tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20233152769767720362024-03-13T06:11:18.846-05:0052 Book MinimumMy 2013 New Year's Resolution was to read 52 books (one per week). After fulfilling that goal in March I decided I needed something more. MORE I TELL YOU!!! Thus, the 52 Book Minimum Blog was born. Welcome all!Kelly (and the Book Boar)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13871211858940677464noreply@blogger.comBlogger1706125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2023315276976772036.post-70965416876037451112020-08-13T19:00:00.001-05:002020-08-13T19:00:08.703-05:00Something She's Not Telling Us by Darcey Bell<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="44594911" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1582073883l/44594911.jpg" /></p><p style="text-align: center;">2.5 Stars</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">My first experience with Darcey Bell <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2540762289?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1" rel="nofollow">was not a good one</a> (to put it lightly). But then I watched the film version and really (like really really) dug it so I definitely wanted to give her another go. About the only thing that can be said to sum up this sophomore experience for me is . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1597328244i/29960717.jpg" /> </a><br /><br />Obviously this is no literary masterpiece, but I read it back before the temps were hot enough to immediately fuse your underwear to your butt on a Saturday morning out on the deck while imbibing copious amounts of coffee and found it to be sort of just the trainwreck I was looking for at that moment.<br /><br />To sum it up briefly, this is the story about a family vacation that ends up with a potential kidnapping once the parties return home. It features picture-perfect couple Charlotte and Eli and their daughter Daisy along with Charlotte’s “rakish” (*cough drunken manbaby cough*) brother Rocco and his latest girl-of-the-moment Ruth, a Mexican Adventure where threats are made of possibly revealing long-held secrets and where at least one character might not be exactly what they appear to be. The story is presented via Charlotte, Ruth and occasionally Rocco's narratives with time hops all over the place so if that’s not your bag, this will annoy the crap out of you. Like I said above, this completely jumps the tracks into batshit crazy – but in a Lifetime Stabby Stabs sort of way where it’s truly just a page-turney sort of delicious disaster. Basically? Pure brain candy. Oh, and it has a horrible face cover that I hate . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1597328244ra/29960718.gif" /> </a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Kelly (and the Book Boar)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13871211858940677464noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2023315276976772036.post-89313405917300924232020-08-12T20:00:00.001-05:002020-08-13T09:31:31.825-05:00Fish and Chips by Madeleine Urban and Abigail Roux<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="9863556" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328365411l/9863556.jpg" /></p><p style="text-align: center;">4.5 Stars</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">As far as I’m concerned this book can be summed up in this one gif . . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1597242937ra/29954629.gif" /> </a><br /><br />Holy sploosh. <br /><br />This starts off with Ty and Zane having the sexiest sparring match in the history of pornography only to find out it is going to be the tropiest yum yum of all tropey yum yums and the only thing better than a fake relationship trope which is the:<br /><br /><b>WE ARE IN A SECRET RELATIONSHIP, BUT NOW HAVE TO PRETEND TO BE IN AN ACTUAL RELATIONSHIP FOR OUR JOBS!!!</b><br /><br />And in case you aren’t familiar with these books, that means these two alpha male special agent Feds are going undercover as a married gay couple to catch some sort of potential art thievery ring and the whole thing takes place on a cruise ship. I don’t think my heart can take it. Or my underwear drawer. I was flying through panties faster than a toupee in a hurricane!<br /><br />I will absolutely be reading the other books in this series. </p>Kelly (and the Book Boar)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13871211858940677464noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2023315276976772036.post-58449139287682011172020-08-12T19:00:00.001-05:002020-08-13T09:29:23.128-05:00Cut and Run by Madeleine Urban and Abigal Roux<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="5199023" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327894511l/5199023.jpg" /></p><p style="text-align: center;">4 Stars</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Have you all met my friend <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1639324634?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1" rel="nofollow">Jilly</a>???? If not, allow me to make a quick introduction here. You see, Jilly reads ALL SORTS of <s>trash</s> fine works. She’s also hilarious so she makes you want to read them too despite the fact that they often have simply <i>terrible</i> covers . . . . or titles . . . . or shapeshifting/alien main characters . . . . or plotlines. Basically, she’s this . . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1597243285ra/29954699.gif" /> </a><br /><br />When I saw her reviewing this series last week I was super interested since I had actually heard of these before and discovered the pornbrary was all ready to hook me up with a checkout. (Confession: I really only wanted book 3 because it was tropey yumminess which I’ll talk about over on that review in about two seconds, but after reading about 7 pages of <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3487343060?book_show_action=false" rel="nofollow">Fish and Chips</a> I knew I didn’t want to skip the meet-not-so-cute between Ty and Zane). Previous sentence being written, these do work pretty well as standalones, but speaking from my own experience <i>Cut and Run</i> is not one to miss because about the thirty percent marker you’ll find yourself . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1597243285ra/29954700.gif" /> </a><br /><br />Now I will come clean and say that I haven’t read much M/M, but I do read my fair share of pornos with a side of mystery and lemme tell you these two fellas??????<br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1597243285ra/29954701.gif" /> </a><br /><br />The sleuthing is about on par with any other “light” mystery – you get introduced to like 6 characters total so you know kind of right away who the bad guy probably is. Also these guys spent a lot more time banging in the shower than actually attempting to find a serial killer so you definitely need to have some serious leeway when it comes to whether a 40-hour work week is a requirement in your smut. But if you want to see if you can make your underpants combust simply via the written word, I highly recommend this series : ) </p>Kelly (and the Book Boar)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13871211858940677464noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2023315276976772036.post-37067748049352020012020-08-11T19:00:00.000-05:002020-08-13T09:27:45.651-05:00Beach Read by Emily Henry<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="52867387. sy475 " src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1589881197l/52867387._SY475_.jpg" /></p><p style="text-align: center;">2.5 Stars</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Shelby and I appear to be the wrongreaders (*gasp <i>never</i>*) on this one because most of our friends really dug it and then there’s us . . . . .<br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1597157285ra/29949460.gif" /> </a><br /><br />This should have been a winner for me. I love rom coms. I love chick lit. I love cartoon covers. I love when the characters are authors or booknerds. So what happened? Well, January and Gus and their summer at their neighboring beach houses happened. This book kind of got lost in what it was trying to be and ended up being a mish-mash that simply fell short and by the time I let go of my issues with it, sadly it was just a little too late for a full redemption. <br /><br />Things started off poorly for me due to the fact that for a goodly chunk of this book I couldn’t get these two assholes and their ridiculous internet feud out of my head . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1597157285i/29949461.png" /> </a><br /><br />I pretty much avoid reading stuff by either of them because they come off as such twats and they don’t deserve my time (or especially my money). The fact that the leads in this book were pretty much clones of those two as the “great American novelist” for him and the “chick lit romance bestseller” for her did not aid in my enjoyment level whatsoever.<br /><br />Then there were the dead daddy issues . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1597157285ra/29949462.gif" /> </a><br /><br />Oh my word you broken record. We get it already. It’s not like you’re 12 so get some coping skills and it’s not like you were even close so how the hell could this possibly shatter you so much??? See a doctor, homey.<br /><br />The romance (a/k/a smexytimes) was aiiiiiiiight so this 2.5 will get rounded up simply for not making me want to invest in a chastity belt or poke my own eyeballs out due to gross intercourse.<br /><br />But like Shelby stated in her review, a serious level of irk was generated with the other broken record message that . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1597157285ra/29949463.gif" /> </a><br /><br />First, you just got a G.D. beach house bequeathed to you so STFU – you’re not homeless. Second, if you are seriously a bestselling author you should have at least five dollars in the bank. And third, if you don’t???? GET. A. FUCKING. DAY. JOB. There is nothing that aggravates me more than “authors” who cry all over Goodreads and Go Fund Me and Patreon that it is <b>our</b> duty as readers/fans to pay their bills so they can “create” while we go grind it out at various not-dreamy 9 to 5s. Having this chick whine about her money issues made me want to lump her in the badly behaving author category like those people.<br /><br />Obviously YMMV and you’ll probably love this like everyone else did. <br /><br /><i>ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.</i></p>Kelly (and the Book Boar)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13871211858940677464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2023315276976772036.post-53928881716363050362020-08-10T19:00:00.002-05:002020-08-13T09:25:24.733-05:00The Safe Place by Anna Downes<p align="center"><img alt="51008485. sy475 " src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1580946922l/51008485._SY475_.jpg" /></p><p align="center">2.5 Stars</p><p align="center"><br /></p><p align="center">When Emily finds herself unemployed, about to be evicted and cut off from her family’s pocketbook due to asking for assistance one too many times, she has no clue what will save her tail. Enter former boss Scott. Emily may have been a terrible receptionist at his company, but she has a good personality and might just be the perfect fit as a personal assistant for his wife at their French estate. Gardening, home decorating and helping keep an eye out on their solo child coupled with great food, drinks and lounging by the pool? Sounds almost too good to be true.<br /><br />Okay, so really the only problem with this was . . . . .<br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1597073126ra/29944287.gif" /> </a><br /><br />If you have ever read a mystery or thriller – like EVER, even once in your life – you should be able to guess what the big reveal of this one is going to be loooooonnnnnnnnnng before it ever gets there. That being said, somehow this was still really readable so I’m going to round my average rating up to a three. </p><p align="center"><br /></p><p align="center"><br /></p>Kelly (and the Book Boar)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13871211858940677464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2023315276976772036.post-81419842585858363532020-08-07T09:43:00.002-05:002020-08-07T09:43:56.019-05:00Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="53287484" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1588597375l/53287484.jpg" /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Oh 2020 – So far you’ve delivered a pandemic, swarms of locusts and murder hornets, cyclones, hurricanes (even a surprise July tornado a few miles North of me last week here in flyover country that had the sirens blaring), raging wildfires, social uprising, deaths of more than a handful of beloved famous people, etc., etc., etc. You’ve been a trial for sure . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1596810967ra/29929818.gif" /> </a><br /><br />Sad as it may sound, Stephenie Meyer having a rethink about releasing the ol’ <i>Midnight Sun</i> may be just what a lot of us needed right now. I’m not going to bother discussing literary merit or writing ability generically, nor will I be opining on the “toxicity” of a fictional relationship between a Sparkle Vampire and a Mary Sue (I just know as an old lady my supernatural books tend to have a <b>lot</b> more penetration than these children’s novels). Hell, I’m not even going to rate it because *spoiler alert: Edward was sooooooo boring in this* All I know is I was absolutely compelled to be a completionist of this series, saved a gift card from Mother’s Day until August just so I could get my hands on it the day it released without any guilty conscience whatsoever and that it sucked two entire days of my life up in a time where the minutes drag on like years. It did exactly what it was supposed to do.<br /><br />I would loooooooooooooooooooove to read <i>New Moon</i> from Jacob’s perspective next . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1596810967ra/29929819.gif" /> </a><br /><br /><br /><br /><b>ORIGINAL "REVIEW:</b><br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1588612632ra/29414608.gif" /> </a><br /><br />And zero fucks are given. I am #twihard #twitard #twimom #teamjacob4eva #loser whatever other lame hashtags someone wants to throw at me and I diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiie for this release.<br /><br />#notevensorry </p>Kelly (and the Book Boar)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13871211858940677464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2023315276976772036.post-1048495990405879942020-08-06T11:39:00.001-05:002020-08-06T11:39:53.967-05:00When We Were Vikings by Andrew David MacDonald<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="46205807" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1567002018l/46205807.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">5 Stars</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ahhhhhhhh this little book . . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1596731200ra/29925650.gif" /> </a><br /><br />If you are of the ilk that is offended by everything it’s probably best to just stay far farrrrrrr away. The protagonist here isn’t your average gal, her family is not your average family and their issues aren’t your average issues. There’s plenty to get butthurt about. For the rest of you with more open minds who are willing to take a risk, hopefully you will find yourself in the same boat as me and completely smitten by this story . . . . <br /><br /><b><i>My legend will show people that, even if you are not gargantuan, you can still be strong and brave and help others in your tribe.</i> </b><br /><br />And find yourself so wrapped up in the lives of characters such as Zelda . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1596731200ra/29925651.gif" /> </a><br /><br />Her brother Gert . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1596731200ra/29925652.gif" /> </a><br /><br />His on/off again girlfriend Annie (also known as AK-47) . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1596731200ra/29925653.gif" /> </a><br /><br />And more than one bad guy who deserves something like this to happen to him . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1596731200ra/29925654.gif" /> </a><br /><br />That you don’t ever want it to end just so they can stay in your life a little while longer.<br /><br />All the Stars.<br /><br /><i>ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!</i> </div>Kelly (and the Book Boar)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13871211858940677464noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2023315276976772036.post-35600381009448723522020-08-04T19:00:00.000-05:002020-08-04T19:00:04.896-05:00Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia<br />
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4 Stars</div>
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<strong><em>This place could drive anyone crazy.</em> <br /></strong>Upon receipt of a disturbing letter from her cousin claiming she is being poisoned by her husband and trapped in a house full of rot and evil, Noemí is sent on a bit of a fact-finding mission in order to get Catalina any help she may need. Her arrival reveals a house on a hill a bit like . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="242" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1596556585ra/29915545.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />Ran by a woman with an iron fist and an entire laundry list of rules reminiscent of . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="204" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1596556585ra/29915546.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />Eventually followed by some pretty superb gross-out scenes I haven’t experienced since . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="191" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1596556585ra/29915547.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />Apparently this wasn’t a big hit for everyone. Color me surprised because I thought it was <b>exactly</b> as advertised - Lovecraft meets the Brontës. That cover alone is worth the price of admission. And yes I know I know I complain about face covers all the time, but these “ladies in pretty dresses” covers are simply the bees knees. I will say this is a slow roller that builds itself up to a frantic pace for the climax, so if you aren’t sucked in by the atmosphere, you definitely aren’t going to have a great time. Also, I apparently wrongread even when I think I’m reading it right so take my rating with a grain of salt. </div>
Kelly (and the Book Boar)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13871211858940677464noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2023315276976772036.post-43564868118401070362020-08-03T19:00:00.000-05:002020-08-03T19:00:05.294-05:00Dream Maker by Kristen Ashley<br />
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4 Stars</div>
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<strong><em>“It’s us from now on. The Dream Team. The Rock Chicks are cool and all, but we’re next gen.”</em> <br /></strong><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><strong><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="205" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1596463749ra/29910469.gif" width="400" /></strong> </a><br /><br />Okay, not really, but I have been able to avoid the last of the motorbike pornos due to their epic lengths and little plot and also all but one of the Rock Chick books. I even dodged this one for a minute because that cover?????<br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="225" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1596463749ra/29910470.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />But Kristen Ashley’s siren song is one that is hard for me to resist and eventually I added my name to the library wait list along with all the other horny housewives and when my turn came up yesterday I read the whole dang thing cover-to-cover. And now????<br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="203" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1596463749ra/29910471.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />Yeah, I recommend this series to any KA fans out there who happen to stumble upon this “review.” Not only was it splooshy with a typical alpha male sex god, but this one had an actual story too. (Here our leading lady Evan is a stripper with a heart of god who is scheduled to have a blind date with a dude who is maybe some sort of commando and finds herself (in)conveniently requested to “hold something” for her jailbird brother that becomes a whole thing of dope, kidnapping, shoot ‘em ups, etc., etc.) Sadly, KA is still addicted to the “honey” speak, but with cameos by the Chaos motorcycle boys and Nightingale Investigations even that got a pass from me. <br /><br />And the teaser for the next book????<br /><br /><b><i>“I had it in me, you know, before shit went down when I was in the service. It went into overdrive after that.” <br /><br />“It?”<br /><br />He glanced at me. He looked back at the road. Another glance at me. Then back to the road and, “I’m a Dom.”<br /><br />“A Dom?” I asked.<br /><br />“A Dominant. A Dom. In sex.”</i> </b><br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="194" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1596463749ra/29910472.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />I would like an advanced copy of that yesterday, please. </div>
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Kelly (and the Book Boar)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13871211858940677464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2023315276976772036.post-23805114512560647222020-07-30T19:00:00.000-05:002020-07-30T19:00:04.426-05:00The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie <div style="text-align: center;">
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4 Stars</div>
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Today’s entry is brought to you by . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="225" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1596122114ra/29886892.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />At this point in my life I’m not much of a reader of the classics (and certainly not many smarty classics that would have been assigned back when I rode my dinosaur to school every day), but I’m pretty sure you get your mystery lovers club membership revoked if you haven’t ever read a Hercule Poirot. That being said, this was only my second Poirot story (the other being the obvious selection - <i>Murder on the Orient Express</i>) and this time around it was our favorite P.I.’s THIRTEENTH go ‘round. (Also of note the only reason I read this was because Peter Swanson told me to in <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3229498202?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=2" rel="nofollow">Eight Perfect Murders</a>.)<br /><br />At the start of <i>The ABC Murders</i> M. Poirot (as he is so often referred) finds himself realizing he’s getting a little long in the tooth and contemplating potential retirement, but upon receipt of a letter informing him of an upcoming murder – going so far as to name the date and place – he figures it’s nothing a little Just for Men can’t fix so . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="290" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1596122114ra/29886893.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />What follows is a romp from cities A to D containing victims with the same initial as their murder locale. There appear to be no other connections and the method of killing varies as well. How will Poirot ever put the pieces together on this tricky puzzle???<br /><br />This was simply a good time and I can’t believe how well Christie’s stories have aged over the (80+) years. The mystery was a fun one to chase and I’m glad Swanson twisted my arm enough that I gave it a whirl. If nothing else, it gave me a break from the one thousand and fourteen reincarnations of <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1031977746?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=2" rel="nofollow">And Then There Were None</a> that I read every year.</div>
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Kelly (and the Book Boar)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13871211858940677464noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2023315276976772036.post-73859926624278974932020-07-29T19:00:00.000-05:002020-07-29T19:00:05.615-05:00Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center<br />
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4 Stars</div>
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I actually have an unread ARC of Katherine Center’s newest release, but it seems like that was a big turd for most of my friends so I’ve been terrified to read it. And despite my heart telling me . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="272" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1596043170ra/29878807.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />My brain thankfully has been pretty persistent in reminding me that I’m kind of a Grade A Asshole and I need to lower my expectations before diving into that one.<br /><br />Unfortunately <i>Happiness for Beginners</i> didn’t help minimize my fangirling despite it being a “finding yourself” story combined with a May/December romance which generally aren’t my ideas of a good time. Maybe I should pull the trigger on the new one – at this point it’s pretty apparent that this is an author who might do no wrong for me.</div>
Kelly (and the Book Boar)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13871211858940677464noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2023315276976772036.post-86507626830490662512020-07-28T19:30:00.001-05:002020-07-29T12:26:32.256-05:00The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler<div style="text-align: center;">
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4 Stars</div>
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I’m not exactly what you’d call a Jane Austen fangirl like the folks in this book club, but I do have a sort of an unhealthy relationship with <i>Pride and Prejudice</i> along with any and all of its gazillions of retellings. So why did it take me so long to read this book? Well, basically it’s all <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/604386515?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1" rel="nofollow">Fern's fault</a>. Have you ever been terrified of reading anything else by an author after having sort of a lifechanging moment with the first thing you read by them and you just can’t imagine their other stuff even being able to hold a candle to the other book’s greatness? Yeah, that’s pretty much what my problem was with this – despite it having a title that pretty much guaranteed the story within would provide at least a modicum of enjoyment for me. <br /><br />It may have taken years, but I finally decided to nut up and read this out on the deck earlier this year when it wasn’t hot enough to fuse my underwear to my ass. I don’t know what I was scared of. It was exactly what I hoped it would be with characters who I would love know in real life. And while it certainly does not compare to <i>We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves</i> it shouldn’t have to. They are totally different stories that I wouldn’t even categorize in the same genre. <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="284" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1595952597i/29867652.png" width="400" /> </a></div>
Kelly (and the Book Boar)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13871211858940677464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2023315276976772036.post-73847807594401765802020-07-28T19:30:00.000-05:002020-07-28T19:30:02.296-05:00The Wife Stalker by Liv Constantine<div style="text-align: center;">
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1.5 Stars</div>
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<br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="220" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1595942553ra/29867382.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br /><i>The Wife Stalker</i> took its place at the top of my TBR over the eleventy other library books I have checked out due to the fact that after reading <i>Your House Will Pay</i> I was suffering a severe book hangover and needed some sort of buffer before moving on. These fillers can come in the shape of romcoms, thrillers or chicklit and trust me when I say I read a lot – and I mean <b> A. L.O.T.</b> – of “trash” and absolutely dig it most of the time.<br /><br />The premise here was one that I should have loved. Husband and wife have a couple of kids and things are going well enough until a new chick comes into the picture. That’s all you get because between that one sentence and the title you probably can figure out where it goes from there. The low rating here comes from me whining to myself and making snarky notes on the Kindle the entire time I was reading it until the twist came near the end to make sense of things. These characters were totally undeveloped and the timeline was sooooooo fast-forwarded that I just couldn’t let myself get taken away by the over-the-top storyline like I usually can. Not to mention the <b>extra</b> twist that got thrown in (why authors???? why?????) And the dialogue? We’re talking a literary merit of something like . . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="400" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1595942553i/29867383._SY540_.jpg" width="266" /> </a><br /><br />I’m rounding up to 2 Stars for the very last paragraph that brought just a <i>teensie</i> bit of redemption and for the fact that I breezed through this in an evening.</div>
Kelly (and the Book Boar)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13871211858940677464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2023315276976772036.post-74179623134801560042020-07-27T12:32:00.000-05:002020-07-27T12:32:05.548-05:00We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker<div style="text-align: center;">
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5 Stars</div>
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<b><i>I’m not a child. I am an outlaw.</i> </b></div>
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A couple of years back I picked up an early copy of a book that no one was really talking about and that little book (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2089597456?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1" rel="nofollow">She Rides Shotgun</a>) ended up being the best thing I read all year. I picked up this little book that no one is really talking about yet because my friend <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3441027589?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1" rel="nofollow">Shelley</a> sent me a DM saying she thought it would be right up my alley and since she isn’t much of a bookpusher I took her seriously and requested a copy pronto. And then . . . . . </div>
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While not <i>really</i> alike as far as comparisons go, much like in <i>She Rides Shotgun</i>, <i>We Begin at the End</i> featured a storyline with a dead mama, steering clear of a potential bad guy, lots of grit and a leading lady in the form of a young girl that I absolutely fell in love with. This will easily go down as one of the best things I read this year (and it’s the time of the ‘Rona, so your girl be reading ALL. THE. DAMN. TIME.) and will be one of the rarities that stick with me for years to come.</div>
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All the Stars and highly recommended.</div>
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Kelly (and the Book Boar)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13871211858940677464noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2023315276976772036.post-73161789905637966182020-07-22T19:00:00.000-05:002020-07-22T19:00:34.050-05:00Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman<br />
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2 Stars</div>
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I’m pretty sure the wrongreading I did here was 100% my own fault. After being blown away by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/693896284?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=2" rel="nofollow">American Gods</a> ages ago my hopes were super high that this would be yet another wild ride through Gaiman’s imagination as he revamped Norse tales from the olde days of yore. Now, these little snippets of ancient history did feature our favorite pals such as . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="172" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1595432902ra/29853722.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />But sadly, it was not a reimagining of the past, just a simple retelling instead. On my <i>American Gods</i> review, I said I was hoping for a <i>Dogma</i> type of experience and got just what I had hoped for. This one was like an encyclopedic rendering of Norse mythology that had me like . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="215" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1595432902ra/29853723.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />Gaiman is waaaaaaay too creative and talented to push out a basic regurge.<br /><br />However, this knocked a pretty old selection off the TBR as well as was a recommendation for the library’s Summer Reading Program, so I’m still calling it a win. One of these days I’ll be able to go and get my free swag, right??? I’ve probably read 20 books at this point instead of the 5 required to obtain the major award.<br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="100" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1595432902i/29853724._SX540_.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Kelly (and the Book Boar)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13871211858940677464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2023315276976772036.post-19992123168910349922020-07-20T19:30:00.000-05:002020-07-20T19:30:01.120-05:00Conversations With Friends by Sally Rooney<br />
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3.5 Stars</div>
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Can I take a minute to address the absolute brilliance of an author who refuses to EVER use a quotation mark writing a book entitled <i>Conversations With Friends</i> that almost completely consists of conversations . . . . .<br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="196" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1595259034ra/29845926.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />Oh Sally Rooney to you I can only say WERK KWEEN . . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="160" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1595259034ra/29845927.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />(I didn’t really pull that off, did I????)<br /><br />Anyway, this one wasn’t quite as mind-blowing as <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2535609207?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=2" rel="nofollow">Normal People</a>, but at this point I feel pretty confident saying if Rooney writes it, Imma probably read it. I like broken people and not-really-okay romantic entanglements the way she delivers them. Sometimes it’s just nice to read something where you don’t have to <i>like</i> the characters or their actions in order to still become fully invested in the story.<br /><br />I started this while waiting for my kids’ nine millionth baseball game of the year to start because I had a paper copy and the glare was so horrific there was no way I could read any of my Kindle options. I figured it would pass the hour warm-up period and I would put it away easily. That was not the case. Instead I read this cover to cover and someone had to give me a shove whenever my kid came up to bat because I was pretty much in a trance.<br /><br />Not for everyone, but it was certainly for me . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="213" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1595259034ra/29845928.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br /><i>Can you tell I have fallen into a Parks and Recreation black hole this 97th week of quarantine????</i></div>
Kelly (and the Book Boar)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13871211858940677464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2023315276976772036.post-39329279325141467102020-07-13T19:00:00.000-05:002020-07-13T19:00:04.030-05:0028 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand<br />
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5 Stars</div>
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<strong><em>“I’m happy the dog chased the cat that chased the rat.”</em> <br /></strong>So am I Jake! So. Am. I.<br /><br />I am super late to the Elin Hilderbrand party and am pretty sure this is only the third book of hers that I’ve read. I started with the first book in the “Paradise” series due to its timely release date during a Snowpocalypse when I wanted nothing else but to escape to a place like St. John. Oh wait, immediate edit because this is my fourth book of hers. DUH I read the other “Summer” book which is the entire reason this one pinged my radar. I assumed this book would be some sort of spinoff of that one and didn’t bother reading the blurb at all – just immediately added myself to the loooooooooong library wait list.<br /><br />So it wasn’t any sort of a spinoff at all, but an “inspired by” type of selection instead where Mallory and Jake meet every Labor Day for . . . . you guessed it, twenty-eight summers in the fashion of . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1594652940i/29808124._SY540_.jpg" /> </a><br /><br />Which is 100% an exception to the rule when it comes to me not seeking out stories about cheating and/or cheaters. Sometimes it happens, sometimes I even give it a pass if the fictional circumstances are good enough, but it’s not usually my cuppa. Except when it’s Alan Alda and Ellen Burstyn. Or now Jake and Mallory. Oh my glob did I love this book. It even made me cry my own actual human tears despite being told at the very beginning what the ending was going to be. And speaking of the ending. The actual very last page ending?????<br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="216" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1594652940ra/29808125.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />I don’t know if everyone will love this as much as I did, but the nostalgia factor of <i>Same Time Next Year</i> combined with just a solid good tale regarding these characters and how their lives changed over the decades (with ZERO of the “tragiporn” elements I was so afraid were going to get thrown in) was just what I needed to sink into as an escape. Not to mention the “What Are We Talking About In ____?” chapter openings. My lack of television viewing was very apparent because I recognized hardly any of the character names (aside from people who I feel are my kinfolk at this point like the Bluths and the Sopranos), but I could sing all of the songs referenced and luckily I knew almost all of the actual newsworthy names and events. It was a little bit of a bummer to see how many things are <b>still</b> being discussed and how many years later those discussions have continued with little to no change, but at this point I think we all need to be slapped in the face with our complacency. <br /><br />Elin Hilderbrand, you get all of the stars. It was a billion and a half degrees where I live on Saturday and I was stuck sweating my fat a$$ off at baseball games all dang day. The break in the weather and this book all queued up and ready to go on Sunday was a perfect way to end the weekend. I cannot wait for your next release.</div>
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Kelly (and the Book Boar)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13871211858940677464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2023315276976772036.post-4453892476969984202020-07-08T19:00:00.000-05:002020-07-08T19:00:04.692-05:00Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore<div style="text-align: center;">
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5 Stars</div>
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<strong><em>“Men die all the time in fights or pipeline explosions or gas leaks. They fall from cooling towers or try to beat the train or get drunk and decide to clean their guns. Women are killed when they get cancer or marry badly or take rides with strange men.”</em> <br /></strong>Boy was I afraid to read this one. It had a big ol’ following on the ‘Gram around release time and if you haven’t heard me mention it a time or twelve, that doesn’t necessarily bode well for your ol’ gal pal Kelly. Now before anyone gets their panties in a twist thinking that I’m bashing Insta please let it be noted that it and my newfound love for the TikToks are pretty much what has gotten my family through this ‘Rona without suffering a bludgeoning from my trusty Maglite. The difference between Bookstagram and Goodreads is over there I’m all about the pretty pictures, but may not actually share any of the same tastes with the people I follow. I’ve been a member here for what feels like eternity and have formed a trust circle of fellow curmudgeons, social deviants and general weirdos who pretty much are of one mind when it comes to books. This review is for those people. Don’t be askeered like me and steer clear of this. If you want atmosphere and setting, this is for you. If you want gritty, this is for you. If you want strong female narrators, this is for you. <br /><br />Set at the beginning of the oil boom in the mid-70s, Odessa, Texas is a place that is changing. Ranches are drying up thanks to drought, but a new crop is on the rise – oil. <i>Valentine</i> jumps off with one of the newly arrived roughnecks taking a local girl out on a date. That girl winds up on a farmhouse porch beaten and bloodied. The story goes from there until the trial date and is told through different connected narratives voiced by various women who make up the town’s population regarding their own personal lots in life with just a touch of some Scout and Boo Radley from <i>To Kill A Mockingbird</i> to really send it over the edge into 5 Star territory. I can’t even words on this review due to my reaction being so opposite of what I went in anticipating. This book punched me right in the gut and that’s a pretty effing hard thing to do at this point. <br /><br />Highly recommended and will most certainly go down as one of the best things I read in 2020.</div>
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Kelly (and the Book Boar)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13871211858940677464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2023315276976772036.post-75424333408981594402020-07-06T19:00:00.000-05:002020-07-06T19:00:24.967-05:00Deacon King Kong by James McBride<br />
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3 Stars</div>
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My hold for this latest release by James McBride just so happened to coincide with the group read being conducted by . . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1594044468ra/29770406.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />Guaranteeing a nearly perfect rating from the masses and broadcasting my wrongreader status far and wide. The premise here starts off fairly simple . . . . <br /><br /><b><i>“A cloudy September afternoon in 1969. That’s the day the old deacon, known as Sportcoat to his friends, marched out to the plaza of the Causeway Housing Projects in South Brooklyn, stuck an ancient .38 Colt in the face of a nineteen-year-old drug dealer named Deems Clemens, and pulled the trigger.</i> </b><br /><br />What follows is a story about the neighborhood surrounding the Five Points Baptist Church and the various characters who reside near there. Church ladies, maintenance men with a government cheese side hustle, bumbling hitmen, a mobster known as the Elephant, and on and on. Serious messages are delivered with humor (sometimes to the point of being the annoying slapstick variety) as you meander through the interconnected tales of a possible missing treasure and missing Christmas club cash. <br /><br />This was my second go around with McBride and at this point I feel comfortable saying my lack of stars comes from a place of enjoying the tale but not the telling. I just don’t connect with his writing. This had a lot of potential, and maybe it fell victim to the hype train for me. </div>
Kelly (and the Book Boar)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13871211858940677464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2023315276976772036.post-75606509796583627832020-07-01T19:00:00.000-05:002020-07-01T19:00:19.428-05:00Big Fish by Daniel Wallace<br />
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2.5 Stars</div>
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<br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="256" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1593618869ra/29745687.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br /><i>Big Fish</i> had been on my TBR for eternity after watching the film version eons ago and getting completely swept up in its magic. The basics regarding the story is a man returns home for his father’s last days and is told a series of what can only be tall tales that are presented as said father’s life story. Unfortunately this is one of the rare occasions where the movie actually surpasses the novel as far as quality. That being said, I thought it was a lovely tribute to the author’s father.<br /><br />Thanks to the library for always pushing me to explore new worlds, or in this case . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="100" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1593618869i/29745688._SX540_.png" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />Lockdown mode has me all out of whack when it comes to posting reviews, but this was one of the recommended selections for this year’s challenge and eventually I’ll be able to go retrieve my major award for continually being a reader of many books : )</div>
Kelly (and the Book Boar)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13871211858940677464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2023315276976772036.post-80007099050686850062020-06-30T11:22:00.000-05:002020-06-30T11:22:06.640-05:00Take A Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert<div style="text-align: center;">
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5 Stars</div>
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Let’s take a minute to address my reaction to the FIRST BOOK IN THIS SERIES and the fact that . . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="213" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1593533987ra/29740713.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />I mean, it’s not always the case, but when it comes to romance series that focus on different main characters each book I try my darndest to not throw the baby out with the bathwater before giving an author another chance. Unless said author made me want to kick a puppy or something because their stuff was complete crap. That wasn’t the case with Talia Hibbert and the Brown Sisters series – I thought Chloe was insufferable in the first book and her beau Red definitely didn’t make me want to drop my panties anytime soon, but there was <i>some</i> potential there for sure.<br /><br />This second go ‘round featured Chloe’s sister Dani agreeing to a fake dating bit of tropey yum yum with Zaf. And it had everything I felt was missing in the first book. I looooooooooved Dani and wanted to bang the weiner right off of Zaf. Not to mention this was seriously LOL sort of funny at times. Pretty much everything I expect in a fluffy summer selection wrapped up in one of these adorable cartoony covers. I’m giving it all the stars because it was just the escape I was hoping for.<br /><br /><i>ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. </i></div>
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<i>Thank you, NetGalley!</i></div>
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Kelly (and the Book Boar)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13871211858940677464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2023315276976772036.post-83041490510464120072020-06-29T19:00:00.000-05:002020-06-29T19:00:12.385-05:00Anna K: A Love Story by Jenny Lee<br />
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3 Stars</div>
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I never bothered picking up <i>Anna Karenina</i> – not even when . . . . .<br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="300" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1593445855i/29733606._SX540_.jpg" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />There is absolutely zero shame in my game when it comes to admitting that 1,000 page books are not my jam and also that . . . . .<br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="185" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1593445855ra/29733607.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />I’ve also never watched an episode of <i>Gossip Girl</i> which is maybe unfortunate because that probably would have been my idea of a good time and I totally ate up the reality version of it a few years ago when it aired on Bravo . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="180" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1593445855ra/29733608.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />Ummmmmm, notsamuch. More like I love a good dumpster fire. <br /><br />Truth be told this was all over the interwebs a while back and I have FOMO to the nth degree and could not resist the urge to pick it up. While obviously not a literary classic like its inspiration, I found this to be kind of a delightful timesuck. 3 Stars for the story, 1 Star for the fugass cover.</div>
Kelly (and the Book Boar)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13871211858940677464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2023315276976772036.post-89437026685150342722020-06-24T19:00:00.000-05:002020-06-24T19:00:06.234-05:00Always the Last to Know by Kristan Higgins<br />
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5 Stars</div>
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Oh Kristan Higgins . . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="222" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1593010397ra/29701496.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />I am super late to this party, but I’ve been making up for lost time and this is the fourth novel I’ve read by this author and every single one of them have been winners for me. <br /><br />The story here is a “maybe you can go home again” sort where daughter Sadie returns to her hometown after her father suffers a severe stroke. The narration is presented by three different women – the aforementioned Sadie, her sister Juliet and their mother Barb (with the occasional bit offered by John, the father), and gives each of their personal histories as well as the familial one as a whole. Basically, I looked like this when reading . . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="179" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1593010397ra/29701497.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />I love family stories, I love humor, I love a bit of romance and I <b>really really really</b> loved Barb and her best pal Caro. If you don’t have a Caro in your life, you need to rectify that situation immediately. <br /><br />Note that this is about as “Chick Litty” as it gets, so if you have an aversion, stay faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar away. Me, on the other hand???? Well . . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="271" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1593010397ra/29701498.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />I’m giving this one all the stars.</div>
Kelly (and the Book Boar)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13871211858940677464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2023315276976772036.post-37030469798624881422020-06-22T19:00:00.000-05:002020-06-22T19:00:00.126-05:00The House That Pinterest Built by Diane Keaton<div style="text-align: center;">
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4 Stars</div>
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I can’t remember where I originally saw this book a couple of weeks ago, but I knew if the library had a copy I definitely had to check it out. I mean just the idea that Annie Freakin’ Hall could become addicted to Pinterest like me was a mindblower. I love a catchy title and coffee table books full of pretty pictures so this was an absolute win for me. That being said, we certainly do not share the same design aesthetic. Really, the only thing I have in common with Diane Keaton is . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="222" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1592842966ra/29687975.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />She’s just too cool for school and I am one step removed from the average Pinterest addict which features the most basic of white girls who are into things like . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="207" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1592842966ra/29687976.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />And . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="164" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1592842966ra/29687977.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />The true Star generator for this book was the tiny little quotes section at the end . . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="300" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1592842966i/29687978._SX540_.jpg" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />That brought the lolz because they were all the same things I was thinking while flipping through the pages. Kudos to Keaton for at least being self-aware. </div>
Kelly (and the Book Boar)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13871211858940677464noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2023315276976772036.post-30293702492781853032020-06-17T19:00:00.000-05:002020-06-17T19:00:13.195-05:00The Trouble With Hating You by Sajni Patel<br />
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3 Stars</div>
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Around Day 4,742 of lockdown I found myself getting a little burned out on reading and had to look for another way to pass the time instead. Oh, and for the first time in 20+ years I was living in a truly C.L.E.A.N. house and had a yard full of green grass and flowers so homegirl was truly in dire straits. That was the moment when I discovered . . . . . <br /><br /><a href="https://lunapic.com/" rel="nofollow"><img class="gr-hostedUserImg" height="214" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1592406666ra/29663432.gif" width="400" /> </a><br /><br />The plethora of Indian romantic comedies on Netflix. Ummmmmm yes please. I’ll have all of those.<br /><br />As you can see from the 40 or so books marked as “currently reading” (despite me being a one book at a time kind of gal), I’m back in the swing of things and my library card pretty much has smoke coming off of it at this point from overuse. Buuuuuuuut, I still like a romcom (and I lean toward the fade-to-black PG-13 sort in my movie choices despite being a reader of porn) so when I saw this book I knew it would be right up my alley. <i>The Trouble With Hating You</i> followed a trope that was used in <b>many</b> of the romcoms I have viewed so far – the “our parents want to arrange our marriage to each other but thanksbutnothanksokaybye” – which you know means they will eventually fall in love on their own. A super cute way to waste a few hours for sure.</div>
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Kelly (and the Book Boar)http://www.blogger.com/profile/13871211858940677464noreply@blogger.com0