Reading Thread/Goals for 2025

[willowsnn3]

#31 An Evil by Linda Castillo
On a crisp autumn day in Painters Mill, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder responds to a call only to discover an Amish man who has been violently killed with a crossbow, his body abandoned on a dirt road. Aden Karn was just twenty years old, well liked, and from an upstanding Amish family. Who would commit such a heinous crime against a young man whose life was just beginning?
The more Kate gets to know his devastated family and the people—both English and Amish—who loved him, the more determined she becomes to solve the case. Aden Karn was funny and hardworking and looking forward to marrying his sweet fiancé, Emily.
But as she delves into Karn’s past, Kate begins to hear whispers about a dark side. What if Aden Karn wasn’t the wholesome young man everyone admired? Is it possible the rumors are a cruel campaign to blame the victim? Kate pursues every lead with a vengeance, sensing an unspeakable secret no one will broach.
Book 15 in the Kate Burkholder series. Did not disappoint.

 

[cayennews]

#38 The Christmas Stranger by Richard Paul Evans. I love all of his books. Another terrific story.

 

[bobbiwoz]

27/32 - The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews

Description:
"When newly-divorced Ivy Perkins buys an old farmhouse sight unseen, she is definitely looking for a change in her life. The Four Roses, as the farmhouse is called, is a labor of love—but Ivy didn't bargain on just how much labor. The previous family left so much furniture and so much junk, that it's a full-time job sorting through all of it.

At the top of a closet, Ivy finds an old Santa suit—beautifully made and decades old. In the pocket of a suit she finds a note written in a childish hand: it's from a little girl who has one Christmas wish, and that is for her father to return home from the war. This discovery sets Ivy off on a mission. Who wrote the note? Did the man ever come home? What mysteries did the Rose family hold?

Ivy's quest brings her into the community, at a time when all she wanted to do was be left alone and nurse her wounds. But the magic of Christmas makes miracles happen, and Ivy just might find more than she ever thought possible: a welcoming town, a family reunited, a mystery solved, and a second chance at love."

This was a pretty cute story. It's basically a Hallmark Christmas movie in book form.

58/70
You described it perfectly, and I really enjoyed it. Thanks for mentioning it! 4/5

 

[cayennews]

#39 The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose. Good overall. I was able to guess who did it thought. Also a bit long-winded.

 

[bobbiwoz]

#38 The Christmas Stranger by Richard Paul Evans. I love all of his books. Another terrific story.

I think I have forgotten about this author, but I looked him up and found “The Noel Diary” by Richard Paul Evans, and I really enjoyed it!
59/70, 4.5/5

 

[Simba's Mom]

#50/56-"The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau" by Kristin Harmel, 5 stars. Definitely one of the best books I've read for 2025. And the theme had a similarity to Disney's "Robin Hood" which helped its appeal to a Disney lover. Extremely thought-provoking. There was a little much coincidence right at the end, but by then I just couldn't give it less than 5 stars.

 

[OKW8297]

31/30 Inheritance by Nora Roberts. A woman inherits a huge haunted Victorian manor with a storied past. This is the first in her trilogy and I really enjoyed it. Will definitely read the next one.

 

[Lumpy1106]

21/20 - Rebecca Yarros, "The Things We Leave Unfinished", 4/5 stars - A woman hires a ghost writer to finish a book that was started by her grandmother. It's a little too "Harlequin Romance" in parts but finishes strong with some nice plot twists

22/20 - Jake Tapper, "Original Sin, President Biden's Decline, It's Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again", 5/5 stars. Kinda says it all. If you look this one up on Goodreads the reviews reflect the very polarized national political opinion - which IMHO, misses the point. I thought this was well done. Pre-final-debate a lot of the sources are confidential, after-final-debate they are not which I found fascinating.

 

[Wood Nymph]

A Time to Kill - by John Grisham - 3/5

I didn't know that this was his first book until I was close to the end of it. That explains why it was so hard to get into for the half of the book. It could have used a lot of editing to get it moving along. The last section of the book was good, though.

The life of a ten-year-old girl is shattered by two drunken and remorseless young men. The mostly white town reacts with shock and horror at the inhuman crime. Until her black father acquires an assault rifle and takes matters into his hands. For ten days, as burning crosses and the crack of sniper fire spread through the streets of Clanton, the nation sits spellbound as young defense attorney Jake Brigance struggles to save his client's life... and then his own.

 

[Lumpy1106]

23/20 - John Green, "Everything is Tuberculosis" 4/5 stars. This was an interesting read. The history of Tuberculosis with a look forward to a couple of possible futures. If you are in a more wealthy country you can be forgiven for thinking this disease has been eradicated - it has not.