SoapZone Community Message Board

The Stand by Stephen King A So I reread my fave Stephen King on the plane and while I was dealing with jet lag (waking up at 5 in the morning) for a reason: It’s long and I had ample time to read! The tale of a superflu that kills 99% of the world’s population and dreams from Mother Abigail or Randall Flagg lead people to Nebraska (then Boulder) or Las Vegas for a fight between good and evil…

La vida de Lazarillo de Tormes y de sus fortunas y adversidades (Anónimo) A. A classic Spanish book I re-read from time to time that started the picaresque moment (that I swear Dickens had to be familiar with).

The Last Picture Show by Larry McMurtry (A-) Written in the 1960, about the 1950s, so much of the book couldn’t be written today. I was able to contextualize it though, and other than a certain chapter I skipped, it was a really good read about three teens in a dying Texas town. After I read the entire series and have distance from this book, I’ll watch the film.

Junky by William S Burroughs A- This is somehow the most readable Burroughs book I’ve read…about a drug addict’s experiences trying to get off drugs.

Invisible Boys by Holden Sheppherd A- Australian coming-of-age about three gay teens in a small town struggling to accept themselves and for acceptance.

The B-List

The Long Walk by Richard Bachman B+ (Stephen King) Maybe re-reading this one right before a Camino wasn’t the best idea, as at times I remembered “oh no, if I pause to take a picture that’ll lead me closer to being killed for not walking enough!” Post apocalyptic tale about male teens having to walk, each being killed for stopping too long, until there is only one left. (I re-read it not realising the movie had just been released!)

See You at the Finish Line by Zac Hammett B+ Cute gay romcom about rival rowing captains who fall in love.

It Had To Be Him by Adib Khorram B+. Another cute gay romcom about two former classmates who run into each other in Italy, one getting over a breakup and the other on a family vacation with his ex wife and son and ready to explore his bisexuality.

La Bodega by Vicente Blasco Ibañaz B. The Valencian writer writes about a family running a winery in Andalucía at the fin del siglo.

Starfish by Patty Dann B- Unnecessary sequel to Mermaids (and I think the film might be better than the first book), but it was also kinda nice to see where the characters ended up.

The C-List

People Like Us by Jason Mott C. I recognise that Mott is an excellent writer, but I was lost the entire book…turns out it’s a sequel to Hell of a Book, but after being so completely lost and frustrated by this very confusing book, I’m just not motivated to read anything else by him. (And I found out via Goodreads and Storygraph that it was just as confusing for those who *had* read the first one!)