75 Books...More or Less! discussion
Archive (2020 GR Completed)
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Karina's 2020 Reading Challenge (75)
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63. Final Girls by Riley SagerThis is the debut novel of Riley Sager. The first book of his I read, The Last Time I Lied was really good (this was his second book). It kept me interested, the same thing with Lock Every Door (a little far fetched but good and his third book), I had higher expectations for this book but there were times when it slowed and I began to lose interest and the killer didn’t make much sense (but I figured that out in the beginning just because in my head it made no sense so it obviously must be the killer). It picked up at the end. I think his other books were better though this one is on par with Lock Every Door.
3 stars
Mod
His first book, The Last Time I Lied was really good. It kept me interested, the same thing with Lock Every Door (a little far fetched but good), I had higher expect..."
Final Girls was actually his first novel! I also really enjoyed Last Time I Lied, Final Girls much less so. I haven't read Lock Every Door or Home Before Dark yet but I choose them from BOTM. Hoping to read them this Sept/Oct for FrightFall readathon.
Elyse wrote: "Karina wrote: "63. Final Girls by Riley SagerHis first book, The Last Time I Lied was really good. It kept me interested, the same thing with Lock Every Door (a little far fetched but good), I ha..."
Ah, I completely botched that! I mean to say the first book I read of his LOL. I have edited it to reflect that haha! I definitely enjoyed his other two better, but currently reading Home Before Dark and I am LOVING it.
64. Home Before Dark by Riley SagerThis is my favorite of his four books so far. This came in my June 2020 Book of the Month box (1/3) and I’m so glad I broke my own rules of reading the old ones first and read this. After reading the semi disappointing Final Girls, I didn’t have high expectations for this book but it was so good. Definitely a book to read in a weekend.
Four stars
Mod
This is my favorite of his four books so far. This came in my June 2020 Book of the Month box (1/3) and I’m so glad I broke my own rules of reading the old ones..."
Excellent!
Mod
This is the debut novel of Riley Sager. The first book of his I read, The Last Time I Lied was really good (this was his second book). It kept me interested, the sam..."
I agree with your analysis. I too was hoping more. Final Girls is such a great concept in the horror genre, and I like that he moved it into thrillers, but I wanted more empowerment and more suspense.
65. I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid I stumbled upon this book because I follow Richard Lawson (Vanity Fair movie critic and co-host of the Little Gold Men podcast) on twitter and he had tweeted that he had to read this book for his podcast book club episode AND he did review the film, I believe, but don't quote me on that. Despite all the books I have to read, I requested this one from the library. Luckily, it is short, only 210 pages and a very fast read but I hated it. It wasn't engaging, it was the car ride that would never end, and the ending was bizarre.
A library book I will actually return before it is automatically renewed.
One star
66. The Good Husband of Zebra Drive by Alexander McCall Smith This is book number 8 in the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series that I’ve been reading on and off for years. It’s just a good comfort read.
Three stars
67. Of Literature and Lattes by Katherine Reay This book was part of Book Spark’s summer reading camp and it took me awhile to finish it mostly because it was on my kindle and I didn’t devote time to the kindle. It was definitely a summer read; a little hokey but it was a quick read when I actually took time to read it.
2.75 stars rounded up to 3
68. The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John MandelOut of my reading rut. Took me longer to finish this book than it normally would have. Also missed my book club meeting because I was quarantining before a weekend trip so I took my time and also didn’t read very much.
Three stars
Mod
His first book, The Last Time I Lied was really good. It kept me interested, the same thing with Lock Every Door (a little far fetched but good), I ha..."
Final Girls left me wanting more. It was lacking something. I wanted him to push the envelope more!
69. The Long Call by Ann Cleeves This is my first Ann Cleeves book and I had to read this for book club. I really enjoyed the mystery. It was a little slow paced BUT not in a dreadful way. Loved the characters and the mystery. Can’t wait for the series to progress.
3.5 stars
Mod
This is my first Ann Cleeves book and I had to read this for book club. I really enjoyed the mystery. It was a little slow paced BUT not in a dreadful way. Loved ..."
This was also my first Cleeves book. It was a little slow.
70. The Night Swim by Megan GoldinI really enjoy this mystery more than I thought I was! This is from my August 2020 Book of the Month box, book 1/3. I don’t even want to think of the other 2019 books I haven’t read yet.
71. Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close by Aminatou Sow and Ann FriedmanI have never listened to their podcast Call Your Girlfriend but they were interviewed on another pod cast I listen to Keep It! and I originally decided against this book from my July BOTM box but because of the interview, I got it for August. It was good, I wish I had more stories from their friendship.
I have been in such a reading rut. I’ve started so many books and haven’t finished any. Decided to switch genres so I’m trying some memoirs and hopefully finish reading my shelves and the alphabet challenge
August 2020 BOTM box book 1/3
72. Springfield Confidential by Mike Reid’sAs someone who grew up watching The Simpsons and re watching on Disney+ I am so glad I decided to read this. It is a book getting me out of my reading rut!
3.5 stars
73. Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy VanderahJust marathon read this library book that is due tomorrow! Really getting me out of my reading funk! Really enjoyed this one.
Four stars
74. Untamed by Glennon DoyleThis was an excellent memoir (not without some critiques) but overall, really good. I’ve had a few busy weeks so I haven’t been reading as much as I want to but thank goodness for holiday weekends.
4.5 stars
75. The Lying Game by Ruth WareThis has been my least favorite of her books. Not a fan. None of the characters were likable and wasn’t really a fan of the slow burn psychological thriller.
2 stars
Met my goal for 2020! Time to finish the other two goals.
Mod
This has been my least favorite of her books. Not a fan. None of the characters were likable and wasn’t really a fan of the slow burn psychological thriller.
2 sta..."
This was also my least-liked Ware novel. I still need to read The Turn of the Key and One by One. But it looks like that won't be happening in 2020! lol
Congrats on hitting your goal!
Elyse wrote: "Karina wrote: "75. The Lying Game by Ruth WareThis has been my least favorite of her books. Not a fan. None of the characters were likable and wasn’t really a fan of the slow burn psychological t..."
I have Turn of the Key and the Death of Mrs. Westaway. I am glad I didn't get One by One. I was going to go and read these other two, but they can wait for 2021.
76. Yes Please by Amy Poehler I’ve had this book on my kindle for years and finally read it. It was a quick read when I actually did sit down with my kindle. It was funny as well. However, I have a hard time with memoirs where I feel like I don’t learn much about the person writing them. It’s all very surface and I’m not saying I want to hear all the dirty details but if I am reading a memoir, I would like some depth?
Three stars
77. In the Woods by Tana FrenchThis is the first book in the Murder Squad series and I read The Trespasser 4 years ago (it was a better book)
I didn’t care for the narrator and some other aspects of this book
Three stars
Mod
I’ve had this book on my kindle for years and finally read it. It was a quick read when I actually did sit down with my kindle. It was funny as well. However, I have..."
This one was great as an audiobook. And it's interesting that you said you didn't learn much about her. I listened to her memoir right after Tina Fey's, which I loved because it was so funny and well written, but I thought that Poehler's was actually a lot more personal than Fey's.
Juli wrote: "Karina wrote: "76. Yes Please by Amy Poehler I’ve had this book on my kindle for years and finally read it. It was a quick read when I actually did sit down with my kindle. It was funny as well. ..."
After reading Jessica Simpson's memoir and some others, that's where I got the sense of learning a lot! That's good to know about Bossy Pants, I definitely want to eventually read it. I wish I had Yes, Please as an audiobook because I probably would have enjoyed it more!
78. Justice for Bonnie by Karen Foster and I.J. SchecterThis is about a mother whose daughter was murdered in Alaska and her fighting to find the truth about her murder. One thing that bothered me about this book was Karen cites statistics but there is no bibliography (for example, she says that 80% of burglars will rape someone)
It was a good read but rather slow.
Three stars
Mod
I’ve had this book on my kindle for years and finally read it. It was a quick read when I actually did sit down with my kindle. It was fu..."
I loved Jessica Simpson's memoir!!!!!!
79. King Solomon’s Mines by H. Rider HaggardThis is one of those adventure stories written in the 19th century that is just dripping in racism and it could’ve been a great adventure story if it didn’t have it.
2 stars
80. Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel This was one of those free kindle reads from who knows how long ago. Finally finished it and it was actually a fast paced read once I actually settled in with it (I always seem to put my kindle books on the back burner)
Three stars
Mod
This was one of those free kindle reads from who knows how long ago. Finally finished it and it was actually a fast paced read once I actually settled in wit..."
I have that one from a BOTM a long time ago. I keep meaning to read it. I am glad to hear it's fast-paced because somehow I had the impression it was slow.
81. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Illustrated edition) by J.K RowlingI wish Rowling didn’t turn out to be such a terrible person but I’ve been meaning to read the illustrated versions and I love the world of Harry Potter
5 stars and loved the illustrations
Yeah, I was thinking of re-reading the series this year, but with everything in the news about her I just lost my desire. I'll probably revisit them in a couple years with my son. I thought of getting the illustrated editions (I've never read them), but might just stick to the books we already own as my small form of protest.
Mod
Ditto. I hadn't planned on buying the illustrated editions until the whole series was complete and now I don't want to buy them at all ever! So disappointed in her.
Elyse wrote: "Charleen wrote: "Yeah, I was thinking of re-reading the series this year, but with everything in the news about her I just lost my desire. I'll probably revisit them in a couple years with my son. ..."I have had the first two for some time, just never read them because I am who I am! lol but my husband on his own started reading HP, so I decided to buddy read with him. I am never giving her another cent of my money (if I do buy, I'll try to find at second hand stores because then I will know she will not make a penny off of me!)
Juli wrote: "Karina wrote: "80. Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel This was one of those free kindle reads from who knows how long ago. Finally finished it and it was actually a fast paced read once I actually..."
It does start off a little slow but it does pick up rather quickly. I am so bad with my kindle books, I'll start one and just forget about it because I am surrounded by physical books but once I actually just sit and read, I can get through them quickly (depending on the book) and this was one of them! The concept and the style were quite interesting.
82. Running with Scissors by Augustan BurroughsThis is an extremely disturbing memoir wrapped in funny moments to keep to light hearted and moving but I really couldn’t laugh. It was unsettling to read.
Three stars
Mod
This is an extremely disturbing memoir wrapped in funny moments to keep to light hearted and moving but I really couldn’t laugh. It was unsettling t..."
I've owned this for years. I should read it. It's not that long if I recall.
83. XO by Jeffrey DeaverI needed a book that began with the letter X and I found this mystery and it was terrible but oh well
2 stars
The next book in the Richard Jury series that I am reading my way through. This is the first time I’ve read these books almost back to back. This was a good read just sad. Very depressing.
Three stars