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What are you reading?

Just Want to Talk | Last Active: Jun 11, 2018 | Replies (59)

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@creeve

I recently read "The Underground Railroad" by Colton Whitehead; it was a bit of a slow start for me but I got into it by the end. I also read "The Mothers" by Brit Bennett, and "Good as Gone" by Amy Gentry. A bit of a mix of books so always open to others recommendations! Good as Gone was a page-turner for me, I think I read it in one evening on the weekend (bit of a thriller). When I get hooked into a story line, it's often hard for me to put it down but I've found that love of reading is now transferring to my young kids - so I'll call it a win! 🙂

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Replies to "I recently read "The Underground Railroad" by Colton Whitehead; it was a bit of a slow..."

You seem to have somewhat eclectic reading tastes, @creeve. Getting hooked into a story is such a treat. 🙂 I have suffered a time or two with lack of sleep when I couldn't put a book down. Since you listed a mystery as one of your books, I would suggest anything written by Harlan Coben. I find his writing to be very captivating. I also have recently found David Baldacci to be an incredible writer! Last Man Standing (a standalone novel) and Memory Man and The Last Mile (the first 2 books of the Amos Decker series) were all exceptional mysteries, full of great detail. I loved them. What is your favorite genre?

Oh I love mystery books - thanks for the suggestions!! I'm currently reading The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto. I'm halfway through it and really like it so far. We chose it for a book club and everyone loved the writing style and the unique perspective it is written in. 🙂

I checked that out, @daniv, and it sounds intriguing and different than my typical read. I will have to give it a try. The GoodReads ratings are very high! Thanks for the recommendation.

Since you love mysteries, my current read is The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens. It took me some time to get into it, but once I did, I am really enjoying the evolution of the mystery. And, it is based in Minneapolis and Austin (where I live), so that is always fun. You may like this too, @creeve.

Do you have a favorite mystery, @daniv?

Yes! We read "The Life We Bury" for our book club a couple months ago and that is my favorite mystery. Another one we read and I really liked was The Silent Sister.

Frankie Presto is one I wouldn't typically read either, but really glad I am (same with A Man Called Ove). Different writing styles and view points, but great life lessons!

Thanks for the additional suggestions. I'm honestly an all-over the board reader, but I think I tend to prefer mystery type novels. Although, I definitely contradict myself with a recent favorite that I just finished was "When Breath Becomes Air" by Paul Kalanithi; I highly recommend it!

I loved the “The Life We Bury”!

I just got The Deep Dark Descending by the same author as The Life We Bury, Allen Askens. Can't wait to read it!

What's this book about Shanda - sounds really interesting!

@mtp06, are you asking about The Life We Bury? If so, here is the description. I have it on audiobook if you are interested in listening to it.

College student Joe Talbert has the modest goal of completing a writing assignment for an English class. His task is to interview a stranger and write a brief biography of the person. With deadlines looming, Joe heads to a nearby nursing home to find a willing subject. There he meets Carl Iverson, and soon nothing in Joe's life is ever the same.

Carl is a dying Vietnam veteran--and a convicted murderer. With only a few months to live, he has been medically paroled to a nursing home, after spending thirty years in prison for the crimes of rape and murder.

As Joe writes about Carl's life, especially Carl's valor in Vietnam, he cannot reconcile the heroism of the soldier with the despicable acts of the convict. Joe, along with his skeptical female neighbor, throws himself into uncovering the truth, but he is hamstrung in his efforts by having to deal with his dangerously dysfunctional mother, the guilt of leaving his autistic brother vulnerable, and a haunting childhood memory.

Thread by thread, Joe unravels the tapestry of Carl’s conviction. But as he and Lila dig deeper into the circumstances of the crime, the stakes grow higher. Will Joe discover the truth before it’s too late to escape the fallout?

I would love to listen to this book if you're willing to loan it out.