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Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,376
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: DECEMBER 2024 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

As per my usual for the holidays rereading for the umpteenth time for maybe 15 years Thomas Kinkade and Katherine Spencer's Cape Light Series.  21 books since Katherine kept the series going after Thomas' passing. 

Christmas in Cape Light with old dear friends.

 

Cape Light (Cape Light Series, Book 1)

"Live frugally, but love extravagantly."
Valued Contributor
Posts: 601
Registered: ‎02-24-2018

Re: DECEMBER 2024 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

Finished The Secret Hours by Mick Herron (fiction, espionage) last evening. The first chapter was like a thrill ride and subsequent chapters slowly unfolded to reveal the why. Dual timelines post-Berlin Wall fall and present day with the British Intelligence Service personnel knee-deep in the mire. Cheerio!

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,352
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: DECEMBER 2024 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

Just finished Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid.  Even though I loved Daisy Jones & The Six better and so far is my favorite book by her, this one was very good. 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,352
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: DECEMBER 2024 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

[ Edited ]

Finished Elizabeth Strout's Oh William in one day.  I read My Name Is Lucy Barton which is the first in the series but not the others.  It was pretty good but I'd recommend reading the others before this since it will fill in the blanks of their past life.  I had no problems but wish I read the one before this.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,755
Registered: ‎03-12-2010

Re: DECEMBER 2024 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

Today I finished The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan.  I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in birds, art, and nature.  It is a nature journal she kept from 2018 through 2022.  Each entry includes sketches she did of the birds she observed in her backyard.  She must have had an amazing set up of seed feeders, suet feeders, bird baths, and fed them live mealworms!  She bought thousands of mealworms at a time!  The sketches are wonderful and intricate.  Be sure to get a color copy of this book, not black and white on kindle.  Of course the writing is wonderful and insightful; she's Amy Tan! 

Valued Contributor
Posts: 601
Registered: ‎02-24-2018

Re: DECEMBER 2024 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

Finished The Thursday Murder Club (Thursday Murder Club #1) by Richard Osman today. I'd consider this a cozy murder mystery book. The very talented Lesley Manville (Sherwood, Moonflower Murders, The Crown, Magpie Murders) narrated the book.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,048
Registered: ‎05-30-2010

Re: DECEMBER 2024 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

@sandy53  thank you for the review of The Backyard Bird Chronicles (Amy Tan).  I'm on waitlist for it and have been waiting forever it seems. Thanks for mentioning about the pictures.  I'll be sure to read it on my Kindle Fire. 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,048
Registered: ‎05-30-2010

Re: DECEMBER 2024 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

@nwbabs   I love the characters in The Thurday Murder Club.  There are 4 books so far and I liked them all.  I thought the series was over but he is coming out with a fifth book in September. 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,352
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: DECEMBER 2024 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

I usually don't post my dnf but since it's the end of the year, it's my last book.  Amanda Eisenberg's People Are Talking (ARC) was just not my thing I guess.  Six characters, at a wedding, post -college, years later.  Something about a secet society when they were in college and a truth serum that one of the characters was developing.  I'm not embarrassed to say that in 2024 I had 31 dnf.  I'm not one of those readers that have to finish a book.

 

Happy New Year everyone! 

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,048
Registered: ‎05-30-2010

Re: DECEMBER 2024 READ ANY GOOD BOOKS LATELY?

[ Edited ]

I finished Enlightenment by Sarah Perry, which was long listed for the Booker prize. Not sure how I feel about it. It reads like a 19th century novel even though it starts in 1996 and ends in 2017. I guess the author was brought up a strict baptist and there is lot of religious angst in the book, but also friendship, loyalty and unrequited love. It's actually quite lovely in spots, but I'm not sure I would have chosen it for an award.  Mixed review from me.

 

Then I read Exposure by Ramona Emerson. It's a followup to her first book, Shutter. The main character is a Native American forensic photographer who sees and hears the ghosts of the dead people she photographs. I thought her first book was mesmerizing. The descriptions of the crime scenes are a little gory and somehow that didn't bother me.  But be warned.  

 

I thought the first book was excellent. I like the 2nd book but every other chapter is the voice of the serial killer and I'm not a fan of that, even though this serial killer thinks it is his mission to kill bad people. The book includes details of her family life on a reservation and I found that interesting, too.

 

I gave her first book 5 stars.  I generously rounded this one up to 4.  I do hope she writes another one.  She is an excellent writer and I think the main character is compelling.