Favorite book you've read this year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Lion Women of Tehran.

I read it last year, great book!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Lion Women of Tehran.

+1. I loved this book and still think about it regularly, months after I finished it.

[Anonymous]

The Road to Tender Hearts

[Anonymous]

For those who’ve read The Lion Women of Tehran, would this be a good choice for a book club whose members always read the book and really enjoy a lively discussion?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For fans of The Wedding People -- note: spoilers ahea

I'm the PP who picked this as my runner-up book of the year. I really liked Phoebe, plus I'm a sucker for the New England coastal wedding trope. But I'm still not sure I buy into the idea that she was just drifting through life aimlessly, living a life "contained", and that this led her to seriously consider suicide. Yes, of course, she hit a horrible trifecta of infertility, the pandemic, and Matt's infidelity, but there just seemed to be a disconnect between who she was before all that happened and who she was when we first encounter her checking into the Cornwall. Espach wants us to see Phoebe as someone who becomes aware of her needs and her power to take action to try to meet those needs. But does she? I mean, she decides to stay in RI and responds to the ad about being a winter keeper. But at a pivotal moment she doesn't reach out to Gary until it's almost too late. What am I missing?

I read the wedding people earlier this year. The main character's "contained" life reminded me of how I felt for a few months after we were all allowed to resume socializing after two years of quarantine for the pandemic. For me, felt kind of weird to talk to other people, and I felt like I had lost some skills when it came to socializing with other people. Until that point I had never thought that talking to strangers (or friends, or family) was something you had to learn how to do.
So yeah, I could relate to that feeling of having been contained for a couple years.

Sorry — I’m just seeing this response now. I see what you’re saying and that does help me understand the character a little better. I really did enjoy the book and I find myself thinking of Phoebe sometimes and seeing her in others — and occasionally myself.

[Anonymous]

Re The Women — I haven’t posted about this book. It’s the only Kristin Hannah book I’ve read and I wouldn’t have chosen to read it if it hadn’t been a book club pick. I didn’t love it; as others have mentioned, the characters are a little cookie-cutter and the plot too melodramatic for my taste. That said, a family friend who was a Navy aviator in Vietnam told me that he read it and considered it well-researched.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those who’ve read The Lion Women of Tehran, would this be a good choice for a book club whose members always read the book and really enjoy a lively discussion?

YES!

We had a great discussion, and a couple of people brought food to share that inspired by the book. Highly recommend!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is Happiness by Niall Williams. I don’t even have words to describe how wonderful this book is. He is now my favorite writer.

That is one of the greatest audiobooks ever. Not sure how you read it.

I’m listening to this and find myself losing focus/not following which is making me consider not finishing. Need help pushing through or maybe it’s just not for me?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those who’ve read The Lion Women of Tehran, would this be a good choice for a book club whose members always read the book and really enjoy a lively discussion?

YES!

We had a great discussion, and a couple of people brought food to share that inspired by the book. Highly recommend!

Thanks for your response. Putting it on our list for next year!

[Anonymous]

Another vote for The Lion Women of Tehran. The life experience of the characters is so different from growing up in America and like others have said, so much to think about after you're done. On the lighter side, The Wedding People is highly entertaining.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is Happiness by Niall Williams. I don’t even have words to describe how wonderful this book is. He is now my favorite writer.

That is one of the greatest audiobooks ever. Not sure how you read it.

I’m listening to this and find myself losing focus/not following which is making me consider not finishing. Need help pushing through or maybe it’s just not for me?

I felt the same. “This is Happiness” is a very, very slow moving book that’s overflowing with too much details. While audio is playing, I could zone out for 5-10 minutes and return to the same place in the story. It is a cute story and I did managed to finish it. But I probably will not seek out another book by this author.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Road to Tender Hearts

“The Road to Tender Hearts” is a DNF for me. It sounded like a funny road trip book. But the story deals with murder, pedophilia, alcoholism, and other unfunny topics. The characters are quirky, sad and tiresome.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also loved The Matrix and liked Wedding People well enough. Finally got to Song of Achilles, which was enjoyable. Frederik Bachman's book My Friends was well done.

Several books I've read this year have left me frustrated with poor writing and storytelling. Ghosted by Rosie Walsh was needlessly lengthy with meandering irrelevant sub-stories.

Unbroken Country was self-indulgent derivative horsesh*t. Couldn't wait to shelf it in a mini-library after I'd finished and considered recycling it so no one else would be duped into reading it.

Only 1/3 into The Measure. Writer struggling to give voice to a male character. Plot is too unbelievable for me to give credence to the stories. Probably won't finish.

Agree regarding Unbroken Country. I begrudgingly finished it.

[Anonymous]

Lion Women of Tehran
Isola

[Anonymous]

Of the books that came out in 2025...
The Everlasting by Alix Harrow
Introducing Mrs. Collins by Rachel Parris
Rules for Ruin by Mimi Matthews
Holy Terrors by Margaret Owen (third in a trilogy)
Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett(third in a trilogy)