I bet I'm not alone when I say I love to get recommendations for good books.
Occasionally, I visit some authors' websites that review the books they read to see what recommendations they offer. (Usually, those are authors whose books I enjoy, so I figure their recommendations will suit me.) I'm on Goodreads, and I read my emails to see what my friends are reading. I belong to a book club and (of course!) get recommendations there.
So many books, so little time.
In my last post, I mentioned some books I've recently read. Currently, my walking (treadmill) book is When We Were Young & Brave by Hazel Gaynor. "Their motto was to be prepared, but nothing could prepare them for war. . ." Set in China during World War II, the POV is split between an adult woman and a child at a school for missionary children. I'm enjoying the book, although some of what occurs is tragic. Of course, it IS war, so there's that. I recommend this one, especially if you enjoy historical fiction.
I have a strong opinion on which books you should read: READ BOOKS YOU ENJOY!
I learned this lesson almost 20 years ago while reading a well-received novel. I hated the characters, the setting was dismal, and the premise was too far out for me.
So, here's my recommendation:
Don't waste hours of your life on a book that is not giving you enjoyment.
You're allowed to stop reading. The reason I'm sharing this opinion is because I recently stopped reading a book. It came recommended, and it's by a bestselling author. According to Amazon, thousands of folks love it. It's got over 7,000 ratings with a 4 out of 5 stars. But it wasn't my cup of tea, to say the least. Apparently, I was not in the majority on this one.
One day as I was forcing myself to read, I realized I didn't like the main characters. They were uncouth. I wouldn't hang out in real life with people that acted and spoke that way, so I decided to quit reading. It was a relief.
Here's the point, if you don't like a book, find another to read. The world won't come to an end if you lay a book aside.
By the way, you'll never know which books I lay aside. If I don't like a book, I don't review or rate it.
Have a happy week, read, write, enjoy the end of summer!
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