April 4, 2013

Reactions to Recent Library Reads



The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin

Unlikable characters that were one-dimensional caricatures.
I'd heard good things but it wasn't the book for me.



Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

Vibrant, intricate, and chock-full of unique characters
(This book contains a movie pitch about the Donner party that I would totally pay to see.)



Eight Days by Matthew Goodman

Some books make you feel smarter. This is one of them.
Did you know that Wisconsin once had 38 time zones? Now you do!


Have you read any of these? What did you think? 
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40 comments:

  1. Rebecca4/4/13, 8:27 AM

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts on The Aviator's Wife. I think I will pass on this one now. I too had been seeing a lot about it and thought it would be a good read but alas there are too many books and not enough time for mediocre ones. I haven't heard about Eighty Days but I am adding this one to my list!
    Happy Reading,
    Rebecca @ The Key to the Gate

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    1. Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader4/4/13, 10:12 AM

      I was excited to read it because I love learning about real people. But Charles came across as an unrelenting dink and Anne was wimpy in the extreme. They didn't seem like real people at all. :( Bummer!

      Eighty Days is a great read, very informative!

      Delete
  2. Anonymous4/4/13, 8:41 AM

    I love this kind of reviews you make :D

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  3. Quixotic Magpie4/4/13, 8:59 AM

    I had been thinking about Beautiful Ruins but I wasn't sure enough to read it. Now I definitely will!! Lol, I also love the graphics today!

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    1. Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader4/4/13, 10:13 AM

      Cool, hope you dig it! It's a good one. Thanks, lol ;)

      Delete
  4. Rebecca @ Love at First Book4/4/13, 10:06 AM

    Wisconsin had 38 time zones? WHAT? I love the graphics, especially the genius guy. I think he's on drugs.

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    1. Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader4/4/13, 10:15 AM

      You can thank train schedules for whittling down all the time zones ;) It was insanity before that!

      He does seem to be on something doesn't he? lol

      Delete
  5. Anonymous4/4/13, 10:34 AM

    Okay, now I really really want to read Eighty Days. Really. For real. (I haven't had coffee yet.)

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    1. Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader4/4/13, 10:57 AM

      Good gravy, get some caffeine woman! But yes, do read Eighty Days. It's chock full of groovy info!

      Delete
  6. Nadia4/4/13, 10:43 AM

    That's so disappointing about The Aviator's Wife - especially since I got it from NetGalley recently. Oh well. At least I know that I should definitely read Beautiful Ruins ;)

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    1. Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader4/4/13, 10:56 AM

      Nadia, you might really like The Aviator's Wife! I know that a lot of people liked it. :)

      Beautiful Ruins is grand!

      Delete
  7. Rebecca Andoff4/4/13, 10:59 AM

    I need Eighty Days ASAP-- exactly my cup of tea. My mission for the day!

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  8. Lindsey4/4/13, 11:19 AM

    I've heard wonderful things about Beautiful Ruins but the Donner party thing is going to be the clincher for me. To the top of the list it goes! :)

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    1. Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader4/4/13, 12:03 PM

      I read a fantastic book about the Donner party a long while back. It was told from the point of view of one of the women in the party. Oh my gosh, what was the name of that book!?

      Ha! I found it: The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of a Donner Party Bride
      (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6033525-the-indifferent-stars-above?ac=1)

      Check it out Lindsey!

      Delete
    2. Lindsey4/5/13, 4:01 PM

      Done and done. Thanks Jennifer!

      Delete
  9. Monika4/4/13, 12:11 PM

    Oh my gosh, I love the animated gifs peppering this post. LOL!!

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    1. Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader4/4/13, 2:52 PM

      :D Thanks Monika! I have so much fun finding these!

      Delete
  10. Andi4/4/13, 12:37 PM

    Ha! Love it.

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  11. Debbie Rodgers4/4/13, 5:06 PM

    I've been on the fence about all of these, leaning to ward 'no for The Aviator's Wife and The Beautiful Ruins. Now I'll keep one and scrap one - thanks for the help deciding!

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    1. Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader4/4/13, 7:05 PM

      I only hope I haven't steered you wrong Debbie ;) Thanks so much for visiting me!

      Delete
  12. River City Reader4/4/13, 7:53 PM

    Oh gosh, Eighty Days is totally on my TBR list. My IRL book club has been throwing it around, so I'm trying to wait it out but I want to feel like that man!

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    1. Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader4/4/13, 8:03 PM

      I don't blame you! Please scrawl the word genius somewhere on yourself as well, lol.

      Delete
  13. Leslie (Under My Apple Tree)4/5/13, 12:23 AM

    Loved Beautiful Ruins! It was one of my top 10 last year. And the Donner Party was soooo bad it was good.

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    1. Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader4/5/13, 6:05 AM

      I loved the setting. Too bad it's a fictional town because I wanted to go there ;)

      Delete
  14. Anonymous4/5/13, 5:44 AM

    38 time zones? I really want to say 'blimey' lol. I'm interested in that book, actually I wouldn't mind reading the others as well, but Eighty Days appeals the most.

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    1. Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader4/5/13, 6:06 AM

      Blimey! That's a great word :) Malarkey is another, lol. I think you'd like Eighty Days!

      Delete
  15. bermudaonion4/5/13, 8:21 AM

    Sorry The Aviator's Wife didn't work for you - I loved it.

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    1. Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader4/5/13, 8:40 AM

      I'm sorry too, I really wanted to like it. I think I should seek out a nonfiction book about Charles and Anne Lindbergh.

      Delete
  16. Naida4/5/13, 5:11 PM

    These gifs crack me up as usual. I read and enjoyed Eight Days by Matthew Goodman very much too!

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  17. Chrisbookarama4/6/13, 3:09 PM

    Ha! I love the gifs. A gif is worth a thousand words!

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    1. Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader4/7/13, 8:18 AM

      And sometimes they are much better than mere words ;)

      Delete
  18. Chrisbookarama4/6/13, 3:10 PM

    Ha! I love the gifs. A gif is worth a thousand words!

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  19. Teddyree4/8/13, 12:08 AM

    I had high expectations for The Aviator's Wife ... think I might wait, hell I might even skip it. Go the gifs ... love 'em :)

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    1. Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader4/8/13, 7:27 AM

      So many people have liked that book, it just wasn't for me. Thanks ;)

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  20. Meg @ write meg!4/9/13, 9:14 AM

    Oh, I LOVED Beautiful Ruins -- and I would totally go to see that fake movie, too! :) That was such a great read. In fact, I've been trying to find another read on that level for months... and alas, none yet.

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    1. Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader4/9/13, 10:08 AM

      I really want to see that fake movie SO BAD ;) I hope you find another fantastic book soon Meg!

      Delete




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