Safe to say that April stayed more true to form than March, in that we had A LOT of rain, which is fine because now we have flowers everywhere. My reading was not quite so productive. I did have a 5 star winner with The Takedown, but beyond that I was stuck with hit or miss books.
Desperation Road by Michael Farris Smith
Published by Little Brown and Company
Publication date: February 7th 2017
Desperation Road by Michael Farris Smith: One of those novels that is perfectly named. The story of Russell and Maben is one of doors closed and sadness. They are people paying the price for their actions, even when those actions are out of desperate need. They never question what happens to them, but just keep trying to make their way. Once begun, any gains made in their lives unspool into darkness. Smith reminds me of Kent Haruf in his ability to evoke deep emotion with only a few words. Heart clenching quiet.
Mistress of the Sun by Sandra Gulland
Publication date: April 7th 2009
Mistress of the Sun by Sandra Gulland: More of my escapist royal history reading! Louise de la Valliere was Louis XIV’s first mistress and, supposedly, one of the great loves of his life. The novel is highly entertaining with its court intrigues, but Gulland goes a bit overboard with a fantastical element. That aside, my biggest take-away, is that, based on Gulland’s research and historical records of the times, it’s very likely that Louise suffered from multiple sclerosis. Uninteresting to most people, but for me as I was reading the novel and Louise goes temporarily blind repeatedly and suffers bouts of numbness in her legs I thought it sounded like MS, but had no idea it existed back then.
Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult
Published by Berkley
Publication date: July 2nd 2002
Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult: It had to happen so I guess I’m lucky it took this long, but I did not care for this novel at all. Picoult always addresses an important social issue in her work and here it’s spousal abuse. I can’t pretend to have any understanding of the psychology on either side of the issue, but this wife believes it is her role in life to take her actor husband’s abuse so he can continue to appear perfect to the world. That and the fact that she’s an archeologist and he’s a movie star? All of it felt improbable to me.
The Witchfinder’s Sister by Beth Underdown: Review to follow
Feast of Sorrow by Crystal King: Review
All Grown Up by Jami Attenberg: Despite praise from bloggers I could not engage with this novel. DNF
Widow of Wall Street by Randy Sue Meyers: Review
Burntown by Jennifer McMahon: Review to follow
Publication date: May 21st 2013
The Bling Ring by Nancy Jo Sales: I thought I might get a whole audio section of books this month, but only managed to finish one! I was one of the pop culture freaks who was mesmerized in 2009 by this story of a group of teens (post high school) who managed to burglarize celebrity homes—the same homes, not once, not twice, but up to 5 times. People so wealthy they didn’t even know what was missing and so secure they left doors and windows open. At the same time, these were not master criminals, just fame obsessed teens who wanted what the rich had but didn’t want to work for it. Sales covers a lot of sociological territory in this book which, layered in with its pop culture aspects, made for easy listening.
How was your April? Any great reading I need to add to my ever-growing TBR?!
I’ve been recommending The Takedown a ton in my personalized recommendations! So thank you for that! And that Picoult does sound completely improbable.
And I didn’t realize you were reading Desperation Road! I DNF’d that the month it came out.
I finished Desperation Road, but didn’t much care for it. It seems a lot of Picoult books to have rather unlikely premises. Liked All Grown Up, but listened to it on audio and I think that might have made all the difference.
Hope May is good to you!
It seems I was one of the few to like Desperation Road! I don’t know, he writes in a style that works for me.
All the books that Picoult has, eventually you would come to one that you didn’t enjoy. I don’t think I’ve read that one but it sounds terrible. Is it one of her early ones?
I was definitely in the same pop culture boat when it came to those robberies! That was at the height of The Hills and all that – glory days! I enjoyed that book! The movie was…ok.
I hadn’t heard the story of the fame-obsessed teens until now, but it does sound fascinating. And it reminds me of Pierrot’s thefts in The Lonely Hearts Hotel by Heather O’Neill. He just wanders into people’s houses wearing his well-tailored suit and takes things. I can see how many things wouldn’t even be noticed for a while!
It was a big deal here because it took place in Hollywood and they stole from all these c-list celebrities like Paris Hilton and Lindsey Lohan.
Yeah I’m still in search of a 5 star read for me this year. But wait … I think I gave American Heiress by Toobin one in January. I also liked The Association of Small Bombs. There’s plenty of time to find more — hopefully. Enjoy your May!