GeorgiaDawn vs. The TBR Pile, 2026

I'm back! I've missed this place and everyone here! The older I get, the busier I get. I don't think it's supposed to be that way.

I need to update my books purchased, and will do that slowly.

To start the year -
1. All About IEPs, Peter W.D. Wright - Read because it was assigned to teachers. I write IEPs and read them daily, but this was a good refresher.

2. The Stand, Stephen King - I've read and listed to all of King's books multiple times. I have no idea how many times I've read The Stand, and it never gets old.

Welcome back, and happy cataloguing AND reading!

Welcome back, happy new year, and happy new thread!

>1 GeorgiaDawn: Yay! You actually made it! I had my fingers and my toes crossed! So happy to see you back here, my friend.

>3 Bookmarque:
Welcome back. Happy reading in 2026.

>1 GeorgiaDawn: Happy new year and welcome back!

Happy New Year and Happy New Thread! Happy reading in 2026.

Happy New Year and welcome back!

Welcome home! And a belated Happy New Year!

Here's a quick life update.

My grandson is now 12 and fully in his sports era; basketball and lacrosse keep him busy.
My two sons and their families are all doing well, which I count as a major win.
I’m still teaching high school math, just at a different school with better pay. My previous position was very stressful; I needed a break.
My commute is longer, but that just means more time for audiobooks. Yay!
My pet tarantula, Victoria, passed away after an impressive 18 years. Legendary run. I’ll get another once the school year ends.
I let my photography hobby fade for a while; I’m picking it back up.
Still unapologetically loyal to coffee and cheese.

I look forward to see what you all are reading and having a bigger TBR pile! Happy New Year!

OMG!! You had a pet tarantula!?!? And I didn't know!?!? I'm so sorry she died, but 18 years is darn impressive. What species was she? Do you have pics? Sorry so many questions, but oooh, they are so wonderful.

Oh and if you'd like a nice community for nature photography, let me know. I've been a moderator there for years and it's pretty fabulous. It's a paid site, but so very worth it since the mission is kind critique and improvement of the craft. One of our regulars just won International Landscape Photographer of the Year for 2025. But don't let that intimidate you, I post there. LOL.

So glad to see you back, @GeorgiaDawn! Ready to work on that TBR pile?

Welcome back!

A pet tarantula? Too cool! How big was she?

>12 Bookmarque: Victoria was a Rose Hair tarantula. They are calm, docile spiders. I do have photos and will upload one.

I'm very interested in the nature photography community! Thank you!

>14 catzteach: She was about the size of my palm and very cool! Not incredibly big, but too big if someone is afraid of spiders! I'll find a good photo and post it.

3. The Witches of Scotland: The Dream Dancers by Seven P. Aitchison

This book sat in my TBR pile for over a year, and I finally picked it up this weekend. The story follows David Hunter, a law school student who feels school is not the right path for him. One night, when he’s out on the town, he is attacked and nearly killed. Unable to explain what he witnessed or how a mysterious stranger appeared out of nowhere to save him, David is forced to confront questions that challenge everything he thought he knew about his life and his future. That single moment sets him on a powerful journey of discovery that ultimately changes him forever. I enjoyed the book and look forward to continuing the series.

Happy new thread, and Welcome back to the Green Dragon! I look forward to following your adventures this year!

3. Duma Key, Stephen King
I've read and listened to Duma Key a few times; this was another listen. The narration is great, and it's another favorite of mine. Like most (if not all) of King's books, there is a fair amount of world building at the beginning.

4. Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
I knew the story behind the book, but had never read it. Such a sad story about the Osage and the crimes committed against them.

5. Animal Farm by George Orwell
Some of my students are reading this, so I read it again per their request. Short, quick read and we all know the context.

>19 GeorgiaDawn: Oh Duma Key is a gem isn't it? I read it again last year, but I've never listened to it. Maybe someday.

>20 Bookmarque: Yes, I love Duma Key! I highly recommend the audio version.

>19 GeorgiaDawn: Great reading so far in January. Of the three, two have caught my interest and the third, Animal Farm, I re-read two years ago.

4. The Marriage Pact by Michelle Richmond

Want to save your marriage? Join the Pact, for better or your "worst nightmare." This was a good read, but I thought a bit predictable in places.

I'm currently reading King Sorrow by Joe Hill. Love it so far! An ancient, evil dragon is called up by friends to help solve a problem. Who thought this might be a good idea?

>19 GeorgiaDawn: I should give the Duma Key audio a shot. Thanks for the nudge.

I'm still listening to King Sorrow by Joe Hill and loving it! Work is very busy right now, so I'm not listening as much as I would like.

5. A Room Full of Bones by Elly Griffiths

I like this series about Dr. Ruth Galloway, a forensic archeologist. She is always called on to work with Detective Chief Inspector Nelson to investigate remains and help solve crimes. The books take place primarily in North Norfolk, England. Ruth's home is located by the Saltmarsh near King's Lynn. Her view is flat horizons composed of land, sea, and sky. I think it's this setting that keeps drawing me back to the books. This is the 4th in the series and a bit slower that the previous installments. I will continue to read them, but I'm going to give them a break for a while.

King Sorrow is calling.

>25 GeorgiaDawn: I absolutely loved the Ruth Galloway books! Yes, I know how far fetched it is that forensic anthropologist would end up immersed in all these murder mysteries. It was fun anyway, and Ruth herself is so relatable. Enjoy!

>26 clamairy: Yes! I want to fuss at Ruth from time to time, but we could be friends. She is surrounded by a host of characters with such unique personalities.

Hey welcome back! (I'm newly back too, after a couple of false starts in the last few years).

>28 Tane: Same for me! I'm committed to stay. I've missed everyone and, of course, the Green Dragon Pub!

6. King Sorrow by Joe Hill

King Sorrow by Joe Hill is now my favorite of his novels, a dark, sprawling story that lingers. Spanning from 1989 to 2022, the book begins with Arthur, a quiet college student who works in the rare book section of his university library. After performing a seemingly simple good deed for a young woman he barely knows, Arthur finds himself trapped in a situation far more dangerous than he ever anticipated. Confiding in his friends that he’s being blackmailed, the group makes a fateful decision to help him, setting off a chain of events that escalates over the years. As the story unfolds, Hill expertly blends friendship, guilt, time, and horror.

7. The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon

This is a quiet, atmospheric novel I’d owned for years before finally finishing. Set in the eerie town of West Hall, Vermont, a place burdened by an unsettling history of disappearances and deaths, the story follows Alice and her children, Ruthie and Fawn, after they move into an old farmhouse once owned by the legendary Sara Harrison Shea. As Alice mysteriously vanishes, Ruthie becomes determined to uncover the truth behind her mother’s disappearance and the dark patterns that have haunted the town for generations. While I enjoyed the haunting setting, the pace dragged at times and felt predictable. This is a good book if you’re looking for a suspenseful story with a subtle touch of horror.

Warning - vent about weather from a life long South Georgia weather wimp

I am deeply offended by several nights with temperatures in the low 20s that we are experiencing in South Georgia. I am closer to Florida than Atlanta! Last week we were living our best life in the 60s with thunderstorms, dramatic skies, and a tornado 15 miles from my house. Then, with little warning and no consent, two days later we experienced a “wintry mix.” “Wintry mix?” That phrase sounds like hot chocolate, apple cider, cinnamon, and a blanket; not sleet, freezing rain, and roads that turn into ice rinks. Last year, we experienced beautiful, fluffy snow (a whopping four inches at my house!), and somehow it was still warmer than it is this weekend.

Our normal winter lows are a perfectly respectable 38–40 degrees, which South Georgia considers plenty cold, thank you very much. Now I’m wearing so many layers that I resemble a huge pile of laundry, and I’m still freezing. At this point, I think it’s personally targeting me. If anyone needs me, I’ll be indoors, wrapped in blankets, sipping hot tea, while reading books set in sunny, tropical places where people complain about heat instead of ice on the roads and their own breath freezing in midair. 🥶

Thank you for allowing me to vent.

>31 GeorgiaDawn: FWIW you have my sympathy! We've had no more than three or four nights leaving frost on the grass at dawn in the 22 years we've lived in Durban, but Johannesburg where I grew up has frost (no snow -- it's too dry) for about 8 weeks every year.

>31 GeorgiaDawn: You have my sympathy. My Florida siblings have all been complaining, too. This weather is bizarre, and the extended forecast for next weekend looks even colder here, if that's possible.

>29 GeorgiaDawn: we can do this 😁

>31 GeorgiaDawn: It has been a very trying winter thus far. And the ground hog simply tells us up here in PA that there are still six weeks of this to come.

I'm beginning to thaw and we have rain. Again. Rain is better than ice!

8. Departure by A.G. Riddle

Departure by A.G. Riddle kicks off with a terrifying plane crash on a flight to London, leaving the wreckage split between an English countryside and a nearby lake. The passengers who survive scramble to rescue others and make sense of their surroundings. It quickly becomes clear that something is wrong; this isn’t the England they expected, and even the timeline feels different from the world they know. As they explore, suspicion grows when a few survivors seem to understand more about the crash than they admit, hinting at secrets beneath the surface. Blending mystery with science-fiction thriller elements, the novel keeps the tension high and delivers a few genuinely surprising twists. I enjoyed the book and the questions that it poses for the survivors and readers alike.

>36 GeorgiaDawn:. What's the copyright date on Departure? It sounds familiar to me but I can't think why.

>37 jillmwo: Departure was released in 2015.

9. Winter Lost by Patricia Briggs

Mercy's brother is in trouble. In an effort to save her brother, Mercy and Adam find themselves stranded in a wilderness lodge where powerful and ancient magic abounds. To add to their troubles, they are surrounded by a new cast of characters including goblins, fae, a vampire, and a ghost that will not go away. And, where did that spider come from? Just another day for the coyote and her werewolf.

I've decided to read Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson again. I've never read the trilogy, and need to start fresh.

I'm also reading a first novel, Garden of Ash, by Suzanne Hendricks, a Georgia author. It's a scifi novel set in middle Georgia. Asher Ganit, the main character, is on a quest to find his kidnapped son. He travels across America only to be brought back to Dogwood, Georgia after he finds a new lead on his son's location.

10. Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney

I forgot to add this book.

Sometimes I Lie started a bit slow, but it quickly pulled me in. Amber Reynolds wakes up in the hospital and realizes she’s in a coma. She is unable to move, but fully able to hear everything happening around her. With no memory of how she ended up there, she tries to piece together the truth through the conversations of those who come to visit. As the story shifts between past and present, we learn more about Amber’s life and the secrets surrounding her. Full of twists and turns, this book keeps you guessing.

>40 GeorgiaDawn: An interesting approach to the idea of an unreliable narrator.

>41 jillmwo: I'm still wondering about some of the discoveries vs the lies.

11. The Fireman by Joe Hill

This is a reread for me. When I have trouble focusing on what I'm reading or listening, I find it better to revisit a previous book that I liked. This is a favorite of mine.

The Fireman by Joe Hill is far more than a typical pandemic story. The novel imagines a world where infection appears as beautiful gold-flecked patterns on the skin before victims eventually burst into flames. As society collapses, people divide into factions: those searching for a cure, those caring for the infected, and those who violently drive them away. Amid the chaos, a mysterious figure known as The Fireman and a small community of infected individuals emerge as unlikely heroes, fighting not just to survive but to protect others and rebuild meaning in a shattered world.

I'm currently listening to Empire of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio.

12. Empire of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio

Empire of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio is the first installment in the Sun Eater series and serves very much as the foundation for the larger story to come. I had heard that the opening book can feel slow, but it’s clear that the pacing is intentional as it builds the world and sets the stage for the rest of the series. The story is told through the voice of Hadrian Marlow, reflecting on his own life as he flees the future his powerful father planned for him. Instead of inheriting his father’s position, Hadrian drifts across the galaxy, surviving as a beggar, gladiator, and tutor before becoming entangled in a war he barely understands. I enjoyed this first installment and look forward to continuing the series.

>44 GeorgiaDawn: I've heard a lot about that series, I've been curious whether I should start it or not.

>45 Karlstar: Two people I trust with recommendations told me the series moves quickly after the first book. They also said if you like Dune, they you'll probably like Empire of Silence. I like them both. Give it try! I'm taking a break from it to read Red Rising and will come back to it.

13. Verity by Colleen Hoover

Verity by Colleen Hoover is a dark, twisty thriller full of suspense and unsettling reveals. Struggling writer Lowen Ashleigh is hired to finish a bestselling series. While reviewing the original author’s notes, she uncovers a manuscript packed with shocking secrets that could devastate the family. The biggest question that lingers is it truth or fiction?

I liked the book, but didn’t love it. I think that is primarily because I had heard so much about the book prior to reading it.

>47 GeorgiaDawn: I've heard so much about this author online that I run away screaming when I see her books now. LOL I'm glad you liked it even if you didn't love it.

>48 clamairy: I'm not sure I'll read any more of her books. There are so many other things I want to read.

14. You Killed Me First by John Marrs

This is the first book by John Marrs that I've read, and I'm sure I'll read more. I haven't written a review, but wanted to get it listed tonight. I'll catch up later.

15. We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter

We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter is a dark, twisty book set in a small North Georgia town. The story follows Officer Emmy Clifton as she investigates missing teens while dealing with her own family falling apart.
There’s no shortage of suspense, plenty of turns that keep things moving, but it’s heavy. The subject matter is heartbreaking, so “enjoy” isn’t really the right word. Still, it pulled me in enough that I’ll be picking up the sequel when it drops in August.

Karin Slaughter is a Georgia native and uses North Georgia as the setting for most of her books.

16. False Witness by Karin Slaughter

False Witness by Karin Slaughter is a tense, gripping thriller that blends a high-stakes legal case with complex, flawed characters. The story moves quickly, pulling you into Leigh Collier’s past and present as secrets begin to surface and threaten everything she has worked toward. Her career as a defense attorney pulls her in one direction as her family, past and present, pull her in another. The suspense is sharp and often unsettling. This isn’t just a courtroom drama, it’s a story about consequences, survival, and the long shadow of the past.

There may be scenes in False Witness that feel especially heavy for anyone who has cared about someone struggling with addiction. A few scenes are tough to get through. Karin Slaughter approaches the subject with both honesty and compassion, giving it a sense of care and understanding that adds meaningful depth to the story.

>51 GeorgiaDawn: & >52 GeorgiaDawn: Looks like you've found a great localish author.

>53 clamairy:
I don't know why I haven't read her books previously. The subject matter is heavy, so I need a break between some of the books. I like that she highlights areas in Georgia.

The school year is over! I've got several books to add over the weekend.

>55 GeorgiaDawn: WooHoo! Enjoy your freedom!

>55 GeorgiaDawn: Congrats! How much time off will you have?

>57 Karlstar: Typically we have a about 2 months with a few work days scattered in those 2 months. I'm teaching a short summer session (10 days for Algebra) and helping with new curriculum (4 days), and attending a conference (1 day). I'm happy with any day I get!

>58 GeorgiaDawn: Sounds like a good break.

>55 GeorgiaDawn: Wish mine was! I have three more days. I definitely have a summer reading pile ready to go!