Sample Saturday is when I wade through the eleventy billion samples I have downloaded on my Kindle. I’m slowly chipping away and deciding whether it’s buy or bye.
The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez
Why I have it: No idea
Summary: Teenage Mexican girl and Panamanian boy fall in love. Their immigrant families are not thrilled, thinking they should be more focused on the ‘American dream’ than each other.
I’m thinking: No – the writing is fine it just didn’t grab me.
The Book of Dust by Philip Pullman
Why I have it: Because it’s rare that the ABC Book Club were unanimous about a book (in fact, it only happened 11 times in eight years).
Summary: Malcolm Polstead is the kind of boy who notices everything but is not much noticed himself. And so perhaps it was inevitable that he would become a spy… He is soon dragged into an underworld of dæmons and suspicious characters.
I’m thinking: Maybe. Not my usual thing but it does start well.
The Locals by Jonathan Dee
Why I have it: I like Dee… not sure how this new one slipped my attention.
Summary: The story of a contractor/ home restorer and a wealthy financier and how their worlds collide following 9/11.
I’m thinking: No. What’s happened, Dee? The dialogue was clunky.
Not sure about any of these – thank goodness, my TBR is astronomical! But if you decide to read any & like them, I’m sure you’ll convince me otherwise 🙂
Oh dear – I had my eye on The Locals but perhaps I should drop it.
I really liked his other books. Read the first chapter of this one and see what you think but I reckon it lacked the wit and sly observations of his other books.
I love that you have no idea why you have it, I totally do that too, afterwards think ‘ why? When?’ 😉
I go on Kindle-sample-sprees – some are years old! (Which makes me glad that I didn’t impulse buy the whole book!).
I wish I did that, I buy the entire thing (sigh!!)
I used to do that but my TBR stack is out of control so I started giving myself hurdles by downloading samples – amazing how many samples I then reject 🙄 And just to go a little further, at the end of the year I go through all of the samples I’ve said ‘yes’ to, and choose 10-15 that are still calling my name. And those are the books I buy. 😬
Ooo, I keep forgetting about the Pullman book! I loved, loved, loved ‘His Dark Materials’ so I must treat myself to a copy of this soon.
I haven’t read anything by Pullman so if I decide to read Dust, it will be my first.