The Next Good Book
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 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

the bones of paradise by jonis agee

9/30/2016

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​The Bones of Paradise by Jonis Agee
416 pages



What’s it about?
 This is an old-fashioned Western that takes place about ten years after the massacre at Wounded Knee. This novel has a wide cast of characters- many of them very flawed. 

What did it make me think about?
 How brutal the American West really was, and obviously how horrible the American Indians were treated. 

Should I read it?
 This was a good book set during a hard time in American history. The author does a good job of describing life in that time and place. At times I felt like it struggled from too many characters and plotlines, but it kept my interest.

Quote-
“In the Hills grudges never died, they remained as they took place, as the words were uttered, since there was nowhere for them to go, nothing to break them apart, the soft edges of the hills offered nothing hard enough to smash the anger, nothing sharp enough to to cut through the Gordian knot, so it lived fresh, undeniable as the first day. In the hills there were only first days, no history. They marked time by the growing list of wrongs until its weight pulled them under and they vanished, smothered with the breath of the sand in their mouths.”

If you like this try-
LaRose by Louise Erdich
The Bartender's Tale by Ivan Doig
The Good Lord Bird by James McBride
The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt

​
7 1/2 stars
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the loney by andrew michael hurley

9/20/2016

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The Loney by Andrew Michael Hurley
360 pages 

What’s it about?
This is an eerie and atmospheric novel that centers around two brothers. It takes place in England during the 1970's. The narrator has always been his mute older brother's protector. He looks back at a pilgrimage from their childhood that would change their lives and their faith. The Catholic Church and all it's rituals play an important role in the story.

What did it make me think about?
It reminded me of all good gothic novels- it was full of unease and doom. This story centered on the characters faith, or lack of faith, and certainly left you wondering.

Should I read it?
This book won the "2015 Costa First Novel Award" and was the "British Book Awards Best Book of 2016" so I was expecting a lot. This book was good and the author did a great job of creating atmosphere and tension. My biggest criticism is that it seemed to take a good portion of the novel to set up the plot. In the end I was impressed with the book, but am not sure everyone would like it. 

Quote-
"He gave me a wry smile. Even as he asked the question I think he knew that I didn't and hadn't for some time. Priests are like doctors. They know that people lie about the things they think will disappoint them." 

If you like this try-
Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Into the Woods by Tana French
Night Film by Marisha Pessl
The Enchanted by Rene Denfeld 

8 stars



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the taming of the queen by PHILIP gregory

9/13/2016

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The Taming of the Queen by Philippa Gregory
425 pages


What’s it about?
This work of historical fiction follows Kateryn Parr, the last wife of Henry the VIII, as she navigates a very dangerous court. 

What did it make me think about?
How absolute power, corrupts absolutely!

Should I read it?
Philippa Gregory's novels are pretty formulaic, but also highly entertaining and informative. I always enjoy picking up one of her books when I am in the mood for a quick read. 

Quote-
"This is a man so sharp with pride that he cannot hear contradiction. This is a man who will play both sides at once to make sure that he wins. This is a man who from a boy has never been refused. And, in addition to all of those- here is a man who cannot see himself as anything but perfect. He has to be the very best."

If you like this try-
Abundance by Sena Jeter Naslund
The Nightingale by Kristen Hannah
Love & Treasure by Ayelet Waldman
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton

7 stars
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the wright brothers by david mccullough

9/8/2016

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The Wright Brothers by David McCullough
262 pages


What’s it about?
This book takes us back to the turn of the century when air flight was the next great frontier. Wilbur and Orville Wright were men of a certain time and place. Their discoveries were fascinating, not only because they were innovative, but because of the process they used to move these ideas forward.

What did it make me think about?
As cheesy as it sounds- the Wright Brothers are the perfect example of what made America great. 

Should I read it?
David McCullough writes about history in a way that is so readable. Before you know it you have finished the book and you are that much more knowledgable for it. You do not need to be an aviation buff to enjoy this book. The time and place are fascinating, as well as Wilbur and Orville themselves.

Quote-
" The whole course of their lives, they liked to say, had begun in childhood with a toy, and a French toy at that, and now they were in middle age in France, enjoying themselves no less than if they were children still. 

With the diabolo the magic was not that the toy itself flew, as did Alphonse Penaud's helicopter. Here you yourself had to overcome the force of gravity with skill. You had to learn the trick by practice, and more practice, with the sticks and the strings, to keep the spool flying- just as an airplane was not enough in itself, one had to master the art of flying."

If you like this try-
One Summer; America, 1927 by Bill Bryson
The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert
On the Move: A Life by Oliver Sachs

9 Stars
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career of evil by robert galbraith

9/8/2016

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Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith
489 pages


What’s it about?
Robert Galbraith (also known as JK Rowling of Harry Potter fame) has written her third novel in the Cormoran Strike series. All three novels follow private detective Cormoran Strike and his assistant Robin as they wind themselves through various murder mysteries. The tension between Robin and Cormoran adds another layer to the novel. This third book was a little more gruesome than the first two, but every bit as engrossing.

What did it make me think about?
I may never hear Blue Oyster Cult songs in the same way again.... 

Should I read it?
If you like a good murder mystery then pick up any of these "Cormoran Strike" novels. They are very plot driven, but the characters are so well drawn that it adds another dimension to these quick mystery novels.   I always look forward to the next release in this series.  Almost makes we want to tackle the whole "Harry Potter" series.

Quote-
" 'Yeah, well, she ended up exchanging email addresses with these two. Nothing particularly helpful, but we're looking to establish whether they actually met her- you know in real life', said Wardle. 
Strange, thought Strike, how that phrase- so prevalent in childhood to differentiate between the fantasy world of play and the dull adult world of fact- had now come to signify the life that a person had outside the Internet."

If you like this try-
The Long and Faraway Gone by Lou Berney
The Caretaker by A.X. Ahmad
Life Among Giants by Bill Roorbach
My Sunshine Away by M.O. Walsh

8 stars
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    “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
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     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!
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