Pick-a-Shelf discussion

June Shelf is page-turner

What did you read off this shelf? Is it a "page-turner" for you? 5 stars?

I read Mexican Gothic
Rating: 5 stars
Finished 6/1/21
Review: This was such an excellent read. It is set in the 1950's Mexico. Noami is a spoiled rich girl who is sent to see why her cousin has written a letter asking for help. She goes to see how she can help. She falls into a mystery of why the family her cousin is so weird.

Used for: Book It April, Decades Challenge 2021
I nominate: Number Title

I'm so glad you liked it, Joyce, I keep recommending it to everyone I know! Definitely a page-turner, isn't it?

The Guest List by Lucy Foley (shelved this 14 times, so quite a few pages on).

3 stars

Well, this was quite the book. Had I not been reading it with someone else, I might have tossed it early on, because it's difficult to like any of the characters, although I suspect that some of that was done on purpose. Some things that happened were very predictable as well. That said, during the last third of the book I wanted to keep reading to see how everything unfolded, so it's not badly written, just full of unlikable people, and by the end it was more than three stars, but not enough ot round up.

Plus there are so many stereotypical things I don't know where to start, and yet there are things about this that bring it together. So if you are interested in reading something that has many typical things in it (a bridezilla, dysfunctional families--didn't hear about one functional one in this entire book--drunkenness mixed with pills, certain men who have never grown up (and I am not saying this doesn't happen with women, too, because it does), British boarding schools where boys do horrible things to each other, and so on and so forth, because you love the thrill of a murder mystery unfolding, then this is for you. A number of my reading friends gave this 4 stars and one gave it 5.

It is nearly impossible for me to find a novel where there are things I haven't seen, so that really isn't the problem, of course. Human nature is human nature, etc, but there are novels that bring it up a few notches or that include people who aren't so stereotypical.

I nominate: historical fiction

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan - 3 stars

Well, this was a page-turner all right, but I liked it a lot less than the first instalment. Like Meg said last month (I did fear she might be right), this was more of a kids' adventure than a young adult mixed with mythology. Of course, the myths are there, but not as well built-in as in the first book. I don't object to young adult adventures at all, but they need to be a little meatier than this was.

*

Read for Trim That TBR and Let's Book It May.

I nominate series.

Marina (Sonnenbarke) wrote: "I'm so glad you liked it, Joyce, I keep recommending it to everyone I know! Definitely a page-turner, isn't it?"

Once I started it was very hard to put it down.

The Wife Between Us
3.25 stars

I'd heard this book was full of twists and surprises. Maybe it was the hype, but it didn't surprise me much. I didn't feel like the writing actually built a lot if suspense, but it was still a page turner because I was waiting for the big twist to come. Overall it was decent, fans of the genre should definitely read it.

I nominate domestic thriller

I read Mexican Gothic [16-june-2021] ★

I picked up this book after it was reccomended to me. I like how the book started. The writing is good and I liked the atmosphe. However, this story is just too weird for me. I prefer more realistic books. It was hard to rate this book, because it had some good parts but yet if you ask me if I like this book I would say no without a doubt. Hence only 1 star.

Used for:
- lets book it june

I'd like to nominate: Fav Authors

I read Year One by Nora Roberts.
It really is a page turner and quite different from her usual romance genre or police procedural as J.D. Robb. This one is about a pandemic so it definitely gave me a sense of deja vu. As the book was written before Covid, it is almost as if Nora is psychic!

I nominate - Post Apocalypse

Lauren wrote: "I read Year One by Nora Roberts.
It really is a page turner and quite different from her usual romance genre or police procedural as J.D. Robb. This one is about a pandemic so it d..."

Lauren, I just picked up a free book, which turned out to be Book 2 in this series. Glad to know that you enjoyed Year One. Now to find a copy for myself.

Joyce wrote: "I nominate: Number Title"

Sorry, Joyce, there're only 257 books on this shelf... min is 1,000 to qualify for nomination. Did you want to nominate another shelf?

I read Déjà Dead by Kathy Reichs
3 stars

I have read two others in this series, so naturally am not reading them in order. The one I liked best was the first one I read that had to do with auto racing (no time to look up the title).

What I liked: the author is a forensic anthropologist who has worked in cities she writes about, so writes with expertise and authority. The fictional character is obviously not the author, but has enough similarities to make this work well.

What I didn't like: too much gory detail (it's not for naught that I have never watched Bones) plus, honestly, the TSTL stuff where she goes into places she shouldn't when she is in obvious danger. Sure, some of those times help her solve the case and I get that, but why she can't have a sidekick for safety is beyond me. I am also tired of people getting bonked on the head--this drove me crazy when my husband was reading all of the Hardy Boys books to my son, because it seemed to happen in every single book and how could they have had any brains left after all of those times?

I nominate historical fiction

Bea wrote: "Lauren, I just picked up a free book, which turned out to be Book 2 in this series. Glad to know that you enjoyed Year One. Now to find a copy for myself."

What a coincidence, Bea!
You must read book 1 first. Each installment is based on the previous one. Enjoy!

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman
4 stars

This was actually a reread for me. I previously read the ebook which was terrible because about a third of the pages were missing! The audio was so much better! I got very into the story and enjoyed the unusual structure. It was action packed and had lots going on: an epidemic, space zombies, space war, evil AI.

Used for let's book it and seriously serial
I nominate chick lit

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware
Rating: 2 stars

I know that Ruth Ware is much loved but this is the second book I read by her that I didn't enjoy. I find that the plot holes are too much for me and the books are quite predictable. So, for me I won't be in a rush to read anymore of her works.

Used for Let's Book it.

I read Pride and Prejudice it is definitely one of my favourites I have read it many times. It just captures the time and place

I read Skyward by Brandon Sanderson

5 stars

I was really surprised how much I enjoyed this book! The main character, Spensa was fun to follow in this story. This was my first Brandon Sanderson book, but probably not my last!

I nominate made-me-cry

I read Odd Thomas and used it for LOST and Bookopoly. Rated 4*,

This book surprised me. I was expecting horror...not paranormal. I should have remembered how closely Dean Koontz walks that horror line...enough to raise the goosebumps and worry and not enough to freak me out entirely.

I enjoyed this story. The main character was interesting. So glad I finally got to this LOST book.

I nominate Urban Fantasy.

I read The Midnight Library. It was definitely a page-turner, but not one I especially enjoyed. I gave it 3 stars. I liked the underlying concept of letting go of one's regrets, but it gradually got rather repetitive and therefore somewhat boring, as well as a bit too preachy or "feel-good"y. Also, to get into it, the reader has to suspend a lot of disbelief about how any one person (view spoiler)[ could've had the innate ability to have been able to excel in so many different areas (hide spoiler)], if only her choices had been different. And finally, the ending was way too predictable.

I read The Sundial by Shirley Jackson.



5 stars

There really is no one quite like Ms. Jackson. Her writing is so superb that you can feel immense dread even during the most light-hearted of character conversations. She is a masterpiece of taking the normal, every day situation and weaving in terror and fear. This was is no exception to the rule.

I nominate fairytale

The Enemy (Jack Reacher #8) ★★

I find myself to be totally uninterested in the younger Jack Reacher, meh. I did audio so as usual, any thrillers go pretty fast for me so I supposed it is a bit of a 'page-turner' even if I didn't particularly enjoy this one.

Butterfly: From Refugee to Olympian - My Story of Rescue, Hope, and Triumph ★★★½

Amazing if heartbreaking journey - fairly 'page-turner' as I do want to find out if they're safe! and how.

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making ★★★½

This was sort of fun to read. Aimed at younger age group, of course, but I do like the nods to difft fairy tales etc and found them to be quite clever.

Dealing with Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles #1) ★★★½

Love the dragons in this novel. An unusual, clever and industrious princess to boot - I think I read this in a single sitting. Easy & fun.l

Matched
4 stars

A YA novel set in a dystopia reminiscent of The Giver. The characters were a little simplistic but it was a good world and a good story. An easy to read page turner and I will definitely continue the series.

Read for seriously serial.
I nominate time travel

I read a few page-turning books in June :-)



Book: Blood Bound - 06.07 ★★★★
# Tags: 1
Review:
I feel like the last person in the world who hasn't read this series! I enjoyed this second installment - I understand Mercy's reluctance to get involved with Adam, that she doesn't trust her feelings are real and not a product of his alpha-ness. The whole demon-vampire dynamic is a little scary too!
Challenges: June Let's Book It
Nomination: shifter(s)


Book: The Phantom of the Opera - 06.30 ★★★
# Tags: 2
Review:
I read this for a specifically for a challenge where I needed a book translated FROM another language to English. I was surprised at the readability, I expected stilted language but it was fairly modern. The story was a good mystery - I had to push out of my mind the musical and the bits of movies I've seen to really appreciate the written story. Luckily it's been years since I've seen either. Classics aren't usually my cuppa, but I enjoyed this one.
Challenges: n/a
Nomination: Classics


Book: Darkfever - 06.20 ★★★★
# Tags: 16
Review:
Another series where I feel everyone has read but me! I liked this - not as dark as I expected (probably because of the title). I like Mac, not sure I trust Jericho. I am looking forward to reading more.
Challenges: n/a
Nomination: fae


Book: Shadow of Night - 06.28 ★★★
# Tags: 10
Review:
I felt like this 2nd book was too long and drawn out for the lack of story advancement. I'm a romance reader so did I enjoy the further development of Diana and Matthew's relationship, yes, but there were still large parts of the book that I felt were unnecessary to both the overall story arc and that relationship development. I'm hoping book three is more focused!
Challenges: n/a
Nomination: time travel