Welcome to my first post-Daisy Jones reading week and the hangover (at least for fiction) is real. I read a great recovery book that was nonfiction…good call going for something totally different. But, now I’m having trouble settling into fiction.
Thanks so much to all of you who completed the 2019 Reader Survey! I’m going through the results now and will be sharing them in a post in the next month or so.
Podcast
Episode 11, featuring Katharine from @ReadWithKat, where we talk about her experience living with cystic fibrosis and her real life book club that’s been going strong for 10 years, came out last week! Of course, it came out on the day of the Instagram/Facebook outage, so give it a listen if you missed it!
Episode 12, featuring Hannah from @BookNerdNative, is coming on Wednesday!
New on the Blog
- March 2019 Books to Read (and Skip)…I’ve got some of both this month, but I’ve also got what has a great chance of being my #1 book of 2019!
- 2019 Rock Your Reading Tracker – I used my “Rock Your Reading Tracker” this year to track all my reading stats in real time and figure out who my best recommendation sources are…and, my reading QUALITY improved 42% from last year! The new and improved 2019 tracker is now available for $14.99…get more details here!
Hosted by The Book Date.
This post contains affiliate links (plus: here’s your Amazon Smile-specific affiliate link
I finished reading…
I Miss You When I Blink
I loved this one! Very relatable for me and an excellent book to recover from my Daisy Jones hangover (since it was so different). If you like Anna Quindlen’s nonfiction and Kelly Corrigan, keep this one on your radar! Mini review coming.
Affiliate Link: Buy from Amazon
Columbine
It took me forever to listen to this one (it’s 16 hours), but it was well worth the time. Sue Klebold’s memoir, A Mother’s Reckoning
Affiliate Link: Buy from Amazon
I’m currently reading…
The Editor
I just started this novel about an up and coming author whose debut novel is acquired for publication by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. So far, I really like the writing…smart brain candy. PS – Rowley’s debut novel, Lily and the Octopus, was a big hit. The Editor is Rowley’s sophomore novel.
I tried, but wasn’t feeling…
White Elephant
DNF at 19%
It was fine, but it needed to be more than fine for me to continue. I didn’t care much about what was going to happen. Also, it immediately followed Daisy Jones & the Six, which is a terrible position to be in.
I’m Fine and Neither Are You
DNF at 50%
I loved Pagan’s last two novels (Forever is the Worst Long Time and Woman Last Seen in her Thirties)…and she was on her way to becoming a go-to brain candy author for me. But, her latest book was run-of-the-mill. What I loved her previous books was that she took familiar tropes to unique places, but this one was shaping up to be just the familiar trope…without the unique spin on it. A disappointment for sure.
Upcoming reading plans…
On the Come Up
The author of The Hate U Give‘s sophomore novel just came in from the library and I’ve been hearing good things. Although, I’m nervous because it’s set in the world of hip-hop music, which I’m not interested in at all. Then again, I wasn’t interested in 1970’s rock n’roll either and I loved Daisy Jones & the Six, so I’m going to give it a try (also, I loved The Hate U Give).
How was your reading week?
A great selection, glad you found something to help with your book hangover
I thought Columbine was excellent. I’m reading Parkland by the same author right now and he says investigating for and writing that book left him with a form of PTSD. I’d really like to read The Editor.
I’ve been nervous about On the Come Up, too, so am happy to hear you’re going to read it. Keep me informed!
I Miss You When I Blink sounds great. I may need to listen to that one. And, The Editor has picked up for me the further I’ve gone. I really like the family part of his story.
If you can get the audiobook of On the Come Up – I think you’ll enjoy the book even more. It really helps bring out the meaning and nuances of the rap lyrics and really in erses you in the lives of the characters.
It can be extremely difficult to start reading new books after finishing one that you absolutely adore. I typically have to switch genres so I’m not constantly comparing.
I want to read The Editor…and I’m curious about On the Come Up…but I’m not interested in the hip-hop music aspect, either. Hmm.
Thanks for sharing, and here are MY WEEKLY UPDATES
Ah, I’ll have to try I Miss You When I Blink! I ended up starting White Fur after Daisy Jones and I’m loving it so far! It has the benefit of the great writing but being different enough to keep me going!
Sarah,
I thought the same thing about On The Come Up, I didn’t really want to read it because I don’t care much about hip-hop or rap. I read it and it was fantastic, Angie Thomas is an author you can trust. This book is about a teenage girl who wants to help rescue her family from poverty. It’s about how you can do everything right and still struggle. It’s really fantastic, don’t be hesitant, it’s awesome.
I really loved On the Come Up, and I went in with the same reservations.
I’ll be interested to see what you think of The Editor. I had some issues with Lily and the Octopus, but I did like Rowley’s writing.
Nice variety of books. I understand about book hangovers. I recently read one that is really lingering. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
I’m excited to read On The Come Up!
I really enjoyed On the Come Up. I hope you do too. My weekly update
The Editor is sitting here staring at me … But I’m caught up in two other LONG books, so I actually finished *nothing* last week!