Not my Favorites:
Beyond That, the Sea by Laura Spence-Ash: I just don't have the attention span for another WWII book it seems.
James by Percival Everett: It appears I am not smart enough for this book.
Code Dependent: Living in the Shadow of AI by Madhumita Murgia: Listen, I really wanted to like this because I have huge ethical and labor rights concerns about AI. But, this book was based off of an excellent long-form article the author wrote, and there just wasn't enough there there for a book. Or she couldn't weave all the threads together?
Reboot by Justin Taylor: Solid meh, but the concept was terrific. **audio
Dinner for Vampires: Life on a Cult TV Show (While also in an Actual Cult) by Bethany Joy Lenz: Meh. But great title!
Backlist Beauties:
Ward D by Freida McFadden: I like her books better the more terrible they are, and this one **chef's kiss** **kindle
What the Neighbors Saw by Melissa Adelman: A perfectly serviceable, page-turning thriller.
The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen: THIS IS TERRIFIC. **audio
Freedom by Jonathan Franzen: Maybe I should read more books by dudes? **audio
The Blue Castle by LM Montgomery: Darling. *kindle
The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand: HOW DID I MISS THIS ONE? **audio
These Titles Are so Last Year
What the Woods Took by Courtney Gould: SO SCARY! Also YA, which I didn't realize until no one was having any sex even though they had Feelings. **audio
The Worlds I See: Curiosity, Exploration, and Discovery at the Dawn of AI by Fei-Fei Li: WELL THIS WAS TERRIFYING.
After Annie by Anna Quindlen: This is really wonderful-- you should read it. **audio
The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer: YES! I loved this so much!!!!
My First 2025 Book!!
What Happened to the McCrays by Tracey Lange: Hockey! Romance! Sadness! Liked it a lot.
Book Books: 8
Kindle books: 2
Audio books: 6
2025 books: 1
BTD: 16
I really enjoyed James, but I didn’t make my top books of 2024 list. However, I was scratching my head when the blurb said it was funny. I also really enjoyed After Annie! Since I was convalescing so much in January while recovering from surgery, I read 10 books and one of them was 775 page (The covenant of water). I read a couple of five star books - The story of a heart and the end of the hour. Both are very heavy and sad reads as one as about a pediatric heart transplant, and the other is about a therapist experience going through intense therapy to deal with childhood trauma. My favorite light readof the month was summer Fridays!
ReplyDeleteI loved The Covenant of Water so much!
DeleteHaha that is a perfect description of What the Woods Took
ReplyDeletelol
DeleteI actually loved James but didn't take it too literally. I also have never read Huck Finn (I know) so I didn't have the context I probably needed.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I love that you link up to the bookstore in Madison. I love Madison and we have spent loads of time there over the years. We have a lake house 30 minutes away. I've run a lot of races there, too. Plus my son is a UW grad!
Love that you have a Madison connection. That bookstore used to be downtown, and I loved to walk there on work days.
Deletei LOVED the perfect couple on TV but never read the book! the series was so good but i imagine the book would be a bit of a spoiler!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to watch the series now!
DeleteAw, I'm sad when anyone doesn't like James. I really liked The Corrections and kind of liked some parts of Freedom, but it seemed more and more like Franzen just hates women and nothing he's said since has disabused me of that notion.
ReplyDeleteOk, I have read that, too, but he seems to... revere them? Imbue them with some kind of weird power that explains why patriarchy hates us so much?
DeleteI read the Corrections years ago, and didn't love it. Maybe I need to give it another try?
ReplyDeleteI really liked listening to it
DeleteDorothy is reading The Book!!!! Did she like it? Did you read it? It's... a lot, lol.
ReplyDeleteAdding a bunch of these to my TBR. (I now have a TBR in my Libby as well as on Goodreads and in addition to my physical TBR on my bookshelf. I will never get through it.) I am terrified of AI and really want to read that second book you recommended -- putting it on hold now.