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2025 Independent Challenge
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**Michelle’s Any Way You Want It That’s The Way You Read It Independent Reading
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Michelle wrote: "Karol wrote: "Hello, Michelle. I've been thinking about that Kate Burkholder series for a while and finally decided to try the series. Very excited that my local library several from this series in..."I have a few series where my interest waxes and wanes, too, so I'm glad there are so many to choose from. This year, I returned to the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency (by Alexander McCall Smith) series as well as the Inspector Gamache series (by Louise Penny) after a few years away. I enjoyed getting back into those stories and characters so much, it was hard to understand why I had ever set them aside.
Michelle wrote: "#145 All in Her Head The Truth and Lies Early Medicine Taught Us About Women's Bodies and Why It Matters Today by Elizabeth Comen All in Her Head: The Truth and Lies Early Medicine Taught Us About Women's Bodies and Why It Matters Today You might say a lot of the things in this book are unbelievable unless you have ever been a woman who has gone to the doctor. 4 engrossing, enraging, enlightening stars. Nonfiction-Health."Of course this is on my TBR and I hope to get to it soon. So good to hear you found it interesting!
Karol wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Karol wrote: "Hello, Michelle. I've been thinking about that Kate Burkholder series for a while and finally decided to try the series. Very excited that my local library several fr..."I recently returned to the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series also and I hope to get caught up. Such a calming series. I never got far into Louise Penny but maybe it's time for another try.
Ioana wrote: "Michelle wrote: "#145 All in Her Head The Truth and Lies Early Medicine Taught Us About Women's Bodies and Why It Matters Today by Elizabeth Comen All in Her Head: The Truth and Lies Early Medicine..."Enjoy is not the right word for this one but I hope you enjoy it!
I'm listening to tons of audiobooks this year but I'm feeling good about my challenges. I've already finished 2 12+4 challenges and I just completed my Motley 2025 challenge. I only lack five states on my ongoing state challenge (Delaware, Kansas, Maryland, Oklahoma, and Utah) which I'm really hoping to finish before year end. I'm even doing better on my lifetime President's Challenge. I have the idea in my head that I should read at least 5 books a year to stay on track with that but this is the first year since I started in I think 2019 that I will actually accomplish that.
Planet Earth isn’t a fair place. It’s unfair in a broad variety of different ways, some worse than others, but it isn’t fair. Not for anybody.”― Jim Butcher, The Law
149 books
12,691 pages
117 audiobooks
32 books
#146.
The Impossible Fortune The Thursday Murder Club is back in session and better than ever. All of my favorite characters were back in play and I felt like the plot was a little tighter on this one. 4 weddings, bombs and missing people stars. Mystery.#147
Yours Truly I loved this sweet romance. Second in the series as good as the first. This author doesn’t shy away from serious subjects but manages to keep it romantic and funny at the same time. 4 romantic letters and cupcakes stars. Romance.#148.
Heart Strings A nice story about exes reunited but it got a little too graphic for me. 3 leave something to my imagination please stars. Romance.#149.
The Law A short Dresden novella that takes place months after the last book. It was so good to read Harry again. I can’t wait for the next book! 4 Harry is back!Current:
AlchemisedGood world building but slow.
Tokyo Dreaming Only a few pages in.
“Joyce thinks that perhaps bombs are women. Once they’ve exploded, that’s an end to it. Men are more like guns: they’re constantly reloading.”
― Richard Osman, The Impossible Fortune
“I’m beginning to think men are not sending us their best people.”
― Abby Jimenez, Yours Truly
But something deep down inside me stirred, like an old warhorse who hears the sound of trumpets”
― Jim Butcher, The Law
Michelle wrote: "#146. The Impossible Fortune (Thursday Murder Club, #5) by Richard Osman The Impossible Fortune The Thursday Murder Club is back in session and better than ever. All of my favorite characters were back in play and I felt like the plot was a little tighter on this one. 4 weddings, bombs and missing people stars. Mystery"Just read this one too and really enjoyed it as well.
On another note, I guess I really am going to have to start the Dresden series. You all keep talking about it and I have fomo
Lillie wrote: "Michelle wrote: "#146. The Impossible Fortune (Thursday Murder Club, #5) by Richard Osman The Impossible Fortune The Thursday Murder Club is back in session and better than ever. All of my favorite..."Oh Lillie! You're in for a such a treat! Everybody loves Harry!
I do feel like I should warn you of a couple of things about the series though. This is very much a series where you can see the author grow as a writer. The first couple are fun but they may not blow you away. Keep reading though and I promise at some point you will be hooked. Second, I know you are an audiobook listener and according to what I have read on Goodreads the early audiobooks were read by an inferior narrator who was replaced at some point around the 5th or 6th book. So just be aware. I have read most of these because I just find them so much fun but the ones I have listened to on audio were later in the series and they were great. Definitely do start the Dresden series. It is so much fun!
Michelle, I agree with everything you said to Lillie about the Dresden series. I was not blown away with the first book, but fortunately, picked up a book that included books 1-3...and once I finished it, I wanted to read more. :-) I'm glad you enjoyed Yours Truly and The Law - me too. I need to squeeze in The Impossible Fortune very soon! :-)
Lea wrote: "Michelle, I agree with everything you said to Lillie about the Dresden series. I was not blown away with the first book, but fortunately, picked up a book that included books 1-3...and once I finis..."I've enjoyed the first two in the Part of Your World series. I plan to pick up the others at some point. This series has made me appreciate Abby Jimenez. It's not every writer who can deal with serious subjects like abuse and anxiety and still make the story funny and romantic. You definitely need to get to The Impossible Fortune sometime. I really felt like the author finally has his rhythm and his characters down for this series now and is getting into more interesting mysteries.
Lillie wrote: "On another note, I guess I really am going to have to start the Dresden series. You all keep talking about it and I have fomo.."
I echo Michelles sentiments, as well. Dresden starts off so tame; with his juvenile sense of humor, being gentlemanly to the point of nauseam, and very repetitive with the magic that dresden wields. If I read Forzare once, I read it a thousand times in the first 3 books. Just stick with it and make sure you read them. There are some character arcs that lay groundwork for later books. I believe her name is Susan.
I echo Michelles sentiments, as well. Dresden starts off so tame; with his juvenile sense of humor, being gentlemanly to the point of nauseam, and very repetitive with the magic that dresden wields. If I read Forzare once, I read it a thousand times in the first 3 books. Just stick with it and make sure you read them. There are some character arcs that lay groundwork for later books. I believe her name is Susan.
Alondra wrote: "Lillie wrote: "On another note, I guess I really am going to have to start the Dresden series. You all keep talking about it and I have fomo.."I echo Michelles sentiments, as well. Dresden starts..."
Hell's Bells Alondra, you got that right.
Michelle wrote: "Hell's Bells Alondra, you got that right."Stars and Stones, Alondra and Michelle, I'm laughing so hard right now!
Michelle wrote: "Current:AlchemisedGood world building but slow."
I'm very curious about this one, I can't wait to see what you think of it. I've read very mixed reviews...
Michelle wrote: "I know you are an audiobook listener and according to what I have read on Goodreads the early audiobooks were read by an inferior narrator who was replaced at some point around the 5th or 6th book. So just be aware."I gave up on this series because of the narrator. If your version is narrated by James Marsters, stay away from it.
Lea wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Hell's Bells Alondra, you got that right."
Stars and Stones, Alondra and Michelle, I'm laughing so hard right now!"
Bwahhahaha....
Stars and Stones, Alondra and Michelle, I'm laughing so hard right now!"
Bwahhahaha....
Ioana wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Current:AlchemisedGood world building but slow."
I'm very curious about this one, I can't wait to see what you think of it. I've read very mixed reviews..."
I'm still working on it. It's a long one. Right now, though, I have to say the story isn't bad it's just slow. Really, really slowly coming together. I'll let you know more when I've finished the whole thing.
Ioana wrote: "Michelle wrote: "I know you are an audiobook listener and according to what I have read on Goodreads the early audiobooks were read by an inferior narrator who was replaced at some point around the..."I strongly suggest that newbies read the first few books in the series in print. Even now when I am near the end of the series, I usually enjoy them more if I wait and read them in print. Harry is just better in my head.
Michelle wrote: "Ioana wrote: I gave up on this series because of the narrator. If your version is narrated by James Marsters, stay away from it."I strongly suggest that newbies read the first few books in the series in print. Even now when I am near the end of the series, I usually enjoy them more if I wait and read them in print. Harry is just better in my head
You all have convinced me to read the print versions of the first few! Will pick up the first the next time I'm in the library. Thanks!
Books mentioned in this topic
Tokyo Dreaming (other topics)Yours Truly (other topics)
The Impossible Fortune (other topics)
The Law (other topics)
Alchemised (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Abby Jimenez (other topics)Jennifer Weiner (other topics)
Sarah Beth Durst (other topics)
Kara Swisher (other topics)
Nate Bargatze (other topics)
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I hope you enjoy it, Karol. I have found it to be a reliable series. Usually a good mystery/thriller read with interesting characters. As I said above sometimes my interest in the series will wax and wane but the series is consistent overall.