| Author |
Message |
Chieko
Member
11-20-2003
| Friday, December 08, 2023 - 7:35 am 
Has anyone read Lessons In Chemistry?. I have started it but not keeping up in this busy month. It is different and I'm really enjoying it.
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Kappy
Member
06-28-2002
| Friday, December 08, 2023 - 10:16 am
I had to give Lessons in Chemistry two tries. The first time I started it, I just wasn't getting into it. I picked it up again a few months later and really enjoyed it. I've discovered I have become quite moody in reading as I age, lol. I now give most books at least two chances for that reason.
I also read The Bullet That Missed, the 3rd in the Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman. The stories are based on a group of four seniors in a retirement village in Britain who get together to solve local cold cases to keep from being bored. One is an ex-union leader, one is ex-MI6, another is an academian and the last is simply an enjoyable person to be around. It's fluff at its finest!
The one book I've read this year that I did give 5/5 stars to was Remarkably Bright Creatures. Otherwise, I've been doing alot of fluff reading such as Patterson and Baldacci.
I'm looking for another Peter May book to read. I read his Black House trilogy long ago and loved it. Has anyone read any of his other books that you enjoyed? I know Teach listened to Extraordinary People.
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Chieko
Member
11-20-2003
| Friday, December 08, 2023 - 1:58 pm
Kappy, I will try to keep your advice in mind about giving a book a second chance. LOL and thanks for the suggestion of the series by Osman and Peter May. I've never read either author.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Saturday, December 09, 2023 - 7:20 am
Kappy - Peter May's newest, A Winter Grave, is fantastic as is A Silent Death (both stand alones). I am also enjoying his Enzo series (Extraordinary People is the first in that one).
If you enjoy May, you might also enjoy Val McDermid. Her Karen Pirie series starts with A Distant Echo and the most recent just came out last month (7 books total). LOVE them! She has a series with 1979 and 1989 so far that is also fab.
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Heckagirl631
Member
09-08-2010
| Saturday, December 09, 2023 - 5:27 pm
I finished "Educated" by Tara Westover. It was a lot different from what I was expecting. I had no idea it was a memoir, based on true life.
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Kappy
Member
06-28-2002
| Saturday, December 09, 2023 - 6:02 pm
Thank you Teach for those recommendations! I will check into Val McDermid.
It's also that time of year that I would like to thank everyone for taking the time to post what they read. There are lots of sources on the internet with reading lists but in the end, most of the best books I've read have come from seeing the titles listed here so thank you guys and Happy Holiday reading!
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Mameblanche
Member
08-24-2002
| Sunday, December 10, 2023 - 6:43 pm
Lovely post Kappy!
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Sugar
Member
08-15-2000
| Sunday, December 10, 2023 - 10:10 pm
I read Educated a couple of years ago and it still comes to my mind from time to time. I don't often read non fiction and I found this book fascinating. I've recommended it to many people.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Monday, December 11, 2023 - 4:45 pm
Educated was extremely good! The Glass Castle is a similar style memoir.
Hope you enjoy Val's books, Kappy! And I agree 1000000% The recs here fuel most of my reading list!
Updating the last couple books I've read:
I finally finished As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow. It was definitely a tough go, not because the story or writing was poor, but because it has so many similarities to the Gaza war occurring right now. The main character is a traumatized 18-year-old girl who works in a hospital - which is targeted more than once. It's about the Syrian Revolution, and it's GOOD - but wow.
I finished McDermid's Past Lying - the newest Karen Pirie book and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Currently I'm listening to both The Night Watchman and Louise Welsh's The Cutting Room. In Kindle I'm reading Love, Theoretically and Blue Genes & Star Struck (the final 2 Kate Branigan books). Both are good - and both a bit of a lighter relief from the Lemon Trees.
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Heckagirl631
Member
09-08-2010
| Tuesday, December 12, 2023 - 3:57 pm
I finished Bob Barker's memoir, "Priceless Memories." Today would've been his hundredth birthday. It was really good. Feels like he is just sitting there talking to you. Quite a few pictures in the back, too. Enjoyed it. They have been talking about him on Buzzr channel, too. And I've seen the clip from Happy Gilmore several times now. Hilarious! Bob said they offered him a stuntman for that performance but he said he wanted to do it himself. He had been taking karate with Chuck Norris.
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Chieko
Member
11-20-2003
| Friday, December 22, 2023 - 8:20 am
Another vote for Educated. I enjoyed it also and as Sugar says, it comes back to me often.
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Friday, December 22, 2023 - 4:07 pm
I also loved Educated.
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Heckagirl631
Member
09-08-2010
| Saturday, December 23, 2023 - 6:12 pm
I finally found Amor Towles, "A Gentleman in Moscow". I'm maybe halfway through, and I've got to say I'm finding it slow going. I don't see the greatness everyone else seems to. I mean it's okay. And I intend to finish it,but I don't see the fascination so far.
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Sugar
Member
08-15-2000
| Saturday, December 23, 2023 - 6:38 pm
I don't think I finished the first chapter of A Gentleman in Moscow.
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Kappy
Member
06-28-2002
| Tuesday, December 26, 2023 - 12:30 pm
Well that's good to know. Because I loved The Lincoln Highway so much, I was thinking of going back and reading A Gentleman in Moscow. Every time I read the synopsis, I'm not sure I want to. I think it would be hard to have any empathy for a wealthy person who has never worked a day in their life.
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Heckagirl631
Member
09-08-2010
| Tuesday, December 26, 2023 - 1:10 pm
I finished "A Gentleman in Moscow." Ready for something completely different now. I'll browse and decide later.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Tuesday, December 26, 2023 - 5:02 pm
Not a full catch-up but a quick shout out for Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister and The Fastest Way to Fall by Denise Williams. Both excellent - though very different.
I'm also hugely enjoying The River We Remember that I've started yesterday and am already 19 chapters in!
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Sugar
Member
08-15-2000
| Tuesday, December 26, 2023 - 6:26 pm
I liked The Lincoln Highway.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Monday, January 01, 2024 - 5:02 pm
Full end of year catchup - made it to 100 books for 2023 though I fully confess to listening to my last book at speed 1.75 instead of my usual 1.5 to get it done by midnight! LOL
On audio I finished The Night Watchman and Louise Welsh's The Cutting Room. The second one was different than what I expected, but I'm willing to read another from the same author. I also listened to Break the Glass, Lose You to Find Me, the River We Remember, and Snakehead. Enjoyed every one of them.
On Kindle I LOVED Love, Theoretically, finished Blue Genes & Star Struck (the final 2 Kate Branigan books) as well as The Fastest Way to Fall, Wrong Place Wrong Time, and Flight Risk. The last one is from a hilariously wonderful series by Cherie Priest - a psychic helps the PD to solve murder mysteries in the most unorthodox way. Enjoyed all of them as well.
Here's to more reading in 2024! Darned day job just takes too much time away from my books!
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Monday, January 01, 2024 - 7:18 pm
Happy New Year to one and all! I hope you had a nice day and an overall nice holiday season.
Alas, I've been shamefully delinquent. I had cataract surgery (both eyes: left on Aug. 16 and right on Sep. 13) as well as the insertion of stents in both to combat my glaucoma. Everything well well, fortunately.
But the event that turned my year upside down occurred on July 1st. I fell while I was out running and fractured two of the fingers of my right (dominant) hand -- the ring finger and the pinky. Thanks to the excellent hand surgeon who was on duty in the Emergency Room at Cedars-Sinai hospital, I am going to be okay. She warned me, however, that it takes ONE YEAR to get the hand back to normal, so I'm only halfway there. It's been extremely frustrating by how slowly everything moves as far as healing is concerned. My advice: do NOT ever sustain a hand injury because it is a HUGH hassle!
Now, here is a very abbreviated review log of the books I've read since my most recent visit to the clubhouse:
* "Choosing To Run" by Des Linden. Loved it!
* "Spare" by Prince Harry. Loved it!
* "The Pact" by Jodi Picoult. Liked it a lot.
* "How To Write An Autobiographical Novel" by Alexander Chee. Liked it.
* "The Writing Retreat" by Julie Bartz. Liked more of it than than I disliked about it.
* "Edinburgh" by Alexander Chee. Liked it.
* "The Couple Next Door" by Shari Lapena. Didn't like it.
* "Keeping Faith" by Jodi Picoult. Loved it!
* "Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story" by Bono. Loved it!
* "I Will Find You" by Harlan Coben. Loved it!
* "The Zone of Interest" by Martin Amis. Didn't like it.
* "I Was Better Last Night: A Memoir" by Harvey Fierstein. Loved it!
* "Plain Truth" by Jodi Picoult. Liked it very much.
* "Lessons in Chemistry" by Bonnie Garmus. Loved it!
* "Deliver Me From Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen's 'Nebraska'" by Warren Zanes. Loved it!
* "The Lie Maker" by Linwood Barclay. Loved it!
* "Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI" by David Grann. Loved it!
* "Final Girls" by Riley Sager. Liked it very much.
* "The Night She Disappeared" by Lisa Jewell. Loved it!
* "Uncle of the Year: And Other Debatable Triumphs" by Andrew Rannells. Loved it!
* "Carrie Soto is Back" by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Liked it very much.
* "Kill for Me Kill for You" by Steve Cavanagh. Loved it!
* "Down Cemetery Road" by Mick Herron. Liked it.
* "The Rewind" by Allison Winn Scotch. Liked it.
* "The Family Remains" by Lisa Jewell. Liked it very much.
* "None of This is True" by Lisa Jewell. Loved it!
* "Being Henry: The Fonz..and Beyond" by Henry Winkler. Loved it!
* "Strange Sally Diamond" by Liz Nugent. Loved it!
* "Resurrection Walk" by Michael Connelly. Loved it!
* "The Thursday Murder Club" by Richard Osman. Hated it.
* "How Can I Help You" by Laura Sims. Liked it very much.
* "An Evening of Long Goodbyes" by Paul Murray. Liked it very much.
Now that my hand is better, I should be visiting the ol' clubhouse more regularly. I'm glad all of you have kept up with your reading this past year. I hope ALL the books you read this new year are winners!
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Sugar
Member
08-15-2000
| Monday, January 01, 2024 - 7:39 pm
Uncle_ricky! I am delighted to see you back posting in the library thread. I'm sorry you're had some health issues and happy that you are recovering well. I recently realized that I haven't had a surgery in 2 1/2 years! They were a tad too often for quite awhile.
I've gone back to work and it has seriously interrupted my reading, tv watching and doing whatever I want to do whenever I want to do it life.
One of my sisters introduced me to David Baldacci. I've started with the Archer series.
I've been so busy working that I haven't kept up with my yearly books read spreadsheet nor have I read as much. Perhaps after the email I sent regarding the draconian way the company has approached mandatory OT and dismissing paid holidays, I may be back to have time to do what I want.
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Sugar
Member
08-15-2000
| Monday, January 01, 2024 - 7:41 pm
Now that we know Uncle_ricky is back and ok, we need to hope all is well with Wargod.
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Heckagirl631
Member
09-08-2010
| Monday, January 01, 2024 - 8:25 pm
"Spare" by Prince Harry. Really, you loved it? I read it and we talked about it. It was too long, but still good and we are all team Harry.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Monday, January 01, 2024 - 11:45 pm
Thank you, Sugar, for the warm welcome back. I'm sorry the job has curtailed your book reading and TV watching. I'm looking forward to retirement but that's still 3 years away (1/1/2027).
Heckagirl! Thanks for updating me about the Team Harry business -- very interesting! I hope you'll all find this little story amusing:
I typically post mini-reviews of the books I like to Twitter and my review of "Spare" (on April 19) was one of them (see below). What I was NOT prepared for was the response to that tweet -- I'm *still* getting over the shock. Keep in mind that most of my tweets get very microscopic response numbers. For example, my tweet about the Laura Sims book (on Dec. 17) registered 172 views, 61 engagements, 2 likes, 1 re-tweet and 2 comments -- for me, this is a quite a lot since I only have 290 followers.
For the tweet about "Spare," these were the numbers: 82,242 views, 5,692 engagements, 2,270 likes, 367 re-tweets and 262 comments.
Can you believe it? I certainly couldn't. But I realized (quickly) how passionate the Harry-lovers and the Harry-haters are! I was stunned by all the comments. My favorite was "I'd like to know what proof or justification you have for calling Prince William a creep?" Yikes - it's just an opinion.  I got bashed most heavily for referring to Harry and Meghan as "civilians" -- who knew that could be such an inflammatory term!
https://twitter.com/munoz_ric/status/1648590841664126976
"It’s really long, but #Spare never *feels* long because Prince Harry keeps the narrative moving at a brisk pace. I’ve always liked him & I liked him even more for marrying Ms. Markle. I can’t get over what a colossal creep his brother is.🤮 I’m really glad H & M are now civilians."
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Jimmer
Board Administrator
08-29-2000
| Tuesday, January 02, 2024 - 8:57 am
A lot of people, both for and against, take these royal issues very seriously. In our house and family, we are very fortunate not to have any conflicts, so the holidays are very enjoyable. Politics and religion are not a problem. LOL but bring up the Royal family and we’re treading on dangerous ground. 
It’s always nice to see people back posting. Rest assured that you are missed.
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