This month I read 2,763 pages across seven books. I finished six of those books and one of of them, Sacajawea by Anna Lee Waldo, will be going in the DNF pile. In July I mood read books versus the usual drawing a title out of a jar of a certain genre.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Taylor Jenkins Reid once again did what she is best at, making her characters so human that they seem real and aren’t just typed on a sheet of paper. Evelyn Hugo is a character that some will see the way that Cersei Lannister is seen, you hate her but you love to read about her. I didn’t hate Evelyn, I think it is obvious that no one is purely good or purely evil but I respected her for everything that she went through and just how she carried herself. I loved the old Hollywood era that this book started in and I wished more authors would write that time, it’s just an era that I want to emulate so much in my own life. We just don’t have stars like the fifties and sixties anymore. The writing was good and what I expected, the last chapter however though, was beautifully written. I was wanting to know what the big reveal was going to be, it wasn’t what I expected but it didn’t leave me shocked either. This book did not grip me as much as ‘Daisy Jones & The Six’, but it was an above average read. 4/5 stars. |
Darkness on the Edge of Town
This book did not really develop Hopper’s character. The show does a great job with his development through the three seasons that are currently out but this book didn’t really add anything to that. I love a 1970s New York City setting, the city was corrupt and gritty, the perfect backdrop for a thriller. Let’s talk about this being a thriller, if you have seen the show than this book won’t be thrilling. We know what happens and know that Hopper makes it out alive. The last quarter of the book was the most exciting part. The writing was the biggest downfall, it was bland, dull, and repetitive. I did catch a few typos, words missing letters, but that is on the editors. Average read but it got me halfway to my reading goal for the year. 3/5 stars.
No Regrets: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Memoir
Ace is my favorite guitar player that came out of the seventies (Sorry Brian!). I just wanted to start out with that. I really loved the early chapters of his story of growing up in the Bronx and how he got into the music scene. I’ve never read a classic rock memoir from this era so I really loved just the pureness of the music scene of the late sixties and early seventies, it wasn’t just about the money and getting one big hit and then never be heard from again. There was a lot of focus on the years with KISS, I wish there was more for his time between his stents with the band but I cannot really complain, I enjoyed this book a lot. The last chapters were a bit sporadic hence going from the roast of Gene Simmons to alien sightings and possible abductions. If you are a fan of rock n’ roll though, I highly recommend picking up the Spaceman’s book!
4/5
I’m with the Band: Confessions of a Groupie
This was so relatable the Beatlemania was me with One Direction. I think this just really shows how music is so special and Miss Pamela is a true music lover. I could just relate to loving a band or musician so much. I loved getting to hear the inside stories about her time with these rock stars. Yes, this book named names and did not hold back at all. I just loved it and cannot wait to read her other books! 5 out of 5 stars |
Outlander
Claire can be annoying. I don’t dislike her but in some ways she’s a Mary Sue. I feel like bad things happen but things just always fall perfectly in place for her. One of the great things about Outlander though is how memorable all the characters are. Gellis is my favorite. I love the Scottish setting, it just makes me think of my own ancestors and how they might have lived at the time. The writing didn’t blow me way, around the third quarter of the book it dragged. I think the television series was better but the book series may get better as it goes along. I had a lot of fun reading an annotating this book. 4 out 5 stars. |
Topics of Conversation
This character.. I do not think that their name was ever even mentioned. They were just so negative and this book seems like its supposed to be about feminism but I feel like the main character is judging every other woman. That is realistic, I guess. The writing was my biggest issue with this book. It was run on sentences, just very choppy. Too many adjectives I could use to describe it. I don’t know if this book was just very random or if it went over my head. |
Izzy Reads 