What are you reading for December?

[Anonymous]

I just read the berry pickers and it was phenomenal

Now reading the book woman of troublesome creek

[Anonymous]

Just finished My Murder, which I liked till the very last part.

In the middle of Yellowface (available without a wait on Hoopla) and Happiness Falls by local author Angie Kim.

[Anonymous]

Murder on the Blue Train by Agatha Christie — good mystery but the antisemitism is really jarringly bad

The Poison Squad by Deborah Blum — I read the first quarter a few months ago and then had to return it to the library; now I’ve got it back and am hoping to finish. Interesting history of birth of food and drug regulation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Murder on the Blue Train by Agatha Christie — good mystery but the antisemitism is really jarringly bad

The Poison Squad by Deborah Blum — I read the first quarter a few months ago and then had to return it to the library; now I’ve got it back and am hoping to finish. Interesting history of birth of food and drug regulation.

Those "Golden Age" British authors are the worst with anti-semitism. I had to stop reading authors like Josephine Tey, Angela Thirkell, and Evelyn Waugh. Victorian Era can be bad too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just finished My Murder, which I liked till the very last part.

In the middle of Yellowface (available without a wait on Hoopla) and Happiness Falls by local author Angie Kim.

I also just finished My Murder (because it was mentioned here). Also did not like the last part!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did non-fiction November and am still reading two memoirs— Class and A Living Remedy. My plans for December are Heaven and Earth Grocery Store and Memorial. We’ll see how things play out.

I put down A Living Remedy about 80% of the way through. It's just so depressing. Yes, all of those things suck and there's nothing I can do to change the US economic or healthcare systems. They just suck and my parents and extended relatives are also likely to die of sub-standard healthcare. Yes, it sucks.

Let me know if it gets better at the end or if there's a giant catharsis. I could pick it back up, but not for more descriptions of how much life sucks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just finished Yellowface and Hello Beautiful.

I loved Hello Beautiful. The author did a great job of shifting perspectives and connecting you with the positive attributes and flaws of all.

Yellowface was also great but I was so tense throughout it, haha. It is a thriller for avid book people.

Totally agree. I had so much anxiety reading Yellowface that it was keeping me up at night. I just followed it with a sappy romance to decompress. It's a good book, but not light subject matter.

I also read The Measure this month and really enjoyed it. Lots of deep and insightful thoughts about society with less anxiety than Yellowface.

[Anonymous]

I’m forcing myself to read My grandmother asked me to tell you she’s sorry. I guess it’s ok. I had a goal this year to read one book club book I missed at the time of the meeting and I hadn’t hit it yet.

I’ll try to squeeze in Frankenstein if I can too - to hit the goal to read one classic and then I’ll have hit all of my reading goals for 2023.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
"It is a historical urban fantasy of sorts, about a Golem and a Djinn separately stranded in turn-of-the-century New York city. "

Long book and I flew right through it. I do think it's set up for a sequel which I would also enjoy.

It's a beautifully written book that spans the deserts of syria, the jews of nyc, old mysticism.

I LOVED that book. The sequel is on my list, but I haven't gotten to it yet.

Thank you! Ordering the sequel now. I'm a huge urban fantasy fan (Rivers of London, anyone?) but this one has a nice twist because of the historical lens.

[Anonymous]

I just finished Dave Grohl's The Storyteller on audiobook and it's fantastic. He grew up in North Springfield so it was fun to hear about his childhood in our local area. And even if you aren't a Nirvana or FooFighters fan, he's just an interesting person. Definitely recommended.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just finished Dave Grohl's The Storyteller on audiobook and it's fantastic. He grew up in North Springfield so it was fun to hear about his childhood in our local area. And even if you aren't a Nirvana or FooFighters fan, he's just an interesting person. Definitely recommended.

I read that one a few months ago and really enjoyed it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just finished My Murder, which I liked till the very last part.

In the middle of Yellowface (available without a wait on Hoopla) and Happiness Falls by local author Angie Kim.

I LOVED Yellowface and found it so stressful.

I'm reading the first Slow Horses book now - just started it. Love the TV series, and enjoyed the profile of the author in the NY Times.

[Anonymous]

I’m reading “Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone.” Halfway through and very funny. As the title implies, it is about a family of people who have killed at a family reunion…and of course someone ends up dead.

[Anonymous]

Right now I'm reading Master Slave Husband Wife, at the recommendation of the NY times.

[Anonymous]

I just finished The Sentence by Louise Erdrich. I loved it and want to read more from her, if anyone has specific recommendations. I'll probably start with The Night Watchman.