Reading Challenge/Goals for 2023--2024 link added

[RangerPooh]

29/30 Home Tours, History & Homicide (Dogwood Springs Cozy Mystery Book 3) by Sally Bayless

Due to Hallmark Christmas movies, I've slowed down on my reading... need to pick it up again.

 

[Simba's Mom]

#49-"The Wedding Planner", Danielle Steel, 4 stars-If you like a typical Danielle Steel sometimes, this is a perfect example

#50-"Carrie Soto is Back", Taylor Jenkins Reed, 4 stars-if you know anything about tennis and the scoring of it, you'd enjoy it a little more, but I really found the relationship between her and her coach, her father, very relatable.

#51-"The Orphan Collector", Ellen Marie Wiseman, 3 stars. Finding new families for babies orphaned during the Spanish Flu Epidemic, where not everyone had good intentions. The biggest disappointment for me was that I'd read another book by this author and found the other book very interesting, this one not so much! However, I did find myself being grateful for how far medicine has come during pandemics.

 

[melk]

27/35 Food: A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan

Comedian Jim Gaffigan on his lifelong love of eating.

I had read this when it first came out but I was looking for an audiobook to listen to when I’m out walking the dog. This was perfect. I forgot how funny he is and my neighbors probably think I’m nuts because I was often laughing out loud as I walked along.

 

[bobbiwoz]

84/85
A young adult version of “The Hiding Place” by Corrie ten Boon. This was adapted by Elizabeth and John Sherrill.



It was recommended to me by a friend. The story is set in Holland, and what it was like in German occupied Holland during WWII.
4/5

 

[bobbiwoz]

27/35 Food: A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan

Comedian Jim Gaffigan on his lifelong love of eating.

I had read this when it first came out but I was looking for an audiobook to listen to when I’m out walking the dog. This was perfect. I forgot how funny he is and my neighbors probably think I’m nuts because I was often laughing out loud as I walked along.

I am ready to read something funny. I just took this out on Libby!

 

[willowsnn3]

#56 A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron
#57 A Dog's Journey by W. Bruce Cameron
From Goodreads:
This is the remarkable story of one endearing dog's search for his purpose over the course of several lives. More than just another charming dog story, this touches on the universal quest for an answer to life's most basic question: Why are we here?

Y'all, I have to say these are 2 of the best books I have read all year. Believe there is one more in the series so will have to look for that soon.

 

[melk]

#56 A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron
#57 A Dog's Journey by W. Bruce Cameron
From Goodreads:
This is the remarkable story of one endearing dog's search for his purpose over the course of several lives. More than just another charming dog story, this touches on the universal quest for an answer to life's most basic question: Why are we here?

Y'all, I have to say these are 2 of the best books I have read all year. Believe there is one more in the series so will have to look for that soon.

I loved these books! It’s been several years since I read them, may be time for a reread.

 

[Allison Joy]

16/25 - The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris - Historical fiction about the man who tattooed the numbers onto his fellow prisoners at Auschwitz. Inspired by a true story. A good read, but a heavy read. I saw (but didn't read) an article about how it's been criticized for being inaccurate. I mean... it's historical fiction, so... Anyway, definitely a good read, and I read through it faster than I was expecting.

Current read... I decided I needed something light and fluffy and fun, so I chose a children's book called "A Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom." It starts out like this:

"Prologue: Thing You Don't Know About Prince Charming"
Prince Charming is afraid of old ladies. Didn't know that, did you?
Don't worry. There's a lot you don't' know about Prince Charming: Prince Charming has no idea how to use a sword; Prince Charming has no patience for dwarfs; Prince Charming has an irrational hatred of capes.
Some of you may not even realize that there's more than one Prince Charming. And that none of them are actually named Charming. No one is. Charming isn't a name; it's an adjective.

Then I found a children's book that's written by the author of the Pearls before Swine comic. Looking forward to some light, funny, easy reads.

 

[Lumpy1106]

#56 A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron
#57 A Dog's Journey by W. Bruce Cameron
From Goodreads:
This is the remarkable story of one endearing dog's search for his purpose over the course of several lives. More than just another charming dog story, this touches on the universal quest for an answer to life's most basic question: Why are we here?

Y'all, I have to say these are 2 of the best books I have read all year. Believe there is one more in the series so will have to look for that soon.

I enjoyed both of those as well. I will warn you about reading "Dog Master". It's ostensibly about the first domesticated dog, but it's really a sometimes NSFW, sometimes brutal account of caveman life. I thought it was an interesting read and it held my attention, but it's definitely not what you would expect if you are familiar with his other work.

 

[Simba's Mom]

84/85
A young adult version of “The Hiding Place” by Corrie ten Boon. This was adapted by Elizabeth and John Sherrill.

View attachment 816865

It was recommended to me by a friend. The story is set in Holland, and what it was like in German occupied Holland during WWII.
4/5

Thanks to your recommendation, I just got it and will read it after what I'm reading now. I have a feeling that after that, I'll also be ready for reading something funny. I read a lot of books about WWII and concentration camps. But unfortunately, our library doesn't have access to Jim Gaffigan.

 

[melk]

28/35 The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen

A retired CIA operative living in a remote Maine town is dragged back into her past life when a dead body is dumped in her driveway.

This is not usually the type of book I read but the summary intrigued me. It didn’t disappoint as it was suspenseful. It’s the first in a series so I will probably keep my eyes out for the release of the next one.

 

[mgarbowski]

Book 25 of 24 - Consider Phlebas by Iain Banks
Book 26 of 24 - Circe by Madeline Miller

Consider Phlebas is the first book in the "Culture" scifi series by Ian Banks. It is said to be somewhat unrepresentative of the series. Either way, I am not sure if I want to continue.

Circe is a modern retelling of the story of the greek mythological figure Circe. I rather enjoyed it.

 

[MGMmjl]

34/30 - Tripwire by Lee Child

Description:
"Jack Reacher, ex-military policeman relaxed in Key West until Costello turned up dead. The amiable PI was hired in New York by the daughter of Reacher's mentor and former commanding officer, General Garber. Garber's investigation into a Vietnam MIA sets Reacher on collision with hand-less 'Hook' Hobie, hours away from his biggest score."

This is book #3 in the Jack Reacher series. I enjoyed the book overall. It was written in 1999, before 9/11, and the World Trade Center was pretty prominent in the story, so that was a bit sobering. There was also a part in the story that talks about Jack Reacher (when he was 24) having a crush on his general's daughter (who was 15 at the time). They get together in this book (they are both in their 30's then), but some of the descriptions of their past made me cringe a bit. But I still enjoyed the story overall.

 

[jlud57]

4/20 The Book of Lost Names- Kristin Harmel-Set during World War II, tells the story of a young woman who is forced to flee Paris and disguise her true identity. Through her forged documents and a secret code, she helps thousands of Jewish children escape to safety. The book explores themes of resilience, identity, and the power of words. Great read, I really enjoy reading her books.

5/20 The Royal Nanny- Karen Harper- A young nanny who arrives to be an undernurse to take care of princes, Bertie and David. Her name is Charlotte and will soon answer to the name, LaLa a nickname given to her by the young Bertie. Witnessing an act of cruelty she is soon made head nursemaid and will give up her life to care for this young royal family.

6/20 Out of the Dust- Karen Hesse- A poem cycle that reads as a novel, Out of the Dust tells the story of a girl named Billie Jo, who struggles to help her family survive the dust-bowl years of the Depression. Fighting against the elements on her Oklahoma farm, Billie Jo takes on even more responsibilities when her mother dies in a tragic accident. Saw someone else read this, and thought it would be interesting, it was. Super quick read.

7/20 Winemaker's Wife- Kirstin Harmel-When Céline recklessly follows her heart in one desperate bid for happiness, and Inès makes a dangerous mistake with a Nazi collaborator, they risk the lives of those they love—and the champagne house that ties them together. Great read!

8/20 Remarkably Bright Creatures- Shelby Van Pelt- a book revolving around a mischievous giant pacific octopus in a small town aquarium, attended by a lovely old lady who cleans it. The two unlikely friends navigate their individual isolated lives, as both deal with heartbreak and other tensions that everyone is familiar with. This book was wonderful, I definitely recommend it.

9/10 Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet- Jamie Ford- Set in Seattle, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet tells of the forbidden friendship between a Chinese-American buy and a Japanese-American girl during the Second World War who become friends. This was a school book that one of my kids had to read, I enjoyed this book. I haven't read books around this time and thought it was interesting in regards to the Japanese-Americans and Chinese-Americans living here during this time.

 

[jlud57]

10/20 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Alcaban- JK Rowlings (my go-to fun pickup series, I slowly making my way through the series)

11/20 UnFu*K Yourself- Gary John Bishop -self help book, it was ok-nothing special, it was a quick read (sorry for the title)

12/20 The Ways We Hide- Kirsten Harmel-As a child, Fenna is caught up in a Christmas Eve disaster (based on the Italian Hall Disaster of 1913.) Traumatized by this horrific event, she turns to magic and the art of illusion to help her process. Yet, her work as an escape artist soon attracts the attention of British intelligence and when Fenna is called to help the war efforts, her past becomes harder to run away from.

13/20 The Paris Daughter- Kirsten Harmel-Set in Paris and NYC, WW II once again comes to life with a focus on two young mothers (Elise and Juliette) and two daughters (Lucy and Matilde). Woven through their stories are historical strands regarding the Paris art world, saving Jewish children, the bombing of the Renault factory, and more.

14/20 The Kommandant's Girl- Pam Jenoff- Nineteen-year-old Emma Bau has been married only three weeks when Nazi tanks thunder into her native Poland. Within days Emma's husband, Jacob, is forced to disappear underground, leaving her imprisoned within the city's decrepit, moldering Jewish ghetto. But then, in the dead of night, the resistance smuggles her out. This was a good book, I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.

 

[tiggrbaby]

4/20 The Book of Lost Names- Kristin Harmel-Set during World War II, tells the story of a young woman who is forced to flee Paris and disguise her true identity. Through her forged documents and a secret code, she helps thousands of Jewish children escape to safety. The book explores themes of resilience, identity, and the power of words. Great read, I really enjoy reading her books.

5/20 The Royal Nanny- Karen Harper- A young nanny who arrives to be an undernurse to take care of princes, Bertie and David. Her name is Charlotte and will soon answer to the name, LaLa a nickname given to her by the young Bertie. Witnessing an act of cruelty she is soon made head nursemaid and will give up her life to care for this young royal family.

6/20 Out of the Dust- Karen Hesse- A poem cycle that reads as a novel, Out of the Dust tells the story of a girl named Billie Jo, who struggles to help her family survive the dust-bowl years of the Depression. Fighting against the elements on her Oklahoma farm, Billie Jo takes on even more responsibilities when her mother dies in a tragic accident. Saw someone else read this, and thought it would be interesting, it was. Super quick read.

7/20 Winemaker's Wife- Kirstin Harmel-When Céline recklessly follows her heart in one desperate bid for happiness, and Inès makes a dangerous mistake with a Nazi collaborator, they risk the lives of those they love—and the champagne house that ties them together. Great read!

8/20 Remarkably Bright Creatures- Shelby Van Pelt- a book revolving around a mischievous giant pacific octopus in a small town aquarium, attended by a lovely old lady who cleans it. The two unlikely friends navigate their individual isolated lives, as both deal with heartbreak and other tensions that everyone is familiar with. This book was wonderful, I definitely recommend it.

9/10 Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet- Jamie Ford- Set in Seattle, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet tells of the forbidden friendship between a Chinese-American buy and a Japanese-American girl during the Second World War who become friends. This was a school book that one of my kids had to read, I enjoyed this book. I haven't read books around this time and thought it was interesting in regards to the Japanese-Americans and Chinese-Americans living here during this time.

Read and loved all of these!

 

[Simba's Mom]

14/20 The Kommandant's Girl- Pam Jenoff- Nineteen-year-old Emma Bau has been married only three weeks when Nazi tanks thunder into her native Poland. Within days Emma's husband, Jacob, is forced to disappear underground, leaving her imprisoned within the city's decrepit, moldering Jewish ghetto. But then, in the dead of night, the resistance smuggles her out. This was a good book, I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.

I've read 3 books by this author-"The Orphn's Tale", "The Lost Girls of Paris", and "The Woman With the Blue Star", and highly recommend any of those.

 

[willowsnn3]

#58/50 The Silent Wife by Karin Slaughter
Book 10 in the Will Trent series with lots of flashbacks of the Grant County series.
Slaughter never disappoints. Loved it, waiting for next installment.

 

[OKW8297]

17. Christmas at the Cat Cafe by Jessica Redland

 

[Wood Nymph]

32/30 - The Mystery of the Blue Train - Agatha Christie

I've been slowly reading the Hercule Poirot series. The books are especially nice when traveling, because they tend to be thin books.

Once again, I was totally surprised by who the main bad guy was. I did guess a little bit of it. The story involved both a murder on a train and the theft of rare jewels. It was a very good story and some very likeable characters.