Goodreads Choice Awards Book Club discussion

Guidelines for posting in this thread

We like to see a bit of discussion about the books we are reading, rather than just posting the book link (and the occasional link to a review). The comments should include:

- Books you just started or are currently reading. You might want to add a few words about the book to let other members know whether you like it or not so far.
- Books you just finished, Please include your rating (1-5 stars) and a few words about the book (even if it's something as short as "I loved it / hated it.") If you wrote a full review, you can share the link to it but please include a short summary of your thoughts alongside it.

Happy new year, everyone! I'm currently reading Gallant by VE Schwab. I wasn't able to finish it last month. I'm only a few chapters in and so far I'm enjoying the creepy vibes. It reminds me of Ninth House.

Finished Hidden Pictures ⭐️⭐️⭐️ I found this more to be a somewhat scary mystery more than horror and there are quite a few twists in the book that were well done.

Next will be A Court of Thorns and Roses and Where the Dead Wait

I started reading The Covenant of Water and I’m loving it so far.
Just love the description of the setting and the elephant. Think it’s going to be one of my favorites this year just like Cutting for stone by same author

Yolanda wrote: "I started reading The Covenant of Water and I’m loving it so far.
Just love the description of the setting and the elephant. Think it’s going to be one of my favorites this year just like Cutting f..."

The group is reading this one now and a couple of other members are discussing it if you'd like to join. You can find the discussion here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I finished these recently:

4.5★- This was a very realistic view of what it was like for women in Vietnam and after returning home from service. A very heavy, but very good read. - my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

4★ - This was very typical of Hawkins writing. It had lots of twists and just awful characters. I enjoyed it a lot. - my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

4★ - This was a heartbreaking memoir of a woman who was raised in a very abusive home, but bonded with her siblings to raise themselves and thrive. - my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I'm currently reading No One Can Know . Just starting today.

I've just finished What the Wind Knows. It ended up being a 3 star, I know this author is very well loved but I don't think she's found her footing as a historical fiction writer yet.

I've just started Shelf Life: Chronicles of a Cairo Bookseller a memoir about sisters opening a book shop in a recently liberated but still oppressed Egypt in the early 21st century. Enjoying it so far.

Also still making my way through ’Salem’s Lot on audio, maybe it's because I keep taking breaks from it but I'm finding it difficult to keep track of the characters.

I’m reading a book called Never Lie by Freida McFadden

Finished A Court of Thorns and Roses ⭐️⭐️ It was just okay for me. I found the book very predictable, and I didn’t feel like there was anything new or fresh to the storyline.

Currently reading The Man Who Died Twice

I just finished That's Not My Name a young adult mystery/suspense.
It was excellent! The author made the teenagers very realistic and believable it was very fast paced. I gave it 5 stars.

I’m reading a book called Ward D by Freida McFadden

I’m reading a book called The Wife Upstairs by Freida McFadden

not enough science explanation to make this a proper sci-fi, and not enough mystery for it to be a thriller.

full review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Rosalyn wrote: "

not enough science explanation to make this a proper sci-fi, and not enough mystery for it to be a thriller.

full review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[bookcover:The O..."

I really disliked this book. It was such a letdown from the Netflix series. I thought it was pointless to switch character POVs so frequently when the characters don't even affect each other.

I’m reading a book called The Locked Door by Freida McFadden

Finished :The Man Who Died Twice ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️The book was more humorous than the 1st and the storyline also flowed seamlessly.
Evil Eye: A Novel ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ An emotional book that is very relatable.
The Martian ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️What a fun thrilling story that had heart racing moments.

Currently Reading: Where the Dead Wait So far confusing. There isn’t a good distinction when the character is speaking in the present or is remembering the past.

Isaac and the Egg by Bobby Palmer is a quirky but moving book about loss and grief, as Isaac meets a strange egg creature who helps him through his darkest hour. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ here is my review

I’m reading a book called The Housemaid's Secret by Freida McFadden

I’m reading a book called The Girl Who Lived: A Thrilling Suspense Novel LARGE PRINT by Christopher Greyson

Cammy wrote: "Finished A Court of Thorns and Roses ⭐️⭐️ It was just okay for me. I found the book very predictable, and I didn’t feel like there wa..."

I liked book #2 much more than book #1

I’m reading a book called A Christmas Memory by Richard Paul Evans

I just finished 2 memoirs which I rated both 5 stars
The Woman in Me which is Britney Spears. Who has suffered under the control of her family for many years is finally free to be who she wants
Paris: The Memoir about Paris Hilton and her journey to lead her best life that she so deserves after events in her life out of her control that stand in conflict of the admitted privileged world she lives in.
Both were thought provoking and heavy at times. I literally need to read a good suspense mystery and detox from real life abuse books.

I just finished the Audio Version of , by Ann Patchett. It was read by Meryl Streep and I just loved it. I enjoyed this one better on Audio as Lara was telling the story of her life to her 3 children and I felt like I was right there on the Cherry Orchard Farm.

I started , R.F. Kuang which has started off really well. Will have to see how dubious the main character becomes. I meant to read this all last year, so glad to finally be getting it in.

Last week I finished , Rachel Hawkins, 5 ⭐️, my favorite thriller so far this year, , Alex Michaelides, 4 ⭐️, it worked well on Audio and once the story got going liked it a lot, but the first 30% was slow, and last , Nishita Parekh, was a locked house mystery about an Indian American family. It was the author’s debut and didn’t fully engage me as I had hoped. 3 ⭐️

Bana AZ wrote: "Rosalyn wrote: "
I really disliked this book. It was such a letdown from the Netflix series. I thought it was pointless to switch character POVs so frequently when the characters don't even affect each other.

..."

I so agree, Bana! tbh the book could've cut out 70% of the characters and it would've been a tighter book. i dunno how it has such a high goodreads rating LOL

now the Martian was a much better reading experience.



it was fun to read the impressive work arounds and ingenuity displayed by everyone, no wonder it was made into a movie.

full review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I’m reading a book called The Christmas List by Richard Paul Evans

I’m reading a book called Murder, Interrupted by James Patterson

I’m reading a book called Dead Woman Crossing by Jeneva Rose

Rosalyn wrote: "Bana AZ wrote: "Rosalyn wrote: "
I really disliked this book. It was such a letdown from the Netflix series. I thought it was pointless to switch character POVs so frequently when the characters do..."

Yesss, the Martian is great! Weir's short stories are pretty fun, too, especially The Egg. I pick up a short story of his whenever I wanna be ahead of my goodreads goal. Lol.

I am currently reading When Women Were Dragons and I love it so far. I'm only on page four but the concept is so interesting to me. In this world, sometimes women turn into dragons.

Bana AZ wrote: "Yesss, the Martian is great! Weir's short stories are pretty fun, too, especially The Egg. I pick up a short story of his whenever I wanna be ahead of my goodreads goal. Lol"

Thanks Bana, for the rec! 3 pgs, that certainly is a short story.

I just finished The Appeal!



Impressive how Hallett could set multiple scenes, introduce the large cast, timeline, mostly through emails. I didn't mind that some of the delivery was implausible (true, it'd be faster to just call or text, no one in today's age emails that much), but it didn't take away from my enjoyment. What did however, was...

full review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Finished:
Where the Dead Wait⭐️ Very confusing at times.
First Lie Wins⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Never a dull moment in the book.
The Housemaid's Secret⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A twist that I didn’t see coming!
The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️A heartwarming mystery.
The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️A love story, an evil vindictive wife, a murderous big sister, a mournful husband, a mournful son, a sinister dead twin sister, and a ghost that mourns.
The Wager ⭐️⭐️Only 1/3 of the book was really interesting.
The Wishing Game⭐️⭐️⭐️A feel good book.
The Parliament⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️I enjoyed both stories!
Hello Beautiful⭐️⭐️I didn’t like any of the characters, nothing drew me to them. I felt like an outsider while reading this book. I wasn’t drawn in.

Currently reading:
The Huntress
Clytemnestra

I’m reading a book called The Lies I Tell by Julie Clark

I've been listening to The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren

My first reading experience with Ellis was The Quartet, which quickly became one of my favorite books of all time. I was eager to start on this one, however, the intent of this book is quite different, so it took some time getting used to. I'm a bit simple, I like my history told chronologically, LOL.

Ellis states in the preface that this book is not a chronological telling of a certain time but rather his analysis on it based on vignettes of key issues, relationships, events that reveal the passion, struggle and the main point, fragility of our fledgling nation and the ideals or expectations we bound ourselves too. While the Founding Fathers were knowingly mythologizing themselves, painting the success of "the cause" as a moral certainty, Ellis aims to demythologize them, revealing their doubts, fears and fierce, sincere attempts to reconcile competing values. The battle for nationhood was easy, but the effort towards national unity continues to this day.

Full review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I’m reading a book called Finding Their Christmas Home: An Uplifting Inspirational Romance by Donna Gartshore

I am currently reading When Women Were Dragons and absolutely loving it so far! I'd like some more dragons though.

In the author's note, Cañas features a quote from Cheno Cortina, a paramilitary leader who defended the Mexican border against white settlers during the Texas Revolution. He used the word "vampires" to describe the invading force, and that is where Cañas got her next book idea. Obviously, the vampires in this book are supposed to be an allegory for the Yanquis. Key words: supposed to. The plot choice Cañas chose completely nips that in the bud to the point that the inclusion of the vampires, are first of all sparse, and second, irrelevant.

Full review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Finished:
The Huntress⭐️⭐️⭐️ Felt like there was something lacking. Nina’s POV too much and too long…. But overall, it was good.
Clytemnestra⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Great retelling. From 1st love, to tragedies, to rise as a great queen to more tragedy.Then finally her justice.

Currently reading :
How to Sell a Haunted House So far fun book with humor and good banter between Louise and Mark.

I’m reading a book called Make Me a Match: Baby, Baby\The Matchmaker Wore Skates\Suddenly Sophie by Melinda Curtis

I’m reading a book called Be My Valentine: My Funny Valentine / My Hero by Debbie Macomber

I’m reading a book called The Twins' Rodeo Rider by Tina Leonard

Darker in tone than Hendrix's typical books, it reveals the complacency and fear that can cripple a community, the dismissive and gaslighting behavior from authority or power figures towards gender and racial minorities, but also the bravery of mothers who protect their young.

The most horrific scene of this novel isn't regarding the supernatural or unusual, but the...

full review HERE

I’m reading a book called The Sheriff's Second Chance by Leandra Logan

I'm reading The House Girl by Tara Conklin

I’m reading a book called Go Ask Alice by Beatrice Sparks