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| Belgrade, Serbia |
I did a hike at the end of July for eight days, and on that hike I read at least a book a day. During the day, I'd listen to an audiobook, and at night, after setting up camp and eating, I could easily read half of a book. However, I won't lie; since then, I have been in a bit of a reading slump, so to speak. In the third quarter of 2025, I DNFed at least five books, and there were at least three more that I only got a few minutes into and just didn't feel interested, but did not give them DNF credit since I barely even started them.
The other thing is that I started a book that was 1,200 pages long and although interesting, it was SO LONG, and it kept me from starting another, so it definitely impeded my progress. However, I finished it finally, and it ended up providing a lot of interesting information after all was said and done (it was this book: The Eighth Life, recommended by Tobia, about multiple generations of the same family, set in the country of Georgia).
Despite some hiccups, there have been a few good reads in the last few months! But, instead of just listing the good ones, I will give you three good, and three I wanted to like but didn't.
THESE WERE GOOD!
Heartwood by Amity Gaige. I don't really need to say much here, as this book has been praised by many (Lisa, Birchie, etc.) already. TLDR: Appalachian hiker goes missing, police woman starts looking for her. We love all the characters, and we want them to win. (5 stars)
The Nine: The True Story of a Band of Women Who Survived the Worst of Nazi Germany by Gwen Straus. The title says it all. I am fascinated by this part of history and the fact that this was (a) true, (b) about women, and (c) an interesting take (told by the great niece of one of the women, who is not a writer, but wanted to get this part of history in the books). (5 stars)
The Beauty of Your Face by Sahar Mustafah. This is about a woman born of Palestinian parents who is living in the US and is a teacher in a school that gets shot at by a radicalized alt right. It is a moving story about her journey into Islam, her struggles with living surrounded by people who judge her for her hijab, including some of those close to her, and how she copes with it all. (5 stars)
Don't worry; there were other good ones, but you will be hearing about them in my yearly book wrap up! I can't give away ALL the spoilers at once!
I WANTED TO LIKE THESE BUT DIDN'T
The Crash by Freida McFadden. Not her best work. I am usually entertained by her stories, but this one was a bit rote and just did not do it for me. If you want a better one, try The Teacher or The Inmate. (2 stars)
The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton. I tried. I tried again. I did it for Elisabeth. But I just could not get into it! I liked her other books (Forgotten Garden, Secret Keeper, The Lake House) so maybe I was just not in the right mind space? Anyway, I DNFed it in the end.
Radical Candor by Kim Malone Scott. It's a female boss, who is large and in charge, and successful. One who has tips so that we can all be large, in charge and successful. Who doesn't love reading about that? Well, just add a bit too much name dropping, and company name dropping, and it starts to remind me of some of the bros I worked with in the finance industry. Did you know that she worked for Apple, and for Google, or that she just happened to be talking to Steve, you know Steve, right? Steve Jobs? and Sheryl? Sandburg? DNF.
So, tell me, what is one great book you read this month (or quarter) and one that you wanted to like but didn't?
I don't remember if I've told you this before, but I almost always listen to audiobooks or podcasts when I hike. I keep feeling like I *should* take the headphones off and be One With Nature, but it's a delightfully guilty pleasure and I don't want to give it up. Mind you, I'm hiking for a few hours at most, so it's a bit different than hiking all day everyday for eight days.
ReplyDeleteI was reluctant to read Heartwood since I'd had a previous DNF with that author, and I'm glad that I got over that because of course I loved it. Did you listen to it on the big hike or was it afterward?
The Nine is going on the TBR.
I countersign on the DNF for Clockmaker's Daughter. The only thing that I liked about it is that the setting was Birchwood Manor, which is what I used to call my single gal house on Birchwood Street. After a certain point I skimmed it, which did not pay off because the ending gave me the ick. I loved some of her other books, so in my mind this was just an outlier.
I read the description for Radical Candor, and (1) it's also giving me the ick, and (2) I would not want to work for anyone who fit the description of being a kick-ass boss. I'm putting it in on the "never gonna read that" list.
What was a good book and what was a book that I wanted to like but didn't? Easy answers! My love is Nesting by Roisin O'Donnell, and my "everyone else likes it but I don't" is Broken Country. I DNF'd but listened to the Sarah's Bookshelves spoilers episode.