Friday, July 21, 2017

Friday Linkups: Garden Spells















It's Friday linkup time!  I'm linking up with the Book Blogger Hop hosted by Coffee Addicted Writer, Book Beginnings of Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader, and the Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice

This Week's Book Blogger Hop Question
Have you ever read a book or books you would consider "toxic" because of the effect it had on you?  If so which one?

My Answer:
I can't think of a specific book but I have stopped reading books where children are abused or killed especially when it is told from the POV of the parent or the killer.  There are a lot of really well reviewed books that center around this but I've finally realized it's just not something I want in my head.

This week's book is Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen.  I read Peach Keeper 2 summers ago and absolutely loved it and have been wanting to go back and read this one for quite some time so I made it my assigned reading for July.  Allen's books are just perfect summer reading.  They're interesting and light reading but you can just feel the North Carolina summers seeping through the pages.

The Beginning:
Every smiley moon, without fail, Claire dreamed of her childhood.

My Thoughts:
This beginning could really go other way.  Either she loved her childhood and misses it or it was terrible and gives her nightmares.  It could go either way.



The 56:
Sydney's heart lodged in her throat, and she stumbled to the kitchen table and sat?  She'd left her daughter alone for twenty-six hours?

My Thoughts:
This is another one that I don't really know what to make of.  How did she not know she'd left her daughter alone for that long?  She seems horrified by the thought so I have some questions.  Can't wait to get to this point.

So what do you think?  Keep reading?


17 comments:

  1. I'd keep reading, sounds interesting. And I don't think I've had too many toxic books per se but if something's super violent or just too dark I may pass on it.

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  2. An unusual beginning, but I like it!

    Here's mine ; http://bit.ly/2vrpZVS

    Happy weekend!

    Luv

    Sassy
    x

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  3. This one is new to me. I hope you enjoy it. Those teasers are a bit ambiguous. I am reading The Hunting Grounds by Katee Robert this week. Happy reading!

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  4. You have me curious for more! Happy weekend!

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  5. I also can't stand books where children are abused. I actually couldn't read or watch Room because I was so sad.
    Here's my HOP

    Happy Friday!

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  6. This book sounds interesting. Enjoy your current read!

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  7. I can't really think of any toxic books either. I know there are books I haven't liked, but I didn't think they were toxic.

    I have heard great things about Sarah Addison Allen. It's kind of magical realism, isn't it? I could totally be wrong there, though.

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  8. I agree with you about your answer the Blog Hop.

    Not something I would read either.

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  9. I really liked Garden Spells so I say Keep Reading! I'm with you on books centered on children in peril.

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  10. I read and enjoyed Garden Spells two years ago. I have another from the author, First Frost, that I have yet to read.

    Thanks for sharing...

    As for a book that was "toxic," I started reading the book called You, with the first person narrator who was stalking a young woman...and I couldn't finish it.

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  11. I read this a long time ago. Not for me. The magic part is not me.

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  12. There was one Lee Child book I read that was disturbing and I had a hard time getting the images out of my head. If I know up front a child is abused or an animal suffers I don't go for it.

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  13. I can totally see why you avoid books with abused/murdered children (toxic reads question). I think I'd run a mile from anything that featured that as a topic too.

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  14. Oh, child abuse is a very rough topic for sure. I don't think I have ever read something like that from a parents perspective but I certainly think I would avoid it!

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  15. I think I've only read one book that was about the endangerment of a child (The Soul Summoner) to showcase the MC's supernatural abilities to help law enforcement. I've read the first two books in the series; apparently there are two more.

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  16. Keep reading! Although I am very late getting here and you have probably finished reading it by now. :)

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