What I've Been Reading Lately #18

Reading in time of pandemic is not like reading in time of normalcy, isn't it? Some days I don't read not even a page, and I am more than OK with that. Reading is for fun, not a chore. 

One Perfect Summer - by Brenda Novak

I read this as a way to escape the constant news about Corona virus. It's the story of three sisters who find each other thanks to a DNA test. They want to learn how are they connected, and why did their families keep the secret all their lives. It is an engaging story, I didn't see the ending, and overall it's an engaging story, albeit a tad too many characters. I think we could have done without all three brothers next door, and maybe the novel as a whole could have been about 50 pages shorter. It's a light novel, with some depth; in a word, a feel-good novel.

I read this one for Net Galley and here's the review.
3*

Murder on the Orient Express - Agatha Christie

In true Christie fashion, I didn't see the ending coming. I've missed Hercule Poirot and it was a nice easy read in the midst of a world pandemic.

When someone is found dead in a train cart, all the passengers become suspects. Hercule Poirot is in charge of finding who exactly murdered the victim. 

5*

Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire - by Jen Hatmaker

I was curious about this one, but it didn't surprise me. The ideas seemed repetitive, despite the clearly distinct chapters. There is the clear funny Hatmaker the world is used to, but also the serious Hatmaker. I was curious to see what she can say that I didn't already know related to her beliefs, but not much was new. A lot of the ideas presented in her previous books can be found here, but from the perspective of a women more mature now.

I received this from Net Galley and here's my review. 

2*

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone - by Lori Gottlieb

I've been meaning to read this for a while now because I kept seeing it on Instagram. A few weeks ago Joanna Goddard announced the first CupOfJo book club and this is the selection. The book club is on April 14th, and so I decided that now's the time. 

I liked this one, although in the middle part it got to a plateau and the reading moved along slowly. It picked up past the 70% point. It read like a novel, and every patient seemed like a character you could root for. The patients' stories and the author's stories are so well interwoven that it helps the reader see themselves into them as well. This is for those curious about therapy, like I was. 

There are parts of theoretical aspects, but not boring, nor overwhelming - it's reader friendly. 

I think this is better read in chunks, rather than all at once if you're not into nonfiction or it seems like a slow paced read. You do you! 

4*





I am currently reading The Moon Sister by Lucinda Riley. It has a slow start for me (despite being full of action) and I read it mostly in bits, but after having spent more than an hour yesterday reading, I have found my groove. Now I'm curious where it's headed. I'm only at the 35% mark, and at 740+ pages, I still have a long way to go.

These last few weeks my reading has been mostly meh. It might be the books, but mostly it's me. I can't always concentrate as well as I wish I did, and I am not sure what is it that I want to read. I know it's fiction, but even in that genre there are so many categories. For now I'll stick to The Moon Sister, and then we'll.