Where Is Your Bookmark? (07/05/2016)

[If you haven't already, I hope you will take time out to vote in my July TBR Poll to help me decide what to read next!]

It's time! The Fireman Read-Along began the first of July, and while I got a little late start, I have began Joe Hill's latest. I thought I would share the first paragraph and a Teaser here with you today.

Per Goodreads, this is a

. . . a chilling novel about a worldwide pandemic of spontaneous combustion that threatens to reduce civilization to ashes and a band of improbable heroes who battle to save it, led by one powerful and enigmatic man known as the Fireman.

Every Tuesday Diane from Bibliophile By the Sea First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where participants share the first paragraph (or a few) of a book they are reading or thinking about reading soon. It is also where I share my first impressions about the book I am sharing.

Harper Grayson had seen lots of people burn on TV, everyone had, but the first person she saw burn for real was in the playground behind school.

Every Tuesday, Jenn from Books And A Beat hosts Teaser Tuesdays at which time participants grab their current read, open to a random page, and share two or three "teaser" sentences from that page while avoiding any spoilers.

Teaser from page 6% of The Fireman:

Harper was in the shower when she saw the stripe on the inside of her left leg.

She knew what the stripe mean in one look and her insides squirmed with hear, but she wiped cool water from her face and scolded herself. "Don't start with me, lady. That's a goddamn bruise." 

What do you think? Would you keep reading?  

One of my worst fears is burning to death and so this book plays right into that. I am looking forward to reading more.

What are you reading at the moment?  Is it anything you would recommend?

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely ladies at Broke and Bookish.

This week's  Top Ten Tuesday is Top Ten Books I Enjoyed That Have Under 100 Ratings On Goodreads (at least as of 07/01/2016).  I love this topic because it gives us readers a chance to shine light on great books that might not be on many people's radars. Of course, many of these I talk about ALL THE TIME, and so they may sound familiar. All of these books received 4 or above paws/stars from me.

1. Erased by Liz Strange
Ratings of Goodreads: 6
An excerpt from my review:

Erased is a nonstop action, extremely intense novel, featuring a heroine that is kick-ass in every way.

2. In the Wake of a Boatman by Jonathon Scott Fuqua
Ratings of Goodreads: 10
An excerpt from my review:

In the Wake of the Boatman is a study into the human psyche, about how our lives are shaped by our life experiences. Jonathon Scott Fuqua’s novel moved me. In his acknowledgements, he mentioned that he hoped his story would inspire, and I definitely feel that it does; at least it did this reader.

3. Wet Silence: Poems about Hindu Widows by Sweta Srivastava Vikram
Ratings on Goodreads: 19
An excerpt from my review:

The poems in Wet Silence speak of grief of all kinds, including that of love lost and of lost opportunities. The poetry I like the best is the kind that speaks to me on an emotional level, and Sweta Vikram's poetry did just that. There was not a poem in this collection that did not work for me, that did not draw out my emotions in some way.

4. Paradise Drive by Rebecca Foust 
Ratings on Goodreads: 23
An excerpt from my review:

As I read, Foust's voice wound around me, enveloped me, and I was lost in its beauty and thoughtfulness.

5. Losing Touch by Sandra Hunter 
Ratings on Goodreads: 24
An excerpt from my review:

Sandra Hunter has written a poignant but quiet novel that touches on life's disappointments and regrets, about generational gaps, and the complexity of the human condition. The writing is beautiful; the characters are realistic and their plight is one I think many will be able to relate to.

6. Last Words (Coleridge Taylor, #1) by Rich Zahradnik 
Ratings on Goodreads:39
An excerpt from my review:

One of the aspects I loved most about this novel was the sense of time and place. I felt transported back to 1975, right to the streets that time period. The political, economic and social climate of the era feels palatable. I saw parallels between now and then, particularly for the newspaper business. In 1975, newspapers were suffering because of the popularity of television, forced out of business and merging to survive. Today it is the internet.

7. Tales From a Child of the Enemy by Ursula Duba 
Ratings on Goodreads: 39
An excerpt from my review:

The prose is simple, the stories quick to read, and yet each poem, each story in Ursula Duba’s book, share a piece of Germany’s darker history. [. . . ] Ms. Duba’s book is thought provoking and conscience raising. This is a book I think would serve a good purpose as required reading in school. It not only reminds us of the horror of the Holocaust, how a civilized society can become barbaric, but also, that the Germans are struggling to overcome their dark history as well.

8. A Fresh Set of Eyes (David Lloyd Investigations, #2) by Liz Strange
Ratings on Goodreads: 59
An excerpt from my review:

I like the way the author portrays David and his partner’s relationship as well as their struggles. It’s very natural and realistic. You don’t often come across a mystery novel where the protagonist is gay, and I find it refreshing. David and Jamie’s relation is one of the highlights of the novels, their very different personalities and areas of expertise playing well off each other. It’s obvious the two men love each other very much.  

The personal story never overshadows the actual mystery. Rather, it compliments it. Especially given how David enlists the help of his family and friends to help him with the investigation, always conscious of their safety. Like with her first book, Liz Strange puts David through the expected motions of a more realistic P.I. as he canvases the neighborhood, conducts interviews , does a lot of research, and calls in favors of friends on the force. It’s a traditional mystery in every sense. And I love that about the book.

9. On the Road with Del and Louise: A Novel in Stories by Art Taylor 
Ratings on Goodreads: 60
An excerpt from my review:

When I first began reading On the Road with Del and Louise, I expected a lighthearted and funny collection of short stories, only loosely tied together. Art Taylor's novel is so much more than that. It's the story of a couple, Del and Louise, who meet, fall in love, face difficult times and must make hard decisions. There is quite a bit of humor mixed in with many more thoughtful moments. I genuinely loved Taylor's writing style. He makes it seem so effortless, drawing out the lives of these two characters on the page, bringing them to life.

10. Hidden (Nicole Jones, #1) by Karen E Olson 
Ratings on Goodreads: 99
An excerpt from my review:

I really liked everything about this novel, from the island setting to the small close-knit community and the people who live there. I ended up reading the book in a day; not because it was one of those fast-paced-every-second-is-a-thrill type novels, but because I just couldn't stay away. The writing drew me in immediately, and I could not help but connect with the characters. The reader gets a good feel for the life Nicole had been leading all those years in hiding and just what is at stake when all of that is threatened. The intensity increases as the story unfolds, each new twist raising the stakes.

Have you read any of these books? What books would make your top ten list of books with under 100 ratings on Goodreads?

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© 2016, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.