Reading Challenge/Goals for 2023--2024 link added

[willowsnn3]

4/50 The Devil's Code by John Sanford. From Barnes & Noble:

"When Kidd—artist, computer whiz, and professional criminal—learns of a colleague’s murder, he doesn’t buy the official story: that a jittery security guard caught the hacker raiding the files of a high-tech Texas corporation. It’s not what his friend was looking for that got him killed. It’s what he already knew. For Kidd and LuEllen, infiltrating the firm is the first move. Discovering the secrets of its devious entrepreneur is the next. But it’s more than a secret—it’s a conspiracy. And it’s landed Kidd and LuEllen in the cross-hairs of an unknown assassin hellbent on conning the life out of the ultimate con artists…"

This was a super fast read, I couldn't put it down. Although the book is about 20 years old I thought it stood the test of time. I'm off to look for more in this series.

5/50 Dark of the Moon by John Sanford. From Barnes & Noble:

"Virgil Flowers, introduced in bestseller Sandford’s Prey series, gets a chance to shine...The thrice-divorced, affable member of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), who reports to Prey series hero Lucas Davenport, operates pretty much on his own..”*

He’s been doing the hard stuff for three years, but he’s never seen anything like this. In the small rural town of Bluestem, an old man is bound in his basement, doused with gasoline and set on fire. Three weeks before, a doctor and his wife were murdered. Three homicides in Bluestem in just as many weeks is unheard of. It’s also no coincidence. And it’s far from over..."

I really liked this one and will be looking for more by this author. I'm pretty sure I read some of the Prey series years ago.

I've been buying a lot of books at second hand/thrift stores since they're usually only a $1 or $2. Lately I've noticed that anything that has been published within the last couple of years has been $8-$12. Is this something that's happening in my area only? Most of what I'm picking up is older, which I don't mind as I like a good story, but I used to be able to get fairly new stuff for a couple of dollars.

The Prey series/Lucas Davenport all seem vaguely familiar. Will have to go back & check by "read" lists to see if I have read any of them.
As far as used book prices, I rarely buy books at all so can't help there. If I do see something at Goodwill or a thrift shop that looks interesting, I usually snap a picture with my phone then request from my library. There are several libraries near me and my county headquarters library is only a couple miles away so I am very lucky in that aspect.

 

[drwitz]

4. Hearts in Suspension by Stephen King with essays by college classmates and friends

I thought I owned all of the King books published and readily available, but I missed this one when it was released. During this re-read of all of my King books, I found mention of this one, and it is really interesting. This collection includes an introduction by King's first college writing professor, a non-fiction remembrance by King of his time in college, a reprinting of "Hearts in Atlantis" about going to college in the late 60s, some reprrintings of King's Garbage Truck (his column in the college newspaper) and a collection of non-fiction essays by some of King's contemporaries at the University of Maine Oronow. All in all, the book contextualizes King's novella which is at the center of this work and provides a fascinating glimpse into both the young adult King was and what it must have been like to go to college at this very fraught national time of awakening. As someone who has studied the 60s (having been born in 1969), this collection was a wonderful way to gain insight into the time.

5. Charlie the Choo-Choo by Stephen King (writing as Beryl Evans)

This "children's" book (?) is directly taken from King's Dark Tower series. Many times in the series, King refers to Charlie and his story. The story tells of the friendship between a steam locomotive and his conductor. While the surface story may be perfectly fine for children (and the illustrations do a dine job of conveying the story), adults will notice that not all is what it seems. A fun treat for those of us who remember Charlie from the world of the ka-tet (and his cousin Blaine).

6. Six Scary Stories selected and introduced by Stephen King

Another one I initially missed, this is a short collection of short stories written by authors other than King. When King's Bazaar of Bad Dreams was released in England, the publisher offered a contest to find the best short story from a British author with King being the final judge. He did select a winner, but the six finalists were so good he decided to publish them all. The stories are really great and have the same special sauce that I often find in King's work - creepy but fun to read!

7. Broken: How Our Social Systems are Failing Us and How We Can Fix Them by Dr. Paul J. LeBlanc

The author is the president of Southern New Hampshire University and in this book he tackles the brokenness of our education system, our healthcare system and our governmental systems. With chapters on mattering, telling personal stories, scaling solutions, dreaming big dreams, and the power of inspired leadership, LeBlanc charts a pathway for improving our broken systems, and shares the stories of leaders in various sectors who have done just that. He is humble and admits his own failures in leadership in his career (and what he has learned from them). A very interested read for anyone working in the human development field.

8. Road to Relevance: 5 Strategies for Competitive Associations by Harrison Coerver and Mary Byers

I will be taking on a role in my professional development association as President this coming year, and this book was recommended as a guide to how to make professional associations matter and how to improve their operation and performance. Written in 2013, some of the lessons seem a little dated, but in general it was a good guidebook and I do think I will draw some guidance and inspiration from it. Perhaps not for everyone, but if you are also working in a role like this (or volunteering), it might be worth a read.

9. Gwendy's Button Box by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar

The first book in what has become a trilogy, this novella introduces us to Gwendy, a young girl "gifted" with a mysterious magical box by a strange figure. The box (of course) is more than it appears and while one lever dispenses a chocolate a day (which seems to solve weight gain and other issues) and another lever dispenses a vintage silver dollar, the buttons can do some serious damage. This novella follows Gwendy through childhood, adolescence and into young adulthood as she wrestles with the power of the box. I am looking forward to the next two books in the series (I have not yet read these).

 

[drwitz]

The Prey series/Lucas Davenport all seem vaguely familiar. Will have to go back & check by "read" lists to see if I have read any of them.
As far as used book prices, I rarely buy books at all so can't help there. If I do see something at Goodwill or a thrift shop that looks interesting, I usually snap a picture with my phone then request from my library. There are several libraries near me and my county headquarters library is only a couple miles away so I am very lucky in that aspect.

I love the Prey / Lucas Davenport series. They are a fun read and very entertaining!

 

[sdk1231]

7. Broken: How Our Social Systems are Failing Us and How We Can Fix Them by Dr. Paul J. LeBlanc

The author is the president of Southern New Hampshire University and in this book he tackles the brokenness of our education system, our healthcare system and our governmental systems. With chapters on mattering, telling personal stories, scaling solutions, dreaming big dreams, and the power of inspired leadership, LeBlanc charts a pathway for improving our broken systems, and shares the stories of leaders in various sectors who have done just that. He is humble and admits his own failures in leadership in his career (and what he has learned from them). A very interested read for anyone working in the human development field.

8. Road to Relevance: 5 Strategies for Competitive Associations by Harrison Coerver and Mary Byers

I will be taking on a role in my professional development association as President this coming year, and this book was recommended as a guide to how to make professional associations matter and how to improve their operation and performance. Written in 2013, some of the lessons seem a little dated, but in general it was a good guidebook and I do think I will draw some guidance and inspiration from it. Perhaps not for everyone, but if you are also working in a role like this (or volunteering), it might be worth a read.

9. Gwendy's Button Box by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar

The first book in what has become a trilogy, this novella introduces us to Gwendy, a young girl "gifted" with a mysterious magical box by a strange figure. The box (of course) is more than it appears and while one lever dispenses a chocolate a day (which seems to solve weight gain and other issues) and another lever dispenses a vintage silver dollar, the buttons can do some serious damage. This novella follows Gwendy through childhood, adolescence and into young adulthood as she wrestles with the power of the box. I am looking forward to the next two books in the series (I have not yet read these).

I liked Gwendy's Button Box. I never read Gwendy's Magic Feather because Richard Chizmar was the sole author on that one and because some of my friends gave it a thumbs down. I believe that King stepped in as co-author again in Part 3, the Final Task. I didn't read that one either due to very poor reviews from friends. I'll be very interested to hear what you think of Gwendy books 2 and 3, and if you think they're worth a read.

 

[willowsnn3]

9. Gwendy's Button Box by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar

The first book in what has become a trilogy, this novella introduces us to Gwendy, a young girl "gifted" with a mysterious magical box by a strange figure. The box (of course) is more than it appears and while one lever dispenses a chocolate a day (which seems to solve weight gain and other issues) and another lever dispenses a vintage silver dollar, the buttons can do some serious damage. This novella follows Gwendy through childhood, adolescence and into young adulthood as she wrestles with the power of the box. I am looking forward to the next two books in the series (I have not yet read these).

I liked Gwendy's Button Box. I never read Gwendy's Magic Feather because Richard Chizmar was the sole author on that one and because some of my friends gave it a thumbs down. I believe that King stepped in as co-author again in Part 3, the Final Task. I didn't read that one either due to very poor reviews from friends. I'll be very interested to hear what you think of Gwendy books 2 and 3, and if you think they're worth a read.

I have read all three Gwendy books. The second was a let down as others have reviewed but I did finish the series. All in all, I enjoyed it but not one of my favorites.

 

[willowsnn3]

#05/50 An Afternoon Walk by Dorothy Eden
Not much to say. Written in Gothic style which I loved during my early teens but not so much now. I remember reading this author and enjoying some of her other works but not this one.

 

[Darcy03231]

The Prey series/Lucas Davenport all seem vaguely familiar. Will have to go back & check by "read" lists to see if I have read any of them.
As far as used book prices, I rarely buy books at all so can't help there. If I do see something at Goodwill or a thrift shop that looks interesting, I usually snap a picture with my phone then request from my library. There are several libraries near me and my county headquarters library is only a couple miles away so I am very lucky in that aspect.

You're very lucky. Before we moved I lived in a good sized city with several libraries and lots of resources. One of the things I miss about living in a rural area. I do have access to our state's on-line library and can download books to my Kindle, but the wait times for anything new/current/popular authors are really long. I was on a waiting list for a book that I ended up picking up at a yard sale and I forgot to take it out of my request list. Three years later I got the notification that it was available for download!

 

[Wood Nymph]

I just discovered this thread and I will set a modest goal of 30 books. I like historical fiction and mysteries but will read other genres as well. I like to get my books from the library. I've finished two books so far and am now on my third book.

1/30. The Right Stuff - by Tom Wolfe - I saw this book in my neighbor's little library box. It was an interesting account of the beginning of space program and the Mercury astronauts. There were times when I couldn't put the book down but many more times when there wasn't much happening. It was such a detailed account of the lives of the Mercury astronauts that I wasn't 100% sure if this was biographical or fiction. Whatever it was it was very well-researched, and I learned a lot.

2/30. Long Range - C.J. Box - This is one of the Joe Pickett series of books. I really like the character of Joe. I've been slowly reading this series and have enjoyed all the stories. This one felt a little bit like it was rushed and he just wanted to get finished. But it was good and if you are into C.J. Box books then you want to read it.

 

[willowsnn3]

I just discovered this thread and I will set a modest goal of 30 books. I like historical fiction and mysteries but will read other genres as well. I like to get my books from the library. I've finished two books so far and am now on my third book.

1/30. The Right Stuff - by Tom Wolfe - I saw this book in my neighbor's little library box. It was an interesting account of the beginning of space program and the Mercury astronauts. There were times when I couldn't put the book down but many more times when there wasn't much happening. It was such a detailed account of the lives of the Mercury astronauts that I wasn't 100% sure if this was biographical or fiction. Whatever it was it was very well-researched, and I learned a lot.

2/30. Long Range - C.J. Box - This is one of the Joe Pickett series of books. I really like the character of Joe. I've been slowly reading this series and have enjoyed all the stories. This one felt a little bit like it was rushed and he just wanted to get finished. But it was good and if you are into C.J. Box books then you want to read it.

Welcome to the group!

 

[sdk1231]

I just discovered this thread and I will set a modest goal of 30 books. I like historical fiction and mysteries but will read other genres as well. I like to get my books from the library. I've finished two books so far and am now on my third book.

1/30. The Right Stuff - by Tom Wolfe - I saw this book in my neighbor's little library box. It was an interesting account of the beginning of space program and the Mercury astronauts. There were times when I couldn't put the book down but many more times when there wasn't much happening. It was such a detailed account of the lives of the Mercury astronauts that I wasn't 100% sure if this was biographical or fiction. Whatever it was it was very well-researched, and I learned a lot.

2/30. Long Range - C.J. Box - This is one of the Joe Pickett series of books. I really like the character of Joe. I've been slowly reading this series and have enjoyed all the stories. This one felt a little bit like it was rushed and he just wanted to get finished. But it was good and if you are into C.J. Box books then you want to read it.

The Right Stuff was a great book! As you say - very detailed. Made into a star-studded film some years back. C. J. Box... interesting! I've never read C. J. Box but am constantly getting prompts for him/her in the "you might enjoy" section of my kindle.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Following along and have already jotted down a couple of titles.

My goal this year is not so much a number of books as "balance" in my reading. - I found I was choosing a lot of non-fiction last year and forgetting to just read for fun.

I mostly gravitate toward paper books, sometimes listen to audiobooks, and occasionally use a Kindle app/tablet.

 

[Wood Nymph]

C. J. Box... interesting! I've never read C. J. Box but am constantly getting prompts for him/her in the "you might enjoy" section of my kindle.

Joe Pickett is a Wyoming game warden who solves crimes. The character is very likeable, or at least, I like him. It is a book series and needs to be read in chronological order because every book is basically one year later - ish in time from the prior book.

 

[drwitz]

I liked Gwendy's Button Box. I never read Gwendy's Magic Feather because Richard Chizmar was the sole author on that one and because some of my friends gave it a thumbs down. I believe that King stepped in as co-author again in Part 3, the Final Task. I didn't read that one either due to very poor reviews from friends. I'll be very interested to hear what you think of Gwendy books 2 and 3, and if you think they're worth a read.

I have read all three Gwendy books. The second was a let down as others have reviewed but I did finish the series. All in all, I enjoyed it but not one of my favorites.

I'll get there sooner rather than later. But I am (obsessively, you might say) reading the King books (and related) in publication order so I have a few to finish first. This King read-through was inspired actually by Chizmar who posted his own read-through of King's entire oeuvre. He is actually publishing his own book summarizing his thoughts called "Stephen King Revisited". I started my read-through in February 2020 and three years later (with a lot of other books in between) I am almost done...

My Gwendy thoughts will come soon... (hopefully before the end of February). I debated about the 2nd book and truthfully only bought it when I heard the third was coming and King was again the co-author,

 

[bobbiwoz]

1/35 Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris

In 1931 Ellis Reed is a struggling reporter who snaps a photo of two children on a farmhouse porch with a sign “2 children for sale.” The picture is not meant for publication but when it leads to his big break it leads to more devastating consequences than he ever could have imagined.

Starting the year with a book I thoroughly enjoyed. The book was inspired by an actual newspaper photograph, which is unbelievable in itself, but it took turns that were unexpected. Even the title is not really what it seems to be. There is a subplot of romance between Ellis and a woman who works at the paper which rounds out the story.

I enjoyed reading your summary and just finished the book!

3/75

 

[Darcy03231]

6/50- Golden Prey by John Sanford. From Barnes and Noble:

"Lucas Davenport’s first case as a U.S. Marshal sends him into uncharted territory in the thrilling new novel in the #1 New York Times-bestselling series.

The man was smart and he didn’t mind killing people. Welcome to the big leagues, Davenport.

Thanks to some very influential people whose lives he saved, Lucas is no longer working for the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, but for the U.S. Marshals Service, and with unusual scope. He gets to pick his own cases, whatever they are, wherever they lead him.

And where they’ve led him this time is into real trouble. A Biloxi, Mississippi, drug-cartel counting house gets robbed, and suitcases full of cash disappear, leaving behind five bodies, including that of a six-year-old girl. Davenport takes the case, which quickly spirals out of control, as cartel assassins, including a torturer known as the “Queen of home-improvement tools” compete with Davenport to find the Dixie Hicks shooters who knocked over the counting house. Things get ugly real fast, and neither the cartel killers nor the holdup men give a damn about whose lives Davenport might have saved; to them, he’s just another large target.

Filled with his trademark razor-sharp plotting and some of the best characters in suspense fiction, Golden Prey is further reason why “Sandford has always been at the top of any list of great mystery writers” (The Huffington Post)."

I really like this one a lot. It was very fast paced and I got through it really quickly. Really hoping I can find some more in this series.

 

[mrs. magoo]

3/30 The Address by Fiona Davis - this is the second book I have read by Fiona Davis and while I like it I think I am not going to pursue another one for a bit. This book had some plotlines that were unbelievable and I still have questions about what happened some of the characters. I would rate it a 3 out 5.

 

[sdk1231]

Just finished Fairy Tale by Stephen King, a 2022 release. I'm glad to report that this book was pretty good. As the title suggests, It's fantasy, not horror. And blessedly, no political references. It's a book in 2 parts.

Part 1 one was excellent. A coming of age / relationship story involving a 17 year old boy and his relationship with a somewhat mysterious old man (a character I was really interested in) who lives up the street. And the old man's dog. This part of the book had me hooked. It was fantastic. I would have preferred to read this book, without going on to Part 2. But then... we get to Part 2. Avoiding spoilers, I'll just say that it involves a parallel world, typical portal fantasy. Fairly generic good vs. evil adventure story, just-okay world building, inadequately developed side characters. Adventures included some hits and some misses.

Quibbles (all my opinion only - others may feel differently):

1. The book was called Fairy Tale. It contains constant surface-level "name dropping" references to fairy tales, folklore and mythology. It also includes references to nursery rhymes, Disney, Stephen King's own works, classic horror, etc. Disappointingly (for me), it relied heavily on: The Wizard of Oz, Something Wicked This Way Comes, The Call of Cthulhu. Oz. Check. An overdone reference and barely a fairy tale. Something Wicked This Way Comes - a great book, but didn't seem to "fit". Definitely not a fairy tale, folklore or myth. H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu. Annoying. I don't read Lovecraft, but he must be the absolute END ALL, because King constantly mentions Cthulhu. I'm tired of that reference, and of tentacled monsters. But I digress. My point is that the "Fairy Tale" concept devolved into a genre mash-up.

2. While Fairy Tale was a fun and solid fantasy adventure, King has done it before (and IMO better) with The Talisman, Eye of the Dragon, Dark Tower, Black House, etc. And (less successfully), with Rose Madder and Lisey's Story, etc.

3. The anachronistic voice / outdated pop culture references. The setting is a Chicago suburb in 2013. The main character is Charlie Reade, age17 (born in 1996). Good in school, plays football and baseball. He reads books like Dracula, published in 1897 and The Call of Cthulhu, published in 1928. He knows Cujo, which was 30 years old by 2013, but at least I can believe that. He watches old movies on TCM. He mentions the movie MASH from 1970 and Hombre, a Paul Newman movie from 1967 (which was a stretch for me to remember, and I sure wasn't born in 1996).

He is apparently not reading or seeing popular books/movies such as Hunger Games, Harry Potter or The Conjuring.

He very rarely uses his phone or a computer.

He says things like "awesomesauce".

He describes an instance in which a female character's clothing "pulled taut across her breasts" (would a 17 year old boy say that?) and then says "Yeah, I noticed, sue me" (would a 17 year old boy say THAT?) That was a tiny part of a 600 page book but it annoyed the heck out of me.

In an epilogue, Charlie tells us that he might not have sounded like a 17 year old boy when telling his story, but that's because he has since gone to college, etc. Clumsy. (And still doesn't explain why he sounds like a 75 year old man.)

This is nothing new. As King concentrates on modern youth / millennials, the voices and pop culture references those characters use are anachronistic. I am not sure why Fairy Tale had to be set in 2013. It might have worked better if it had been told by an older man reminiscing about something that had happened to him as a teen young/adult back in the 70's.

And now I'm off to read Every Cloak Rolled in Blood, by James Lee Burke. (Catching up on another 2022 release).

 

[Buckalew11]

I’m game! My goal is 50. I listen a lot.
Last year I hit 108.

I just finished #8for the year.

Even If It Kills Her by Kate White
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
This Time Tomorrow by Emma Staub
Cozy Minimalist Home by Myquillyn Smith
The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sara Pekkanen
Find Your Unicorn Space by Eve Rodsky
*Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
*Finding Me by Viola Davis

*the last 2 we’re my favorites.

 

[lovesmurfs]

Currently reading the Simon Serrailler series by Susan Hill. They're a British procedural series, and a bit dark. Less mystery, more psychological/insight. Interesting because she doesn't seem to care who she kills off. I'm also not all that connected to the main character, who really isn't a main character. A bit hard to explain -- not sure whether I'll make it through the full series.

 

[tiggrbaby]

3/30 The Address by Fiona Davis - this is the second book I have read by Fiona Davis and while I like it I think I am not going to pursue another one for a bit. This book had some plotlines that were unbelievable and I still have questions about what happened some of the characters. I would rate it a 3 out 5.

Currently reading this one and so far I agree! It's not pulling me in.