readingtangent (Elizabeth)'s 2017 ROOTs

Keskustelu2017 ROOT (READ OUR OWN TOMES)

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readingtangent (Elizabeth)'s 2017 ROOTs

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1readingtangent
Muokkaaja: tammikuu 2, 2017, 9:50 pm

Hi, I'm Elizabeth and this is my 3rd year ROOTing :). I read a lot of YA, historical romance, sci-fi, horror, and non-fiction of various sorts, but I will give just about anything a chance. Most of my unread books are in digital format but there are still some physical ones lying around that I need to get to as well.

My goal for this year will be 46 ROOTs, up one from 2016. Anything I owned prior to January 1st, 2017 will count, including re-reads. I'll also be keeping track of my overall books read for the year and any new ones I buy (which hopefully won't be very many :)).









2readingtangent
Muokkaaja: tammikuu 2, 2018, 12:56 am

ROOTs read so far:

JANUARY
1) Tales from the Clerks - Kevin Smith
2) The Secret History of Twin Peaks - Mark Frost
3) Seven Deadly Sins - Corey Taylor
4) Star Wars: Chewbacca - Gerry Dugan
5) Supernatural: Heart of the Dragon - Keith R.A. DeCandido
6) Factotum - Charles Bukowski
7) The War of Art - Steven Pressfield

FEBRUARY
8) Post Office - Charles Bukowski
9) Heartless - Marissa Meyer
10) Dressed To Kiss - Madeline Hunter, others
11) With My Eyes Wide Open - Brian "Head" Welch
12) Got the Life - Fieldy
13) Dancing Through Life: Steps of Courage and Conviction - Candace Cameron Bure

MARCH
14) Amethyst - Lauren Royal
15) A Million Little Ways - Emily P. Freeman
16) Once Upon A Bride - Glynnis Campbell, others
17) A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Betty Smith

APRIL
18) Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less - Greg McKeown
19) The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle Book II) - Maggie Stiefvater

MAY
20) Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle Book III) - Maggie Stiefvater
21) The Raven King (The Raven Cycle Book IV) - Maggie Stiefvater
22) Holy Cow - David Duchovny
23) A Life That Says Welcome - Karen Ehman
24) Dead Is So Last Year - Marlene Perez
25) Size 12 Is Not Fat - Meg Cabot
26) Deadpool Vol. 2: Soul Hunters - Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan
27) Deadpool Vol. 3: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly - Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan

JUNE
28) Size 14 Is Not Fat Either - Meg Cabot
29) Violet - Lauren Royal

JULY
30) Just Kids - Patti Smith
31) Every Last Word - Tamara Ireland Stone

AUGUST
32) Lily - Lauren Royal
33) Supernatural: Coyote's Kiss - Christa Faust
34) Love and Respect - Dr. Emerson Eggerichs
35) Ghost Gifts - Laura Spinella
36) How to Live a Good Life - Jonathan Fields
37) The Storm Lord - Tanith Lee

SEPTEMBER
38) Bucky F*cking Dent - David Duchovny
39) The Mediator #1: Shadowland - Meg Cabot
40) The Mediator #2: Ninth Key - Meg Cabot
41) The Mediator #3: Reunion - Meg Cabot
42) The Mediator #4: Darkest Hour - Meg Cabot

OCTOBER
43) The Light At The End - John Skipp and Craig Spector
44) The Mediator #5: Haunted - Meg Cabot
45) The Mediator #6: Twilight - Meg Cabot
46) Proposal: A Mediator Novella - Meg Cabot

NOVEMBER
47) Once Upon A Winter's Eve: A Spindle Cove Novella - Tessa Dare
48) Deadpool: World's Greatest, Vol. 1 - Gerry Duggan
49) Deadpool: World's Greatest, Vol. 2 - Gerry Duggan
50) Deadpool: Dracula's Gauntlet - Gerry Duggan
51) Deadpool: Suicide Kings - Mike Benson
52) Rose - Lauren Royal

DECEMBER
53) Hawkeye vs. Deadpool - Gerry Duggan
54) Deadpool's Art of War - Peter David
55) Deadpool: The Ones With Deadpool - Paul Scheer

3readingtangent
Muokkaaja: tammikuu 2, 2018, 12:53 am

Other books read:

JANUARY
1) Surrender of a Siren - Tessa Dare
2) Star Wars: Han Solo - Marjorie Liu
3) Sweet Valley High #17: Love Letters - Kate William

FEBRUARY
4) Sweet Valley High #18: Head Over Heels - Kate William
5) No Place To Hide - Glenn Greenwald

MARCH
6) Sweet Valley High #19: Showdown - Kate William

APRIL
7) Amber - Lauren Royal
8) Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui - Karen Kingston
9) Sweet Valley High #20: Crash Landing - Kate William
10) Jem and the Holograms, Vol. 1: Showtime - Kelly Thompson
11) Jem and the Holograms, Vol. 2: Viral - Kelly Thompson
12) Jem and the Holograms, Vol. 3: Dark Jem - Kelly Thompson

MAY
13) Sweet Valley High #21: Runaway - Kate William

JUNE
14) Deadpool Vol. 4: Deadpool Vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. - Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan
15) Big Boned - Meg Cabot
16) Sweet Valley High #1: Double Love - Kate Willam
17) Size 12 and Ready to Rock - Meg Cabot

JULY
18) City of Fallen Angels - Cassandra Clare
19) Sweet Valley High #22: Too Much In Love - Kate William
20) The Bride Wore Size 12 - Meg Cabot
21) Running On Empty - Jonice Webb, PhD.
22) The Scandalous, Dissolute, No Good Mr. Wright - Tessa Dare (novella)
23) Sweet Valley High #23: Say Goodbye - Kate William

AUGUST
24) Deadpool Vol. 5: Wedding of Deadpool - Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan, others

SEPTEMBER
25) The Fireman - Joe Hill
26) Sweet Valley High #24: Memories - Kate William

OCTOBER
27) Sweet Valley High #25: Nowhere to Run - Kate William
28) Horrorstor - Grady Hendrix
29) Slade House - David Mitchell
30) Sweet Valley High #26: Hostage! - Kate William
31) Midnight Kiss Collection (Four Paranormal Romance Novellas) - Sarra Cannon and others
32) My Best Friend's Exorcism - Grady Hendrix

NOVEMBER
33) Star Wars: Ahsoka - E.K. Johnston
34) Deadpool Vol. 6: Original Sin - Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan
35) Deadpool Vol. 7: AXIS - Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan
36) Deadpool Vol. 8: All Good Things - Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan
37) Deadpool Corps. Vol. 2: You Say You Want a Revolution - Victor Gischler
38) Season For Surrender - Theresa Romain
39) Uncanny Avengers: Unity Vol. 1: Lost Future - Gerry Duggan
40) Spider-Man/Deadpool Vol. 1: Isn't It Bromantic? - Joe Kelly
41) Deadpool and the Mercs for Money Vol. 0: Cullen Bunn
42) Uncanny Avengers: Unity Vol. 2: The Man Who Fell to Earth - Gerry Duggan
43) Mercs for Money Vol. 1 - Cullen Bunn
44) Mercs for Money Vol. 2 - Cullen Bunn
45) Deadpool, World's Greatest Vol. 3 - Gerry Duggan
46) Deadpool, World's Greatest Vol. 4 - Gerry Duggan
47) Deadpool, World's Greatest Vol. 5 - Gerry Duggan
48) Uncanny Avengers: Unity Vol. 3: Civil War II - Gerry Duggan
49) Deadpool, World's Greatest Vol. 6 - Gerry Duggan
50) Uncanny Avengers: Unity Vol. 4: Red Skull - Gerry Duggan

DECEMBER
51) Mediator #7: Remembrance - Meg Cabot
52) Sweet Valley High #27: Lovestruck - Kate Williams
53) The Cavalier's Christmas Bride - Lauren Royal
54) When The Snow Falls - Fern Michaels and others
55) Sweet Valley High #28: Alone In The Crowd - Kate William
56) What Happens Under the Mistletoe - Sabrina Jeffries and others
57) Deadpool: Too Soon? - Joshua Corin
58) Deadpool vs. Thanos - Tim Seeley

4readingtangent
Muokkaaja: tammikuu 2, 2018, 12:55 am

New acquisitions (struck through if read):

JANUARY
1) Surrender of a Siren - Tessa Dare
2) No Place to Hide - Glenn Greenwald
3) Amber - Lauren Royal

FEBRUARY
4) Once Upon A Kiss (anthology) - various authors
5) A Singular Lady - Megan Frampton
6) Life in Victorian England - Christopher Hibbert

MARCH
7) The Fireman - Joe Hill
8) Georgiana Darcy's Diary - Anna Elliott
9) The Art of Temptation - Lauren Royal
10) Darkness, I - Tanith Lee
11) Neuromancer - William Gibson

APRIL
12) Year Zero - Rob Reid
13) Stuffocation - James Wallman
14) Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui - Karen Kingston
15) Of Beast and Beauty - Stacey Jay

MAY
16) Why Do Dukes Fall In Love? - Megan Frampton
17) American Heritage History of the United States - Douglas Brinkley
18) Uprooted - Naomi Novik
19) Just Listen - Sarah Dessen

JUNE
20) The Scandalous, Dissolute, No Good Mr. Wright - Tessa Dare (novella)
21) Running on Empty - Jonice Webb, PhD.
22) One Dance with a Duke - Tessa Dare

JULY
23) Season For Surrender - Theresa Romain
24) The Clockwork Scarab - Colleen Gleason
25) When The Snow Falls - Fern Michaels and others
26) Horrorstor - Grady Hendrix
27) Supernatural: Night Terror - John Passarella
28) Twice Loved - Wendy Lindstrom
29) The Grayson Brothers Boxed Set - Wendy Lindstrom

SEPTEMBER
30) Supernatural: Carved in Flesh - Tim Waggoner
31) The Black Angel - Barbara Samuel
32) The Fairhope Boxed Set - Sarra Cannon
33) The Fear of Letting Go - Sarra Cannon
34) Outlander Book 1 - Diana Gabaldon
35) The Icarus Hunt - Timothy Zahn

OCTOBER
36) Slade House - David Mitchell
37) Midnight Kiss Collection - Sarra Cannon and others
38) My Best Friend's Exorcism - Grady Hendrix
39) Star Wars: Ahsoka - E.K. Johnston

NOVEMBER
40) Lady Be Bad - Megan Frampton
41) Lure - Alyssa Rose Ivy
42) Stronger: Forty Days of Metal and Spirituality - Brian Welch
43) Four Weddings and a Sixpence - Julia Quinn and others
44) What Happens Under the Mistletoe - Sabrina Jeffries and others
45) Holiday Pleasures Bundle - Theresa Romain
46) Texas Bride - Joan Johnston

DECEMBER
47) The Cavalier's Christmas Bride - Lauren Royal
48) Dark Desires - Eve Silver
49) Dark Prince - Eve Silver
50) Fear the Drowning Deep - Sarah Glenn Marsh
51) Fugitives and Refugees - Chuck Palahniuk
52) Star Wars: Thrawn - Timothy Zahn
53) The Boy Next Door - Meg Cabot
54) Beguilement - Lois McMaster Bujold

5MissWatson
tammikuu 3, 2017, 10:58 am

Glad to see you're back, Elizabeth. Happy ROOTing!

6avanders
tammikuu 3, 2017, 11:59 am

Welcome Back & Happy 2017 ROOTing!

Hee hee, it's always the goal to not buy too many new books, isn't it..... ;)

7billiejean
tammikuu 3, 2017, 12:03 pm

Best of luck in 2017 with reading those old books. I myself love the digital books. But I just got an email from amazon regarding free and 99 cent books, so I have already added. I can't resist.

I look forward to seeing what you are reading. It looks like we read some similar things.

8avanders
tammikuu 3, 2017, 12:10 pm

>7 billiejean: you're already a part of the Amazon's Kindle First program, right?
I think anyone can join.. they send 5-6 books to pick from each month.. and if you're an Amazon prime member, the book is free to download.. and if you're not, I think it's still only $1 or $2 to download.. :) I can't help myself most months.....

9rabbitprincess
tammikuu 3, 2017, 6:01 pm

Welcome back and good luck with your goal!

10readingtangent
tammikuu 3, 2017, 6:49 pm

>5 MissWatson: Thanks!

>6 avanders: Ha. Yes, the perpetual goal :). At least I managed to cut back a bit last year...a bit.

>7 billiejean: Thanks! Those emails are so evil. Ha :). I give in to the $1.99 and 0.99 digital titles a lot but lately I've managed to stick to ones that were already on my wish list :).

>8 avanders: I'm in that program, too, and I recently discovered most (maybe all?) of the titles are available to borrow from the Kindle Owner's Lending Library or through Prime Reading if you're a Prime member. So if you have trouble deciding between 2 titles one month, you can still borrow the other one later...I'm not helping, am I? :)

>9 rabbitprincess: Thank you!

11karenmarie
tammikuu 3, 2017, 6:53 pm

Hi Elizabeth! Good luck with your ROOTing this year. Only 25 books to be bought in 2017? I admire your restraint!

12Tess_W
tammikuu 3, 2017, 7:05 pm

Good luck in 2017!

13avanders
tammikuu 4, 2017, 9:38 am

>10 readingtangent: nice! I did okay 2 years ago, but last year was pretty bad. I'm hoping to get back on the wagon w/ book buying this year...
Ooh, I didn't realize that about the titles being available through Prime Reading! Good to know, thanks! lol well, you're helping in one sense..... ;)

14connie53
tammikuu 5, 2017, 10:14 am

Welcome back, Elizabeth and Happy ROOTing.

15Familyhistorian
tammikuu 8, 2017, 2:08 am

Good luck with your ROOTing.

16billiejean
tammikuu 8, 2017, 4:48 pm

Yes, I love kindle first and I pick a book every month! Limiting to my wishlist is not good enough as my wishlist is way too long. I need to work on self-restraint.

17connie53
tammikuu 9, 2017, 10:16 am

>16 billiejean: Who of us doesn't?

18avanders
tammikuu 11, 2017, 10:59 am

>16 billiejean: it's hard to *not* pick a free book! ;)
and yes, I think we're all working toward that whole "self-restraint" thing.... ;)

19readingtangent
tammikuu 12, 2017, 7:25 pm

>11 karenmarie: Thanks! Ha, I picked the number 25 arbitrarily. It would be great if I actually stuck to it but we'll see. I think I started out with a goal of 25 last year, too, and ultimately ended up with 53 :/.

20readingtangent
tammikuu 12, 2017, 7:25 pm

21readingtangent
tammikuu 12, 2017, 7:42 pm

>12 Tess_W: Lol, "back on the wagon." :) I'm hoping to stay on the wagon this year as well!

And sure, happy to "help" with the Prime Reading thing :).

22readingtangent
tammikuu 12, 2017, 7:47 pm

>16 billiejean: My wish list is long, too, and actually I have multiple ones (different genres and categories) but it seems like the titles on them rarely go on sale. It's probably strange to be thankful the books I want are too expensive, but I am because it keeps me from buying them :)!

>17 connie53: So true.

>18 avanders: Good luck to us all with that.

23billiejean
tammikuu 20, 2017, 6:26 pm

I decided to go a week without getting any kindle books, even for 99 cents. That expires at midnight. I think I might make it. But then will I get too many to make up for it?

24readingtangent
tammikuu 22, 2017, 7:38 pm

>23 billiejean: Did you make it? :) I know what you mean. I am trying to hold off buying anything until my birthday (April) but I'm worried when I let myself shop again, I'll just undo all my progress so far :/.

25readingtangent
tammikuu 22, 2017, 7:40 pm

I have ROOTs to post but am having issues with the covers, so for now I just updated my tickers. Hopefully tomorrow I can post my write-ups.

I'm doing ok in the buying department so far. I've bought two books this month and already read one :).

26avanders
tammikuu 23, 2017, 11:34 am

>23 billiejean: >24 readingtangent: that was one of my concerns (at times, realized) during the years where I tried to limit myself too strictly in acquisitions... hope it paid off better for you!

>25 readingtangent: hmm... hopefully the internet treats you better today!

27readingtangent
tammikuu 24, 2017, 7:23 pm

>26 avanders: Yep, I think I got it straightened out. It was something messed up with my Dropbox :).

28readingtangent
tammikuu 24, 2017, 7:26 pm

ROOT #1

Title: Tales From the Clerks

Author: Kevin Smith

Cover:



Format: trade paperback

When/how acquired: 12/2009

Amazon description:

Collects the contents from the Clerks, Chasing Dogma and Bluntman & Chronic books together with one new story and a 15-page, never before reprinted story.

Comments:

I got this for my husband as a Christmas present back in 2009.

Recently, we re-watched all of the "View Askew-niverse" movies and it motivated me to finally read this collection of related comic book stories we've had for a while. I enjoyed the stories featuring Dante and Randal the most, but the whole book had funny parts. If you’re a fan of this stuff, you’ll pretty much know what to expect but honestly, as my husband warned me when I started, “That’s a lot of Kevin Smith.” He was right. I got tired of the raunch after a while. I’d recommend spacing the reading out over time :).

29readingtangent
Muokkaaja: tammikuu 24, 2017, 7:33 pm

ROOT #2

Title: The Secret History of Twin Peaks

Author: Mark Frost

Cover:



Format: Kindle e-book

When/how acquired: Christmas gift, 2016

Amazon description:

From the co-creator of the landmark series, the story millions of fans have been waiting to get their hands on for 25 long years.

The Secret History of Twin Peaks enlarges the world of the original series, placing the unexplained phenomena that unfolded there into a vastly layered, wide-ranging history, beginning with the journals of Lewis and Clark and ending with the shocking events that closed the finale. The perfect way to get in the mood for the upcoming Showtime series.


Comments:

This one isn’t old at all. I got it for Christmas from my husband. But it still technically counts as a ROOT, since it’s from last year!

This book wasn’t at all what I was expecting (not sure what exactly I was expecting, but not this) but I really enjoyed it. It is supposed to replicate a found “dossier” of documents explaining the history of Twin Peaks, and I thought the lay-out and style were very cool. I tore through it. I’m quite psyched for the new season of TP, especially after reading this; only a couple of months left to wait :)!

30readingtangent
Muokkaaja: tammikuu 24, 2017, 7:33 pm

ROOT #3

Title: Seven Deadly Sins

Author: Corey Taylor

Cover:



Format: Kindle e-book

When/how acquired: Christmas gift, 2016

Amazon description:

For the first time, Slipknot and Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor speaks directly to his fans and shares his worldview about life as a sinner. And Taylor knows how to sin. As a small-town hero in the early ’90s, he threw himself into a hard-drinking, fierce-loving, live-for-the-moment life; when his music exploded, he found himself rich, wanted, and on the road. But soon his extreme lifestyle led him to question what it means to sin and whether it could—or should—be cast in a different light. After all, if sin makes us human how wrong can it be?
Now updated with a new Afterword by the author, Seven Deadly Sins is a brutally honest look “at a life that could have gone horribly wrong at any turn,” and the soul-searching and self-discovery it took to set it right.


Comments:

Another of my Christmas presents from this past year. Feels a bit like I’m cheating by counting these as ROOTs :).

I got this from my in-laws, who are so kind to support my metal habit. Ha, ha. Anyway, I thought this book was alright. Having read Corey’s second book around this same time last year, I sort of knew what to expect in terms of his writing style. It is rambling and at times completely incoherent, but he does throw in some interesting and hilarious stories. If you’re a fan, it’s worth the effort; otherwise, probably not. I liked his other book better, too – it made me laugh out loud more often. Still, I’m glad I read this one as well. He divulges more about his personal background in this one than in the other, and I found the details sad but interesting.

31readingtangent
Muokkaaja: tammikuu 31, 2017, 5:46 pm

ROOT #4

Title: Star Wars: Chewbacca

Author: Gerry Dugan

Cover:



Format: Comixology e-book

When/how acquired: Purchased 12/2016

Amazon description:

Collects Chewbacca #1-5.

Known as the skilled co-pilot of the infamous Millennium Falcon, the legendary Wookiee warrior CHEWBACCA will star in his very own adventure!

After the battle of Yavin, Chewbacca is on his own when he crash lands his ship on an Imperial occupied planet. Now stranded, Chewie finds himself caught in the middle of trying to return to the rebellion and helping a young and feisty girl in need.


Comments:

I’m not quite done with this one yet, but almost. I figured I’d go ahead and log it for the month. The story is cute so far :).

Edit: I finished it!

32readingtangent
tammikuu 31, 2017, 5:48 pm

ROOT #5

Title: Supernatural: Heart of the Dragon

Author: Keith R.A. DeCandido

Cover:



Format: Kindle e-book

When/how acquired: purchased 11/29/2015

Amazon description:

A Supernatural novel that reveals a previously unseen adventure for the Winchester brothers, from the hit CW series!

When renegade angel Castiel alerts Sam and Dean to a series of particularly brutal killings in San Francisco's Chinatown, they realise the Heart of the Dragon, an ancient evil of unspeakable power, is back! John Winchester faced the terrifying spirit 20 years ago, and the Campbell family fought it 20 years before that - can the boys succeed where their parents and grandparents failed?


Comments:

I liked this story a lot. The fact that the demon comes back every twenty years means we get to see various members of the Winchester family fight it: first Mary (and her parents), and then John, and then finally Sam and Dean. I think this is the third of DeCandido’s books that I’ve read and I really enjoy his no-nonsense writing style and the way he keeps the action moving. Also, this story sort of made me wish there were more books about Mary as a teen. She was cute to read about :).

33readingtangent
Muokkaaja: tammikuu 31, 2017, 5:51 pm

ROOT #6

Title: The War of Art

Author: Steven Pressfield

Cover:


Format: Kindle e-book

When/how acquired: purchased 10/13/2015

Amazon description:

Think of The War of Art as tough love... for yourself.

Since 2002, The War of Art has inspired people around the world to defeat "Resistance"; to recognize and knock down dream-blocking barriers and to silence the naysayers within us. Resistance kicks everyone's butt, and the desire to defeat it is equally as universal. The War of Art identifies the enemy that every one of us must face, outlines a battle plan to conquer this internal foe, then pinpoints just how to achieve the greatest success. Though it was written for writers, it has been embraced by business entrepreneurs, actors, dancers, painters, photographers, filmmakers, military service members and thousands of others around the world.

Steven Pressfield is the author of the novels The Legend of Bagger Vance (made into the movie starring Matt Damon and Will Smith), Gates of Fire, Tides of War, Last of the Amazons, Virtues of War, The Afghan Campaign, Killing Rommel, and The Profession. His nonfiction includes The War of Art, The Warrior Ethos, and the upcoming Turning Pro. His books are included in the curriculum at West Point and the Naval Academy, and are on the Commandant's Reading List for the Marine Corps.


Comments:

This was a short book (around 200 pages) and I read most of it in one sitting. It was very good; probably one of the best books I’ve read about writing. If I ever know anyone who feels they need a good kick in the pants to get them started on a project (of any type) I will be sure and recommend this!

34readingtangent
Muokkaaja: tammikuu 31, 2017, 5:54 pm

ROOT #7

Title: Factotum

Author: Charles Bukowski

Cover:



Format: Kindle e-book

When/how acquired: Christmas gift 2016

Amazon description:

One of Charles Bukowski's best, this beer-soaked, deliciously degenerate novel follows the wanderings of aspiring writer Henry Chinaski across World War II-era America. Deferred from military service, Chinaski travels from city to city, moving listlessly from one odd job to another, always needing money but never badly enough to keep a job. His day-to-day existence spirals into an endless litany of pathetic whores, sordid rooms, dreary embraces, and drunken brawls, as he makes his bitter, brilliant way from one drink to the next.
Charles Bukowski's posthumous legend continues to grow. Factotum is a masterfully vivid evocation of slow-paced, low-life urbanity and alcoholism, and an excellent introduction to the fictional world of Charles Bukowski.


Comments:

Here’s another fairly new one. I actually bought it for myself for Christmas with Amazon credit because I’ve had Post Office on my TBR list for a few years and I wanted to finally be able to get to it. Factotum comes prior to that one, chronologically (although not in publishing order) so I wanted to read it first (I already read Ham on Rye, which comes first, I think, a couple of years ago).

I liked this a lot, although not as much as Ham on Rye. Factotum is quite funny but in a very dark way, obviously, since the main character is a terrible alcoholic and his life is bleak. The book is much shorter than I’d anticipated. I read it in two days! I started Post Office right after and it is short, too. I'm about halfway through it already.

35readingtangent
tammikuu 31, 2017, 5:59 pm

My report for January is pretty good, I think. I read seven ROOTs. I bought 3 new e-books but read one, so only 2 were added to the TBR pile. They were both titles from my wish lists that dropped significantly in price, so I feel okay about buying them :). The other was sort of an impulse buy, but like I said, I read it right away, so it's okay, too :). Hope February works out as well.

36Tess_W
helmikuu 1, 2017, 8:29 am

>35 readingtangent: What a great January!

37avanders
helmikuu 1, 2017, 2:28 pm

>33 readingtangent: sounds interesting! perhaps one for the wishlist.... :)

>35 readingtangent: congrats on a great January!

38Jackie_K
helmikuu 1, 2017, 4:26 pm

>33 readingtangent: I think that one might find itself on my wishlist...

>35 readingtangent: That sounds like a great month's reading! (and not too bad month's acquiring too!)

39readingtangent
helmikuu 3, 2017, 9:05 pm

>36 Tess_W:, >37 avanders:, >38 Jackie_K: Thanks!

I think I'm going to add some more Pressfield books to my wishlist as well.

40connie53
helmikuu 12, 2017, 1:20 pm

You had a good January, Elizabeth! I hope February is as good.

I like the way you post your books and comment on them!

41readingtangent
helmikuu 21, 2017, 3:36 pm

>40 connie53: Thanks, Connie :). February has been a good month so far!

42readingtangent
helmikuu 21, 2017, 3:39 pm

ROOT #8

Title: Post Office

Author: Charles Bukowski

Cover:



Format: Kindle ebook

When/how acquired: Purchased 01/26/2014

Amazon description:

"It began as a mistake." By middle age, Henry Chinaski has lost more than twelve years of his life to the U.S. Postal Service. In a world where his three true, bitter pleasures are women, booze, and racetrack betting, he somehow drags his hangover out of bed every dawn to lug waterlogged mailbags up mud-soaked mountains, outsmart vicious guard dogs, and pray to survive the day-to-day trials of sadistic bosses and certifiable coworkers. This classic 1971 novel—the one that catapulted its author to national fame—is the perfect introduction to the grimly hysterical world of legendary writer, poet, and Dirty Old Man Charles Bukowski and his fictional alter ego, Chinaski.

Comments:

Like Factotum, this one was shorter than I’d anticipated. It went really quickly!

This was darkly funny and interesting and I enjoyed it, but it’s probably my least favorite of the three Bukowski novels about “Henry Chinaski” that I’ve now read. Not because this isn’t good, just because I liked the other two better :).

Btw, when I was a kid, I wrote a lot of letters to pen pals. I loved mail, and I used to think it would be so fun to work at the Post Office. Since then, however, I’ve heard it’s not so great and this book definitely also makes it sound pretty awful. Ha, ha.

43readingtangent
Muokkaaja: helmikuu 21, 2017, 3:46 pm

ROOT #9

Title: Heartless

Author: Marissa Meyer

Cover:



Format: Kindle ebook

When/how acquired: Christmas gift, 2016

Amazon description:

Long before she was the terror of Wonderland—the infamous Queen of Hearts—she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love.

Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next queen.
Then Cath meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the king and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship. Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.
In her first stand-alone teen novel, the New York Times-bestselling author dazzles us with a prequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.


Comments:

I’m not a big Alice in Wonderland fan for whatever reason, but I wanted to read this because I enjoyed Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles so, so much. I’d read the excerpt for this, too, and liked it. Ultimately, however, the book just wasn’t for me. Oh, well. I suppose they can’t all be! It’s not that I disliked the writing – it is well-written – it just wasn’t my kind of story, so I didn’t personally enjoy it. Too dark for my taste and left me with a bad feeling :(. I know a lot of people like it, though.

44readingtangent
helmikuu 21, 2017, 3:45 pm

ROOT #10

Title: Dressed To Kiss

Author: various authors

Cover:



Format: Kindle ebook

When/how acquired: Purchased 12/16/2016

Amazon description:

True love never goes out of style….

Once renowned for creating the most envied gowns in London, Madame Follette’s dressmaking shop has fallen far out of fashion. The approaching coronation of King George IV offers a chance to reclaim former glory by supplying stunning new wardrobes to the most glittering society in Regency England. In the face of long-held secrets, looming scandals, and the potential ruin of their shop, the dressmakers of Follette’s are undaunted, not even by the most unexpected complication of all: true love.

The Duke’s Dressmaker by Madeline Hunter

When the Duke of Barrowmore walks into the dress shop, Selina Fontaine assumes her secret identity will compromised. Four years ago this man’s brother seduced her and abandoned her to scandal, and she holds the duke responsible. To her amazement the duke is more interested in pursuing her than exposing her, however—and that pursuit soon becomes seductively pleasurable.

The Colors of Love by Myretta Robens

Delyth Owen’s exuberant passion for her new job as a dressmaker at Madame Follette’s is matched only by her love of diverse, vibrant, and frequently unfortunate color combinations. Simon Merrithew, the pseudonymous author of a well-regarded fashion column, is horrified by the gown Delyth creates for a friend, and suspects her motives. He sets out to uncover her duplicity, but instead, he uncovers genuine joy and discovers the colors of love.

No Accounting for Love by Megan Frampton

Miss Katherine Grant is a lady’s companion, one whose number of dishonorable offers (six) greatly outweigh her honorable ones (zero). Now tasked with making certain her charge, Lady Euphemia, does not contract herself to someone inappropriate, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to Mr. Henry Dawkins, the inappropriate gentleman Lady Euphemia wants to charm, who keeps the books at Madame Follette's. But it seems that Henry only has eyes for Miss Katherine Grant.

A Fashionable Affair by Caroline Linden

Madame Follette’s is Felicity Dawkins’s birthright; her mother founded it, and now she runs it. She's fiercely committed to making it the most exclusive modiste in London. The Earl of Carmarthen also has big plans for the shop—he wants to buy it and tear it down, to make way for a grand new boulevard of shops. One way or another, he’s determined to persuade Felicity…not only to sell her shop, but to explore the passion that sparks between them every time they meet.


Comments:

As soon as I heard about this book, I knew I wanted to read it. I’ve read a lot by Megan Frampton already and I like her humorous writing style, plus the premise of this book just sounded fun. I like anthologies where all the different stories are inter-connected, and I wanted to read about the dress shop. I wasn’t disappointed; this turned out to be super cute :). I enjoyed the first story best, and will definitely look for more books by the author, Madeline Hunter, because I liked her minimal writing style a lot, but all of the stories were entertaining in different ways. I will probably look for more stuff by all of the writers, actually. This was a fun read for the time leading up to Valentine's Day.

45readingtangent
helmikuu 21, 2017, 3:49 pm

ROOT #11

Title: With My Eyes Wide Open

Author: Brian Welch

Cover:



Format: Kindle ebook

When/how acquired: Christmas gift, 2016

Amazon description:

He left KoRn to help himself. He went back to help others. And along the way, he nearly lost everything.

A life-changing spiritual awakening freed Brian “Head” Welch from a stranglehold of drugs and alcohol and prompted him to leave the highly successful nu-metal band KoRn in 2005. What followed was a decade-long trial by fire, from the perils of fathering a teen lost in depression and self-mutilation to the harsh realities of playing solo and surviving the shattering betrayal of a trusted friend. In this intensely inspiring redemption saga, perhaps most inspiring is Brian’s radical decision to rejoin KoRn and reconcile with the tribe of people he once considered family in the metal music scene.

Brian returned to his musical roots with a clear head and a devoted heart. Though his story is wild, hilarious, and deeply poignant, the message is simple: God will love you into the freedom of being yourself, as long as you keep the relationship going and never, ever quit.


Comments:

I read Brian’s previous book, Save Me From Myself and really liked it. This one was great, too; it was interesting to learn what happened to him after he left the band, and why he ultimately decided to rejoin Korn. I’m glad he did, because I love the band so much and I think they are better with Brian around!

46readingtangent
Muokkaaja: helmikuu 21, 2017, 3:54 pm

ROOT #12

Title: Got the Life: My Journey of Addiction, Faith, Recovery, and Korn

Author: Fieldy

Cover:



Format: Kindle ebook

When/how acquired: Purchased 10/31/2016

Amazon description:

From Reggie “Fieldy” Arvizu, legendary bassist of nu-metal pioneers KORN, comes Got the Life: a no-holds-barred look at his extreme highs, drug- and-booze-fueled lows, and, finally, redemption through a conversion to Christianity. Got the Life is simultaneously an insider’s look at rock n’ roll superstardom—the good, the bad, and everything in between—and a survivor’s story of a life brought back from the precipice by a new found belief in religious salvation.

Comments:

I felt like I ought to read something older than this book, since I’ve only had it a few months, but then I decided to just go ahead and read it because after finishing With My Eyes Wide Open I felt like reading more about Korn. I’m glad I did because this was so good!

I’ve read a lot of “rock star books” over the years and it can get tiresome hearing about their drug and alcohol binges, honestly -- but I do always enjoy a good redemption story. This one seems like nothing short of a miracle, given just how horrible Fieldy’s self-described behavior was. He definitely doesn’t try to sugar-coat his past, and even for a rock star he sounds bad :( :(. But of course his life is completely different now and I’m very glad for him. I admire his honesty, particularly since he's very clear that he wants to share his story in order to hopefully help other people steer clear of some of his mistakes.

47readingtangent
helmikuu 27, 2017, 3:08 pm

ROOT #13

Title: Dancing Through Life: Steps of Courage and Conviction

Author: Candace Cameron Bure

Cover:



Format: Kindle ebook

When/how acquired: Purchased 10/12/2015

Amazon description:

Candace Cameron Bure has grown up before our eyes and we've watched as she's balanced life in Hollywood with her faith for many years. But that all reached new heights when she was given the opportunity to join the cast of Dancing With the Stars. Being on the show was one of her dreams come true; and with that dream came the opportunity to display her Christian faith in front of millions of people, through an intense season of stretching beyond her limits, and to run the race God gave her with joy and perseverance.

Join Candace as she reflects on the self-discovery that came through leaping out of her comfort zone. Go behind the scenes and experience the highs and lows, the roadblocks, and the personal victories. Hear straight from her heart on tough lessons learned about grace, rejection, perfectionism, disappointment, accountability, dealing with criticism, and more. Through God’s strength, and with the help of endless support from her family and friends, see how Candace stayed true to herself and publicly lived out her faith in Christ all the way to the finale.

How do you stand with conviction in your world? Where does your courage come from when faced with challenges? How do you live out your faith on a daily basis despite opposition? Your stage probably isn't in Hollywood and the challenges you are facing may not be on live television, but they are no less real. Come along with Candace as she shares how she found the courage to stand with conviction on one of the largest platforms of her life.


Comments:

I chose to read this one because it is really short. I knew I could finish it quickly and thereby squeeze in one more ROOT for February :). Ha.

I downloaded this for 99 cents back in 2015. Actually, I’ve gotten all three of Candace Cameron Bure’s books for 99 cents each, at some time or another. Not a bad deal! I’d only read one other one before this: Balancing It All. I liked that one because it was more autobiographical, describing her experience growing up as a child actress. This one was good, too, but it is about Dancing with the Stars and I don’t watch that show, nor have I ever even seen an episode of it. I think if you’re a big fan of DWTS (and don't mind reading a lot about God) you’d probably enjoy the book a lot, as she really gives a detailed look at how the show is run. Sounds pretty brutal.

The bulk of the book is about Candace’s experiences on the program, and how she tried to reconcile her religious beliefs with being part of a mainstream show sometimes known for “sexy” dances and tiny, potentially immodest costumes. Unsurprisingly, she caught a lot of flack for participating in a secular show. Some of what she wrote here seemed to me as though it could be rationalization (with her telling herself certain things were okay because she really wanted to continue being part of the show) but I suppose only she knows for certain what is in her heart and what she believes. Regardless, it was an interesting read and gave me some things to think about.

48readingtangent
helmikuu 27, 2017, 3:24 pm

I won't finish any more ROOTs this month, so I'll go ahead and write up my summary for February: not a bad month! I read 6 ROOTs and 2 others. And although I bought 3 new books and 2 of them were impulse buys, one of my "other" reads was one I'd bought in January, so...altogether this year I've added 4 books to the TBR pile and removed 13. I'll take it.

49Jackie_K
helmikuu 27, 2017, 4:51 pm

>48 readingtangent: That sounds like a pretty impressive figure to me - read more than you've acquired. One day maybe I'll reach those heady heights...!

50readingtangent
helmikuu 27, 2017, 6:24 pm

>49 Jackie_K: Thanks! Here's hoping I can keep it up :).

51avanders
maaliskuu 24, 2017, 9:43 pm

Hello! I'm not attempting to catch up on threads at this point, but just wanted to drop by & say hi :)

Also, I think I got hit by a sneak BB somehow! (>42 readingtangent:)

52readingtangent
maaliskuu 27, 2017, 11:09 pm

>51 avanders: Thanks! It's so great to see you back and know you and your sweet baby are a-okay. He is precious!

Also, cool about the BB. I def. owe you a few ;).

53readingtangent
maaliskuu 27, 2017, 11:13 pm

So I've decided to add a "feature" to my ROOT posts. From now on I'll try to include a quote from each book. It won't necessarily be a profound line, just something I liked for whatever reason. It should be easy to keep track of these, since I highlight like crazy in all of my e-books! :)

54readingtangent
Muokkaaja: maaliskuu 29, 2017, 3:09 pm

ROOT #14

Title: Amethyst

Author: Lauren Royal

Cover:



Format: Kindle e-book

When/how acquired: Purchased 07/07/2016

Amazon description:

London, 1666: Amethyst Goldsmith makes dazzling jewelry, but her future isn't nearly as bright as the pieces she creates. Though custom dictates she wed her father's apprentice, her heart rebels against the match. In mere days Amy will be condemned to a stifling, loveless marriage, and she sees no way out--until the devastating fire of 1666 sweeps through London, and tragedy lands her in the arms of a dashing nobleman who knows a diamond in the rough when he sees it...

Colin Chase, the Earl of Greystone, has his future all figured out. He's restoring his crumbling castle and estate to its former glory, and the key to its completion is his rich bride-to-be. But the Great Fire lays waste to his plans, saddling him with trouble--in the form of a lowly shopkeeper's daughter with whom he's most inconveniently falling in love...


Comments:

I’ve wanted to start this series for a while and I’m happy I finally did. This was quite cute. Felt a little too long toward the end, and the H had a strange personality quirk of liking to play odd pranks/practical jokes on people (they weren’t very funny) but aside from that I have no complaints :). Especially since the book was a freebie, to boot!

Quote:

“…what he felt for her had nothing to do with wealth or position, and everything to do with the way just looking at her made the blood course through his veins. His need for her was illogical, emotional…Dangerous. It didn’t bear thinking about.”

55readingtangent
maaliskuu 27, 2017, 11:22 pm

ROOT #15

Title: A Million Little Ways

Author: Emily P. Freeman

Cover:



Format: Kindle e-book

When/how acquired: Purchased 03/18/2016

Amazon description:

The majority of us would not necessarily define ourselves as artists. We're parents, students, businesspeople, friends. We're working hard, trying to make ends meet, and often longing for a little more--more time, more love, more security, more of a sense that there is more out there. The truth? We need not look around so much. God is within us and he wants to shine through us in a million little ways.

A Million Little Ways uncovers the creative, personal imprint of God on every individual. It invites the discouraged parent, the bored Christian, the exhausted executive to look at their lives differently by approaching their critics, their jobs, and the kids around their table the same way an artist approaches the canvas--with wonder, bravery, and hope. In her gentle, compelling style, Emily Freeman encourages readers to turn down the volume on their inner critic and move into the world with the courage to be who they most deeply are. She invites regular people to see the artistic potential in words, gestures, attitudes, and relationships. Readers will discover the art in a quiet word, a hot dinner, a made bed, a grace-filled glance, and a million other ways of showing God to the world through the simple human acts of listening, waiting, creating, and showing up.


Comments:

Oh my gosh, this was so good! Freeman’s sort of flowery/poetic writing style took me a while to get into, and there were points where I didn’t really even know what she was trying to say but overall, the message was great and I loved it. I should probably re-read it from time to time.

Stand-out quote:

It was hard to pick just one (I high-lighted SO much in this book) but here’s one:

“Instead of setting off on a journey to find your art, consider staying right where you are to uncover your art. Like the tree with roots crawling deep into the ground, God has already done the work of putting his art within you. I believe he’s asking us to do the work of uncovering what is already true and trusting him to release it for his glory and the benefit of others.”

56readingtangent
Muokkaaja: maaliskuu 29, 2017, 3:10 pm

ROOT #16

Title: Once Upon A Bride

Author: various

Cover:



Format: Kindle e-book

When/how acquired: Purchased 07/07/2016

Amazon description:

Six captivating novellas from six New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors!

Fall in love with six grooms-to-be as you escape to medieval Scotland, 17th century England, 19th century America, Georgian London and the high seas. These steamy, seductive stories will warm your heart!

THE HANDFASTING by Glynnis Campbell
The Highlands, Scotland, 1199: When Sir Noel de Ware claims his betrothed—the most beautiful heiress in the Highlands—he's sure he's getting the best gift ever…until he discovers he's wedded and bedded the wrong sister. Spirited Ysenda of Rivenloch never intended to be a counterfeit bride, and when she falls in love with her handsome husband, she becomes trapped in her own deception.

FOREVERMORE by Lauren Royal
England, 1667: Sensible Clarice Bradford is content in her widowhood. She has a pretty one-room cottage and a lovely little daughter, and the last thing she wants is another husband. Until one fairytale evening when she’s invited to a wedding at a castle…

FALL FROM GRACE by Jill Barnett
Scottish Highlands, 17th Century: The Clan McNish is left starving by their bitter rivals, the McNabs. Granddaughter to the chieftain, Grace McNish, decides it's her duty to capture and ransom a vile McNab. But she and her clan of misfits capture the wrong man, Colin Campbell, Earl of Argyll and Lord of the Isles, who holds her clan's fate in his powerful hands.

HEART OF FRAGILE STARS by Cynthia Wright
Georgian London and the High Seas: Dashing French pirate Jean-Philippe Beauvisage revels in his life of freedom…until the night at a ball in Georgian London, when a Russian beauty steals his heart. The instant attraction he feels for recently-orphaned Antonia is soul-deep, but she is bound for America with an arrogant captain.

THE FOUR-LEAF CLOVER by Cheryl Bolen
Missouri, 1870: The wealthiest man in Peace, Missouri, Norman Sterling can't believe his good fortune when the beauty he worshiped from afar years ago moves to his town. At their Fourth of July picnic, he blurts out a proposal to Millie Gresham—and to his profound surprise, she accepts. But can she ever win his love?

A WINTER HEART by Annette Blair
Ohio, 1873: Hannah Peachy has nurtured a winter heart since she lost her family. Caleb Skylar struggles with the horror of his wife’s drowning. When Caleb aimlessly pulls up stakes and leaves his home behind, the spirit of Hannah’s earthbound twin leads him straight to Hannah. But how can two guilty souls accept love as a reward for their transgressions? A Sensual Amish Historical Romance.


Comments:

This was such a great bargain at 99 cents!

I bought it because I wanted to read “Forevermore,” by Lauren Royal. That alone would have been more than worth the price, but I got 5 other stories out of it, so I’m happy :). Especially since I liked all of them, and I LOVED the first story, “The Handfasting” by Glynnis Campbell. It was so cute and perfect. I looked up Ms. Campbell and she’s got some free books available, which is nice except…it means I’ll probably end up with more books soon. Sigh. Anyway, this book was also cool because the stories were all set in different times and places. Plenty of variety if you're into historical romance of any type.

Cute quote:

“’Ye know I’m your protector now.’ Indeed, he was surprised by just how fiercely protective he felt. “If anyone touches ye, he’ll have to answer to me.’
Her eyes went all soft and dewy when he said that. But he was serious.” (from The Handfasting by Glynnis Campbell)

57readingtangent
maaliskuu 29, 2017, 3:11 pm

Yay, I managed to squeeze in one more ROOT for the month! A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. I don't have time to do a proper post with the cover and comments and everything right now, but I will soon. For now I just updated my ticker.

58connie53
huhtikuu 9, 2017, 3:04 pm

Hi, Elizabeth, Skimming your thread after being absent for some weeks. Lots of books read, I see. And some interesting ones too.

59avanders
huhtikuu 9, 2017, 6:58 pm

>53 readingtangent: nice new feature! I just highlighted my first ever Kindle quote.... I tend not to highlight as I read, but I really liked that one. It was in Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore... it was a line about how people are w/ their phones:
"{D}ozens of people sitting at tiny tables, all leaning into phones showing them places that don't exist and yet are somehow more interesting than the Gourmet Grotto {coffee shop in book}." :)

Congrats on your ROOT progress!

60readingtangent
huhtikuu 13, 2017, 7:39 pm

>58 connie53: Thanks for stopping by, Connie. There have been some good ones! :)

>59 avanders: That is a good line! I don't know why I highlight so much. I definitely never did when I used to read physical books because I didn't want to mess them up. Back then I just stuck sticky notes and flags everywhere :).

61avanders
huhtikuu 17, 2017, 3:56 pm

>60 readingtangent: lol in my nonfiction reading, I use all kinds of flags and stickies:)

62readingtangent
huhtikuu 19, 2017, 4:53 pm

>61 avanders: Oh, ok, cool, it's not just me! :)

63readingtangent
huhtikuu 19, 2017, 4:58 pm

I'm glad I am a little ahead of where I am supposed to be on this challenge because I haven't done so well this month. But I'm excited that I've finally managed to finish a ROOT for April! Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown.

I'm also more than halfway through The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater, so I'm going to go ahead and count both on my ticker, because I'll be pretty busy almost the rest of the month and might not have time to update again before then :). One of these days I'll be able to make some proper posts again!

64avanders
huhtikuu 26, 2017, 4:09 pm

>63 readingtangent: that's how it goes.. the ROOTing seems to ebb and flow all year long... :)
Congrats on pulling another ROOT!

65readingtangent
toukokuu 17, 2017, 6:31 pm

>64 avanders: Thanks! Hopefully it will flow for a little while now :).

66readingtangent
toukokuu 17, 2017, 6:35 pm

ROOT #21

Title: The Raven King

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Cover:



Format: Kindle e-book

When/how acquired: Purchased 04/25/2016

Amazon description:

Omitted (to avoid potential spoilers - this is the final book in the series).

Comments:

I’d read the first book in this series a few years ago, but then didn’t get back around to continuing with the story until now.

I read books 2, 3 and 4 one right after the other. I think that’s probably a good thing, because otherwise I probably would have had a hard time keeping everything straight. There were so many new characters and plot lines introduced! It was such a strange, sort of convoluted story and the ending left me with questions, but overall, I did enjoy it. I heard it’s being developed into a show and I can see why. It would probably work well as a TV series :).

Quotes:

(They are unrelated to each other but I could relate to both of them.)

”This was a master class that Adam had never gotten good at, although he’d spent months in dedicated study. He analyzed Gansey’s mannerisms, dissected the other boy’s reactions, and catalogued dialogue patterns. He watched how an easy gesture unfolded a bouquet of mannish conversation, elegant as a magic trick. He took careful note of the behind-the-scenes footage: how a miserable Gansey could become a hospitable one in just a moment. But (Adam) could never work out the practicum. Warm greetings iced in his mouth. Casual gestures became dismissive. A steady eye contact turned into an unnerving stare.

He’d retaken the class each quarter, but he thought, incredibly, maybe there were some skills even Adam Parrish couldn’t pick up.”

***

“The school day was a pillow over his head. He would suffocate before the final bell.”

67readingtangent
toukokuu 17, 2017, 6:38 pm

ROOT #22

Title: Holy Cow: A Novel

Author: David Duchovny

Cover:



Format: Kindle e-book

When/how acquired: Christmas gift, 2016

Amazon description:

A rollicking, globe-trotting adventure with a twist: a four-legged heroine you won't soon forget.

Elsie Bovary is a cow, and a pretty happy one at that—her long, lazy days are spent eating, napping, and chatting with her best friend, Mallory. One night, Elsie and Mallory sneak out of their pasture; but while Mallory is interested in flirting with the neighboring bulls, Elsie finds herself drawn to the farmhouse. Through the window, she sees the farmer's family gathered around a bright Box God—and what the Box God reveals about something called an "industrial meat farm" shakes Elsie's understanding of her world to its core.

There's only one solution: escape to a better, safer world. And so a motley crew is formed: Elsie; Jerry—excuse me, Shalom—a cranky, Torah-reading pig who's recently converted to Judaism; and Tom, a suave (in his own mind, at least) turkey who can't fly, but who can work an iPhone with his beak. Toting stolen passports and slapdash human disguises, they head for the airport.

Elsie is our wise-cracking, pop-culture-reference-dropping, slyly witty narrator; Tom—who does eventually learn to fly (sort of)—dispenses psychiatric advice in a fake German accent; and Shalom, rejected by his adopted people in Jerusalem, ends up unexpectedly uniting Israelis and Palestinians. David Duchovny's charismatic creatures point the way toward a mutual understanding and acceptance that the world desperately needs.


Comments:

My brother- and sister-in-law got this for me for Christmas. I had it on my wish list because I’m a Duchovny fan and because my mom had read the book and told me it was a fast, funny read. I’d say I agree with her :). I read it very quickly and it did make me chuckle quite a bit. It was a cute story but also inherently sad, really, since it is about farm animals who discover they’re headed for the slaughterhouse, and so decide to run away.

Quotes:

(Also unrelated to each other, I just liked them both.)

”The eldest was milking me. Roughly, I might add. Look, this isn’t a gossipy tell-all; I’m not here to grind axes and settle scores, but sometimes I just gotta calls ‘em like I sees ‘em. The brother was rough on the teats. Plus, he’s got like the thumb of one hand distractedly on his phone the whole time he’s manhandling me. Since then, I have come to learn this is called “texting,” and it’s a way for people to tell one another stupid things about their day.”

***

“I found children’s books where animals were beloved and even heroes…I was confused at how people could mistreat and eat us on the one hand and then celebrate us on the other for qualities they admired.”

68readingtangent
Muokkaaja: toukokuu 17, 2017, 6:56 pm

It’s been a pretty busy few months for me. My husband and I moved cities back in March and we’ve also been on several small trips, so it feels like I’ve been 'in transit' a lot this year.

In April we took a pretty big trip to Orlando, FL, to participate in the Star Wars Dark Side Challenge at Disney World. This was a 10K on 4/22 followed by a half marathon on 4/23. We also did the 5K on 4/21 because…you know, that wasn’t enough running for us, apparently :). It was an, uh, interesting experience; one I’m not in a big hurry to have again. But I’m glad we went. We did have fun :).

We flew to FL but drove back to TX afterward. We stopped in New Orleans, LA along the way because neither of us had ever been there before. That was interesting and fun, too. We had iced coffee and beignets at Café du Monde (not the super-popular one, but a different location in the city):



On our way out of the city, we made a detour to Vacherie, LA, and Oak Alley Plantation, where we had a guided tour of the house and self-guided tour of an exhibit about slavery. Part of the movie Interview with the Vampire was filmed here. It was quite gorgeous!





We got back home just in time for my 40th birthday. My husband took me to see PJ Harvey in concert and then the following weekend we went to Dallas for Texas Frightmare Weekend (a horror convention). He’s been out of town this week for work but I think after this we’ll be staying put for a little while; at least until mid-June! Thankfully!

69Jackie_K
toukokuu 18, 2017, 3:55 am

>68 readingtangent: I'm exhausted just reading that! Happy birthday, sounds like you had a great extended trip and series of adventures!

70rabbitprincess
toukokuu 18, 2017, 7:25 am

Sounds like a great trip! I didn't realize that Cafe du Monde had other locations in New Orleans. That's handy!

Enjoy your well-deserved R&R after such a long and fun adventure!

71floremolla
toukokuu 18, 2017, 8:21 am

>68 readingtangent: thanks for sharing - it's nice to learn more about fellow ROOTers than just what they're reading. Good work with the running - hopefully offsetting any holiday over-indulgence!

72Tess_W
toukokuu 18, 2017, 9:02 am

Sounds and looks like a lovely trip!

73connie53
toukokuu 20, 2017, 5:01 am

>68 readingtangent: That all sounds like a fun trip, Elizabeth. I love the pictures of the Oak Alley Plantation.

74avanders
toukokuu 23, 2017, 6:51 pm

>67 readingtangent: weird -- I didn't know he wrote anything! Nice that it's funny & a quick read :)

>68 readingtangent: that is a lot of transit!
And wow, going to Florida to participate in that challenge! Impressive! A 5k, a 10k, and a half-marathon?!

I can't even imagine doing that much running.... Way to go!!
& a quick little New Orleans stop sounds fun too ;) Beautiful pics!

& Happy Birthday, too!

75readingtangent
toukokuu 29, 2017, 7:42 pm

Thanks, Jackie. It was fun but you're right, definitely also exhausting! :)

76readingtangent
toukokuu 29, 2017, 7:45 pm

Definitely handy! I appreciated not having to deal with the crowd :).

77readingtangent
toukokuu 29, 2017, 7:47 pm

Thanks :). I always enjoy reading what other ROOters write, but I never really post anything about my own life. I figured since I'd actually done some semi-interesting things lately, I should share :).

78readingtangent
Muokkaaja: toukokuu 29, 2017, 7:53 pm

>72 Tess_W:, >73 connie53: Thanks! :)

>74 avanders: Yeah, I got his second book (Bucky F*cking Dent) for Christmas also. Hopefully I'll get to it soon. The description sounds really weird!

And thanks! Like I said, I don't know if I'd do one of those challenges again but who knows. With races, after a while the pain tends to fade from memory and you find yourself signing up for more... :)

79readingtangent
toukokuu 29, 2017, 7:58 pm

ROOT #23

Title: A Life That Says Welcome: Simple Ways to Open Your Heart and Home to Others

Author: Karen Ehman

Cover:



Format: Kindle e-book

When/how acquired: Purchased 10/06/2014

Amazon description:

The thought of hosting a dinner party or even having a friend over for coffee is enough to give some women flashbacks of lopsided cakes or doomed casseroles from home economics class. But opening up your home to others doesn't have to be fancy or frightening or cost a fortune, says Karen Ehman.

In A Life That Says Welcome, she offers a practical, painless (no crafting or cooking aptitude required) course on hospitality. It helps busy women open up their hearts in order to open up their homes. Full of tips, ideas, recipes, to-dos, and how-tos, A Life That Says Welcome shows readers that opening up their homes is less scary and less work than they might think.


Comments:

I’m not sure why I bought this book, TBH. It was $1.99, so that probably had something to do with it :). I am not the type to have people over very often (although I do enjoy feeding people). Maybe I thought that if I read this I would somehow turn into a friendlier person-? I really don’t know. Ha.

Anyway, I decided to read it because I’ve had it for several years already, and it’s short and I knew I could finish it before the month was out. It turned out to be interesting and pretty humorous in a lot of places! There were cute decorating ideas and some recipes that sound good in it, so it was worth reading.

Quote:

“…there is a huge difference between ‘entertaining’ and offering hospitality. Entertaining puts the emphasis on you and how you can impress others. Offering hospitality puts the emphasis on others and strives to meet their physical and spiritual needs so that they feel refreshed, not impressed, when they leave your home.”

80readingtangent
toukokuu 29, 2017, 8:08 pm

ROOT #24

Title: Dead Is So Last Year

Author: Marlene Perez

Cover:



Format: Kindle e-book

When/how acquired: Christmas gift, 2016

Amazon description:

Something very strange starts happening in Nightshade the summer that the eldest Giordano sister, Rose, gets a job working at Dr. Franken's research laboratory. People are starting to see double. Doppelgängers of Nightshade residents are popping up all over town. Daisy, Rose and Poppy think it's a coincidence, until the rumors start that their father, who disappeared several years ago, has been spotted in town. Meanwhile, Daisy's beau, Ryan is spending all of his time training for football, and like the other guys on the team, he's grown enormous almost overnight. Samantha Devereux's boyfriend's neck has doubled in size since school ended. Could the football players be resorting to extreme measures to win? Between summer jobs, sugar rushes, and beach parties, the Giordano girls get to the bottom of these mysteries and more.

Comments:

These books are really fun and cute, and they are super-fast reads. I can’t say I liked this story quite as much as the first two in the series (there was a bit too much going on for such a short book, and some things that didn't add up), but it was still enjoyable. Hopefully I’ll finish the rest of the books in the series this year.

Quote:

"The movie was crowded...People in Nightshade tended to drift in after spending the day at the beach. Or in a coffin. Whichever. I noticed a vampire couple sitting on a blood red blanket in the front.

I was getting pretty good at telling a paranormal from a norm. The lack of color in the couple's skin was a giveaway that they were of the undead persuasion. And the female vampire was absolutely stunning. She bore a strong resemblance to a silent movie star from over a hundred years ago. Who knows? Maybe it was her."

81readingtangent
Muokkaaja: toukokuu 29, 2017, 8:26 pm

ROOT #25

Title: Size 12 Is Not Fat

Author: Meg Cabot

Cover:



Format: Kindle e-book

When/how acquired: Purchased 04/28/2016

Amazon description:

Heather Wells Rocks!

Or, at least, she did. That was before she left the pop-idol life behind after she gained a dress size or two -- and lost a boyfriend, a recording contract, and her life savings (when Mom took the money and ran off to Argentina). Now that the glamour and glory days of endless mall appearances are in the past, Heather's perfectly happy with her new size 12 shape (the average for the American woman!) and her new job as an assistant dorm director at one of New York's top colleges. That is, until the dead body of a female student from Heather's residence hall is discovered at the bottom of an elevator shaft.

The cops and the college president are ready to chalk the death off as an accident, the result of reckless youthful mischief. But Heather knows teenage girls . . . and girls do not elevator surf. Yet no one wants to listen -- not the police, her colleagues, or the P.I. who owns the brownstone where she lives -- even when more students start turning up dead in equally ordinary and subtly sinister ways. So Heather makes the decision to take on yet another new career: as spunky girl detective!

But her new job comes with few benefits, no cheering crowds, and lots of liabilities, some of them potentially fatal. And nothing ticks off a killer more than a portly ex-pop star who's sticking her nose where it doesn't belong . . .


Comments:

I have quite a few Meg Cabot books I’ve bought and haven’t yet read, so I’m trying to get to some of them this year. In a strange way, I think I put off Cabot’s books because I like her writing so much – it’s more like I’m 'saving them for later' or something, like a treat. Which is silly, if you think about it. If I know I'm probably going to like it, I should go ahead and read it now!

I really liked this one. It was a quick read, lots of fun, and hilarious. I’m glad I already have the next book in the series, so I can read it soon!

Quote:

“…it’s not like I’m Behind the Music material. I was never famous enough for that. I was never a Britney or a Christina. I was barely even an Avril."

82readingtangent
toukokuu 29, 2017, 8:17 pm

ROOT #26

Title: Deadpool Vol. 2: Soul Hunter

Author: Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan

Cover:



Format: Comixology e-book

When/how acquired: My husband bought it sometimes last year.

Amazon description:

Collects Deadpool (2012) #7-12. First: Flash back to Deadpool’s adventures of yesteryear with Iron Man! Then: A demon hires Deadpool to reclaim damned souls! And just in case you didn’t think he could get any stranger, Wade gets in touch with his feminine side! Plus: Deadpool targets a man with aquatic powers, and then teams up with your Superior Neighborhood Spider-Man! And we promise he kills one of those two! Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn’s hilarious, nonstop reinvention of the Merc With a Mouth continues here!

Comments:

Not a lot to say about this. It’s Deadpool :)! I liked the first book in this series better, but this one was still pretty entertaining and funny. I just started the third book, so hopefully I can finish it before the month is out and up my ROOT count :).

Quote:

None, since it’s a comic book :).

83readingtangent
toukokuu 29, 2017, 8:22 pm

I had hoped to make it to the halfway point in my challenge this month and I actually wound up surpassing it, so yay! :D

I am not doing super well on keeping the acquisitions in check, though, unfortunately. I've bought 19 new books already this year, and have only read 4 of them. I'm about 8 books down in the TBR pile. Good, but not great.

84floremolla
toukokuu 30, 2017, 3:54 am

Well done on passing the halfway mark so soon! That's an eclectic bunch of reads.

I recently picked up a home entertaining book by Pippa Middleton (Duchess Kate's sister) Celebrate: A Year of Festivities for Families and Friends not because I like royalty, or even that I particularly need home entertaining tips but because the price was reduced to buttons and it had pretty pictures - what can I say? I'm just a sucker for book bargains and pretty things. (now where did I put my floral bunting and silver cake slice?....) :)

85avanders
toukokuu 30, 2017, 5:51 pm

>83 readingtangent: woo hoo, congrats! :)

86connie53
kesäkuu 4, 2017, 2:23 am

>80 readingtangent: That sounds really weird! Weird but interesting.

Congrats on passing the halfway mark!

87connie53
elokuu 14, 2017, 2:49 am

>98 readingtangent: I have the same feeling about book buying. Creating a ticker and limiting myself to 40 books a year helped a lot. Now I think about if I really want it, put it on my wishlist and think about it some more. Sometimes I have no idea why I put that book on the list in the first place.

The ROOTers are very inspiring so thank you!

88floremolla
elokuu 14, 2017, 5:21 am

>98 readingtangent: >99 readingtangent: I'm at 69 now and expect there will be a few more before the end of the year. The good news is I've read 13 of them so I'll try to increase my reading rate to balance it out a bit more. I'm kind of on the hamster wheel of ROOTing and acquiring now - but there are worse places to be!

89Jackie_K
elokuu 14, 2017, 8:23 am

>100 rabbitprincess: Well exactly - there are plenty of worse vices!

I've bought 55 so far this year (of which I've read 6 - luckily for me I count new books as ROOTs too - and am just about to start the 7th). No doubt there'll be more, but hopefully they will be books I'm keen to read rather than lucky bargains that I shouldn't have bothered with in the first place!

90connie53
elokuu 15, 2017, 4:41 am

I've bought 24 books so far this year and read 11 off them and reading # 12 right now.

91Tess_W
elokuu 15, 2017, 4:51 pm

Yeah for buying and reading, something I can't seem to do until the book is 2-10 years old!

92readingtangent
Muokkaaja: elokuu 15, 2017, 5:24 pm

>95 readingtangent: Thanks :). So far, so good; I've only read ROOTs in August. My library has all sorts of tempting things available, too, though, so I hear you. It's cool that they let you maintain a wish list on Overdrive. I'm telling myself I can borrow once I've met my ROOT goal. Maybe it will help motivate me!

93readingtangent
Muokkaaja: elokuu 15, 2017, 5:24 pm

>96 connie53: Yes, I related to it :).

94readingtangent
elokuu 15, 2017, 5:29 pm

>97 avanders: Like Jackie said, it can be really helpful, if a bit "gulp-inducing" :).

>98 readingtangent: You bring up a good point, Jackie. I haven't kept track but I'm wondering how many of my impulse buys were "worth it" in the end? By that I mean, did I end up loving the book or not? Maybe I should start marking which ones were impulse purchases and then recording how much I liked them, to show myself it's not worth it to break my own rules just because something is on sale :).

In general I've been better about not buying as many random things anymore, though. Just knowing that I'll have to add them to the tally and post them for everyone to see helps with that!

95readingtangent
elokuu 15, 2017, 5:36 pm

>100 rabbitprincess: The "hamster-wheel of ROOTing and acquiring" :). Ha. A good way to put it! That is what it feels like.

>102 connie53: You're doing really well, Connie. I'm inspired :).

96connie53
elokuu 17, 2017, 1:23 pm

>107 MissWatson: It helps that my ROOTs have to be on the shelves for 6 months or more (according to my rules). So I can read any book I bought in January and February of this year.

97avanders
elokuu 24, 2017, 9:48 pm

I just wanted to drop by to say hi :)
I couldn't possibly catch up on the threads here (explanation on my own thread), though I wish I could!
I hear that you feel like you have a little more time again at some point after having a kid... here's to hoping ;)

98readingtangent
syyskuu 5, 2017, 6:13 pm

>108 floremolla: Oh, I like that rule, Connie! Maybe I'll adopt it next year...:)

>109 readingtangent: I hear that you feel like you have a little more time again at some point after having a kid... here's to hoping ;)

Ha, ha :). No problem, Aletheia, I totally understand about being overwhelmed by the length of the threads after you've been busy/away for a little while; I tend to have the same issue. Thanks for dropping by.

99readingtangent
syyskuu 5, 2017, 6:24 pm

So, good news for August : I DID NOT BUY A SINGLE NEW BOOK ALL MONTH!

I don't remember the last time this happened, but it feels pretty awesome :). I also only read one non-ROOT, and it was a comic, so I don't feel too bad about it. I also read 6 ROOts!

We were without power for a couple of days after Hurricane Harvey (I live in Houston) so I actually picked up a paper book for the first time in who knows how long. I read almost the entire thing. I'd bought this book (The Storm Lord, by Tanith Lee) because it wasn't available as an ebook, but as of recently it is, so...once the lights came back on, I promptly downloaded the electronic version and finished reading it on my tablet. Ha. Btw, we were fine after the storm. No flood damage, just the power outage, which was very minor in comparison to what so many people here have gone through lately :(.

100rabbitprincess
syyskuu 6, 2017, 4:07 am

I'm glad to hear you are safe and that your home is OK!

101Tess_W
syyskuu 6, 2017, 11:27 am

Congrats on the abstinence from book buying and on your safety!

102connie53
syyskuu 10, 2017, 3:14 am

Good to hear you are safe and only had to cope with power outage.

104readingtangent
lokakuu 23, 2017, 3:26 pm

I'm waaay behind on writing my updates and reading threads :(. But I did reach my ROOT goal last week! I plan to read at least a few more ROOTs before the year is out, so I can contribute to the group goal. Hopefully I can post some proper updates, too.

105Jackie_K
lokakuu 23, 2017, 4:49 pm

Congratulations on reaching your goal! And good to see you back :)

106Tess_W
lokakuu 23, 2017, 6:45 pm

Congrats on reaching your goal!

107MissWatson
lokakuu 24, 2017, 3:59 am

Congratulations!

108floremolla
lokakuu 24, 2017, 5:32 am

Well done on reaching your goal! :)

110readingtangent
marraskuu 11, 2017, 7:32 pm

ROOT #33

Title: Supernatural: Coyote’s Kiss

Author: Christa Faust

Cover:



Format: Kindle e-book

When/how acquired: Purchased 11/29/2015

Amazon description:

A truck full of illegal Mexican immigrants slaughtered with supernatural force is found by the side of a road. Trying to find answers, Sam and Dean are plunged into the dangerous world that exists along the Mexican border.

They encounter a tattooed, pistol-packing bandita on a motorcycle who seems be everywhere they go before they get there. Xochi Cazadora draws them into a whole new world of monsters...

A Supernatural novel that reveals a previously unseen adventure for the Winchester brothers, from the hit TV series!


Comments:

All of the Supernatural books are fun, but this is was probably the one I’ve liked the most so far. I loved Xochi’s character and really enjoyed Christa Faust’s writing. It was cool to see the Winchesters in Mexico, exploring a different culture’s monsters for a change :).

Quote:

“Here,’ she said, pulling handfuls of thick silver chains out of her backpack. ‘Put these on. If you won’t wear marigolds, at least these may give you some protection around your face and neck.’

Dean slipped the tangled chains over his head. ‘I feel like the second-place Mr. T,’ he said.”


lol :).

111readingtangent
marraskuu 11, 2017, 7:42 pm

ROOT #34

Title: Love and Respect

Author: Emerson Eggerichs

Cover:



Format: Kindle e-book

When/how acquired: Purchased 12/02/2014

Amazon description:

This revolutionary message based on Ephesians cracks the communication code between husband and wife: that unconditional respect is as powerful for him as unconditional love is for her.

112readingtangent
marraskuu 11, 2017, 7:48 pm

ROOT #35

Title: How to Live a Good Life

Author: Jonathan Fields

Cover:



Format: Kindle e-book

When/how acquired: Purchased 11/15/2016

Amazon description:

Seriously . . . another book that tells you how to live a good life? Don’t we have enough of those?

You’d think so. Yet, more people than ever are walking through life disconnected, disengaged, dissatisfied, mired in regret, declining health, and a near maniacal state of gut-wrenching autopilot busyness.

Whatever is out there isn’t getting through. We don’t know who to trust. We don’t know what’s real and what’s fantasy. We don’t know how and where to begin and we don’t want to wade through another minute of advice that gives us hope, then saps our time and leaves us empty.

How to Live a Good Life is your antidote; a practical and provocative modern-day manual for the pursuit of a life well lived. No need for blind faith or surrender of intelligence; everything you’ll discover is immediately actionable and subject to validation through your own experience.

Drawn from the intersection of science, spirituality, and the author’s years-long quest to learn at the feet of masters from nearly every tradition and walk of life, this book offers a simple yet powerful model, the “Good Life Buckets ” —spend 30 days filling your buckets and reclaiming your life.

Each day will bring a new, practical yet powerful idea, along with a specific exploration designed to rekindle deep, loving, and compassionate relationships; cultivate vitality, radiance, and graceful ease; and leave you feeling lit up by the way you contribute to the world, like you’re doing the work you were put on the planet to do.

How to Live a Good Life is not just a book to be read; it’s a path to possibility, to be walked, then lived.


Comments:

This would probably be a really good primer for people who haven’t already read a lot of self-help books. He does a good job of distilling a lot of information into short sections that are quick and easy to read.

113readingtangent
marraskuu 11, 2017, 8:08 pm

ROOT #36

Title: Ghost Gifts

Author: Laura Spinella

Cover:



Format: Kindle e-book

When/how acquired: Downloaded 02/29/2016

Amazon description:

An Audie Award winner, Paranormal Fiction.

A RITA Award finalist, Paranormal Romance.

All Aubrey Ellis wants is a normal life, one that doesn’t include desperate pleas from the dead. Her remarkable gift may help others rest in peace, but it also made for an unsettling childhood and destroyed her marriage.

Finally content as the real estate writer for a local newspaper, Aubrey keeps her extraordinary ability hidden—until she is unexpectedly assigned the story of a decades-old murder.

Rocked by the discovery of a young woman’s skeletal remains, the New England town of Surrey wants answers. Hard-nosed investigative reporter Levi St John is determined to get them. Aubrey has no choice but to get involved, even at the terrifying risk of stirring spirits connected to a dead woman’s demise and piquing her new reporting partner’s suspicions.

As Aubrey and Levi delve further into the mystery, secrets are revealed and passion ignites. It seems that Aubrey’s ghost gifts are poised to deliver everything but a normal life.


Comments:

I got this one for free through Kindle Firsts. It was a solid read, with a mystery that kept my interest. There was a love triangle, though, which is never my fave, particularly when one of the guys in the triangle is the MC’s spouse. Makes it hard (for me, anyway) to root for the new dude.

114readingtangent
marraskuu 11, 2017, 8:22 pm

ROOT #37

Title: Bucky F*cking Dent

Author: David Duchovny

Cover:



Format: Kindle e-book

When/how acquired: Christmas gift 2016

Amazon description:

The New York Times bestselling author David Duchovny is back.

Ted Fullilove, aka Mr. Peanut, is not like other Ivy League grads. He shares an apartment with Goldberg, his beloved battery-operated fish, sleeps on a bed littered with yellow legal pads penned with what he hopes will be the next great American Novel, and spends the waning days of the Carter administration at Yankee Stadium, waxing poetic while slinging peanuts to pay the rent.

When Ted hears the news that his estranged father, Marty, is dying of lung cancer, he immediately moves back into his childhood home, where a whirlwind of revelations ensues. The browbeating absentee father of Ted’s youth tries to make up for lost time, but his health dips drastically whenever his beloved Red Sox lose. And so, with help from Mariana—the Nuyorican grief counselor with whom Ted promptly falls in love—and a crew of neighborhood old-timers, Ted orchestrates the illusion of a Boston winning streak, enabling Marty and the Red Sox to reverse the Curse of the Bambino and cruise their way to World Series victory. Well, sort of.

David Duchovny’s richly drawn Bucky F*cking Dent explores the bonds between fathers and sons and the age-old rivalry between Yankee fans and the Fenway faithful, and grapples with our urgent need to persevere—and risk everything—in the name of love. Culminating in that fateful moment in October of ’78 when the mighty Bucky Dent hit his way into baseball history with the unlikeliest of home runs, this tender, insightful, and hilarious novel demonstrates how life truly belongs to the losers, and that the long shots are the ones worth betting on.

Bucky F*cking Dent is a singular tale that brims with the mirth, poignancy, and profound solitude of modern life.


Comments:

I found this to be very sweet and funny. Surprisingly uplifting, despite the sad circumstances of the story. I look forward to reading more books by David Duchovny, as I’ve liked both the ones I’ve read this year.

Quote:

“‘Are you doing anything today?’

‘No, I have a day off.’

‘And you don’t need to spend it with your boyfriend?’

‘Subtle. You’re like a detective. A regular Nancy Drew.’

She was funny, and her insults had no sting, not like Marty; her insults felt nice, like acupuncture. How did she do that? Ted wondered. What was her mojo? He liked everything about her. This was bad.”

115readingtangent
marraskuu 11, 2017, 8:25 pm

I'm still not caught up posting updates, but at least I'm a little closer :). Btw, I bought 4 books in October, but since I met my goal, I was able to read them all. So I feel a little better, knowing I didn't add them to the pile.

116Tess_W
marraskuu 12, 2017, 6:35 pm

Congrats on meeting your goal!

117connie53
marraskuu 13, 2017, 2:37 pm



Very good Job, Elizabeth.

118avanders
joulukuu 15, 2017, 9:46 am

Hello... sorry for such a long absence! I kept seeing that "unread" number get higher and higher and was completely intimidated... Finally, I figured it's better to just stop by and say HI. :)
I wish I had time to go through these threads and read all about what you've all been doing and reading! But, alas, I very much do not. But I think of you often!! And my "hello" is heartfelt and repeated often in my own head ;)

I'm not sure how I will remain involved next year, but I will be around in some fashion!
xo

119readingtangent
joulukuu 22, 2017, 5:05 pm

>128, >129 Thanks! :)

>130 Great to hear from you! Congrats on reaching your goal despite how busy you've been! xo

120avanders
joulukuu 28, 2017, 1:16 am

Hi again Elizabeth!
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas & Happy New Year!