I look forward to sharing the latest reads with the blogging community, but this week I have NO CHANGES from last week’s post. I decided to admit that right up front. I can’t remember the last time I’ve spent an entire week with one book. It’s not that Americanah is not good, or interesting, or engaging — it’s all those things; but I can’t seem to get through more than 50-60 pages at a time.
Is it strange that I feel a little like a failure for not finishing a book this week? What am I going to write about?
Anyway, enough about that. Thanks to Miz B at Should Be Reading for hosting — hopefully you can click through to some readers who’ve finished books this week.
I’d love to know what everyone is reading. To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…(or post a link to your blog.)
• What are you currently reading? • What did you recently finish reading? • What do you think you’ll read next?
What are you currently reading? Almost 400 pages through Americanah. The writing is great but it’s dense. The Nigerian names and culture are very unfamiliar to me, so instead of devouring it, I am forced to take my time. I think the other issue is that I’m not excited by the two main characters. The novel has lost the intensity I felt in the beginning. (I am also slowly making my way through the audio version of The Wife, the Maid and the Mistress – an interesting, based-on-real-life story set in the 20′s. 80% complete, but I just haven’t had enough time alone in the car to finish.)
What did you recently finish reading? The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez still remains my most recently completed book. I loved it and posted a review here.
What do you think you’ll read next? The Invention of Wings iss the summer read for the high school where I work and I’ve been wanting to read it since it’s release. I loved The Secret Life of Bees, but didn’t love The Mermaid’s Chair. I have high hopes for this one. I’m a little nervous that it’s another chunkster because I also need to get to Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore before my Book Club meets on the 16th.
Feeling the pressure.
How about you?
What are your W…W…W… titles? Anyone else stuck in neutral?
alenaslife 
alena, if a book loses its momentum for you, put it away for awhile. It may be that you’re reading a book that just died on the vine, and really isnt as good as it was in the beginning. Im betting it’s Not Your Fault. Years ago when I was still in Library Mode, I took out Vanity Fair, couldnt really finish it, took it back. I did that for maybe five years before the librarian and I agreed that the book and I were just not a good match. Nowadays if I lose interest in a book I try to figure out why, and often it ain’t me, its because the author lost interest, too, as funny as that may sound.
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Thanks for the supportive words Judy. I think you may be right. I am determined to finish this one since I have fewer than 100 pages left — but I think this is one that I can recognize as a good book without being able to emotionally connect.
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I’m currently reading Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern. It’s pretty good.
Last week I read Necroscope by Brian Lumley and Rich Kids of Instagram. Both of which were decent.
I’m reading The Black Hour by Lori Rader-Day next, which I’m definitely looking forward to.
😀
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Thanks for taking the time to share. These are some new-to-me titles so I look forward to your comments about them.
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Ohh, I’ve been wanting to read Americanah for a while (in fact, I have a copy on my shelf waiting for me). That’s too bad that it’s a bit dense. I get it though, when the topic + names are unfamiliar it can make it a little harder to read! I’m feeling that way with the book that I just started (The Country of Ice Cream Star); it’s written in kind of a made-up language in that it doesn’t make grammatical sense and there is a lot of made-up vocabulary. It’s making it pretty difficult to read
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Yikes…I don’t know that I could work through that. I think this is just a case of a book and I not being a good match. I would still encourage you to read it — strong, interesting message, well-written, good character development. I’m just not clicking with it.
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Sometimes books are just not ment to be, or at least not not ment-to-be-right-now… Don’t feel bad about it; it’s best to put it away for a while, and you might even enjoy it more when you pick it up again. I’ve had the same thing happening a few weeks ago with Purity Of Blood by Arturo Perez-Reverte; I couldn’t get into the book, so I’m saving it for a different moment. There’s too many books around to have to take the fun out of reading… 😉
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I love the idea of saving it for another moment. I’ll probably push through since I have fewer than 100 pages left, but I might leave it to more passionate readers to review.
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It’s true that there aren’t that many pages left… And at least now you’re still ‘in the story’ which makes it easier to continue where you left. 🙂
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I know the feeling. I just finished The Visitors by Sally Beauman, and it took me more than two weeks! It was so frustrating. But just take your time, and alternate Americanah with another book if you need to. If it’s slow going, take a break and read something else!
Hope you get your groove back soon 🙂
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Thanks Leah. I know I’ll get there…I think tonight I’ll read some poetry (or just something radically different) before finishing Americanah.
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I couldn’t finish ‘The Secret Life of Bees’ when I read it way back in school so I’ve always avoided Kidd. I’m not sure I’m brave enough to pick up another one!
Here’s my WWW: http://samannelizabeth.wordpress.com/2014/07/02/www-wednesday-2-july-2014/
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Interesting. I’ve mostly interacted with people who loved that book (as I did) so it’s great to have a differing perspective. I’m a historical fiction fan, so I have my fingers crossed.
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I listen to audiobooks when I’m doing housework, too. Of course it means I spend a lot of money on audiobooks, but it also means I get housework done. Otherwise I’d be burning gas driving and listening!
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I have been guilty of that! (The driving, not the housework)
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Why haven’t I ever thought of audiobooks when doing housework?!?!? Excellent idea!!!
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You did a wonderful job on the review of `The Book of Unknown Americans`
Happy Reading!!
My WWW is here: http://newhorizonreviews.blogspot.com/2014/07/wwwwednesdays-76.html
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Thanks so much Michelle. I look forward to getting to know your book tastes.
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One of the best books I’ve read recently was Tell The Wolves I’m Home–and I didn’t make it past the first couple of chapters until I picked it up for the third time. Sometimes it’s just not the right time for a book to engage you! No guilt necessary! 🙂
(I also LOVED Unknown Americans!)
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OMG… I loved Tell the Wolves I’m Home so much!!! It felt so personal and amazing to me, but then other people told me they couldn’t get into it. I’m glad to hear you stuck it out and your comment made me go back to look at my rave review. https://alenaslife.wordpress.com/2012/11/19/the-best-book-ive-read-all-year-tell-the-wolves-im-home-2/
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I so know what you mean about being with a book for that long! I always get incredibly frustrated when that happens but I should learn to just be with the book. It’s only really bad if you’re not enjoying it. Think about all those times you get sad when a great book is over!
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So grateful there are a lot of those times too! Thanks friend.
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when is the right time to give up on a book? I think I’d stick it out as well if I only had a bit left to read, but it’s definitely frustrating when you don’t connect. My WWW is http://hollykerr.ca/www-im-reading/ Good luck finishing it!!!
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Thanks Holly. I don’t know that there’s ever a “right time” but I’m more and more willing to give up on books the older I get. I’m determined with this one, but I’ve probably put away 4-5 books this year before getting half-way through.
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Good luck with your reading, hope you come unstuck soon! Looking forward to seeing what you think of Mr P’s 24hr Bookstore, I have that one on my pile. Here’s my link http://wp.me/p32hC2-Ld
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I was glad my Book Club chose it for July, because I’m not sure it would have moved to the top of my list otherwise.
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I know what you mean, sometimes there are just too many books to be read! I think that I must have one of the largest TBR piles I’ve ever had!
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Being a book blogger sure doesn’t help that situation. I long ago gave up on the notion that my list would ever shrink. Occasionally I just do some rearranging.
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I hate it when I’m in a reading muddle/stuck with rubbish books one after the other. Since starting book blogging, I’ve started to give up on books more often. There are just far too many books out there waiting to be discovered to waste time on books you’re not enjoying.
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Agreed!
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I’m with you on The Invention of Wings. I won’t be reading it next, but I’m definitely excited to read it hopefully this year.
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Whipped through the first 85 pages last night, which really cheers me up.
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I feel a little stuck this week too, not because I’m not enjoying what I’m reading (the latest Dresden book by Jim Butcher), but just because I’ve been so busy with work and family that I’ve had almost no reading time except late at night… and then I’m just too tired to get through more than a few pages!
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Isn’t it strange, the sense of guilt or frustration we feel, when we don’t find time to read? I totally get it.
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Being a stuck reader can be frustrating, but it happens to everyone! I’m currently reading Life of Pi, which I actually originally started to read in April of last year, but had to put down. Not because I didn’t like it, it was great, but for some reason it just wasn’t the time for me to read it. I hope you get through your last 100 pages and become unstuck! http://heartofsultana.com/2014/07/02/www-wednesday-6-25-14-2/
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Thanks so much and I’m so glad you returned to Life of Pi, definitely one of my favorite book.
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I’ve run across a very quizzical book recently called “The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender,” by Leslye Walton. It’s certainly the strange foretold in the title, beautiful in spots, but I’m having a little trouble reading all the way through it quickly. Anyway, I’ll try to get it done and do a post on it soon. It’s a book of magical realism, sort of quirky. I like it well enough, but it’s not what i would call intense.
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I definitely like magical realism so I’ll look forward to your thoughts.
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I’ll do my best not to disappoint! By the way, I like the way your concept works for your site, though I can’t say I’m as orderly as you are about knowing not only what I’m reading at the present time, but also what I’m going to read after that. What I’ve already read is of course no problem. Maybe when I get my next book read I can try to play along properly.
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Thanks, but it’s usually because I pick up a few books at a time from the library.
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