Around the Year in 52 Books discussion
Weekly Topics 2018
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13: A book with a plot centered around a secret (forbidden love, spies, secret societies, etc)
Maybe The Secret History, but I'm kind of Eh, about this one. I had a hard time with The Goldfinch.My other choice is The Rules of Magic
Tracy wrote: "Maybe The Secret History, but I'm kind of Eh, about this one. I had a hard time with The Goldfinch.My other choice is The Rules of Magic"
I also had a really hard time liking The Goldfinch---such miserable people! I am trying decide between The Japanese Lover and Hold Tight.
I've had The Secret History of Wonder Woman on my list for a long time, so I may read that. I'm also curious to read Mary Astor's Purple Diary: The Great American Sex Scandal of 1936, which sounds fascinating. A book on NPR's notable books list also looks good, The Woman Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine who Outwitted America's Enemies.
I want to read The Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas. I need a translated romance for another challenge and I have yet to read any of Dumas' work. This one looks really intriguing, with secrets, and is not as well known as his other books.
This is another category that is so broad that I had trouble narrowing down!
I'll probably be choosing between:
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
The Miniaturist
The Rules of Magic
Beautiful Disaster
The Winter People
The Husband's Secret
The Secret Keeper
The Girls of Murder City: Fame, Lust, and the Beautiful Killers who Inspired Chicago
I'll probably be choosing between:
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
The Miniaturist
The Rules of Magic
Beautiful Disaster
The Winter People
The Husband's Secret
The Secret Keeper
The Girls of Murder City: Fame, Lust, and the Beautiful Killers who Inspired Chicago
Shawn wrote: "I've decided not to go with your typical mystery for this category, and instead I'm going to finally (attempt to) hunker down and read A Game of Thrones. I've picked it up a couple of ..."It is really worth it ! ;)
Arielle wrote: "My choice for this one is Dark Places by Gillian Flynn - its been on my list for a long time"Dark places was great! Loved her writing !
For this category I read
Ruined by Amy Tintera. The main character kills a foreign princess who is on her way to the castle so that she can take her place and infiltrate the royal family.
Ruined by Amy Tintera. The main character kills a foreign princess who is on her way to the castle so that she can take her place and infiltrate the royal family.
I think I am going to use The Right Time by Danielle Steele for this. The protagonist is a young female author who has great success writing dark, complex crime fiction, but who has been told that men won't read female authors. All her writing career she must hide her true identity.
I'm reading The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden. It is the follow-up to her debut The Bear and the Nightingale,
I just put a hold at the library for Origin by Dan Brown, I hope I'm going to get it in time to read it for week 13!
My hold came through for The Silent Corner by Dean Koontz so I'm starting it today.
The summary directly references some major secret so it seems perfect for this week.
The summary directly references some major secret so it seems perfect for this week.
This one was harder for me as I thought I was choosing too many mystery type books, but how can you not get that with this title requisite? lolThe Secret, Book and Scone SocietyI ended up changing my book because I borrowed The Face on the Milk Carton from the digital library and did not realize that I had not added that to a group until I read it already. This fit for this week so I bumped my original choice, but still plan to read that.
I plan to read The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler. It's about a mysterious book and a family curse so I think it will work for this topic. (I am very much looking forward to curling up with this book and a mug o' tea tomorrow as the seemingly neverending snow assaults us yet again.)
I have just read Mothering Sunday for Book Club. A really wonderful novella set just after WW1 about a 7 year affair between a rich young man and a servant from a near-by house, told from her point of view.
- What are you reading for this category? I read Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk for this category. I had seen the film, so the cat was out of the bag, but it was still an interesting read. I also have the 'sequel' graphic novel on my shelf, which I will get to shortly.
I read Lord Edgware Dies for this prompt. In some ways, it feels a little too easy to choose a murder mystery for this one, because of course there's a secret. Someone doesn't want everyone to know they killed somebody. But everyone has their secrets and half the puzzle is figuring out all the little things that people hide because it'll look bad.
I read The Secret History. I feel like it's book that should be read in your teens or early twenties so there's more of a chance you identify with the characters (I'm still not sure if I would have at that age though). Most of the book was spent with me eye rolling over how pretentiously stupid everyone was.
I read The Black Tulip. Relatively short for a classic and I found the tulip mania period of Dutch history fascinating. This is set a little later but it was still a good choice for me.
Serendipity wrote: "I read The Black Tulip. Relatively short for a classic and I found the tulip mania period of Dutch history fascinating. This is set a little later but it was still a good choice for me."I was planning on reading it, too. I just recently discovered it. I’m so glad to hear that it’s good!
Am currently reading The Child by Fiona Barton for this prompt. So far seems like it fits well into this category.
I think I am going to read Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows for this prompt. If you are doing multiple challenges, it would fit for "mystery" "celebrity book club pick" as well as categories dealing with diversity of author or characters.
I read Peter Carey Jack Maggs, although this would also have fitted the bill for a book that intimidates, as I've shied away from it for years. However, once I (very bravely) opened it, I couldn't put it down. it,
June wrote: "For this category I picked The House at Riverton- having secrets is a big theme with Kate Morton"I have that one planned for week 18 and I'm really looking forward to it.
For this week I'm reading The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
I read The Liar by Nora Roberts. The secrets in this book help drive the mystery and suspense of the story. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
I read Pines by Blake Crouch for this - very definitely fit the prompt, and a total surprise when the secret was revealed.
Can anyone recommend a book that's come out (so far) in 2018 that fits this prompt? Looking to work on my personal goal of reading more books published within 2018.. I'm at 0 so far hah
I hadn't been able to find anything I wanted to read for this category. I wasn't interested in forbidden romance, and wasn't really feeling anything else I had pencilled in. Decided to check the thread and bam! Thanks Pam! I've decided to read The Black Tulip as well. I've never heard of it, but I've been meaning to read something by Dumas for ages, and I am slacking off with my translated books, so this is perfect.
Jody wrote: "I hadn't been able to find anything I wanted to read for this category. I wasn't interested in forbidden romance, and wasn't really feeling anything else I had pencilled in. Decided to check the th..."This sounds really good. I have added it to my pile to consider!
I’m reading Middlesex for this prompt. So far I’ve read 75 pages, and a big family secret has been revealed to the reader. I think I’m really going to enjoy this one, and it fits the prompt very well.
Books mentioned in this topic
The Secret History of the World: As Laid Down by the Secret Societies (other topics)The Girl with the Red Balloon (other topics)
The Husband's Secret (other topics)
Splat the Cat and the Big Secret (other topics)
One of Us Is Lying (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Katherine Locke (other topics)Liane Moriarty (other topics)
Julia Quinn (other topics)
Tatiana de Rosnay (other topics)
Amy Engel (other topics)
More...























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Suggestions:
Listopia: Popular Secret Books
Listopia: Secrets
Goodreads Shelves: Secrets
Goodreads Shelves: Popular Family Secrets Books
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Optional questions:
- What are you reading for this category?