Gayle > Recent Status Updates

Abandoning once again for my second book club’s book 🫠

Will return to it once I’ve read my bookclub book!

After the fast past and page turning nature of the book, my time with Franz and Albert here is disappointing, and has this slowed my reading. I’m assuming they will come across “Sinbad” at some point and his story will resume…

Good writing doesn’t seem to matter what it says. The story by Daley Rangi stunned me in its flow. I thought I wouldn’t like it on the first page it - it seemed garbled and all over the place, but by the second page I was in the flow of it and was quite astounded. I love reading writing that just does something to my brain that I can’t even name. Will be seeking out more Rangi asap.

Some bits were interesting, and absolutely well written, but I will never finish this book, so it’s good to get it out of the “currently reading” file finally. Maybe one day I’ll be interested enough to get past the fact that he is a miserable old meanie. How it got to be in a Penguin Classics Print I do not know.

On the longlist for the Women’s Prize - I’m liking it - it’s very layered and quite different. Her writing reminds me a little of Louise Erdrich in the way it draws you in. When you can imagine a character without any need for a full discription, you know you are reading good writing.

Bookclub book that’s going to hard to go into with an open mind now I know it was made into as movie starring Tom Hanks 😐

Glad I enjoyed the story by Eliza Henry-Jones as I have a couple of her books that I haven’t got around to reading yet. I will try to get to at least one of them soon!

Another author I’m wondering why I haven’t read earlier. I marked Groff as TBR in 2017, and have bought this and ‘Matrix’, but never got around to reading them. When I saw this book as a GR Challenge I pulled it out. I like how the challenges seem to be steering me to read what I already own! Beautiful writing and a story line that is just getting started, but I’m already immersed!

I really really don’t like Tom Hanks. It’s a thing, ridiculous as it sounds. When my husband told me that he played all the characters in the movie adaptation I had to set it aside - I just couldn’t get his smug face out of my head. What can I say I was going through a stressful time 😅 I vow to finish this asap.

I admit to having very high suspicion on a popular book that rates at 4.59/5 on here. I mean really? This is for my new bookclub and honestly I have so many other books I would rather read. Will try and go on with an open mind.

Having just finished an atrocious jumbled attempt at poetic writing, this is an absolute joy.

Wonderful to be reading a book that I look forward to reading after my past few weeks with Amor Towles 😑

You are being put on hiatus stupid book. I’ll finish you some other time!

How’s the book? Not very good at all.

The only thing I can say right now is it’s a good thing I’m not being tempted to read instead of work right now 😅😓

I was given this book as a gift in 2022 and it has sat on my shelf ever since as I really didn’t think it looked like it was for me. “A book to spark joy” it says on the cover - worrying in itself. Recently however, I heard someone I respect talk about it emphatically so thought that I’d give it a go. Anyhoo… I’m seeing this character as shallow at this very early stage. I will push on.

I bought this on recommendation from a very enthusiastic bookshop retailer who understood my taste on viewing my pile to buy. She was right. It’s exactly the kind of writing I love. I checked at home to find I had ‘Master Butchers..’ I then remembered it on my shelves on Edith St - I must have had it for at least 15 years 😑 Now I’m filled with regret at not reading Erdrich sooner!

Less than a chapter in and I’m already enchanted! Why have i waited so long to read Erdrich???

Readalong with my 7yo son - we both have a copy and his rules are we can only read it together at the same time 💖💖

Well this is a relief. It’s well written, the multiple timelines work well and don’t disturb the flow of the novel. They also do their job as to make you want to keep reading. You can feel it coming together and although I have some fear that there may be predictability in the timeline, overall this is a perfect book to read after an awful one. Phew.

This had better be good! I don’t know if I can deal with a mediocre book right now. I’ve read good things about it and my local indie bookshop recommended for a fun Halloween month read!

On the home stretch. Soon it will be finally over.

So far this book is to me what I fear most. Making me not want to read - preferring to stare into space or look at my phone.
Book club book- I didn’t choose it - is that why - does it feel like work? Like school reading? The blurb says: for fans of Calvino & Murakami, which I am, but I dislike comparisons like this - advertising for cheap perfume dupes come to mind. Anyway it reminds me of Cloud Atlas more.