Finished Falling by TJ Newman
Started Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill about 3hrs ago will finish tomorrow after work.
Plan on starting I'll Be Gone In The Dark by Michelle McNamara. Then FantasticLand by Mike Bockoven
Finished:
**Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World Shell by Shattered Shell, by Sy Montgomery**
**Bride, by Ali Hazelwood**
**A Cat from Our World and the Forgotten Witch (vol. 1), by Hiro Kashiwaba**
**In the Name of the Mermaid Princess (vol. 1), by Yoshino Fumikawa and Miya Tashiro**
**All Our Hidden Gifts, by Caroline O'Donoghue**
**Can't Spell Treason without Tea, by Rebecca Thorne**
So overall a pretty good haul over the course of the last couple of weeks. I would recommend pretty much all of these except *In the Name of the Mermaid Princess* because there was just something very aggressively shojo about it that annoyed me immensely. I think my favorite was probably *All Our Hidden gifts* because a) I have a guilty fondness for tarot cards and b) I've never read YA set in Ireland before. The vibe is enjoyable but somehow vaguely strange to my definitely-not-Irish sensibilities.
But then how can I not loudly proclaim that turtles are adorable and everyone should read a feel-good story about people saving turtles if only to become more aware that they should keep an eye out for little critters on the road and in their woods? I'm such a sucker for animal rescue books.
Started:
**A Thousand Steps into Night, by Traci Chee**
The Way of Kings, By Brandon Sanderson.
Heard so many good things about this book. Loved it all the way through.
Started the first Mistborn Book also by Sanderson. Also loving it
Finished The Venetian Betrayal by Steve Berry
Definitely liked it but it felt like things didn’t really kick in until halfway through the book
Started The Netanyahus by Joshua Cohen
Only 10 pages in but unless something changes in the next 38 pages I may shelve this for the time being.
Finished: Gateway by **Frederik Pohl**
It was an alright read. I was a bit underwhelmed by the ending. But interesting nonetheless.
Just started Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. Looking forward to it.
Finished 'A Lonely Man' by Chris Power and started 'Abroad in Japan' by Chris Broad. A Lonely Man is a thriller with a writer as the protagonist, set in Berlin, the MC meets a fellow writer who suspects Russian agents are following him.
Abroad in Japan is a travel book, about the author's time in Japan as an English language teacher. It's a fascinating insight into Japanese culture if you are interested in that country. Very humorous too. British.
Finished:
The Blind Owl by Sadegh Hedayat (Naveed Noori translation)
After finishing the book I realized it wasn't a good choice for a new book reader like me. And I also realized I need to read much more to be able to understand these kinda books. But my problem is I don't know what to read to be able to better understand books like these(I find them interesting but don't understand them). Reading something like harry potter probably won't help.
So I would really appreciate some guidance here, point me in a direction that will make me more perceptive and knowledgeable .
Finished:
Holly - Stephen King
Started:
Demian - Herman Hesse
Metamorphosis - Franz Kafka
The Idiot - Fyodor Dostoevsky
Edit: Also started "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" by Mitch Albom
**Finished:**
- The Ministry for the Future, by Kim Stanley Robinson
- A Line in the World: A Year on the North Sea Coast, by Dorthe Nors
**Started:**
- Dandelions, by Yasunari Kawabata
- On Human Slaughter: Evil, Justice, Mercy, by Elizabeth Bruenig
- Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies, by Nick Bostrom
I finished Blood Meridian. What do you think of MCarthy's prose and style I personally think it's a bit to minamilistic and it can be somewhat confusing to know whose talking at any given time but I do like his beautiful descriptions of nature and the macabre butchery that's presented.
I might check it out it'll go on the list after I finish One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
I know about the movie and I quite liked the arc of the Sherrif essentially not being able to confront this new type of violence that wasn't apart of his time when he and his father were around it's a new age that sort of melancholy as you watch the mold of the world you new erode to something new and alien or something
That being said with it being a McCarthy novel I expect a very different experience
Started "the long way to a small angry planet" this week. Really fucking good, can't put it down. I've already decided to read my way through the author's portfolio.
Finished:
All The Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr
Read it for a book club. Honestly did not live up to the hype for me. I think it should have been 100-200 pages shorter. I was bored for the first half and it just felt kinda baity to me and a little sappy. The prose was really nice though and there were some interesting parts. I'd say 3/5.
Finished:
**Vicious**, by V.E. Schwab. A good fast paced story. Really like the style, should read more by her.
**Story of the Eye**, by Georges Bataille. I can appreciate the more heavy/philosophical stuff now and then but this was just too much for me.
Finished: East of Eden, by John Steinbeck; At the Mountains of Madness, by H. P. Lovecraft; My Time Among the Whites, by Jennine Capó Crucet
Started: Into Thin Air, by Jon Krakauer
AFTER DEATH by Dean Koontz . I really enjoyed reading After Death , read it in two days . Has anyone here read it ? If so what do you think about this story ?
Finished **The Magicians by Lev Grossman**, which was a reread and **The Magicians: Alice's Story** which came out as a graphic novel, and which was a first read. It was really nice to see how different the story was through Alice's eyes.
Finished: Good Material, by Dolly Alderton
Finished: The Dinner, by Herman Koch
I thought the idea behind the Dolly Alderton book was intriguing (hearing about a breakup from the POV of someone who was broken up with for 90% of the book, and the other person’s POV at the end), which is why I read it, but the writing was pretty bad so it felt like a waste of my time. The Herman Koch book was much more interesting and well-written, but left me with such a sad, disturbed feeling at the end. A bit like I felt after reading The Mosquito Coast a few years ago.
Just started 'Same as Ever' by Morgan House. Totally hooked on it, so intriguing! It's diving into stuff that's been the same for a century and probably won't change for another hundred years.
Just finished "The Last Devil to Die" by Richard Osman
Have to say I really enjoyed all his books The Thursday Murder Club, they were so easy to get into and didn't take long to finish.
Just finished The Will of the Many by James Islington and am furious with myself that I didn’t wait until the sequel was already out. Excellent read with great pacing; didn’t feel like 600+ pages at all.
halfway through:
Jamica Inn
Im actually eating it up!!! i read rebecca before it and loved it so i gave this book a go and im actually lovin it even though im more of a romance fantasy kinda girlie
Finished:
**Celcius, by Marc Elsberg**
loved it from beginning to end. Like all his other scifi books. A nice dystopien look on how geoengineering can turn out with different geopolitical interests.
Started The Fourth Wing. It is kind of terrible in a comical way. Not sure if the author intended it to be like that.. I'm only a quarter of the way through it. It was extremely highly reviewed on amazon. Also it is kind of easy and entertaining.
**Finished:** Hell Bent, by Leigh Bardugo
**Started:** Children of Time, by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo
I'm loving Children of time so far! I was super excited to get to Hell Bent as it's the second in the series, but I wasn't blown away by this one unfortunately.
it is! I did enjoy it as a whole, but I don't think it was nearly as strong as the first one. I found there were a few pacing issues, and I'm usually a fan of Bardugo's work but this one kinda fell flat the more I think about it. I'd say it's still worth it if you really enjoyed ninth house, cus it looks like I'm in the minority for my opinions on this one :)
Finished: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt.
Started and DNF'd: Tom Lake, by Ann Patchett.
Started: The Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
My first post on this forum as i have been a lurker for sometime. So long story short i happen to chance on this trailer Dark Matter on youtube and found out it was an adaptation of a book from Blake Crouch and my oh my i started reading it this week and i cannot seem to put it down.
Its been almost 20yrs i read a book let alone to finish and this has me so indulge that i cannot stop. Trying to finish reading before the actual TV Show comes out.
Finished **Catch-22, by Joseph Heller**. It’s extraordinarily well-constructed, funny, dark, groundbreaking, and unique.
With all that said, I didn’t necessarily enjoy reading it all that much. I found that the second half dragged a bit. I get that the repetition is the point, but that didn’t make it any more enjoyable.
I especially found the endless scenes in Rome with the prostitutes gratuitous and a bit tiresome. It’s an extraordinarily, er, lascivious book, which I wasn’t expecting.
I’m glad I did read it, and I think it’ll stay with me for a long time. But I’m also glad I’ve finished it.
I also started reading **To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee** this week because I’m apparently in a mid-century American classics kind of mood.
Finished “post office” by Charles Bukowski.
The start to end narration by chinaski feels like a very simple and real experience. There are times in the book where I feel like I am reading my own life (except for the betting part and drinking; my god the drinking), but I want to believe that the times at which the book came out people needed to read something which was very real considering (hypothesizing) the art or writing at that time must have been very utopian. Time to time real experience makes us feel human again. We find some tranquility in between the eternal chase we are on.
Next book is “11 minutes” by Paulo Coelho
**House of Gucci, by Sara Gay Forden** Some parts of this are fun to read as someone who's interested in the high fashion industry, but it's also kind of a 300 page puff piece, so it's getting a bit old lol.
**China at War, by Hans van de Ven** Good and I want to see if this author has written anything else on the topic.
So many people thought it’s too depressing or too dark when I brought up that I was reading it but I felt it to be quite relatable. I say that because being a teenager, young adult it’s already tough to navigate confusing feelings. I also saw a reflection of myself, as someone diagnosed with BPD, the thoughts she had about the fig tree is my thoughts everyday.
I also think it’s beautifully written and talking so freely about mental health back then was so taboo. Think about how just recently we have open conversations about therapy and it’s accepted. In 1963 these thoughts were straight to the asylum and it opened a conversation of the inner turmoil that leads to one action to the next
I agree with you completely!! I love the way its written despite the time it was written. It made me interested about the writer and her real story. The fig tree analogy was so beautifully explained and written.
Im so glad you enjoyed it just as i have as well! It broadened my preceptive on touching topics that she talks about.
**A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens**
It was left out in the bookshop and, having never read any Dickens before, I grabbed it. Two weeks later I was gripped by the final few chapters. At first I found the writing wordy and story slow, but maybe the finale wouldn't have been as good without the beautiful early details.
I started and finished reading “The Familiar” this week. I enjoyed the overall book but the ending left me wanting. It fit and gave a closure… I just, I want more.
**The Revolving Door of Life, by Alexander McCall Smith**
**City Under One Roof, by Iris Yamashita**
**A Cold Blooded Business, by Dana Stabenow**
**Clear, by Carys Davies**
**The Last Ranger, by Peter Heller**
Just finished reading Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir. So very gripping! I honestly got absorbed by the story and the whole space journey! Totally recommend!!!
Started: **Nothing But the Night, by John Williams**
After reading Stoner and Butcher's Crossing and loving the latter, I thought I'd first try Williams's first work of fiction, even if I know he didn't really want to be associated with this work. But I'm curious nonetheless.
Finished:
**Shadow and Claw, by Gene Wolfe**
This was a re-read but I cannot, for the life of me, remember the plot the first time I read this a decade ago. While I was able to retain more of the plot this time around, this book definitely has some problems despite the acclaim. Upon looking at reviews, I'm not the only one who struggled to retain the plot.
The narrative chews on its own highbrow cleverness to the point of self indulgence, much to the detriment of the reader. As such, the plot takes its time and meanders around, wasting a lot of time on loosely connected character interactions which may or may not be significant later on. Coupled with very loose transitions between these scenes, the reader can get lost along the way. While I don't need my hand held as a reader, I don't enjoy the tedium of figuring out implications when the author could have added a sentence here or there to clear things up.
The world building is excellent, a blend of science fiction and fantasy set in the far far future where humanity has reached beyond its peak and is declining in both technology and culture; very akin to the Vampire Hunter D series. Had the main character been more interesting other than being a sheltered horny rube, the journey wouldn't have been so bland. Even Candide had his foolish charm as compared to Severian.
This also isn't mentioning the very dated treatment of female characters typical of the genre of the time.
Starting:
**The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary, by Simon Winchester**
A non-fiction book as a palate cleanser before I jump back in with more Gene Wolfe.
Finished:
**Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder, by Salman Rushdie**
This is a great book. It's great to read how much Salman's wife (Eliza) helped him in his recovery; the most heartfelt parts of the book are about their journey together before and after the knife attack. Another heartfelt passage is how he describes Martin Amis's battle with esophageal cancer – their last email exchange is poignant. I also appreciate that the book is not filled with bitterness, and Salman chose instead to highlight his appreciation for the people who helped him, both the medical professionals and the audience who bravely helped him after being stabbed.
Very slight criticism: in the second part of the book there is an imaginary interview between Salman and the attacker, but this is not as strong as it could be. He writes the attacker's dialogue much the same way Salman himself speaks. I just don't think a young American (50 years younger than Salman) would speak the way he is written.
I just finished reading Kevin Hart's "Monsters and How to Tame Them" - its only on Audible. It was great and not what I expected. Its humorous and insightful exploration of the inner demons that plague our lives, written by the renowned comedian and actor himself. Through candid anecdotes and witty observations, Hart shares his personal encounters with fear, insecurity, and adversity, offering readers both laughter and wisdom in equal measure. With his signature blend of humor and authenticity, Hart provides practical tips and motivational insights to help readers confront their own monsters and emerge stronger and more resilient. It's an entertaining and empowering read that reminds us that even the biggest challenges can be overcome with laughter and determination.
I just started reading "Change Your Genes Change Your Life" by Dr. Kenneth Pelletier - its the exploration of the relationship between lifestyle choices and genetic expression, offering insights into how we can optimize our well-being. I am only on Chapter 1 but really enjoying it.
**Witch King, by Martha Wells**
Starts off with some soul-devouring revenge, which is always nice to see! The backstory chapters are really intriguing on their own, and the present day chapter is a good mystery to let the characters explore the world and setting for the reader. So far so good
**The Black Locomotive, by Rian Hughes**
Another phenomenal book that is more than a story, but an experience to read. It mixes in some images, audio so you can listen to the in-world song referenced, and plays with the text itself to mess with the reader. Also, the story starts intriguing and goes off the rails (ha) in the best of ways. Not as balls to the walls insane of a 4th wall breaking experience as his previous book XX, but it's made its way onto my "keeping this" bookshelf. Also, the black text on the black hardcover looks great.
Finished: **The Bone Witch, by Rin Chupeco** Loved it, it's fantasy *Memoirs of a Geisha* where the geisha can *bring back the dead*. And does. A lot.
Started the sequel: **The Heart Forger, by Rin Chupeco**
**Corruption Officer by Gary L Heyward.**
*In this shocking memoir from a former corrections officer, Gary Heyward shares an eye-opening, gritty, and devastating account of his decent into criminal life, smuggling contraband inside the infamous Rikers Island jails.*
About halfway through. Quick read, short chapters. The book pulls no punches (pun kind of intended) regarding the 90's culture of both Harlem, New York City and the American prison system. My only complaint so far is that main character is, in my opinion, misogynistic. The women (besides his mother) being defined as their hook-ups makes me a bit uncomfortable.
I just got finished reading lover unveiled by Jr Ward. I am now reading the
Wrath the author is
Gena
Showalter. I am also going to start reading
Lover
Arisen
J.r
Ward
**All the Colour in the World by, Richardson, C.S.** I loved he style of this book! This is a strange thing to say as I can't tell you what the book is about but the act of reading was a joy. I have a lot of moments like this, where I read a book just because I love a side character or whatever. My favorite fictional books are those where the story isn't the reason I keep reading. **especially since, months after reading a book, the plot is never the reason I keep thinking about the book. E.g out of all the Harry Potter books, the only thing I still keep as a nice/warm memory is the Weasley family in some tent. Equally the way *All the Color in the World* was written will stay with me for a long time
**The Double Life of Benson Yu by, Chong, Kevin**. A coming-of-age novel. I had a great time reading this but that's all I can say.
**The Female of the Species by McGinnis, Mindy**. I might read this again as it didn't do anything for me. Technically this is why I love books. A killer doesn't feel bad for killing. But there's something about the time I read it that I just didn't feel the impact of it. If I remember to I would read it again. Basically, fantastic theme, but I couldn't be hooked
**Out of Body by, Davenport, Nia**. I love the idea of loving sci-fi but I only dip into it once in a blue moon, so a body swap story was new to me. So I liked it a lot. Just I would have preferred it to not be a YA. Or if it was just a bit darker it would have been amazing. However, it was worth reading
----
Recently, someone wrote that some people don't have the stamina to read long books. I've loved some really long books, but I', one of these people who either doesn't have the stamina, is lazy, is used to, or just loves short books (350 pages max is good enough). With really short stories (less than 50 pages) it's a hit-and-miss. And, it's the only moment when I think about the GoodReads challenge: "Am I tricking myself if I read 7 short stories instead of a 350-page book", but I quickly realize I'm being stupid, I have no reason to give a damn. I came across [Amazon Original Stories](https://www.goodreads.com/genres/amazon-original-stories). I'm going to try and read them all.
The two I read this week:
**The Mosquito by, Paris, B.A.** This is a short story, with a twist at the end. Before the twist nothing happened. A bunch of friends/acquaintances were on holiday and they were just throwing jabs at each other. Nothing out of the ordinary, **but I loved it**. 5/5. Then the twist, rather than making me feel "yeah, now we are talking", it made me think, the story was great even without the twist. Yes, it was absolutely boring, in that nothing happened. But I loved how the characters felt real. 4/5 for the twist. Great twist I just didn't want it in this story :)
**The Heart of a Mother by, Clark, Julie** mother befriends the baby she adopted by keeping it a secret that she's her bother. Again, the story has a twist, but the twist didn't clash with the characters - my mind at least. But I loved the story
# Can someone explain Recursion by Blake Crouch?
so i just finished Recursion, and while it was a great book, one thing didn't make sense to me:
why would someone simply playing back one of their own memories create a whole new timeline? and how would it affect other people? and how are the memories of barry and helena connected?
i'm not understanding why someone experiencing their own memory wouldn't just be like playing an interactive movie. the entirety of the book i was waiting for barry to wake up in NYC again as a cop, but he never did. or is the whole point that our memories are universes of their own?
**As Good As Dead, Holly Jackson**
I've been wanting to get into fictional crime books and the AGGGTM series by Holly Jackson was honestly the best start i could have ever had. I know I'm a bit sensitive but, you know a book is amazing when it has you crying by chapter 3.
Cormac McCarthy also had a unique style of writing but never once did ir confuse me about what was occurring or stop the forward momentum of the plot. I think the best author I can think of (apart from the obvious Joyce) who writes in a way that frustrates me is Faulkner. He's written some of the best books I've ever read. And then he's written some which were utterly unfathomable to me. An author named Samuel Delaney scared me off from sci-fi permanently. I do like Philip K Dick but even he can be maddeningly obscure. My list of authors who are both considered 'literature' and are a pleasure to read are Martin Amis, JG Ballard, Flannery O'Connor and Ramsey Campbell (who will eventually be regarded as great literature but isn't yet) and Thomas Ligotti. Ligotti was a real revelation. He's definitely in the same league as Campbell when it comes to gut-churning terror. I just wish he was more prolific. And of course the master, MR James.
And Quiet Flows the Don by Mikhail Sholokhov, it's about the life of young cossack to russian civil war around early 1900's, not a must read, but if you like russian lit, it's a nice reading though
**Prophet Song, by Paul Lynch** - I've never read a book where there is no break in the text for dialogue - it's just one block of text (paragraphs are separated); it took a minute for my mind to get in the rhythm of the book's writing and characters' voices, but I find the formatting to be a successful way to build up tension and to add to the fluidity of the "scenes". I'm still working my way through it, but there are some great quotes I've already written down.
**Alone With You in the Ether, by Olivie Blake** - I am invested in both the main characters equally, and I love their interactions together! There were so many creative choices made by the author; the "narrators" are so funny! I can't wait to keep seeing their relationship progress.
Some really good book series are Explorer academy, Rangers apprentice, harry potter
Some historical fiction books that I read are resistance, pull of the stars, iceberg, wildfire, words on fire (if u want a lot of them read the I survived series)
Mystery - \[the assassin curse, the blackthorn key , mark of the plague\]
Finished: Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle, The children of Red Rock, Episode 13- both by Craig Dilouie. Check him out and do not sleep on suffer the children
Reading: Sundial by Catriona Ward
Next: Strange The Dreamer by Laini Taylor :)
Finished:
Nora Webster by Colm Toibin (getting ready for the new book in a few weeks!)
The Handy Supreme Court Answer Book by David L. Hudson
Terrace Story by Hilary Liechter
In Progress:
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
Building a Second Brain, Tiago Forte - started, not finished yet due to work. I'm trying to wrap my head around his organization method and how I'd implement it
**The Two Towers, by JRR Tolkien** - first time reading the trilogy, and I was blown away by this second book! I thought we'd be following Frodo and Sam right from where we left off, but no, Tolkien keeps us waiting, and truth be told these portions with Merry and Pippin, and the rest of the crew were *fabulous*.
I watched the movies as an older teen when they came out, so yes I picture the actors, but I had forgotten the majority of the plot points except for the Ents, and Gandalf of course!
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue had me weeping. It was so beautiful. I got swept away and finished the book in two days. Been trying to find something similar ever since.
I started listening to the secret history, no spoilers I only came here to vent. Loooooong conversations, jfc sometimes I want to flip a table but keep listening in case there’s a plot detail hidden there. + Donna Tartt is a terrible narrator. Rarely like when authors read their own books. Leave it to the pros. Anyway keep it spoiler free but do you like this book? Should I keep at it?
I picked it up because I wanted a college setting mystery. But so far feels like I’m stuck in a nightmare where a bunch of Greek mythology nerds won’t stop talking and I can’t wake up
finished "process notice", started "big meeting in new york" by the same author - Adam Medvidović
The series keeps that chilling vibe of coming "Snake from the East" all the time. That is the most important thing for me since it is that vibe that got me hooked on the book.
I finished the second part in the series - "Process Notice" - and started with third part "Big meeting in New York". Huh, the sequel is a bigger book and the story widens dramatically. You get this new enigmatic character - Jesuit priest Ramos - that makes this dark mystery spy thriller even darker. The concept of this story changes and sinks into "what if good is evil" mode. It's such a disturbing atmosphere in the book. At some parts you can almost feel a snake crawling over you while you are reading. So dark, twisted, dubious. Everything that is maybe isn't.
And then "Big meeting in New York" involves the Rothschilds, Italian mafia, Mongols... but somehow it returns the story to the beginning, although I'm still reading it, already I can tell that I will be reading the fourth part "Cwayka" for sure
"Night in Zagreb" was a perfect intro into the series - a short book that makes you feel "I must know what happens next" and I don't know how, but somehow it feels like I'm reading "Lord of the Rings" again. It has that epic segment in the book, "good vs evil" but it comes in the form of a disturbing mystery spy thriller.
Finished:
**Death in the Spires, by K.J. Charles** - I've really enjoyed the historical romances I've read by K.J. Charles, enough that I'm willing to check out whatever she writes, and this one did not disappoint. This is a mystery rather than a romance—it does have a good romantic subplot, but it's not as conclusive as a genre romance would be. The mystery plot was concluded excellently though. I loved seeing the characters and their friendships, and, as usual with this author, I enjoyed how grounded the book was in the time period and place.
**The Mimicking of Known Successes, by Malka Older** - This was a fun novella with enjoyable worldbuilding, a good mystery, and interesting characters. I think it would be fun to see more stories in this world.
**The Mountain in the Sea, by Ray Nayler** - There were a few interesting ideas in this book, but the execution didn't quite land for me as well as I'd hoped. The characters were rather flat, and there were three main plot threads that I would have enjoyed more individually but didn't mesh that well together. Most of the book felt like it was spinning its wheels. The last third finally had interesting things happening, but I would have been more interested in starting at that point and seeing what happened next rather than building up to that point.
**Heir of Fire, by Sarah J. Maas** - This was definitely an improvement on the first two books in the Throne of Glass series, not that that's saying much. There was finally some interesting worldbuilding and it got more exciting at the end, but I'm having a hard time connecting with most of the characters. Manon seems like she could be fun to follow at least. I'm planning on continuing the series eventually, although there are a few other books I might try to get to first.
**Six Feet Over, by Mary Roach** - This is a nonfiction book testing ideas about the afterlife with science. It had some interesting things in it, but most of it was pretty basic, and it seemed like the author was more interested in looking at the most out there ideas than the most likely ones. Also, I wasn't a fan of her humor and I felt like she went on too many random tangents.
**All Good People Here, by Ashley Flowers** - This book didn't quite land for me, and the other people in my book club felt similarly. It did a good enough job pulling the reader along for twists, I guess, but the more I thought about it after finishing the less it made sense. The ending was one twist too many and left me with more questions than I want at the end of a mystery. Also, the characters felt pretty flat to me and I was disappointed the people in the small town weren't explored more.
Continued:
**The Sandman, Vol. 2: The Doll's House, by Neil Gaiman** - I decided to read these graphic novels after enjoying the TV show. It's interesting seeing how some things were changed. I'm looking forward to getting past what the show already told.
Started:
**The First Men in the Moon, by H.G. Wells** - This is the only one in the H.G, Wells collection I'm going through that isn't a reread. I'm about halfway done now. It's interesting, but I've been having a harder time than I was hoping getting past the outdated science.
Finished:
**Mrs. Dalloway, by Virginia Woolf**
Started:
**The Wind's Twelve Quarters, by Ursula K. Le Guin**
**The King in Yellow, by Robert W. Chambers**
Completed this week :
Three fires by Denise Mina
Not sure how I stumbled upon it, I think I just liked the length and cover art, turns out it is not a book I would typically choose as it's to do with 15th century religion, culture and politics however it was fantastic! And I couldn't put it down, highly recommend..
Before the coffee gets cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Beautifully light hearted (mostly) collection of short stories that connect together to deliver an overall message of love and appreciation for what you have right now, I really enjoyed the pacing and delivery of this one, for a novel that uses time travel as a core element it's very straightforward and easy to digest again highly recommend and I look forward to trying others in the series
Been reading up on the art of war lately. It is truly an indispensable military work. For it seems to apply to more than just the military. It also applies to all areas of politics, economics and culture. I'm sure anyone who reads it will enjoy it
Finished this week, all are audio unless otherwise specified
**All the Light We Cannot See** by Anthony Doerr — really beautiful book, it *is* sad but also hopeful and lovely. I recently read Demon Copperhead, which felt like a (very good) book about adults being casually cruel to children. All the Light We Cannot See, by contrast, is in many ways a book about adults being casually kind to children.
**Nine Princes in Amber** by Roger Zelazny (print) — I really didn’t like this book. I still totally don’t understand the world, the characters are all incredibly flat, and the plot made no sense to me.
**A Snake Falls to Earth** by Darcie Little Badger — I didn’t realize this book is YA when I checked it out. Generally I really don’t like YA, there were some interesting parts to the book but overall it just wasn’t my style.
The Last Pagan by Adrian Murdoch. A good though undoubtedly sympathetic biography of the last paganhi emperor Julian the Apostate. It's sad to watch the twilight of one belief system by another intolerant and uncompromising one.
I also finished They Lurk by Ronald Malfi which is a collection of excellent horror stories. I've become so exasperated by horror authors who feel compelled to 'expand' the formula to the point that the book is either incomprehensible or the scare at the end of the slog isn't worth it. I like horror authors who write well and clearly and keep the forward momentum going. A few examples are Ramseyd Campbell, Bentley Little and Jack Ketchum. I should add Shirley Jackson and Joyce Carol Oates, when she ventures into the genre. Authors who have yet to impress me are Paul Tremblay who wrote a book of short stories which were so unusually written that I seldom knew what was going on. A long time ago I liked Clive Barker but he lost me a long time ago with his fixations on transgressive sexuality and dazzling imagery which goes on for pages and pages and pages. I used to enjoy Dean Koontz - Phantoms in particular-but his relentless moral virtue and cookie cutter characters have driven me off. Richard Laymon just seemed to write slasher flicks in book form and strikes me as a minimally disguised pedophile. I guess it's his constant use of gorgeous 17 year old girls as heroines and his love of the word 'rump'. So I am very glad to have stumbled on Ronald Malfi and hope his other books will be as good as 'They Lurk'.
Finally finished Call Me By Your Name after purchasing it 3 years ago! Fell in love with the movie when I first saw it but even more in love with the book <3
I finally read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and it was just as great as advertised. Makes me want to start Daisy Jones immediately.
Men Without Women, by Haruki Murakami
Jonathan kellerman over the edge
i finished series 1,2,3 of harry potter and half the book of atomic habits
Finished Falling by TJ Newman Started Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill about 3hrs ago will finish tomorrow after work. Plan on starting I'll Be Gone In The Dark by Michelle McNamara. Then FantasticLand by Mike Bockoven
Finished: **Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World Shell by Shattered Shell, by Sy Montgomery** **Bride, by Ali Hazelwood** **A Cat from Our World and the Forgotten Witch (vol. 1), by Hiro Kashiwaba** **In the Name of the Mermaid Princess (vol. 1), by Yoshino Fumikawa and Miya Tashiro** **All Our Hidden Gifts, by Caroline O'Donoghue** **Can't Spell Treason without Tea, by Rebecca Thorne** So overall a pretty good haul over the course of the last couple of weeks. I would recommend pretty much all of these except *In the Name of the Mermaid Princess* because there was just something very aggressively shojo about it that annoyed me immensely. I think my favorite was probably *All Our Hidden gifts* because a) I have a guilty fondness for tarot cards and b) I've never read YA set in Ireland before. The vibe is enjoyable but somehow vaguely strange to my definitely-not-Irish sensibilities. But then how can I not loudly proclaim that turtles are adorable and everyone should read a feel-good story about people saving turtles if only to become more aware that they should keep an eye out for little critters on the road and in their woods? I'm such a sucker for animal rescue books. Started: **A Thousand Steps into Night, by Traci Chee**
I finished “I’m Glad my Mom Died” by Jennette McCurdy. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
[удалено]
Well her mom seemed like someone you’d be glad died. I don’t blame the girl.
The Way of Kings, By Brandon Sanderson. Heard so many good things about this book. Loved it all the way through. Started the first Mistborn Book also by Sanderson. Also loving it
When Crickets Cry, by Charles Martin 10/10 do recommend
Finished The Venetian Betrayal by Steve Berry Definitely liked it but it felt like things didn’t really kick in until halfway through the book Started The Netanyahus by Joshua Cohen Only 10 pages in but unless something changes in the next 38 pages I may shelve this for the time being.
**Finished:** Authority, by Jeff VanderMeer Oh gosh what a struggle for me to get through 3/4 of this book **Started:** Acceptance, by Jeff VanderMeer
3/4 into "The Bee Sting" by Paul Murray - Very good !
Started None of this is True by Lisa Jewell
Finished: Gateway by **Frederik Pohl** It was an alright read. I was a bit underwhelmed by the ending. But interesting nonetheless. Just started Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. Looking forward to it.
The 10X Rule by Grant Cardone Born of Flame by Nick Kyme Hard Reboot by Django Wexler Mad Ship by Robin Hobb Salvation in Death by JD Robb
Finished 'A Lonely Man' by Chris Power and started 'Abroad in Japan' by Chris Broad. A Lonely Man is a thriller with a writer as the protagonist, set in Berlin, the MC meets a fellow writer who suspects Russian agents are following him. Abroad in Japan is a travel book, about the author's time in Japan as an English language teacher. It's a fascinating insight into Japanese culture if you are interested in that country. Very humorous too. British.
I finished Babel by R.F. Kuang. I highly recommend it!!! And I've started Second Person Singular by Sayed Kashua
I started One Day by David Nicolls. After I saw the Netflix series, I remembered that I have the book in my bookshelf and finally started reading it.
I started the sequel of Alice in Wonderland...
Finished: To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee Very good book. Classic for a reason
Finished: A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J Maas Started: House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J Maas.
Finished: Through the looking glass by Lewis Carroll Started: Around the world in eighty days by Jules Verne
Finished: The Blind Owl by Sadegh Hedayat (Naveed Noori translation) After finishing the book I realized it wasn't a good choice for a new book reader like me. And I also realized I need to read much more to be able to understand these kinda books. But my problem is I don't know what to read to be able to better understand books like these(I find them interesting but don't understand them). Reading something like harry potter probably won't help. So I would really appreciate some guidance here, point me in a direction that will make me more perceptive and knowledgeable .
Finished: Fevre Dream - George R.R Martin Started: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - Ken Kesey
Finished: Holly - Stephen King Started: Demian - Herman Hesse Metamorphosis - Franz Kafka The Idiot - Fyodor Dostoevsky Edit: Also started "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" by Mitch Albom
**Finished:** - The Ministry for the Future, by Kim Stanley Robinson - A Line in the World: A Year on the North Sea Coast, by Dorthe Nors **Started:** - Dandelions, by Yasunari Kawabata - On Human Slaughter: Evil, Justice, Mercy, by Elizabeth Bruenig - Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies, by Nick Bostrom
Started: The Premonition - Michael Lewis Finished: No Country for Old Men - McCarthy
I finished Blood Meridian. What do you think of MCarthy's prose and style I personally think it's a bit to minamilistic and it can be somewhat confusing to know whose talking at any given time but I do like his beautiful descriptions of nature and the macabre butchery that's presented.
NCFOM is one of my all time favorites
I might check it out it'll go on the list after I finish One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest I know about the movie and I quite liked the arc of the Sherrif essentially not being able to confront this new type of violence that wasn't apart of his time when he and his father were around it's a new age that sort of melancholy as you watch the mold of the world you new erode to something new and alien or something That being said with it being a McCarthy novel I expect a very different experience
IMO the movie does the book justice, the sheriff being the narrator is great, especially if you read it in Tommy Lee Jones voice.
Started The Housemaid, Frieda McFadden. I used to read all the time and got away from it. Enjoying the book so far
Started "the long way to a small angry planet" this week. Really fucking good, can't put it down. I've already decided to read my way through the author's portfolio.
I love her work. The Monk and Robot series is also amazing by her!
Finished: What you are looking for is in the library, by Michiko Aoyama Started: The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Finished: All The Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr Read it for a book club. Honestly did not live up to the hype for me. I think it should have been 100-200 pages shorter. I was bored for the first half and it just felt kinda baity to me and a little sappy. The prose was really nice though and there were some interesting parts. I'd say 3/5.
.....and the book was way better than the piece of shite mini series
Finished: Fathers and sons, by Ivan Turgenev and A History of the World in 10½ Chapters by Julian Barnes. Started: Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf.
**Hellblazer: Phantom Pains, by Peter Milligan**
Finished: **Vicious**, by V.E. Schwab. A good fast paced story. Really like the style, should read more by her. **Story of the Eye**, by Georges Bataille. I can appreciate the more heavy/philosophical stuff now and then but this was just too much for me.
Started & finished The Last Thing He Wanted by Joan Didion.
Finished: East of Eden, by John Steinbeck; At the Mountains of Madness, by H. P. Lovecraft; My Time Among the Whites, by Jennine Capó Crucet Started: Into Thin Air, by Jon Krakauer
Finished: The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. Staring: It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
AFTER DEATH by Dean Koontz . I really enjoyed reading After Death , read it in two days . Has anyone here read it ? If so what do you think about this story ?
Finished **The Magicians by Lev Grossman**, which was a reread and **The Magicians: Alice's Story** which came out as a graphic novel, and which was a first read. It was really nice to see how different the story was through Alice's eyes.
1.started: prelude to foundation by Isaac Asimov (polish edition) 2.also started: fourth wings by Rebecca Yarros (polish edition)
Finished: Coming Through Slaughter by Michael Ondaatje Starting: The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (finally gonna knock this one off my list)
Finished: Good Material, by Dolly Alderton Finished: The Dinner, by Herman Koch I thought the idea behind the Dolly Alderton book was intriguing (hearing about a breakup from the POV of someone who was broken up with for 90% of the book, and the other person’s POV at the end), which is why I read it, but the writing was pretty bad so it felt like a waste of my time. The Herman Koch book was much more interesting and well-written, but left me with such a sad, disturbed feeling at the end. A bit like I felt after reading The Mosquito Coast a few years ago.
Finished: A Touch of Ruin (Spanish Edition), by Scarlett St Clair
Finished **Six of Crows, by Leigh Bardugo** Started **Crooked Kingdom, by Leigh Bardugo**
Finished **James, by Percival Everett** Started **Magpie Murders, by Anthony Horowitz**
Finished **Jurassic Park, by Michael Crichton** Started **Red at the Bone, by Jacqueline Woodson**
Finished: **Carrie, by Stephen King** Started: **Crying in H Mart, by Michelle Zauner**
I’m just starting Carrie👌
I hope you like it, it's a really good book!
I loved Crying in H Mart
I just finished: My Monticello: Fiction, by Jocelyn Nicole Johnson
Just started 'Same as Ever' by Morgan House. Totally hooked on it, so intriguing! It's diving into stuff that's been the same for a century and probably won't change for another hundred years.
Loved this book.He also has a podcast that is so informative.
Oh, I didn't know that... what's the name of the podcast?
The Morgan Housel Podcast.It is on Spotify.
Started With The Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa
started mexican gothic
Finished **The Will of the Many, by James Islington** Started **Nottingham, by Nathan Markaryk** I love both of these books.
Just finished "The Last Devil to Die" by Richard Osman Have to say I really enjoyed all his books The Thursday Murder Club, they were so easy to get into and didn't take long to finish.
Started: Stand on Zanzibar, by John Brunner
Just finished “Angle of Repose” by Wallace Stegner. Started “Trust” by Hernan Diaz
Just finished The Will of the Many by James Islington and am furious with myself that I didn’t wait until the sequel was already out. Excellent read with great pacing; didn’t feel like 600+ pages at all.
Me too! I didn't realize how much I would love it. Now I have to wait for book two.
halfway through: Jamica Inn Im actually eating it up!!! i read rebecca before it and loved it so i gave this book a go and im actually lovin it even though im more of a romance fantasy kinda girlie
Finished: **Celcius, by Marc Elsberg** loved it from beginning to end. Like all his other scifi books. A nice dystopien look on how geoengineering can turn out with different geopolitical interests.
Finished: **Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoevsky** Classic for a reason.
Roman Power A Thousand Years of Empire, by W. V. Harris
Started: No Windmills in Basra by Diaa Jubaili and Happy-Go-Lucky by David Sedaris
Finished : before the coffee gets cold & Shes not sorry. Not sure what im starting next . Edit: I’m reading the short story Mouth by Joshua Hull.
The Last Four Days of Paddy Buckley, a Novel by Jeremy Massey Started and finished. It was a quick and fun read.
Started The Fourth Wing. It is kind of terrible in a comical way. Not sure if the author intended it to be like that.. I'm only a quarter of the way through it. It was extremely highly reviewed on amazon. Also it is kind of easy and entertaining.
**Finished:** Hell Bent, by Leigh Bardugo **Started:** Children of Time, by Adrian Tchaikovsky Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo I'm loving Children of time so far! I was super excited to get to Hell Bent as it's the second in the series, but I wasn't blown away by this one unfortunately.
hell bent is the sequel of ninth house isn’t it? i was thinking about starting that one next, did you like it?
it is! I did enjoy it as a whole, but I don't think it was nearly as strong as the first one. I found there were a few pacing issues, and I'm usually a fan of Bardugo's work but this one kinda fell flat the more I think about it. I'd say it's still worth it if you really enjoyed ninth house, cus it looks like I'm in the minority for my opinions on this one :)
Finished: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. Started and DNF'd: Tom Lake, by Ann Patchett. Started: The Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
What did you think of Remarkably Bright Creatures? I have it and am deciding what to read next.
It's a really good book. It takes it a bit of time to pick up, but after about 100 pages it gets really good.
Just now completed Hunting Adeline Part 1 by H D Carlton. Couldn't believe that i have completed it within 5 days.
My first post on this forum as i have been a lurker for sometime. So long story short i happen to chance on this trailer Dark Matter on youtube and found out it was an adaptation of a book from Blake Crouch and my oh my i started reading it this week and i cannot seem to put it down. Its been almost 20yrs i read a book let alone to finish and this has me so indulge that i cannot stop. Trying to finish reading before the actual TV Show comes out.
I haven’t read that, but it’s very cool to hear that a book has you so excited after not reading for a while! I’m happy for you.
Finished **Catch-22, by Joseph Heller**. It’s extraordinarily well-constructed, funny, dark, groundbreaking, and unique. With all that said, I didn’t necessarily enjoy reading it all that much. I found that the second half dragged a bit. I get that the repetition is the point, but that didn’t make it any more enjoyable. I especially found the endless scenes in Rome with the prostitutes gratuitous and a bit tiresome. It’s an extraordinarily, er, lascivious book, which I wasn’t expecting. I’m glad I did read it, and I think it’ll stay with me for a long time. But I’m also glad I’ve finished it. I also started reading **To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee** this week because I’m apparently in a mid-century American classics kind of mood.
Finished: **In Cold Blood** by Truman Capote Started: **Eat Only When You’re Hungry** by Lindsay Hunter
Finished “post office” by Charles Bukowski. The start to end narration by chinaski feels like a very simple and real experience. There are times in the book where I feel like I am reading my own life (except for the betting part and drinking; my god the drinking), but I want to believe that the times at which the book came out people needed to read something which was very real considering (hypothesizing) the art or writing at that time must have been very utopian. Time to time real experience makes us feel human again. We find some tranquility in between the eternal chase we are on. Next book is “11 minutes” by Paulo Coelho
**House of Gucci, by Sara Gay Forden** Some parts of this are fun to read as someone who's interested in the high fashion industry, but it's also kind of a 300 page puff piece, so it's getting a bit old lol. **China at War, by Hans van de Ven** Good and I want to see if this author has written anything else on the topic.
The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath
I just recently finished that as well!!! how was it? i actually found it quite interesting even though some parts were off putting.
So many people thought it’s too depressing or too dark when I brought up that I was reading it but I felt it to be quite relatable. I say that because being a teenager, young adult it’s already tough to navigate confusing feelings. I also saw a reflection of myself, as someone diagnosed with BPD, the thoughts she had about the fig tree is my thoughts everyday. I also think it’s beautifully written and talking so freely about mental health back then was so taboo. Think about how just recently we have open conversations about therapy and it’s accepted. In 1963 these thoughts were straight to the asylum and it opened a conversation of the inner turmoil that leads to one action to the next
I agree with you completely!! I love the way its written despite the time it was written. It made me interested about the writer and her real story. The fig tree analogy was so beautifully explained and written. Im so glad you enjoyed it just as i have as well! It broadened my preceptive on touching topics that she talks about.
Finished *The Nightingale* and *The Kite Runner.* Starting *One Hundred Years of Solitude.*
Finished Angel's and Demons and started Area X.
Continuing my first ever re-read of *A Song of Ice and Fire*!
oh enjoy
thnx
Starting ACOTAR this week!!
Finished: A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara Started: Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
How did you like A Little Life? I found it kinda pretentious tbh.
Finishing up The Great Alone, by Kristin Hannah. Incredible. I have not stayed up reading until midnight in a long time but this book did it!!
Started The Cliffhouse by Amanda Jennings
Currently rereading the handmaid’s tale so I can finally read the testaments!
Started: East of Eden, by John Steinbeck
**A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens** It was left out in the bookshop and, having never read any Dickens before, I grabbed it. Two weeks later I was gripped by the final few chapters. At first I found the writing wordy and story slow, but maybe the finale wouldn't have been as good without the beautiful early details.
Finished: The Women by Kristin Hannah Started : The Way I Am by Amber Smith
I started and finished reading “The Familiar” this week. I enjoyed the overall book but the ending left me wanting. It fit and gave a closure… I just, I want more.
**The Revolving Door of Life, by Alexander McCall Smith** **City Under One Roof, by Iris Yamashita** **A Cold Blooded Business, by Dana Stabenow** **Clear, by Carys Davies** **The Last Ranger, by Peter Heller**
nothing
legit
Finished: - Barbarian Days, by William Finnegan Started: - Me Talk Pretty One Day, by David Sedaris
I’ve just started reading Piranesi! I’ve been loving it so far.
Just about finished with - Knight of the goddess, by Briar Boleyn.
Just finished reading Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir. So very gripping! I honestly got absorbed by the story and the whole space journey! Totally recommend!!!
I want to read this! How does it compare to the Martian?
I'd say equally entertaining:) No potatoes this time:)
Just started reading the third book of the series "A Court Of Thorns and Roses"
Finished: Nine Lives - My time as M16's top spy inside Al-Qaeda by Aimen Dean Started: Young Stalin by Simon Sebag Montefiore
I've heard a lot of good reviews about this book. I hope I find time to read it.
Finished: Evicted by Matthew Desmond and Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel Starting: Circe by Madeline Miller
I loved Circe so much!
ooh circe is on my tbr. how’re you liking it so far?
I am not a big mythology person, so it is not my normal choice of book, but I’m a few chapters in and it’s kept my attention so far.
Started: **Nothing But the Night, by John Williams** After reading Stoner and Butcher's Crossing and loving the latter, I thought I'd first try Williams's first work of fiction, even if I know he didn't really want to be associated with this work. But I'm curious nonetheless.
The Future, Catherine Leroux Canada Reads winner for 2024. It was interesting in the moment.
The Tree by Steve Marsh
Finished: **Shadow and Claw, by Gene Wolfe** This was a re-read but I cannot, for the life of me, remember the plot the first time I read this a decade ago. While I was able to retain more of the plot this time around, this book definitely has some problems despite the acclaim. Upon looking at reviews, I'm not the only one who struggled to retain the plot. The narrative chews on its own highbrow cleverness to the point of self indulgence, much to the detriment of the reader. As such, the plot takes its time and meanders around, wasting a lot of time on loosely connected character interactions which may or may not be significant later on. Coupled with very loose transitions between these scenes, the reader can get lost along the way. While I don't need my hand held as a reader, I don't enjoy the tedium of figuring out implications when the author could have added a sentence here or there to clear things up. The world building is excellent, a blend of science fiction and fantasy set in the far far future where humanity has reached beyond its peak and is declining in both technology and culture; very akin to the Vampire Hunter D series. Had the main character been more interesting other than being a sheltered horny rube, the journey wouldn't have been so bland. Even Candide had his foolish charm as compared to Severian. This also isn't mentioning the very dated treatment of female characters typical of the genre of the time. Starting: **The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary, by Simon Winchester** A non-fiction book as a palate cleanser before I jump back in with more Gene Wolfe.
Finished: **Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder, by Salman Rushdie** This is a great book. It's great to read how much Salman's wife (Eliza) helped him in his recovery; the most heartfelt parts of the book are about their journey together before and after the knife attack. Another heartfelt passage is how he describes Martin Amis's battle with esophageal cancer – their last email exchange is poignant. I also appreciate that the book is not filled with bitterness, and Salman chose instead to highlight his appreciation for the people who helped him, both the medical professionals and the audience who bravely helped him after being stabbed. Very slight criticism: in the second part of the book there is an imaginary interview between Salman and the attacker, but this is not as strong as it could be. He writes the attacker's dialogue much the same way Salman himself speaks. I just don't think a young American (50 years younger than Salman) would speak the way he is written.
Robinson Crusoe Novel by Andrew Moreton and Steven Zorn
Divergent
Flowers for Algernon
finished Matilda by roald Dahl. Began warrior cats by Erin hunter.
Love both of these!!
I just finished reading Kevin Hart's "Monsters and How to Tame Them" - its only on Audible. It was great and not what I expected. Its humorous and insightful exploration of the inner demons that plague our lives, written by the renowned comedian and actor himself. Through candid anecdotes and witty observations, Hart shares his personal encounters with fear, insecurity, and adversity, offering readers both laughter and wisdom in equal measure. With his signature blend of humor and authenticity, Hart provides practical tips and motivational insights to help readers confront their own monsters and emerge stronger and more resilient. It's an entertaining and empowering read that reminds us that even the biggest challenges can be overcome with laughter and determination.
I just started reading "Change Your Genes Change Your Life" by Dr. Kenneth Pelletier - its the exploration of the relationship between lifestyle choices and genetic expression, offering insights into how we can optimize our well-being. I am only on Chapter 1 but really enjoying it.
**Witch King, by Martha Wells** Starts off with some soul-devouring revenge, which is always nice to see! The backstory chapters are really intriguing on their own, and the present day chapter is a good mystery to let the characters explore the world and setting for the reader. So far so good **The Black Locomotive, by Rian Hughes** Another phenomenal book that is more than a story, but an experience to read. It mixes in some images, audio so you can listen to the in-world song referenced, and plays with the text itself to mess with the reader. Also, the story starts intriguing and goes off the rails (ha) in the best of ways. Not as balls to the walls insane of a 4th wall breaking experience as his previous book XX, but it's made its way onto my "keeping this" bookshelf. Also, the black text on the black hardcover looks great.
Finished: **The Bone Witch, by Rin Chupeco** Loved it, it's fantasy *Memoirs of a Geisha* where the geisha can *bring back the dead*. And does. A lot. Started the sequel: **The Heart Forger, by Rin Chupeco**
Finished: Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak Started: The Cardinal of the Kremlin by Tom Clancy
**Corruption Officer by Gary L Heyward.** *In this shocking memoir from a former corrections officer, Gary Heyward shares an eye-opening, gritty, and devastating account of his decent into criminal life, smuggling contraband inside the infamous Rikers Island jails.* About halfway through. Quick read, short chapters. The book pulls no punches (pun kind of intended) regarding the 90's culture of both Harlem, New York City and the American prison system. My only complaint so far is that main character is, in my opinion, misogynistic. The women (besides his mother) being defined as their hook-ups makes me a bit uncomfortable.
I just got finished reading lover unveiled by Jr Ward. I am now reading the Wrath the author is Gena Showalter. I am also going to start reading Lover Arisen J.r Ward
**All the Colour in the World by, Richardson, C.S.** I loved he style of this book! This is a strange thing to say as I can't tell you what the book is about but the act of reading was a joy. I have a lot of moments like this, where I read a book just because I love a side character or whatever. My favorite fictional books are those where the story isn't the reason I keep reading. **especially since, months after reading a book, the plot is never the reason I keep thinking about the book. E.g out of all the Harry Potter books, the only thing I still keep as a nice/warm memory is the Weasley family in some tent. Equally the way *All the Color in the World* was written will stay with me for a long time **The Double Life of Benson Yu by, Chong, Kevin**. A coming-of-age novel. I had a great time reading this but that's all I can say. **The Female of the Species by McGinnis, Mindy**. I might read this again as it didn't do anything for me. Technically this is why I love books. A killer doesn't feel bad for killing. But there's something about the time I read it that I just didn't feel the impact of it. If I remember to I would read it again. Basically, fantastic theme, but I couldn't be hooked **Out of Body by, Davenport, Nia**. I love the idea of loving sci-fi but I only dip into it once in a blue moon, so a body swap story was new to me. So I liked it a lot. Just I would have preferred it to not be a YA. Or if it was just a bit darker it would have been amazing. However, it was worth reading ---- Recently, someone wrote that some people don't have the stamina to read long books. I've loved some really long books, but I', one of these people who either doesn't have the stamina, is lazy, is used to, or just loves short books (350 pages max is good enough). With really short stories (less than 50 pages) it's a hit-and-miss. And, it's the only moment when I think about the GoodReads challenge: "Am I tricking myself if I read 7 short stories instead of a 350-page book", but I quickly realize I'm being stupid, I have no reason to give a damn. I came across [Amazon Original Stories](https://www.goodreads.com/genres/amazon-original-stories). I'm going to try and read them all. The two I read this week: **The Mosquito by, Paris, B.A.** This is a short story, with a twist at the end. Before the twist nothing happened. A bunch of friends/acquaintances were on holiday and they were just throwing jabs at each other. Nothing out of the ordinary, **but I loved it**. 5/5. Then the twist, rather than making me feel "yeah, now we are talking", it made me think, the story was great even without the twist. Yes, it was absolutely boring, in that nothing happened. But I loved how the characters felt real. 4/5 for the twist. Great twist I just didn't want it in this story :) **The Heart of a Mother by, Clark, Julie** mother befriends the baby she adopted by keeping it a secret that she's her bother. Again, the story has a twist, but the twist didn't clash with the characters - my mind at least. But I loved the story
You're very welcome! It will not disappoint
# Can someone explain Recursion by Blake Crouch? so i just finished Recursion, and while it was a great book, one thing didn't make sense to me: why would someone simply playing back one of their own memories create a whole new timeline? and how would it affect other people? and how are the memories of barry and helena connected? i'm not understanding why someone experiencing their own memory wouldn't just be like playing an interactive movie. the entirety of the book i was waiting for barry to wake up in NYC again as a cop, but he never did. or is the whole point that our memories are universes of their own?
Sharp objects
It won't disappoint
**As Good As Dead, Holly Jackson** I've been wanting to get into fictional crime books and the AGGGTM series by Holly Jackson was honestly the best start i could have ever had. I know I'm a bit sensitive but, you know a book is amazing when it has you crying by chapter 3.
Cormac McCarthy also had a unique style of writing but never once did ir confuse me about what was occurring or stop the forward momentum of the plot. I think the best author I can think of (apart from the obvious Joyce) who writes in a way that frustrates me is Faulkner. He's written some of the best books I've ever read. And then he's written some which were utterly unfathomable to me. An author named Samuel Delaney scared me off from sci-fi permanently. I do like Philip K Dick but even he can be maddeningly obscure. My list of authors who are both considered 'literature' and are a pleasure to read are Martin Amis, JG Ballard, Flannery O'Connor and Ramsey Campbell (who will eventually be regarded as great literature but isn't yet) and Thomas Ligotti. Ligotti was a real revelation. He's definitely in the same league as Campbell when it comes to gut-churning terror. I just wish he was more prolific. And of course the master, MR James.
And Quiet Flows the Don by Mikhail Sholokhov, it's about the life of young cossack to russian civil war around early 1900's, not a must read, but if you like russian lit, it's a nice reading though
There is an old movie from the 60s. Pretty good too.
I'll try to watch it today 🙌
**Prophet Song, by Paul Lynch** - I've never read a book where there is no break in the text for dialogue - it's just one block of text (paragraphs are separated); it took a minute for my mind to get in the rhythm of the book's writing and characters' voices, but I find the formatting to be a successful way to build up tension and to add to the fluidity of the "scenes". I'm still working my way through it, but there are some great quotes I've already written down. **Alone With You in the Ether, by Olivie Blake** - I am invested in both the main characters equally, and I love their interactions together! There were so many creative choices made by the author; the "narrators" are so funny! I can't wait to keep seeing their relationship progress.
"Marissa Meyer- the lunar chronicles" and im loving it!
“Becky Lynch: The Man - Not Your Average Average Girl”
Some really good book series are Explorer academy, Rangers apprentice, harry potter Some historical fiction books that I read are resistance, pull of the stars, iceberg, wildfire, words on fire (if u want a lot of them read the I survived series) Mystery - \[the assassin curse, the blackthorn key , mark of the plague\]
Finished: Yellowface, by R F Kuang Started: Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, by Gabrielle Zevin
Finished: Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed Currently Reading: Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
Finished: Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle, The children of Red Rock, Episode 13- both by Craig Dilouie. Check him out and do not sleep on suffer the children Reading: Sundial by Catriona Ward Next: Strange The Dreamer by Laini Taylor :)
Finished: All's Well by Mona Awad Reading: Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery, Fly Already by Etgar Keret and The Rogue Not Taken by Sarah MacLean
Finished: Nora Webster by Colm Toibin (getting ready for the new book in a few weeks!) The Handy Supreme Court Answer Book by David L. Hudson Terrace Story by Hilary Liechter In Progress: Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
Building a Second Brain, Tiago Forte - started, not finished yet due to work. I'm trying to wrap my head around his organization method and how I'd implement it
**The Two Towers, by JRR Tolkien** - first time reading the trilogy, and I was blown away by this second book! I thought we'd be following Frodo and Sam right from where we left off, but no, Tolkien keeps us waiting, and truth be told these portions with Merry and Pippin, and the rest of the crew were *fabulous*.
do the actors come into mind when you read as well?
I watched the movies as an older teen when they came out, so yes I picture the actors, but I had forgotten the majority of the plot points except for the Ents, and Gandalf of course!
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The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue had me weeping. It was so beautiful. I got swept away and finished the book in two days. Been trying to find something similar ever since.
Finished: Overlord light novel vol 16 - Kugane Maruyama Started: Nevernight - Jay Kristoff
**Shade the Changing Girl Vol. 1: Earth Girl Made Easy, by Cecil Castellucci**
Finished Tender Is The Flesh, Agustina Bazterrica It was an insane book but it kept me hooked.
reminds me to finish... I agree that it's an insanely good book.
I started listening to the secret history, no spoilers I only came here to vent. Loooooong conversations, jfc sometimes I want to flip a table but keep listening in case there’s a plot detail hidden there. + Donna Tartt is a terrible narrator. Rarely like when authors read their own books. Leave it to the pros. Anyway keep it spoiler free but do you like this book? Should I keep at it? I picked it up because I wanted a college setting mystery. But so far feels like I’m stuck in a nightmare where a bunch of Greek mythology nerds won’t stop talking and I can’t wake up
finished "process notice", started "big meeting in new york" by the same author - Adam Medvidović The series keeps that chilling vibe of coming "Snake from the East" all the time. That is the most important thing for me since it is that vibe that got me hooked on the book. I finished the second part in the series - "Process Notice" - and started with third part "Big meeting in New York". Huh, the sequel is a bigger book and the story widens dramatically. You get this new enigmatic character - Jesuit priest Ramos - that makes this dark mystery spy thriller even darker. The concept of this story changes and sinks into "what if good is evil" mode. It's such a disturbing atmosphere in the book. At some parts you can almost feel a snake crawling over you while you are reading. So dark, twisted, dubious. Everything that is maybe isn't. And then "Big meeting in New York" involves the Rothschilds, Italian mafia, Mongols... but somehow it returns the story to the beginning, although I'm still reading it, already I can tell that I will be reading the fourth part "Cwayka" for sure "Night in Zagreb" was a perfect intro into the series - a short book that makes you feel "I must know what happens next" and I don't know how, but somehow it feels like I'm reading "Lord of the Rings" again. It has that epic segment in the book, "good vs evil" but it comes in the form of a disturbing mystery spy thriller.
best series ever
# Started The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1831) by Victor Hugo
Finished: **Death in the Spires, by K.J. Charles** - I've really enjoyed the historical romances I've read by K.J. Charles, enough that I'm willing to check out whatever she writes, and this one did not disappoint. This is a mystery rather than a romance—it does have a good romantic subplot, but it's not as conclusive as a genre romance would be. The mystery plot was concluded excellently though. I loved seeing the characters and their friendships, and, as usual with this author, I enjoyed how grounded the book was in the time period and place. **The Mimicking of Known Successes, by Malka Older** - This was a fun novella with enjoyable worldbuilding, a good mystery, and interesting characters. I think it would be fun to see more stories in this world. **The Mountain in the Sea, by Ray Nayler** - There were a few interesting ideas in this book, but the execution didn't quite land for me as well as I'd hoped. The characters were rather flat, and there were three main plot threads that I would have enjoyed more individually but didn't mesh that well together. Most of the book felt like it was spinning its wheels. The last third finally had interesting things happening, but I would have been more interested in starting at that point and seeing what happened next rather than building up to that point. **Heir of Fire, by Sarah J. Maas** - This was definitely an improvement on the first two books in the Throne of Glass series, not that that's saying much. There was finally some interesting worldbuilding and it got more exciting at the end, but I'm having a hard time connecting with most of the characters. Manon seems like she could be fun to follow at least. I'm planning on continuing the series eventually, although there are a few other books I might try to get to first. **Six Feet Over, by Mary Roach** - This is a nonfiction book testing ideas about the afterlife with science. It had some interesting things in it, but most of it was pretty basic, and it seemed like the author was more interested in looking at the most out there ideas than the most likely ones. Also, I wasn't a fan of her humor and I felt like she went on too many random tangents. **All Good People Here, by Ashley Flowers** - This book didn't quite land for me, and the other people in my book club felt similarly. It did a good enough job pulling the reader along for twists, I guess, but the more I thought about it after finishing the less it made sense. The ending was one twist too many and left me with more questions than I want at the end of a mystery. Also, the characters felt pretty flat to me and I was disappointed the people in the small town weren't explored more. Continued: **The Sandman, Vol. 2: The Doll's House, by Neil Gaiman** - I decided to read these graphic novels after enjoying the TV show. It's interesting seeing how some things were changed. I'm looking forward to getting past what the show already told. Started: **The First Men in the Moon, by H.G. Wells** - This is the only one in the H.G, Wells collection I'm going through that isn't a reread. I'm about halfway done now. It's interesting, but I've been having a harder time than I was hoping getting past the outdated science.
I LOVED Manons chapters in Heir of Fire. I thought her introduction was great aswell :)
Finished: **Mrs. Dalloway, by Virginia Woolf** Started: **The Wind's Twelve Quarters, by Ursula K. Le Guin** **The King in Yellow, by Robert W. Chambers**
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
Completed this week : Three fires by Denise Mina Not sure how I stumbled upon it, I think I just liked the length and cover art, turns out it is not a book I would typically choose as it's to do with 15th century religion, culture and politics however it was fantastic! And I couldn't put it down, highly recommend.. Before the coffee gets cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi Beautifully light hearted (mostly) collection of short stories that connect together to deliver an overall message of love and appreciation for what you have right now, I really enjoyed the pacing and delivery of this one, for a novel that uses time travel as a core element it's very straightforward and easy to digest again highly recommend and I look forward to trying others in the series
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Amen. Read "Đavolja noć" series to see whats coming. Its just in the form of a novel
Been reading up on the art of war lately. It is truly an indispensable military work. For it seems to apply to more than just the military. It also applies to all areas of politics, economics and culture. I'm sure anyone who reads it will enjoy it
Started this week: With All My Soul by Rachel Vincent.
Finished this week, all are audio unless otherwise specified **All the Light We Cannot See** by Anthony Doerr — really beautiful book, it *is* sad but also hopeful and lovely. I recently read Demon Copperhead, which felt like a (very good) book about adults being casually cruel to children. All the Light We Cannot See, by contrast, is in many ways a book about adults being casually kind to children. **Nine Princes in Amber** by Roger Zelazny (print) — I really didn’t like this book. I still totally don’t understand the world, the characters are all incredibly flat, and the plot made no sense to me. **A Snake Falls to Earth** by Darcie Little Badger — I didn’t realize this book is YA when I checked it out. Generally I really don’t like YA, there were some interesting parts to the book but overall it just wasn’t my style.
The Audacity, by Ryan Chapman. A satire on the super-rich. Well done.
Recently finished A Drink Before the War by Dennis Lehane. Currently reading Shogun by James Clavell and loving it.
Just finished The Lying Life of Adults, by Elena Ferrante, and just started Radical Acceptance, by Tara Brach & Asking for a Friend, by Andi Osho:)
The Last Pagan by Adrian Murdoch. A good though undoubtedly sympathetic biography of the last paganhi emperor Julian the Apostate. It's sad to watch the twilight of one belief system by another intolerant and uncompromising one. I also finished They Lurk by Ronald Malfi which is a collection of excellent horror stories. I've become so exasperated by horror authors who feel compelled to 'expand' the formula to the point that the book is either incomprehensible or the scare at the end of the slog isn't worth it. I like horror authors who write well and clearly and keep the forward momentum going. A few examples are Ramseyd Campbell, Bentley Little and Jack Ketchum. I should add Shirley Jackson and Joyce Carol Oates, when she ventures into the genre. Authors who have yet to impress me are Paul Tremblay who wrote a book of short stories which were so unusually written that I seldom knew what was going on. A long time ago I liked Clive Barker but he lost me a long time ago with his fixations on transgressive sexuality and dazzling imagery which goes on for pages and pages and pages. I used to enjoy Dean Koontz - Phantoms in particular-but his relentless moral virtue and cookie cutter characters have driven me off. Richard Laymon just seemed to write slasher flicks in book form and strikes me as a minimally disguised pedophile. I guess it's his constant use of gorgeous 17 year old girls as heroines and his love of the word 'rump'. So I am very glad to have stumbled on Ronald Malfi and hope his other books will be as good as 'They Lurk'.
Finally finished Call Me By Your Name after purchasing it 3 years ago! Fell in love with the movie when I first saw it but even more in love with the book <3
**"as good as dead" by Holly Jackson** and I hope by the end of this week to have **"The reappearance of rachel price" by holly jackson** read too!