Monday, July 31, 2017

Summer TBR Wipeout 2017: Update #2


I'm still plugging away at the books I chose for the Summer TBR Wipeout hosted by The Candid Cover.  Here's what I've been reading recently:


I finally read Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer - I saw so many glowing reviews for this a couple months ago that I knew I had to read it.  This story about two teenagers who anonymously share their grief with each other was so emotional; I really loved the way Juliet and Declan opened up to each other in ways they couldn't with other people in their lives, and the story and characters felt so real.  

After reading Distress Signals by Catherine Ryan Howard, I am so glad I'm not going on a cruise this summer!  This story about a man trying to find his girlfriend after she disappears from a cruise ship is a fast-moving and suspenseful read.  I definitely lost some hours of sleep over this one, and it kept me guessing until the very end. 

Maybe it's because her books always take place on Nantucket, but when I think of quintessential "summer" authors, Elin Hilderbrand is at the top of that list.  The Castaways is about a group of eight friends (four couples) and the aftermath when one of the couples drowns on a boating trip.  This book is intensely character-driven; I could have used a bit more plot.

So - I have three books left out of the 10 I originally chose - I'm hoping these last three will be winners!

21 comments:

  1. This is the third time I've heard great things about Letters to the Lost in the last week. I definitely need to get my hands on a copy of it already! I've been debating reading The Castaways for a while now. I like character driven books, but I feel like I need to be in the right kind of mood for it. Good luck with the last three books, and happy reading! :)

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    1. Thanks! I really liked Letters to the Lost. Sometimes I like a character-driven book, but The Castaways was over-the-top at times; it felt like just really long descriptions of the characters and their personalities and backgrounds.

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  2. These sound great, adding them to my list!

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  3. All of these books sound so good that I want to read them right now! Probably not going to happen but I'm definitely adding them to my TBR!

    Crystal Book Snob

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    1. Haha, that's awesome!! I hope you enjoy them whenever you end up reading them!

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  4. Letters to the Lost has popped up on my timeline quite a bit but it's not a book I've paid much attention to. I'm intrigued by it but I can't say I'll be reading it anytime soon.

    Lois @ My Midnight Musing

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  5. Wow, great progress!! Good luck with the last three! :)

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  6. Wow, you're making so much better progress than I am. I haven't read any of my backlist books since my last update, lol. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed Letters to the Lost. That's one I really want to read at some point.

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    1. Yeah, I really enjoyed Letters to the Lost, more than I thought I would!

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  7. Distress Signals sounds really good. Good luck and keep plugging along!

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  8. I liked Letters to the Lost as well. I haven't read Castaways, but I know what you mean about a Hildenbrand book. I just finished the Identicals, and I really liked it, and yes it was set on Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard.

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    1. Her settings always make me want to take a vacation!

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  9. You have done and amazing job with the challenge! I have often wondered if I should give a Hilderbrand book a try. They seem to have such summery concepts and the location is ideal, for sure! Good luck with the last few on your list. :)

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    1. Thank you! Sometimes Hilderbrand's plots can be a little heavy, but the settings and descriptions of things like food make them feel summery.

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  10. Oh, Letters To The Lost sounds really interesting, quite emotional, I'm guessing, but I'm curious about it. I also tend to fall more in love with emotional books, so this might be made for me ;)
    Happy reading! :)

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    1. Yes, definitely, if you like emotional reads, Letters to the Lost is for you!

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  11. I recently read Letters to the Lost as well and loved it just like you did. The characterization was spot on and the story itself was so powerful. :) Thanks for sharing and, as always, fabulous post! <3

    ~ Zoe @ Stories on Stage

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    1. Thank you! I'm glad I really enjoyed that one, so many others seem to love it!

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I'm so glad you stopped by, and I would love to hear your thoughts! Comments are always greatly appreciated!