Reading Thread/Goals for 2025

[MGMmjl]

5/32 - A Grave Every Mile by David Fitz-Gerald

Description:
"Dorcas Moon and her family set forth in search of opportunity and a brighter future. Yet, what awaits them is a relentless gauntlet of life-threatening challenges: miserable weather, ravenous insects, scorching sunburns, and unforgiving terrain. It's not merely a battle for survival but a test of their unity and sanity.

Amidst the chaos, Dorcas faces ceaseless trials: her husband's unending bickering, her daughter's descent into madness, and the ever-present danger of lethal rattlesnakes, intensifying the peril with each step. The specter of death looms large, with diseases spreading and the eerie howls of rabid wolves piercing the night. Will the haunting image of wolves desecrating a grave push Dorcas over the edge?

With each mile, the migration poses a haunting question: Who will endure the relentless quest to cross the continent, and who will leave their bones to rest beside the trail? The pathway is bordered by graves, a chilling reminder of the steep cost of dreams."

This is book #1 of the Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail series. I have always been interested in the Oregon Trail and saw this book series on Kindle Unlimited. I enjoyed the first book, and plan on eventually reading the other books in the series.

 

[OKW8297]

I read this because of what you said…it was powerful! Thank you for posting!

6/50. 4.5/5

You’re welcome. It stays with ya.

 

[cayennews]

#4 The Twelve Months of Christmas by Sheila Roberts. This was an enjoyable book. Fluffy by not too much so.

 

[Kirby]

#3 - The Way of Kings (First book in the Stormlight Archives series) by Brandon Sanderson
Genre - Fantasy
Enjoyed reading this book!

I tried reading Without Remorse by Ava Strong but just couldn't get into it.

 

[OKW8297]

3. Looking For Jane by Heather Marsh. Multi timeline story of women , motherhood, pregnancy, and choices. Or the lack of them. Parts of this are powerful. Timely indeed.

 

[bobbiwoz]

#3/56-"The Faculty Lounge", Jennifer Mathieu. An interesting description of the experiences of various teachers who all meet in a high school faculty lounge. As a former high school teacher, I found myself nodding in agreement and chuckling at parts. 4 stars.

I just finished the book and really enjoyed it. I too am a former high school math teacher!

So happy you mentioned it!

4/5

7/50

 

[cayennews]

#5 Fallen by Karin Slaughter. The next book in the Will Trent series. A lot of characters in this book. Hard to put down.

 

[wishiwasindisneyjen]

I go through highs and lows on reading. In January I read 10 books but I've only finished one so far in February (and I started it in January). Need to get out of my slump.

9/104: The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden
Woman finds the perfect boyfriend, but is he? Super fast read like her books usually are, with an interesting twist I didn't see coming towards the end. 4

10/104: The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston
Beautiful story of an older gentleman that finds himself "borrowing" someone else's identity. It's heartwarming and sad and sweet all at the same time. Loved this book. Highly recommend. 4.5

11/104: This is going to hurt by Adam Kay (audio book)
Read by the author, stories of his experiences as a junior doctor in the UK. Very interesting to see how different things are there compared to the US and the stories were a mix of fascinating, gross and hysterical. 4

 

[melk]

5/30 Damn Glad to Meet You by Tim Matheson

Autobiography by the actor who never quite made it big in Hollywood yet starred in so many things over the years. I picked it up as I remember him from the original Yours, Mine and Ours, then Animal House and now Virgin River. I enjoyed it.

 

[DisneyHardin]

5/30 Damn Glad to Meet You by Tim Matheson

Autobiography by the actor who never quite made it big in Hollywood yet starred in so many things over the years. I picked it up as I remember him from the original Yours, Mine and Ours, then Animal House and now Virgin River. I enjoyed it.

I'll have to check this one out. I love Tim Matheson. Hart of Dixie is my all time favorite TV show.

 

[Lumpy1106]

Some palate cleansers;
2/20 Colleen Hoover, "Maybe Someday" 4/5 stars
3/20 Taylor Jenkins Reid, "One True Loves" 5/5 stars - LOVED this one! Girl from Maine, marries her HS sweetheart. They move to CA. He is lost and presumed dead in a helicopter accident in Alaska. Distraught, she moves back to Maine and gets engaged to a guy who had pursued her in HS. Then the presumed dead husband is found, alive and well. What will she do?

 

[wvjules]

I was 'influenced' to start reading again (TT Booktok). I love to read but I didn't do much of it the past couple of years. I will set a goal of 18 books. I'm already off to a good start.

#1 The Boyfriend by Frieda McFadden - After a dating losing streak, she thinks she’s found Mr. Right. But is he a dream come true or a nightmare in disguise? Sydney Shaw, like every single woman in New York, has terrible luck with dating. She’s seen it all: men who lie in their dating profile, men who stick her with the dinner bill, and worst of all, men who can't shut up about their mothers. But finally, she hits the jackpot.

I picked up this book and couldn't put it down. Such a quick read. You think you know the twist, but then you don't. I love her writing. You never see the end coming.

#2 Winter in Paradise by Elin Hildebrand - Irene Steele shares her idyllic life in a beautiful Iowa City Victorian house with a husband who loves her to sky-writing, sentimental extremes. But as she rings in the new year one cold and snowy night, everything she thought she knew falls to pieces with a shocking phone call: her beloved husband, away on business, has been killed in a helicopter crash. Before Irene can even process the news, she must first confront the perplexing details of her husband's death on the distant Caribbean island of St. John.

I really enjoy Elin Hildebrand when I want a quick easy read (LOVED 5 Star Weekend). This book had some romance and some mystery. Not my favorite of hers but I'm invested enough to finish the series.

#3 The Women by Kristen Hannah Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances "Frankie" McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.

Kristin Hannah is another favorite author - I have not read a book of hers that I didn't love and this one did not disappoint. A very powerful book about the Viet Nam war. Frankie was such a wonderful character. You feel every one of her struggles and triumphs.

#4 A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas - When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a terrifying creature arrives to demand retribution. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she knows about only from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not truly a beast, but one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled her world.

It took me about 1/3 of the book to really get into it. It was very B&TB to me at first. I had to let that go and let it be its own story then I really started to enjoy it more. (I am currently reading A Court of Mist and Fury and love it so much better than the first one.) Also, fantasy writers come up with the most difficult names. Geeze. Can't there be a Beth or John, or Susan??? lol

#5 The Crash by Frieda McFadden - Tegan is eight months pregnant, alone, and desperately wants to put her crumbling life in the rearview mirror. So she hits the road, planning to stay with her brother until she can figure out her next move. But she doesn’t realize she’s heading straight into a blizzard.

Both of the women in this story drive me batty, but I did enjoy the story telling and the ending. Another one of those that you don't see the end coming. Don't skip the Epilogue! (I read this while waiting for A Court of Mist and Fury.)



Question for you readers - do you read series back to back or read other books in between? As you can see from above I do books in between, but I'm curious how you go about it?

Also, it seems like my year is going to be reading only 4 authors.

 

[Lumpy1106]

I was 'influenced' to start reading again (TT Booktok). I love to read but I didn't do much of it the past couple of years. I will set a goal of 18 books. I'm already off to a good start.

#1 The Boyfriend by Frieda McFadden - After a dating losing streak, she thinks she’s found Mr. Right. But is he a dream come true or a nightmare in disguise? Sydney Shaw, like every single woman in New York, has terrible luck with dating. She’s seen it all: men who lie in their dating profile, men who stick her with the dinner bill, and worst of all, men who can't shut up about their mothers. But finally, she hits the jackpot.

I picked up this book and couldn't put it down. Such a quick read. You think you know the twist, but then you don't. I love her writing. You never see the end coming.

#2 Winter in Paradise by Elin Hildebrand - Irene Steele shares her idyllic life in a beautiful Iowa City Victorian house with a husband who loves her to sky-writing, sentimental extremes. But as she rings in the new year one cold and snowy night, everything she thought she knew falls to pieces with a shocking phone call: her beloved husband, away on business, has been killed in a helicopter crash. Before Irene can even process the news, she must first confront the perplexing details of her husband's death on the distant Caribbean island of St. John.

I really enjoy Elin Hildebrand when I want a quick easy read (LOVED 5 Star Weekend). This book had some romance and some mystery. Not my favorite of hers but I'm invested enough to finish the series.

#3 The Women by Kristen Hannah Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances "Frankie" McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.

Kristin Hannah is another favorite author - I have not read a book of hers that I didn't love and this one did not disappoint. A very powerful book about the Viet Nam war. Frankie was such a wonderful character. You feel every one of her struggles and triumphs.

#4 A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas - When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a terrifying creature arrives to demand retribution. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she knows about only from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not truly a beast, but one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled her world.

It took me about 1/3 of the book to really get into it. It was very B&TB to me at first. I had to let that go and let it be its own story then I really started to enjoy it more. (I am currently reading A Court of Mist and Fury and love it so much better than the first one.) Also, fantasy writers come up with the most difficult names. Geeze. Can't there be a Beth or John, or Susan??? lol

#5 The Crash by Frieda McFadden - Tegan is eight months pregnant, alone, and desperately wants to put her crumbling life in the rearview mirror. So she hits the road, planning to stay with her brother until she can figure out her next move. But she doesn’t realize she’s heading straight into a blizzard.

Both of the women in this story drive me batty, but I did enjoy the story telling and the ending. Another one of those that you don't see the end coming. Don't skip the Epilogue! (I read this while waiting for A Court of Mist and Fury.)



Question for you readers - do you read series back to back or read other books in between? As you can see from above I do books in between, but I'm curious how you go about it?

Also, it seems like my year is going to be reading only 4 authors.

I keep a running "wish list" of books I've discovered on my Libby "hold" list. If I am near the end of the book I am reading I'll borrow the book when it comes available or pass it along, keeping it on my "hold" list. I will read a series of books but rarely one after the other. Libby is the best - I currently hold library cards for 3 different libraries and borrow from all 3 through Libby. I rarely ever buy books, and read > 20 books/year. Goodreads is another absolute favorite. I keep track of what I've read there, plus I can research what I want to read next and keep up other friends' reading lists there.

 

[Wood Nymph]

4/30 - Endless Night - by Agatha Christie

Disillusioned with his paltry chauffeur job, Michael Rogers longs for a life of wealth and privilege in Kingston Bishop. His dreams seem desperately out of his reach until a chance meeting with a gorgeous heiress results in marriage and the construction of a wonderful home. However, when the land he has built on turns out to be cursed, Michael's dreams quickly transform into nightmares.

This is one of her stand-alone novels. It was published in 1968, so it was near the end of her book publishing period. The story kept me intrigued. I read late into the night to find out what happened. But I'm not fond of that type of ending. But I did enjoy the story.

Question for you readers - do you read series back to back or read other books in between? As you can see from above I do books in between, but I'm curious how you go about it?

I usually read other books in between a series. There are times if the book ends in a cliffhanger than I might go straight to the following book. But that doesn't happen too often.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Question for you readers - do you read series back to back or read other books in between? As you can see from above I do books in between, but I'm curious how you go about it?

Also, it seems like my year is going to be reading only 4 authors.

I avoid series books unless Goodreads tells me that a book in the series can be read as a "stand-alone". In all my years of reading, I've only read one series, a 3 book series called "Paradise" by Elin Hildebrand", also one of my favorite authors. I also loved "The Women" by Kristen Hannah and have read several of her books. Seems like you've picked 4 good authors!

 

[bobbiwoz]

#3/25 Homecoming by Kate Morton
Christmas Eve, 1959: At the end of a scorching hot day, beside a creek on the grounds of the grand and mysterious mansion, a local delivery man makes a terrible discovery. A police investigation is called and the small town of Tambilla becomes embroiled in one of the most shocking and perplexing murder cases in the history of South Australia.
This was way too long & slow paced.

I was interested in what you said just finished the book. I read it on Libby. I actually enjoyed reading the story and was actually fine with the pace. I read it quite quickly, didn’t want to put it down!

4/5

8/50

 

[bobbiwoz]

@wvjules, Question for you readers - do you read series back to back or read other books in between? As you can see from above I do books in between, but I'm curious how you go about it?

Once I discovered Louise Penny’s books, ( A Sunday Morning Interview) I read everything she had written at once, then of course, I had to read other authors until she came out with a new one.

The same with Jan Karon. I read all of Jim Herriot.

In 2022 I learned about a series of books that began with “An Irish Country Doctor” and I went through that series, I read about 25 of those books with scarcely anything between. That was from between June 2022 through September 2022. (Non travel year, Covid ) In my life, when I have found an older series, I do tend to want to read the whole story, and so, I put off other books.

 

[Wood Nymph]

5/30 - The Turn of the Key - by Ruth Ware - 4/5

I decided to read this book because it was mentioned by one of the Dis posters on this thread. It is a suspense novel, and it is very well written. It was a little slow in the beginning, but I couldn't put it down once I got near the end. Everything that happened made sense at the end.

Rowan Caine discovers an enticing nanny job while searching for something else. The pay is extraordinary and the opportunity feels like a dream. Heatherbrae House captivates her with its stunning design and its location in the Scottish Highlands. Upon arriving, she meets the Elincourt family. They appear charming, making her feel welcome at first. However, her excitement hides a dreadful truth she does not yet understand. The family has an unsettling history with nannies. Previous caretakers left in haste, whispering tales of haunting and horror. This should raise alarm bells, but Rowan ignores them. She is desperate to escape her boring routine and is blinded by ambition. Her naivety puts her in a precarious position as she takes on this daunting role.

 

[OKW8297]

4. How We learn to be Brave by Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde
Excellent book for these times

 

[mgarbowski]

Book 3 of 24: Amazon Prime Far Reaches Series - Various
Book 4 of 24 - Fugitive Telemetry (Murderbot #6) - Martha Wells

According to my Kindle and Goodreads, the Far Reaches series counts as 6 books, but they are just short stories so I'm counting them all as one. Overall disappointing too. One very good, 1 good, 1 partly good, and 3 meh to are you kidding?

Meanwhile I have to discipline myself to avoid reading the entire Murderbot series in a binge.