26-ish books for 2023

[Tinkhasflown]

A shiny new thread for 2023. There didn't appear to be one do hope it's ok that I have created it this year.

All welcome and note 26 is just a number. Everyone can set their own target and you are welcome here even if you only read 3 books a year.

I personally count the larger novel style books I read to my children and audio books I listen to. Others don't and there are no rules.

I look forward to all your suggestions again this year.

I'm joining - an avid reader for most of my teens and early 20's but my ex husband hated it, and then kids and work get in the way. Picked things up again last year and managed 32 books. Got a new kindle for Christmas and some books so i'm hitting it again.
Forth book of this year finished today :-)

1. Life Before Us - Roision Meaney
2. This Is Us - Helen McGinn
3. The Cornish Cream Tea Bookshop - Cressida McLaughlin
4. Spare - Prince Harry

Also reading Alan Rickman but am finding I need to read small amounts in one go because of the diary style.

I haven't read properly for years. I feel behind already, had some podcasts and audiobooks to finish so I start today. Starting with Midnight Library - Matt Haig as it's been on my pile of books that I bought knowing I'll probably never read them. I have The Paper Palace being delivered today. Any recommendations where to go from there, something a little more light hearted, less emotional and more escapist?

Can I join?

So far:

1. The Escape Artist by Jonathan Freedland
2. 1989 by Val McDermid
3. My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

I've just started Shrines of Gaiety and am dipping in and out of Marina Hyde's What Just Happened.

The Escape Artist was excellent and brilliantly told, but not an easy read. Really enjoyed 1989 - in some ways more than 1979 which I liked last year.

Can I please join? I’ve followed the thread for the last couple of years, but never participated.

First book completed yesterday, The Catch by T.M Logan. I like a thriller, and I enjoyed it, but I’ve read similar that I’ve preferred.

My TBR pile is huge, so I’m spoilt for choice for my next book!

Well my book 5 was boring and not finished. Returned for a refund on kindle.

So instead

1. Book 9 from St Mary's series.
2. Will be to finish the Grey King (Susan Cooper) over the weekend.

Then 7 is the long novella I'm awaiting on Tues that ressurects and excellent 10 book series (plus short stories and spin off books) from Ilona Andrew's. I read her Innkeeper books in Dec and they are excellent too.

90% of my roads are fantasy and sci fi.

I’ve just finished my first book for the year - which leaves my on target for 15 books this year.
Tomorrow, and tomorrow and tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin . I really enjoyed it and have recommended it to a few people. It was also mentioned by one of the guests on Between the Covers - a good source of inspiration for me!

What next? Maybe Three Women by Lisa Taddeo. Has anybody read it? I’ve heard good things about it.
Or - The life of an MP by Jess Philips.

Decisions, decisions …

Finished my first book of 2023, The Only Plane in the Sky: The Oral History of 9/11 by Garret M. Graff.

This was an incredible book to start the year and very affecting. One recollection of an in-house counsel for one of the companies in the North Tower spending hours signing a foot high pile of affidavits for lost employees so that their death certificates could be released, and pausing to say a few words about anyone he knew really stuck with me.

Highly recommend.

Finished my first book of the year, Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
Having adored All the Light They Cannot See it was going to be a tough act to follow.
I loved this book. It centres on 5 characters from different times and countries and is essentially a love letter to stories, reading and libraries.
It was moving, tender and heartbreaking in places. A great start to the year.

Next is Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

1. One Minute Later by Susan Lewis

I started Adam Kay Undoctored as book number 2 as I loved This is Going to Hurt and The Nightshift Before Christmas, it's not immediately captured me the same way so I started

1. The Night Watch by Neil Lancaster

Just started Some Kind of Wonderful by Giovanna Fletcher. I don't usually have so much time to read so I'm taking advantage 😀

So I have finished my first book of '23. Very time limited, so 2 books a month is the norm for me right now.

1. Love untold by Ruth Jones ( aka Nessa of Gavin and Stacey). This is not a book I would normally reach for, it was a gift. I loved it, it's a moving story about 4 women that span 4 generations of one family. It's set in Wales and touches on many subjects, from alcoholism to aging and death and a multitude of others. I really enjoyed it and was sad to put in down this evening.

Now on with my TBR pile. I have decided to read Stephen King 11/22/63 I have never read any King as not a huge reader of horror/ sci fi genres. But have heard good things about this book so will give it a go.

1st book of the year finished. The Heard by Emily Edwards.* *
I really enjoyed it. It's about two best friends who disagree over childhood vaccinations.

Just finished my 2nd book of the year: Project Hail Mary- Andy Weir not
my usual type of book/genre but I absolutely loved this - totally gripped by it and devoured it over the weekend.

This is my bookclub read for this month, will be starting it this week, glad to see you enjoyed it!

Yuja I totally agree about Project Hail Mary - so good!

1. The Devil You Know by Dr Gwen Adshead 2) I Don't Take Requests by Fat Tony Not brilliantly written but so heartfelt. What a life Tony's had. I read this because we were at a lot of the same clubs at the same time back in the 90s and definitely had mutual acquaintances. His story of recovery is amazing.

Thats the first book done ( The House of Eyes by Kate Ellis) and under my personal target of a month 😊

Book 2 The Christmas Train by David Baldacci, I was wanting something Christmassy on Kindle, I thought it would be more of a mystery but it was actually romance/adventure but not too soppy.

Book #2 is A Heart Full Of Headstones by Ian Ranking

I've been reading loads more than usual this January! Just finished book 4 and onto number 5.

List so far is

1. A Maigret Christmas by Georges Simenon
2. Zone of Interest by Martin Amis
3. A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters (would not recommend, I loved this book when I was about 12 but it is not as good as I remember!)
4. Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

I'm so late to the party on this that probably no point in reviewing but I'll just say I loved it and well worth a look if you haven't got round to it yet. I found the descriptions of sick children a bit difficult!

I have started Lolly Willloes this morning which I am loving so far, I think it was a recommendation on this thread last year.

I am doing well so far, on number 5 i think. I just finished 'Follow you home' by Mark Edwards which was a bit mad but good. I tried Alan Rickmans diary but didn't finish, it's something I might dip into now and them rather that read through. I just started 'The family upstairs' which seems promising.

1.Sycamore Row by John Grisham

2.The Familiars by Stacy Hall.

Just finished book 2. Sadly it was not awful enough to give up after the first chapter but I wish I had. Set around the Pendle witch trials I had high hopes having just read another book set around the same period. It was just dull. Paper thin characters, slim on plot and unbelievable. Now I don't mind suspending belief at all for fiction but the idea of a fragile girl nearing the birth of a much wanted child who hops on a horse and charges about just didn't work.

1. Reconstruction (Mick Herron)
2. Terciel & Elinor (Garth Nix)

3. Ithaca (Claire North)

Off to library tomorrow in the hopes there are a few new books on display - I've got nothing lined up for my next one!

Can I join?
my target is 15 but hopefully I’ll be closer to the 20!

1. Todas esas cosas que te diré mañana. - Elizabet benavent

reading the second one now in English

1. Monster Love by Carol Topolski -The book details the aftermath of the death of a four year old, abused and neglected by her parents, told from multiple perspectives (e.g. neighbour, social worker, juror, the parents). It started off strong, but then took a paranormal turn and ended oddly. The 'twist' felt cheap, and somewhat legitimised the parents' delusions of their 'special, perfect bond' that drove them to feel threatened by and ultimately kill their daughter in the first place. Which felt a bit grubby. Not sure the author knew the author knew how to finish the story tbh.

1. Kneller's Happy Campers by Etgar Keret - This was a strange little book, and I'm not sure I would have finished it if it hadn't been a novella. Set in an afterlife that caters exclusively to people who've committed suicide, the protagonist Mordy learns that his girlfriend up in the world of the living has killed herself and sets off on a quest to find her. It's billed as a dark comedy, and is certainly an interesting concept, but felt it lacked something.

2: Mrs England by Stacey Halls (audio). Unputdownable, I loved it. You could tell where it was going but it was still gripping and beautifully described, very atmospheric.