Another new year of reading ahead of me! Last year I made my way through multiple series I hadn't ever read. I'm tempted to work on that again this year. I've also considered focusing on one author (Chesterton, Lewis, Bronte, LM Montgomery, etc) or even make it a challenge to read through all the pictures books we own, weeding the less wonderful ones. Not sure what the year of reading holds, but I know it will be a year of reading!
1. Funny Story by Emily Henry This was on someone's best of list--and it was a cute, somewhat predictable romance novel. I was very surprised at the open doorness of it all, as most the people I get recs from aren't into that. Girl and boy are engaged after she moves to his town, moves into the house he bought, and basically absorbs into his life. Then he goes on his bachlor party night with the guys and his best friend who is a girl. By the end of the night they are together, he gives girl a week to move out and she ends up living with the best friend girl's (now) ex-boyfriend. Then the two cheaters get engaged and the two cheatees fake a relationship after a wedding invite arrives, to make the others' jealous, only it isn't really fake. The cheaters break up and come back for their originals, disappointment and misunderstanding ensue, but the right ones end up together, as expected.
2. 101 Greatest Soups on the Planet by Erin Renouf Mylroie Hoped to find some new ideas, but basically all of them were no gos and even with subs most would be trickier than I want to deal with.
*3. Wedding Dress Sewing Circle by Jennifer Ryan WWII book about a high end designer who is estranged from her family, gets bombed out, retreats to her family estate, becomes a part of village life, connects strongly with her neice and nephew, life is upturned for everyone, but in the best ways. Sweet, lots of fashion, lots of couples finding the right person.
*4. Most Wonderful Crime of the Year By Ally Carter Cute mystery--two mystery writers who hate each other (or maybe already love each other) are whisked away for Christmas in England with the best mystery writer ever and her family. She disappears from a locked room--is it a test? is it murder? Why are people getting hurt? Who will solve it? Who can be trusted? Why do these characters know each other and what the heck happend in Emily's past to make her have no confidence, even as she is a best selling author.
*5. Five Little Peppers by Margaret Sidney A delightful tale of the Pepper family who has little in tangible wealth, but has wealth in all the ways that matter. Mamsie and the 5 little ones work together to make life happy and they welcome in Jappy, who in turns (with sick, but mostly crochety Grandpa) starts to impact the financial situation of the Peppers. I need to keep reading the series!
*6. All Systems Red by Martha Wells This is such a different book for me--total sci fi, involving a murderbot, the people and augmented person he is protecting on some far flung planet. Some weird social things get dropped in (totally not needed) but overall it was a fast read that is was super engaging.
7. Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens I had a hard time following the plot at first--but after reading reviews it sounds like this is like much of Dickens, better the more you read it. In the end it turned out to be a sweet romance, who knew?
*8. Artificial Condition by Martha Wells Yes, I am reading the Murderbot series and no, I'm not sorry. This is the one with ART and a solo expedition where it seems to be willing to risk itself for humans, even when they aren't clients.
*9. Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells Another Murderbot book. Why are things not as they seem on this planet?
*10. Exit Strategy by Martha Wells Murderbot heads to help Dr. Mensah, who has been taken captive, mostly because of the other activities of the bot in the past two books. We almost lose murderbot, and the human side is what saves him. These are easy reading, fast paced fiction.
*11. Network Effect by Martha Wells This is the longer, stand alone book in the series. I believe I have two more short ones to go. This one really shows emotional growth in SecUnit/Murderbot, a second one made via code, and him helping another unit go rogue.
12. The Quilter's Scandalous Past by Patrice Lewis Read this Amish romance because it was written by the author of Rural Revolution. Overall, not a terrible clean romance. At times it moves slowly, repetition and wow, a whole lot of concern for blood pressure based on very limited exposure to work stress. Shockingly, everything works out in the end for the quilter, her new boss, and even his rogue brother.
13. Fugitive Telemetry This is a Murderbot book that fits somewhere in the early ones. It is published with System Collapse and I wish I had read them in the story order, as this threw me a bunch.
14. System Collapse The final book (so far) with a bit of a happily ever after ending--ish? I didn't get into this one as much. The story line felt confusing and less flushed out. The bot is having so many more human type reactions and emotions and that confusion is probably bleeding over for me. These have been good escape books, although I'm not a fan of the swearing, the marriage partner idea, and some of the progressiveness that is getting more in your face.
*15. Onion John by Joseph Krumgold Newberry winner, good read aloud. A boy is friends with the local eccentric. His father decides they need to build him a house, the town all pulls together and a great living space is constructed, which then burns down. The coming of age, the social pressures, the father son relationship, the finding what is important to you--there is a lot in this book, done in a believable way.
*16. Five Little Peppers Midway by Margaret Sidney Such a delightful continuation of the Five Little Pepper family. All now live with "Grandpa" and we see how their lives have changed. They even return to the little house for a visit, which is full of happy memories. The terrible aunt (cousin?) who has come to visit will be causing future issues I fear, as she has made Phronsie promise to be her little girl in order to give her family all the money they want. Poor little Phronsie doesn't realize what she is doing, and seeing how that plays out will be interesting. Mrs. Pepper has married the doctor and they are all off to Europe with Grandpa for a trip.
*17. Wonderfully Wired Brains by Louise Gooding A DK book about neurodiversity. I though it was a bigger book, then was disappointed when I saw what it was, but after reading it think it is actually a good introduction!
*18. Side Saddle for Dandy by Nancy Faulkner Illustrated by Marguerite de Angeli I bought a stack of older horse books at the SMILES sale. This one is a tom boy turned lady in the old south book. Some problamatic language around people, overall a coming of age story that involves horses.
*19. Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery (Audio) This could have been shorter; I kept saying it needed some editing. Sy is a naturalist author who falls in love with multiple octopuses, learns to SCUBA, and takes us through everything around these curious and awesome animals.
*20. Take the Risk by Ben Carson (Audio) Interesting stories about how to think about a deal with risk and lots of personal stories that included elements of risk.
*21. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell (Audio) The story of success--which isn't what you think. Good discussions around what it takes to be successful, how hard work meet opportunities. Often those who are successful in a particular area have had a common thread that has helped them on the way. 10,000 hours discussion as well.
*22. Breed of Giants by Joyce Stranger Another from the stack of old horse books. An interesting historical fiction about the Shire horse, told through the telling of the village and people around them. Some charming elements, happy ending.
*23. You are Here by David Nicholls Boy and Girl meet cute type book. Both are in terrible places due to a divorce and an almost divorce, friend forces them to come out in public and go on a walking tour. Lots of ups and downs, but eventually it all comes together.
*24. A Land Remembered by Patrick D. Smith Bought this book at 6 Mile Slough in Florida. Written by a Florida author, about Florida. Starts in the 1800s and follows the development of Florida. The early writing worried me, but I quickly fell into it. Follows 3 generations as they live in the southern, swampy mangroves. Rough lives, survivor lives, wild cattle, native Americans, all the way through the development of Miami and other costal towns.
*25. Pilgrim's Inn by Elizabeth Goudge I think this is book 2 in the Elliot family series of 3. It was another example of why she is such a beautiful writer. She makes me read slower, she makes me see and feel beauty as I read each page. This story of Nadine, her previous/still love David, her husband, her children and how they are coerced into buying Herb of Grace, a former Pilgrim's Inn. So much hurt and loss in the book, and yet so many find their way to peace and safety and family.
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