January 2026! What are you reading??

[Anonymous]

Finished Among Friends by Hal Ebbot. Debut novel. Terrible book. I almost always check goodreads before new books and somehow I didn't on this one (it has 2.8 stars). Read the beginning, realized i was half way through and nothing had happened. After the event, I skimmed the rest. I'm appalled at the mother's response. Unrealistic writing and too much jumping between past and present with zero clue for why. Felt gross to read.

[Anonymous]

Yay, January reading thread!

Still making my way through both The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny, and 1929. I'm enjoying having both a fiction and a nonfiction book going at the same time.

[Anonymous]

I finished Audition this afternoon. I didn’t love it—it was unsatisfying, as I was expecting some twist or explanation at the end that didn’t really come—but it was interesting and unsettling. I suspect certain aspects of it will stick with me for a long time. Given that it was short, I am not sorry I read it.

[Anonymous]

The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America (interested in the premise that "pursuit of happiness" meant something different to them than it does to us today)

And The Black Wolf by Louise Penny - received it as a gift for Christmas from my spouse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America (interested in the premise that "pursuit of happiness" meant something different to them than it does to us today)

And The Black Wolf by Louise Penny - received it as a gift for Christmas from my spouse.

I gave this to my DH for Christmas. He loves Louise Penny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America (interested in the premise that "pursuit of happiness" meant something different to them than it does to us today)

And The Black Wolf by Louise Penny - received it as a gift for Christmas from my spouse.

I just finished this and gave it to my mother, saving her from 100-deep library hold purgatory. Enjoyable as usual. I love Louise Penny, to the point that when we took a trip to Montreal, I insisted that a few locations described in the books be on the itinerary. I wish Three Pines was a real place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yay, January reading thread!

Still making my way through both The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny, and 1929. I'm enjoying having both a fiction and a nonfiction book going at the same time.

What do you make of the Loneliness of S&S so far?

[Anonymous]

I just finished Heartwood by Amity Gaige. It was a really compelling page-turner about a nurse recovering from her hospital covid experience by hiking the Appalachian Trail. In Maine, she goes missing. The book is about the search and is told from multiple POVs.

I really liked this. It isn't perfect, but it is a page turner and I was all in while reading it.

[Anonymous]

Finishing up Hamet by Maggie O’farrell about Shakespeare’s family and the death of his only son.

Up next is Wilderness by Angela Flournoy about a group of friends and the unfolding of their lives and relationships throughout 2000s into current day.

I also have Play World by Adam Ross from Libby. About a child start in NYC.

[Anonymous]

I’m reading the suburban runner as someone here recommended. Meh so far.
DH and I have a two day road trip coming up and we’ll be listening to Matthew Perry’s autobiography.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just finished Heartwood by Amity Gaige. It was a really compelling page-turner about a nurse recovering from her hospital covid experience by hiking the Appalachian Trail. In Maine, she goes missing. The book is about the search and is told from multiple POVs.

I really liked this. It isn't perfect, but it is a page turner and I was all in while reading it.

Oh I really liked this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yay, January reading thread!

Still making my way through both The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny, and 1929. I'm enjoying having both a fiction and a nonfiction book going at the same time.

What do you make of the Loneliness of S&S so far?

I really like it. I enjoy the tension created when you want to reach into the book and grab the characters and tell them to do something differently because you can see what they can't. I am fascinated by the insight into perceptions of America and Americans and India and Indians by Indian people. I love how we get to see all sides of these characters, the sides everyone hides from other people. I find a lot of what is written about class in India to be validating given my discomfort with how it played out when I traveled in India somewhat extensively. It does feel long though, and I'm about 75% of the way through and just want to know what is going to happen with these two, already.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yay, January reading thread!

Still making my way through both The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny, and 1929. I'm enjoying having both a fiction and a nonfiction book going at the same time.

What do you make of the Loneliness of S&S so far?

I really like it. I enjoy the tension created when you want to reach into the book and grab the characters and tell them to do something differently because you can see what they can't. I am fascinated by the insight into perceptions of America and Americans and India and Indians by Indian people. I love how we get to see all sides of these characters, the sides everyone hides from other people. I find a lot of what is written about class in India to be validating given my discomfort with how it played out when I traveled in India somewhat extensively. It does feel long though, and I'm about 75% of the way through and just want to know what is going to happen with these two, already.

Thank you. I'm going to get my hands on a copy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just downloaded on my kindle, "Wellness." It is a fictional story about a couple who meets in college, follows them through marriage, life, etc. Oprah book.

Come back and tell us what you think of it PP when you're done.

I enjoyed this when I read it about two years ago. The pacing was a bit odd, and plot loose, but the satire of UMC morays and child-rearing was funny (and in its deliberately exaggerated way, spot on).

PP here- Def quirky, but really enjoying the book so far! About 25% in. I think it would make a good movie, or great for a book club, as it is thought-provoking.

[Anonymous]

One of my friends just posted a reading wrap up on her IG stories and she said the Loneliness of S&S was her favorite of the year