so-soI hate when they say a book is like another like this one that was compared to Where the Crawdads Sing. Just because a book has some aspect of a swamp in it does not make it like Crawdads. This story was just kind of boring, choppy in places, and I had to skim many portions as it just dragged. On the plus side the writing was good, I just wish the story had been more captivating.
so-soMy backyard is beginning to feel like a marsh!
This one was okay.
There was potential, but I found the repetition and lack of forward movement frustrating.
There were characters that seemed important at first who ended up being nothing to the story, and I found myself at the halfway point just wanting to finish already.
The positives - Loni had an interesting career at the Smithsonian, and the love story had potential.
Pretty forgettable.
pickThis was my very first pick from @AardvarkBookClub and I hate that it‘s taken me so many months to finally pick it up and read it! This book was so good! I really enjoyed the mystery as Loni tried to figure out what happened to her father. I also really enjoyed the journey that she took to discover who she really is and where she belongs. I have a new must read author!
pickA talented Smithsonian illustrator receives a plea from her brother to return home to a small town near Tallahassee. Loni Murrow‘s cognitively impaired mother has fallen. Phil and his wife plan to sell the family home to pay for care. In going through her mother‘s things, and meeting people from her past, Loni confronts the long ago death of her beloved father; in it‘s cause lies the mystery. A bit muddled, but the local details are fascinating.
pickHow is this a debut?! Virginia Hartman is giving me total Barbara Kingsolver vibes. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel about a young woman living her dream in DC before family duties call her home. This novel explores loyalty, the role of a daughter, relationships, & legacies. It was beautifully detailed & I was blown away. I can't wait to read more from this author. ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
pickI really loved this October #aardvark pick. A debut novel for this author that left me wanting to read more of what she writes. A great novel about accepting the past; I personally loved how her nature drawings helped her with her acceptance. My husband paints birds (his work is in the background) and I felt a kinship with the MC.
so-soAs my first #Aardvark pick, I wanted to like this a lot more than I did unfortunately. There was a solid mystery in there somewhere, but it was hidden under a lot of random information that felt more like unnecessary clutter than red herrings that added to the story. I see potential in this author, but other than the marshy setting and an mc that makes a living drawing wildlife, any comparisons to Where the Crawdads Sing are way too generous⭐️⭐️⭐️
Got my first #Aardvark box and I'm very pleased! The quality is good, and I personally like that they only have their logo on the front (not the spine). Also kind of digging the bookmarks and that they left the promo blurbs on the back of the sleeves. I picked 3 of their choices, but ended up being sent all 4 since they threw in a freebie due to some shipping delays while they were getting on their feet ❤️
A+ for quality and customer service!
I received the first books of the Aardvark Book Club. I had only picked one, but they were having shipping delays, so they added a free book. The bookmarks are cute and I like that the Aardvark logo is only on the front of the book. #aardvark
I subscribed to Aardvark Book Club and I‘m so excited to see what‘s coming! They released the October books and I picked The Marsh Queen. The subscription is $17.99 a month with up to two add ons for $9.99 each. It‘s very similar to Book Of The Month which is one of my favorite subscriptions!
I'm giving the Aardvark Book Club a shot and now that it's available on iOS, I was able to set up my account and pick October's book. I went with The Marsh Queen. #aardvark
The Aardvark book club app is up and here was my first pick!! I'm so excited to have another book box subscription!😁😁
What did everyone pick??
Following up on my last #Aardvark post, apparently the Android app has been accessible for some folks so we have confirmed spoilers for their inaugural box! The Marsh Queen speaks to me, personally, so I'll probably sign up and give them a go once the iPhone app is finally live! What do you think?
so-so#NetGalley #ARC
Loni Mae returns to her hometown when her mother is moved into a nursing home to help her brother go through their mother's belongings. While doing this she comes across a note that brings up questions about her father's death.
I wasn't that impressed with this book. I liked the descriptions of the birds and plants, but the story itself was lackluster and the characters bland.
#BookSpin @TheAromaofBooks
The Marsh Queen | 
