Your Reads - currently reading or finished (2019)

[Thomas]

I started reading Crime and Punishment because many have praised the book and especially because of Jordan B. Peterson, who utilized the protagonist (Raskolvnikov) as an archetypical atheist. Since I've followed the debate with and around Jordan Peterson, I decided to give this book and go and so far it has really been an exciting read. However, the claim that Raskolvnikov is an archetypical atheist, I'm not yet really convinced. Perhaps there are others who have read the book, what do you think of it? And have you pondered about Jordan Peterson's claim that the protagonist is an exemplary atheist?

[Vicki Willis]

I finished 2 recently. A very long one The Outsider which is a group read here. It was good. I gave it 4 stars.
I also read a very short, short story by Michael Connelly that I hadn't read before called The Safe Man: A Ghost Story. It was just a quick one and I enjoyed it, but BOY! that ending. It took my breath away. I don't know how he did it. Maybe some people would have predicted it (there were some clues, looking back), but I sure didn't. Recommended if you want to read a quick story.

[Morgan]

I’ve finished one book and started another! I finished A Great and Terrible Beauty (the first of three in the Gemma Doyle trilogy) and am almost halfway through What Alice Forgot!

[Vicki Willis]

I finished another this weekend. It is one that has been on my TBR for a while and also a Best of the Best nominee, so that is great!

Red Rising
I thought it was good. I especially liked that section that reminded me of piecing together Frankenstein! It was a long book and it sometimes dragged for me, but the last 25% was action packed!

Vicki's Review

[Tina]

Savanes wrote: "@Kristie. I rated The Light Between Oceans 4 stars and I still remember some parts of it 6 years after reading. I think you should give it a try again.

I finished The Cruel P..."</i>

<i>Savanes wrote: "@Kristie. I rated [book:The Light Between Oceans 4 stars and I still remember some parts of it 6 years after reading. I think you should give it a try again.

I finished [book:The Cruel P..."


The Alice Project is an incredible book.

[[deleted user]]

This year, I've already read , , and .

I absolutely adore The Princess Bride, so I won't gush too much considering its one of my favorite books and movies. Just read it if you haven't, mkay! The Clockwork Orange was really confusing, but only because of the language and slang. After a while, I got used to the way Alex talked, but I had to reread multiple passages just to figure out what the hell he was trying to say. The Ghost of Marlow House was a cozy mystery. It was predictable, and the main character's friend, Lily, annoyed me to no end, but I loved it and would continue the series.

I tried reading , but I really didn't like it. It was incredibly boring to me, and I stopped reading at 40%. The pace was too quick, and I said this before in other posts: I feel like Charlie Holmberg was rushing to get to "the good parts", but there weren't any necessarily good parts.

Now, I'm reading and . After I'm done with those two, I'll be reading , , and for two buddy reads and a reading challenge. I haven't officially started reading Caraval, but I've heard great things. The Nightingale is phenomenal! I forgot to update my word count yesterday, but I'll just wait until tonight. I hope to be almost done, if not done with it today. It's so good.

[Kristie, Moderator]

Vicki - I think we tend to have similar interests and n books. I’m hoping to finally get to Red Rising this year too. Glad to see it was good.

Nelda Rae - I also loved The Nightingale. It was one of my favorite books for the year I read it.

[Savanes]

I loved both the nightingale and Red Rising: 2 of my favorites in the past few years

[[deleted user]]

Nelda Rae wrote: "I absolutely adore The Princess Bride..."
Hi Nelda, I adore it too - both the book and the movie! You might already know about this, but it's a wonderful read :-) As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride

[Keith]

Clemency wrote: "Nelda Rae wrote: "I absolutely adore The Princess Bride..."
Hi Nelda, I adore it too - both the book and the movie! You might already know about this, but it's a wonderful read :-) [book:As You Wis..."

Is there enough in the book which differs or expands on what's in the movie to make it worth reading for someone who's seen (and loved) the movie countless times? I'm always afraid to read books movies were based on after seeing the movie - especially one so imprinted into my noggin.

[Kristie, Moderator]

Keith, As You Wish is behind the scenes stuff. It’s not the same as the original book or movie.

[Deborah]

Kristie wrote: "Keith, As You Wish is behind the scenes stuff. It’s not the same as the original book or movie."

I loved As you Wish.

[Savanes]

I just finished 2 books I really loved:
- The Alice Network 4.5 stars
- The Wicked King 5 stars. The ending killed me. I'm still torturing myself about it, unsure of what it really meant and frustrated that I have to wait at least 1 year to get my hands on the next book. This is going to be tough!

[Samira]

I am in the middle of Dead Wake. I have never read Erik Larson before and I am so immersed in the story. Also in the middle of Library Book which is SO good. I am trying to read some classics also so I am working through Jane Eyre for the first time.

[Andrea]

So far i've read "1984" & The Hate U Give" both were absolutely fantastic!
It took me a while to get around to 1984 as i didn't it in high school, but i finally did it!
Currently reading "little fires everywhere" and i'm enjoying it so far!

[Thereadingbell]

Little Fires Everywhere was a good book. I hope you enjoy it.

[Cori]

I'm on a reading spree (#7 of my 30 challenge)! Right now I'm reading Seeds of Yesterday. It is my very first V.C. Andrews book and thus far it is taking some time to adjust to her writing style. I'm excited to get further into it.

The book I really want to rave about is No Exit. This book is simply amazing, gripping, jaw dropping, and twisty at every chapter. It is well know that the entire plot is location at the same location, which many readers hate, but I think adds to the mysterious bravery of the characters. I will not spoil it for you, I will just tell you it only took me a day to read it!

[Vicki Willis]

Wow Cori... I have No Exit on my list and I may have to bump it up.

I am curious why you started with book 4 of the Dollanger series? Flowers in the Attic was the first adult novel I read as a teenager and loved it. So of course I read all of those series.

[Thereadingbell]

Vicki Willis wrote: "Wow Cori... I have No Exit on my list and I may have to bump it up.

I am curious why you started with book 4 of the Dollanger series? Flowers in the Attic was the fir..."
Ha HA No Exit is on my tbr list too maybe we can do a buddy read.

[Vicki Willis]

Susanne - Yes, let's keep that in mind!

[Vicki Willis]

I just finished a new release I got from Kindle First January and it was so-so.
The Forgotten Hours
The premise sounds interesting, but the book just was not. The father (regardless of guilt or innocence) seemed creepy and gross. I am glad it was free and wouldn't recommend it.

[Kristie, Moderator]

Vicki Willis wrote: "I just finished a new release I got from Kindle First January and it was so-so.
The Forgotten Hours
The premise sounds interesting, but the..."

I had a hard time picking my kindle first book this month. I'm glad I didn't get that one now. Sorry it didn't work for you.

[Thereadingbell]

I picked that one too and I think now that I read review it was a mistake.

[Cori]

I started with #4 because I had picked it up from Ollie's not knowing it was #4 until 2 chapters in. By then, I had to see it through! Haha. Seriously, bump No Exit. It is amazing.

[Bub]

Thanks for all the reviews. I’ve just increased my “want to read” list. Like it wasn’t long enough already. Lol

[[deleted user]]

I've also been reading The Frost Chronicles by Kate Avery Ellison. The first book is Frost.

I was looking for steampunk fantasies and this turned out to be a nice combination of romance and adventure with a storyline in a dystopian wintry world that keeps me interested. The main character is a strong young woman and very realistic. I think the series is actually YA and I'm past YA age, lol, but still liking them a lot!

[Kristie, Moderator]

I just finished The Alice Network and Deadly Secrets. They were very different, but both excellent.

I liked the story of The Alice Network. I think I really enjoyed the interaction between the characters and how they got to know each other and changed throughout the book. The overall story was tied together well and I think it was written well too. I look forward to reading more of her work.

The characters in Deadly Secrets showed some growth and I think that helps with keeping a series from getting stagnant. Of course, a good mystery with a bit of a twist helps too! I think this has been a really good series so far and I'm still looking forward to reading the next one.

[Bub]

Still reading The Alice Network, but had to return it to the library. Can’t wait to get it back and finish it. I love the story.

[Kristie, Moderator]

Bub wrote: "Still reading The Alice Network, but had to return it to the library. Can’t wait to get it back and finish it. I love the story."

I hope you get it back soon, Bub!

[Vicki Willis]

I just finished Us Against You . I really liked it. I loved Beartown because it didn't seem like my kind of book and I was on the fence about reading it. But when I did, it was one of my favorite of the year.
I thought this one was darker and liked how they explored more characters who were only touched upon in the first one.
I also listened on audible and I LOVE this narrator so that pushed it to a 5 star read for me.
Vicki's Review

[Aqsa]

Reading Sawkill Girls. I'm kinda in the middle of it. It's my first horror book so I was not impressed for some chapters and was annoyed but then it got super interesting. Hoping it'll get even better as I finish it.

[Christine]

I’m trying to get through all of my books that I got for Christmas

[Aqsa]

Christine wrote: "I’m trying to get through all of my books that I got for Christmas"

Good Luck, Christine :)

[Cheryl]

Hi all . I have been lucky to have some reading (and audible listening time) this year.

Little Fires Everywhere - Celeste Ng - I really enjoyed this book. Interesting characters - the personality of the town (Shaker Heights) is a character in itself! Highly recommend.

Drowning Ruth Drowning Ruth- on my shelf for ages. It was an Oprah pick. It was good. But by the end I felt it dragged on a bit.

Robin . (via Audible) - Robin I enjoyed the audible version. Well done. I honestly forgot how broad his body of work was. What a loss. David Itzkoff did a great job giving insight into his challenges in the move from comedy to acting. Highly recommend.

Open Heart - Open Heart - this is a one day read - about his need for open heart surgery and the ensuing review of ones life. One feels as if you are having a conversation with the man himself.

Now reading: The Great Alone - I am only 75 pages in. Having been to Alaska as a mere tourist, I cannot imagine moving there. This is my second read for this author as The Nightengale. So far so great.

Becoming (Audible) . Becoming . - I am now taking advantage of that NJ commute! It is Michelle Obama herself narrating which I think adds to the interest. Smart, funny and interesting - I am not an autobiography fan but am really enjoying this listen!

Happy reading all!

[Kristie, Moderator]

Cheryl, I am very interested in Robin and The Great Alone. I'm glad you enjoyed (are enjoying) them.

I am also listening to Becoming right now (at 23%). I'm fining her background interesting. I am enjoying her narration, but also picked up a copy from the library so I could take a look at the photos with commentary that she included.

I am reading The Sleepwalker (at 72%). I think it's good, but I don't love the main character. Because of that, there are times I think the story is great and other times I find it a bit annoying. I am really interested to see how it ends.

[Cheryl]

such a great idea to borrow Becoming for the pics!

[Colleen]

I just finished The Great Alone. The book was definitely held my interest.

[Vicki Willis]

I just finished Then She Was Gone which was a GRCA nominee.
It was pretty good. It had a creep factor to it, which made my skin crawl at times. I didn't really think it had a twist, but maybe it was just a predictable one. There were some graphic, shocking parts though.
The big bummer about it (and this isn't what affected my star rating, but is definitely notable) was the narrator. I listened on audible and the narrator was awful. I could hardly stand how she did her dialogue. Her child and man "voices" were some of the worst I have ever heard!
So I would recommend the print book and not audible.

Vicki's Review

[Kristie, Moderator]

Thanks for the tip, Vicki. I think I own that one on Audible. Pretty sure it was a daily deal or in some sort of sale at some point.

[Savanes]

I just finished Wires and Nerve & Gone Rogue. It was so much fun. I was glad to be back to Cinder's universe.

[Lynn, Moderator]

Savanes wrote: "I just finished Wires and Nerve & Gone Rogue. It was so much fun. I was glad to be back in Cinder's universe."

I actually had no idea these even existed! I'm baffled to how on earth I missed this ....

[Savanes]

Lynn wrote: "Savanes wrote: "I just finished Wires and Nerve & Gone Rogue. It was so much fun. I was glad to be back in Cinder's universe."

I actually had no idea these even exi..."

Yes that's something! ;) ;) ;)

[Danielle]

Im currently reading

and listening to via Audible



Just finished
I thought it was a light and easy rom com read

[Cori]

I am currently reading An Anonymous Girl. I skipped my December book of the month but have read that the reviews on it was good, so I decided to add it as my add on for this month. I just finished reading Secret Slave and I am completely baffled by the abuse that took place during her imprisonment.

[Vicki Willis]

I really liked An Anonymous Girl.

I just finished All Your Perfects and it was great. I think I can officially say I am a CoHo fan. She definitely knows how to get to all the feels.

Vicki's Review

[jamako]

A few days ago I finished Skin Game (4/5) and with that my re-read of The Dresden Files that I started in December 2018 in hopeful anticipation of Peace Talks. Still an incredibly entertaining series.

I just started listening to Dead Lake a horror novella by Darcy Coates, an author I discovered early this year and have finished two of her works since (Craven Manor, The Carrow Haunt). Both are great and very different takes on classic haunted house stories. Also, I will probably start reading Hunted soon.

Aside from my current obsession with Coates' works, my shortlist consists of the following:

, , , .

[Canei]

I finished, The Traces of My Love The Secrets of the Heart, by: C.L.Ross.

The book was amazing, its urban fiction but it has you looking back on your life and your past relationships. The main characters, begins to see the patterns though her journey of Love but ultimately finds something much more.

[Kristie, Moderator]

I finished The Sleepwalker. I thought it was good, but not great. I would have liked it more if I could have related to the MC and her relationship more, but I didn't care for either.

I also read The Nowhere Child. I thought it was really good. It was a debut, but you'd never know. Really great book.

I am now reading Who She Is, which I'm finding interesting. I think the story is about to take a turn.

I'm also reading Kindred, which I'm liking but not loving. The story is interesting and the writing is good, but it's just not a favorite. I still have a way to go though.

[Andrea]

I finished Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, and it was wonderful!! I was just itching to know what would happen after the book was done (which i was sad that I couldn't find out). However i love how the book played out. I had an idea of what it would be about based on the description, but it was completely different. Which i enjoyed every minute of reading it.

Currently reading, Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine --- it's so intriguing and really grows on you and you get into her world and understand things

[Aqsa]

Andrea wrote: "I finished Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, and it was wonderful!! I was just itching to know what would happen after the book was done (which i was sad that I couldn't find out). However i l..."

I really enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine. It was weird and lovely in it's own way.