Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm reading Onyx Storm. I'm surprised not to see it mentioned here as it's on all the best seller lists, but I suppose not everyone wants to own up to it.

So far it's just okay. Not nearly as good as Fourth Wing, but I have a lot to go.

DCUM readers probably stray away from easy fiction. I tried Fourth Wing and found it not enjoyable at all.

It is breaking records and I don't think DCUM is that special.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/books/rebecca-yarros-onyx-storm.html

It's not a category I normally read, but sometimes a fun read is good too.

Anonymous wrote:I'm reading Onyx Storm. I'm surprised not to see it mentioned here as it's on all the best seller lists, but I suppose not everyone wants to own up to it.

So far it's just okay. Not nearly as good as Fourth Wing, but I have a lot to go.

DCUM readers probably stray away from easy fiction. I tried Fourth Wing and found it not enjoyable at all.

The Netanyahus. Enjoying it so far.

Finished The Immortal King Rao, by Vauhini Vara. 3.5/5 stars. It started off really promising, with a super interesting premise: a young boy (King Rao) from the Dalit caste in India works his way out of poverty to become the world's most powerful tech tycoon, eventually bringing about a dystopia where everything is controlled by social credit and algorithms, and his daughter has to reckon with his legacy. The novel is structured in 3 alternating perspectives: 1) King Rao as a boy in India, 2) King's daughter Athena in the present-day, and 3) King as an adult, along with his wife, building the computer system that would one day control the world.

While beautifully written, I ultimately was left feeling unsatisfied, like there were a lot of loose ends that never tied up. The novel touches on a lot of themes: caste system and social mobility in India, role of women in tech, the dark side of technology and social media, climate change, complex family relations, and others. But none of these are explored in depth; it almost feels like they're glossed over due to the novel's shifting perspectives. Out of the 3 perspectives I mentioned above, #3 (King as an adult) could've been left out entirely, as those sections didn't really add anything to the narrative. If the novel had focused on #1 and #2, it would've worked better and the above themes could've been explored in greater depth.

Also finished Tana French's The Hunter. I'm a huge French fan - LOVED the Dublin Murder Squad novels and Broken Harbor - but (sorry unpopular opinion coming in...) I didn't care for this one. It was entirely too long without some kind of action driving the plot forward.

Started on Braiding Sweetgrass, a book that's come highly recommended by a lot of people including my mom.

The Secret Book of Flora Lea.
Just finished it.
It is set in England in 1940 and 1960. It is about a 6 year old girl who disappeared. Her older sister spends the next 20 years looking for her.
I thought it was good. But I also thought it was a little too long. It reminded me somewhat of the Berry Pickers.

Anonymous wrote:Currently reading: The Favorites by Layne Fargo

Saw it described as Daisy Jones and the Six with figure skating and that is accurate so far - it also is (loosely) inspired by Wuthering Heights which I admit to having to read the Wikipedia page on. Really enjoying it so far.

Reading this one as well and enjoying it. I didn’t realize it was inspired by Wuthering Heights! Not quite seeing it as of yet…

I'm reading Onyx Storm. I'm surprised not to see it mentioned here as it's on all the best seller lists, but I suppose not everyone wants to own up to it.

So far it's just okay. Not nearly as good as Fourth Wing, but I have a lot to go.

Just finished Fly Away, by Kristin Hannah, which is the sequel to Firefly Lane. It was just okay.

Taking a break from my Kristin Hannah binge (I'll pick it back up when my holds come in), and moved on to Alice Feeney's new book Beautiful Ugly. I just started, but starts off as a good, easy distraction from life.

I'm making my way through all the Elin Hilderbrand books. They are not my usual genre but so delightful, fun and vivid. They are making me want to go to Nantucket this summer, I've never been.

Currently reading: The Favorites by Layne Fargo

Saw it described as Daisy Jones and the Six with figure skating and that is accurate so far - it also is (loosely) inspired by Wuthering Heights which I admit to having to read the Wikipedia page on. Really enjoying it so far.

I’m the Demon Copperhead reader, just finished it and loved it! I read David Copperfield last Nov/Dec, and am really glad I did. It helped me get through the heartbreaking parts.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just finished: the Three Body Problem…sci-fi about alien contact. It built a bit of intrigue and was a fast read for me (though I definitely skimmed through some of the science/physics pieces). We are definitely in a Chaotic Era! I don’t know if I’ll read the rest of the series, maybe later this year.

Continuing:
- Stoned: NF about how gems and jewelry have shaped history, I’m enjoying it and glad to have both the ebook and audio versions.
- Demon Copperhead: Loving this, though had to put it down for a few days when the character was about to make bad choices (I am very invested in them!).

Starting: The Light We Carry (hardcover that’s been on my TBR for awhile, plus just got the audio too…)

I think there's a show streaming as well. I'm always a bit intrigued by the blurb but then it's never pulled me in.
Was the book worth it?

Yes, there’s a show, too! I haven’t watched it, but my friend watched first (and loved it!) and is also reading the book now. It sounds like the show adaptation made some significant alterations; she’s getting into the book a bit, but was initially thrown.

So: if you only choose one format, maybe go with the show. If you’re curious about both, start with the book.

I just started Don't Forget to Write by Sara Goodman Confino. She also writes "Behind Every Good Man" but I've been on the waitlist at the library for that forever - "The novel is a historical fiction political rom-com set in Montgomery County in the 1960s". She is a former MCPS teacher! https://bethesdamagazine.com/2024/08/01/mcps-high-school-teacher-to-publish-fourth-novel/

I'm reading too many at once right now!

Cher: The Memoir, Part 1
I'm only a little way into this and it's interesting so far but probably could have used a judicious edit. But who reins in Cher??

The Magnificent Ruins by Nayantara Roy
Woman inherits family home in India complete with residing family members, and she returns from New York after 15(?) years to deal with the inheritance and family drama.

Elizabeth Sails by Kristin Owens
Woman searches for her aunt's will on a cruise ship. This is a cozy mystery but seems to have some depth: the main character suffers from social anxiety and triggered by something in her past not yet revealed in what I've read. This is the book that is holding my attention, probably because I gravitate to "easy" escapist books and love a cruise ship story.

On deck but not started yet is The Restaurant of Lost Recipes by Hisashi Kashiwai. This is a short Japanese book translated to English that Goodreads describes as "a tender and healing novel that celebrates the power of community and delicious food."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just finished "The Littlest Library" by Poppy Alexander.
It is about a young woman who loses her job as a librarian and decides to use her inheritance to buy a cottage in the country. It was a very British book. There is an old phone booth on the property and she decides to use it as a tiny library for the community to use. By the end of the book, everyone in the whole town lives happily ever after because of her little library.
I liked it. But sometimes there were too many details, in my opinion.

That sounds sweet. You might enjoy The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan, which has some similarities except a van becomes a mobile bookshop in a sleepy village.

I am the poster who just finished the littlest library. Yes, I think I would love to read the book by Jenny Colgan that you mentioned. Thanks for the recommendation!