Frankie reads 2016

[frankie]

Oh wow, that sounds great! And I really like the cover Thanks for keeping me updated my darling

 

Edit: Have you picked up his first book to read? I've been thinking about reading it... I'd like to place a reservation but my mojo is so fickle these days. I'm enjoying my current read but who knows what mojo is up to after that...  

Edited March 26, 2016 by frankie

[Kylie]

No, I haven't picked it up yet. If you get it from the library, let me know, and I'll see if I can read along with you.

 

I can't remember...do the two brothers get along with each other?

[frankie]

No, I haven't picked it up yet. If you get it from the library, let me know, and I'll see if I can read along with you.

 

Okay, will do!

 

I can't remember...do the two brothers get along with each other?

Well, they butted heads when they were young but I think that was to the normal extent. And I think John Elder was a rather elusive brother, sticking to his own company... Goes with his personality. I do think they get along these days. There's a clip on Youtube about Augusten videoing his brother on a tractor or something and talking about Look Me in the Eye

 

Edit: Here's the clip

 

Edit: "So what that means is that he likes machines, he's real smart and he's sorta rude'. :lol: Sorry, don't mean to offend anyone with Asperger's, I just like how Augusten worded the whole thing. I think it was a bit humoristic on his side. 

Edited March 26, 2016 by frankie

[Kylie]

Thanks for the clip! They're so funny.

 

Augusten: I can't believe the oaf wrote it...

(and then) This is my brother, John Elder Robison...

John: Woof.

 

 

I'm really, really looking forward to reading it now!

[frankie]

Thanks for the clip! They're so funny.

 

Augusten: I can't believe the oaf wrote it...

(and then) This is my brother, John Elder Robison...

John: Woof.

 

 

I'm really, really looking forward to reading it now!

 

Haha, thanks for that transcript, because I couldn't make out what he said in that, meaning the 'oaf' part I loved how John said 'Woof.'  

 

So has this clip enticed you to reading the book sooner than you'd thought? MwHAHHAAHHAHAH  

[frankie]

I had a wonderful dream last night: I was renting this really big apartment, and for only 50e/month When I was checking out the apartment, I found out that it was actually attached to the local library: I could just walk downstairs and make a left and boom! I was inside the library! I was soooo thrilled  

[Athena]

That sounds like a great dream !!

[frankie]

Yep! I'm not very happy with my real apartment at the moment...  

[frankie]

#9. Villi Ami (#Just William) by Richmal Crompton

 

 

From Amazon: In Richmal Compton's Just William the Outlaws plan a day of non-stop adventure. The only problem is that William is meant to be babysitting. But William won't let that stop him having fun with his gang - he'll just bring the baby along!

 

There is only one William. This tousle-headed, snub-nosed, hearty, loveable imp of mischief has been harassing his unfortunate family and delighting his hundreds of thousands of admirers since 1922. This delightful children's classic features a contemporary cover look illustrated by Chris Riddell, along with the original inside illustrations by Thomas Henry, which will bring the antics of the mischievous William Brown to a new generation of children.

 

 

Thoughts: This was for a group read here on the forum I first read the book (some of the books, can't remember which ones) back when I was a kid. I think they were okay books, as a kid. Didn't think too highly of them, but obviously must have tolerated them okay because I kept reading them

 

It's been a while since I read the book now I'm behind on my reviews... The book was much better than I had hoped! It was much pleasanter to read as an adult for some reason William is much more complex in my opinion than the usual kids of this particular genre... Or perhaps not more complex but more well meaning. I don't think he's a caricature of a character, but more rounded. It kind of took me by surprise. 

 

Edit: I've named the book as the Finnish title goes, because the Finnish novel only contains half of the first book in the original English series, for some very peculiar reason  

 

4/5

Edited March 28, 2016 by frankie

[frankie]

10. How to Look for a Lost Dog by Ann M. Martin

 

 

From Amazon: 11-year-old Rose is autistic and struggles to understand her classmates. But when her father gives her a stray dog, which she names Rain, the dog becomes her best friend, her anchor in a confusing world. So when Rain goes missing during a storm, Rose refuses to stop looking for her...

 

 

Thoughts: This book I really, really liked! I picked it up because as you all know I like dogs very much, and I like to read about different psychological and neurological disorders, and the book is by the very author who's written The Baby-Sitters Club series which I used to read as a kid. 

 

It was a really touching story and I loved how well Martin had captured the thinking process of Rose. Rose is a huge fan of homonyms which I thought was a really cool added bonus for me as a reader, being fond of all things linguistic  

 

4/5

[frankie]

11. Christmas on Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand 

 

From Amazon: Christmas on Nantucket finds Winter Street Inn owner Kelley Quinn and his family busily preparing for the holiday season. Though the year has brought tragedy, the Quinns have much to celebrate: Kelley has reunited with his first wife Margaret, Kevin and Isabelle have a new baby; and Ava is finally dating a nice guy.

 

But when Kelley's wife Mitzi shows up on the island, along with Kevin's devious ex-wife Nora and a dangerously irresistible old fling of Ava's, the Inn is suddenly overrun with romantic feuds, not to mention guests. With jealousy, passion, and eggnog consumption at an all-time high, it's going to take a whole lot more than a Christmas miracle to get the Quinns - and the Inn - through the holidays intact.

 

Thoughts: I've read one other book by Hilderbrand before, and when I noticed this book in the recently acquired new books section at the library, I reserved a copy, even though Christmas was already done and dusted. I wasn't disappointed! At a time when I was struggling with my mojo, this easy read kept me thoroughly engrossed and entertained. It was like a ... tonic! (Almost couldn't remember the word... Kept thinking 'toxin', while realizing that wasn't it... )

 

Easily read as a stand alone novel, as I only realized this was a sequel after finishing the novel Wouldn't necessarily recommend this to anyone as I believe you all have more impressive and pressing books to read, though. 

 

3/5

[frankie]

#12. Confess by Colleen Hoover 

 

From Amazon: Auburn Reed has her entire life mapped out. Her goals are in sight and there's no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn't expect to find a deep attraction to the enigmatic artist who works there, Owen Gentry. 

For once, Auburn takes a risk and puts her heart in control, only to discover that Owen is keeping some major secrets from coming out. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything important to Auburn, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it. 

The last thing Owen wants is to lose Auburn, but he can't seem to convince her that truth is sometimes as subjective as art. All he would have to do to save their relationship is confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin…

 

 

Thoughts: I found this novel on the list of new acquisitions on the library's website and thought it was intriguing. And for some reason I thought this book would be more high brow... Maybe because it was about art  

 

It wasn't high brow at all, but oh boy, it was thoroughly captivating. I don't know what it was about it but I didn't want to put it down and I wanted to put my life aside until I'd read the whole thing I guess it was the right book and the right time and the right mood. I think at some other time in life, this might've read as a chick lit book with perhaps not that much to offer... Although I might be too harsh now. 

 

 

 

Nearly gave it a 5/5 but then settled for a 4/5.

[frankie]

13. Edith's Diary by Patricia Highsmith 

 

 

From Amazon: Edith Howland's diary is her most precious possession, and as she is moving house she is making sure it's safe. A suburban housewife in fifties America, she is moving to Brunswick with her husband Brett and her beloved son, Cliffie, to start a new life for them all. She is optimistic, but most of all she has high hopes for her new venture with Brett, a local newspaper, the Brunswick Corner Bugle. Life seems full of promise, and indeed, to read her diary, filled with her most intimate feelings and revelations, you would never think otherwise. Strange, then, that reality is so dangerously different . . .

 

Thoughts: I had high expectations for this one, but they weren't met unfortunately. It was partly to do with a bad timing, and I shouldn't have kept going, but I was expecting something to happen and the novel to pick up... The blurb was a bit different from the Amazon bit above, and it promised more, and I felt it didn't really deliver. I expected there to be more twists along the way. 

 

1/5

[frankie]

#14. Inside the O'Briens by Lisa Genova 

 

From Amazon: Joe O'Brien is a Boston cop; his physical stamina and methodical mind have seen him through decades policing the city streets, while raising a family with his wife Rosie. When he starts committing uncharacteristic errors - mislaying his police weapon, trouble writing up reports, slurred speech - he attributes them to stress. Finally, he agrees to see a doctor and is handed a terrifying, unexpected diagnosis: Huntington's disease. 

Not only is Joe's life set to change beyond recognition, but each of his four grown children has a fifty-fifty chance of inheriting the disease. Observing her potential future play out in his escalating symptoms, his pretty yoga teacher daughter Katie wrestles with how to make the most of the here and now, and how to care for her dad who is, inside, always an O'Brien. Inside the O'Briens is a powerfully true and tender elegy to the resilience of the human spirit.

 

Thoughts: Having loved Still Alice, I had high hopes for this one. I thought it all started well and I couldn't wait to read more, but at some point I began to lose interest. I can't remember why I don't think there was anything extraordinary in this novel. And at least 25% of my invested interest was because I've been watching Monk and therefore I couldn't help but imagine Joe as Lieutenant Stottlemeyer It gave the character more depth  

 

 

 

I thought the ending of the novel was a cop out  (no pun intended). With a different ending, this might've been a decent 3/5 for me. 

 

2/5

[Athena]

Great reviews ! It's a shame not all the books were great for you. I quite liked the homonyms in How to Look for a Lost Dog too. Thank you so much for recommending it to me .

[frankie]

You're welcome, I'm so pleased you liked the book! I've still to review a few books and they will be 2/5... It's been a bad month for me

 

 

I'm currently in the middle of dusting my bookshelves. I'm also keeping an eye out for two books that I cannot remember if I still have the copies or not: The Girl in the Swing and a biography of an Australian poet whose name I can't remember at the moment. She was based in Katoomba! 

Edited March 28, 2016 by frankie

[chaliepud]

I'm glad you enjoyed Confess, I did give it 5* on GR but in reality it was probably a 9/10, I agree about Inside The O'Briens, it was a little too predictable for me, I was more generous with a 3* rating but probably only because it was an easy read and reasonably held my attention.

[Kylie]

So has this clip enticed you to reading the book sooner than you'd thought? MwHAHHAAHHAHAH

 

Yes, you've enticed me, but I'll still try and wait for you. No promises though! And stop evil laughing at me!!

 

I had a wonderful dream last night: I was renting this really big apartment, and for only 50e/month When I was checking out the apartment, I found out that it was actually attached to the local library: I could just walk downstairs and make a left and boom! I was inside the library!

 

Best dream ever!! Does that mean you could go in at night, when no one else was around?

 

I'm not very happy with my real apartment at the moment...

 

Aw, no! PM me. (Please. )

 

10. How to Look for a Lost Dog by Ann M. Martin

 

4/5

 

Awesome! Did I ever tell you that when I found out about this book I meant to tell you straight away, because I know you used to like BSC, and of course there's dogs. But I forgot to tell you.  Luckily you found it on your own anyway!

 

What age range would you say this is aimed at? Similar to BSC books? Or maybe a bit older? I remember reading an Ann M Martin book about a missing child. I think it was called Missing Since Monday. I'd say that was aimed at slightly older kids (I don't think the BSC members ever dealt with kidnappings!) I bet I still have that book around somewhere...

 

13. Edith's Diary by Patricia Highsmith 

 

1/5

 

This is on my wish list (along with everything Highsmith has ever written). Is this the first Highsmith you've read? Of the three books I've read of hers so far, I'd say that they're all sort of slow burners. Very much psychological. I also find that I have trouble comprehending the way her characters act. They seem to say and do things that I find pretty unnatural. But somehow it doesn't bother me in the end, because I always rate her books at least 9/10. They just get to me in ways that other books don't.

 

I've still to review a few books and they will be 2/5... It's been a bad month for me

 

 

I'm also keeping an eye out for two books that I cannot remember if I still have the copies or not: The Girl in the Swing and a biography of an Australian poet whose name I can't remember at the moment. She was based in Katoomba! 

 

Fingers crossed that April will be a much better reading month for you! 

 

Did you buy the biography in Australia? I can't think of any poets based in Katoomba (actually, I only know the names of a couple of our most famous Australian poets, but neither of them are female and both died 60–100 years ago).

[frankie]

I'm glad you enjoyed Confess, I did give it 5* on GR but in reality it was probably a 9/10, I agree about Inside The O'Briens, it was a little too predictable for me, I was more generous with a 3* rating but probably only because it was an easy read and reasonably held my attention. 

 

Wow, I don't think I knew you've also read Confess! I still think about how engrossing it was. Have you read any other books by the author? I don't know if I should give them a go... She seems to have some massive fans, CoHo fanatics... Noticed it when I was reading some reviews on GR or somewhere. 

 

Weren't you annoyed by the end of ItO though? 

 

Yes, you've enticed me, but I'll still try and wait for you. No promises though! And stop evil laughing at me!! 

 

  *girly giggle*

 

Best dream ever!! Does that mean you could go in at night, when no one else was around? 

 Yes I think that was possible! I visited it during the day and had a lot of other stuff to explore, too, so no night-time visits in the dream, but I do think it was a possibility  

 

Oddly enough (I usually never have recurring dreams except for one where my Gramma is still alive) I had a dream last night where I was looking for a new apartment again and I thought in the dream, at least I'll always have the flat with the library attached to it Splendid!!

 

Aw, no! PM me. (Please. )

 

 Done  

 

Awesome! Did I ever tell you that when I found out about this book I meant to tell you straight away, because I know you used to like BSC, and of course there's dogs. But I forgot to tell you.  Luckily you found it on your own anyway!

 

I don't think you told me that you'd thought about telling me. No worries though as I found out about it myself     You've been a great recommender and reminder of new books for me lately! What with John Elder Robison and Augusten Burroughs  

 

 

What age range would you say this is aimed at? Similar to BSC books? Or maybe a bit older? I remember reading an Ann M Martin book about a missing child. I think it was called Missing Since Monday. I'd say that was aimed at slightly older kids (I don't think the BSC members ever dealt with kidnappings!) I bet I still have that book around somewhere...

 I'm really bad at figuring out age ranges... I'd say it's the same as BSC. I don't know It's not YA stuff in my opinion. Not late teenager books. 

 

This is on my wish list (along with everything Highsmith has ever written). Is this the first Highsmith you've read? Of the three books I've read of hers so far, I'd say that they're all sort of slow burners. Very much psychological. I also find that I have trouble comprehending the way her characters act. They seem to say and do things that I find pretty unnatural. But somehow it doesn't bother me in the end, because I always rate her books at least 9/10. They just get to me in ways that other books don't. 

 

I've read the first Ripley novel which I really enjoyed and liked (can't remember what rating I gave it... Probably 3/5 or 4/5. And I would love to read the other books in the series, too. But this one just didn't do it for me unfortunately! They are psychological books but I found that this one lacked twists and elements of that. There wasn't enough story to the actual story. Highsmith did a great job with the atmosphere as it was oppressing, but I wanted more story to the book. I was so sad not to like the book and I just knew it would make you sad. If it's any consolation, I've definitely not written off Highsmith as an author I'll read books by in the future!!   

 

Fingers crossed that April will be a much better reading month for you!  

 Thanks! I'm really enjoying my current read at the moment. Another Linwood Barclay to get my mojo going Thank goodness for Linwood Barclay!! Hail Canada... 

 

Did you buy the biography in Australia? I can't think of any poets based in Katoomba (actually, I only know the names of a couple of our most famous Australian poets, but neither of them are female and both died 60–100 years ago).

 

Yeah I bought it in Australia. I had never heard of her before in my life. I'm pretty sure I bought the book at the book fair. Someone had left a school photo of a kid in between the pages, too. I thought it was sad that they'd misplaced the photo but at the same time the book felt all the more special for it. Sadly I've since given the book away  

 

The book's called The Importance of Being Eve Langley! Recognize her name? 

[frankie]

Reading summary for March

 

 

March

14 Inside the O'Briens by Lisa Genova   2/5

15 Ukkosmyrskyä rivarissa by Ritva Pesonen  2/5

16 What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty - library loan  2/5

- Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin - library loan - took back, didn't have the time

- Pines by Blake Crouch - library loan - took back, didn't have the time

- Alice and the Fly by James Rice - library loan - took back, didn't have the time

- Joyland by Stephen King - library loan - took back, didn't have the time

 

What a terrible month bookwise! My mojo abandoned me completely for a while. And the books I did manage to read and finish were not that great, either. I probably picked up some books to read and started them and abandoned them, but I didn't feel like writing them down as that would've depressed me even more  

[frankie]

#16. What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty 

 

Amazon: Alice Love is twenty-nine, crazy about her husband, and pregnant with her first child.

 

So imagine Alice’s surprise when she comes to on the floor of a gym (a gym! She HATES the gym) and is whisked off to the hospital where she discovers the honeymoon is truly over — she’s getting divorced, she has three kids, and she’s actually 39 years old. Alice must reconstruct the events of a lost decade, and find out whether it’s possible to reconstruct her life at the same time. She has to figure out why her sister hardly talks to her, and how is it that she’s become one of those super skinny moms with really expensive clothes. Ultimately, Alice must discover whether forgetting is a blessing or a curse, and whether it’s possible to start over…

 

 

Thoughts: I've read and loved Moriarty's The Husband's Secret and Big Little Lies. I had high hopes for this one, too. It was okay, but it shows that it's one of Moriarty's earlier novels. The story flowed decently but it wasn't as captivating as the two other novels, and there were a few things I didn't feel were explained as well as I'd hoped and expected. And the ending was really, really terrible. It took away one star from my rating. 

 

2/5

[frankie]

17. The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow by Katherine Woodfine 

 

From Amazon: Katherine Woodfine's bestselling debut novel. A fast-paced historical mystery adventure for readers aged 9+, with gorgeous Edwardian period detail. Perfect for fans of Enid Blyton, Chris Riddell's Goth Girl and Robin Stevens' Murder Most Unladylike series. 

 

You are cordially invited to attend the Grand Opening of Sinclair’s department store!

Enter a world of bonbons, hats, perfumes and MYSTERIES around every corner. WONDER at the daring theft of the priceless CLOCKWORK SPARROW! TREMBLE as the most DASTARDLY criminals in London enact their wicked plans! GASP as our bold heroines, Miss Sophie Taylor and Miss Lilian Rose, CRACK CODES, DEVOUR ICED BUNS and vow to bring the villains to justice… 

*** 

Thoughts: My records do not show it, but I think this went on my wishlist thanks to chesilbeach or poppyshake, or both. And for some reason I thought this was a novel for kids, and when I read it, I didn't feel it was for kids at all. And then I read the amazon bit as I was copy+pasting it to this post, and I saw the add for over 9yo's. I then remembered that yep, the main characters were 16 years old or something like that... For some reason I couldn't help but see them as a bit older. Perhaps in their early 20s.  

And I couldn't help but think of Mr Selfridge ... Which was totally allowed in hindsight because the comparison has been made in other media. Phew! 

A totally readable book! I liked the setting and premise, and the whole department store thing. It was nothing truly amazing but it was still entertaining. I did take too many days to read it through, which probably dampened my enjoyment a bit, but never mind. 

I thought the sequel would be out already, and was surprised to see at the end of the novel the next book being advertised to come out in 2016. For some reason I took that to mean next year... Yesterday I was looking through the new acquired books section at the library, once again, and I noticed that they've just gotten a copy of the sequel, so I reserved a copy  

3/5

[Alexander the Great]

I just saw that you've read "Summerhouse with Swimming Pool" by Herman Koch back in January. I bought this novel yesterday at a book fair - I bought the Dutch version, though, since I'm Belgian and Dutch is my first language. Whenever possible, I like to read a novel in the language it was originally published in.

 

This'll probably sound stupid, but I'm a little confused whether this is a sequel to "The Dinner"? I feel like it was hyped as a sequel to that succes novel when it first came out, but my memory might be playing tricks on me. Also, I'd be interested in reading your thoughts on "The Dinner", do you have a link to that?

[frankie]

I just saw that you've read "Summerhouse with Swimming Pool" by Herman Koch back in January. I bought this novel yesterday at a book fair - I bought the Dutch version, though, since I'm Belgian and Dutch is my first language. Whenever possible, I like to read a novel in the language it was originally published in.

I'm the same way And of course you'd want to read it in Dutch as that's the language it was originally written in and that's your native language, too. You get all the original benefits from the novel

 

 

 

This'll probably sound stupid, but I'm a little confused whether this is a sequel to "The Dinner"? I feel like it was hyped as a sequel to that succes novel when it first came out, but my memory might be playing tricks on me. Also, I'd be interested in reading your thoughts on "The Dinner", do you have a link to that?

 

Not a stupid question at all! But no, it's not a sequel to The Dinner. Both are standalone novels. I think maybe they hyped it as another great novel by the author who wrote The Dinner? Here's my thoughts on the novel. 

 

I've also read Dear Mr. M. which I also enjoyed. I'm hoping they'd translate more of Koch's novels into Finnish and English (I think he's written quite a few books which haven't been translated into English, before his big hit The Dinner.)

 

Also, I'm now curious about your other buys at the book fair! Any chance you'll post about them in your reading log? I envy you, I wish we had book fairs over here, too  

Edited April 10, 2016 by frankie

[Athena]

What a terrible month bookwise! My mojo abandoned me completely for a while. And the books I did manage to read and finish were not that great, either. I probably picked up some books to read and started them and abandoned them, but I didn't feel like writing them down as that would've depressed me even more

 

 

Awww . I hope April will be a nicer reading month for you .

 

I just saw that you've read "Summerhouse with Swimming Pool" by Herman Koch back in January. I bought this novel yesterday at a book fair - I bought the Dutch version, though, since I'm Belgian and Dutch is my first language. Whenever possible, I like to read a novel in the language it was originally published in.

Was it on Het Boekenfestijn? That's where I buy quite a few books, on that book fair (when it's near me). In fact, I bought Zomerhuis Met Zwembad there last October .