Hellooooo! Welcome to Tuesday Topics, which I host with Jenn from Runs With Pugs. This week’s topic is: How do you bring more balance to your busy days?
I have to be honest- I don’t have a lot of balance right now. At this point, my mental chatter sounds something like “Blah blah blah blah RACE blah blah blah blah MY RACE blah blah blah RACE…” It’s pretty much all I can think about (coming up on March 21st- how will I wait that long???)
Next week I’ll have a couple posts about the race- my plans, hopes, dreams, goals… but for now, let’s talk about books. I finished two good ones! First up:
This book was described by Meredith on the Currently Reading Podcast as a book she could confidently recommend to anyone. I was intrigued! The premise is, the main character finds himself on a tiny spaceship, millions of miles from Earth, which is facing the extinction of our species unless he can find a last-chance solution.
At first I didn’t like the writing style. It felt like a dumbed-down version of Cixin Liu’s Remembrance of Earth’s Past. Andy Weir took a serious subject- um, the end of humanity?- and decided it would be more fun with lots of humor. The glibness irritated me for about half the book, and then I just gave in and enjoyed it. It was a fun, interesting read, and I loved the ending! Okay, Meredith- you can recommend this book to just about anyone.
Next up!
This one was really fun from the very beginning. Most of the story is told through emails between the characters. At first I thought I wouldn’t like that. Also, side note- I originally thought I wouldn’t like The Correspondent because the story is told through letters. I obviously have to get over this prejudice- reading other people’s letters and emails is FUN.
The story in this book is engaging, it’s fast-moving, and it’s a puzzle laid out with all the clues available to the reader Like the best mysteries, you won’t figure out the solution- but when it’s revealed, you can see that all the clues were there. Great book.
Have you read either of these books? What are you reading now?
Join us next week —> Luck and hard work- which one has helped you the most lately?
Link Up With Tuesday Topics
Welcome back to Tuesday Topics, as Jenny, from Runners Fly joins Jenn at Runs With Pugs to co-host this link-up! Please join us every week for a new topic! Write on our weekly prompt or choose your own topic! Make sure to add your post to the link up, link back to your hosts, and comment on the other shared posts!
17 Responses
I can imagine that not thinking about your race right now is pretty much impossible. I hope time flies between now and the 21st!
I have not read Hail Mary. I LOVED The Martian, but. I didn’t finish Artemis, so I wasn’t sure about Hail Mary, but I’ve heard good things. I think I’ll give it a try. I haven’t even heard of The Appeal, but I’m intrigued by the premise. I’m in the middle of Alchemized and it’s LOOONG so I’m going to be reading it (listening to it actually) for a while.
I think you would like Project Hail Mary! At least, I’d be interested to hear what you think about it. I haven’t read anything else by him, and honestly I probably won’t. Too many other amazing books on my TBR.
I am rereading Hail Mary Project now- love it. Also read a Freida McFadden “Do Not Disurb” that I really enjoyed. The twist was unexpected but plausible. Also “The Shark House” fiction/mystery/thriller sort. I DNF’d Heart the Lover.
Nonfiction, In Sickness and in Health about caregivers in the US. Very sad how people get burnt out and don’t have/use resources to care for chronically or terminally ill loved ones.
Race race race! You’ve got this!
Thank you! And, I want to hear your final thoughts on Hail Mary. As I said I really loved the ending.
I think the ending was really right- plausible and you know, fitting. Don’t want to say more or I’ll spoil it for someone!
I’m reading – AND ENJOYING – a book by a man. A heterosexual white man at that! I want the record to reflect that. This happens very rarely so I must make note of it. And it’s a holiday romance! Yes, it’s March, but we can’t control when the holds come in.
HA! Well this is definitely an occasion. You’ll have to let me know what you think- maybe I’ll add it to my December TBR.
Hail Mary is on my to read list along with many others.
Just read Twice. Have you?
Countdown is on….11 days.
Egads! 11 days… so soon.
I think you’ll like Hail Mary. And I have not read Twice! I’m not sure I’ve even heard of it?
I haven’t read either of these. I’m up in the air with my reading. Last week I listened to two really good audiobooks, Family of Spies (memoir about finding out that your fam was on the wrong side in WWII) and A Thousand Naked Strangers (EMT memoir). The problem was that they were both about really heavy subjects, so I could only listen for so long before I needed breaks.
For non audio reading, Promise Me Sunshine (reviewed by Engie, Stephany, and Kim) was a winner. I DNF’d my latest book club book, and I just started The Optimist’s Daughter by Eudora Welty – not sure if I like it or not yet, but I love her way with words.
Oh yes, I read Stephany’s review of Promise My Sunshine, and have cautiously added it to my TBR. It’s a romance, but one that I might like.
I have read Project Hail Mary and really enjoyed it. I preferred “The Martian” but still really enjoyed Project Hail Mary. Sometimes he loses me in the detailed space/science talk but I kind of gloss over it and hope not understanding it won’t impact the book, and it tends to work out. I haven’t read The Appeal, but the use of emails and such makes it more appealing to me because I love epistolary novels or novels with a multi-media aspect to them!
I just finished Nicole’s excellent book over the weekend. Now I’m reading “This Book Made Me Think of You” which is about a widow who finds out her late husband purchased a year of books w/ a letter in each book at a local book shop. It has a heavy tone given the grief aspect but is really delightful, and it’s set in London which makes it extra charming for me!
Race, race, race, race, race! 😀 I’ll be cheering you on virtually!
I can’t decide if I want to give Project Hail Mary a try or not … but I have heard only good things about Janice Hallet and am so very intrigued by her mysteries on offer! I need my library to get with the program, lol
I’ve just started Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story and have high hopes for it 😀
I liked Hail Mary but nothing of his is as good as The Martian, IMHO. Excited to read about your bday race!
I cosign this. The Martian is brilliant, as far as I am concerned. It’s tricky to write humor at best, but The Martian is so funny.
Thanks for the scoop on Hail Mary. It sounds like it’s worth a read.
I think I started The Appeal and found it too taxing to keep everyone straight. Maybe if I stuck in out ….
I’m glad you were able to enjoy PHM. I love Andy Weir’s writing style, but I also don’t read much science fiction to compare it to!
The Appeal is on my TBR – soon! I’m glad you loved it. 🙂
RACE DAY IS COMING SO SOON!!!!