You guys!!!
It is the third anniversary of Show Us Your Books! That's so amazing. This link-up is by far my favorite bloggy day of the month.
Thank you to all participants, and our wonderful hosts Steph & Jana, for creating such a fun and welcoming and bookish community. You guys make me happy every second Tuesday of the month.
Now, on to the books!
★★★★★
Did I mention this series is about ASSASSIN NUNS WHO WORK FOR DEATH and OMG WHY AREN'T YOU READING IT ALREADY IT'S SO AMAZING. And there's some love and political intrigue and in this one in particular some deeply disturbing incest but still READ THESE BOOKS.
★★★★
Third book in the trilogy, you learn more about the various gods and their followers which is cool...and also see above aka READ THIS SERIES IT'S AMAZING.
★★★★
This book was a really interesting look at disability and what makes a human a human and "us versus them" and personal responsibility and all that happens within the context of a standard but still interesting police thriller.
★★★★★
If you have ever wondered what the term "rape culture" means, read this book. It's the best illustration of it ever. Yes, the book is a bit of a beast and it took me a while to get into it. But it's so. damn. worth. it. Seriously. Just read it. It looks at friendship and sex and family and personal responsibility and mentors and sports and small towns and loyalty and right and wrong and gray areas and it gave me all the feels. I will say it may be closer to a 4.75 because 1) those parents have been through a fuck of a lot and while tragedy does not gaurd against tragedy, it seems awful; and 2) that girl handled everything like a MF'ing champ. And while I respect that and appreciate that she wasn't broken...she had a right to be affected more than she was.
ETA:
★★
The Girls by Emma Cline
Y'all, I had to write this blog post twice because instead of hitting "Publish" I hit delete.
Both times, I forgot to include this book. It seemed to have really divisive reviews and I went in expecting...something. I literally got nothing. I wasn't shocked or disgusted or moved or anything...if it's not the first time a book has done nothing, it's the first time in a loooooooong time. I did skip over the description of the actual murders, because...reasons. But since we knew about them from the start...it just never clicked. I was never given a reason to care. There was no motive, there was no disgust...it just all felt distant and pointless. I can't recommend.
ETA:
The Girls by Emma Cline
Y'all, I had to write this blog post twice because instead of hitting "Publish" I hit delete.
Both times, I forgot to include this book. It seemed to have really divisive reviews and I went in expecting...something. I literally got nothing. I wasn't shocked or disgusted or moved or anything...if it's not the first time a book has done nothing, it's the first time in a loooooooong time. I did skip over the description of the actual murders, because...reasons. But since we knew about them from the start...it just never clicked. I was never given a reason to care. There was no motive, there was no disgust...it just all felt distant and pointless. I can't recommend.
What have you been reading this month?
Link-up & let us know!
I was really excited about The Girls at first, but I keep hearing pretty blah things about it so sounds like one I'll take off the list!
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
Maybe I will give Bear Town another shot?! I just couldn't get into it.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping for so much more out of The Girls. So much more.
ReplyDeleteI miss Parks and Rec so much.
Yay! Another Beartown lover! Also, adding Lock In and Dark Triumph to my list asap!
ReplyDeletethe series by Robin LaFevers is on my list, i've heard such good things about it. good to hear you enjoyed beartown, it's in my top ten for the year for sure!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you on The Girls; just wasn't my thing, but you're right, people definitely loved it. Divisive for sure.
ReplyDeleteI didn't love Beartown, but maybe that's because I went into it with super high expectations. That being said, I think it covers some really important issues and the story was told in a really interesting way. I just loved some of Backman's other books more.
Lock In was a book I tried a long time ago and couldn't get into. Sounds like you'd recommend it, so I might have to give it another look!
I loved Beartown! I thought the storytelling was so good. I didn't like The Girls and am not sure what all the hype over this book was about!
ReplyDeleteThe Girls was a DNF for me. And now that I look at it on Goodreads again, I see that none of my friends loved it either!
ReplyDeleteThe Girls had a great publishing team because that book was so over-hyped. I expected greatness and got nothing too. Grrr ... I read Grave Mercy and enjoyed it but had hoped for some more time at the convent learning how to be an assassin. Okay, I basically wanted Hogwarts for Assassins! LOL! I do think book 2 and 3 actually look better and have more world-building than book 1.
ReplyDeleteEveryone is talking about the Girls. Will definitely be checking it out.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of The Girls! These linkups make me feel so out of the book loop sometimes!
ReplyDeleteI did not love The Girls. It was super overrated.
ReplyDeleteI need to read Beartown. It's on my TBR.
I have Beartown in my TBR and have The Girls ebook somewhere - kindle? iBook? Need to find it. Lock In sounds really interesting too!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you about The Girls! I just didn't really seem to care about anybody in the books, and it just kind of fell flat at the end as well. I thin that somebody else talked about the Assassin Nuns this month and those sound so interesting! I want to try and pick them up!
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate the message Beartown was trying to get across, but I just didn't enjoy the journey.
ReplyDeleteAmen to what you said about Beartown being so damned worth it!
ReplyDeleteOk fine, peer pressure, I will add Robin LaFevers series to my list. You sold it. I have Beartown downloaded and I loved Ove, I need to get to it! Glad to hear another raving review. Makes me more excited.
ReplyDeleteBeartown is on my list before the year is up. I know it will be a tough one for me to get through emotionally, but worth the read. I have the first assassin nun one, lol, on my ipad, excited to read it now! :) Meh, the girls doesn't sound like my jam. Even though it has been EVERYWHERE... I'm not expecting to read it. XO - Alexandra
ReplyDeleteSimply Alexandra: My Favorite Things
I keep seeing Bear Town in different list... I should add it to my list.
ReplyDeleteI will push Beartown higher and The Girls lower on my tbr list. Thanks! Pam :)
ReplyDelete