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Post by cindyupnorth on Nov 26, 2023 17:45:49 GMT
I like to post this thread right before cmas, so we can see recommendations for gifts for cmas. I always buy my dad a current book for cmas.
List your fav's and recommendations!
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Post by cindyupnorth on Nov 26, 2023 17:58:13 GMT
My favorites this yr were.
Tomorrow, and tomorrow and tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
The Serpent and the Wings of Night
Carissa Broadbent
American Dirt
Jeanine Cummins
Love, Theoretically
Ali Hazelwood
The Empyrean #1
Fourth Wing
Rebecca Yarros
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Post by epeanymous on Nov 26, 2023 18:01:40 GMT
I never remember to keep a list. I really liked Penance by Eliza Clark this year. Hello, Beautiful was good but hard for me to read for personal reasons.
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Post by librarylady on Nov 26, 2023 18:19:50 GMT
This was a surprise favorite.
title: Remarkably Bright Creatures: A Read with Jenna Pick
author: Van Pelt, Shelby
I cannot remember who recommended the book, but it is VERY GOOD. I can't even remember why I bought it, but once I got into the story I loved it. Reading the reviews, it is not something I should/would have chosen, but I did and
loved the book.
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Post by trixiecat on Nov 26, 2023 18:29:09 GMT
My favorites so far are: Black Cake, Hello Beautiful and Don't Forget to Write.
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Post by cindyupnorth on Nov 26, 2023 18:30:41 GMT
This was a surprise favorite. title: Remarkably Bright Creatures: A Read with Jenna Pick author: Van Pelt, Shelby I cannot remember who recommended the book, but it is VERY GOOD. I can't even remember why I bought it, but once I got into the story I loved it. Reading the reviews, it is not something I should/would have chosen, but I did and loved the book. I have seen many people recommend this book and I thought the same thing! It sounds like the oddest book ever. ! It hasn’t appealed to me at all. |
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Post by librarylady on Nov 26, 2023 18:35:36 GMT
This was a surprise favorite. title: Remarkably Bright Creatures: A Read with Jenna Pick author: Van Pelt, Shelby I cannot remember who recommended the book, but it is VERY GOOD. I can't even remember why I bought it, but once I got into the story I loved it. Reading the reviews, it is not something I should/would have chosen, but I did and loved the book. I have seen many people recommend this book and I thought the same thing! It sounds like the oddest book ever. ! It hasn’t appealed to me at all. Through the octopus we learn the story of the humans who frequent the museum as well as the cleaning lady. I think that is the appeal. I also learned a lot about an octopus (actual real facts).
It is interesting to me that others liked the book and recommend it. --give it a try.  |
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milocat
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,615 
Location: 55 degrees north in Alberta, Canada
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Post by milocat on Nov 26, 2023 18:36:52 GMT
My favourite was Bluebird by Genevieve Graham, starts off in WWI then comes back to Ontario during prohibition and rum running across the border. There was also a present day timeline that didn't include a big romance just for the sake of filling pages.
Under This Unbroken Sky by Shandi Mitchell, A Ukranian man who was imprisoned during the Holomodor has now come to Canada to be with his family and make a life southern Alberta (my gg grandparents came to nothern Alberta from Ukraine in 1925). They may have excaped Stalin's grip but of course everything isn't perfect in their new life.
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Post by finsup on Nov 26, 2023 19:19:47 GMT
Demon Copperhead
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow
Tom Lake
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hutchfan
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,599
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Post by hutchfan on Nov 26, 2023 19:25:08 GMT
The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer
The Circus Train by Amita Parikh
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Post by GamGam on Nov 26, 2023 20:25:55 GMT
Anyone read any good non fiction books? DH likes NF.
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tenakee
Full Member
Posts: 232
Aug 9, 2014 2:05:19 GMT
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Post by tenakee on Nov 26, 2023 20:34:23 GMT
My favorites this yr were. Tomorrow, and tomorrow and tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin The Serpent and the Wings of Night Carissa Broadbent American Dirt Jeanine Cummins Love, Theoretically Ali Hazelwood The Empyrean #1 Fourth Wing Rebecca Yarros I'm so tempted by Fourth Wing... but I have an impression that it might be more of a YA book? Please tell me if I'm wrong? And to be clear, I don't mind YA as long as it's a really good story other than the 'coming of age and figuring it all out' part. But if it is, I need to read it when I'm in the right mindset, KWIM? |
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casii
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,525
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Post by casii on Nov 26, 2023 20:37:51 GMT
Demon Copperhead
Tom Lake
The Dictionary of Lost Words
When Women Were Dragons
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Post by mnmloveli on Nov 26, 2023 20:41:05 GMT
These are my “best of the best” reads for 2023. All were 5-star reads for me. Hope someone else will enjoy!
Go as a River by Shelley Read
No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister
Drowning by TJ Newman
Hello Beautiful by Anna Napolitano
The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer
Final Call by Alex Lake
The Vanishing of Margaret Small by Neil Alexander
The Maid by Nita Prose
The Lie Maker by Linwood Barclay
Merry Christmas to all the book grifters !
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Post by Basket1lady on Nov 26, 2023 20:41:25 GMT
Most thought provoking: Looking for Jane by Heather Marshall
Most fun: Dirty Thirty by Janet Evanovich
Most surprising like: If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy
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Post by Crack-a-lackin on Nov 26, 2023 21:55:18 GMT
This was a surprise favorite. title: Remarkably Bright Creatures: A Read with Jenna Pick author: Van Pelt, Shelby I cannot remember who recommended the book, but it is VERY GOOD. I can't even remember why I bought it, but once I got into the story I loved it. Reading the reviews, it is not something I should/would have chosen, but I did and loved the book. I have seen many people recommend this book and I thought the same thing! It sounds like the oddest book ever. ! It hasn’t appealed to me at all. I just can’t bring myself to start this one either. It’s an upcoming book club choice and many people love it but I might have to skip next month’s book club meeting because there are so many other books I would rather read |
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garcia5050
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,773
Location: So. Calif.
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Post by garcia5050 on Nov 26, 2023 22:19:23 GMT
Anyone read any good non fiction books? DH likes NF. Exit interview: the life and death of my ambitious career By Kristi Coulter (former Amazon executive) This was a really good non-fiction book, though very ‘businessy,’ it was super interesting. Though I wonder if a man will appreciate this book as much as a woman. |
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Post by alsomsknit on Nov 26, 2023 22:21:59 GMT
This may be because they are the most recently read:
Let Us Descend by Jessmyn Ward
Salem’s Lot byStephen King
11/22/1963 by Stephen King. I think I read this one this year. It was incredible!
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Post by Bridget in MD on Nov 26, 2023 22:34:43 GMT
This was a surprise favorite. title: Remarkably Bright Creatures: A Read with Jenna Pick author: Van Pelt, Shelby I cannot remember who recommended the book, but it is VERY GOOD. I can't even remember why I bought it, but once I got into the story I loved it. Reading the reviews, it is not something I should/would have chosen, but I did and loved the book. I have seen many people recommend this book and I thought the same thing! It sounds like the oddest book ever. ! It hasn’t appealed to me at all. I adored this book. It's lovely. |
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Post by Bridget in MD on Nov 26, 2023 22:45:12 GMT
My favorites this yr were. Tomorrow, and tomorrow and tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin The Serpent and the Wings of Night Carissa Broadbent American Dirt Jeanine Cummins Love, Theoretically Ali Hazelwood The Empyrean #1 Fourth Wing Rebecca Yarros I'm so tempted by Fourth Wing... but I have an impression that it might be more of a YA book? Please tell me if I'm wrong? And to be clear, I don't mind YA as long as it's a really good story other than the 'coming of age and figuring it all out' part. But if it is, I need to read it when I'm in the right mindset, KWIM? I just finished the Fourth Wing. I gave it 3 out of 5 stars. It is YA fantasy dystopian. If Game of Thrones, Hunger Games, Divergent, and Harry Potter had a baby, it would be this book/series. It seems the author took lots of pieces from these books to make the main character (braid (Katniss), silver hair (GOT Daenerys), casting magic (Hermonie), plus battling squads like Divergent, etc), so for some reason, it just felt unorginal to me. Like this character (Violet) wasn't really ever herself, but a manifestation of a bunch of main characters who were really strong (again, my opinion). I don't know. It reminded me of fan fiction. It was fine, it entertained me, but took me forever to get thru it, while the other books I listed above were gripping. I mean, Hunger Games, Harry Potter - I just felt I had read nothing like that before. It's posible this was overhyped so by the time I read it, I just expected more. I've heard the author was pressed to get #2 out quickly, so fans arent as happy and she wants to take more time to write #3 (which would be fine! LOL). |
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Post by cindyupnorth on Nov 26, 2023 23:14:28 GMT
My favorites this yr were. Tomorrow, and tomorrow and tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin The Serpent and the Wings of Night Carissa Broadbent American Dirt Jeanine Cummins Love, Theoretically Ali Hazelwood The Empyrean #1 Fourth Wing Rebecca Yarros I'm so tempted by Fourth Wing... but I have an impression that it might be more of a YA book? Please tell me if I'm wrong? And to be clear, I don't mind YA as long as it's a really good story other than the 'coming of age and figuring it all out' part. But if it is, I need to read it when I'm in the right mindset, KWIM? Hmm. It’s pretty spicy at times, and violent in parts. I wouldn’t say it’s coming of age , but more finding her path, destiny? I would try it. I’m on book 2 that just came out and there are going to be 5 in the series |
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Post by ShesaRenegade on Nov 26, 2023 23:26:06 GMT
This was a surprise favorite. title: Remarkably Bright Creatures: A Read with Jenna Pick author: Van Pelt, Shelby I cannot remember who recommended the book, but it is VERY GOOD. I can't even remember why I bought it, but once I got into the story I loved it. Reading the reviews, it is not something I should/would have chosen, but I did and loved the book. I will recommend "The Soul of an Octopus" as your next read. It is a beautifully written book and my favorite book this past year. Author is Sy Montgomery. |
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Post by ShesaRenegade on Nov 26, 2023 23:28:04 GMT
Anyone read any good non fiction books? DH likes NF. The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet by Jeff Goodell. I read it in 2 days. Five stars. |
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Post by ~summer~ on Nov 26, 2023 23:55:16 GMT
Hello Beautiful
Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld
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Post by mnmloveli on Nov 26, 2023 23:56:10 GMT
I have seen many people recommend this book and I thought the same thing! It sounds like the oddest book ever. ! It hasn’t appealed to me at all. I just can’t bring myself to start this one either. It’s an upcoming book club choice and many people love it but I might have to skip next month’s book club meeting because there are so many other books I would rather read Remarkably Bright Creatures was one of my favorite books of 2022 and one I will never forget. It reminded me of a documentary I saw, My Octopus Teacher, from 2020, about an underwater filmmaker who makes friends with an octopus over the course of a year. Also something I will never forget. |
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Post by refugeepea on Nov 27, 2023 0:08:33 GMT
If it's above four stars, I recommend the book.
There There by Tommy Orange
The Nigerwife by Vanessa Walters
Mrs. Sinclair's Suitcase by Louise Walters
Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro
The Guest List by Lucy Foley
The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth
Diamond Head by Cecily Wong
Educated by Tara Westover
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer
The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult
Kinder Than Solitude by Yiyun Li
We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange
Fever by Mary Beth Keane
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Post by fiddlesticks on Nov 27, 2023 0:16:28 GMT
There were a few favorites this year!!
Fiction
The Celebrants by Steven Rowley (I listened to the audiobook read by the author and it was fantastic!
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
Non-fiction
It.Goes.So.Fast. by Mary Louise Kelly
The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama
Young Adult (I homeschool my daughter and we read a lot together too)
The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
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Post by Legacy Girl on Nov 27, 2023 0:34:50 GMT
The Lost Ticket by Freya Sampson.
Feels Like Falling by Kristy Woodson Harvey
The Burnout by Sophie Kinsilla
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edie3
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,684
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Post by edie3 on Nov 27, 2023 0:59:56 GMT
I always buy my dad a current book for cmas. Does he like dark gritty books? I have read all of S.A. Cosby books and they are good. link |
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Post by pjaye on Nov 27, 2023 1:06:04 GMT
My top 10 for the year so far, in no particular order: The Keeper of Stories by Sally Page Someone Else's Shoes by Jojo Moyes Weyward by Emilia Hart The Vanishing of Margaret Small by Neil Alexander The Unbelieved by Vikki Petraitis Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto The Last Word by Taylor Adams Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman Yellowface by R.F. Kuang I always buy my dad a current book for cmas. Out of my list the most suitable one is "The Last Word" - a fast paced thriller (if he's into that). |
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