This picture is only mildly appropriate as Seattle is flipping on an almost daily basis between summer heat and rainy chills (wear shorts? or a sweater?). It might also be a good metaphor for my reading. Somehow, I got a little crazy with the number of books I have to read in June and now I’m blowing hot and cold on almost every one. So, today this is not only ‘Monday what-I’m-reading’, it’s also my ‘what-I’m-not-reading’ post.
Reading
The House of Hidden Mothers: A Novel by Meera SyalPublished by Sarah Crichton Books
Publication date: June 14th 2016
Ink and Bone by Lisa Unger
Published by Touchstone
Publication date: June 7th 2016
All right…I’m going to Florence next month! EEK! Am I excited? YES. All caps, *squee*, emoji overload excited.
Stalled
Homegoing: I’m mentioning this one with trepidation because it has been so highly regarded by the press and by several book bloggers I trust. Sadly, I could not get invested in the characters. The novel is about slavery and is set in Africa and the United States. It covers generations of two families, with each family member getting a chapter. The heart of the novel is two half-sisters, but with the switching back and forth between the two and their descendants from one chapter to the next I lost track of the connections. There is a family tree, but having to refer back to it every time a new chapter started kept me from getting into the flow.
If I Forget You: This one is also tough in a different way. I adored Greene’s last novel The Headmaster’s Wife and still think it is one of the best unreliable narrator novels I’ve ever read so I was jazzed to read his latest. And then…I wasn’t. It almost feels like it was written by someone else. I wasn’t expecting another novel of twists and turns but I was looking forward to the great prose I remembered and it isn’t there.
How about you? Are you reading anything fabulous this week? Or are you too busy enjoying beautiful weather and vacationing?
Kate @ booksaremyfavouriteandbest says
There’s nothing more wonderful than having a travel guide book on the top of the TBR stack 🙂 I’m soooo jealous!
Shame about the Greene novel – I have it close to the top of my TBR stack (but haven’t read anything else by him, so no benchmark).
This week I’m finishing The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert and about to start Emma Cline’s The Girls.
Catherine says
Read Greene’s other book- The Headmaster’s Wife, if you want to try him out. It was one of my favorites in 2014. Really good.
Sarah's Book Shelves says
I love how you did this post – I think it’s helpful to know what people aren’t reading…or tried and abandoned as well!
KatieMcD @ Bookish Tendencies says
Yyyaaayyyy Florence! I LOVED it when I was there a few years ago… wandering around, stopping in cafes, and the FOOD, all the specialty shops…. Loved everything about it, and I hope you have a fantastic time!
Lynn @ Smoke & Mirrors says
SQUEE!! Florence! Yay you! House of Hidden Mothers looks viable. For some reason, Homegoing looks like one I’ll either love or hate! And I really want to read The Headmaster’s Wife! Looks like a good week ahead!
Shannon @ River City Reading says
I can see how Homegoing didn’t work for you if you felt taxed by the multiple storylines, but FLORENCE!!! I’m so excited for you and can’t wait to hear more about this trip.
Leah @ Books Speak Volumes says
You’re going to Florence?! Aghh I’m so excited for you, and I can’t wait to hear all about it.
Tara says
YOU’RE GOING TO FLORENCE?!!! Wow!! I’m so jealous! I hope you’ll share lots of pics!! I have a trip coming up in just over two weeks; it’s not to Florence (or even out of the country!), but I can share in your upcoming travel excitement because I’ve been planning this trip for nearly a year. I think the planning and the anticipation is just as much fun as the actually event itself. So, I did really enjoy Homegoing; while I am usually bothered by the back and forth and multiple character lines, etc., I think because I read this one so quickly (and was not reading anything else at the time) it was easy for me to find the connections and stick with it. It’s really tough when I have a string of novels that just won’t stick! I hope something works for you soon!
Naomi says
I’m reading Homegoing right now, and I’m enjoying it. But I love books with multiple narrators.
Catherine says
I’m prety sure I’m in the minority on that book, so many other bloggers are loving it.
Marisa @ The Daily Dosage says
I don’t really care right now what you’re reading (or was reading last week)…I just want to abandon all my adult responsibilities and come with you to Florence. Must hear more about it….starting an email…
Catherine says
Crazy, right?! I’m excited and nervous and *squee*!