Reading Challenge 2022

[bobbiwoz]

34/50 An Irish Country Village by Patrick Taylor
I am enjoying the series about the young Dr Barry Laverty and his boss and mentor Dr Fingal Flahertie O‘Reilly in the village of Ballybucklebo, Ulster County Northern Ireland.

 

[RUDisney]

15/25 - The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

I really liked this book. It is the book off which the movie and the new HBO series are based. I read it because I liked the series so much and I also watched the movie because of the series. Henry DeTamble is a time traveler who meets his wife as a young girl. He keeps going back in time to meet her until they have a long pause and they meet in real time. He doesn't know her, but she knows him and its a wonder to her because he has always known everything and she was in the dark about what would happen. They love each other and make his absences due to time travel work,, although it's not always easy.

 

[DeeBee3]

Ok, I FINALLY finished my first book. Oy

Maverick by Jason Riley

It is a "mini-biography" of Dr. Thomas Sowell. I say mini because it is not comprehensive by any means. Sort of a highlight of his life and work thus far. He is an economist by trade, but mainly Dr. Sowell is a prolific writer on topics such as economics, race, education, etc. He is an amazing American, IMO.

The book gives you a taste for some of his work and studies as well as a brief introduction to his life.

If you are interested in learning about him or just curious about an economist, you will enjoy the read. It is a short read but requires focus.

 

[virge]

The Club by Elbert Lloyd
“Everyone's Dying to Join . . .
The Home Group is a glamorous collection of celebrity members' clubs dotted across the globe, where the rich and famous can party hard and then crash out in its five-star suites, far from the prying eyes of fans and the media.

The most spectacular of all is Island Home—a closely-guarded, ultraluxurious resort, just off the English coast—and its three-day launch party is easily the most coveted A-list invite of the decade.

But behind the scenes, tensions are at breaking point: the ambitious and expensive project has pushed the Home Group's CEO and his long-suffering team to their absolute limits. All of them have something to hide—and that's before the beautiful people with their own ugly secrets even set foot on the island.

As tempers fray and behavior worsens, as things get more sinister by the hour and the body count piles up, some of Island Home's members will begin to wish they'd never made the guest list.”

I thought this was a fun thriller. I enjoyed how it played with celebrity culture.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
“Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories? Open her heart to someone? Or will she just go on living inside somebody else’s fiction?”

I love Rainbow Roswell’s young adult novels and this one did not disappoint.

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

“
After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she's been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.

Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors—until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.

Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova's son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it's too late.”

I saw this on a best books of 2022 type list and was intrigued. It was a great book and reminded me of Fredrick Backman’s books.

35/75

 

[RUDisney]

16/25 - Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice

I reread this at the encouragement of my boss. I thought that Anne was rather superfluous in the way that she wrote. My boss insisted not. I have a better appreciation for her descriptive nature post the second read.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Update time! Actually I'm way overdue=
24-"The Girl From Bletchley Park", K. McGurl, 4 stars. Historical Fiction about a girl who left her life to become a code breaker during WWII.

25-"The Last Chance Library", F. Sampson, 3 stars. A mousy librarian attempts to save the library with the help of some quirky patrons. Nothing special.

26-"Family Reunion", N. Thayer, 3 1/2 stars. Light and fluffy read.

27-"Summer on the Island", B. Novak, 3 stars. Very Predictable.

28-"All the Children are Home", P. Francis, 3 stars. Follows a family with Foster children through about 12 years.

29-"The Redhead of Auschwitz", N. Birnbaum, 5 stars. I've read many books about various people interred at Auschwitz. This was probably the most well-written description of her thoughts and feelings while there. Highly recommend it.

 

[bobbiwoz]

35/50
An Irish Country Christmas by Patrick Taylor. A very enjoyable story about the Christmas season in Ballybucklebo.

 

[tiggrbaby]

June:

#45/90: Lethal White (Cormoran Strike #4) by Robert Galbraith (4/5) (mystery)

An unsettling cold case leads Strike and his partner Robin through the backstreets of London and the inner workings of Parliament as London prepares for the 2012 Olympics.

#46/90: The Sisters of Auschwitz: The True Story of Two Jewish Sisters’ Resistance in the Heart of Nazi Territory by Roxane van Iperen (5/5) (nonfiction)

The amazing story of two sisters who joined the Dutch Resistance, saved multiple lives, were captured by the Nazis, and survived their time in the infamous camp.

#47/90: An Unmarked Grave (Bess Crwford # 4) by Charles Todd (4/5) (historical mystery)

During the height of the Spanish Influenza pandemic, Bess discovers the body of a British officer and sets out to find the killer.

#48/90: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (5/5) (fiction)

Tova began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium after the death of her husband. Keeping busy helps her to cope with his death and the thirty year mystery of her teenage son’s disappearance.

Marcellus is a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Tova develops a relationship with Marcellus. He deduces what happened to Tova’s son, and must work to uncover the truth.

This was a pleasant surprise! Not what I usually read, but I really enjoyed it. Glad to see that so many others did as well!

#49/90: The Woman in Blue (Ruth Galloway # 8) by Elly Griffiths (4/5) (mystery)

Cathbad sees a vision of the Virgin Mary near where he is house sitting. But the next day the body of a woman dressed in blue is found in a nearby ditch.

Ruth meets up with an old university friend who is now a priest. This woman is receiving threatening letters, targeting female priests and referencing local archaeology. When another woman, a priest, is murdered, the race is on to find the killer.

#50/90: One Step Too Far (Frankie Elkin #2) by Lisa Gardner (4/5) (mystery)

A young man went missing in the wilderness on his bachelor party camping trip. Each year his grief-stricken father and guilt-ridden groomsmen set out to try and find him. Despite their reluctance, Frankie manages to join the group in what may be the final search. But it quickly becomes clear that someone is willing to stop this search at all costs.

#51/90: The Bookwoman’s Daughter by Kim Michelle Richardson (4/5) (historical fiction)

Honey Lovett and her family have been hiding from the law all of her life. Her mother is the famed blue-skinned packhorse librarian from Troublesome Creek. Her parents’ marriage is considered illegal and immoral in Kentucky. When her parents are imprisoned, Honey must fight for her right to live free, or she will be sent away to reform school.

This is a sequel to The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek, but can be read without reading the first (but it was a great book!)

#52/90: Open Season (Joe Pickett #1) by C. J. Box (4/5) (mystery)

Joe Pickett is the new game warden in town. When a local outfitter is found dead on Joe’s woodpile, he takes it personally. When the local police solve that and two other murders, Joe still investigates. It seems that there is an endangered species now living in Joe’s woodpile, and that could ruin plans for an oil pipeline that would run through his town. The closer Joe comes to the truth, the more danger he finds.

 

[willowsnn3]

#50/90: One Step Too Far (Frankie Elkin #2) by Lisa Gardner (4/5) (mystery)

A young man went missing in the wilderness on his bachelor party camping trip. Each year his grief-stricken father and guilt-ridden groomsmen set out to try and find him. Despite their reluctance, Frankie manages to join the group in what may be the final search. But it quickly becomes clear that someone is willing to stop this search at all costs.

Sorry, I only rated this one 3/5. Altho, Lisa Gardner is one of my very favorite authors, I just did not care for the Frankie Elkin character. May or may not read the next in the series.

#28/50 One Step Too Far by Lisa Gardner

 

[evilmommie]

#11 out of 20.
Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter
3 stars out of 5 ️️️
Thriller novel. Mother/daughter, family history suspense type of story. I just couldn’t get into the characters and really couldn’t get into the mother. Plot was interesting, just unlikable characters IMO.

12 - Home Again - Kristen Hannah
4 stars out of 5 ️️️️
Classic romantic novel. Perfect beach read.

13 - Summer Island - Kristen Hannah
3 stars out of 5 ️️️
Another good beach/vaca read. Both of these novels IMO aren’t as deep as The Nightingale, etc.

14 - Clanlands (non-fiction) Sam Heughan & Graham Mctavish (actors on Outlander)
4 starts out of 5 ️️️️
Pretty hilarious journey as they take you on a road trip around the highlands of Scotland. They share stories about their acting careers, as they tour different historical sites, bars, and adventures.

 

[tiggrbaby]

Sorry, I only rated this one 3/5. Altho, Lisa Gardner is one of my very favorite authors, I just did not care for the Frankie Elkin character. May or may not read the next in the series.

#28/50 One Step Too Far by Lisa Gardner

#11 out of 20.
Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter
3 stars out of 5 ️️️
Thriller novel. Mother/daughter, family history suspense type of story. I just couldn’t get into the characters and really couldn’t get into mother. Plot was interesting, just unlikable characters IMO.

12 - Home Again - Kristen Hannah
4 stars out of 5 ️️️️
Classic romantic novel. Perfect beach read.

13 - Summer Island - Kristen Hannah
3 stars out of 5 ️️️
Another good beach/vaca read. Both of these novels IMO aren’t as deep as The Nightingale, etc.

14 - Clanlands (non-fiction) Sam Heughan & Graham Mctavish (actors on Outlander)
4 starts out of 5 ️️️️
Pretty hilarious journey as they take you on a road trip around the highlands of Scotland. They share stories about their acting careers, as they tour different historical sites, bars, and adventures.

Totally agree about unlikable characters! I find it impossible to read a book or watch a program if I can't find a character with redeemable qualities.

 

[willowsnn3]

#11 out of 20.
Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter
3 stars out of 5 ️️️
Thriller novel. Mother/daughter, family history suspense type of story. I just couldn’t get into the characters and really couldn’t get into the mother. Plot was interesting, just unlikable characters IMO.

Karin Slaughter is my other favorite author, using a tie between her & Lisa Gardner. But. I read Pieces of Her last year & it wasn't very memorable. Then it became a Netflix limited series & I thought it was just horrible. If you didn't like the written characters, you surely would not like the series ones. I was so disappointed.
Love Slaughter's Grant County Series (just did a reread of that series) & the Will Trent series.
I miss Lisa Gardner's earlier FBI profiler series & most of her stand alone books.

 

[evilmommie]

Karin Slaughter is my other favorite author, using a tie between her & Lisa Gardner. But. I read Pieces of Her last year & it wasn't very memorable. Then it became a Netflix limited series & I thought it was just horrible. If you didn't like the written characters, you surely would not like the series ones. I was so disappointed.
Love Slaughter's Grant County Series (just did a reread of that series) & the Will Trent series.
I miss Lisa Gardner's earlier FBI profiler series & most of her stand alone books.

I picked Pieces of Her up on a whim. Finished the book uninspired but wanted to learn more about the author. Many people had written the same sentiments as you. Not Karin Slaughter’s best novel. i will definitely give her another chance, as I’m intrigued to read something note worthy and appreciate your recommendation!

 

[evilmommie]

Hi @willowsnn3 thanks for updating my count, although it’s now at 14 not 12.
I need all the help I can get this year, have been slow going with my reading. Thanks all you do in here!

 

[melk]

19/35 The Best of Friends by Lucinda Berry

Three best friends are torn apart when a horrible tragedy befalls their three sons, also best friends. One is dead, one is brain dead, and the last is not speaking. As they try to find out what happened all kinds of secrets are uncovered.

This book definitely held my attention but it kind of lost me when the situations and secrets no longer seemed believable to me. I also found it hard to keep track of which son belonged to who, as well as their husbands and other kids.

 

[drwitz]

And now I have finished The Dark Tower series, and started it again (lol).

61. The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah by Stephen King

And the saga continues. This story sees our protagonists in three different times and places in our world with a coming confrontation which will bring them back together again, and perhaps in a place that isn't great for the ka-tet. This book read quickly (one of the shorter of the series) and I love that a fictional version of Stephen King appears as a character in the story. This runs the risk of being very meta, but it actually adds a lot to the story and it also builds on the concept of the series as his uber work which unites all of his other pieces of fiction. Very compelling read.

62. The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower by Stephen King

And here we come to the end of the story. A stirring and emotionally fulfilling completion of the narrative, with lots of resolution and some suspense thrown in. This is a long read (over 800 pages) but it is well worth the read. Again, it is hard to provide specific plot hints without revealing the whole story, but the combination of western, fantasy, science fiction, time travel, and horror is a potent mix which is a pleasure to read.

63. The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger (revised and expanded) by Stephen King

The original version of the first book of the series was published early in King's career and while he had a vision of where the series was going, things changed. In addition, the chapters in the first book were originally published as short stories in science fiction / fantasy magazines, so the first book was the first collection of the stories all together. So when the opportunity came to publish the final three books in the series, King went back and revised the first novel to tie in better with the series as a whole. Some people struggle with the opening of the book (and that hasn't changed with this revision). King has produced a character story that at first is light on plot, but wow does it build quickly. I appreciated reading the revision and seeing things hinted at which were fully expanded upon later in the series. Glad to have this to add to my collection.

More Stephen King reads... One of these took me quite a while to read.

64. Faithful: Two Diehard Boston Red Sox Fans Chronicle the Historic 2004 Season by Stephen King and Stewart O'Nan

So I freely admit I am not a sports fan. But I did live in Boston for many years and I remember when the Red Sox broke the curse. King and O'Nan happened to have chosen this season to chronicle their experiences as Red Sox fans and their experience of watching games through the season, and they just happened to luck into an historic season. This book took me a LO-O-O-ONG time to read, probably because I didn't love all of the baseball stuff (lol) but in summary I did enjoy it. The book includes written reflections, narrations of games, emails between the two authors, and other miscellaneous items. I found King's writing more enjoyable and plodded through O'Nan's pieces, but in pursuit of my completest goal, I made my way through it. Recommend if you love baseball and can describe all of the various plays.

65. The Colorado Kid by Stephen King

This is a quick and enjoyable entry in the Hard Case Crime paperback series which tells the story of an unsolved murder on a small inhabited Maine island. The story is told by two old newspapermen sharing it with their young female intern. It is a beautifully written story of Maine island life and a riveting (and frustrating) murder story which leaves as many questions as answers. A fun quick read though.

66. Cell by Stephen King

This is King's version of a zombie story but rather than a regular virus, the "virus" is delivered by a ubiquitous tool - the cell phone. Set in Boston and points north, the story is kind of the polar opposite of The Stand. Where The Stand was a story in the optimism of the human experience, even when faced with total disaster, Cell is a study in the ways in which our human society falls apart in the face of trauma. It is a true disaster story and is certainly a page-turner. The novel also contains King's first (in my recollection) positive reflection of a gay character. Worth a read, but be prepared. This is not a "happily ever after" novel, although the ending may leave some hope.

 

[willowsnn3]

I picked Pieces of Her up on a whim. Finished the book uninspired but wanted to learn more about the author. Many people had written the same sentiments as you. Not Karin Slaughter’s best novel. i will definitely give her another chance, as I’m intrigued to read something note worthy and appreciate your recommendation!

Her stand alone books just seem to be ok to me. I love her Grant County series which morphed into the Will Trent series later on. I believe 'Blindsighted' is the first in the Grant County series.

 

[willowsnn3]

19/35 The Best of Friends by Lucinda Berry

Three best friends are torn apart when a horrible tragedy befalls their three sons, also best friends. One is dead, one is brain dead, and the last is not speaking. As they try to find out what happened all kinds of secrets are uncovered.

This book definitely held my attention but it kind of lost me when the situations and secrets no longer seemed believable to me. I also found it hard to keep track of which son belonged to who, as well as their husbands and other kids.

I hate when plots get so twisted & unbelievable & I can't remember who is who & why they are doing what they do, lol. It is ok in a fantasy/science fiction type book but in supposedly real life situations, no. One reason why I rarely read psychological books anymore.

 

[willowsnn3]

More Stephen King reads... One of these took me quite a while to read.

65. The Colorado Kid by Stephen King

This is a quick and enjoyable entry in the Hard Case Crime paperback series which tells the story of an unsolved murder on a small inhabited Maine island. The story is told by two old newspapermen sharing it with their young female intern. It is a beautifully written story of Maine island life and a riveting (and frustrating) murder story which leaves as many questions as answers. A fun quick read though.

66. Cell by Stephen King

This is King's version of a zombie story but rather than a regular virus, the "virus" is delivered by a ubiquitous tool - the cell phone. Set in Boston and points north, the story is kind of the polar opposite of The Stand. Where The Stand was a story in the optimism of the human experience, even when faced with total disaster, Cell is a study in the ways in which our human society falls apart in the face of trauma. It is a true disaster story and is certainly a page-turner. The novel also contains King's first (in my recollection) positive reflection of a gay character. Worth a read, but be prepared. This is not a "happily ever after" novel, although the ending may leave some hope.

I may have missed The Colorado Kid. Will have to go back to my lists to see if I have read that one or not. I do remember Cell & really liked it.

 

[willowsnn3]

June:

#45/90: Lethal White (Cormoran Strike #4) by Robert Galbraith (4/5) (mystery)

An unsettling cold case leads Strike and his partner Robin through the backstreets of London and the inner workings of Parliament as London prepares for the 2012 Olympics.

#46/90: The Sisters of Auschwitz: The True Story of Two Jewish Sisters’ Resistance in the Heart of Nazi Territory by Roxane van Iperen (5/5) (nonfiction)

The amazing story of two sisters who joined the Dutch Resistance, saved multiple lives, were captured by the Nazis, and survived their time in the infamous camp.

#47/90: An Unmarked Grave (Bess Crwford # 4) by Charles Todd (4/5) (historical mystery)

During the height of the Spanish Influenza pandemic, Bess discovers the body of a British officer and sets out to find the killer.

#48/90: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (5/5) (fiction)

Tova began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium after the death of her husband. Keeping busy helps her to cope with his death and the thirty year mystery of her teenage son’s disappearance.

Marcellus is a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Tova develops a relationship with Marcellus. He deduces what happened to Tova’s son, and must work to uncover the truth.

This was a pleasant surprise! Not what I usually read, but I really enjoyed it. Glad to see that so many others did as well!

#49/90: The Woman in Blue (Ruth Galloway # 8) by Elly Griffiths (4/5) (mystery)

Cathbad sees a vision of the Virgin Mary near where he is house sitting. But the next day the body of a woman dressed in blue is found in a nearby ditch.

Ruth meets up with an old university friend who is now a priest. This woman is receiving threatening letters, targeting female priests and referencing local archaeology. When another woman, a priest, is murdered, the race is on to find the killer.

#50/90: One Step Too Far (Frankie Elkin #2) by Lisa Gardner (4/5) (mystery)

A young man went missing in the wilderness on his bachelor party camping trip. Each year his grief-stricken father and guilt-ridden groomsmen set out to try and find him. Despite their reluctance, Frankie manages to join the group in what may be the final search. But it quickly becomes clear that someone is willing to stop this search at all costs.

#51/90: The Bookwoman’s Daughter by Kim Michelle Richardson (4/5) (historical fiction)

Honey Lovett and her family have been hiding from the law all of her life. Her mother is the famed blue-skinned packhorse librarian from Troublesome Creek. Her parents’ marriage is considered illegal and immoral in Kentucky. When her parents are imprisoned, Honey must fight for her right to live free, or she will be sent away to reform school.

This is a sequel to The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek, but can be read without reading the first (but it was a great book!)

#52/90: Open Season (Joe Pickett #1) by C. J. Box (4/5) (mystery)

Joe Pickett is the new game warden in town. When a local outfitter is found dead on Joe’s woodpile, he takes it personally. When the local police solve that and two other murders, Joe still investigates. It seems that there is an endangered species now living in Joe’s woodpile, and that could ruin plans for an oil pipeline that would run through his town. The closer Joe comes to the truth, the more danger he finds.

Adding The Bookwoman's Daughter to my list.
Just started watching the Joe Pickett tv series. Have not read any of the books.