Week 25 Book 39 : The Flight Attendant

 

Spoilers.

I loved reading this until the end - then it totally pantsed the climax/resolution. Such a shame, because the tension, the stakes and the characters were all on the money until the impossibly helpful ending came along and introduced a whole bunch of coincidences, twee confessions, ridiculous new set ups and miracle pregnancies.

I did like the irony of Cassie watching the Big Bang Theory, only to be played by one of the cast in the inevitable TV version of this thrilling - but flawed  - airport thriller.   

Week 24 Book 38 : Pets On The Couch

 

If you're an animal lover then you'll probably enjoy this book, if not then it's argument no matter how persuasive, won't mean much. There are a lot of anecdotes and most of them are very compelling, to me if nothing else. At some point though you're either going to agree that animals are much closer to us with personality and emotions, than we care to treat them, or you won't care.

All our medicines are treated for safety on animals before being used on humans, but when they prove to be effective they remain human only. That's the crux of this argument, so gently and beautifully presented. 

Of course I already think we should treat them better. But not fully on board with rabid activism. Two wrongs don't make a right after all. Not sure where this thought is leading.

Good book, worth a read.

Week 24 Book 37 : The Narrows

 

Another in a long line of Harry Bosch novels. I've read a couple and struggled with them. The stories are deep and well planned, but the main character is bloody annoying and old school in a White/Toxic Male Privilege kind of way. However weirdly though when embodied in Titus Welliver on the small screen in the Amazon TV show, that works. On the page he's creepy and grumpy and a bit of a dick, and much harder to tolerate.

This particular book felt like a whole bunch of characters, situations and shout outs to other authors were all shoe horned in. The basic plot and resolution were satisfying if somewhat predictable. 

Good for fans I guess?

Week 23 Book 36 : Over The Top

 

Enjoyable fluff, until it suddenly isn't. Then just as suddenly Fluffy again, turned dark on a dime. So like JVN himself (who I saw doing his stand up live) it's all OTT Queen and Yass Bitch! There's immediately a deeper and more nuanced observation or opinion under each OTT layer.

Provocative and Human, Joyful and Sad, Straight and Gay Talking.

A glorious book of contradictions and confessions.

He goes there, you should too.

Week 23 Book 35 : Devoured

 

Has some interesting anecdotes and some lite-weight data, but it mostly comes to life when she wholly quotes other authors. Mostly in love with her own sense of American-ness and the sound of irony being dropped from a great height.

As far from a scientific look at food as it is from being about "who we are" being not just Americans. 

Week 22 Book 34 : Force of Nature

 

Another winner from English/Aussie author Jane Harper. Out of the three I have read this is the least rated, but that still puts it better than a lot of books. The resolution twisted a few too many times and landed with a stretch. Compared to The Dry which was tighter and Lost Man which was more relatable in the characters. 

Still a great book, well written and gripping.

 

Week 21 Book 33

 

Fast becoming my new fave author. The voices and the settings are so Australian it makes me homesick for my second homeland. Damaged and deep, she pulls apart the onion layers of the family with surgical precision, or maybe it's peeling of layers of sun-burnt skin?

Either way I flew through this one like I did The Dry, and as much as I enjoyed the movie version these books are very engaging and well written. Recommended for any Aussie or Aussie adjacent.

Week 21 Book 32 : Scrappy Little Nobody

 

I laughed, like a lot. Out loud on occasion. Nice turn of phrase, definitely quirky and scrappy, though hardly a nobody anymore. Like most people who suddenly are the subject of expectations, the impostor syndrome looms large.

Unrelentingly funny and fast paced, like a hamster on speed.