited About
These will be solo episodes (i.e. no co-host). If you’d like to get access to these bonus episodes (plus other bonus content), you can support the podcast for $5/month on Patreon.
New on the Blog
- January 2020 Books to Read (and Skip)…and it’s a great month for books (two 5 star books & a 3rd 4.5 star book)!
- The 2020 Rock Your Reading Tracker launched…including new features and improvements to existing features! Available for $14.99.
- Get bonus podcast episodes…Get bonus podcast episodes and other goodies when you support the podcast on Patreon!
Hosted by The Book Date.
This post contains affiliate links (plus: here’s your Amazon Smile-specific affiliate link
I finished reading…
You Are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen (March 3, 2020)
I desperately needed a book that would grab me from page 1 to get my out of my slump and this one did the trick! If you liked An Anonymous Girl (spoiler discussion), you’ll probably like Sarah & Greer’s latest too. Mini Review to come.
Affiliate Link: Buy from Amazon
In Hoffa’s Shadow by Jack Goldsmith (September 24, 2019) – AUDIOBOOK
I think I was listening to this memoir about a Justice Department lawyer who discovered his stepfather was the prime suspect in Jimmy Hoffa’s disappearance off and on for at least 2 months. Maybe more. The beginning (when he discovers this crazy connection) and the end are riveting, but the middle got really dry (went too deep into the history of the Teamsters). There’s a chance it could’ve been better for me in print, though. 3 stars.
Affiliate Link: Buy from Amazon
I’m currently reading…
The Holdout by Graham Moore (February 18, 2020)
I’m about 30% through this story about a jury on a high profile murder trial and I’m loving it so far! It’s similar to The Body in Question
Affiliate Link: Buy from Amazon
I tried, but wasn’t feeling…
Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin (February 18, 2020)
DNF at 35%
This debut novel was like a series of pump fakes. It would pull me in, then bore me to tears, then pull me in again right when I was about to quit. I read a couple reviews from people I trust who did finish it and they all said nothing much changed and the payoff wasn’t worth it in the end, so I put it down.
Affiliate Link: Buy from Amazon
The Lost Diary of M by Paul Wolfe (February 25, 2020)
DNF at 5%
I was so looking forward to this one! It’s the fictional diary of Mary Pinchot Meyer, powerful woman in Washington and one of JFK’s mistresses. But, the writing style was ridiculous…I can’t imagine a woman writing a diary in that tone…even in the 50’s / 60’s. I’m not even going to officially count this as a DNF in my stats because I think I read about 10 pages of it…more of a sample.
Affiliate Link: Buy from Amazon
The Cactus League by Emily Nemens (February 4, 2020)
DNF at 31%
This book about baseball was going alright for me, but I just didn’t really care what happened with these people. Maybe it was the fact that it’s inter-connected short stories?
Affiliate Link: Buy from Amazon
Apartment by Teddy Wayne (February 25, 2020)
DNF at 8%
The writing was really pretentious and overwritten and I didn’t really care about what was going on.
Affiliate Link: Buy from Amazon
Upcoming reading plans…
Unless a library hold comes in…
A Good Neighborhood by Therese Anne Fowler (March 10, 2020)
Susie at Novel Visits already loved this novel by the author of Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald (but, I hear this one is a style departure for Fowler).
Affiliate Link: Buy from Amazon
How was your reading week?
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I was wondering how you’d feel about Saint X! You really didn’t miss anything by dnfing
Yay! I’m happy to hear You Are Not Alone worked for you. I have a plane ride today and needed something to grab me and I’m thinking this will do it!
Looking forward to reading “You Are Not Alone” already on my request list from the library.
January’s reading had been sort of just OK for me so far. “Long Bright River” is probably the best book I read so far, and I thought it could of been at least a 100 pages shorter!
I hope your back is better and you’re in tip-top shape soon. I’ve heard a lot of great things about Fowler’s new book.
I’m reading Spirit Run (PRC). Lots of publicity but I hope some last minute editing will be done. It’s interesting but not what I was hoping for.
I hope your back is feeling better!
Hope your back is feeling better soon. I know exactly how you feel about exercise. Somedays after an especially stressful day at work I MUST exercise for my own mental health!
Happy to hear that You Are Not Alone was good. I plan on listening to that one. It’s funny but The Cactus League is really working for me. I usually don’t like connected short stories, but have found these compelling. Looks like it’s a good thing that I never got an ARC of The Lost Diary of M. I think I’ll just cross that one off my list.
Looking forward to the podcast this week!
I have The Holdout on my TBR List so look forward to your final thoughts. I’m also about to start reading A Good Neighborhood which I have heard nothing but great things! @carolinehoppereads
Halfway through and am loving it so far!
I’m sorry you had so many DNFs. I had one but mostly enjoyed the February review books I read. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
I’m curious to learn more about The Holdout
Wishing you a great reading week
I’m reading You Are Not Alone right now and have mixed feelings about it. It’s an easy, quick read and it’s amazing how seamlessly the two authors write (it’s my first by them). I’m also curious enough to want to know when and how Shay will figure out what’s going on. But, I don’t love it. Unless my interest picks up with some great twists and turns, I’ll probably be rating it a 3/5 stars (“I liked it”).
Sorry about the back injury and all the DNFs! I just saw Annie B Jones gave Saint X a 4.5 star review. I’m going to play it safe and get it from the library! 🙂
I’m reading an older book from my neighbor – Where They Found Her. It’s more of a thriller, but I’m liking it!