Carole Knits

october zinnia
october zinnia
martinis with a view
martinis with a view
gettysburg fence for
gettysburg fence for
germinate shawl on rocks
germinate shawl on rocks
field of flags 2
field of flags 2
color affection with edge
color affection with edge
cedar leaf shawlette 2
cedar leaf shawlette 2
3_27_2014
3_27_2014
3_18_13
3_18_13
2_24_2014
2_24_2014
1_11_13
1_11_13
peony-bouquet-for-carole-knits
peony-bouquet-for-carole-knits
dale-and-jackie-for-carole-knits
dale-and-jackie-for-carole-knits
nightshift-progress-for-carole-knits
nightshift-progress-for-carole-knits
  • Home
  • Carole Julius Photography
You are here: Home / Books / Reading Update: Mid October through November 2017

Reading Update: Mid October through November 2017

December 5, 2017 By Carole

As I was getting ready for Book Club last night I remembered that I hadn’t written a post for today yet. And I thought, crap, I don’t have anything to blog about. I mean, there’s always stuff to blog about, but I needed something fast as I was getting ready to head out the door. To Book Club.

Oh yeah. I could do a reading update. Amazing how my mind was able to put two and two together like that. Heh.


(this picture has nothing to do with reading. but it’s pretty and I needed a picture for the post. forgive me.)

So, the books I have read since mid October:

4 3 2 1 by Paul Auster
5 stars
This book is super long but so worth the time invested in reading it, the story revolves around Archie Ferguson and four variations of his life. It’s fascinating to see how his life changes and evolves based on a variety of both good and bad events and it’s equally interesting to note the things that stay the same despite those events. Set during the 50s and 60s, mostly in NYC, it’s a brilliant novel and completely dese3rved of the Man Booker. Highly recommended.

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
3 stars
Compelling and highly readable but still not a book I can say I enjoyed. Truthfully, the whole premise made me shudder. I won’t say more because I don’t want to give anything away. Recommended for those who enjoy dystopian fiction.

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by Margareta Magnusson
3 stars
This book, while brief, is charming and inspirational and really made me think of things I could do right now to declutter and downsize. The author’s approach is charming and practical and offers some great tips on approaching the task of eliminating the stuff that you just don’t need. Thanks to Net Galley for providing me with an advanced copy of this title.

See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt
1 star
I did not care for this book one little bit. I was excited about the premise – a fictional account of Lizzie Borden and the unsolved murder of her parents – but the whole thing just fell flat. I expected some revelations with regards to the details of the event and there were none. In fact, I feel more confused and uncertain about the crime since so much was alluded to but nothing was really explained. The alternating perspective of each chapter was annoying and felt contrived since it seemed like every character had the same voice. And they ate a lot of mutton. And pears. A LOT. I get it, there was mutton for lunch and a lot of pears and some dead pigeons, too. Those details just made it gross, though, and not creepy. Perhaps I’m just not the right reader for this book but I don’t recommend it.

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
5 stars
I really enjoyed this book and the author definitely created little fires everywhere – so much going on – and yet all interconnected. The characters are interesting and believable and the timeline is non-linear and very well mapped out. Highly recommended, I liked this better than Everything I Never Told You.

Caroline by Sarah Miller
3 stars
This book is a must read for fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books, illuminating what life was like for the Ingalls family from Caroline’s perspective. It’s a little tedious and could have used some stronger editing but I enjoyed it.

Related posts:

Default ThumbnailReading Update Default ThumbnailWhat I’m Reading: September & October 2015 Default ThumbnailReading Update: September through Mid October Default ThumbnailReading Update: December 2017 – Early January 2018
« A Month of Photos: November 2017
Two Jacks »

Filed Under: Books

Comments

  1. Bonny says

    December 5, 2017 at 6:33 am

    A reading update is always welcome! I’ve got 4321 and Caroline on my list for some winter reading. I just started Prairie Fires but don’t know how much truth I want to read about Laura Ingalls Wilder. The whole Little House fantasy was a wonderful part of childhood!

  2. Kym says

    December 5, 2017 at 7:34 am

    I am looking forward to diving into 4321 – probably soon. And I’m on a very long Overdrive waitlist for Little Fires, so someday. I felt the same about Never Let Me Go — I am just not a fan of dystopian fiction; it gives me the heebie-jeebies to be honest. I have no desire to read anything further about the Little House series. I read all the books when I was young . . . and that was enough. 😉
    Hope you had a fun night at book group!
    XO

  3. Juliann says

    December 5, 2017 at 8:14 am

    Great list. I see books here that are on my TBR list – thanks for the reviews

  4. Patty says

    December 5, 2017 at 8:26 am

    I am also on a very long Overdrive list for Little Fires (#110!). 4321 interests me but I’m thinking after the new year for sure! Your picture is very inviting!

  5. AsKatKnits says

    December 5, 2017 at 8:44 am

    I think 4 3 2 1 might be my favorite book of the year! And, I also found Little Fires fascinating. Good books make for happy readers! XO

  6. Gale Zucker (she shoots sheep shots) says

    December 5, 2017 at 10:03 am

    oooh I am always happy to see the book review post. I’m definitely putting the Paul Auster on my list (really like him and it has been a while) and the Ng. No thanks on the dystopian fiction–real life in the news is too close to dystopian enough for me. I just wish it was fictional.

  7. Tracey Lowe says

    December 5, 2017 at 11:23 am

    I just put 4 3 2 1 on hold and I am only 3rd in line. It sounds really good.

  8. Lydia says

    December 5, 2017 at 1:45 pm

    Thanks for the recommendations, I’ve always been fascinated by the Borden murders, so I’ll be sure not to invest time in reading this book.

  9. margene says

    December 5, 2017 at 2:22 pm

    Thank you for the reading update! I read Never Let Me Go years ago and didn’t care for it. My book group picked it for January (the award and all that) and I have to read it again-dammit. 4321 and Little Fires are on my TBR because of you!

  10. Becky says

    December 5, 2017 at 6:07 pm

    Thanks, Carole, you know we always love a post about books. I have 4321 and Little Fires on my list. I saw the movie Never Let Me Go, and yes, it is very disturbing. So, I did not read the book.

  11. Mary says

    December 5, 2017 at 6:41 pm

    Hope bookclub was fun! and thank you for the book reviews – I, too, loved 4 3 2 1 and expect Little Fires to be a bookclub pick in my neighborhood next year (when, hopefully, the Overdrive line will be a little bit shorter 🙂 all the dittos on Never Let Me Go (which I know I read but apparently never even bothered to update in Goodreads?!) – our world seems a little bit too dystopian right now as it is.

Archives

carole AT caroleknits DOT net
my read shelf:
Carole's book recommendations, liked quotes, book clubs, book trivia, book lists (read shelf)

2021 Reading Challenge

2021 Reading Challenge
Carole has read 15 books toward her goal of 75 books.
hide
15 of 75 (20%)
view books

carolejuliusphoto

Flower haul, day 2. #flowersaremagical #containerg Flower haul, day 2. #flowersaremagical #containergardening #timetoplant #givemealltheplants
It was a good day for plant shopping, my annual tr It was a good day for plant shopping, my annual tradition with my gardening bestie @doemack87 . I think we even left some plants behind … maybe. 🤣 #plantshopping #containergardening #plantsgalore #flowersaremagical
Pizza perfection tonight! Margherita for me and pe Pizza perfection tonight! Margherita for me and pepperoni for him. I’m loving our @oonihq pizza oven. #oonipizzaoven #ooni #margheritapizza #pepperonipizza #homemadeisbest #imadeitmyself #summernights
Fred has assured me that there is no pea under tha Fred has assured me that there is no pea under that pile of quilts. #fredandgeorge #siamesecatsofinstagram #siamesecat #princessandthepea #pileofquilts
First al fresco breakfast of the season, air fryer First al fresco breakfast of the season, air fryer hash browns with avocado and crispy fried eggs. Delicious! And so nice to enjoy under the pergola. #breakfastalfresco #inmybackyard #airfryerhashbrown
Fridays on the deck are the best Fridays of all. # Fridays on the deck are the best Fridays of all. #fridaynightsnacks #martinitime #cheeseandcrackers #happyhourathome #itsspringbutfeelslikesummer
Ranunculus season is short, gotta enjoy these beau Ranunculus season is short, gotta enjoy these beauties while we can. #ranunculus #flowersaremagical #springblooms #crossstreetflowerfarm
Two kitties in a basket! #fredandgeorge #siameseca Two kitties in a basket! #fredandgeorge #siamesecatsofinstagram #siamesecorner #siamesecats
It’s Friday night, friends. Time for snacks. Ooo It’s Friday night, friends. Time for snacks. Ooof, what a week. #fridaynightsnacks #cheeseandcrackers #martinitime #thosenapkinsthough #iwishiwasaunicornsoicouldstabpeoplewithmyhead #fuckyouscotus
Egg in the hole for breakfast this Saturday mornin Egg in the hole for breakfast this Saturday morning. So delicious with @paindavignoncafe bread and local eggs. #saturdaymorningvibes #egginthehole #itswhatsforbreakfast #localfood #eatlocal
In this week’s adventures with the Ooni, we have In this week’s adventures with the Ooni, we have expanded to pepperoni. It’s quite good! @ooni.it #oonipizzaoven #homemadeisbest #pepperonipizza #pizzafriday #fridaynightsnacks
Hoppy Spring! #happyspring #happyeaster #easterdec Hoppy Spring! #happyspring #happyeaster #easterdecor #daffodilbouquet
My first pizza in our new @ooni.it pizza oven. The My first pizza in our new @ooni.it pizza oven. There’s room for improvement but it’s still very very tasty. #fridaynightsnacks #pizzafriday #oonipizzaoven #neopolitanpizza #margaritapizza #imadeitmyself #homemadeisbest #martinitime
The squill is blooming, it must be spring! #squill The squill is blooming, it must be spring! #squill #scilla #springishere #flowersaremagical
I’ve been making sourdough bread for over 2 year I’ve been making sourdough bread for over 2 years now (I started before the pandemic, ironically enough) and this might just be one of my best loaves. The dough was sluggish yesterday and not ready to be proofed when I went to bed so I stuck the plastic bucket in the fridge and hoped for the best. Turns out the overnight bulk fermentation resulted in a beautiful, bouncy dough. I can’t wait to cut into it and check out the crumb but it’s still cooling down. #sourdoughbread #imadeitmyself #homemadeisbest #breadbaker
Happy Spring, friends! #springishere #snowdrops #o Happy Spring, friends! #springishere #snowdrops #ostara #flowersaremagical #inmygardentoday
And just like that … Friday Night Snacks are bac And just like that … Friday Night Snacks are back outside. #fridaynightsnacks #cheeseandcrackers #falsespring #outdoordining #martinitime #cocktailsonthedeck #itslikeweneverleft
Sláinte! #happystpatricksday #cruditè #minishepa Sláinte! #happystpatricksday #cruditè #minishepardspie #everybodysirishonstpatricksday
Oh heyyyyy #siamesecats #fredandgeorge #siamesecat Oh heyyyyy #siamesecats #fredandgeorge #siamesecatsofinstagram #siamesecorner #blueeyedcat #littermatesforlife
Happy FriYay, friends. The world is heavy and thin Happy FriYay, friends. The world is heavy and things feel uncertain, it’s okay to take a respite and enjoy some drinks and snacks to wind down the week. #fridaynightsnacks #cocktailsathome #martinitime #respitefromtheworld #cheeseandcrackers
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Categories

ABC Along Adventures of Dale and Carole Birthdays Bloggers Books Charity Knitting Contests Eye Candy Friday Feeling Crafty Fiber Festivals Food Good, Bad, Ugly Hmmm Knitting Knitting Olympics Macro Monday Memes Monday On My Mind Movies One Little Word Photography Project Spectrum Quilting Random Read With Us Reenacting Run For Your Life Saturday Posts Selfies Show & Tell Sock Knitting Spinning Sunday Funnies Swaps Ten on Tuesday Thankfulness That's Life Think Write Thursday Three Things Throwback Thursday Thursday Things Uncategorized Vacations Wordless Words in the Wild

Copyright 2014 Carole Knits · Log in