Currently reading 2023

[Christine]

I finished my 69th book

[PamG]

Here is my 4.52 rounded to 5 stars review of Laws of Annihilation by Eriq La Salle:

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

Crime Thriller / Police Procedural

Overall, this book was suspenseful, riveting, fast-paced, and thought-provoking. This is heartbreaking and tough to read at times and has many trigger warnings. However, it was also well-written, memorable, and thought-provoking.

[PattyMacDotComma]

The less I say the better, I think, about All That's Left Unsaid by Aussie author Rowena Holloway. Not for me.

My review of All That's Left Unsaid

[PattyMacDotComma]

I enjoyed the story of fugitive spook 'Bird' in A Bird in Winter by Louise Doughty. Glad I read it when I was warm at home, though, (and nobody was chasing me).
My review of A Bird in Winter

[Phrynne]

My review of The Naturalist of Amsterdam by Melissa Ashley

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

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

I just finished 'Twas the Bite Before Christmas. It was cute and just what I expect from an Andy Carpenter book. I often laugh out loud during these books, but after so many (it is #28 in the series) I was able to tell who did what well before the end.

I am now almost done reading Making Rounds with Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat. It is ok, a lot more about the author's experiences with his patients than the actual cat.

I am also reading The Only One Left. I am a little more than 1/3 through. I'm wondering if it's more of a haunted house / ghost story than I was expecting. I didn't get that from the blurb and it's not tagged paranormal or anything like that, so I could be wrong. So far, it's well written and interesting. I'm curious what's going on.

[PamG]

Here is my 4.12 rounded to 4 stars review of Long Past Dues by James J. Butcher:

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

Urban Fantasy

Overall, this novel was engaging and entertaining with a vivid fantasy environment. The plot is layered and has plenty of twists and turns combined with suspense, tension, and action. It is more polished and the pacing is better than book one of the series.

[Tammy]

Starting to read Alpaca Lies by Ellen Riggs

[Elinor]

I like the sound of The Bite Before Christmas - check out David Rosenfelt's bio and he seems really solid. I mean just ordinary and nice, but also not ordinary at all :).

I've just started:

Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young

The first few pages feel quite promising & a little mysterious.

[Woman Reading]

We Have Been Harmonized: Life in China's Surveillance State by German journalist Kai Strittmatter

- a good primer on China's current politics and governance style.


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

[Melindam]

Currently reading Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

I have gone into this book with zero expectations, but it is still a nice surprise how much I am enjoying this book. Currently at 30%.

[Merkku]

Currently reading:
- a humorist horror book by Jenny Jägerfeld and Mats Strandberg
-a thriller by Sebastian Fitzek
- a kids' fantasy book by Magdalena Hai

These books are German, Swedish and Finnish and I can't find their English translated names.

[Christine]

I finished my 70th book

[PamG]

Here is my 4.3 rounded to 4 stars review of Snow Place for Murder by Diane Kelly:

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

Cozy Mystery

I was immediately drawn into Misty’s life and enjoyed the unraveling of the mystery and the development of friendships. The story captivated me from the beginning with a good plot, great world-building details, and characters that are emotionally rich.

[Sharn ✿]

I just finished “a good girls guide to murder” and I loved it. I’ve just picked up “too late” by Colleen Hoover.. i told myself I wouldn’t read any Colleen Hoover books because not my vibe, but here I am.. wish me luck 🥲

[Elinor]

I liked A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder too. I’ve read several Colleen Hoover’s - most of which I didn’t really enjoy, but I still have one on my shelf! Go figure… 🤷‍♀️

Good luck with the read!

[Christine]

[Woman Reading]

Finishing up the Innkeeper Chronicles by Ilona Andrews


Sweep with Me


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

Sweep of the Heart

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

[PamG]

Here is my 4.05 rounded to 4 stars review of The Blue Monsoon by Damyanti Biswas:

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

Police Procedural

Overall, this book was suspenseful and thought-provoking with an incredible setting and diverse characters.

[PamG]

Here is my 4.09 rounded to 4 stars review of Slay by Laurell K. Hamilton:

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

Urban Fantasy / Paranormal Romantic Suspense

Overall, this was an engrossing and entertaining novel with great characterization, plenty of action, and lots of family drama.

[PattyMacDotComma]

Big Cat for Little Wandle Fluency ― THE WOLF WHO CRIED BOY is a twist with an environmental bent on the folk tale of the Boy Who Cried Wolf. I like this version by Bali Rai better.
My review of The Wolf Who Cried Boy with several illustrations

[PattyMacDotComma]

It Waits in the Woods is reason enough not to venture down that way. Josh Malerman has added his creepy short story to Amazon's Creature Feature Collection.

My review of It Waits in the Woods

[Dem]

Finished The Last Letter: A Father's Struggle, a Daughter's Quest, and the Long Shadow of the Holocaust

My Review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/5846145468

[Woman Reading]

The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth

This was my first novel by Sally Hepworth. This was well written but domestic thrillers might not be for me.

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

[Dem]

www.goodreads.com/review/show/5886964314

[Christine]

I finished my 71st book

[Phrynne]

My review of In Bloom by Paul Tremblay

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

[PattyMacDotComma]

Still available on NetGalley for a couple of days is another Amazon Original Story, A Night at the Tropicana by Chanel Cleeton. Short romance, Miami and Cuba, 1939 and 1969.
My review of A Night at the Tropicana

[Melindam]

Just finished by Mariana Zapata

I gave it an overly generous 3 stars (more like 2,6 rounded up) just for the sheer relief of finally finishing.

There is a good story and there are good characters buried under the unmercifully long and heavy inner monologue and the relentless and unnecessary profanity.

I find the author's choice of narrative style, where she practically closes the readers into her female MCs' heads and throws away the keys super claustrophobic.

This has been my 2nd and my last book by Zapata. She goes to my "not-for-me-authors" list.

Here is my review of From Lukov with Love

[Jim]

Just finished reading (for the 3rd. time) J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy (The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King)

Just started reading After The King - Stories in Honor of J.R.R. Tolkien, a compilation of 20 short fantasy stories by 20 different authors. Edited by Martin H. Greenberg with an introduction by Jane Yolen..

[Dem]

Finished The Odessa File by

My Review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/5896927326

[Tammy]

Starting to read The Ghost Between Us byPete Nunweiler

[PamG]

Here's my 3.03 rounded to 3 stars review of A Murder at Balmoral by Chris McGeorge:

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

Alternative History with a Murder Mystery

Descriptive narrative
Suspenseful moments along with moments that seemed to drag
Twisty plot
Entertaining, but antagonist was too easy to identify

[Woman Reading]

Eat to Beat Your Diet: Burn Fat, Heal Your Metabolism, and Live Longer by William W Li, MD

Written by a doctor, this book isn't a typical "diet" book.

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

[Dem]

Finished O Caledonia
My Review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/5907639667

[PamG]

Here is my 4.3 rounded to 4 stars review of Betrayal by Phillip Margolin:

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

Legal Thriller

Fast-paced, engaging, intense
Plenty of drama inside and outside the courtroom

[Woman Reading]

On the Edge by Ilona Andrews

I've been on a long Ilona Andrews reading spell. I've
had to dig deep into their bookshelves to find more books. This is the beginning of The Edge series, and it had been published around the same time as their first Kate Daniels novel.

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

[PattyMacDotComma]

Just finished Outback by Aussie author Patricia Wolf, whose exciting thriller is about a hot, dry part of the world that she knows well but that these unfortunate tourists didn't.
My review of Outback

[Christine]

I finished my 72nd book

[Dorothy]

I've picked up 'My Name is Red' again. I started it a couple of months ago but gave up when I couldn't get into it. Now I am enjoying it more.

[Dorothy]

I've just started this


What you are looking for is in the library : a novel

Aoyama, Michiko, 1970-
AOY

[Woman Reading]

Bayou Moon by Ilona Andrews

This is the second in The Edge series, and I liked this more than it's predecessor. It's not necessary to read the debut novel before this one.

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

[PamG]

Here is my 3.42 rounded to 3 stars review of Hunt on Dark Waters by Katee Robert:

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

Fantasy Romance
Great World-building
Good characterization
A couple of steamy scenes starting with the mid-point of the book
Somewhat uneven pacing
Instant physical attraction

[PattyMacDotComma]

Tasmanian writer Richard Flanagan is one of the very best Aussie authors, whether it's for his prize-winners and best-sellers or his essays and articles, some of which are collected in And What Do You Do Mr. Gable?. Intelligent, thoughtful, passionate, unique. Love his work.
My review of And What Do You Do, Mr. Gable?

[Christine]

[Woman Reading]

Fate's Edge by Ilona Andrews

This doesn't feel like a pure urban fantasy, but more like a crime caper overlaid with some fantasy elements.

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

[Tammy]

Rereading before donating The Border Hostage byVirginia Henley

[PamG]

Here is my 4.31 rounded to 4 stars review of An Unforgiving Place by Claire Kells:

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

Mystery
National Park setting
This novel has an incredible setting, wonderful characters, and the narrative is well-plotted.

[Tammy]

Started reading Twas the Bite Before Christmas byEllen Riggs book 6 of Bought the Farm series

[Rosalyn]

The book starts with several quotes, one of which is by Churchill's daughter-in-law: "It was a terrible war, but if you were the right age and in the right place, it was spectacular." Olsen transports us right into the thick of all the excitement, of London during the Blitz, the draconian rationing, of being surrounded by constant death and privation, but also inside the raucous parties, the drama-filled inner circles of the Roosevelt and Churchill administrations, and the romantic acts of heroism, grit, and empathy shown throughout the war.

Full 5/5 star review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


Citizens of London: The Americans Who Stood with Britain in Its Darkest, Finest Hour