Let's hope my vision is still 2020 after this reading year!

[Juli, Moderator]

#91 Of Salt and Shore

3/5 stars

Review to follow.

[Juli, Moderator]

#92 Six Angry Girls

4/5 stars

This was fun. Social justice and knitting is a great combination. This novel was very relatable to me and made me miss my knit club something fierce.

[Juli, Moderator]

#93 Next Year in Havana

3/5 stars

Great book but it felt very clinical, very detached. Based on the alternating timelines been Elisa and Marisol I was expecting a lot more emotion.

[Juli, Moderator]

#94 Death in Spring

4/5 stars

I think I just read something important. Did I? I glimpsed greatness. There is no plot, just words. Everything is weird. Language is poetry but also brutal. Bleakness pairs with hope. This is not a book you read, this is a novella you experience. It's visceral. Did I get it? I'm not sure. Did I like it? I'm not sure either. Was it one of the strangest things I've ever read? Most definitely.

[Elyse, Moderator]

Juli wrote: "#89 The Guest List

4/5 stars

This was so, so fun and entertaining. I enjoyed the plot twists and the ending. Nothing was outrageously surprisin..."

I chose this as my BOTM and I still need to read it! Glad you enjoyed it. I haven't read any of her books yet.

[Juli, Moderator]

#95 Real Men Knit

3/5 stars

The story was super cute. I'm a knitter myself, so obvi I had to read this book. The romance was adorable, the relationship between the brothers was entertaining as all can be, but somehow the book was lacking something. It felt repetitive and the pacing was off. I swear only two days passed in the first half, and then an entire month in the second.

[Juli, Moderator]

#96 Mexican Gothic

5/5 stars

I mean it's in the title but I didn't think I could find a fantastic Gothic book written today. It was perfectly Victorian, yet it felt modern. I loved the story and the horror. I loved Noemí and Francis. I loved the house. I loved the nods to Lovecraft and Stoker. And I really loved the slowly creeping feeling of dread that would catch me off guard over and over again.

[Juli, Moderator]

#97 The Drawing of the Three

2/5 stars

Ugh, I don't know how to judge this book. I ended up listening to it and I just could not stay engaged. I should love this series, but I am finding myself feeling meh. For now, I leave this rating but I might try this story again at a later point.

[Juli, Moderator]

#98 After All I've Done

1/5 stars

This was an ARC and it was pretty bad. I could not get motivated to write a review.

[Juli, Moderator]

#99 Lovecraft Country

4/5 stars

Really, really enjoyed these vignettes and how they all fit together in the end.

[Juli, Moderator]

#100 George

5/5 stars

Oh my goodness, this was so precious and beautiful. I listened to the audiobook and would highly recommend experiencing the story that way. It was uplifting but did not shy away from conflict and tackling prejudice. I hope every Melissa has a friend like Kelly in their life!!!!

[Juli, Moderator]

#101 Speak Easy, Speak Love

4/5 stars

Such a fun retelling of Much Ado About Nothing!

[Juli, Moderator]

#102 Saga

4/5 stars

This was fun and I just love Ghüs.

[Juli, Moderator]

#103 The Hating Game

4.5/5 stars

This was super cute and I love an enemies to lovers trope so much!

[Juli, Moderator]

#104 The Purloined Letter

2/5 stars

I love, love, love Poe but this was a miss for me.

[Juli, Moderator]

#105 Locke & Key, Vol. 1: Welcome to Lovecraft

3/5 stars

I think this is going to be a fun series, although the first installment didn't impress me as much as the hype promised. I will read on though ... I mean it is Joe Hill.

[Juli, Moderator]

#106 A Rogue of One's Own

4/5 stars

Great second book in the series. Gotta love a calculating and brooding man with a soft side, especially when he gets matched step by step by a woman more stubborn and determined than himself.

[Elyse, Moderator]

Juli wrote: "#97 The Drawing of the Three

2/5 stars

Ugh, I don't know how to judge this book. I ended up listening to it and I just could not stay engaged..."

I am not a fan of TDT series. lol

[Juli, Moderator]

#107 Stoker's Wilde West

3/5 stars

Another ARC I didn't write a review for, yet.

[Juli, Moderator]

#108 Becoming

4/5 stars

This was a personal view into the lives of the Obamas. Michelle seems approachable, caring, and down to earth. Moreover, she is strong and smart. She is inspiring. I highly recommend listening to her memoir.

[Juli, Moderator]

#109 Misfits

4.5/5 stars

I really liked this ARC. I've reviewed/read several Hunter Shea books and this has given me the most creeps. Of course, I still have to write an in-depth review for this. Oh well, one day ....

[Juli, Moderator]

#110 Happiness for Beginners

5/5 stars

This is the book I needed right now. It was fun and quirky. It was emotional and obviously a bit romantic. I love it when flawed characters grow.

[Juli, Moderator]

#111 Christmas at Silver Falls

3/5 stars

Cute.

[Juli, Moderator]

#112 Twenty Wishes

3/5 stars

Such a cozy read. And I loved all the different characters.

[Juli, Moderator]

#113 I Love You So Mochi

4/5 stars

This was adorable and a feast of colors and foods.

[Juli, Moderator]

#114 You Had Me at Hola

5/5 stars

I loved this. It truly read like a soap, but in the best way possible.

[Juli, Moderator]

#115 Coma

3/5 stars

Nancy Drew grew up to become Susan Wheeler. This was a suspenseful read. But I have a big issue with the very ending. There is no way Mark could've figured who is responsible so quickly when it took Susan the entire book.

[Juli, Moderator]

Elyse wrote: "Juli wrote: "#97 The Drawing of the Three

2/5 stars

Ugh, I don't know how to judge this book. I ended up listening to it and I just could not..."

I loved the first book but this second one was a total drag.

[Elyse, Moderator]

Juli wrote: "#108 Becoming

4/5 stars

This was a personal view into the lives of the Obamas. Michelle seems approachable, caring, and down to earth. Moreover, she ..."

Lovvved it!!!

[Charleen]

Juli wrote: "#97 The Drawing of the Three

2/5 stars

Ugh, I don't know how to judge this book. I ended up listening to it and I just could not stay engaged..."

I'm so intimidated by this series. I figure if I ever get through the rest of his backlist, then maybe I'll tackle it.

[Juli, Moderator]

Charleen wrote: "Juli wrote: "#97 The Drawing of the Three

2/5 stars

Ugh, I don't know how to judge this book. I ended up listening to it and I just could not..."

I am discouraged right now to read on because I just didn't enjoy book#2 very much.

[Juli, Moderator]

#116 Amok and Other Stories

5/5 stars

If you want to read stories that cover the less nice facets of love, this book is for you.
__________________________

Ich hatte diese Novellensammlung schon immer auf dem Radar und dieses Jahr war es endlich soweit, dass ich sie doch mal gelesen habe. Jeder kennt seine Schachnovelle und obwohl ich diese auch liebe, denke ich das Amok seine literarische Vielfältigkeit viel besser aufzeigt. Diese "Liebesgeschichten" schwanken zwischen Besessenheit und Verzweiflung, aber offenbaren doch immer wieder die natürliche Spielhaftigkeit zwischenmenschlicher Beziehungen. Trotz allem fühlt man sich hoffnungsvoll und verstanden wenn man in die Psyche seiner Charaktere schaut. Man fühlt mit ihnen mit. Man versteht sie. Man will, dass sie ihr Glück finden, obwohl man oft ganz genau weiss, dass sie das gar nicht verdient haben.

Der Amokläufer: 5 Sterne; diese Novelle hatte leider (typisch für diese Zeit) sehr rassistische Ansichten gegenüber Südostasiaten
Die Frau und die Landschaft: 5 Sterne; hier zieht Zweig sehr interessante Parallelen zwischen Lust und Natur
Phantastische Nacht: 4 Sterne; Dorian Gray trifft Ebenezer Scrooge und lernt was wirklich zählt
Brief einer Unbekannten: diese Novelle hat mir am Besten gefallen; so gut, dass ich ihr sogar 6 Sterne geben will (allso sie ist jetzt auf meiner all-time-favorite-list)
Die Mondscheingasse: 3 Sterne; diese Novelle ist schon fast Gotischer Horror.

[Juli, Moderator]

#117 Ninth House

3/5 stars

I've had a hard time with this book. I tried reading it earlier this year and just couldn't get into it. Listening to the audiobook this time around was much more engaging but overall I just feel ok about this story. It just wasn't as gripping as I had expected based on Bardugo's other books which I basically all loved. The world-building also wasn't as detailed and elegant as her Geishaverse. My audiobook version had an interview with the author at the end and that was highly entertaining and revealing.

[Juli, Moderator]

#118 Ghosts

4/5 stars

This was very cute!

[Juli, Moderator]

#119 Lord of the Flies

3/5 stars

I don't know how to rate this. I get the important themes in the book. I get the savagery and the critique on humankind. But the story and the writing just didn't click with me.

[Juli, Moderator]

#120 Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype

5/5 stars

I have had the book on my TBR forever and it is one of my 2020 pledges. But I don't think I will get around to reading it before the end of the year. So, I listened to this original recording instead. This audiobook recording came out prior to the actual book so it is much shorter.

I loved all her stories and parallels. You should give this a listen.

[Juli, Moderator]

#121 Parable of the Talents

5/5 stars

I loved this one. I can't believe there is no book 3! The ending had me fuming though. I can't believe after reading her diaries Larkin didn't think differently of her mother.

[Juli, Moderator]

#122 The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

4/5 stars

So very bizarre, with so many layers. I am going to have to digest this one for a while.

[Juli, Moderator]

#123 A Christmas Carol

5/5 stars

Patrick Stewart is a treasure and his rendition of A Christmas Carol is the only one you need. Most definitely worth a listen!

[Juli, Moderator]

#124 We Met in December

4/5 stars

Just the December romance I needed!