Carol J's 2025 Reading Challenge

[Carol]

Would like to read about 300 books this year.

[Carol]

1. Gallbladder Removal Diet: A Beginner’s 3-Week Step-by-Step Guide After Gallbladder Surgery, With Curated Recipes by Brandon Gilta - Suggestions on how to live life without a gallbladder. *** 1/1/25

[Carol]

2. James J. Hill: A Great Life in Brief by Stewart Hall Holbrook - The life and times of James J. Hill, a Canadian-American railroad executive who settled in MN. Woot, woot! *** 1/1/25

[Carol]

3. The Method: How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act by Isaac Butler - The story and evolution of the Stanislavski System or "The Method" acting system. Very enlightening. I think after listening to this audio book, I won't take actors and acting for granted. **** 1/3/25

[Carol]

4. The Smell of Wet Dog: And Other Dog Poems and Drawings by Barney Saltzberg - A children's book of dog-centric poetry. *** 1/4/25

[Carol]

5. The Exchange by John Grisham - This was the sequel to The Firm. Mitch was still "smarting" from his experience in Memphis years before. Now 15 years later, Mitch and Abby McDeere are settled in Manhattan. He in a new law firm and she with a new job. Then the unthinkable happens on one of the lawfirm's partner's daughter is kidnapped by terrorists and he is involved in her rescue. **** 1/4/24

[Carol]

6. Jungle Tales of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs - A collection of Tarzan short stories. *** 1/5/25

[Carol]

7. Black Velvet by Steven Henry - Erin O'Reilly is a police officer in the NYPD. One night she attends an event at the Queens Museum and a priceless painting is stolen. She is determined to find the painting. *** 1/5/25

[Carol]

8. The Saint-Fiacre Affair by Georges Simenon - Maigret gets a note that predicts the time and place of a person in Saint-Fiacre. *** 1/5/25

[Carol]

9. Cat in the Rain: A Short Story by Ernest Hemingway - A short story about a man and woman on vacation in Italy. *** 1/6/24

[Carol]

10. Agatha Raisin and the Haunted House by M.C. Beaton - Agatha's new neighbor invited her to help him investigate a haunted house. **** 1/6/25

[Carol]

11. The Maze Runner by James Dashner - Thomas is a teen boy who has lost his memory. So have the other boys of "The Glade". The only thing they can remember are their names. *** 1/7/25

[Elyse, Moderator]

Carol wrote: "11. The Maze Runner by James Dashner - Thomas is a teen boy who has lost his memory. So have the other boys of "The Glade". The only thing they can remember are ..."

Enjoyed this series and the movie adaptations. Still need to read one more book though ! And the spinoff series. Though I don't want to give Dashner anymore money and I only already own TFC.

[Carol]

12. In Dog We Trust by Neil S. Plakcy - Steve was recently divorced and working as a college English professor. He befriended his next door neighbor, Caroline and her dog Rochester. Then one day she was shot and killed. Steve somehow becomes Rochester's temporary guardian. Then he starts throwing himself into investigating Caroline's murder. *** 1/9/25

[Carol]

13. Eruption by Michael Crichton - There is a once a century volcano eruption happening. Because of some military secrets the entire island and possibly the entire world are jeopardized. *** 1/9/25

[Carol]

14. The Never Game by Jeffery Deaver - Colter Shaw is a tracker. He finds missing people. He was hired to find a woman who disappeared in Silicon Valley. And then another person goes missing. *** 1/10/25

[Carol]

15. A Date with Murder by Jessica Fletcher - Jessica is helping out her friend Babs whose husband died of a heart attack. Jessica thinks his death might have been a murder. *** 1/12/25

[Carol]

16. The Forsaken and the Dead: The Bass Reeves Trilogy, Book Three by Dr. Sidney Thompson - The last part of the Bass Reeves trilogy. His older years. *** 1/12/25

[Carol]

17. Firefly Galaxy by Sarah Nelson - Early submission to Minnesota Book Award 2025 - A children's book about a family going out, after dark to look at the Fireflys. At the end of the story are some facts about Fireflys. *** 1/13/24

[Carol]

18. Go and Get with Rex by David LaRochelle - Early MNBA submission - Jack, Jill, and their dog Rex are going to play a game of Go and Get. *** 1/14/25

[Carol]

19. Salt, Pepper, Season, Spice: All the Flavors of the World by Jacques Pasquet - A kids book discussing spices. **** 1/15/25

[Carol]

20. Selected Shorts: Wartime Lives by Symphony Space - Short Stories about soldiers and wartime. *** 1/16/25

[Carol]

21. How the Birds Got Their Songs by Travis Zimmerman - MNBA early submission - Long ago, when the earth was young, the Great Spirit noticed how quiet it was. He had a competition with the birds to see who could fly so high and then, on the return, present Mother Earth with their song. **** 1/16/24

[Carol]

22. Touch the Sky by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic - MNBA early submission - A nice story about a boy learning to swing. *** 1/16/25

[Carol]

23. The Rock in My Throat by Kao Kalia Yang - Early MNBA submission - The story of a shy Hmong girl, looking for a friend. *** 1/16/25

[Carol]

24. Loaf the Cat Goes To The Powwow by Nicholas DeShaw - Early MNBA submission - Loaf the cat goes to her boy's first pow wow and watches him dance. *** 1/16/24

[Carol]

25. Mr. Fox's Game of No! by David LaRochelle - Early MNBA submission - Mr. Fox plays a fun word game with his student friends. *** 1/17/25

[Carol]

26. Xelucha by M.P. Shiel - Despite the fact that this reminded me of some of the writings of Poe, I did not get into it. ** 1/17/24

[Carol]

27. The Terra-Cotta Dog by Andrea Camilleri - Inspector Montalbano gets involved investigating a crime involving the Mafia, some valuables and a death. *** 1/18/24

[Carol]

28. Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin): A Memoir by Sly Stone - A really entertaining memoir on the founder of the musical group Sly and the Family Stone. **** 1/19/25

[Carol]

29. Still Waters by Matt Goldman - MNBA early submission - Liv and Gabe Ahlstrom were just told that their older brother died of a seizure. A few minute later, they get an email from their brother! It was a scheduled email that stated someone had been trying to kill him. **** 1/20/25

[Carol]

30. The Weaver and the Witch Queen by Genevieve Gornichec - 10th century Norway - Oddny and Gunnhild were childhood friends. One was to find her missing sister, the other to become a witch destined and later the queen of Norway. *** 1/21/25

[Carol]

31. Answers to Dog by Pete Hautman - MNBA early submission - A sweet story about a boy trying to get a dog. **** 1/21/25

[Carol]

32. Long Island by Colm Tóibín - A lot of drama in this second book in the Eilis Lacey series. In the beginning of the book, Eilis finds out her husband fathered a married woman's child. Eilis is so mad she goes back to Ireland for her mother's 80th birthday. *** 1/21/25

[Carol]

33. The Excitements by C.J. Wray - The Williamson sisters are in their upper 80s. They were Vets from WWII. Present day, they are called to France to receive an award. *** 1/23/25

[Carol]

34. Selected Shorts: Travel Tales A Celebration Of The Short Story by Symphony Space - Travel related short stories. *** 1/25/25

[Carol]

35. Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros - Violet Sorrengail has been attending Basgiath War College, but a battle with her land's enemies is very close. They travel to find allies against the enemies. **** 1/26/25

[Andrea, Moderator]

So many people are raving about Onyx Storm and the series!

[Carol]

Andrea wrote: "So many people are raving about Onyx Storm and the series!"

It was good and is going to be a Netflix show! ...and is not over!

[Carol]

36. Dylan Goes Electric!: Newport, Seeger, Dylan, and the Night That Split the Sixties by Elijah Wald - Great movie. Good book. The early years of Bob Dylan and his going to the electric Guitar. *** 1/27/25

[Andrea, Moderator]

Carol wrote: "Andrea wrote: "So many people are raving about Onyx Storm and the series!"

It was good and is going to be a Netflix show! ...and is not over!"

You twisted my arm, I guess I need to read it!

[Carol]

37. Dreamweaver's Dilemma by Lois McMaster Bujold - The first story in the Vorkosigan Saga. *** 1/28/25

[Carol]

38. Guide Me Home by Attica Locke - Darren Matthews is in an "early retirement" from Texas Rangers law enforcement. His mother asks him to look into a missing African American girl college girl. **** 1/28/25

[Carol]

39. What the Chicken Knows: A New Appreciation of the World's Most Familiar Bird by Sy Montgomery - A book about the relationship between people and chickens (and roosters). *** 1/28/25

[Carol]

40. The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians: True Stories of the Magic of Reading by James Patterson - People can be passionate about books. This book tells people's stories about about their books. From different prospectives in and out of the industry. **** 1/29/25

[Carol]

41. Where Wolves Don't Die by Anton Treuer - MNBA nominee - Ezra Cloud lives in Northeast Minneapolis & hates it. He misses the rez at Nigigoonsiminikaaning First Nation. *** 1/31/25

[Carol]

42. The Deadly Dance by M.C. Beaton - Agatha starts her holiday season by getting mugged, which infuriated her into starting a detective agency. She starts out with minor jobs like missing cats. Then a mother hires her to investigate a death threat made against her daughter. **** 2/1/25

[Carol]

43. Angel of Vengeance by Douglas Preston - Constance uses the time travel machine to go back and find Dr. Leng in order to save her siblings. **** 2/1/24

[Carol]

44. Dance Hall of the Dead by Tony Hillerman - Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn (Navajo Tribal Police) has to search for two Native American boys that have gone missing. An archaeological dig is interfering with the search. *** 2/1/25

[Carol]

45. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling - This is my favorite of the HP books. Drastic things are happening at Hogwarts. The books are getting darker and darker... ***** 2/3/25