lycomayflower thinks 2025 sounds like a made-up year but will read all the same
Talk 75 Books Challenge for 2025
Join LibraryThing to post.
1lycomayflower
Welcome to my 2025 reading thread! Click here to go to my introduction post.
This first post contains an on-going list of the books I've read this year, with the most recent reads at the top. I am planning on continuing only to review books where I really have something to say this year, so the list is simply that--a list of what I've read. Numbers in parentheses are page counts for each book. The book titles are touchstones. If the page count is a link, that will take you to my review in my thread, if there is one. Click here to visit my 2024 thread.
Total Pages: 18,365
97.) An English Murder (202)
96.) The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper (380)
95.) Madeline's Christmas
94.) Carl's Christmas
93.) Hazel Says No (349)
92.) Eloise at Christmastime
91.) Winter Story
90.) C. S. Lewis: Writer, Scholar, Seeker (audio)
89.) Foster (92)
88.) Enid Blyton's Christmas Stories (audio)
87.) Wishin' and Hopin' (274)
86.) Small Things Like These (118)
85.) A Christmas Carol (audio)
84.) Snowmen at Christmas
83.) Never Let a Unicorn Meet a Reindeer
82.) A Week in Winter (407)
81.) The Littlest Solstice Tree
80.) A Great Reckoning (389)
79.) The Art Thief (audio)
78.) A Morbid Taste for Bones (197)
77.) The Blue Castle (audio)
76.) The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything
75.) The Return of the Christmas Witch
74.) All the Colors of the Dark (595)
73.) All of Us Murderers (333)
72.) The Legend of the Christmas Witch
71.) Merlin's Tour of the Universe (281)
70.) Dear Darwin
69.) Witchcraft for Wayward Girls (482)
68.) The Leaf Thief
67.) The Halloween Tree
66.) Awake (301)
65.) Snow Kid
64.) The Academy (417)
63.) Love Lessons (146)
62.) The Moving Toyshop (207)
61.) The Sun Is Late and So Is the Farmer
60.) Funny Story (384)
59.) The Poppy Fields (307)
58.) A Month in the Country (149)
57.) The Traitor's Mercy (239)
56.) Prince Caspian (101)
55.) Kakigori Summer (328)
54.) Say You'll Remember Me (audio)
53.) The Forgotten Garden (552)
52.) The Game Is Afoot (344)
51.) Murder by Cheesecake (audio)
50.) The Nature of the Beast (376)
49.) Don't Trust Fish
48.) Otto and the Story Tree
47.) The Story She Left Behind (audio)
46.) Heartwood (309)
45.) Zodiac Academy: The Awakening (429)
44.) Thor's Unexpected Mate (206)
43.) Mary Poppins (164)
42.) The Horse (192)
41.) Sublimate (119)
40.) Everything Is Tuberculosis (audio)
39.) The Sound of Gravel (336)
38.) Lights Out (416)
37.) Giant Days volume 14 (~100)
36.) Dan in Green Gables (249)
35.) Run for the Hills (244)
34.) Project Hail Mary (476)
33.) Parnassus on Wheels (audio)
32.) So Many Books, So Little Time (242)
31.) How Reading Changed My Life (84)
30.) Bonk (306)
29.) Unclobber (193)
28.) Ady and Me
27.) The Good Earth (357)
26.) Giant Days volume 13 (~100)
25.) Hey, Mary! (~100)
24.) Ordinary Time (220)
23.) Another Appalachia (165)
22.) The Deep End (454)
21.) The Hating Game (363)
20.) Murder By Memory (100)
19.) Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I (240)
18.) Giant Days volume 12 (~100)
17.) Careless People (380)
16.) Jane Austen's Bookshelf (audio)
15.) Eight Perfect Murders (270)
14.) Everything for You (342)
13.) A Little Light Mischief (107)
12.) The House in the Cerulean Sea (396)
11.) Prince of Lust (58)
10.) Giant Days Volume 11 (~100)
9.) Haven (250)
8.) Miss Pym Disposes (235)
7.) Fourth Wing (493)
6.) Lady Tan's Circle of Women (352)
5.) Henry Henry (350)
4.) Aftercare (211)
3.) The Universe Is a Green Dragon (171)
2.) Dictionary of Fine Distinctions (192)
1.) The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting (276)
2lycomayflower
Hello! My name is Laura, and this is the eighteenth year I've kept an LT thread tracking my reading. That's a long time to publicly review everything you've read, and I've been growing weary lately of feeling like I have to have something to say about every book I read. So this year I will only be tracking my reading here, as a matter of course. Should I read something I really want to say something about, I will review it on my thread. But for the most part, expect to see just the titles of what I've read plus a star rating (and maybe occasionally a word or few--like "recommended" or "hard but worth it." Please feel free to talk to me though! About what you're reading, what I'm reading, or just to check in.
I read pretty widely, but I'm most likely to read romance, memoir, mysteries, YA, sci-fi, fantasy, and literary fiction. I'm in my midforties, work as an editor, and carry on living in the south (it's been the majority of my adult life now) while still feeling a bit of a pull back north (I grew up in north-east Pennsylvania). When I'm not reading, I like to write, crochet, swim, and watch TV.
Favorite Reads of 2024:
Heading North
A Strange and Stubborn Endurance
James
Yield under Great Persuasion
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse
Reads that Did Not Fill My Cup in 2024:
Beautyland
Hammers on Bone
The Death I Gave Him
How Far the Light Reaches
Death under a Little Sky
I read pretty widely, but I'm most likely to read romance, memoir, mysteries, YA, sci-fi, fantasy, and literary fiction. I'm in my midforties, work as an editor, and carry on living in the south (it's been the majority of my adult life now) while still feeling a bit of a pull back north (I grew up in north-east Pennsylvania). When I'm not reading, I like to write, crochet, swim, and watch TV.
Favorite Reads of 2024:
Heading North
A Strange and Stubborn Endurance
James
Yield under Great Persuasion
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse
Reads that Did Not Fill My Cup in 2024:
Beautyland
Hammers on Bone
The Death I Gave Him
How Far the Light Reaches
Death under a Little Sky
3lycomayflower
Me and my kitty, Gracie, doing one of our favorite things.
4PaulCranswick
Happy 2025, Laura.
I will read the Shelby Van Pelt you got me this month all being well. Here's to the turning of many pages in 2025.
5lycomayflower
>4 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul! Best wishes to you for the year and for your reading.
I hope you enjoy the Van Pelt!
I hope you enjoy the Van Pelt!
6laytonwoman3rd
That cat....ridikulus.
8lycomayflower
>6 laytonwoman3rd: She says you misspelled practically perfect in every way.
>7 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!
>7 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!
10thornton37814
Enjoy your 2025 reads!
13lycomayflower
>10 thornton37814:, >11 MickyFine:, >12 norabelle414: Thanks, all! Gracie accepts your compliments with the appropriate sense of entitlement.
15lycomayflower
>14 foggidawn: Thanks! You too!
16lycomayflower
2.) Dictionary of Fine Distinctions: Nuances, Niceties, and Subtle Shades of Meaning, Eli Burnstein ****
Well that was fun. If you are a word nerd, you will love this. I did already know a lot of it, but I also learned some distinctions I did not know. Recommended highly if it pings you.
Well that was fun. If you are a word nerd, you will love this. I did already know a lot of it, but I also learned some distinctions I did not know. Recommended highly if it pings you.
18lycomayflower
4.) Aftercare, Tanya Chris ****
19lycomayflower
5.) Henry Henry, Allen Bratton ***
Very nicely written on the sentence level and kind of impressive in scope but a bit tedious and ultimately kind of doesn't get anywhere. Based on its strengths, I'll be checking out whatever Bratton does next, but this one was a bit disappointing.
Very nicely written on the sentence level and kind of impressive in scope but a bit tedious and ultimately kind of doesn't get anywhere. Based on its strengths, I'll be checking out whatever Bratton does next, but this one was a bit disappointing.
20PaulCranswick
>16 lycomayflower: That does look like something I would appreciate, Laura.
21lycomayflower
>20 PaulCranswick: It was great fun!
22lycomayflower
6.) Lady Tan's Circle of Women, Lisa See ****
Fascinating and compelling details of Chinese culture and medicine in the 15th century. Really enjoyed this.
Fascinating and compelling details of Chinese culture and medicine in the 15th century. Really enjoyed this.
23lycomayflower
7.) Fourth Wing, Rebecca Yarros ****
Fantastically fun, swoony, tropey romantasy with the best dragons. Better-written than much of the recent spate of these, but basically holding onto a C- by the skin of its teeth for sentence composition. Beautiful sentences are not what I come to something like this for, but (and?) another strong round of line-edits might have turned the sentences into the kind of brilliantly competent, get-the-job-done while never-drawing-attention-to-itself writing I feel like used to be fairly common. And that might have catapulted this up into brushing five stars for me. Clearly it didn't need another round to be successful (and a lot of fun!), but a little part of my soul hurts that so many genre books I read lately seem not to have gotten the attention to sentence-level editing they deserve.*
*Or maybe what I see as kind of awful composition is part of the appeal to some readers? Maybe it's on purpose?
Fantastically fun, swoony, tropey romantasy with the best dragons. Better-written than much of the recent spate of these, but basically holding onto a C- by the skin of its teeth for sentence composition. Beautiful sentences are not what I come to something like this for, but (and?) another strong round of line-edits might have turned the sentences into the kind of brilliantly competent, get-the-job-done while never-drawing-attention-to-itself writing I feel like used to be fairly common. And that might have catapulted this up into brushing five stars for me. Clearly it didn't need another round to be successful (and a lot of fun!), but a little part of my soul hurts that so many genre books I read lately seem not to have gotten the attention to sentence-level editing they deserve.*
*Or maybe what I see as kind of awful composition is part of the appeal to some readers? Maybe it's on purpose?
24lycomayflower
8.) Miss Pym Disposes, Josephine Tey ****
25lycomayflower
9.) Haven, Rebekah Weatherspoon ***
26lycomayflower
10.) Giant Days volume 11, John Allison, Max Sarin, and Whitney Cogar ****
This continues to be just a really solid, fun comic.
This continues to be just a really solid, fun comic.
27foggidawn
>26 lycomayflower: I really enjoyed that series!
28MickyFine
>26 lycomayflower: I agree with Foggi, that whole series is great. ❤️
29lycomayflower
>27 foggidawn:, >28 MickyFine: YES. I was surprised when I checked my LT before I read this one how many I still had left to read. I had thought I only had one left. No idea why past!me didn't finish it off, but hurrah! for present!me getting to read some more!
30lycomayflower
11.) Prince of Lust, Lucien Burr ****
Quick novella about a closeted gay priest who gets jaded and disillusioned with all the mistreatment sent his way by his brethren and so summons a demon and gets to have all the submissive, kinky sex he's always wanted. Pretty good (but surely not for everyone) with a decent amount of depth about his religious trauma for something so short and so focused on the erotic elements.
Quick novella about a closeted gay priest who gets jaded and disillusioned with all the mistreatment sent his way by his brethren and so summons a demon and gets to have all the submissive, kinky sex he's always wanted. Pretty good (but surely not for everyone) with a decent amount of depth about his religious trauma for something so short and so focused on the erotic elements.
31lycomayflower
12.) The House in the Cerulean Sea, TJ Klune ****1/2
Took me a smidge to settle into but once I did, I was all in. A delightful cozy fantasy about home, belonging, and the queer experience. I definitely clutched it to my chest when I was finished.
Took me a smidge to settle into but once I did, I was all in. A delightful cozy fantasy about home, belonging, and the queer experience. I definitely clutched it to my chest when I was finished.
32lycomayflower
13.) A Little Light Mischief, Cat Sebastian ****
33lycomayflower
14.) Everything for You, Chloe Liese ****1/2
Grumpy/Sunshine soccer romance with serious Ted Lasso vibes. I loved everything about this. The characters were great, the love story was believable, and the side characters (many of them Sunshine's siblings) were a delight--which is often one of my favorite things in a romance novel. There was also a handful of truly lovely sports moments highlighting soccer itself and team dynamics. Recommended if open-door romance is your jam.
Grumpy/Sunshine soccer romance with serious Ted Lasso vibes. I loved everything about this. The characters were great, the love story was believable, and the side characters (many of them Sunshine's siblings) were a delight--which is often one of my favorite things in a romance novel. There was also a handful of truly lovely sports moments highlighting soccer itself and team dynamics. Recommended if open-door romance is your jam.
34lycomayflower
15.) Eight Perfect Murders, Peter Swanson ****
Really fun mystery-suspense read that uses references to famous previous murder mysteries to great effect. Hit the spot perfectly when I wanted a twisty, plotty, "what is going on?" read.
Really fun mystery-suspense read that uses references to famous previous murder mysteries to great effect. Hit the spot perfectly when I wanted a twisty, plotty, "what is going on?" read.
35lycomayflower
16.) Jane Austen's Bookshelf: A Rare Book Collector's Quest to Find the Women Writers Who Shaped a Legend, Rebecca Romney, read by the author ****1/2
A little bit memoir of Romney's journey through reading Austen's close predecessors and her attempts to find editions of their books to add to her collection, and a little bit biography and literary criticism of the authors and books she read. I enjoyed this immensely, particularly Romney's discussions of how and why (it's men being that way, always) the women she discusses fell out of (or never got into) the canon. In addition to loving the experience of listening to this book, I now have several additions to my TBR that I'm excited about. Romney discusses Austen, Frances Burney, Ann Radcliffe, Charlotte Lennox, Hannah More, Charlotte Smith, Elizabeth Inchbald, Hester Lynch Thrale Piozzi, and Maria Edgeworth. Other than Austen, Burney and Radcliffe are the only ones I can remember ever even hearing of before. And now I'm planning on trying Burney's Evelina, Radcliffe's The Mysteries of Udolpho, and Inchbald's A Simple Story. Recommended if you like Austen, enjoy late 18th century British literature, or are interested in the literary canon as a concept.
A little bit memoir of Romney's journey through reading Austen's close predecessors and her attempts to find editions of their books to add to her collection, and a little bit biography and literary criticism of the authors and books she read. I enjoyed this immensely, particularly Romney's discussions of how and why (it's men being that way, always) the women she discusses fell out of (or never got into) the canon. In addition to loving the experience of listening to this book, I now have several additions to my TBR that I'm excited about. Romney discusses Austen, Frances Burney, Ann Radcliffe, Charlotte Lennox, Hannah More, Charlotte Smith, Elizabeth Inchbald, Hester Lynch Thrale Piozzi, and Maria Edgeworth. Other than Austen, Burney and Radcliffe are the only ones I can remember ever even hearing of before. And now I'm planning on trying Burney's Evelina, Radcliffe's The Mysteries of Udolpho, and Inchbald's A Simple Story. Recommended if you like Austen, enjoy late 18th century British literature, or are interested in the literary canon as a concept.
36lycomayflower
17.) Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism, Sarah Wynn-Williams ****
Yikes. I mean, we done knew, but YIKES. Told in the first person as a memoir of Wynn-Williams's years as the director of global policy at Facebook, this is a pretty strong indictment of the higher ups at the company and the company as a whole. Wynn-Williams lays out a pretty compelling case that Zuckerberg, Sandberg, et al.'s inability to comprehend the big-picture implications of their company's effect on the world and their failure to care about the ramifications has resulted in a strong force for ill on both a personal (for their users) and a global (for us all) scale. The details of their operations in China are particularly chilling. It's unlikely I would have read, bought, or even heard about this book if Meta hadn't gone to the courts to try to get it suppressed, so yay! Streisand Effect. Worth a read for the content, and it's kind of a page-turner too.
Yikes. I mean, we done knew, but YIKES. Told in the first person as a memoir of Wynn-Williams's years as the director of global policy at Facebook, this is a pretty strong indictment of the higher ups at the company and the company as a whole. Wynn-Williams lays out a pretty compelling case that Zuckerberg, Sandberg, et al.'s inability to comprehend the big-picture implications of their company's effect on the world and their failure to care about the ramifications has resulted in a strong force for ill on both a personal (for their users) and a global (for us all) scale. The details of their operations in China are particularly chilling. It's unlikely I would have read, bought, or even heard about this book if Meta hadn't gone to the courts to try to get it suppressed, so yay! Streisand Effect. Worth a read for the content, and it's kind of a page-turner too.
37laytonwoman3rd
>36 lycomayflower: Put it on the book page, please!
39MickyFine
>36 lycomayflower: This one had SUPER short notice in advance of release so it's not surprising most people had heard little of it. Working in my field, I often will see Untitled by Anonymous listings in publishers' seasonal catalogues. Usually they're big name celebrity memoirs that will be revealed 6-8 weeks before release. This book, the title and author dropped one week before release (for understandable reasons). Glad you found it illuminating.
40norabelle414
>36 lycomayflower: I just started this a couple days ago and Yikes is right!
41lycomayflower
19.) Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I: The Mother and Daughter Who Forever Changed British History, Tracy Borman ***
This was... fine? I don't know enough about AB and ER to know whether there's anything in here that's new or insightful, but I can't say any of it felt particularly exciting. There's also no real voice or any sense of the author behind it. It's almost like reading a textbook. Which I guess is... fine? I was just expecting it to be a little more... more. It's like there's no there there, to coin a phrase. :p For book club, or I suspect I would have wandered away before the end.
This was... fine? I don't know enough about AB and ER to know whether there's anything in here that's new or insightful, but I can't say any of it felt particularly exciting. There's also no real voice or any sense of the author behind it. It's almost like reading a textbook. Which I guess is... fine? I was just expecting it to be a little more... more. It's like there's no there there, to coin a phrase. :p For book club, or I suspect I would have wandered away before the end.
43lycomayflower
21.) The Hating Game, Sally Thorne ****1/2
Maybe very slightly uneven in a few spots, but I was having too much fun to care. I loved these characters, this premise, and the banter. At least two scenes were about the best example of their kind I can think of, and the last roughly third of the whole book was sheer perfection. Recommended if you like rom-coms.
Maybe very slightly uneven in a few spots, but I was having too much fun to care. I loved these characters, this premise, and the banter. At least two scenes were about the best example of their kind I can think of, and the last roughly third of the whole book was sheer perfection. Recommended if you like rom-coms.
46lycomayflower
>40 norabelle414: Right?!
47lycomayflower
22.) The Deep End, Kristen Ashley ****
Someday I will figure out why Kristen Ashley's painfully tortuous sentences somehow work.
Someday I will figure out why Kristen Ashley's painfully tortuous sentences somehow work.
48lycomayflower
23.) Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place, Neema Avashia ****
I finished Another Appalachia the other day, which is a collection of personal essays making up a kind of memoir by Neema Avashia, a queer woman born to Indian immigrants in West Virginia. While not every essay is directly about her Appalachian roots, each one is certainly informed by them, and the essays that are more about her time in West Virginia offer a fascinating view of the region from "another" sort of voice than we may be used to or expect. Recommended.
I finished Another Appalachia the other day, which is a collection of personal essays making up a kind of memoir by Neema Avashia, a queer woman born to Indian immigrants in West Virginia. While not every essay is directly about her Appalachian roots, each one is certainly informed by them, and the essays that are more about her time in West Virginia offer a fascinating view of the region from "another" sort of voice than we may be used to or expect. Recommended.
49lycomayflower
24.) Ordinary Time: Lessons Learned While Staying Put, Annie B. Jones ****1/2
An absolute delight of quiet personal essays from podcast host and independent bookstore owner Annie B. Jones. I loved these reflections on home, staying put, reading, childhood, and religion. I hope she continues to write; I'd love a whole collection each on her reading life and her faith.
An absolute delight of quiet personal essays from podcast host and independent bookstore owner Annie B. Jones. I loved these reflections on home, staying put, reading, childhood, and religion. I hope she continues to write; I'd love a whole collection each on her reading life and her faith.
50lycomayflower
25.) Hey, Mary!, Andrew Wheeler and Rye Hickman ****1/2
Graphic novel about a Catholic teenager who realizes he's gay and wonders if he can remain a devout Catholic and be true to himself. He encounters a young priest in his church who guides him toward theology which argues that the Bible is not anti-gay and has been misused in hatred toward queer people. Nice exploration of coming out within a faith, and includes a list at the end of books to read about what the Bible actually says about homosexuality, some of which I'm going to check out.
Graphic novel about a Catholic teenager who realizes he's gay and wonders if he can remain a devout Catholic and be true to himself. He encounters a young priest in his church who guides him toward theology which argues that the Bible is not anti-gay and has been misused in hatred toward queer people. Nice exploration of coming out within a faith, and includes a list at the end of books to read about what the Bible actually says about homosexuality, some of which I'm going to check out.
51lycomayflower
26.) Giant Days volume 13, John Allison, Max Sarin, Whitney Cogar
Another great installment. This one teared me up a bit.
Another great installment. This one teared me up a bit.
52lycomayflower
27.) The Good Earth, Pearl S. Buck ***1/2
Might have DNF'd this if it weren't for book club, but I'm glad I kept going. I didn't enjoy it, exactly, but I do appreciate it. Despite being a bit dull, it was also somehow compelling.
Might have DNF'd this if it weren't for book club, but I'm glad I kept going. I didn't enjoy it, exactly, but I do appreciate it. Despite being a bit dull, it was also somehow compelling.
53norabelle414
>52 lycomayflower: I felt the same way. I didn't really enjoy reading it (I listened to the audiobook, or I wouldn't have finished) but I'm glad to have read it.
54lycomayflower
28.) Ady and Me, Richard Pink and Rox Pink ****
Picture book about a little girl living with ADHD. Nice.
Picture book about a little girl living with ADHD. Nice.
56lycomayflower
30.) Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex, Mary Roach ****
Entertaining (and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny) and informative. My first Mary Roach, and I think I'll be checking out more.
Entertaining (and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny) and informative. My first Mary Roach, and I think I'll be checking out more.
57lycomayflower
31.) How Reading Changed My Life, Anna Quindlen ***1/2
A pleasant hour or so of reading about reading. Likely would have been more enjoyable/I would have given it a slightly higher rating if I had read it when it came out (1998), as some of the things she's considering and discussing come off as patently absurd twenty-seven years later. Not because there was anything wrong with her thinking at the time; she just, like all of us, did not have a crystal ball and didn't anticipate things like ereaders, so some of this quite short book is simply utterly irrelevant now (except as a snapshot of how a reader and writer was thinking about some associated topics at the time).
A pleasant hour or so of reading about reading. Likely would have been more enjoyable/I would have given it a slightly higher rating if I had read it when it came out (1998), as some of the things she's considering and discussing come off as patently absurd twenty-seven years later. Not because there was anything wrong with her thinking at the time; she just, like all of us, did not have a crystal ball and didn't anticipate things like ereaders, so some of this quite short book is simply utterly irrelevant now (except as a snapshot of how a reader and writer was thinking about some associated topics at the time).
59PaulCranswick
>56 lycomayflower: Certainly an enticing title, Laura!
>58 lycomayflower: Pretty much the worldview of many of us in this group.
Have a lovely weekend.
>58 lycomayflower: Pretty much the worldview of many of us in this group.
Have a lovely weekend.
60lycomayflower
33.) Parnassus on Wheels, Christopher Morley, read by Nadia May ****
Delightful and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, and made more so by May's narration.
Delightful and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, and made more so by May's narration.
61Caroline_McElwee
>60 lycomayflower: It is years since I read that Laura, I was gifted the two volumes by a Red Roomer on one of the group's anniversaries.
62lycomayflower
>59 PaulCranswick: Hi, Paul! Hope you're having a nice weekend.
63lycomayflower
>61 Caroline_McElwee: How lovely. I am tempted to get a paper copy of it just to have, but I enjoyed the audio so much that I wonder if it won't feel right to read it!
64lycomayflower
34.) Project Hail Mary, Andy Weir ***3/4
Enjoyed the plot, never flagging in my desire to find out what would happen. The science was fascinating about 80% of the time and a slog the other 20%. (That feels about right to me, I think? There is a LOT of science in here, and I'm not surprised that some of it just didn't ring my bell.) I kind of wanted to drown the main character most of the time. For book club, and I mostly had a good time reading it. The discussion at the meeting was great.
Enjoyed the plot, never flagging in my desire to find out what would happen. The science was fascinating about 80% of the time and a slog the other 20%. (That feels about right to me, I think? There is a LOT of science in here, and I'm not surprised that some of it just didn't ring my bell.) I kind of wanted to drown the main character most of the time. For book club, and I mostly had a good time reading it. The discussion at the meeting was great.
65lycomayflower
35.) Run for the Hills, Kevin Wilson ***1/2
*drums fingers* I'm not sure quite what to do with this. I enjoyed it. But I often felt like bits were meant to be funny and I just wasn't vibing with it as humorous? I also might have liked just a little... more? More character development, more of a conclusion? I dunno. I liked it well enough that I think I will try another by Wilson.
*drums fingers* I'm not sure quite what to do with this. I enjoyed it. But I often felt like bits were meant to be funny and I just wasn't vibing with it as humorous? I also might have liked just a little... more? More character development, more of a conclusion? I dunno. I liked it well enough that I think I will try another by Wilson.
66lycomayflower
36.) Dan in Green Gables, Rey Terciero and Claudia Aguirre *****
A YA graphic novel set in 1995 rural Tennessee about a gay teenager who's left to live with his grandparents, who he doesn't know at all. He quickly gets on with his MawMaw but things are trickier with his grandfather. And then there's the inevitable clashes at school as Dan refuses to hide any piece of who he is. Uplifting and lovely (though with some hard parts and some homophobia, of course), this was wonderful. Perhaps slightly aspirational in that pretty much everyone eventually comes around, but I am here for it. Also, the art is bright and such a joy to look at.
A YA graphic novel set in 1995 rural Tennessee about a gay teenager who's left to live with his grandparents, who he doesn't know at all. He quickly gets on with his MawMaw but things are trickier with his grandfather. And then there's the inevitable clashes at school as Dan refuses to hide any piece of who he is. Uplifting and lovely (though with some hard parts and some homophobia, of course), this was wonderful. Perhaps slightly aspirational in that pretty much everyone eventually comes around, but I am here for it. Also, the art is bright and such a joy to look at.
67lycomayflower
37.) Giant Days volume 14, John Allison, Max Sarin, and Whitney Cogar ****1/2
Aaaaand that's the end. I'm so sad this is over. Such an excellent comics series, and the characters feel like friends now.
Aaaaand that's the end. I'm so sad this is over. Such an excellent comics series, and the characters feel like friends now.
68lycomayflower
38.) Lights Out, Navessa Allen ****
Written more better than many of its kind I've tried lately, and also surprisingly funny. Not nearly as dark as it *could* be, but plenty dark. There's an extensive list of trigger warnings at the front; broadly speaking if dubcon and consensual non-con are not for you, neither is this book.
Written more better than many of its kind I've tried lately, and also surprisingly funny. Not nearly as dark as it *could* be, but plenty dark. There's an extensive list of trigger warnings at the front; broadly speaking if dubcon and consensual non-con are not for you, neither is this book.
69lycomayflower
39.) The Sound of Gravel, Ruth Wariner ***1/2
One of the memoirs about a very tough subject that strikes me as an important chronicle for the person/s involved and a good thing to document, but which I'm not quite sure what to do with when I finish. Perhaps witnessing it is just all there is.
One of the memoirs about a very tough subject that strikes me as an important chronicle for the person/s involved and a good thing to document, but which I'm not quite sure what to do with when I finish. Perhaps witnessing it is just all there is.
70lycomayflower
40.) Everything Is Tuberculosis, John Green, read by the author ****1/2
I am so enjoying John Green's shift into nonfiction. This is a short history of tuberculosis, both socially and medically, as well as a discussion of the state of TB treatment today. In short: if you live in a poor country, you're quite likely to contract it and your prognosis isn't great. AND it absolutely does not have to be this way. The cure exists. It just (mostly) isn't accessible in most of the places the disease is rampant. Green gives a truly excellent account of the state of things and points out where things are going wrong without being preachy. The interlaced small biography of a young man living with TB Green met in Sierra Leone is also well-done and affecting. Recommended, and the audio is wonderful.
I am so enjoying John Green's shift into nonfiction. This is a short history of tuberculosis, both socially and medically, as well as a discussion of the state of TB treatment today. In short: if you live in a poor country, you're quite likely to contract it and your prognosis isn't great. AND it absolutely does not have to be this way. The cure exists. It just (mostly) isn't accessible in most of the places the disease is rampant. Green gives a truly excellent account of the state of things and points out where things are going wrong without being preachy. The interlaced small biography of a young man living with TB Green met in Sierra Leone is also well-done and affecting. Recommended, and the audio is wonderful.
72lycomayflower
42.) The Horse, Willy Vlautin **1/2
I didn't vibe with this at all. I didn't care for the main character one way or another, and he seemed to do nothing but drink, write a song, reminisce about his past in which he drank and wrote songs and met and lost bands and women and friends. And there's a horse. It *could* have been good, but I just couldn't stay *in* it, nor could I figure out why I ought want to.
I didn't vibe with this at all. I didn't care for the main character one way or another, and he seemed to do nothing but drink, write a song, reminisce about his past in which he drank and wrote songs and met and lost bands and women and friends. And there's a horse. It *could* have been good, but I just couldn't stay *in* it, nor could I figure out why I ought want to.
73laytonwoman3rd
>1 lycomayflower: New topper, innit? Nice.
74lycomayflower
>73 laytonwoman3rd: Well, no. But it *is* nice!
75lycomayflower
43.) Mary Poppins, P.L. Travers ****
A reread from childhood. I remembered some of it (like "Bad Tuesday") exceptionally well, while some of it was almost entirely lost to the haze of long-ago reading. Fun. Has sharper edges than the film, but I feel a great deal of affection for both.
A reread from childhood. I remembered some of it (like "Bad Tuesday") exceptionally well, while some of it was almost entirely lost to the haze of long-ago reading. Fun. Has sharper edges than the film, but I feel a great deal of affection for both.
77lycomayflower
45.) Zodiac Academy: The Awakening, Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti ***1/2
Nuts. I thought I'd read this, not care for it, and be able to cross the series off my list. But while I was right that it is not fully my jam, I want to know what happens. *grumble mutter*
Nuts. I thought I'd read this, not care for it, and be able to cross the series off my list. But while I was right that it is not fully my jam, I want to know what happens. *grumble mutter*
78lycomayflower
46.) Heartwood, Amity Gaige ***1/2
Started out as a page turner and then kind of slowed down. I enjoyed reading it for the most part, but in the end I was left with a distinct "that's it?" feeling and wondering what, exactly, the point of all the bits were. It's too literary to be a straight-up thriller, but the literary aspects didn't jell quite right to make it successful as literary fiction either.
Started out as a page turner and then kind of slowed down. I enjoyed reading it for the most part, but in the end I was left with a distinct "that's it?" feeling and wondering what, exactly, the point of all the bits were. It's too literary to be a straight-up thriller, but the literary aspects didn't jell quite right to make it successful as literary fiction either.
79lycomayflower
47.) The Story She Left Behind, Patti Callahan Henry ***1/2
This was a prime example of a read that was just... fine. The story was there, the characters were pretty good, I liked the writing all right (though I do think there was a tendency to overwrite/overexplain). I just wasn't fully feeling it. No spark, I guess. I started it in print then switched to the audio about halfway through, and that helped some, but I think it ended up emphasizing the overwriting. I read one of Callahan Henry's novels about C.S. Lewis and liked it better than this one, so I may give her another go at some point.
This was a prime example of a read that was just... fine. The story was there, the characters were pretty good, I liked the writing all right (though I do think there was a tendency to overwrite/overexplain). I just wasn't fully feeling it. No spark, I guess. I started it in print then switched to the audio about halfway through, and that helped some, but I think it ended up emphasizing the overwriting. I read one of Callahan Henry's novels about C.S. Lewis and liked it better than this one, so I may give her another go at some point.
80lycomayflower
48.) Otto and the Story Tree, Vivien Mildenberger ****
Lovely pictures and a nice story.
49.) Don't Trust Fish, Neil Sharpson and Dan Santat *****
Absolutely hilarious picture book with fun illustrations. I laughed out loud through the whole thing and kicked my feet several times. Do yourself a favor--read it. (Don't trust 'em!)
Lovely pictures and a nice story.
49.) Don't Trust Fish, Neil Sharpson and Dan Santat *****
Absolutely hilarious picture book with fun illustrations. I laughed out loud through the whole thing and kicked my feet several times. Do yourself a favor--read it. (Don't trust 'em!)
84lycomayflower
51.) Murder by Cheesecake, Rachel Ekstrom Courage, read by Yvonne Newman ***
A murder mystery featuring the the characters from The Golden Girls. Mildly entertaining and did make me snort out loud a few times, but ultimately not fully my bag. The kind of humor that works pretty well in 24-minute bits wore on me over the course of an entire novel, and the plot was thin in exactly the way you might expect a cozy mystery's to be. I can enjoy such books regardless if I love the characters (that, I think, being kind of the point of cozy mysteries), but I didn't care enough here to overcome the slight boredom I felt toward the goings on. That said, the author did an amazing job capturing the characters of the Golden Girls, and the audio narrator sounded just like them. It was sometimes uncanny and quite impressive. If you are a big Golden Girls fan, this may well suit you perfectly.
A murder mystery featuring the the characters from The Golden Girls. Mildly entertaining and did make me snort out loud a few times, but ultimately not fully my bag. The kind of humor that works pretty well in 24-minute bits wore on me over the course of an entire novel, and the plot was thin in exactly the way you might expect a cozy mystery's to be. I can enjoy such books regardless if I love the characters (that, I think, being kind of the point of cozy mysteries), but I didn't care enough here to overcome the slight boredom I felt toward the goings on. That said, the author did an amazing job capturing the characters of the Golden Girls, and the audio narrator sounded just like them. It was sometimes uncanny and quite impressive. If you are a big Golden Girls fan, this may well suit you perfectly.
85lycomayflower
52.) The Game Is Afoot, Elise Bryant ***1/2
86lycomayflower
53.) The Forgotten Garden, Kate Morton ****
Morton is a masterful storyteller, effortlessly weaving together multiple timelines to tell a family epic with a domestic mystery at its heart. Quite enjoyable and deftly avoiding the trap of creating one timeline that is vastly more interesting than the others. I was largely equally happy to hang out in any of them. I got a little squirrely to be done, but mostly I think because it took me over a week to read, not because the book itself grew tiresome. Will likely read some more Morton, especially if the mood strikes to immerse myself in a good long tale.
Morton is a masterful storyteller, effortlessly weaving together multiple timelines to tell a family epic with a domestic mystery at its heart. Quite enjoyable and deftly avoiding the trap of creating one timeline that is vastly more interesting than the others. I was largely equally happy to hang out in any of them. I got a little squirrely to be done, but mostly I think because it took me over a week to read, not because the book itself grew tiresome. Will likely read some more Morton, especially if the mood strikes to immerse myself in a good long tale.
87lycomayflower
54.) Say You'll Remember Me, Abby Jimenez, read by Christine Lakin and Matt Lanter ****
A rom-com with just the right mix of humor and substance, and one where the humor never felt forced or too clever. I loved all the characters, the FMC and MMC for sure, but also the various friends and family members we meet too. Made me a little teary a few times (heads-up for depictions of dementia and elder care, as well as some brief references to off-page animal cruelty), but mostly a happy-making good time. I will be reading more by Jimenez. Also stellar work by the two narrators for the audiobook. They were pretty much perfect.
A rom-com with just the right mix of humor and substance, and one where the humor never felt forced or too clever. I loved all the characters, the FMC and MMC for sure, but also the various friends and family members we meet too. Made me a little teary a few times (heads-up for depictions of dementia and elder care, as well as some brief references to off-page animal cruelty), but mostly a happy-making good time. I will be reading more by Jimenez. Also stellar work by the two narrators for the audiobook. They were pretty much perfect.
88lycomayflower
55.) Kakigori Summer, Emily Itami ***1/2
I had some trouble settling into this, but once I did I enjoyed it. The main characters are quite spiky, which I think was part of my trouble, but once I warmed to them a little, I was invested. Also some very cool insights into and descriptions of Japanese culture and food.
I had some trouble settling into this, but once I did I enjoyed it. The main characters are quite spiky, which I think was part of my trouble, but once I warmed to them a little, I was invested. Also some very cool insights into and descriptions of Japanese culture and food.
89lycomayflower
56.) Prince Caspian, C.S. Lewis ****
I enjoyed this more this time around than I ever had before. Some really neat scenes, especially an early one where Lewis nicely evokes the feeling of being in a ruin and a sense of slowly realizing where you are. But his gender politics make me want to bite, and the older I get the more Aslan reads like a gentle dom than *sparkles* Jesus. Although... actually, never mind. I'm too tired to pick at that knot today.
I enjoyed this more this time around than I ever had before. Some really neat scenes, especially an early one where Lewis nicely evokes the feeling of being in a ruin and a sense of slowly realizing where you are. But his gender politics make me want to bite, and the older I get the more Aslan reads like a gentle dom than *sparkles* Jesus. Although... actually, never mind. I'm too tired to pick at that knot today.
90lycomayflower
57.) The Traitor's Mercy, Iris Foxglove ****1/2
92laytonwoman3rd
>91 lycomayflower: Oooh...didja like it?
93lycomayflower
>92 laytonwoman3rd: *whispers* I was bored.
94lycomayflower
59.) The Poppy Fields, Nikki Erlick ***1/2
An interesting premise--a scientist has invented a "sleep" that allows patients to process grief and awake healed of the worst pain associated with a loss--never really took off for me. I had high hopes for this novel, but it didn't grab me and failed to move me from my starting position of "that... doesn't sound like a good idea?" The story follows five characters, four of whom are on a road trip together to the Poppy Fields, the facility where this sleep is offered, and all of whom have their own relationship with grief and to the facility. The characters read fairly flat, and what could have been an exploration of kinds of grief and varied ways of living with it never really resonated. The acknowledgements make it clear that the author did a lot of research into grief and her setting (the states traveled through on the road trip), which makes it even more peculiar to me that so little of it ever felt real or affecting.
An interesting premise--a scientist has invented a "sleep" that allows patients to process grief and awake healed of the worst pain associated with a loss--never really took off for me. I had high hopes for this novel, but it didn't grab me and failed to move me from my starting position of "that... doesn't sound like a good idea?" The story follows five characters, four of whom are on a road trip together to the Poppy Fields, the facility where this sleep is offered, and all of whom have their own relationship with grief and to the facility. The characters read fairly flat, and what could have been an exploration of kinds of grief and varied ways of living with it never really resonated. The acknowledgements make it clear that the author did a lot of research into grief and her setting (the states traveled through on the road trip), which makes it even more peculiar to me that so little of it ever felt real or affecting.
95lycomayflower
60.) Funny Story, Emily Henry ****
96lycomayflower
61.) The Sun Is Late and So Is the Farmer, Philip C. Stead and Erin E. Stead ****
Slightly thin/disappointing story but *amazing* illustrations.
Slightly thin/disappointing story but *amazing* illustrations.
97lycomayflower
62.) The Moving Toyshop, Edmund Crispin ***1/2
Amusing and entertaining murder mystery that went on a bit long/was more complicated than it needed to be. I felt as I often do reading P.G. Wodehouse novels: I appreciated his nonsense but I was done before he was finished.
Amusing and entertaining murder mystery that went on a bit long/was more complicated than it needed to be. I felt as I often do reading P.G. Wodehouse novels: I appreciated his nonsense but I was done before he was finished.
98laytonwoman3rd
>97 lycomayflower: This strikes me as odd.... LT thinks I might enjoy that one because I have these books in my catalog:
99lycomayflower
>98 laytonwoman3rd: Well. Same time period and genre, but I think Crispin is a good deal more snickery than any of those.
100lycomayflower
63.) Lessons in Love, Charlie Cochrane ****
103lycomayflower
66.) Awake, Jen Hatmaker ****
104lycomayflower
67.) The Halloween Tree, Susan Montanari and Teresa Martinez ***1/2
A cute enough picture book about a tree who doesn't want to grow up to be a Christmas tree (*grump*) and eventually becomes the kind of gnarly tree that is just perfect for kids to play on and turn into a "Halloween tree." I may send it to the current littlest nibbling as a fall surprise present.
A cute enough picture book about a tree who doesn't want to grow up to be a Christmas tree (*grump*) and eventually becomes the kind of gnarly tree that is just perfect for kids to play on and turn into a "Halloween tree." I may send it to the current littlest nibbling as a fall surprise present.
105lycomayflower
68.) The Leaf Thief, Alice Hemming and Nicola Slater ****1/2
Loved this picture book about a squirrel who is concerned that someone is stealing his fall leaves. It reads to me as being about anxiety in a gentle way without ever mentioning the word.
Loved this picture book about a squirrel who is concerned that someone is stealing his fall leaves. It reads to me as being about anxiety in a gentle way without ever mentioning the word.
107lycomayflower
70.) Dear Darwin, Jime Wimmer ****
108lycomayflower
71.) Merlin's Tour of the Universe, Neil deGrasse Tyson ***1/2
A bit disappointing. The answers to readers' questions from Tyson's old newspaper column were mostly not long enough to be fully interesting, and he often seemed to (intentionally?) misread the kinds of questions that seemed to be asking for fun "what-if" answers rather than straightforward ones. *shrug* YMMV.
A bit disappointing. The answers to readers' questions from Tyson's old newspaper column were mostly not long enough to be fully interesting, and he often seemed to (intentionally?) misread the kinds of questions that seemed to be asking for fun "what-if" answers rather than straightforward ones. *shrug* YMMV.
109lycomayflower
72.) The Legend of the Christmas Witch, Dan Murphy, Aubrey Plaza, Julia Iredale ***1/2
About a two-star story with four plus-star illustrations. Picture book likely only suitable for slightly older children (some pages are a wall of text), with a kind of dark story with odd pacing and a perplexing (and abrupt) ending.
About a two-star story with four plus-star illustrations. Picture book likely only suitable for slightly older children (some pages are a wall of text), with a kind of dark story with odd pacing and a perplexing (and abrupt) ending.
110lycomayflower
73.) All of Us Murderers KJ Charles ****
Perhaps a little lacking in atmosphere for a gothic-tinged mystery-romance, but otherwise enjoyable, especially in the back half when things really get going.
Perhaps a little lacking in atmosphere for a gothic-tinged mystery-romance, but otherwise enjoyable, especially in the back half when things really get going.
111lycomayflower
74.) All the Colors of the Dark, Chris Whitaker ***1/2
The first problem here is that I thought this was going to be a thriller, and it is not. That's on me. But THEN. The sentence-level writing annoyed the PANTS off me (attempts to be poetic (I think?) in using words not *just* right), and I felt like the entire thing was reaching too hard to be A Good Book that is About Being Human. It wasn't awful, but I feel like if the author had paid just a little more attention to *storytelling* rather than *writing*, it might have been really, really amazing.
The first problem here is that I thought this was going to be a thriller, and it is not. That's on me. But THEN. The sentence-level writing annoyed the PANTS off me (attempts to be poetic (I think?) in using words not *just* right), and I felt like the entire thing was reaching too hard to be A Good Book that is About Being Human. It wasn't awful, but I feel like if the author had paid just a little more attention to *storytelling* rather than *writing*, it might have been really, really amazing.
112lycomayflower
75.) The Return of the Christmas Witch, Dan Murphy and Aubrey Plaza and Julia Iredale ***1/2
I thought maybe the sequel would, like, finish the story and make it all come together. It... did not. The illustrations are still absolutely lovely.
I thought maybe the sequel would, like, finish the story and make it all come together. It... did not. The illustrations are still absolutely lovely.
113mahsdad
Hi Laura,
Its Christmas Book Swap season. This year, I'm trying a different tact to make sure the word gets out. I'm just going to spam the threads of those who have participated in the past, and since you've done so, I'm going to use this opportunity to remind you about it, in case you haven't seen my thread recently, or the General Announcements thread. If you're in, come on by and join, if not that's fair and then thanks for letting me use your thread to make sure all that might be interested see it.
https://www.librarything.com/topic/375139#n8992303
Its Christmas Book Swap season. This year, I'm trying a different tact to make sure the word gets out. I'm just going to spam the threads of those who have participated in the past, and since you've done so, I'm going to use this opportunity to remind you about it, in case you haven't seen my thread recently, or the General Announcements thread. If you're in, come on by and join, if not that's fair and then thanks for letting me use your thread to make sure all that might be interested see it.
https://www.librarything.com/topic/375139#n8992303
114figsfromthistle
>112 lycomayflower: Congrats on reading 75 books!
116norabelle414
Congrats on reaching 75 books, Laura!
118lycomayflower
76.) The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything, Linda Williams and Megan Lloyd ***1/2
119scaifea
>118 lycomayflower: Charlie *loved* this book when he was little. We'd act out all the different outfit parts, and we'd really get into the wiggle-wiggling!
120lycomayflower
>119 scaifea: Haaahahaha! I love that! I was thinking that it would be one that would be really fun to read out loud with a little one.
122lycomayflower
78.) A Morbid Taste for Bones, Ellis Peters ***1/2
123lycomayflower
79.) The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession, Michael Finkel, read by Edoardo Ballerini **
So very, very dull. Maybe a long magazine article's worth of information and interest stretched over 240 pages. I swear every theft Breitwieser ever did was described in excruciating detail and the detail is always "he took the screws out of the box and slipped the art whoozit up his sleeve. His girlfriend was waiting over there. The guards didn't notice." Over and over and over and over. For book club. I hope it makes for a rousing display of snark.
So very, very dull. Maybe a long magazine article's worth of information and interest stretched over 240 pages. I swear every theft Breitwieser ever did was described in excruciating detail and the detail is always "he took the screws out of the box and slipped the art whoozit up his sleeve. His girlfriend was waiting over there. The guards didn't notice." Over and over and over and over. For book club. I hope it makes for a rousing display of snark.
124norabelle414
>123 lycomayflower: Hmmmm, that one is on my list but maybe I'll reconsider.
125lycomayflower
>124 norabelle414: I see from reviews that I am very much in a minority opinion, so maybe you'd like it? Maybe the audiobook wasn't up to snuff?
126norabelle414
>125 lycomayflower: I think there are several reviews that agree with you. Audiobook would probably be my preference, because I could bump it up to a faster speed if I got bored! 😂
I originally put it on my list because I really loved The Feather Thief but it sounds like The Art Thief is not quite so well-written.
I originally put it on my list because I really loved The Feather Thief but it sounds like The Art Thief is not quite so well-written.
127lycomayflower
>126 norabelle414: LOL that's exactly what I did!
128lycomayflower
80.) A Great Reckoning, Louise Penny ****1/2
A really excellent entry in the series. A little bit simpler than some of the books in plot, but that is no criticism, especially as the emotional resonance and character work were wonderful, as always.
A really excellent entry in the series. A little bit simpler than some of the books in plot, but that is no criticism, especially as the emotional resonance and character work were wonderful, as always.
129lycomayflower
81.) The Littlest Solstice Tree, Lisa Varchol Perron and Ahya Kim ****
Simple tale about a little evergreen tree that hopes she'll be picked to be the Solstice Tree this year and get decorated and carry the light through the longest night. But an ancient tree also wishes he could be the Solstice Tree. Beautiful illustrations and nice message about good will, holding hope for others, and maintaining traditions while also allowing them to change to suit the situation. I thought I might send this to one of the littles, but I think it hits the Solstice as holiday without reference to Christmas for her family juuuuust a touch too hard to be fully comfortable for them. I may be overthinking it, but it is never my goal to stir shit at Christmas, so.
Simple tale about a little evergreen tree that hopes she'll be picked to be the Solstice Tree this year and get decorated and carry the light through the longest night. But an ancient tree also wishes he could be the Solstice Tree. Beautiful illustrations and nice message about good will, holding hope for others, and maintaining traditions while also allowing them to change to suit the situation. I thought I might send this to one of the littles, but I think it hits the Solstice as holiday without reference to Christmas for her family juuuuust a touch too hard to be fully comfortable for them. I may be overthinking it, but it is never my goal to stir shit at Christmas, so.
130lycomayflower
82.) A Week in Winter, Maeve Binchy ***1/2
For book club. Pleasant enough, but I suspect quite forgettable for me. I liked Binchy's early work much better than her later efforts, which all seem to be novels in stories organized around a group of strangers gathered for a purpose (this one is all the guests at the opening week of a quiet, out-of-the-way hotel in western Ireland). The individual lives often touch each other in ways that are satisfying, but I was tired of the conceit (and Binchy's style here, which is assured but not to my taste) before the end. The club meeting isn't for another month, and I'm afraid reading it so early is going to turn out to have been a mistake when it comes to still having anything to say about the book when it finally rolls around.
For book club. Pleasant enough, but I suspect quite forgettable for me. I liked Binchy's early work much better than her later efforts, which all seem to be novels in stories organized around a group of strangers gathered for a purpose (this one is all the guests at the opening week of a quiet, out-of-the-way hotel in western Ireland). The individual lives often touch each other in ways that are satisfying, but I was tired of the conceit (and Binchy's style here, which is assured but not to my taste) before the end. The club meeting isn't for another month, and I'm afraid reading it so early is going to turn out to have been a mistake when it comes to still having anything to say about the book when it finally rolls around.
132lycomayflower
84.) Snowmen at Christmas, Caralyn Buehner and Mark Buehner ****
Beautiful illustrations and fun rhyming story about how the snowmen celebrate Christmas at night. This one is going to one of the littles for Christmas.
Beautiful illustrations and fun rhyming story about how the snowmen celebrate Christmas at night. This one is going to one of the littles for Christmas.
133lycomayflower
85.) A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens, performed by Patrick Stewart ****1/2
A smidge of cheat, as Stewart doesn't read the book but rather performs a very slightly abridged version. But I don't care. I think this is my favorite of the audio/performed versions of A Christmas Carol I've heard. It is excellent--though, of course, I have some quibbles about his interpretation.
A smidge of cheat, as Stewart doesn't read the book but rather performs a very slightly abridged version. But I don't care. I think this is my favorite of the audio/performed versions of A Christmas Carol I've heard. It is excellent--though, of course, I have some quibbles about his interpretation.
134lycomayflower
86.) Small Things Like These, Claire Keegan ****
135laytonwoman3rd
>134 lycomayflower: That one waits for me....it seems you liked it.
136lycomayflower
>135 laytonwoman3rd: Oh yes.
137lycomayflower
87.) Wishin' and Hopin', Wally Lamb ****
138lycomayflower
88.) Enid Blyton's Christmas Stories, Enid Blyton, read by Jilly Bond ****
Occasionally a little twee (especially when a story's narrator addresses the child audience directly ("And she was so glad she did, and so am I. Aren't you?" that sort of thing)), and the audiobook narrator oversold the sweetness of some of the lines; on the whole, though, entertaining and pleasant Christmas stories aimed at children. One long story ("A Family Christmas") was broken up between the other stories, and that story was my favorite. It followed one family with several children as they prepared for Christmas in the week before, and most of the point of the thing is for various adults to give a brief history of various Christmas traditions (mistletoe, Santa Claus, and so on). I can see myself either listening to just that story again at a future Christmas or finding that one in print. The rest of it probably once was enough.
Occasionally a little twee (especially when a story's narrator addresses the child audience directly ("And she was so glad she did, and so am I. Aren't you?" that sort of thing)), and the audiobook narrator oversold the sweetness of some of the lines; on the whole, though, entertaining and pleasant Christmas stories aimed at children. One long story ("A Family Christmas") was broken up between the other stories, and that story was my favorite. It followed one family with several children as they prepared for Christmas in the week before, and most of the point of the thing is for various adults to give a brief history of various Christmas traditions (mistletoe, Santa Claus, and so on). I can see myself either listening to just that story again at a future Christmas or finding that one in print. The rest of it probably once was enough.
141lycomayflower
91.) Winter Story, Jill Barklem ****
A Brambly Hedge story about the mice having an Ice Ball. Pleasant story with just stellar pictures, especially of things like the mice's larder and their kitchens.
A Brambly Hedge story about the mice having an Ice Ball. Pleasant story with just stellar pictures, especially of things like the mice's larder and their kitchens.
142scaifea
>140 lycomayflower: *snork!* I thought Lewis was maybe a writer, scholar, seeker (quidditch?), AND Sorina Higgins (like, in his spare time, although terrible name for a drag queen).
>141 lycomayflower: That one sounds SO cozy. I love it.
>141 lycomayflower: That one sounds SO cozy. I love it.
143lycomayflower
>142 scaifea: HAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHA.
Yes, it was wonderful! I have a collection of Brambly Hedge stories, and I don't THINK I read these as a little kid. I was going to just go through the whole thing, but then I realized that the first four stories are each for the four seasons, so I'm going to read those as the seasons come around and then finish off the ones that aren't seasonal afterwards. The attention to detail in the illustrations is just incredible.
Yes, it was wonderful! I have a collection of Brambly Hedge stories, and I don't THINK I read these as a little kid. I was going to just go through the whole thing, but then I realized that the first four stories are each for the four seasons, so I'm going to read those as the seasons come around and then finish off the ones that aren't seasonal afterwards. The attention to detail in the illustrations is just incredible.
144scaifea
>143 lycomayflower: Oooh, good idea!
146lycomayflower
93.) Hazel Says No, Jessica Berger Gross ****
147lycomayflower
94.) Carl's Christmas, Alexandra Day *****
Carl is a Rottweiler, and his people go to Grandma's and church one day, leaving him home alone with the baby. Carl maybe should learn to use the telephone so he can call protective services, especially as his people still haven't come home by nightfall. But Carl does an amazing job taking care of the baby, taking her on some lovely adventures and snuggling her to sleep and greeting Santa Claus on her behalf. An absolute delight of an almost-wordless picture book with simply gorgeous illustrations.
Carl is a Rottweiler, and his people go to Grandma's and church one day, leaving him home alone with the baby. Carl maybe should learn to use the telephone so he can call protective services, especially as his people still haven't come home by nightfall. But Carl does an amazing job taking care of the baby, taking her on some lovely adventures and snuggling her to sleep and greeting Santa Claus on her behalf. An absolute delight of an almost-wordless picture book with simply gorgeous illustrations.
148lycomayflower
95.) Madeline's Christmas, Ludwig Bemelmans ****
150PaulCranswick
New Year greetings from Kuala Lumpur. My project is at least physically completed and an addition to the city scape.
Look forward to keeping up with you in 2026
151lycomayflower
Thanks, Paul. Happy New Year!
152lycomayflower
97.) An English Murder, Cyril Hare ***1/2
153lycomayflower
Well, that's a wrap on 2025 reading! A bit unmemorable this year, but I don't remember being too out of sorts about it as I was doing that reading, so that's all right. It is prompting me to put some effort into trying to be a little more choosey in 2026 when I pick up what to read (and to try to curb the book-buying a bit). I don't have a new thread set up yet, but when I do, I'll come back and drop a link here. In the meantime, my bests and worsts for 2025:
Top 5 Reads of 2025:
Lady Tan's Circle of Women
Jane Austen's Bookshelf
Don't Trust Fish
Small Things Like These
Carl's Christmas
Very Honorable Mentions:
Fourth Wing for being so much dang fun
The House in the Cerulean Sea for being a gentle delight of queer found family
The Hating Game for hitting the rom-com notes perfectly
Ordinary Time for discussing faith and religion in a way not at all off-putting to someone not of a faith
Say You'll Remember Me for being truly excellent on audio
Hazel Says No for busting a miserable reading slump
Bleees of 2025:
The Universe Is a Green Dragon
Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I
The Horse
Merlin's Tour of the Universe
All the Colors of the Dark
Never Let a Unicorn Meet a Reindeer
Top 5 Reads of 2025:
Lady Tan's Circle of Women
Jane Austen's Bookshelf
Don't Trust Fish
Small Things Like These
Carl's Christmas
Very Honorable Mentions:
Fourth Wing for being so much dang fun
The House in the Cerulean Sea for being a gentle delight of queer found family
The Hating Game for hitting the rom-com notes perfectly
Ordinary Time for discussing faith and religion in a way not at all off-putting to someone not of a faith
Say You'll Remember Me for being truly excellent on audio
Hazel Says No for busting a miserable reading slump
Bleees of 2025:
The Universe Is a Green Dragon
Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I
The Horse
Merlin's Tour of the Universe
All the Colors of the Dark
Never Let a Unicorn Meet a Reindeer
