What Are You Reading? - 2025

[Kristie, Moderator]

I've just finished Good Dirt and started Mr. Whisper for the monthly challenge.

[Christine]

I’m reading a book called Survive the Night by Riley Sager

[Christine]

[Christine]

I’m reading a book called The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager

[Kristie, Moderator]

I finished The Love Haters last month, but just got around to the review. I enjoyed it, but didn't really care for the MC.

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

[Kristie, Moderator]

I have finished Good Dirt, Our Missing Hearts, and Mr. Whisper since my last update.

I am currently reading The Man Made of Smoke and The Final Game. I may also start What Happened to the McCrays? because I really want to read it and my library loan is about to expire.

[Christine]

I’m reading a book called Ask for Andrea by Noelle W. Ihli

[Janice, Moderator]

I'm currently reading Carrie Soto Is Back on Kindle, and Zorro: in the Curse of Capistrano on audiobook.

The narrator for Zorro has a very gravelly voice and it took me a while to get used to it enough to follow the story. The only review on the book's page reads, "The narration is superb." We all have different takes and tastes.

[Kristie, Moderator]

I did not end up starting What Happened to the McCrays?. I let it go back to the library and put myself back on the waitlist. Instead, I plan to finish The Final Game today and start Sociopath: A Memoir for my face-to-face book club. I'm also getting back into The Man Made of Smoke. It started off well, but I got side-tracked by other reads.

[Christine]

I’m reading a book called Gray After Dark by Noelle W. Ihli

[Janice, Moderator]

I've started two new books. Esrahaddon on audiobook. I'm doing a buddy read with Margo.

And Goddess of the River on Kindle.

Both books fit my annual challenge.

[Kristie, Moderator]

I am reading It's a Love Story and If the Shoe Fits. I generally try not to read two books that are too similar or fall into the same genre at the same time, but library loans being what they are this is where I've ended up.

[Christine]

I’m reading a book called How to Disappear by Gillian McAllister

[Kristie, Moderator]

I loved The Man Made of Smoke . Pub day is today.

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

[Sandra, Moderator]

I finished Let the Right One In yesterday. Although I liked it, I think it lost momentum at some point, and I struggle to care after that.

After a long pause, I resumed Lolita today.

I'm also listening to The Outsider.

[Janice, Moderator]

Kristie wrote: "I loved The Man Made of Smoke . Pub day is today.

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

I was checking that out earlier today.

[Janice, Moderator]

Sandra wrote: "I finished Let the Right One In yesterday. Although I liked it, I think it lost momentum at some point, and I struggle to care after that.

After a long pause, I resumed [book:Lolita..."

Good luck with Lolita. It's icky being in the head of pedophile.

[Christine]

I’m reading a book called The Good Sister by Gillian McAllister

[Sandra, Moderator]

Janice wrote: "Good luck with Lolita. It's icky being in the head of pedophile."

I finished it and I think the writing is brilliant. It was really hard to be in his head and see how everything made perfect sense in his sick reasoning. Scary.

[Sandra, Moderator]

I'm still listening to The Outsider, which I think it's fantastic. So happy to encounter Holly again.

I finished this morning The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector, a very interesting novella by a very interesting Brazilian author. I plan to read The Stream of Life by her next.

I'm also starting Things Fall Apart later today, although I'm not sure I'm in the right mood. We'll see.

[Kristie, Moderator]

I'm still reading It's a Love Story and I've started Somewhere Beyond the Sea. Both are really good right now.

I finished and enjoyed If the Shoe Fits. It was a really cute Cinderella retelling.

[Kristie, Moderator]

I finished It's a Love Story. Not my favorite book by Monaghan, but still pretty good.

- my It's a Love Story review

[Janice, Moderator]

I finished Glamorous Notions and really enjoyed it. I got it free from Amazon Firsts and I was pleasantly surprised. I'll tackle the monthly challenge next with Unwanted

[Christine]

I’m reading a book called Saving Noah by Lucinda Berry

[Kristie, Moderator]

I finished Somewhere Beyond the Sea today and I thought the book had some wonderful parts. Unfortunately, I found other parts felt a little too preachy. I thought the book really took off in the second half, but some of the ending felt repetitive from the first book.

I listened to the audio and I think that was a mistake. The narrator was overdramatic and it took away from the sentimentality of the story. I think I would have enjoyed it more had I read a physical copy. I ended up giving it 3.5 stars and rounding down due to the audio.

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

[Kristie, Moderator]

I'm starting Only the Beautiful tomorrow for my face-to-face book club that meets next week.

[Janice, Moderator]

I'm still working on Esrahaddon. Working is a good term. I'm over the world of Elan.

I'm halfway through my monthly challenge read, Unwanted

[Kristie, Moderator]

Assuming I can get through my book club book before my book club meets, I will be reading my monthly challenge book quickly before the end of the month again. (I certainly hope to get through my book club book since it's my month to host. lol)

[Janice, Moderator]

Fingers crossed Kristie.

[Christine]

I’m reading a book called When She Returned by Lucinda Berry

[Kristie, Moderator]

I finished Only the Beautiful for my book club. It was a really good book. I enjoyed one viewpoint a little more than the other, but they were both good.

I started The House Children for the monthly challenge. I read a lot more than I expected to today.

[Janice, Moderator]

Susan Meissner is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. I rated Only the Beautiful with 5 stars. I have a couple more of her books on my shelf to read - soon, I hope.

[Janice, Moderator]

I'm starting 2 new books:

The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris on Kobo, and The Jasad Heir on audiobook.

[Kristie, Moderator]

Janice wrote: "Susan Meissner is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. I rated Only the Beautiful with 5 stars. I have a couple more of her books on my shelf to read - soon, I hope."

I've only read a couple of her books, but I enjoyed them both.

[Christine]

I’m reading a book called A Beautiful Couple by Leslie Wolfe

[Christine]

I’m reading a book called Til Death Do Us Part by Daniel Hurst

[Christine]

I’m reading a book called Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier

[Sandra, Moderator]

I finished three books yesterday: Slaughterhouse-Five, which was completely different from what I thought it was, but I really liked it; The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, a very interesting story with a really good narration; and Desnudo En El Tejado, a short story collection by Chilean author Antonio Skármeta which I didn't like that much. All the stories are written in the first person voice and I just couldn't get into them.

I started yesterday the audiobook Blood Ties, sequel of The Kingdom which I really liked.

I'm also starting The Future is Female! Women's Science Fiction Stories from the Pulp Era to the New Wave because science fiction is not just about boys and their toys. :)

[Janice, Moderator]

I'm starting two books today for the topper -
The Black Loch (audiobook)
White Rose, Black Forest (kindle)

[Kristie, Moderator]

I'll be starting The Last Murder at the End of the World for the toppler soon.

I'm still trying to finish The God of the Woods before the toppler, but I don't think it's going to happen. It's not easy to put a book aside at 90% when you really want to know what happened.

[Christine]

I’m reading a book called What Lies Between Us by John Marrs

[Kristie, Moderator]

I ended up finishing The God of the Woods, which I found to be an excellent mystery. 5★

Then I read The Last Murder at the End of the World for the toppler, which was ok. It started off a little weird and I thought the storyline was good, but it just never really drew me in. 3★

Finally, I just finished Great Big Beautiful Life, which I thought was great. 5★

I'm now listening to Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls and I'm about halfway through. I've seen the show, but didn't follow it. The memoir has been mostly fun so far.

[Kristie, Moderator]

I finished Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls. It was good, but it was kind of like listening to a person with ADHD tell a long story.

I just started Never Name the Dead. It's supposed to be for the toppler, but I likely won't finish in time. Fingers crossed I can manage it.

[Sandra, Moderator]

I listened to The Prince and the Pauper yesterday, and I am still deciding which my next audiobook will be.

[Janice, Moderator]

I read 5 books for the toppler and I'm starting new books today.

Audiobook - The Bird Hotel
EBook - Play of Shadows

[Kristie, Moderator]

I surprisingly finished Never Name the Dead last night. Pretty happy with my toppling this time around.

I am going to read Dogged Pursuit today. We are doing some driving and I have the audio, so I will be able to listen to the whole thing. I will start How the Penguins Saved Veronica for the monthly challenge after that, either tonight or tomorrow.

I am also starting Run for the Hills for our group read.

[Christine]

[Kristie, Moderator]

I read Dogged Pursuit . It was a fun prequel to the series. my review of Dogged Pursuit

I'm now reading How the Penguins Saved Veronica for the yearly challenge and Run for the Hills for the group read.

[Christine]

I’m reading a book called I Am Watching You by Teresa Driscoll

[Janice, Moderator]

I've been away for a few days, and finished The Bird Hotel (audiobook) while travelling. I started Change of Fortune. I will finish it today since there is only an hour left.