The Next Good Book
  • Home
  • Alphabetical Archive
  • Archive by Category
  • About

 so i like to read- 

friends often ask for book suggestions so i created this site in 2014 to help me think about what i read and pass it on.  

I hope you find many good books here!


e-mail-thenextgoodbook5@gmail.com

behold the dreamers by imbolo Mbue

8/27/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
​
Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue
382 pages
 
What’s it about?
Jende is a Cameroonian immigrant who has come to the United States to make a better life for his family. He cannot believe his luck when he lands a job as a chauffeur for Wall Street executive Clark Edwards and increases his salary to 35,000 a year.  Now his only problem is getting that green card…
 
What did it make me think about?
This is a very readable novel that examines the immigrant experience in America.  The author juxtaposes the lives of Jende and his family with the lives of his Wall Street employer and his family.   
 
Should I read it?
I kind of shied away from this novel because it was another “Oprah Pick”.  Not sure why as I usually like her picks….  I was thinking it would just be depressing.   I am so glad I finally picked this one up.  Mbue does such a good job of portraying the difficulties of immigration in America without becoming militant or preachy.  She also deftly handles the pain and humanity present in all the people in America- rich and poor.  This is a good one! 
 
Quote-
“Who traveled to America only to return to a future of nothingness in Cameroon after a mere three months?  Not young men like him, not people facing a future of poverty and despondency in their own country.  No, people like him did not visit America.  They got there and stayed there until they could return home like conquerors- as green card- or American passport- bearing conquerors with pockets full of dollars and photos of a happy life”

If you like this try-
The Reugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen
​
Girl at War by Sara Novic
Americanah by 
Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche
​
American Dervish by Ayad Akhtar

9 stars
0 Comments

check out a favorite new site- champaign book diva!

8/27/2017

0 Comments

 
Below is an article from my friend Nancy's new blog-  champaignbookdiva.com
Please take some time to explore this new site.

Nancy loves mysteries and suspense thrillers so this is an especially good place to look for suggestions on these genres.  I am so excited to add it to my list!
​
champaignbookdiva.com
Picture
Schedule a Cozy Fall Night with these Six New Releases
 
There's something comforting about Fall reading.  As the days get shorter, and the weather turns cooler, there's nothing better than thoughts of curling up in your favorite spot, under a blanket, and getting lost in a great book.  You're not outside as much, so you typically have more time to read.  Publishers know this, so there are always a lot of great Fall releases.  These are the books I'm looking forward to this Fall in order of release date.
 
Glass Houses by Louise Penny
Release Date: August 29, 2017
 
I'm only on book five of Louise Penny's Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series, so this is a bit anticlimactic that I won't actually be reading Glass Houses on it's release date.  I thought I should include it though, for any lucky Louise Penny fans that are current in the series.  Glass Houses is the thirteenth and I'm not there yet, not because I'm not enjoying the series - quite the opposite - I love it so much, I never want to be without a new book of hers to look forward to.  I wrote about my love for this series in another blog post.  You can read about here:
http://champaignbookdiva.com/2017/06/10/a-still-life-a-chief-inspector-gamache-novel/
 
The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye by David Lagercrantz
Release Date: September 12, 2017
 
This is a continuation of the popular Lisbeth Salander series that Stieg Larsson started before he passed away in 2004.  It must be very difficult for a writer to take over another writer's wildly successful series, but I'm willing to give this a try.  I do enjoy a good Scandinavian crime novel.  This time our heroine, Lisbeth Salander and her sometimes love interest, Mikael Blomkvist go up against Islamic leaders, a prison gang leader, and even her long-lost twin sister, Camilla.  All the characteristics that make up this Nordic Noir genre seem to be present here - a dark storyline, moody atmosphere, and morally complex characters.  Sign me up!
 
Don't Let Go by Harlan Coben
Release Date: September 26, 2017
 
My first Harlan Coben novel was the standalone novel, The Woods, published in 2007.  I enjoyed it so much that I continued to read most of the standalone novels he's put out since then, which come out about once a year.  He has been a master of domestic suspense before the genre became really popular with the publication of Gone Girl in 2012.  In his newest, Don't Let Go, you have New Jersey Detective "Nap" Dumas who lost his brother to a railroad accident around the same time the love of his life vanished.  Fifteen years later when the finger prints of his love interest turn up in the rental car of a suspected murderer, there are more questions than answers as Detective Nap tries to unravel once and for all the mysteries from his high school days.
 
Origin by Dan Brown
Release Date: October 3, 2017
 
The Da Vinci Code is on my list of Top Ten Favorite Fiction Books of all time, so reading everything Dan Brown has written since is a must, and cause for much anticipation!  This installment starts out with Robert Langdon attending a major announcement at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain that "will change the face of science forever."  Sound familiar?  Yes, it sounds like this book has all the elements that made The Da Vinci Code a best seller right out of the gate, and I for one couldn't be happier!
 
The Rooster Bar by John Grisham
Release Date: October 24, 2017
 
When this book first came on my radar, it did not have a title or a synopsis.  It was listed on Amazon as "New Legal Thriller" and you could pre-order it that way sight unseen.  I was ready to jump on that bandwagon, as I'm sure many others were.  We now have a title though, and a book cover, and a synopsis.  This book is set in Washington, D.C. where three idealistic law students realize they've been duped.   They are up to their eye balls in student loan debt when they realize their university is one of a chain owned by a shady hedge-fund operator who is only in it for the money.  This book deals with the issue of student loan debt and for-profit universities.  With many of John Grisham's books that deal with social issues, this one also has a healthy dose of suspense thrown in for fun!  In the meantime, if you want a lighter, fun beach read book by John Grisham, you can read my previous review of Camino Island here:  http://champaignbookdiva.com/2017/06/18/camino-island/
 
Newcomer: A Mystery by Keigo Higashino
Release Date: November 7, 2017
 
Do you know how fun it is to feel like you're the only one who knows about this secret, great author?  Like it's just he and I in on this little secret.  That's how I feel about the Japanese author, Keigo Higashino.  He is an international bestselling author whose book The Devotion of Suspect X was a finalist for the Edgar Award for best novel, so I'm quite sure I'm not the only one who has discovered his books - it just feels that way.  His book, The Devotion of Suspect X, is also on my list of Top Ten Favorite Fiction books of all time. He writes in a way that I rarely experience in a book – it’s like a slow, calculated, step-by-step unveiling of a mystery.  I'm just glued to his every word. 
 
Let me know what you're looking forward to reading this Fall!
 
0 Comments

ready player one by ernest kline

8/25/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
372 pages

What’s it about?
It is 2044 and teenager Wade Watts is alone and abandoned, unless he is logged onto OASIS.  OASIS is a virtual world where Wade has a best friend and an escape from the harsh realities of the actual world in 2044.  Inside OASIS a game is being played with one winner who will come away with unimaginable wealth.  This novel explores Wade's journey through the game.

What did it make me think about?
 The whole game revolves around 1980's pop culture.  It brought back memories!

Should I read it?
This is a most unusual novel.  While I did enjoy it- I would not recommend it for most readers.  The author seems consumed with anything 80's, and although I enjoyed the nostalgia, it was a bit over the top.  The actual plot often took a backseat to this 80's obsession.  However I did end up enjoying it more than I thought I would...  I guess their is a movie in the works.

Quote-
"Luckily, I had access to OASIS, which was like having escape hatch into a better reality. The OASIS kept me sane. It was my playground and my preschool, a magical place for anything was possible."

If you like this try-
The Circle by Dave Eggers
​
The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey
​The Dog Stars by Peter Heller

​
6 stars
0 Comments

killers of the flower moon by DAvid Grann

8/23/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
291 pages

What’s it about?
 This novel sheds light on a number of murders committed on the Osage Indian Nation lands in the 1920's. After oil is discovered on Osage tribal lands many wealthy Osage Indians are targeted for murder.  Most cases were never discovered or prosecuted.

What did it make me think about?
This was an easy to read slice of forgotten history.  It reminded me of the dangers of racism- no matter what your income level.  How horrible did we treat the American Indian?

Should I read it?
I myself found the story to be engaging, but felt like it was not as powerful a book as it could have been .  Somehow the enormity of the injustice gets bogged down by details in this book. I must be alone as this book is climbing the bestseller charts.

Quote-
"The Osage were considered the wealthiest people per capital in the world. 'Lo and behold!' The New York weekly Outlook exclaimed.  'The Indian, instead of starving to death....enjoys a steady income that turns bankers green with envy.'"

If you like this try-
The Wright Brothers by David McCullogh
The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
One Summer: America 1927
The Round House by Louise Erdrich

7 stars
0 Comments

forty autumns by nina willner

8/23/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
Forty Autumns by Nina Willner
355 pages

What’s it about?
This is the story of one family that is separated by the Berlin Wall and endures forty autumns before the wall comes down and they are reunited.   Hanna makes a daring escape to West Germany and leaves behind her parents and her eight siblings.  Hanna goes on to marry an American Army officer and move to the United States.  Years later her daughter, Nina Willner, becomes a military intelligence officer in West Germany.  This is the story of one  family and what life was like on both sides of the wall.

What did it make me think about?
This book spans the time from right after World War II to the reunification of Germany.  It was fascinating to read about the transformation of one Germany into two separate countries.  Families and friends were torn apart with little chance of any real communication.  The transformation of Russian controlled Germany into East Germany was a process I had not read much about.  I am always surprised at the similarities of accounts from different communist countries.

Should I read it?
I thought this was an interesting book about the Cold War.
  
Quote-
"Word spread quickly that Stalin openly encouraged rape and pillage as the spoils of war, a reward for Red Army soldiers for their sacrifices and the struggles they had endured against the German Army, the Wehrmacht."

If you like this try-
The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen
The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
The Patriots by Sara Karsikov
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

8 stars
0 Comments

The chief inspector armand Gamache series by louise penny

8/22/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Still Life by Louise Penny
A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny
The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny
A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny
The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny

What’s it about?
I am reviewing these novels as a group since I am afraid my reviews would be redundant any other way.  All the novels revolve around mysteries that takes place in Quebec, Canada and are solved by Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and his team.

What did it make me think about?
How much I would like to live in Three Pines in Quebec- despite the cold and the murders!
 
Should I read it?
These novels are just an amazing blend of good writing, great characters, and awfully interesting mysteries.  I had heard of them forever but somehow had always resisted picking one up.  What a mistake!  They were perfect vacation reads as they are easy to read and so enjoyable.   

If you like this try-
The rest of the series!  I plan to.

9 stars

0 Comments

    Subscribe! Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    RSS Feed

    next up

    Picture

    favorites from 2020 

    Picture

    some favorites of the last decade

    Picture

    best of winter 2020

    best of summer/fall 2019

    best of winter/spring 2019

    best of summer/ fall 2018

    best of winter/spring 2017-18

    best of spring/summer 2017

    best of winter
    2017

    best of fall
    2016

    best of spring-summer 2016

    best of winter
    2016

    best of fall 2015

    best of summer 2015

    best of spring 2015

    best of winter
    2014-15

    best of fall 2014

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    best of summer 2014


    last spring favorites

    Picture
    A sad, poignant, mystical read. I won't give too much away. Quick and well worth it! 9 1/2 stars!
    Picture
    A coming of age story set in Mexico. It certainly gives you a whole new view of all the people coming over the border. 9 stars
    Picture
    Quirky characters and the story told through letters to Richard Gere. Who could ask for more? 9 stars

    on my nightstand


    edge of your seat

    FUN READS

    Picture
    RECENT FAVORITES
    PAST FAVORITES
    WORTH READING AGAIN
    Picture

    guest reviews

    and the mountains echoed

    the bully pulpit

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014


    Picture
    Picture
    “Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.”
    ― Charles William Eliot
    Picture

     ratings

    1 to 2- I did not enjoy this book.
    3 to 4- I found some aspect of this book redeeming but would not recommend it.
    5 to 6- I really enjoyed something about this book (characters, plot, meaning etc.) but it was uneven. Some aspects were stronger than others.
    7 to 8- It was a good book.  I liked lots of aspects of this book.  I would recommend it.
    9 to 10- I was sorry to turn the last page.  I highly recommend this book!
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.