75 Books...More or Less! discussion

I'm going with a much more conservative goal this year. It would be nice to aim for 100 again, but based on these last few months, I doubt I'll get anywhere close.

2023 Goals:

📚 60 books read total
📚 15 books owned prior to 2023
  (Read Your Shelves Challenge)

Welcome back, Charleen! Happy New Year!

1. The Lost Metal
3 stars

This wasn't the epic and inevitable battle for the fate of the world that I was hoping for. Instead it's a 24-hour countdown thriller, which I guess is fitting in this more modern era. I've grown attached to the characters and I love getting to see them shine. Unfortunately, the pacing in both this book and the series as a whole feels a bit off, especially after the masterpiece that was the original trilogy.

2. Oddball

This was a fun diversion, and nothing more.

Charleen wrote: "2. Oddball

This was a fun diversion, and nothing more."

Those are good to have!

3. I'd Like to Play Alone, Please
(audio)

The title piqued my interest, but it became increasingly clear that this comedian isn’t for me. I didn't DNF, though maybe I should have.

4. The Ikessar Falcon
4 stars

There is sooo much going on in this book, I was overwhelmed by some of the world-building details in the first book, and this book definitely expands on that. I can honestly say I have no clue where this series is going, but I look forward to finding out.

5. Summer Frost
4 stars

Can an AI really develop "humanity," or are they just really good at faking it for our benefit? This is part of what makes a potential super-AI so terrifying. They would be able to advance beyond our understanding so quickly... and this is a great exploration of that concept.

I really should do a "read your shelf challenge"!

Juli wrote: "I really should do a "read your shelf challenge"!"

Juli, I resisted it for so many years, but it's nice to be working through all the free or cheap ebooks I've been amassing. The Ikessar Falcon is one of the few I paid full price for since my library had Book 3 but not Book 2.

6. The City We Became
4 stars (audio re-read)

I wanted to revisit this in preparation for the sequel. This book is so trippy. On my initial read, I took a while to really get into it. It always takes me a while to get into Jemisin's worlds, but I'm very interested in seeing where she goes with it.

7. The Awkward Black Man
3 stars

There were a few of these I really enjoyed, but the majority were just fine. I know I tried reading something by Walter Mosley several years ago and DNF'd, so I was pleased to not get that urge while reading these stories.

Charleen wrote: "6. The City We Became
4 stars (audio re-read)

I wanted to revisit this in preparation for the sequel. This book is so trippy. On my initial read, I took a while to really get into ..."

I wanted to like this one so much but I did not. Maybe I should have read it instead of listening. It was disorienting on audio for first-time read.

Elyse wrote: "I wanted to like this one so much but I did not. Maybe I should have read it instead of listening. It was disorienting on audio for first-time read."

Yeah, in general I don't do first-time reads on audio for fiction, but this is not a straightforward story so that probably wouldn't help. As a reread though, I liked it, and I really enjoyed some of the production choices.

8. The Language of Secrets
4 stars

Rachel and Esa are both great characters. I don't read a ton of mystery these days, but this is a very worthwhile series for when I do get the itch.

9. The World We Make
3 stars

This isn't as good as the first book, which in my opinion stands alone quite well, despite leaving the ending open. Maybe the fact that I didn't need or expect a continuation when I first read it is coloring my experience of this one. I enjoyed it, but I wanted so much more from it.

10. Emergency Skin
4 stars

Predictable and not at all subtle, but still a fun little story.

11. The Light of the Fireflies
3 stars

This is compelling for a story where not much happens. I guessed at some of the story turns, but not all, and everything is wrapped up with an unnecessary epilogue.

Charleen wrote: "8. The Language of Secrets
4 stars

Rachel and Esa are both great characters. I don't read a ton of mystery these days, but this is a very worthwhile series for when I do get the itch."

I just finished the first in this series, The Unquiet Dead, and found it enjoyable. Will look for this one also.

Charleen wrote: "8. The Language of Secrets
4 stars

Rachel and Esa are both great characters. I don't read a ton of mystery these days, but this is a very worthwhile series for when I do get the itch."

Oooh, this looks good! I just added it to my huge TBR list. Thanks!

12. 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus
(audio)

I already knew that pre-Columbian America was far more varied and interesting than is often portrayed. It was interesting to hear some of the details, but honestly there's so much in here that I honestly don't know how well I'll retain any of it.

13. The Midnight Bargain
4 stars

This is such a fun book. I loved reading about the blossoming friendships even more than the blossoming romance, and overall I just really enjoyed the story. The only thing holding it back from five stars was the ending, which felt simplistic after all of the turmoil to get there. But really, a minor quibble in an otherwise fantastic stand-alone.

14. You Have Arrived at Your Destination
2 stars

This had an interesting idea with the whole nature vs nurture thing, and projecting what a life might be... but the execution and where the story ends up going didn't do anything for me.

15. The Wind at My Back: Resilience, Grace, and Other Gifts from My Mentor, Raven Wilkinson
(audio)

I enjoyed hearing about the lovely, supportive relationship between these two women.

16. The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng
4 stars

This book, and this whole trilogy, is so full. Full of characters, plot turns, conflicts, revelations... just everything. It's great epic fantasy, one I will definitely revisit at some point.

17. Sofia Khan Is Not Obliged
3 stars

This was a very quick and fun read. I didn't care for the diary format, but Sofia is still an interesting heroine.

18. The Last Conversation
3 stars

This is a creepy story that puts the reader directly in this unsettling situation. And the conclusion, by the time we get there, feels inevitable.

19. An American Princess: The Many Lives of Allene Tew

When I think "American Princess," I think of Grace Kelly. Allene was a couple decades ahead of her in marrying a European prince. I'm not sure if it's the woman or the writing style or the period of history, but nothing about this story really grabbed me.

20. Sorcery of Thorns
4 stars

This is a very satisfying standalone fantasy. It all gets a bit chaotic toward the end, but overall I really enjoyed it. Elisabeth and Nathaniel are both great characters, as is Silas. As is the Great Library, come to think of it, and any time a library can be both a setting and a character is a win.

21. A Bad Deal for the Whole Galaxy
3 stars

I had a hard time remembering details from the first book, but it didn't really matter; it was still an entertaining ride, and the important things started coming back as they were relevant. I won't wait a year before reading the third book.

22. Girly Drinks
(audio)

This was quite dry at times (no pun intended). I know a lot more about alcohol now, and I’m all for history that puts marginalized groups into their proper place in the narrative. But I wish the whole book lived up to the fun title and cover, instead of just some scattered stories.

23. The Great Passage
4 stars

I really enjoyed this story, but I'm conflicted on the translation. Parts of it seemed clunky, like we were getting additional context about the words chosen that probably weren't spelled out the same way in the original Japanese. But at the same time, the fact that it's translated contributes to the discussion in a way. Overall, it's a story about the power and nuance of language and a love of the written word, and even though my reading experience was maybe closer to a 3 than a 4, I felt I had to give it the benefit of rounding up.

24. Randomize
2 stars

This was an interesting premise to start but ended in a disappointingly simple way.

25. Out of the Silent Planet
4 stars (re-read)

This is a book/series I've read several times, but it had been over a decade since my last re-read. Pleased to say it holds up.

Is it also a religious allegory like Narnia? lol

Elyse wrote: "Is it also a religious allegory like Narnia? lol"

It's not as close to a 1:1 retelling as some of the Narnia books are, but I'd still say yes. The second in this series stays much closer to its inspiration (Garden of Eden and Temptation of Eve), and then the third brings in some Arthurian mythology on top of the Christianity.

As an agnostic, I still enjoy the stories as science fiction while recognizing the more obvious parallels.

Hmm I'll have to give them a try. I'm an atheist but I enjoyed the Left Behind series!

26. This Is Not a Book about Benedict Cumberbatch: The Joy of Loving Something--Anything--Like Your Life Depends on It
(audio)

This book really is much more about Benedict Cumberbatch than I expected. While the author does make the point that it doesn't matter what your "thing" is that gives you joy, he's the example in all of her stories, and the universality of it is more of an afterthought.

Charleen wrote: "26. This Is Not a Book about Benedict Cumberbatch: The Joy of Loving Something--Anything--Like Your Life Depends on It
(audio)

This book really is much more about Benedict Cumberba..."

lol I've never heard of that one!

27. The Goblin Emperor
3 stars

This is one of those books that should be boring but somehow isn't. Somehow the big things feel small while the small things feel big. I had a really hard time keeping all the minor characters straight, which diminished my enjoyment a bit, but overall I liked it.

Charleen wrote: "27. The Goblin Emperor
3 stars

This is one of those books that should be boring but somehow isn't. Somehow the big things feel small while the small things feel big. I had a really..."

The audiobook was terrible in that the political structure and worldbuilding was so confusing, listening only. But at least I could hear how the names were pronounced? Because I've seen them type and they're not for the faint of heart. lol