Kristen’s Comments (group member since Jan 30, 2025)

Kristen’s comments from the On The Same Page group.

977. Flirting with Disaster
978. Scythe & Sparrow
979. Bound in Blood
980. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
981. Soul of a Witch
982. The Nightingale
983. City of Lost Souls
984. The Unhoneymooners
985. The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution's Original Meaning
986. Can I Tell You Something?
987. American Queen

More than half way finished - 5 + 2 to go :-). I hope I can finish by the end of the year.

In the middle of .
Just finished .

Great idea on how to organize your list - I'll have to give that a try! And congrats on finishing your 12 +2 :-)

I nominate classics as a genre.

I'll nominate:
- Classics (First choice, if I can only nominate 1 genre)
- Science Fiction

Hope I'm not to late to join, just stumbled across this challenge and is sounded like fun... especially since I already hit my reading goal for the year!

1. An author you have read a book from more than 2 times. City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

2. A book published In the year of the snake. 🐍 (1929, 1941, 1953,
1965, 1977, 1989, 2013, 2025) The Fall Risk by Abby Jimenez

3. A book written by two authors. The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

4. A book you bought because of the cover only. A Lesson in ThornsA by Sierra Simone

5. A book you bought because of the author only. Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas

6. A book you bought because it was a new release. Caught Up by Navessa Allen

7. A book with a persons name in the title. A Mystery of Mysteries: The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe by Mark Dawidziak

8. A ghost story. Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton

9. A collection of short stories.

10. A book based on historical events. Be Free or Die: The Amazing Story of Robert Smalls' Escape from Slavery to Union Hero by Cate Lineberry

11. A book about revenge. Her Soul for Revenge by Harley Laroux

12. A book that has more than 40 chapters.

13. The main character owns a small business.

14. A character driven novel. Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

15. A book with a strong female character. Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

16. A book about royalty.

17. A book that the timeframe spans more than 10 years. Framed: Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey

18. A book from a different culture.

19. A book about books.

20. A book located in your home state. (Or country if your country does not
have states.)

21. A book located in the state you were born. (Or country if your country does
not have states.)

22. A book set in a fictional town. Her Soul to Take by Harley Laroux

23. A book that has people on the cover. Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez

24. A book that has a body of water on the cover. Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez

25. A book that has a tree on the cover. Credence by Penelope Douglas

26. Choose any of the remaining topics that did not win the 2025 Motley
Challenge.

(Cover looks orange in phot, but my copy is red)

Lea wrote: "I listened to the first season of Serial and read Adnan's Story: The Search for Truth and Justice After Serial. I preferred Serial also. I could not vote to convict Syed, he wasn't ..."

Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America is an amazing book, and a must-read for everyone. It's a great primer of US history which is often not taught or talked about in academic or political circles, but it should be. But you're right - take a break between the two; I read them fairly close to each other and it was difficult to let the rage go.

Lindsey wrote: "Kristen wrote: "I read this book a few months back, in February of this year, and it was difficult to get through at times, the stories so heart breaking at times. I know this was just a small snap..."

I haven't read that book - I honestly needed a brain break after reading Framed and also Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America. While they are important to read, I felt I needed a break since both books were upsetting and a bit depressing.

I try to read at least one non-fiction book a month so I'll definitely add this to my non-fiction TBR list, thanks for the recommendation.

And in answer to an earlier question in this thread, the case which upset me the most was the final case, the one about Cameron Todd Willingham because he was actually executed for the crime. The system failed him. I also found it terrifying how much pseudo-science is used during trials, not only in this case, but in an earlier case in the book discussing bite mark "evidence" and using "professionals" who are paid to provided biased and unscientific testimony. It's truly unbelievable.

I read this book a few months back, in February of this year, and it was difficult to get through at times, the stories so heart breaking at times. I know this was just a small snapshot and I hope that these do represent the exception, and not the rule in law enforcement and prosecution, but it's hard not to be put off by these stories. The cops, lawyers, and judges who mistreated these victims (because that's what they are) were in their positions for YEARS and I find it hard to believe that they only skirted the law in these cases. It is unfortunate, but they likely abused the system to their benefit, and to the detriment of many people throughout their tenure.

If you want to learn more about wrongful convictions you can check out the Innocence Project website, they have a lot of information and resources on where to learn more.

There are also some great podcasts about the criminal justice system and wrongful convictions:
- Serial - Season1: This entire season is dedicated to a single case of Adnan Syed. If you think you know the story, you don't and it's worth a full listen to understand how fully this young kid was railroaded by everyone, including his own lawyer.
- Serial - Season 3: An interesting season which follows various cases and perspectives withing a single courthouse (I think in Ohio). I learned a lot about the justice system and how the system is designed... a must listen to if you want to hear first hand accounts of how the justice system works in the real world.
- Crimes of the Centuries: Not so much about current crimes or criminal justice system, but about crimes of the past and how they created or changed laws which currently exist and/or how the media reacted to, and turned some cases into sensations. An interesting podcast when you want to hear about crime but maybe not be as depressed hearing about injustice in the system.

614. Great Big Beautiful Life
615. Hooked
616. City of Fallen Angels
617. Her Soul to Take
618. The Stopover
619. The Ritual
620. Leather & Lark
621. Propaganda Girls: The Secret War of the Women in the OSS
622. Birthday Girl
623. Her Soul for Revenge
624. Forged in Blood
625. Promised in Blood
626.The Personal Librarian

Finished Birthday Girl earlier this month. It was OK.

I'm going to read:
Caught Up

Navessa Allen

Another one off the list! 6 done - 7 + 2 to go!

Dee wrote: "how about LGBTQ+ for Pride??"

Oh - I'll second this. Sounds like a great idea!

Kristen wrote: "My pick for May:

It's been on my TBR for WAY too long!!"

I've failed!!! I had to DNF this book, I hated it... I've never loved a movie so much and hated the same story in book form. I'm glad Rob Reiner was able to pull all the best part of this story to make such a wonderful movie, because the book was awful.

Sadly, I had to DNF a book The Princess Bride - which sucks since this was actually the book I wanted to read the most on this list. I was so disappointed in this book.

So, now I have a 12 +3 list.

On the plus side, I did finish Her Soul to Take - so a total of 5 done, with 8 + 2 to go. :-)

My pick for May:

It's been on my TBR for WAY too long!!

Another one down!!!! 9 + 3 to go!