Books #24 Reading Chats

[CommentBelow]

I would start with ACOTAR, it’s an easier introduction to the mass universe as Throne of Glass has a lot world building that can be intimidating. Hope that helps

Seconded! Read ACOTAR then Crescent City!

 

[mindlessness]

....anyone?
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This is me. Nov was a slow reading month after a year where I’ve been readings loads previously. (By slow I mean I haven’t finished any books all month )

 

[Caffeine Fiend]

Thank you! Off to look them all up. I read Lovelight Farms earlier this year and remember enjoying it! Not a 5 star read but not awful either.

I have the other 2 in the same series to read too. Got them all on 99p monthly deals

 

[Caffeine Fiend]

I’ve read 129/100 this year which I’m happy with. I have a couple of books I’m almost finished so think I’ll end the year about 131 books.
I like to have a book goal for fun but don’t really pay much attention to it.
I used to follow someone on instagram+twitter who read so many books! She ended up annoying me as she didn’t work, read all day and appeared to ignore her family to do so. She came across smug and I had to unfollow.
Any recommendations for decent bookstagram accounts?

My favourite are

Marcereads
Coolgalreading
Bookswithmitch (but she isnt posting regularly)
Ellereadsomebook
Rachelturnsthepage

I think it depends what you like reading though

 

[nbt]

I totally forgot about the A-Z challenge! I’ve looked and the letters I have left are J, K, U, X, Y and Z. Bizarrely I’m reading Keep Your Friends Close by Lucinda Berry right now so that can be my K. I’ve got a couple books already downloaded for most letters but any recommendations for J? Generally happiest in the fast paced thriller genre but happy to try other things if they come highly recommended.

I also second Jar of Hearts. I gave it 5 stars, really enjoyed it.

 

[Ashlgr]

2023 Recap

How do you feel about your reading year? Good? Bad? Better than last year? Worse than last year? Spill all.
I didn't read nearly as much as I would have liked because I've had so much going on and the fatigue of ADHD brain, but I've enjoyed the majority of what Ive managed to read.

What was your average rating this year? (If you rate)
3/4 stars.

What was your favourite read of 2023?
Penance by Eliza Clark, I think because I got so invested in it like it was a real true crime case!

Any other books worth a mention?
Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason
The Women of Troy by Pat Barker
Really Good Actually by Monica Heisey
None of This is True by Lisa Jewell
Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka

What was your least favourite read of 2023?
Bunny by Mona Awad- weird and claustrophobic
Brutes by Dizz Tate- my expectations were far too high for this I think, was a different story completely to what I thought it was going to be when I picked it up!

What book exceeded your expectation?
Really Good Actually by Monica Heisey. I related to a lot of this more than I expected to, and made me question things about myself.

What book didnt live up to your expectation? Or just wasnt as good as you thought it would be?
Brutes by Dizz Tate- see above.

Favourite non fiction book of the year?
Strong Female Character by Fern Brady

Do you have any book goals for 2024?
Read more!!

ETA: Danya Kukafka, not Santa!! My phone is obviously on Christmas mode

 

[ordinaryjelly]

My finger slipped and I bought some books from amazon to add to my already tbr pile at home plus got an extra 5% off at checkout.

1. No Gun Intended £2.66, this caught my eye and started the spending
2. 1984 £2.99, I’ve always wanted to read this
3. A Pen Dipped in Poison £2.50, thought this would be a nice Xmas/winter read

These are physical books so it also felt like a treat as I just buy kindle now
---

No Gun Intended is a decent, quick read.

 

[Ashlgr]

Yeah from what I’ve heard of Penance it seemed totally different to Boy Parts but I like when authors branch out, a bit like R F Kuang doing Yellowface (which I didn’t feel was as good as the hype made out sadly but was v different to her other books).

My only issue with penance is I wanted to read it so badly I broke my rule about buying hardbacks 🥲

have you seen the virgin suicides film?

Haha I was on a book buying ban and went out and bought it!
I have, I saw the film first and sadly I prefer it to the book!

 

[Crumpet41]

Yes, I liked it I love the Adam Fawley series and I don’t think Murder in the Family was as good, but an enjoyable read and something different.
---
@Caffeine Fiend I was wondering what to use my audible credit on & I’ve got Remarkably Bright Creatures. Looking forward to starting.

Will look into the Adam Fawley books. Thank you

 

[Caffeine Fiend]

I love this thread soo much. My number of books for 2023 has been dismal, only 14.
I’ve decided I’m going to do the alphabet challenge in 2024 so I’m getting hyped for that. I think I need goals to aim for and doing this will really help.
Those that have done it.. did you enjoy it?

My brain just forgot about it, not going to lie. I think I was the first person to talk about it here too which makes it even worse

However according to my notes app the last time I updated my list was July.

I still have I / N / Q / W / X and Z to do but I can tick I and W soon.

So if anyone knows of any Festive / Christmas books which start with N Q X or Z then hit me up

 

[Thatgirl22]

Love a morally grey Male character, give me all the posessive jealous type guys. Really Digging the boyf’s daddy thing atm as well

i used to love the bared to you series by sylvia day, and recently finished birthday girl by penelope douglas and onto credence now.

Have you read From Blood and Ash? Or The Bargainer series?

 

[Sir Lancelot]

AS IF I made it here on the first page

I’m reading the new Naomi Alderman book and it feels very similar to the Power which I love so I know it’s going to be good and I kind of want to save it for Christmas when I can dedicate all my energy to reading

I loved The Power and have avoided the TV series because of that!

 

[Smca53]

Have you tried any Bill Bryson or the Stephen Fry books on Troy and Myths etc?

I haven’t, but I will now! Thank you

 

[ToolaRoola]

I love this thread soo much. My number of books for 2023 has been dismal, only 14.
I’ve decided I’m going to do the alphabet challenge in 2024 so I’m getting hyped for that. I think I need goals to aim for and doing this will really help.
Those that have done it.. did you enjoy it?

I do the Storygraph A-Z challenge every year but don't think about it in detail. I just add books as I go along and then look in Q4 what I have left. I only have 3 left to complete so going to focus in December and get it done.

 

[Icbaaaa]

I finished that recently and didn’t fly through it like I thought I would

I thought it would have been so good and I'd fly through it too, but just really didnt enjoy it at all. I dont really like storys that jump back to present and past time!

 

[make-mine-whiskey]

Okay so I tried a merry little meet cute, got 20% in… nope looked at the GR reviews and they’re 2/3 stars, why am I picking duff reads

 

[chickhicks86]

I've just finished Wavewalker: Breaking Free. What an interesting but very sad memoir. The author had a very hard time of things, but did not give off the woe is me vibes of The Salt Path or Wild.

 

[tay65]

I’ve read The Hike and enjoyed it, gave it 4 stars. It was an easy read, very short chapters. It kept my interest. I don’t want to say much more incase i spoil it!

I'm planning to read that next as it's the newest and may be in demand by other borrowers.

 

[AllieBee]

Interesting, I liked most books I've read by her, though they can get a bit samey. I did like four winds. But as you say, safe space here to discuss. I have firefly on my kindle but haven't got round to that one yet!



I really liked the nightingale! I do like WW2 fiction a lot. I wasn't a huge fan of the winter garden by her though.

It's funny how we are all so different! I really liked the nightingale but I loved winter garden, for me it's the best of her books and I've read quite a lot of them!

 

[killtheold]

I will ask here instead. Do you track the books you read to your children? Feel like I should we dont get through loads but now its lengthy chapter books am I missing out

I read children’s books for work sometimes - i track chapter books (at middle grade level so probably 200 pages) but not picture books. I do track graphic novels though which are sometimes even shorter in terms of pages and definitely have fewer words, so it’s a weird distinction!