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WWW Wednesday, 4-April-2018

Welcome to WWW Wednesday! This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived here on Taking on a World of Words. Just answer the three questions below and leave a link to your post in the comments for others to look at. No blog? No problem! Just leave a comment with your responses. Please, take some time to visit the other participants and see what others are reading. So, let’s get to it!

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Note: For users of Blogspot blogs, I’m unable to comment on your posts as a WordPress blogger unless you’ve enabled Name/URL comments. This is a known WordPress/Blogspot issue. Please consider enabling this to participate more fully in the community.

Currently reading: I’ve started back up with Harry Potter y las Reliquias de la Muerte by J.K. Rowling. and I’m so excited to read about the Battle of Hogwarts! I think this one will be wrapped up soon.
I’ve just started back up with The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp so I hope I can get some momentum going on this one and wrap it up in a few weeks!
I’m enjoying The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah but it has yet to stand out to me as a unique WWII book. I’ve read so many in the past few years that I was afraid this would happen. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a surprising development.
The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro is going okay. I wasn’t expecting this to be as magical and as strongly metaphorical as it is. I’m not sure I’m enjoying it as much as Ishiguro’s other books but that’s a high standard to meet.

Recently finished: Two finished and it feels so good! The first was The Circle by Dave Eggers which I stayed up late Thursday to finish. I was expecting the end, so that didn’t blow me away, but it made me think to be sure. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars and I’ll be posting a review next week.
I finished History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund on Friday and, again, the ending wasn’t what I was anticipating. I thought it was going to be a little more sinister than it ended up being. I have a lot of thoughts on this topic so it will make for a good book review and a good discussion group.

I posted my review of Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire yesterday so please check it out if you can. I gave it 1 out of 5 Stars, which I believe is my lowest rating on this blog.

Reading Next: I’m already looking forward to Drop Dead Healthy by A.J. Jacobs. I hope to finish Potter quickly so I can get started on this fun read!

Leave a comment with your link and a comment (if you’re so inclined). Take a look at the other participant links in the comments and look at what others are reading.

Have any opinions on these choices?

Until next time, write on.

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at SamAStevensWriter@gmail.com. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!

Tags: A. J. Jacobs, Dave Eggers, Drop Dead Healthy, Emily Fridlund, Harry Potter y las Reliquias de la Muerte, History of Wolves, J.K. Rowling, Kristin Hannah, Son of a Witch, The Circle, The Nightingale, The Spectacular Now, Tim Tharp, WWW Wednesday

Comments 78 Comments
Categories Books, WWW Wednesday

Book Review: Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire (1/5)

3 Apr

I’m not sure I’ve given a One Star review since I started this blog. To me, this book failed on almost all levels and it had so many chances to improve that it skipped over. I didn’t go into this book thinking I’d hate it and it was honestly not until over half way through that I started to really dislike the story. I’ll get into the reasons, but it’s safe to say I’m not continuing this series.

Cover image via Goodreads

Son of a Witch (The Wicked Years #2) by Gregory Maguire

Summary from Goodreads:

Liir hid in the shadows of the castle after Dorothy did in the Witch. Left for dead in a gully, the teen is shattered in spirit and body. But silent novice Candle tends him at the Cloister of Saint Glinda, and wills him back to life with her music.

What dark force left Liir in this condition? Is he really Elphaba’s son? He has her broom and her cape – but what of her powers? Can he find his supposed half-sister, Nor, last seen in the forbidding prison Southstairs? Can he fulfill the last wishes of a dying princess? In an Oz under new and dangerous management, can Liir keep his head down long enough to grow up?

I read Wicked back in high school, probably 11 or 12 years ago. I don’t remember how I felt about it at the time but I’m starting to wonder if I liked it or not. I felt like this book had no plot whatsoever. At times, I thought it would be Liir finding Nor, Liir’s relationship with Candle, or even the reign of Glinda. Honestly, I’m still a bit unsure what the plot was. The interview with Maguire at the end of the audiobook said it was about a boy realizing that he wanted to participate in society and learning that to do that, he couldn’t be a hermit. I didn’t get that at all! I think the book could have redeemed itself if Liir had found Nor. It wouldn’t have been perfect, but it would have been better. I also disliked the time jumps in the book. It starts in present time and then jumps back an unspecified time, probably about 10 years, and tells the story up until present and then starts again. I think it could have been chronological and been easier to follow. The characters feel flat for me as well. Even Liir didn’t seem to have much of a personality though it started to come out in the last 50 pages. I think this book was written to write a sequel and those books frustrate me.

The book was very political and the politics made sense to me. I could see how a land of desert people would be branded as dumb and persecuted. I could see how a mineral-rich area would try to become separate from the main power. I can see all of these things happening, but I didn’t care. They didn’t affect the main characters in a meaningful way. Everything that happened to Liir didn’t seem to last more than 50 pages before he moved on to something completely separate and unrelated to what he had been doing. It made it really hard to care about what was happening to him and I started to lose interest quickly.

Candle was my favorite character only because most of the others were so unlikable. Maybe the other maunts at St. Glinda’s could be my favorites, but Candle was the most central to the plot. She was very independent, like the other maunts, and was resourceful. I liked that she had a small backstory, too. I wish I knew what happened to her in the end but I’m not curious enough to read the next book.

Liir was wandering without direction for years and while that’s relatable for someone in the late 20s, it’s not what I want to read in a book. I understand the author’s intention, but he didn’t make it interesting enough for me. Relatable characters were not his goal and I disagree with how he wrote the story.

Gregory Maguire
Author image via Goodreads

I liked the journey into Southstairs. Shell was a good character and it seemed obvious to me that he was struggling with depression. He was very aimless and seemed to have no morals to stand on. It seems like there’s a whole book in his 180 change to become a religious figurehead missing in the book, but getting a chance to meet Shell, see the seedy underworld of Oz, and hear how Liir made a quick exit was my favorite part of the book.

I hated every bit of Liir’s time in Qhoyre. I found it boring, a waste of time, and of no great impact on the book. It only explained a pity that Liir had for Candle, which I think could have been accomplished many other ways. It made me dislike Liir and I didn’t think it helped him grow as a character at all.

The audiobook I listened to was narrated by the author, Gregory Maguire. I was a bit nervous about this at first but he ended up being a great narrator. He had a good range of voices and with all the strange words in the book, I didn’t have to wonder if they were being pronounced ‘right.’ If that’s how the author said them, it’s how I should say them, too.

It’s hard for me to pull a theme from this book. I heard what Maguire said I should get out of this book, a man realizing he has to join the world, but I didn’t get that from the book. I felt the book lacked a consistent theme and that was a part of what I didn’t like about it.

Writer’s Takeaway: This may be a strong case of ‘middle book syndrome.’ What bothers me about that is that from the interview with Maguire at the end of the book, he didn’t essentially intend to write another book. I felt this left too many loose ends and too many holes in the plot. I see the advantage of having a theme and a plot direction. When I tried ‘pantsing’ (writing without a plot in mind) a book, I felt like it ended up similar to this book. However, I edited it to pieces and rebuilt a novel. I didn’t publish it.

Startlingly low, I give this book One out of Five Stars for a variety of reasons.

Until next time, write on.

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at SamAStevensWriter@gmail.com. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!

Tags: Book Review, Gregory Maguire, Son of a Witch, Wicked

Comments 2 Comments
Categories Books, Reviews

WWW Wednesday, 28-March-2018

28 Mar

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently reading: I’m still on hold with Harry Potter y las Reliquias de la Muerte by J.K. Rowling but not for much longer! I’m speeding through my other books and I think I’ll be back to this one next week.
I’m much further into The Circle by Dave Eggers than I’d thought! I pulled out my physical copy to see and I’m in the last third of it for sure. I’ve been making an effort to pull it out more often in the past week and I think I can wrap it up pretty soon.
Still holding on The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp though I think I’ll start again soon!
I’m loving History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund. It’s creepy enough to keep me reading but not so much that I’m afraid to read it before bed. The perfect mix. This will be a fun one to discuss.
As much as I complain about being in the middle of two books, I’ve started two more. The first is, as expected, The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. I started it during my long run on Sunday and got through a fair chunk. I’m really looking forward to seeing why so many of you loved this book!
The second is an audiobook for the car and this time around it’s The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro. This is available as a CD audio so I’m starting it in the car. I heard Ishiguro read a chapter from it a while back and I know it’s going to be a bit more fantastical than I’m used to with him, but we’ll see how this goes.

Recently finished: The tidal wave is starting and I finished two books! The first was, as expected, Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver. I took a homework break on Friday and finished up the last 20 minutes. I adored this book and I posted my review yesterday if you want to check it out. I gave it 5 out of 5 Stars.
The second was Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire which I finished Sunday. I honestly couldn’t wait for this book to be over. It wasn’t what I expected and I found the plot meandering and without a focus. I got sick of the politics because I wasn’t invested in the characters. I think it’s safe to say I’m done with this series.

Reading Next: It seems strange to think of more books to read with so many going already! I guess I’ll need a physical book next and it’s time for me to start chipping at the physical TBR in my living room. The next one there will be Drop Dead Healthy by A.J. Jacobs. I adore Jacobs and consider him one of my favorite non-fiction writers. I found this book at a B&N sale a few years ago and I’m sad I haven’t read it sooner!

Leave a comment with your link and a comment (if you’re so inclined). Take a look at the other participant links in the comments and look at what others are reading.

Have any opinions on these choices?

Until next time, write on.

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at SamAStevensWriter@gmail.com. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!

Tags: A. J. Jacobs, Barbara Kingsolver, Dave Eggers, Drop Dead Healthy, Emily Fridlund, Gregory Maguire, Harry Potter y las Reliquias de la Muerte, History of Wolves, J.K. Rowling, Kristin Hannah, Pigs in Heaven, Son of a Witch, The Circle, The Nightingale, The Spectacular Now, Tim Tharp, WWW Wednesday

Comments 87 Comments
Categories Books, WWW Wednesday

WWW Wednesday, 21-March-2018

21 Mar

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently reading: I hate to say this, but I put Harry Potter y las Reliquias de la Muerte by J.K. Rowling on hold for a little bit. Book club books call! I really hope I can get back to it soon. The ending was modified a lot to be more easily fit in the film’s constrictions so it’s like a brand new book.
I’m still plodding forward with The Circle by Dave Eggers. I hope I can renew it when my hold runs out this week. Maybe I’m going back-and-forth with someone else who’s trying to tackle this massive book. If that’s the case, I’ll switch to my other ebook.
I’ll get there with Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire, though maybe not this week. I’m not having good luck with any of my books! I wish I could report some positive progress with at least one of them.
Of all my books, I think I’ll finish Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver next. I’m still enjoying it a lot on long runs but my runs are shorter with the weather refusing to warm up.
Still holding on The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp. I might return to it soon if The Circle returns.
I started History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund and I can’t complain so far. I’m trying to finish this one quick so I can get back to Potter, though! I hope I don’t read so fast I don’t enjoy it.

Recently finished: Again, nothing! I think this is three weeks in a row? What a drought, the whole month of March. This has to end soon, right?

Reading Next: My next book club pick is The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. I’ve seen this book around for years and heard good things so I’m excited. I think this will be one I regret waiting so long to read. It’s available as an audio download so I’ll start it when I finish up Kingsolver. As long as it doesn’t delay me from finishing Potter, I’m happy.

Leave a comment with your link and a comment (if you’re so inclined). Take a look at the other participant links in the comments and look at what others are reading.

Have any opinions on these choices?

Until next time, write on.

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at SamAStevensWriter@gmail.com. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!

Tags: Barbara Kingsolver, Dave Eggers, Emily Fridlund, Gregory Maguire, Harry Potter y las Reliquias de la Muerte, History of Wolves, J.K. Rowling, Kristin Hannah, Pigs in Heaven, Son of a Witch, The Circle, The Nightingale, The Spectacular Now, Tim Tharp, WWW Wednesday

Comments 99 Comments
Categories Books, WWW Wednesday

WWW Wednesday, 14-March-2018

14 Mar

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently reading: Still moving forward with Harry Potter y las Reliquias de la Muerte by J.K. Rowling. If I keep at it, I could finish next week, but I’m not going to hold my breath. My class has picked up and isn’t leaving a lot of time for reading. I’m hoping to watch both of the movies soon after I finish it.
I feel like I’m making great progress on The Circle by Dave Eggers but it’s such a long book that I’m really inching along. I have the hold for another few weeks and I hope that I can keep it going with another check-out.
I feel like I’m making progress on Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire though it’s a bit slower than I’d like. I still don’t see where this book is going. The arc seems to be weak so I’m wondering if I haven’t gotten to the true arc yet and I’m still wandering through the exposition. If so, it’s too long.
I’m halfway through Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver. Her writing is amazing and I’m glad I’m getting to experience this one in audio. It’s almost better that way! Hearing her turns of phrase out loud is great and I can’t wait to see where this one ends up.
Still holding on The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp. If I lose The Circle hold again, I’ll try to go back to it.

Recently finished: Nothing again! It will likely come as an avalanche of books finished and reviews to write again. I can’s say I particularly look forward to that but it is what it is.

I posted two reviews so at least I’m finally catching up there. I posted about John Irving’s A Widow for One Year on Thursday. I gave the book 4 out of 5 Stars. I watched the movie over the weekend and I’ll be posting about that tomorrow.
I also reviewed X by Ilyasah Shabazz and posted that yesterday. I’ll have two book club discussions and hopefully an author presentation to share for that one! I gave it 4 out of 5 Stars as well.

Reading Next: I found out I can’t get an audio copy of History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund. Drats! I’ll try to finish Potter soon and pick it up then. If not, I’ll start it when I go to my next book club meeting and the issue is forced a bit more. Either way, I’ll get this one next!

Leave a comment with your link and a comment (if you’re so inclined). Take a look at the other participant links in the comments and look at what others are reading.

Have any opinions on these choices?

Until next time, write on.

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at SamAStevensWriter@gmail.com. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!

Tags: A Widow for One Year, Barbara Kingsolver, Dave Eggers, Emily Fridlund, Gregory Maguire, Harry Potter y las Reliquias de la Muerte, History of Wolves, J.K. Rowling, My Brilliant Friend, Pigs in Heaven, Son of a Witch, The Circle, The Spectacular Now, Tim Tharp, WWW Wednesday, X

Comments 79 Comments
Categories Books, WWW Wednesday

WWW Wednesday, 7-March-2018

7 Mar

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently reading: I’ve made great progress in Harry Potter y las Reliquias de la Muerte by J.K. Rowling. I’m through what was made into the first movie and I’m onto the second movie now, which is well over 1/2 way through. I’m starting to be more optimistic about ever finishing this one!
I got my hold back on The Circle by Dave Eggers! I’m reading it during lunch and waiting at the chiropractor again. It’s slow progress, but I’m making it through.
I had a fair number of drives into the city over the past few days so I made good progress on Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire. I’m going a bit slower than I really want to but I’m still enjoying it. I listened to the entire Wicked soundtrack at work on Friday because this one is getting to my head!
I haven’t been running as much so I’ve also made slow progress on Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver. I hope the weather improves and I can run outside more which is where I do longer runs and can enjoy this one a lot more.
Since I got The Circle back, I’m going to hold on The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp for a bit. I’m sure I’ll trade back and forth as I lose and gain the holds on these two!

Recently finished: I didn’t finish anything this week. I’m so close to the beginning of many of these that I’ll probably go through a cycle like I did before and finish them all at the same time! This is making it hard to plan my reviews.

I posted a review of My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante on Monday. Please check it out when you have time. I gave it 4 out of 5 Stars.

Reading Next: I feel like I need to put something in here this week after leaving it blank two weeks in a row. My next book club selection (which won’t be discussed until April) is History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund. I’ll see if I can get an audiobook of it and possibly jump-start and read it sooner rather than later. It’s always nice to be ahead.

Leave a comment with your link and a comment (if you’re so inclined). Take a look at the other participant links in the comments and look at what others are reading.

Have any opinions on these choices?

Until next time, write on.

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at SamAStevensWriter@gmail.com. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!

Tags: Barbara Kingsolver, Dave Eggers, Emily Fridlund, Gregory Maguire, Harry Potter y las Reliquias de la Muerte, History of Wolves, J.K. Rowling, My Brilliant Friend, Pigs in Heaven, Son of a Witch, The Circle, The Spectacular Now, Tim Tharp, WWW Wednesday

Comments 83 Comments
Categories Books, WWW Wednesday

WWW Wednesday, 28-February-2018

28 Feb

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently reading: I’m back to reading Harry Potter y las Reliquias de la Muerte by J.K. Rowling. I bought a White Noise song to listen to on repeat so I could read this book on the airplane I’m over half way through it now! I’m not sure how long I’ll stick with it before another book interrupts but I’m being hopeful that this will be finished before summer rolls around.
Still holding with The Circle by Dave Eggers. Sad day.
Since I was on vacation for a few days, I didn’t get a chance to listen to Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire much. I have a few drives starting today that will give me some more time with it.
It’s a slow go with Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver as well but I got at least one long run in where I could listen to it. Again, being with family all the time isn’t ideal for audiobook listening so I was a bit slow here this week.
I got through a fair chunk of The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp on the plane when I finished X (see below). The narrator’s voice is really strong and I’m still adjusting to that but enjoying it all the same.

Recently finished: I finished X by Ilyasah Shabazz on the plane! It was a good read and really informative. I’m looking forward to hearing the author speak later this year. I’m sure it will be a little emotionally charged, but reading her bio, she’s a pro at these types of presentations. She’ll probably speak this summer.

No reviews this week because of my vacation. I’ve got a huge list of posts to write and I’ll be getting around to it soon, I promise! Its going to be my main focus this weekend (besides laundry).

Reading Next: Still no plans! I’ve got too much going to think about that just yet. I’m sure something will come along in a week or so and I’ll put it here then.

Leave a comment with your link and a comment (if you’re so inclined). Take a look at the other participant links in the comments and look at what others are reading.

Have any opinions on these choices?

Until next time, write on.

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at SamAStevensWriter@gmail.com. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!

Tags: Barbara Kingsolver, Dave Eggers, Gregory Maguire, Harry Potter y las Reliquias de la Muerte, Ilyasha Shabazz, J.K. Rowling, Pigs in Heaven, Son of a Witch, The Circle, The Spectacular Now, Tim Tharp, WWW Wednesday, X

Comments 87 Comments
Categories Books, WWW Wednesday

WWW Wednesday, 21-February-2018

21 Feb

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently reading: Unfortunately, I’ve had to put Harry Potter y las Reliquias de la Muerte by J.K. Rowling on hold for a short while for a book club selection. I’m hoping I fly through it and can get back to this soon!
I have the saddest news. I lost the hold on The Circle by Dave Eggers! I went to read it at lunch yesterday and it had returned and when I went to check it out again, I couldn’t! I’m so sad that I’ll have to wait to get back to this story.
FINALLY! I’ve just started Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire this week! It’s great to get on to a new audiobook. I’m still getting into it so not much to report here. Trying to remember the first book is taking a lot of my concentration now, haha.
I also started Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver. I remember Taylor and Turtle better than I thought I would. It’s the side characters I don’t remember well but I’m sure I’ll pick it up quickly.
I started a book club selection as well, X by Ilyasah Shabazz. This is a fictionalized account of the story of Malcolm X as written by his third daughter. Shabazz will be speaking in my area later this year (or maybe early next year) so look for quite a few more posts about this book going forward!
Because I lost the hold on The Circle, I started another ebook. This time I picked The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp. Yes, I realize that means I have six books going right now! This is a lot for me and I’m feeling more than a bit overwhelmed but I will press on!

Recently finished: I finished a book! I’m so excited to be able to say that after a long time of nothing making its way to this list. I wrapped up A Widow for One Year by John Irving. I adore Irving and this book was ‘classic Irving’ and it was great to read something of his. The last Irving book I read was very different from his normal style and topics so it feels like returning to an old friend.
I wrapped up My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante yesterday during my run. Woo! It ended a bit abruptly and I’m unsure if I want to keep reading the series and find out more about what happens to these characters. Let’s call it TBD at the moment.

No reviews this week! I’ll have ones for Irving and Ferrante soon.

Reading Next: I’m going to say I have no plans. I really hope to finish some of my six going on right now before I start worrying about what comes next. I think I have too much on my plate already, haha.

Leave a comment with your link and a comment (if you’re so inclined). Take a look at the other participant links in the comments and look at what others are reading.

Have any opinions on these choices?

Until next time, write on.

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at SamAStevensWriter@gmail.com. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!

Tags: A Widow for One Year, Barbara Kingsolver, Dave Eggers, Elena Ferrante, Gregory Maguire, Harry Potter y las Reliquias de la Muerte, Ilyasha Shabazz, J.K. Rowling, John Irving, My Brilliant Friend, Pigs in Heaven, Son of a Witch, The Circle, The Spectacular Now, Tim Tharp, WWW Wednesday, X

Comments 86 Comments
Categories Books, WWW Wednesday

WWW Wednesday, 14-February-2018

14 Feb

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently reading: You’ll notice a pattern in this post. It’s exactly the same as last week. Yep. I’m really close to finishing A Widow for One Year by John Irving and I’m banking on finishing it by next week. I feel like there’s a lot of action still to go, but the disk count shows that I’m close to the end so we’ll see how Irving wraps this one up.
I’m almost halfway through Harry Potter y las Reliquias de la Muerte by J.K. Rowling which I see as a big accomplishment. I did a lot of reading on a snowy day that kept me indoors all day and got through about 50 pages in one day! And I didn’t have to take a nap afterward!
I’m almost halfway through My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante. The weather has made it hard to get out for my long runs which is where I make great progress on this one. Maybe the book fairies will give us a break in the weather so I can listen more? Or maybe we’ll get another 11 inches, who knows?
I’m barely making progress in The Circle by Dave Eggers. It’s going to be a long haul on this one. That’s nothing against Eggers or his book, just the nature of my ebook reading that keeps it slow and plodding. This will slowly make its way to the top of this paragraph as it sits on my ‘Currently Reading’ shelf for ages.

Recently finished: Sadly, nothing again. I don’t even have any reviews to report on. It’s just been that kind of week.

Reading Next: I’ll be getting Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire from the library this week so I can start it right away. I hope I remember enough from the first book to dive into this one without too many problems!
I also plan on starting Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver when I finish Ferrante’s book. I read the first book in this duology a few years back but I remember it pretty well. I adored that the small girl was named Turtle! I’m excited to hear more about her.

Leave a comment with your link and a comment (if you’re so inclined). Take a look at the other participant links in the comments and look at what others are reading.

Have any opinions on these choices?

Until next time, write on.

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at SamAStevensWriter@gmail.com. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!

Tags: A Widow for One Year, Barbara Kingsolver, Dave Eggers, Elena Ferrante, Gregory Maguire, Harry Potter y las Reliquias de la Muerte, J.K. Rowling, John Irving, My Brilliant Friend, Pigs in Heaven, Son of a Witch, The Circle, WWW Wednesday

Comments 86 Comments
Categories Books, WWW Wednesday

WWW Wednesday, 7-February-2018

7 Feb

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently reading: I feel like I can say I made good progress with A Widow for One Year by John Irving. I didn’t drive as much this week as I did the week before but I had one or two longer trips where I got through a disk. I hope to finish this up in the next two weeks, I’ve really liked it!
Progress has slowed a bit on Harry Potter y las Reliquias de la Muerte by J.K. Rowling. School is starting up and that’s meaning a lot of nights where I’m too tired to read before bed! It’s a sad situation for me, but a reality some times. I’ll keep pressing forward as I always want to finish one book in Spanish each year and I’m committed now that I’m over 200 pages in.
I’ve gotten through about a third of My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante. It’s slow-moving but it has a lot to say about human nature that I’m enjoying. The characters are so realistic that I can almost re-name them to be friends from my childhood!
I haven’t made much headway in The Circle by Dave Eggers. Lunch at work has been cut short a lot so I’ve only gotten through a few pages each day. I think I’m (embarrassingly) still on chapter 1!

Recently finished: No surprise that I didn’t finish anything this week. I’m not sure I’ll have anything here next week either. I did manage to write a review of The Color Purple that went up on Monday so please check that out! I’ll be posting my book-to-film review tomorrow so get ready for that!

Reading Next: My plan is still to read Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire after I finish Irving. I’ll need a refresher on what happened in Wicked before I do. I remember the book and the musical being very different, but not much more than that.

Leave a comment with your link and a comment (if you’re so inclined). Take a look at the other participant links in the comments and look at what others are reading.

Have any opinions on these choices?

Until next time, write on.

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at SamAStevensWriter@gmail.com. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!

Tags: A Widow for One Year, Dave Eggers, Elena Ferrante, Gregory Maguire, Harry Potter y las Reliquias de la Muerte, J.K. Rowling, John Irving, My Brilliant Friend, Son of a Witch, The Circle, The Color Purple, WWW Wednesday

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Taking On a World of Words

WWW Wednesday, 4-April-2018

Book Review: Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire (1/5)

WWW Wednesday, 28-March-2018

WWW Wednesday, 21-March-2018

WWW Wednesday, 14-March-2018

WWW Wednesday, 7-March-2018

WWW Wednesday, 28-February-2018

WWW Wednesday, 21-February-2018

WWW Wednesday, 14-February-2018

WWW Wednesday, 7-February-2018

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