Again we find ourselves at the second Tuesday of the month! That means I’m linking up with Steph & Jana for Show Us Your Books!
I struggle with the review image that I post each month… I hate how it looks but I haven’t found an alternative yet. Maybe by next month I’ll have something new:
Between moving and cleaning and life I only read and finished one book. And I hate it. Oh well- can’t win ’em all.
The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides | ★★/5 
Summary: In less than one year’s time the five Lisbon sister end their lives. The neighborhood boys watch with fascination, admiration, and confusion as the girls mourn, heal, call for help, and eventually die. | Why I Read It: Somewhere along the line this book ended up on my TBR list so I used it for the challenge. | What I Thought: I’ve read my fair share of depressing YA fiction. This book just didn’t do anything for me. While I truly believe Eugenides is a skilled writer, I was bored and unattached through (almost) the entire thing. Right around the 200 pg mark I started to get into it, but then he lost me again. The story is interesting in that the neighborhood boys piece together what happened to their female neighbors, but there was so much blah to it. Just not my thing at all.
You should read it because… you’re looking for a long retelling about the breakdown and destruction of five frustrated teenage girls. Honestly, just don’t read it.
Update on Erin’s Book Challenge…
|5 points| Freebie: And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
|10 points| Starts w/ “B”: The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
|10 points| Yellow cover: Circling the Sun by Paula McLain
|15 points| An animal on the cover: Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
|20 points| Published in 2017: The Essence of Malice by Ashley Weaver
|20 points| Compass/cardinal direction in title: West With the Night by Beryl Markham
|25 points| A most commonly banned book in America: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
|30 points| About mental illness: The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
|30 points| Non-human main character: The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
|35 points| A Disney movie /book/ based on a Disney movie: The Moonspinners by Mary Stewart
Coming in hot with 135 points.
What’d you read this month? 🙂
Life as Louise 
Thanks for sharing.
The book challenge sounds like fun 🙂
So far this month I’ve read “The house of new beginnings” by Lucy Diamond. Couldn’t put it down.
LikeLike
I read your review and it sounded super interesting! I added your book to my TBR list!
LikeLike
It’s a shame when a book doesn’t quite live up to expectation!
LikeLike
For sure. Next month will be better 😉
LikeLike
I’m glad I’m not the only one who hated that book SO, SO much.
LikeLike
Oooh, yes. I hate hating on books but I’m happy to know I’m not alone! (And congratulations, Mama!)
LikeLike
Oh no… it was that bad? That sounds like such a good plot – that’s always so disappointing when someone takes a great idea & makes it boring. BLAH
LikeLike
I really wish I’d have liked it better, but I definitely didn’t 😦
LikeLike
I am not a fan of Jeffregy Eugenides books. I loved The Virgin Suicides the movie.
LikeLike
I’m going to watch the movie next. I can’t like it less than the book so hopefully it’s a good one for me!
LikeLike
I’ve only ever read The Virgin Suicides by the author, and while it was okay, it wasn’t a favorite either. I do love the movie though.
-Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
LikeLike
I’ll be checking out the movie next. Hopefully I like it better. I’ve heard MIddlesex by this author is much better? I dunno.
LikeLike
oh, such a bummer that the only book you read was a dud. i have seen the movie, years ago before i knew it was a book and honestly it doesn’t sound like my jam anyway. so good to know. hope you get some reading time in when life calms down!
LikeLike
I’m definitely hoping next month produces some better books for me, lol.
LikeLike
It’s funny, I’ve had The Virgin Suicides on my shelf forever – even though I saw the movie and thought it was just okay. (Maybe I thought the book would be better?) I do love Middlesex. What were your thoughts on that one? Maybe this one just isn’t for me.
LikeLike
I haven’t read Middlesex but people have told me it’s better. I don’t know… this book just didn’t feel worth it to me. All that reading and walked away with nothing to show for it. Ha.
LikeLike
That one has been on my TBR list for awhile too. Thanks for the heads up that it’s not too good!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Maybe you’ll like it, but I certainly didn’t. Ha.
LikeLike
My pick for the mental illness book was disappointing too! Come on authors, get it together!
LikeLike
Ugh. So frustrating!! I’m sure there’s a lot of pressure writing about such difficult topics, but still… UGH.
LikeLike
Ugh. Sorry to hear the book was no good. I have not read it or seen the movie, even though the premise sounds really good. Here’s to better books in October! And hopefully your life is a bit more settled after the move and everything!
LikeLike
I had high hopes for it purely based on the popularity of the film and the topic it addressed. I’m bummed that it didn’t live up to my expectations.
I’m hoping to create a little reading nook in the new house! Hopefully my SUYB posts will be reflective of that 😉
LikeLike
I like how you ended with honestly, just don’t read it. Such a bummer you didn’t like the book you read last month! Crossing my fingers this month is better for you!
LikeLike
Ughhh- I so wished I’d have liked it! I hate hating on books! I’m definitely hoping next month is MUCH better!
LikeLike
Yeah, I read this a long time ago but I definitely remember not liking it. And I usually like Sofia Coppola but the movie didn’t work for me either.
LikeLike
I haven’t seen the movie yet but it’s next on my list. Fingers crossed =/ It seems like most people liked the movie better but we’ll have to see… Ha.
LikeLike
I struggled through this one, too, but eventually wound up liking some of it. Reading the book made it easier to understand the movie adaptation so that was nice.
LikeLike
I haven’t seen the movie yet but I plan to watch it soon. Hopefully reading the book makes me like the movie more…? That’s so odd to hope for. Ha.
LikeLike
Sometimes life just happens, and I bet that you’ll read more next month! And you only have 3 more books left for Erin’s Challenge! I bet that you can wrap that up!
LikeLike
Oh man… I’m really starting to drag with this challenge. Haha! I’m not so sure I’ll finish it out this time. But it’s not over til it’s over! 😉
LikeLike
I hate it when life gets in the way of reading and then the reading doesn’t even seem worth the effort. The reading challenge looks interesting though!
LikeLike
Ugh, that’s EXACTLY how this month went!
I love Erin’s challenges! They always push me to read more and read more things outside my typical genres!
LikeLike
Bummer, I hate when I can’t get in to a book or don’t love it. This looks like a good challenge though!
LikeLike
I’m a big fan of Erin’s challenges 🙂 They push me to read more and to explore unloved genres (as far as my wheelhouse goes). I’ll hopefully pick better books next month 😉
LikeLike
The premise sounded decent, it sucks that it was no good. Thanks for sharing though, life is too short for a bad book so I will skip!
LikeLike
I thought so, too! Hopefully there are no duds next month! 🙂
LikeLike
oh booo. 😦 Challenge books can be great, and other times not so much. Sorry you weren’t into this one. Better luck next read! XO – Alexandra
Simply Alexandra: My Favorite Things
LikeLike
I love that the challenges make me read things from unloved genres (and bonus when they come from my TBR list!), but this one was a no-go. *shrug* Oh well, better luck to me next month! Haha
LikeLike