Reading challenge 2021

[MissBritt]

11/20 done.

Currently reading autobiographies from both Ben Franklin and Edward Snowden.

 

[willowsnn3]

#31/60 The Other Emily by Dean Koontz
A decade ago, Emily Carlino vanished after her car broke down on a California highway. She was presumed to be one of serial killer Ronny Lee Jessup’s victims whose remains were never found.
Writer David Thorne still hasn’t recovered from losing the love of his life, or from the guilt of not being there to save her. Since then, he’s sought closure any way he can. He even visits regularly with Jessup in prison, desperate for answers about Emily’s final hours so he may finally lay her body to rest. Then David meets Maddison Sutton, beguiling, playful, and keenly aware of all David has lost. But what really takes his breath away is that everything about Maddison, down to her kisses, is just like Emily. As the fantastic becomes credible, David’s obsession grows, Maddison’s mysterious past deepens—and terror escalates.
Is she Emily? Or an irresistible dead ringer? Either way, the ultimate question is the same: What game is she playing? Whatever the risk in finding out, David’s willing to take it for this precious second chance. It’s been ten years since he’s felt this inspired, this hopeful, this much in love…and he’s afraid.

Well, sounded good but really wasn't, lol. In a reading slump & need to find something really good.

 

[bobbiwoz]

10/30 - The Eagle Catcher by Margaret Coel

Description:
"When the Arapaho tribal chairman is found murdered in his tepee at the Ethete powwow, the evidence points to the chairman's nephew, Anthony Castle. But Father John O'Malley, pastor of St. Francis Mission, and Vicky Holden, the Arapaho lawyer, do not believe the young man capable of murder. Together they set out to find the real murderer and clear Anthony's name.

The trail that Father John and Vicky follow winds across the high plains of the Wind River Reservation into Arapaho homes and community centers and into the fraud-infested world of Indian oil and land deals. Eventually it leads to the past—the Old Time—when the Arapahos were forced from their homes on the Great Plains and sent to the reservation.

There in the Old Time, Father John and Vicky discover a crime so heinous that someone was willing to commit murder more than a hundred years later to keep it hidden. As they close in a killer who does not hesitate to kill again, they discover they have become the next targets... "

I enjoyed this one. It is the first in a series of books that take place on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. I would like to read more in the series.

Thanks for this review, I enjoyed the book a lot!

29/50

 

[Tiggerish]

After the Rains by Deborah Raney. Christian romantic fiction with happy ending.

Aged for Murder by Fiona Grace. A Tuscan Vineyard Cozy Mystery - Book 1. A quick read.

50-51 of 104

 

[MGMmjl]

13/30 - Boundless Realm: Deep Explorations Inside Disney's Haunted Mansion by Foxx Nolte

Thanks to the members here who recommended this book! This is a very detailed history and review of the attraction. It was well-researched, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it!

Continuing on the Haunted Mansion theme...

14/30 - The Unauthorized Story of Walt Disney's Haunted Mansion by Jeff Baham

I really enjoyed this book as well! It gives a nice overview of the Haunted Mansion attraction, especially at Disneyland. It does point out a few areas where the Disneyland and WDW versions differ, but it really concentrates on the Disneyland version. I saw this book mentioned in Nolte's book, so I thought I would give it a try. I'm glad I did.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Update time!

23. "Always the Last to Know", Kristan Higgins 4stars
24. The Diva Serves Forbidden Fruit, Krista Davis 4 stars. If you can't tell by the title, it's a cozy mystery. But unlike what too many cozy mysteries seem to do, there wasn't a last minute "Aha! If I'd known that, I could have solved this ages ago." So I enjoyed it.
25. "The Wedding Dress" Danielle Steel, 4 stars. The story of 4 generations of women. Enjoyable read, but I wish they'd apportioned how much time they spent on each generation a little differently (Like more time spent on the generation I was in!)
26."Hoot", Carl Hiassen 5 stars I just loved his portrayal of the relevance of endangered species, and environmental concerns in general. Great Book.
27. "The Paris Library" by Janet Skelsien Charles, 4 stars. Historical Fiction which alternated between the story of a Paris Librarian during WWII and neighbors in the 80s. If this had been told entirely from the WWII perspective, I think it would have been better. I didn't find any enjoyment or relevance to including the 80s.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Thanks for this review, I enjoyed the book a lot!

29/50

30/50
Since I enjoyed The Eagle Catcher so much, I decided to read the next in the series, The Ghost Walker by Margaret Coel, another good one!

 

[melk]

24/35 The Woman With the Blue Star by Pam Jenoff

Based on true stories of people who hid in sewers to hide from the Nazi’s in Poland during WWII. Sadie and her parents escape to the sewers where they encounter tragedy, unexpected happiness, and friendship.

While at times I found parts of this implausible, at the end of the book the author‘s note said that this was based on real accounts of people who survived by living in the sewers. That, of course, makes it all the more heartbreaking to think of people living like this. I enjoyed the plot and liked the characters and there was a surprising twist at the end.

 

[drwitz]

Continuing on the Haunted Mansion theme...

14/30 - The Unauthorized Story of Walt Disney's Haunted Mansion by Jeff Baham

I really enjoyed this book as well! It gives a nice overview of the Haunted Mansion attraction, especially at Disneyland. It does point out a few areas where the Disneyland and WDW versions differ, but it really concentrates on the Disneyland version. I saw this book mentioned in Nolte's book, so I thought I would give it a try. I'm glad I did.

He's also got a great podcast on the Haunted Mansion and all of its versions called The Doombuggies Podcast.

 

[OKW8297]

41. Virgin River by Robyn Carr

 

[drwitz]

24. and 25. The Obelisk Gate and The Stone Sky by N. K. Jemisin

If there were ever a perfect fantasy series (touched with a twinge of science fiction) this is it. So I reviewed book 1 in my last post and I breezed through books 2 and 3 in this trilogy with great passion and speed. Let me say it (and maybe say it again): N. K. Jemisin deserved all three Hugo awards. She did! And this series is now on a level for me akin to Ursula K. LeGuin's Earthsea Trilogy or Stephen R. Donaldson's Chronicles of Thomas Covenant: The Unbeliever. Except, how do I put this? This series is even better. If you are a fan of speculative fiction and world building, you need to read this. The metaphor inherent in the book speaks to the racial justice in our times, and it is just beautifully done. Trust me. Read them.

26. Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu

Another one I suggest you get and read. This is a book that opened up a window for me into the Asian American experience. Set in San Fransisco's Chinatown, this novel is a combination of a screenplay, stream of consciousness narrative, fictional memoir of its main character, and imagined life. It is well worth a read, and will leave you laughing and moved.

Moving on... In honor of Juneteenth, and in recognition of my own need to dive deeper into understanding, here are a few more resources that I have read (and learned from):

27. Celebrating Black Americans: African-American History and Its Meanings, 1619 to the Present by Nell Irvin Painter

This is the history of the African-American experience which I wish was required high school reading. Painter has done a terrific job of explaining African-American history and pairing each element of history with art (by African-American artists) which add color and texture to the history. The only drawback to this text is that it ends with the second Bush presidency. I would loved to have read an update encompassing the Obama and Trump presidencies. With that said, this is a fantastic read.

28. At the Dark End of the Street: Black Women, Rape, and Resistance - a New History of the Civil Rights Movement from Rosa Parks to the Rise of Black Power by Danielle L. McGuire

Another great read which introduced me to stories I did not know. This historical review recenters Black Women as the foundation and vanguard of the civil rights movement prominently highlighting their work and telling their stories. The text is compelling, and the stories are important. It also highlights the contradictions between the white supremacy narrative of black men as threatening to white women's sexual purity when the reality was white men and their sexual violence against black women. An important read to fully understand the civil rights story.

 

[OKW8297]

42.Summer Sisters by Judy Blume perfect summer read

 

[Wendy1985]

First thank you for your patience on me not being as on top of it as planned

second

thank you for posting I will be referring to this during my 3 month brain break

 

[willowsnn3]

#32/60 Never Ask Me by Jeffrey Abbott
It's a no recommend for me.
Writing. Style. Drove. Me. Insane. Lol.

 

[mrs. magoo]

8/25 - Murder on Wall Street - It was alright. I have decided I am not really a mystery girl anymore. I thought I might like it more since it is historical fiction but not so much. I need to step up my game now - Summer is usually my reading season.

 

[JayMass]

20/50--Daisy Jones and the Six. I'm a huge rock n roll fan and play in a band so this "mockumentary" style novel was right up my alley. The story of a '70s era rock band told as if it were the best VH1 "Behind the Music" you've ever seen. I think it was a pretty accurate portrayal of being in a band. It was also a love story. I wish I had saved this one for the beach!

21/50--The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah. Wow. An amazing story of a family in the 1930s Dustbowl. So engaging, such great characters that include super strong women! My wife compared it to the Grapes of Wrath (which is my all time favorite) and I think there are similarities but this one is certainly more tender and if you want to compare it to Steinbeck it seems more like East of Eden to me.

 

[OKW8297]

20/50--Daisy Jones and the Six. I'm a huge rock n roll fan and play in a band so this "mockumentary" style novel was right up my alley. The story of a '70s era rock band told as if it were the best VH1 "Behind the Music" you've ever seen. I think it was a pretty accurate portrayal of being in a band. It was also a love story. I wish I had saved this one for the beach!

21/50--The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah. Wow. An amazing story of a family in the 1930s Dustbowl. So engaging, such great characters that include super strong women! My wife compared it to the Grapes of Wrath (which is my all time favorite) and I think there are similarities but this one is certainly more tender and if you want to compare it to Steinbeck it seems more like East of Eden to me.

Loved Daisy and looking forward to The Four Winds

 

[Shellsbutt]

7/25- No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality by Michael J. Fox-This was an interesting book, I don't usually read non-fiction. He is one of my favorite actors though and has lead a challenging life.

8/25- The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett- This had an interesting premise and I finished it fairly quickly. It was set in Louisiana/New Orleans area, which was a coincidence as we just came back from vacation there several weeks ago.

9/25- The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse- This started out great, and then just went downhill in the middle of the book. I took this with me on the plane and managed to read a few chapters. I didn't finish it until after we came home, that says a lot I guess. It's one of those books I struggled to finish, I even skipped several pages toward the end because I just wanted to be done. Do not recommend this one.

 

[bobbiwoz]

18/35 The Tender Bar by J.R. Moehringer

Memoir recounting the author‘s childhood being raised by his single mom. He looks to his uncle, a bartender, as a male role model as well as the other men who hang out in the bar. The book takes you through his graduation from Yale and his early adulthood.

Interesting enough, I mostly wanted to read it because I heard they’re making it into a movie.

I read this too! It was my 31/50. I did not particularly enjoy it.

 

[melk]

I read this too! It was my 31/50. I did not particularly enjoy it.

I have to agree with you.