Ruth's Updates en-US Mon, 19 Aug 2024 12:25:37 -0700 60 Ruth's Updates 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg ReadStatus8305405857 Mon, 19 Aug 2024 12:25:37 -0700 <![CDATA[Ruth is currently reading 'Red Rising']]> /review/show/6773225918 Red Rising by Pierce Brown Ruth is currently reading Red Rising by Pierce Brown
]]> Review6773177574 Mon, 19 Aug 2024 12:09:56 -0700 <![CDATA[Ruth added 'Horse']]> /review/show/6773177574 Horse by Geraldine Brooks Ruth gave 4 stars to Horse (Hardcover) by Geraldine Brooks
I enjoyed this book very much, and would classify it as a "good read" as opposed to a "good book". The research is meticulous, though I don't know enough about the horse racing world to fully appreciate it. I could appreciate the bouncing back & forth between centuries as far as style goes, but I was uninterested in the modern day characters and their stories, so for me, I'd have been happier to stick with the story in the 1800s.

The point with which I had the most trouble was self-flagelation that Jess indulged in after she offended Theo. Was this supposed to be the author attempting reparaton for white bigotry? It was way overdone and felt gratuitous.

The best relationship in the book was Jarrett and Lexington; a trainer and his horse version of the quintessential boy and his dog. I didn't find much of Jarrett's conversations and interactions with his white owners very believable, but I chose to suspend my disbelief and go for the ride.

If you pick it up, you'll have an enjoyable read if you can focus on the historical research and ignore the clumsy efforts of the white author to be woke. ]]> GiveawayRequest616733000 Mon, 19 Aug 2024 12:06:48 -0700 <![CDATA[<a href="/user/show/99773762-ruth-garrett">Ruth Garrett</a> entered a giveaway]]> /giveaway/show/393922-the-paradise-problem The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren ]]> Review5209669882 Wed, 17 Jul 2024 09:13:15 -0700 <![CDATA[Ruth added 'Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow']]> /review/show/5209669882 Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin Ruth gave 3 stars to Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow (Hardcover) by Gabrielle Zevin
I should have written my review a year ago when I finished reading it. My memory was that it was fine, but not over the top. I think the fault was mine. I'm not very knowlegeable about the video game world, and I suspect I may have gotten more out of it it I were.

None of the main characters are especially likeable, so that made it difficult to care about their lives. I don't think you'd be sorry to pick it up, but your world will keep turning if you don't. Loving Shakespeare, as I do, I was intrigued by the title and then disappointed that it wasn't particularly fitting. ]]> Review6567872256 Wed, 17 Jul 2024 09:11:38 -0700 <![CDATA[Ruth added 'Seven Days in June']]> /review/show/6567872256 Seven Days in June by Tia Williams Ruth gave 1 star to Seven Days in June (Hardcover) by Tia Williams
bookshelves: dnf
Caveat: I still have about 2 1/2 hours to go in the audio version, but at this point, it would take a miracle (and probably a new author) to pull my rating up by even one star. I'm reading this for book club and it is TORTURE. The writing is boring, the plot non-existent, the characters are flat, 2-dimensional cardboard cutouts, and don't even get me started on the narration. Like some other one-star reviewers have said, Am I reading the same book you did?

It's nothing more than a fluffy romance novel with an attempt to be "culturally relevant" by making the lead characters black and throwing in some product placement endorsements. I'm seriously considering not finishing at all and begging my book club to never make a similar suggestion again. ]]> Rating736009455 Fri, 07 Jun 2024 10:58:55 -0700 <![CDATA[Ruth Garrett liked a review]]> /
Ruth Garrett liked Gabriella Paul's review of Seven Days in June:
Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
"This book was not a lot of things. But it was an insult. An insult to writing, knives, the French, and my intelligence.
If one of your characters is a 12 year old taking counseling sessions on Snapchat, take a break. Regroup. Try again.
Awful. Truly."
]]> Rating736008649 Fri, 07 Jun 2024 10:55:54 -0700 <![CDATA[Ruth Garrett liked a review]]> /
Ruth Garrett liked Alisa's review of Seven Days in June:
Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
"I put this in my "didn't finish" pile. I just couldn't get into it. I got to chapter 3 and found myself not caring about the main character or even enough to turn another page."
]]> Rating736008538 Fri, 07 Jun 2024 10:55:23 -0700 <![CDATA[Ruth Garrett liked a review]]> /
Ruth Garrett liked Justine B.'s review of Seven Days in June:
Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
"DNF. The writing was so corny and unbelievable in the first few chapters that I couldn’t have imagined making myself suffer through the entire thing. "
]]> Review6567872256 Fri, 07 Jun 2024 10:44:39 -0700 <![CDATA[Ruth added 'Seven Days in June']]> /review/show/6567872256 Seven Days in June by Tia Williams Ruth gave 1 star to Seven Days in June (Hardcover) by Tia Williams
bookshelves: dnf
Caveat: I still have about 2 1/2 hours to go in the audio version, but at this point, it would take a miracle (and probably a new author) to pull my rating up by even one star. I'm reading this for book club and it is TORTURE. The writing is boring, the plot non-existent, the characters are flat, 2-dimensional cardboard cutouts, and don't even get me started on the narration. Like some other one-star reviewers have said, Am I reading the same book you did?

It's nothing more than a fluffy romance novel with an attempt to be "culturally relevant" by making the lead characters black and throwing in some product placement endorsements. I'm seriously considering not finishing at all and begging my book club to never make a similar suggestion again. ]]> ReadStatus7990490083 Fri, 31 May 2024 20:57:30 -0700 <![CDATA[Ruth wants to read 'The Paradise Problem']]> /review/show/6550265863 The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren Ruth wants to read The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren
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