This meme is hosted by Sam over at Taking on a World of Words. A similar meme, This Week in Books is hosted by Lipsyy Lost and Found.
Why not join in? Just answer the following three questions in a post and then put a link to that post in the Comments over at Taking on a World of Words.
The questions are:
- What are you currently reading?
- What did you recently finish reading?
- What do you think you’ll read next?
1. What I’m reading at the moment
Yes Please by Amy Poehler
This is proving to be an interesting read. Not as laugh-out-loud funny as you might expect, but honest and touching. Plus I’m delighted to be reading both non-fiction and autobiography for a change!
The blurb:
In Amy Poehler’s highly anticipated first book, Yes Please, she offers up a big juicy stew of personal stories, funny bits on sex and love and friendship and parenthood and real life advice (some useful, some not so much), like when to be funny and when to be serious. Powered by Amy’s charming and hilarious, biting yet wise voice, Yes Please is a book full of words to live by.
2. The last books I read
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Read my full review here. I gave this book 4/5 stars for the quality of its descriptions and the originality of its ideas, but it’s let down by making life difficult for its readers and having a disappointing final act.
The blurb:
The circus arrives without warning. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called “Le Cirque des Reves,” and it is only open at night.
But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway–a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love – a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.
True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per-formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.
AND
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Read my full review here. I gave this 3/5 stars because I didn’t find it as gripping as the hype had made me hope I would. The characters spend so long in the virtual world I found it hard to connect with or worry about them. That said, the book redeems itself in the final third with lots more real-world action and higher stakes.
The blurb:
In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he’s jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade’s devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world’s digital confines, puzzles that are based on their creator’s obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. When Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade’s going to survive, he’ll have to win—and confront the real world he’s always been so desperate to escape.
3. What I’ll read next
I’m going to forget about my library order of Disclaimer by Renée Knight. It may turn up someday. In the meantime…
The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier
I’m looking forward to reading this. It’s the only one of Chevalier’s novels I haven’t read, and she hasn’t let me down so far.
The blurb:
In New York Times bestselling author Tracy Chevalier’s newest historical saga, she introduces Honor Bright, a modest English Quaker who moves to Ohio in 1850, only to find herself alienated and alone in a strange land. Sick from the moment she leaves England, and fleeing personal disappointment, she is forced by family tragedy to rely on strangers in a harsh, unfamiliar landscape.
Nineteenth-century America is practical, precarious, and unsentimental, and scarred by the continuing injustice of slavery. In her new home Honor discovers that principles count for little, even within a religious community meant to be committed to human equality.
However, drawn into the clandestine activities of the Underground Railroad, a network helping runaway slaves escape to freedom, Honor befriends two surprising women who embody the remarkable power of defiance. Eventually she must decide if she too can act on what she believes in, whatever the personal costs.
A powerful journey brimming with color and drama, The Last Runaway is Tracy Chevalier’s vivid engagement with an iconic part of American history.
Have you read/are reading any of these? What are you reading? Let me know! 🙂
You can also find me on Twitter @ClaraVal and on Goodreads.
I kind of like the sound of Ready Player One, but I read your review and it sounds a bit self-indulgent. Not to mention the lack of stakes. That is one thing I can’t stand in a book.
I really need to get around to reading Yes, Please. I think it is probably quite up my alley.
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Ready Player One has so many 5-star reviews, they made me doubt my own opinion! But as soon as I find myself flicking forward in any book I know it isn’t a 5-star read (sadly).
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Oh, I hate being that person! I only gave The Martian three stars, and felt exactly the same way!
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I have both Yes, Please, The Night Circus and Ready Player One on my TBR… Although I only own a copy of the second one. I’ve heard mixed things about Yes, Please; hopefully you will keep enjoying it!
Happy reading and thanks for visiting my WWW. 🙂
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I can see why Yes Please might get mixed reviews. It’s quite uneven in tone…
Happy reading! 🙂
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I’ve heard as well that if you don’t know her that well the memoir might not be that interesting… But I might give it a chance anyway.
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Sorry you were let down by Ready Player One. I enjoyed that book. I’m jealous you’re reading Yea Please because I adore Amy Poehler. Happy reading and thanks for participating in WWW Wednesday!
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I’m not very familiar with Amy Poehler’s work, but I’m still enjoying the book. So if you’re a fan I think you’d get even more from the book 🙂
Plus, the preface is a joy which won me over from the off. It’s all about how hard writing a book is. All I could think was, “Preach, sister!”
Thanks for hosting!
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All right, I’ll give in and add it to my list, haha. Thanks!
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I keep hearing people talking about the Night Circus but haven’t gotten around to reading a description yet. But I’ve been hearing a lot of good things!
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I didn’t read anything about it before picking it up (not even the blurb on the back!), and I think that’s best. Otherwise it spoils some bits of the first third of the book. If you can get to it without finding out more then you might enjoy it more 🙂
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Then I will take people’s word that it’s good and pick it up eventually! I try not to read the descriptions on the back if I can help it.
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Sad to hear that Ready Player One doesn’t live up to the hype. One of my favorite booktubers loves it. I’ll probably still pick it up but with lower expectations. Though I find that’s usually good with hyped up books.
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I think that definitely was part of the problem. I came to it expecting something fantastic. If I’d gone in just expecting a decent read, maybe I wouldn’t have been as disappointed.
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It’s too bad Ready Player One was disappointing! I’ve heard such great reviews on it. Then again, that’s often the case with hyped books, LOL. Guess I’ll have to be more careful with my expectations! And I’m glad you’re enjoying Yes, Please, I hope you continue to do so! ❤ Thanks for visiting my WWW, have a great Wednesday. 🙂
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Thanks. And thanks for not questioning my sanity with the whole link mix-up. I worry about myself… 😉
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Ha ha no problem! 🙂
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I was thinking about reading The Night Circus but now I’m not so sure. I don’t want to be disappointed by the end. Maybe I’ll read it once I’ve crossed more books off of my TBR. Happy reading! 🙂
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Good idea. I think it’s worth it because the descriptions are terrific. But it’s not as life-changing as some of the reviews have made out. Thanks for visiting! 🙂
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I’m not really a huge autobiography fan… but would you recomment yes please??
check out my www post? https://devouringfictions.wordpress.com/2015/07/22/www-wednesday-july-22-2015/
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I just finished it a few minutes ago! I would say “yes”, with reservations. Firstly, I think if you are an existing fan of Amy Poehler, then you will probably enjoy it. However, it’s not a consistently funny read. She’s going for honest, rather than trying too hard to make her readers laugh.
If, like me, you have a vague idea of who she is but haven’t seen a lot of her comedy then I think you’d need to have other things in common with her (similar life stage, have children, etc.) to enjoy many parts of it.
I don’t know if that helps! I’ll have to think about it a bit more and write a proper review this week 🙂
Thanks for visiting my post!
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Thank you for visiting my page! And I’ve seen so many people read this book and it’s nice to have your opinion about it. Thank you for your thoughts 🙂
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Great list! I really enjoyed ‘Yes Please’ overall. ‘Ready Player One’ is on my list but I’ll have to check out your review – it’s gotten so much hype. Thanks for sharing!
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Thanks! My copy of Disclaimer finally arrived at the library so I have to bump that back to the top of my list. Ready Player One isn’t bad, just not as fantastic as I was expecting 🙂
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