This post is coming to you live from my couch while I watch the Home Run Derby. Any and all mistakes, including possibly leaving out some books I’ve read, are attributed to that.
Since we last met, I’m not really even sure where my days have gone or what I’ve done. I have read books. I do know that. So let’s discuss those instead of me trying to come up with something to say when words are hard.
The Invited by Jennifer McMahon. I had requested this as an ARC and was denied but I read it anyway. SO TAKE THAT, NETGALLEY. Anyway, I liked it. It was a weird little ghost story with some twists and turns and I’m looking forward to reading more of her books. It did feel at times like it was written to be adapted into a movie but not so much that it was distracting. This did wind up being my favorite book of the month, so take from that what you want.
The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms. This book was all over SUYB last month and somehow, and I don’t know how or why, it was already on my Kindle. Was it a Kindle First option at some point? Because that could explain it. Regardless, this book passed the time just fine. It was better than looking at my phone, not better than watching Sons of Anarchy reruns. It got annoying at times, especially the word “momspringa” WHICH I OFFICIALLY HATE and never want to see again, but overall a cute little story if you’re looking for a vacation read.
Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center. ARC from NetGalley that I actually read before its pub date which is amazing and unusual for me. I felt about this one the same way I did about Amy Byler. Like, exactly the same. This is my second Center book and I feel like she’s a good go-to for me when I need something fluffy (even if it tries to be serious). I did like the callback to How to Walk Away in the beginning. That was fun.
Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter. I rated this 3 stars but I don’t know why considering I liked this book a whole damn lot and am very excited for the TV or movie adaptation (I can’t remember which and am too lazy and distracted to look it up). I have never read a book by Karin Slaughter that I don’t like. She, along with Paul Cleave and Chevy Stevens, are my favorite thriller writers right now. They have yet to let me down. As far as this book, I don’t think it was a graphic and gross as some of her others but still a solid thriller.
Sugar Run by Mesha Maren. To put into perspective how I felt about this book, I forgot I read it. I can’t even remember what it was about or what happened or why I even read it. Okay, now that I’ve reread the Goodreads summary, now I remember why I didn’t love it. It felt…unfinished. Incomplete. Boring at times, and the story would have been just fine if the main character was not LGBTQ. It was not at all relevant to the story, and it felt like a gimmick that she was written that way. Representation does matter but not in this kind of crappy book.
Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner. Apparently this is one of THE books of the summer because the author is a big deal, and the self-owns in the book were AWESOME and she wrote unlikable people on purpose, this book was a slog to get through. I kept reading mostly to find out if I was right (I was half-right). I’m not suggesting not to read it, because you might be the right audience, but either I’m not or it was the wrong time for me to read it. ARC from NetGalley.
The Minimalist Home by Joshua Becker. Big fat DNF. Minimized my books read by putting this one the fuck down because it was terrible.
Currently reading The Laughterhouse by Paul Cleave
TL; DR: None of these books would win a home run derby but they make a good showing. Use your own judgement if you want to read them. Even the one I hated.
Now it’s your turn. Link up and show us your books! Don’t forget to visit my vacationing co-host Steph and some other bloggers joining us, and save the date (August 13) for the next one.
Laughing at take that Netgalley.
I want to read that Overdue Life book but momspringa? Whyyyy?
Ooh, the next link up is on my birthday 🙂
McMahon books have been on my TBR forever. I’m going to set the goal to read one of her books for October, since she’s thriller/horror genre-ish. Adding Pieces of Her to my TBR. I’ve only read a couple of Slaughter’s books and have enjoyed the ones that I have.
Tanya @ A Mindful Migration recently posted…June Bookshelf: Can You Feel the Love?
Momspringa? No. If a book has something like that it annoys me so much.
I finally got to Amy Byler recently too (it was indeed a Kindle First) and agree that it was fairly pleasantly fluffy. I’m such a sucker for books about booksellers/librarians/bookstores but they can sometimes be such letdowns. This one was on the cusp of that (totally agree about “momspringa”) but passed the time pretty well on a long flight… I did like Things You Save in a Fire quite a bit, but I’ve never read anything else by Katherine Center. Sometimes with authors like that (or Christina Lauren, Taylor Jenkins Reid) I feel like you just end up loving best the first one of theirs that you happen to read.
I had the exact same experience with Amy Byler! All of a sudden everyone started talking about it and I was like, “oh I already have this” Mystery solved with Kindle First Reads. Apparently I need to start checking them more often 🙂
well i’m glad you didn’t hate the overdue life, it is on my list. also glad you liked things you save in a fire. i like her books, they mix fluffy and serious well (for me, anyway). hope you have better luck with books soon!
The invited sounds good – I must add to my TBR list.
June was the worst reading month for me – here is to a better month 🙂
I read the overdue life of Amy and you are 100% right, a fun beach read.
xo
Pinksole
Aww I loved The Overdue Life but I agree about the word momspringa 100%.. I have really enjoyed Katherine Center’s books but my favourite will always be Happiness for Beginners 🙂
I hadn’t heard the word momspringa until a week ago, and now I keep seeing it everywhere. Ugh, fake words.
Currently reading The Overdue Life … but it’s taking forever for me. I think if I could sit down and focus on reading, I’d probably fly through it. As it is, I open up my kindle at bedtime, read a sentence and then fall asleep. But yeah, “Momspringa” … nope.
Now I feel like I need to go check my Kindle for this book, haha!
Yes…Amy Byler drove me crazy. It was entertaining for the most part but the momspringa didn’t win me over. I thought I wanted to read Thing you save in a Fire but between you and Steph…now I’m not so sure!
Picked up Things You Save in a Fire yesterday! Looking forward to reading.
I love Karin Slaughter! I’m dying at the last bit about minimizing by DNF!
HOW GREAT WAS THE HOME RUN DERBY THOUGH?
Kasey recently posted…What I Read In June
I felt the same way about Sugar Run. I wasn’t super into the description of Overdue Life (which I’m 99% sure was a Kindle First read, btw), so I never grabbed it. I am super excited for Center’s new book — I really liked How to Walk Away though — and I’ll probably pick it up next. Sorry it wasn’t a runaway month for you! Hopefully next one will be better 🙂
Oh my god, I love your comment for The Minimalist Home. Sorry you didn’t read any winners this past month!
-Lauren
ShootingStarsMag recently posted…Show Us Your Books: Adult, YA, and MG Mini Reviews
I think Amy Byler was a Kindle First book because I randomly have it on mine as well. Ha! Haven’t gotten to it yet, though.
Just sayin’,
Karly @ What Karly Said
I read one book by Karin Slaughter, The Good Daughter, and it’s one of my FAVORITES! Have you read that one yet?
I can’t believe this is already the July link-up. And then you mentioned August. Where the eff did this year go… Ugh. It’s flying by. I don’t like it. Bummer on so many mediocre books. I’m in a reading slump right now although I have plenty of options. Ughhhh.
Audrey recently posted…What I Read…
I totally agree on the word Momspringa and had mentioned that in my review of the same book. I’m reading Things You Save in a Fire now and I also loved the throwback to How To Walk Away at the beginning!
I thought The Minimalist Home was good for people who are literally trying to take the first baby step in decluttering, otherwise it is definitely stuff that has been repeated over and over.
Mackenzie recently posted…As The Page Turns: July Edition
adding the invited to my TBR, sounds good and different!
I just finished The Invited last week and loved it! But, I also like weird ghost stories like that & would love it if it turned into a movie someday. And I also loved Pieces of Her – Karin Slaughter is one of my favorites!
I felt like The Overdue Life was too many storylines crammed into one book. It could’ve been better as a series maybe?
I’m starting to fall into the Katherine Center go-to reader myself.
I’ve seen so many mixed reviews of The Overdue Life but I still want to read it. Of course I had to look up Pieces of Her because I love reading a book before the TV/movie adaption (Netflix picked it up for a mini-series due out in 2020 btw). I’ve never read anything by her either so I’m even more excited to see what she’s about.
I have Things You Save in a Fire on my summer reading list!
It’s always fun to find a book you didn’t even realize you own. Been there done that.
Glad Things You Save in a Fire was good, it is on my ipad but i haven’t gotten around to it yet! … I need to though because I have SO MANY Netgalley books right now. LOL XO – Alexandra
Simply Alexandra: My Favorite Things
haha netgalley is so temperamental with their sharing. Whatever every now and then I get a gem.
The overdue life really was everywhere last month but after your review maybe Ill postpone it just a bit. Like im sure its fine as you said but right now Im in the mood for books that completely captivate me.
I’m going to be looking for more of McMahon’s books as well. For me, I thought they were going to deny me. Just the fact that the word “momspringa” is IN that book I am removing it from my TBR and my challenge list. I’m sorry, but no. Also, the overwhelming reviews of mehh make me seriously second guess it.
Slaughter does no wrong in my book. I’m not sure what the hell a “momspringa” is or supposed to be? The Invited sounds great, so I’ll have to check that out too. Still bitter about Acuna not winning the home run derby.
Reading netgalley books before pub date is very hit or miss for me. Sometimes I’ll read like 5 in a row before pub date… and other times I’m about 11 behind. Usually some mix of the two. I was going to add my link, but it looks like the link party has ended. I’ll check back later to see if it was adjusted! XO – Alexandra
Simply Alexandra: My Favorite Things
ooof now i’m just looking at the wrong post…. LOL NEVERMIND! 🙂