topic Re: JANUARY 2025 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY? in Book Club

JANUARY 2025 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

icezeus — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 06:29:04 GMT

Happy New Year readers.

Let's share our likes and dislikes.

I am currently reading three different books. I will not bore you with the details regarding how this came about. As soon as I finish one of them I will leave a brief review.

Re: JANUARY 2025 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

Still Raining — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 12:54:08 GMT

Finished Legacy by Uche Blockstock MD. A little preachy to me, but a look at medical discrimination from the inside.

Just starting The Dark Queens by Shelley Puhak. So far it is keeping my interest. Who knew about the two queens holding power amidst the division of Europe? Not me.

Re: JANUARY 2025 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

Ainhisg — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 12:57:53 GMT

I am reading From Here to the Great Unknown by Riley Keough. Lisa Marie Presley was going to write a memoir and had recorded her thoughts and experiences. She had asked Riley to help her write the book, but before it could be written, Lisa Marie died. So Riley used the tapes to write a biography about her mother. It is written very cleverly. Riley uses her mother's exact words in one font, and then when she adds what she remembers, she uses a different font so that you know who is "talking."

I thought Elvis and Priscilla were messed up, but wow...Lisa Marie wins on that one, and how could she not be with those two as parents? Don't get me wrong, I am a huge Elvis fan, but there was just something very not right about his relationship with his mother (which started his issues imo), and then with Priscilla's problems, Lisa Marie did not stand a chance. And because she didn't know what a normal family looked like, she was in no way prepared to create a normal family for herself. Yet she considered herself to be a great mother. I have no doubt she loved Riley and Ben, but her definition of a great mother and my definition of a great mother are two different things. And Riley says more than once that her childhood was perfect. Well, when that's all you know, that's all you know. I just hope she's able to be a more stable parent to her own child than Lisa Marie was to her.

I am almost done with the book, and I'm glad I read it. The lifestyles of the rich and famous are beyond what I can even imagine, but many times, they are not happy or satisfied. I wouldn't trade places with them for anything.

Re: JANUARY 2025 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

Big Joanie — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 14:02:47 GMT

I'm not usually of reader of Pat Conroy .. except The Prince of

Tides of course ... but I saw mentioned somewhere his book

South Road ... It's turning out to be a doozy ....

Re: JANUARY 2025 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

jlkz — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 14:16:24 GMT

@Big Joanie

Agree: South of Broad is really good.

Another of Pat Conroy's you will chuckle out loud at:

Beach House.

I first read the Great Santini and thought: Nope don't like his writing. Then hearing and reading about his early up bringing, I realized that it was his model for his father. The father figure in Prince of Tides was drawn on his own father.

Re: JANUARY 2025 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

Big Joanie — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 14:36:51 GMT

Actually the book I meant to comment on was South of

Broad ... really good ...

Re: JANUARY 2025 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

CarolinaGirl88 — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 14:50:32 GMT

I'm currently reading The Devil at his Elbow: Alex Murdaugh and the Fall of a Southern Dynasty by Valerie Bauerlein. There are a lot of books about this case, but this is the only one that I've read. The author writes for the Wall Street Journal but she graduated from Duke and lives in Raleigh, which interested me since I also live in NC. It's excellent; she did a lot of research. I love her writing style and she explains things well. True crime isn't for everyone, of course, but for those who are interested, I highly recommend this book.

Re: JANUARY 2025 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

FranandZoe — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 16:56:42 GMT

I just finished the Winter Street series by Elin Hilderbrand. Four books - Wintrer Street, Winter Stroll, Winter Storms, and Winter Solstic. Wonderful books.

Re: JANUARY 2025 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

Lilysmom1 — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 22:05:28 GMT

@icezeus And readers, welcome to 2025. May your year be filled with great titles!

Just finished The Widow's Lie by Melanie Price. Let me spare you a bad read. 2.75/5*. I am surprised I finished it!

Re: JANUARY 2025 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

Lilysmom1 — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 18:51:35 GMT

@Ainhisg wrote:
I am reading From Here to the Great Unknown by Riley Keough. Lisa Marie Presley was going to write a memoir and had recorded her thoughts and experiences. She had asked Riley to help her write the book, but before it could be written, Lisa Marie died. So Riley used the tapes to write a biography about her mother. It is written very cleverly. Riley uses her mother's exact words in one font, and then when she adds what she remembers, she uses a different font so that you know who is "talking."

I thought Elvis and Priscilla were messed up, but wow...Lisa Marie wins on that one, and how could she not be with those two as parents? Don't get me wrong, I am a huge Elvis fan, but there was just something very not right about his relationship with his mother (which started his issues imo), and then with Priscilla's problems, Lisa Marie did not stand a chance. And because she didn't know what a normal family looked like, she was in no way prepared to create a normal family for herself. Yet she considered herself to be a great mother. I have no doubt she loved Riley and Ben, but her definition of a great mother and my definition of a great mother are two different things. And Riley says more than once that her childhood was perfect. Well, when that's all you know, that's all you know. I just hope she's able to be a more stable parent to her own child than Lisa Marie was to her.

I am almost done with the book, and I'm glad I read it. The lifestyles of the rich and famous are beyond what I can even imagine, but many times, they are not happy or satisfied. I wouldn't trade places with them for anything.

@Ainhisg , great review, thanks!

Re: JANUARY 2025 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

Lilysmom1 — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 09:27:38 GMT

@Big Joanie Just downed loaded The Prince of Tides. Thanks.

Re: JANUARY 2025 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

SWEET — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 19:51:39 GMT

Just finished Nora Roberts Brazen Virtue (1988). How I missed this early mystery of hers I don't know. It was a pretty good book too.

Re: JANUARY 2025 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

nwbabs — Fri, 03 Jan 2025 05:48:23 GMT

Thank you @icezeus for starting the new year/new month thread.

Finished my first audiobook of the new year this evening and it was worth the wait after months on the library hold list. The Dark Wives (Vera Stanhope #11) by Ann Cleeves (Janine Birkett, narrator). Fiction, crime, mystery genres.

I understand The Dark Wives will be the final new Vera episode when season 14 airs. Brenda Blethyn has done an outstanding job over the years as Vera. Also, I did enjoy the audiobook's narrator who did a great job on the Geordie voices.

And, of course, Ann Cleeves writing is a joy for a crime mystery reader to slowly savor and indulge. Cheers!

Re: JANUARY 2025 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

roeroe1005 — Fri, 03 Jan 2025 22:54:06 GMT

Happy new year everyone!

I finished reading The Keeper of Happy Endings by Barbara Davis. Still not sure how I felt about it. The ending was pretty predictable.

Last night I started Here One Moment by Laine Moriarty. I think I read 5 pages before I fell asleep. But the concept sounds interesting.

I'm not sure if I can mention this here - if not, please delete.

I found a reading site Friends and Fiction on FB. Four women authors meet with an author every week. It's on Youtube and their FB site. This week, Kristin Hamel and Patti Callahan Henry spoke w/Fiona Davis, whose book "Stolen Queen" is coming out this week. I enjoyed learning the background of the book and Ms. Davis' research while writing it. The podcast (or whatever it's called) is every Wednesday evening at 7p. I assume you can catch it at other times. P.S. I make no money off this plug!

Happy reading!

Re: JANUARY 2025 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

SWEET — Sat, 04 Jan 2025 19:34:39 GMT

Just finished my first book in January in 2 days. Leslie A. Rasmussen's After Happily Ever After was a good book that was funny and sad at the same time.

Re: JANUARY 2025 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

dmod nj — Sat, 04 Jan 2025 20:07:12 GMT

@FranandZoe wrote:
I just finished the Winter Street series by Elin Hilderbrand. Four books - Wintrer Street, Winter Stroll, Winter Storms, and Winter Solstic. Wonderful books.

@FranandZoe I loved them all, too.

Re: JANUARY 2025 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

dmod nj — Sat, 04 Jan 2025 20:08:29 GMT

@Ainhisg thank you for the review. That book is on my tbr list. ITA with you about Elvis and his mom.

Re: JANUARY 2025 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

dmod nj — Sat, 04 Jan 2025 20:33:03 GMT

Happy New Year everyone!

Thank you @icezeus for this month's thread.

I'm not a holiday book reader, but my gf encouraged me to read or listen to these in December.

Take Me Home for Christmas, Miranda Liasson. It was light, fun, sweet story.

A Very Irish Christmas, Debbie Johnson. Light, happy, holiday themed, finding yourself and what you really want themes.

Christmas in Chestnut Ridge, Nancy Naigle. Beautiful setting, friendships, community coming together theme. I enjoyed this one.

December Market, Rae Anne Thayne, I got about halfway through and gave up. I'm not sure if I was Christmas themed books saturated, or it was the story itself.

I listened to What We Keep, by Jennifer Millikin. She is a new author to me. It was thought provoking, made me laugh and tear up, a roller coaster of emotion. I recommend this book!

I am currently listening to Kennedy Ryan's, Before I Go. So far, I'm invested in this book.

Re: JANUARY 2025 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

Ainhisg — Sat, 04 Jan 2025 22:14:43 GMT

@dmod nj I hope you enjoy it. It was an easy read.

Re: JANUARY 2025 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

Lilysmom1 — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 09:10:07 GMT

I just finished The Fortunate One, Ed Tarkington. This is the storyline is below. I rated this book 4/5* because of the good character development and storyline (from my public library site).

THE FORTUNATE ONES

When Charlie Boykin was young, he thought his life with his single mother on the working-class side of Nashville was perfectly fine. But when his mother arranges for him to be admitted as a scholarship student to an elite private school, he is suddenly introduced to what the world can feel like to someone cushioned by money. That world, he discovers, is an almost irresistible place where one can bend - and break — rules and still end up untarnished. As he gets drawn into a friendship with a charismatic upperclassman, Archer Creigh, and an affluent family that treats him like an adopted son, Charlie quickly adapts to life in the upper echelons of Nashville society. Under their charming and alcohol-soaked spell, how can he not relax and enjoy it all — the lack of anxiety over money, the easy summers spent poolside at perfectly appointed mansions, the lavish parties, the freedom to make mistakes knowing that everything can be glossed over or fixed?

But over time, Charlie is increasingly pulled into covering for Archer's constant deceits and his casual bigotry. At what point will the attraction of wealth and prestige wear off enough for Charlie to take a stand — and will he?