It's that time again! I love showing you what books have had me planted on my butt all month when I should have been doing housework. Let's get started!
The Nest - I was really excited about this book! It has a great list of characters who were all very interesting, unlike any characters I've met in books before. The situations the band of siblings has gotten themselves into is quite interesting.
How Sweeney has intricately woven these seemingly estranged siblings together gives us a story line that is a perfect mix of hard-to-grasp and can't- put-down. I was asking questions until the very end.
Leo is the crux of his family's problems. His siblings don't know what to think of them, let alone themselves. Money is the fuel behind Beatrice, Jack and Melody's problems and it's a shame to see so many people - who seem to have the potential have so many things going for-them all sacrifice happiness for the sake of "The Nest" - money they think/assume they are going to get their hands on. They've all basically been sitting on their asses their entire lives waiting on the world to change for them and anticipating that all their problems will disappear once the money finally arrives.
When that windfall is in jeopardy, the Plumb family finally has to stop and look around and take stock in their lives. And each other.
This is the book to read if you love family sagas, lots of storylines and engaging characters. It's a win win!
It's a great story that made me want to stop and call my sisters.
Whenever I read "family drama and secrets" I am always sucked right in. I still think about This Is Where I Leave You all the time. And Roses? Don't even get me started. I think it all stems back from me reading Zoya by Danielle Steel as a teen.
Dumplin' by Julie Murphy - The only thing bad about Dumplin' is that I didn't read it while I was a teenager myself, I could have really used Willowdean's spunk and self-awareness as inspiration! I just adore this story and these characters.Cute story with memorable characters! I love Willowdean and her family. I didn't realize this was a "YA" book until I was too far in, but I wasn't going to stop because I really enjoyed the story, even if it was a little juvenile for my taste as far as conversation and story lines go. However, the theme of the book is such an important lessen that all women-girls, old and young- need to learn and that's about self love and confidence.
Willowdean has many people in her circle: a mother who is missing the beat as far as being a confidence boosting parent, a deceased aunt that left a lasting impression and a friend that Willowdean will only appreciate once she losses her.
As an overweight teen, there are some major holes missing in Willowdean's life, especially the one left by her mother, who is more involved in coordinating the city's local beauty pageant than nurturing her own daughter. But that doesn't stop Willowdean from entering that pageant on her own to prove something to her mom. The magic happens when Willowdean learns something much deeper from herself...
A great read that reminds me of the lessons I learned from Judy Bloom when I was young.
The Queen of the Night - Didn't finish this one. It's a big ol' boy and I just couldn't get into it. There were scenes that I was totally engrossed in and then the next thing I knew, we were in a different place, time, story and I just couldn't keep. If the author has spent as much time setting up the scenes as she did describing the costumes, we would have been just fine. I just need books that leave no detail unturned and this just wasn't delivering like I needed it to.
That's it! I know it's a skinny little reading list but I just had a slow month I guess! I'm currently reading some really good ones so I hope next month's link up is a little more exciting for me.
The Nest - I was really excited about this book! It has a great list of characters who were all very interesting, unlike any characters I've met in books before. The situations the band of siblings has gotten themselves into is quite interesting.
How Sweeney has intricately woven these seemingly estranged siblings together gives us a story line that is a perfect mix of hard-to-grasp and can't- put-down. I was asking questions until the very end.
Leo is the crux of his family's problems. His siblings don't know what to think of them, let alone themselves. Money is the fuel behind Beatrice, Jack and Melody's problems and it's a shame to see so many people - who seem to have the potential have so many things going for-them all sacrifice happiness for the sake of "The Nest" - money they think/assume they are going to get their hands on. They've all basically been sitting on their asses their entire lives waiting on the world to change for them and anticipating that all their problems will disappear once the money finally arrives.
When that windfall is in jeopardy, the Plumb family finally has to stop and look around and take stock in their lives. And each other.
This is the book to read if you love family sagas, lots of storylines and engaging characters. It's a win win!
It's a great story that made me want to stop and call my sisters.
Whenever I read "family drama and secrets" I am always sucked right in. I still think about This Is Where I Leave You all the time. And Roses? Don't even get me started. I think it all stems back from me reading Zoya by Danielle Steel as a teen.
Willowdean has many people in her circle: a mother who is missing the beat as far as being a confidence boosting parent, a deceased aunt that left a lasting impression and a friend that Willowdean will only appreciate once she losses her.
As an overweight teen, there are some major holes missing in Willowdean's life, especially the one left by her mother, who is more involved in coordinating the city's local beauty pageant than nurturing her own daughter. But that doesn't stop Willowdean from entering that pageant on her own to prove something to her mom. The magic happens when Willowdean learns something much deeper from herself...
A great read that reminds me of the lessons I learned from Judy Bloom when I was young.
The Queen of the Night - Didn't finish this one. It's a big ol' boy and I just couldn't get into it. There were scenes that I was totally engrossed in and then the next thing I knew, we were in a different place, time, story and I just couldn't keep. If the author has spent as much time setting up the scenes as she did describing the costumes, we would have been just fine. I just need books that leave no detail unturned and this just wasn't delivering like I needed it to.
That's it! I know it's a skinny little reading list but I just had a slow month I guess! I'm currently reading some really good ones so I hope next month's link up is a little more exciting for me.
What did you read in March?
As always thanks to my bookworm ladies, Jana and Steph for a great link up!
I adored Dumplin. I wish all high school girls read it.
ReplyDeleteWaiting on The Nest to come in at the library.
Still waiting on Queen of the Night from the library. Yours isn't the first mixed review I've seen, but I'll give it a go.
ReplyDeleteI finally got my hands on The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro last month. It was amazing!
Vivacious Reads
This is the 2nd time I've seen "The Nest" pop up today. I'm going to have to add it to my list :)
ReplyDeleteSarah
The Midwest Darling
Dumplin' is the best! It was one of my favorites that I read last year, so happy you enjoyed it also!
ReplyDeletei added the nest to my list, i keep hearing about it. i loved dumplin, i totally agree - wish i had read it as a teenager!
ReplyDeleteI'm waiting for The Nest to come in from the library. I read and like Dumplin'.
ReplyDeleteThe Nest sounds interesting :) Adding it my list to get at the library!
ReplyDeleteDumplin' is one of my favorites of last year and I just picked up her other book, Side Effects May Vary. Still waiting on The Nest and I feel I will be for awhile.
ReplyDeleteI really need to read Dumplin'. It sounds like a book I would love!
ReplyDeleteDumplin is on my list and I've only heard great things about it. I'm on the waiting list for The Nest and it will probably be a couple of months before I get my greedy little hands on it. The Queen of the Night is on my TBR too but there definitely seems to be a mixed reaction to it. I think the premise sounds good but perhaps it doesn't live up to it. Still plan to check it out, although it's not an urgent, move-to-the-top book for me.
ReplyDeleteI really liked Dumplin too. I have The Nest on hold at the library. I'm mad at myself because it was available and I completely forgot to go pick it up and the hold expired so I had to get back in line for it.
ReplyDeleteI'm really looking forward to both Dumplin' and The Nest. I've read another of Julie Murphy's books, not everyone loved it, but I did! - Side Effects May Vary.
ReplyDeleteDumplin' was so good but so full of teen angst it was hard for me to relate to lots of it.
ReplyDeleteQueen of the Night sounds like it had promise, it's hard for me to get into a book that changes back and forth from something that interest me a lot to something that doesn't.
The Nest is getting a lot of buzz lately and I'm glad to hear you liked it! It's on my TBR...I really enjoy family sagas too.
ReplyDeleteI am really enjoying The Nest right now. I listened to the first hour or so of The Queen of the Night on audio and gave up. I found my thought drifting too often. I have since picked up a print version, but I'm not sure if I will read it or not.
ReplyDeleteThe Nest has such a beautiful cover!! And I love the way you photographed it! Awesome post :)
ReplyDeleteI've heard about The NEst and Dumplin and they sound really interesting! I never heard about The Queen of the Night. The cover looks creepy and a bit oldschool though.
ReplyDeleteTasya // The Literary Huntress