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The Sunday Post is a chance to recap the past week, talk about next week, tell you what I’m reading, and share news. It’s hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer, Readerbuzz, and Book Date.
The Sunday Post #355
On The Blog Recently
- Christmas Book Haul
- Best Books Of 2023
- 2023 Reading Statistics
- Best January - June 2024 Book Releases
- Best January - June 2024 Young Adult Book Releases
In My Reading Life
I didn't get much reading done last week because Brooklyn gave me one of those not-COVID respiratory diseases. I spent most of last week coughing, throwing up, and sweating excessively. So much sweat. I'm going to be irritated if I didn't lose weight from this experience.
I finished Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo. I think I overhyped the book in my head. It won the Booker Prize and sounded exactly like my type of pretentious entertainment. It's a composite novel that's made up of groups of short stories. Each group has 3 stories. One story focuses on a girl, one story focuses on a woman, and one focuses on someone who's connected to the first two people. The majority of the characters are Black women living in the UK.
The structure of the book is its biggest strength and its downfall. I love the structure because it allows you to see a character from multiple perspectives. You might hate a character in one story and then completely understand her motives and change your mind after another story. It was a really interesting reading experience. At first.
Then the stories started to feel repetitive. You're introduced to a person. You hear their entire life story with a lot of emphasis on sex and politics. The end. Repeat with the next person. There's no overarching plot or forward momentum. Things happened in the characters' pasts, but nothing is happening in the present. I think that would be fine in a short book, but this beast is 400+ pages, so I needed more to keep me invested. Unfortunately, I got bored and forced myself through the last 100 pages.
However, you probably shouldn't listen to me. This book has a ridiculously high rating on Goodreads. I feel like I missed something.
In The Rest Of My Life
Four things that made me happy last week:
1. This conversation happened:
My mom: "Do you want bacon?"
Brooklyn: "No, I want healthy food."
My mom: "What kind of heathy food."
Brooklyn: "Donuts."
2. We didn't get donuts, but we did get butter pecan ice cream.
3. My parents bought me a new space heater because I accidentally killed mine during that week when it was below 0. Poor space heater got worked to death. Now I have a replacement to work to death.
4. When I decluttered my bookshelves, I noticed that my older mass market paperbacks had lost the will to live. Their pages were falling out. I decided to replace the broken books with better editions. Now I understand why people like matching editions. My new books look so pretty on the shelves! I'll take pictures when I can walk across a room without feeling like I need an ambulance on speed dial.
I Own Pretty Books Now
I love the conversation about healthy food. Happily Dunkin is opening TWO shops in our previously deprived city. I need some health food myself. The hell with eggplant.
ReplyDeletebest, mae at maefood.blogspot.com
What are you talking about? Donuts and bacon are both healthy foods!! And so is butter pecan ice cream!
ReplyDeleteyeah I like their dogs too. I've become increasing attached to dogs as Lulu is such am important part of our life.
ReplyDeleteAnne - Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post
Yeah dogs over people anyday! That conversation is hilarious 😂 Have an awesome week, AJ ☕📚🪱🫶🤗
ReplyDeleteI wholly agree. I liked people's dogs too. I tolerate them. Sorry to hear you were unwell. So many awful respiratory things going around. Hope you (and Brooklyn) are doing better. The structure of Girl, Woman, Other does sound interesting. Sorry it wasn't a better experience for you. I know I say this all the time, but thank you for the laughter. It was non-stop with today's post.
ReplyDeleteUgh, kids always making us sick!!
ReplyDeleteGirl, Woman, Other is on my kindle and I'm hoping to do a read/listen combination sometime this year. The audio has really high ratings, too, but I think it's good to temper my expectations. Your opening quote has me laughing out loud....
ReplyDeleteBrooklyn's words are gold!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you were so sick this week. I hope you're starting to feel better and are able to get more reading in this week.
ReplyDeletehttps://jennielyse.com/sunday-news-53/
I am sorry you have been sick. It sounds miserable. I hope you are feeling better. Girl, Woman, Other sounds like a book I would pick up to try. I am sorry it wasn't better for you in the end. Butter pecan ice cream is better than donuts. I was hoping for a donut this morning, but didn't want to make the run to the store for one. I did get Dairy Queen this afternoon though. I hope you have a great week, AJ.
ReplyDeleteI hope you're feeling better. I recently read a book that was very well-liked by most people who reviewed it. I didn't like it nearly as much as most others did. It happens. We all have different takes on books and that's okay. :)
ReplyDeleteOk. I have Girl, Woman, Other on my shelves. It's been there for quite some time. I figured I'd really like it, but for some reason keep not picking it up. You have confirmed my fears. I promise to give it a try in 2024 and will not berate myself if I don't love it.
ReplyDeleteOh my, when I was the librarian at a primary school---well, just imagine the coughing, sneezing, etc. of six hundred kids only four to eight years old. I was always picking up something from them.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry Girl, Woman, Other was a bit of a disappointment.
Not every book is for every reader. Sorry that book wasn't for you.
ReplyDeleteThere seem to be quite a few of us under the weather this week. Hope you are feeling better soon..
ReplyDeleteBrooklyn is a kid after my own heart. There must be some food that is worse for you than donuts. When we visit NC, they have this bagel place called Round that makes the best donuts I have ever eaten... and I've eaten a lot in my time.
ReplyDeleteMatching editions are good. Hope you enjoy your week.
https://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2024/01/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-and_0166715305.html
Sorry to hear that you aren't feeling well. I hope you get better soon. Donuts are my idea of healthy food too. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteUgh, those respiratory viruses are no joke. I had three last year and each knocked me down hard. I fully support Brooklyn's definition of healthy food.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry you've been sick! I hope you're feeling back to normal soon. And new books on clean bookshelves are so great. Can't wait to see some pics. (And donuts and bacon are two of my favorite foods...I just can't let myself eat either one very often.)
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you haven't been feeling well. So many people have those non-Covid respiratory things. My mother just got over one. I'm with Brooklyn - donuts are healthy (or should be anyway). Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteLove it, donuts! LOL. I hope you're feeling better.
ReplyDeleteI always feel so good when I can spend time surrounded by my books, organizing, purging, whatever. It's my happy place. Not sure hubs understands though. Have a great week and happy reading!
But donuts are healthy!!
ReplyDeleteGirl, Woman, Other sounds kind of fascinating even if there isn't really a plot. If I didn't already have so many books on the go, I would probably download it and listen to it from the library. At least that way, if it's boring, it hasn't cost me a penny!
ReplyDeleteMah girl, Brooklyn, needs to try a donut that has crispy bacon bits in the sugary glaze. Hurry up and get well so we can see your pretty bookshelves!!!!
ReplyDelete