It's definitely too late to say Happy New Year, but I'm saying it anyway to those of you I only see on book talk days.
I tried tracking with Story Graph for a little over a week vs. Goodreads, which I mentioned last week? Or the week before? Since I don't track reading as a full time job, Story Graph is not for me at this time. There's extra work that there's just not on Goodreads. I'll keep checking on it and I did send a note with some things that were difficult about it for users like me which they may or may not apply to future iterations. So I'm still on Goodreads and under the Amazon strong hold.
Here's what I've been reading since the last regular linkup on 12/14/21:
Note: you'll see me differentiate in itals what I read in December so when I look back to consider my favorites of 2022, I don't consider those. That's for me
Engrossing Reads
The Lost Girls of Devon by Barbara O'Neal - I adored the setting and liked the story too - the main mystery and all of its offshoots. Some of it was repetitive and stop beating a dead horse Barbara, we get it, but overall I quite enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. Paperback, own, read in 2021
Did Not Finish
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Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins - I've said this a lot over the past two years, but the books I have a hard time putting down and the books that are technically the best and most well written are not the same. Such is the subjectivity of reading. Am I evaluating what I read now as I evaluate books as an English major? No, I am not. This was meant to be my last book of the year but ended up being my second last. A solid way to see the year out even though there is no way the majority of this shit flies in reality. Still a good ride. Netgalley ARC in exchange for an honest review, read in 2021
A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham - I read this in a few hours. I liked how this story was layered. I thought it was so many different things and was ultimately wrong which I love. I am not the person who reads mysteries to be the reading detective. If I happen to figure it out, cool. If I don't, also cool but preferred. Netgalley ARC in exchange for an honest review, read in 2022, book publishes today
2 Too Many by Breonna Brownlee - You might know her as Bre Writes? I pre-ordered this and got to reading it this weekend, which I did in a few hours. I loved this book even though it is well out of my murdery wheelhouse. The characters felt like friends, and I loved their friendships and relationships. The writing and flow were excellent. I would live in this book with its meals and best friends and FaceTimes and Jimmie and Kent and journals and Blackwing pencils. I am a pencil person so that got me in the heart. Kudos Bre! I hope you all buy & read this to support a first time published novel woman Kindle edition, own
Passed the Time Just Fine
The Maid by Nita Prose - This reminded me a lot of Eleanor Oliphant, in which I loved and was rooting for the protaganist and was pissed the fuck off at a lot of the other characters. The end pleased me. It will not please others because people cannot just accept endings. Netgalley ARC in exchange for an honest review, read in 2021
The Perfect Escape by Leah Konen - Some years I finish a book just under the wire of midnight and this was that year and this book. I was finished in the literal final minute of 2021. This was wild and not always in a good way, but it kept me in solid reading mode for a few hours on the last night of the year. Netgalley ARC in exchange for an honest review, last book read in 2021
Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy - This was tough and I hate to compare works but I'm going to - this cannot touch Once There Were Wolves. This was a difficult read, painful, lots of loose ends out there. Good writing and beautiful in spots but that couldn't bring it to engrossing. It was slower for me. I'm not sad I read it, but not a great one to start off the year. Paperback, own, first book read in 2022
A Thousand Steps by T. Jefferson Parker - I don't think I'd call this a gripping thriller, which is what its description calls it, but I liked it. Matt is a great character and the setting both geographically and in time were both great. I am way into analog books right now. The cover is fabulous. A bit slow in the pacing. Netgalley ARC in exchange for an honest review, read in 2022, book publishes today
The New Girl by Ruth Heald - In real life, this book would be a truck full of red flags. In fictional life, it is also, but it's acceptable in a few hour read. Diabolical maneuvering here though. The end was not for me. Netgalley ARC in exchange for an honest review, read in 2022, book publishes 1.25.2022
Not Worth It
The New Year's Eve Party by Hannah Emery - I meant to read this on NYE because I am a person who is pleased by symbolism like reading a book with New Year's Eve in the title on New Year's Eve but I didn't and I'm glad. I don't like to end the year on a WTF book. This was a quick read, but there was quite a lot of lunacy thrown in here and I just...nah. Netgalley ARC in exchange for an honest review, read in 2021
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