No One Is Coming to Save Us | 
so-soWith a nod to The Great Gatsby, the novel gives the reader two interesting female leads, Ava and Sylvia as they each struggle to overcome the overriding issue that threatens to break them despite prevailing against so many other problems. Ava is trying to have a baby with a cheating husband and Sylvia is mourning the loss of a son as Jay returns to town to win their hearts. Unfortunately there is a lot of squandered potential in this novel. 2.5 🌟
"That love we have for mothers has to be cut with vinegar and maybe even acid. Otherwise it will overwhelm us. She will overwhelm us. Great love invites pain, must have it or it becomes too big to contain."
Photo credit: "116/365 - 01/22/10 [365 Days @ 50mm] - Mother & Daughter" by Shardayyy is licensed under CC BY 2.0
"One of the tricks of time is that your own ordinary life took on a sweetness in the retelling..."
so-soI think this book had potential and i would even say it was well written but i kept reading because I kept waiting on SOMETHING to happen and it never did and then it was over soooo....😕
so-soAt the end of reading this novel, I was left with a strong sense of unrealised potential. As a reader, I was distracted from the narrative being told, by trying to spot the parallels (some of which were weak). I felt there was a good story at the heart of this novel, and characters which had interesting and important things to say. But perhaps in an effort to replicate the emptiness of Gatsby, this story wound up flat, distant, and unmoving.
A retelling of a classic of the canon (The Great Gatsby) by an AOC #readharder2020
You can‘t let people know what you dream — especially if you can‘t get it.
Though we knew they lived among us, bought white bread and radial tires like the rest of us, we loved the proof of them.
Tonight, I attended an "Icelandic Book Exchange" party thrown by a friend. Essentially a book white elephant exchange. I came away with this book by a previously unknown to me author.
so-soI was drawn in by the names of the characters because they relate to people in my life. The story was king and drawn out. I wanted to bball, but I didn't. I didn't kinne most of the characters in the story.
so-soLoooongggg exposition/beginning, good middle, meh ending. ⭐️⭐️
Sunday afternoons of football and lesson planning and some reading for fun are back. Finding this book a little difficult to get into but I‘m sticking with it for now! #GoPats
My latest book haul and a little something for my #summersantagoespostal match in the bag!!
pickFinished this one for #under40bookclub with an hour to spare! Maybe it‘s because I missed the hype machine when it first came out (seriously: how had I never heard of this book?), maybe it‘s because I‘ve been reading too much #kidlit and just appreciated a book with subtext, but I really enjoyed this literary look at several generations of a North Carolina black community. A somewhat flawed book made for a good discussion—lots to pick apart here.
I spend two hours commuting to and from work- so I‘ve been listening to a ton of audiobooks. Right now, I‘m loving this one! #currentlylistening #audiobook
panMeh. Maybe if I hadn't read it was a spin on The Great Gatsby. It isn't. Not even close. #2018 #bookclub #noveldiscussions
Book swaps are everything!!! I don‘t participate as often as I use too but when I do, it‘s always a pleasant surprise.
1. My mom, rocking her white hair, made the local news- if only in the background 😝
2. The Avett Brothers in Myrtle Beach!
3. I‘m a nail biter- I know it‘s gross, but I can‘t help it.
4. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Jack Ryan
5. Tagged!
@MinDea
#HumpDayPost
Puzzle day 4 - I think Gray Cat is plotting my murder
I love book swaps! Yesterday was one crazy day with the tornadoes touching down here in central VA. My class spent most of the day in the hallways and we‘re off today due to flooding, so this box most definitely made me smile after one hell of a day!!
Puzzle - day 3
Pretends to be asleep so I will walk away. I‘m on to you, Gray Cat 🧐
Also - I feel like I‘ve worked on this for hours and have gotten nowhere 😹
Puzzle problems
What I really need to be doing: Yard work
What I‘m actually doing: ☝️
Where did the weekend go! I didn‘t even get to crack open my bookclub pick.
pan⭐️⭐️: Touted as a Great Gatsby retelling, I was eager to read this. It wasn‘t good. It had nothing in common with GG. The story outside of that was ok, but nothing memorable. The characters just didn‘t connect.
Some of the beautiful books I‘m about to read! 😍😍😍
pickSolidly written, but nothing that will stay with me. I finished this last week and already feel as though I am losing the threads of the story. I will say though, one of the older characters is searching for a connection and reaches out to a young man in prison. Their relationship struck me and offered a really deep and nuanced look at the boxes we place people in societally. Definitely worth a read.
The Kindle book cover is beautiful. I heard the author speak at a book festival. She said that this cover was created by the same artist who painted the Michelle Obama First Lady portrait. #That‘sPrettyCool I‘m sure it‘s much more beautiful in color, but, my Kindle is only black-and-white.
so-soI really wanted to like this. While there is a minimal common plot structure as Gatsby, I think the comp is a disservice to this book. Sets the wrong expectations. Not bad! Just too slow for me. I also didn‘t connect with the characters the way I hoped to.
My hold came in from the library. I looked into the book because it is the American Library Association‘s Book Club Central pick. http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2017/06/sarah-jessica-parker-announces-fi...
However, I also read the book is considered an African American Great Gatsby and—even though I read it is only an allusion—can‘t get it out of my head as I read. #ALABookClubCentral
Started this on audio this week, not sure what I think about it. 🤔
pickI REALLY liked this novel. The characters live real lives in a real economically depressed small town. It is witty & funny at times and other times just black hole sad. I‘m not a soap opera fan and admittedly it reads like one in some respects, but I didn‘t care because the characters hooked me and the writing is 👍🏾👍🏾. Now I‘m off to order her short story collection, which is what put her on my radar!
See below my Gatsby comment. ⬇️
“There is more than one home for the seeker.”
so-soWell it is definitely not The Great Gatsby....so I would not suggest this to Gatsby lovers as it would be a great disappointment.
That being said, it's not a bad novel. I just cant point to anything great.
#nooneiscomingtosaveus #audiobook
#firstmarchread
Current audiobook
No One Is Coming to Save Us is a revelatory debut from an insightful voice: with echoes of The Great Gatsby it is an arresting and powerful novel. Stephanie Powell Watts has crafted a full and stunning portrait that combines a universally resonant story with an intimate glimpse into the hearts of one family...
I've shared this photo before but the Call Number Box subscription is perfect for the #POC prompt. It was started by a librarian, and focuses on contemporary black writers. I've gotten some great books from it. #readingresolutions @Jess7
Listening to this while I recover from yesterday‘s bad decisions.
I TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT #litsypartyofone
First week of classes at my university got me like 🤷🏻♀️. But this weekend I plan to finish the titled selection, which is written by/about POC. #readdiversebooks
so-soFeeling pretty ambivalent about this one 🤷🏼♀️
On the one hand, the characters were so real and I wanted to know about them, but on the other hand, I found myself daydreaming while listening and forgetting what was happening in the story. Ultimately I cannot recommend this one. Wasn‘t terrible, but not on my favorites list. #audiobook #libby
Reading time before my eyes close for the night...Ahhh just perfect...Happy Reading Peeps 🎄🔥☃️❄️...
#thefireissodelightful #gettingsomereadingdone #lifeisgood #readingispower #readingnook #bookpagefeature #bookstagramfeature #bookstgram #bookporn #bookpage #bookpics #bookpost #happyhappy
All ready to ship for tomorrow...Had lots of fun shopping for this book swap...Hope my Swap Partner enjoys her books & goodies....Happy Reading...
#arxmasbookswap4 #lovebookstagram #lovebookswaps #bookstagram #bibliophile #readingispower #readingisknowledge #readingismagic #christmasbookhaul #bookswag #bookstagram #bookstagramfeature
Mr. Moose just came back from his sleigh ride... He is warming up so he can get some series reading in today... Perfect Reading Weather... ❄️⛄️🛷🎄📚☕️
#myfavoriteholiday #lovetodecorateforchristmas #itscoldoutside #nooneiscomingtosaveus #stephaniepowellwatts #readingismagic
