I Picked Up This Book Because: Seeing if it was worth the hype.

The Characters:

Morgan Grant :
Clara Grant:
Miller Adams, Jonah Sullivan, Lexie, Jennie Davidson, Chris Grant

The Story:

I don’t even know how to begin describing this one. A) Because a lot happened and 2) I don’t want to give away anything so rather than describing the plot I’ll stick to the scorecard. The writing was good. I enjoyed the plot twist. I do think a lot could have been avoided if Morgan and Clara just talked to each other but then there wouldn’t be much of a book would there. The pacing moved along well. The only scene that dragged for me is the mockumentary. I really don’t card to watch them, let alone read a description of one the characters are watching. (view spoiler)

Although this book was good it wasn’t the smash I felt like the hype built it up to be. Beyond the plot twist I felt like it was mostly misunderstanding/miscommunication.

The Random Thoughts:

#2020BookBingo #2020PopSugarReadingChallenge

The Score Card:



3.5 Stars

For day 6 of Bout-of-books we were told to post a review of something we’d read this week, but I decided instead to clump it together with today’s task instead. My review will be a short one as loads of other people have already said it much better than I ever could, but here’s what I’ve got.

I loved The Importance of Being Ernest so much that I decided to read all of Oscar Wilde’s 9 plays, by today no less, but I’ll get to that later. The play is about mistaken identities and all-the-while pokes fun at the Victorian middle classes.

I enjoyed it from the start, no more than when Lady Bracknell enters the stage. In the audio-version I listened too this part was played by Judi Dench and she was a great representation of the rigidness and immovability of the Victorian middle-classes. She objects to the protagonist, Ernest, marrying her daughter as his history and lineage aren’t in keeping with what she expects.

The real fun begins when Ernest returns to his country home and his friend Algernon turns up and assumes the identity of his brother. This part was ingenious and I had much fun listening to it.

I’ve just read part of a fantastic review for it over on GR that expounds on what each portion represents and where it means to poke fun at Victorian life, so I would recommend you go there for a full dissemination. As it is, I could never do the play as much justice.

Today’s challenge, the final day or Bout-of-books is this:

Stretch Goal

It's the last day of the readathon, so today's challenge is to take a look at the goals you set for the week (if you have them) and decide a) how you can stretch yourself to complete them or b) how you can revise them so you can meet them. Because yes, you can revise your goals! If you didn't set goals for the week, set a small one for yourself today!

At the beginning of the read-a-thon I set myself the ambitious and (I now accept) ludicrous challenge of finishing *all* of the books I’m currently reading. I also thought I’d try and read all 9 of Wilde’s play’s, as well! I had to adapt this hugely! I decided to spend today reading with the goal of finishing *1* book and I’m pleased to say I managed that. I finished Fleishman Is In Trouble and I’m happy I did. I read 1 more of Wilde's play's (a far cry from all 9!), but plan to read another now. I’ve also been beta-reading a novel for someone in the US this week and read roughly half of it, so I definitely read more this week than normal. I’d call that a success. I’m really glad I participated and will do so again.

I'm quite sick at the moment (I get a little sick every year after I return from the music festival in England), so didn't update yesterday. Anyway, today I'm going to do the challenges for day 4 and 5.

Day 4 challenge

If not this, then that

Basically this means: if you like such-and-such an author or type of book, then try this

author

I'm going to stick with what I'm currently reading and recommend Fleishman Is In Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-akner as I absolutely love it. I would recommend it for people who enjoy a character-driven story and who like to think a little deeply. It would also work for those who like to think outside the normal confines of society and question. Okay, that's a bit vague, so I'll say for fans of Jonathan Franzen and Margaret Atwood.

Day 5 challenge

I Want This Book!

I don't watch much T.V. and if I do it tends to be of a non-fiction variety, but there's this crime-drama T.V. show that I love called Animal Kingdom. It's about a very dysfunctional crime-family. Mostly it's about their screwed-up relationships with one another, but occasionally they pull jobs to bank-roll their lifestyles. It'd make a great character-driven book with just enough action to keep things interesting.

I also think James O'Brien's podcast on LBC would make a hilarious novel if it was dramatised.

It may be a bit ambitious, but I'm hoping to finish all these books this week for Bout of Books, plus a slim guide to the workings of the economy by Yanis Varofakis that's not in the catalogue. Even if I don't finish them all a few done would be great. I was just ironing and listening to the BBC adaption of The Importance of Being Ernest (Oscar Wilde). I'm nearly finished it and it's proving fantastic, with performances from Judi Dench and Colin Firth. I'll have that finished by tonight.

The challenge today, introduce yourself in six words:

Words abound today, why not always?

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly Rubidoux Apple. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 14th and runs through Sunday, May 20th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 22 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team at http://boutofbooks.blogspot.co.uk