What are you reading for January 2024?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Working my way on through all Ann Patchett books. Just read the Magician's Assistant (loved it!) in the first three days of 2024 after reading Tom Lake and Commonwealth in Dec. 2023 (and others earlier in 2023).

Curious if you enjoyed Tom Lake. I’m reading it for my book club and am finding it very boring. Hope it gets better.

It doesn’t. So boring. I don’t understand the high ratings for this.

Same here. Honestly I would have liked it better if it was just the Tom Lake storyline. The present day story line is what I found boring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Bee Sting by Paul Murray
Also I've been making my way through a bunch of Sherlock stories as something shorter to read between other things. It's impressive how much of it still holds up very well compared to contemporary fiction in the genre.

This is on my list so let us know if you like it!

I’m about 300 pages into The Bee Sting and really enjoying it.

[Anonymous]

Just started Murder Most Actual: country house mystery with main character as a true crime podcaster. It’s a very tongue in cheek self aware example of the genre and so far a bit busy with over the top characters but I’m enjoying the main character and her wife and I’m in the mood for something unserious anyway so on balance I’m enjoying.

[Anonymous]

Just started “He who Drowned the World” a little late to the party because I didn’t realize the second book was out.

[Anonymous]

Just finished "Wellness" by Nathan Hill (his other book was The Nix). Really enjoyed it. Story of a couple's relationship from meeting to their mid-life issues, with flashbacks that explain what brought them to where they are.

[Anonymous]

Just finished "The Vanishing Half" by Brit Bennett yesterday.
It is about twin sisters who are light colored black women. One chooses to live her life as a white woman and one chooses to live her life as a black woman. They go their separate ways as young adults and lose touch with each other.
I liked it, but I kept hoping there would be more of a "happily ever after" ending. The book had a good flow even though it jumped around in time between the 1950's and the 1990's.
I listened to it on audio. It was 11 1/2 hours long.

[Anonymous]

I just finished Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. I really loved it, even though I have no interest whatsoever in video games.

I'm starting Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson. Looking forward to it.

[Anonymous]

I am reading The North Woods. I am not too far into it yet and am undecided. Some of it is poetic and lovely. Some of it is really funny. But I admit I am not sure whether/how this will sustain a whole book. I just finished Roman Stories by Jhumpa Lahiri, which I enjoyed—short stories set in Rome, with a lovely pace and sense of place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just finished "The Vanishing Half" by Brit Bennett yesterday.
It is about twin sisters who are light colored black women. One chooses to live her life as a white woman and one chooses to live her life as a black woman. They go their separate ways as young adults and lose touch with each other.
I liked it, but I kept hoping there would be more of a "happily ever after" ending. The book had a good flow even though it jumped around in time between the 1950's and the 1990's.
I listened to it on audio. It was 11 1/2 hours long.

I read this a couple years ago and liked it. Certain aspects of it really stuck with me, especially the stuff from the sister who passes as white, and what it means for her to conceal this aspect of her identify from her family, neighbors, etc. I don't even remember how it ended, though, so I guess that's telling.

[Anonymous]

On the romance side, just finished Ali Hazelwood's new YA book Check & Mate and Ivy Owens's (pen name of Lauren Billings who usually writes as Christina Lauren with her coauthor) steamier Scandalized. They were both fun reads.

[Anonymous]

My Cross to Bear, by Gregg Allman

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just started Murder Most Actual: country house mystery with main character as a true crime podcaster. It’s a very tongue in cheek self aware example of the genre and so far a bit busy with over the top characters but I’m enjoying the main character and her wife and I’m in the mood for something unserious anyway so on balance I’m enjoying.

PP back to report that I finished this. I liked the main characters but felt like the tight POV on one of the main couple wasn’t great and their relationship arc wasn’t as satisfying as it could have been. I disliked most of the supporting cast, probably because I enjoy Sayers and Christie and such and this was mostly poking fun at them for being ridiculous and unrealistic while… being a bit ridiculous and unrealistic. So I guess I don’t regret reading it but glad I got it out of the library rather than buying.

[Anonymous]

Right now I’m reading How to keep house while drowning. Seems to have some interesting ideas so far and it will be a quick read.

[Anonymous]

Lies and Sorcery by Elsa Morante, in translation from Italian to English. It's about three generations of eccentric women in Sicily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just finished After the Eclipse by Sarah Perry. It’s a memoir about hearing her mother murdered in their home at 12 years old and then the ensuing 13 years it took to find the man who did it and get justice. It was wonderful. She did such a great job of presenting her mother as a full human, not just some tragically murdered victim.

I’ve read that book a few years ago. I agree about the way she presents her mother. I liked it.

Just finished Wellness by Nathan Hill. It is about how to sustain a marriage, growing up poor and wanting to succeed, it is about relationships and the story we tell ourselves. I liked it.