The Last Book I Read Was... Showing 1,501-1,550 of 1,683

[Sarah]

I have just finished reading this old classic gothic thriller Silverhill by Phyllis A. Whitney

[Jess]

Just finished ’Salem’s Lot by Stephen King

[Woman Reading]

Whew, First nonfiction of 2024 completed --

Guests of the Ayatollah: The First Battle in America's War With Militant Islam by Mark Bowden.
This is a comprehensive recounting of the 444-days takeover of the US Embassy in Iran in 1979-1981. It read easily, like a crime thriller.

My review -- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Woman Reading]

The Last Devil to Die is the 4th by Richard Osman in the Thursday Murder Club series.

More emotional than its predecessors now that readers have formed an attachment to the geriatric Fab Four.

My review -- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Zeljka]

Janice wrote: "Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens and I loved it!"

I read it couple of years ago and still remember if often. I really enjoyed it.

As per my last read books - I read The Family Upstairs and The Family Remains and loved them both. The first 2-3 chapters were slow for me in the first book, but the rest of it was really interesting and when finished, I was sad that I will not know what happened next.

[Janice]

Zeljka wrote: "Janice wrote: "Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens and I loved it!"

I read it couple of years ago and still remember if often. I really enjoyed it.

As per my last read books - ..."

My Mom read The Family Upstairs and like it and thought I should read it too. :) I think I will always remember Where the Crawdads Sing!

[Peggyzbooksnmusic]

Slowly getting caught up in posting January reads.

On 01-03-24 finished The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune. Rated 5 stars and on Favotite shelf. Delightful narration byvDaniel Henning.

[Peggyzbooksnmusic]

On 01-06-24 finished Victoria and Albert by Evelyn Anthony. Rated 4 stars. Historical fiction first published in the 1950's. An interesting look at the relationship between Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert and the historical events that transpired in England during the mid 19th century.

[Peggyzbooksnmusic]

On 01-08-24 finished Our Team: The Epic Story of Four Men and the World Series That Changed Baseball by Luke Epplin. Non-Fiction. Rated 5 stars and on my Favorite shelf. Fascinating, informative history of the 1948 Cleveland Indians (now the Cleveland Guardians). Author intertwines the history of the 1940's with one of the most important and controversial periods in baseball: the integration of black baseball players into the major leagues. Highly recommend to those who love well written sports books.

[Peggyzbooksnmusic]

On 01-12-24 finished the first 2 books in the Constable Evans contemporary mystery series:
Evans Above and Evan Help Us by Rhys Bowen. Set in Wales. Rated both titles 3 stars. Looking forward to continuing this series with Constable Evans and it's cast of quirky characters.

[Peggyzbooksnmusic]

On 01-15-24 finished Who's Sorry Now? #2 Lady Adelaide historical mystery by Maggie Robinson. Set in 1920's England. Rated 3 stars. Enjoyed more then #1 Nobody's Sweetheart Now. Good audio narration by Gemma Dawson.

[Peggyzbooksnmusic]

Finished Death Below Stairs #1 Below Stairs/Kat Holloway by Jennifer Ashley. Rated 4 stars. Excellent audio narration by Anne-Marie Piazza. Definitely want to continue this Victorian historical mystery series.

[Sarah]

is the most recent book I have finished - finished it earlier today. Its a collection of fantasy & science fiction tales by female Chinese authors. There is something in here for everyone.

And yesterday I had finished which I had found very dull and also which has some very dumb students kidnapping their teacher! 😱

Before that on the 28th I had finished which is a fun mix of fantasy + science - can a woman use her elemental powers to stop the most famous super volcano from erupting? Some romance in here too plus nasty human enemies, complicated relationships.

[Peggyzbooksnmusic]

Finished The Bletchley Girls by Anna Stuart. Rated 3 stars. WWII historical fiction. Just an OK read for me so doubt I'll read the sequel.

[Sarah]

Since my last update I have finished these books....

- WW2 human interest stories - its not about the fighting but about how Americans try to adopt to life in the tropics + culture clashes. Very easy to read book from 1946. Highly recommend! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

- a fun, very complex mystery about a young girl who is about 19/20 years old who has the gift / curse to see visions of upcoming deaths. She saw that her best friend will be killed by a serial killer who is killing mediums so she sets out to stop it. And she meets a young lord. Light romance. No cardboard characters here. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

- a story based on the authors life as an immigrant from China + working the front desk of a motel. Its about believing in yourself + standing up against discrimination. A fun read. Middle grade book. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

- a thriller that wasn't all that thrilling to me. I read the first part super fast but the end I found rather gloomy. The big secret "event" was too easy to guess and the suspense / thrills never really were there for me. ⭐⭐⭐

[Peggyzbooksnmusic]

Finished The Bangalore Detectives Club #1 Kaveri and Ramu by Harini Nagendra. Delightful historical mystery set in 1920's India. Enjoyed the audio narration by Soneela Nankani. Rated 3 stars.

[Peggyzbooksnmusic]

Finished The Book of Bright Ideas by Sandra Kring. Rated 5 stars and on my favorite shelf. Set in 1960's Wisconsin. Loved this as much as Carry Me Home. Found out there's a sequel and really looking forward to reading about Evelyn's (Button) and Winnalee's life as they grow up.

[Peggyzbooksnmusic]

Finished Evanly Choirs #3 Constable Evans by Rhys Bowen. Very much enjoying this cozy contemporary mystery series set in Wales. Rated 3 stars. Disappointed that neither Libby or Hoopla have the Audio available through our library system.

[Sarah]

I have just finished today..

[Jan]

[Taz]

I just finished reading The Girl Who Plays with Fire. First, I have to say I read this more as a psychological study than a mystery novel. As a psychological study, the book is quite alarming. Even more so because it is written from the perspective of multiple characters so we do get to see how multiple characters think (including the villians). Keeping up with so many characters is definitely an exercise for the brain. As a mystery novel, I did not envision the ending because no clues are given to lead one to the proposed relationship.

[Peggyzbooksnmusic]

Finished The Hippopotamus Pool #8 Amelia Peabody by Elizabeth Peters. Historical mystery series set in 1900 Egypt. Rated 4 stars. Read on Libby Kindle while listening to Hoopla Audio. Excellent narration by Barbara Rosenblat. Love this series!

[Muhammad]

Well, since my last time I've read The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, probably one of my favorite and will give it a solid 4.5 out of 5.

[Janice]

Christmas at Rosie Hopkins’ Sweetshop by Jenny Colgan and l loved it!

[Peggyzbooksnmusic]

Finished Anne Boleyn: A Novel by Evelyn Anthony. Rated 3 stars. Published in 1957.

[Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog]

All in one day, half way into Old New York

[Peggyzbooksnmusic]

Finished Silent in the Grave #1 Lady Julia Grey by Deanna Raybourn. Rated 4 stars. Historical mystery set in Victorian London. Looking forward to continuing the series.

[Woman Reading]

Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister: Three Women at the Heart of Twentieth-Century China

An inside look at the personality cults of two major figures in China's history, glamor, glitz, war profiteering, political machinations -- this book was not what I had expected.

My Review -- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Woman Reading]

King of Scars

Leigh Bardugo returns to the Grishaverse with a duology on the multi-talented, silver-tongued Nikolai Lantsov. I really liked Nikolai who had been introduced in Siege and Storm and provided much needed humor. Because of my curiosity about his future, I skipped past the Six of Crows duology which is set between Alina Starkov's trilogy and Nikolai's novels.


My Review -- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Woman Reading]

Rule of Wolves is the "final" book in Nikolai Lantsov's journey as King of Ravka.


Leigh Bardugo had left her ending with enough room to suggest a sequel. Does she have any plans to return to the Grishaverse?


My review -

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Peggyzbooksnmusic]

Finished Evan and Elle #4 Constable Evans by Rhys Bowen. Rated 3 stars. Charming contemporary mystery series set in Wales.

[Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog]

This is going to be my year for trilogies.
That in mind I finished only to find it is not longer within the Good Reads approved for comments list.
Now I am reading . Finished Book 1 The Great Fortune.

[Woman Reading]

The Girl in the Dark by Zoë Sharp

This is the follow-up to the fantastic debut of Blake, an unconventional hero, and Byron from The Last Time She Died.


My Review -- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Peggyzbooksnmusic]

Finished The Case of the Missing Marquess #1 Enola Holmes by Nancy Springer. Delightful Young Adult historical mystery with Sherlock Holmes' 14 year old sister as the main character. Excellent Audio narration by Katherine Kellgren. Rated 4 stars.

[Jane]

The last book I read was "The Power of Pegasus"

Hooked from page 1! I never read a book like this before. From the moment I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. The are so many unexpected plot-twists in this novel. Also, the book covers some very important topics such as racism, alcoholism, abuse, and advanced technologies. People should be aware of the trigger warnings, but it is a must-read for all thriller lovers.

The Power of Pegasus

[Peggyzbooksnmusic]

Finished The Alice Network by Kate Quinn. Rated 4 stars. Gritty dual time line, espionage, historical fiction set during WWI & WWII. Read on Libby Kindle & Libby Audio. Excellent Audio narration by Saskia Maarleveld.

[Peggyzbooksnmusic]

Finished Cannery Row by John Steinbeck. A Classic! Rated 5 stars and on my Favorite shelf.
Link to my review with some favorite quotes included:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I finished the short story collection


The Complete Stories by Flannery O'Connor
Rating: 4 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

and I started reading another collection


Dubliners by James Joyce

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

Peggyzbooksnmusic wrote: "Finished Cannery Row by John Steinbeck. A Classic! Rated 5 stars and on my Favorite shelf.
Link to my review with some favorite quotes include..."

I read that one earlier this year and gave it five stars also, Peggy.

[Peggyzbooksnmusic]

RJ - Slayer of Trolls wrote: "Peggyzbooksnmusic wrote: "Finished Cannery Row by John Steinbeck. A Classic! Rated 5 stars and on my Favorite shelf.
Link to my review with so..."

RJ...Glad you enjoyed this title! There is a sequel Sweet Thursday that I hope to eventually read. IMO Steinbeck had a gift for capturing character's unique personalities.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

Peggyzbooksnmusic wrote: "RJ...Glad you enjoyed this title! There is a sequel Sweet Thursday that I hope to eventually read. IMO Steinbeck had a gift for capturing character's unique personalities."

I've heard Sweet Thursday isn't as good as Cannery Row, but I'd be interested to hear what you think of it when you read it.

[Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog]

Read them both twice. Do yourself a favor, read them and think of them as more like popcorn than literature. AS for that the movie is also pretty good fun.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I finished Don Carpenter's oft-overlooked debut novel


Hard Rain Falling by Don Carpenter
Rating: 4 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

and I started reading


The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers

[Peggyzbooksnmusic]

Finished Bacon's Dozen: Thirteen Historical Fiction Short Stories by Anna Castle. Rated 3 stars. Entertaining collection of short stories; some connected to the author's Francis Bacon historical mystery series.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I finished the short novel


The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers
Rating: 4 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

and I started reading another short novel


The Day Of The Locust by Nathanael West

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

And I finished the fifth book in the John Corey series, a disappointing follow-up to The Lion's Game


The Lion by Nelson DeMille
Rating: 2 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

and I started reading the third book in a hard-boiled detective series written by a noted Fantasy author


The Man Who Tried to Get Away by Stephen R. Donaldson originally published under the pseudonym Reed Stephens

[Woman Reading]

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

This memoir took me a long time to read as it just wasn't a good fit for me.

I explain my reaction in my review --

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I finished this short novel about bitter disappointment and the American Dream


The Day of the Locust by Nathanael West
Rating: 4 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

and I started reading


The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe

[Woman Reading]

Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan

I had been approved for this Netgalley ARC months ago but saved it to read while on vacation -- a perfect pairing.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Woman Reading]

Fifth Sun: A New History of the Aztecs by Camilla Townsend

The author is a history prof at Rutgers. She based her research on indigenous accounts, and I liked this fresh perspective Mesoamerican history, particularly how this area came to be New Spain.

My review -- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...