Mystery/Thriller Reading Friends discussion

Excited to join this year! I'm going to put in a few I definitely want to get to this year and fill in as I go...

Option #1 - 2025 Pick any Ten Determination Challenge

1. The Judge's List by John Grisham DONE: 4/16/25
2. The Match by Harlan Coben - DONE: 5/5/25
3.No Second Chance by Harlan Coben DONE: 5/10/25
4.1st to Die by James Patterson DONE: 5/20/25
5. The Final Detail by Harlan Coben DONE: 6.30.25
6. King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby DONE: 7.3.25
7. A Forbidden Alchemy by Stacey McEwan DONE: 7.27.25
8. Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall DONE 8/25
9. Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell DONE 8/25
10. The Daughter of Time by Josephine TeyDONE 9/25


2025 Determination Fifteen Challenge

1. A book set in a different country than you live in. Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan DONE: 4/18/25 Takes place in Ireland. Very good.

2. Read a book by an author that you never read before or one by a new debut author. DONE: 1/8/25 The God of the Woods - I had never read this author before and glad I got to read this. It was a solid mystery.

3. A book that someone recommended to you. Tracers in the Dark: The Global Hunt for the Crime Lords of Cryptocurrency - DONE 1/8/25My husband recommended this book - it was a 5 star read.

4. A book that is a different genre than your normal type of read (could be out of your comfort zone). Foster DONE 1/27/25 I don't normally read novellas or it's the least read genre for me.

5 & 6. Two books from a series you haven't completed yet (everyone has that one or two books to still read to catch up in a series)

5. Starsight by Brandon Sanderson DONE: 2/26/25

6. The Winner's Kiss by Marie Rutkoski DONE: 3/2/25 Last book in this series! So one down. Highly recommend this series, it's beautifully written and underrated.

7. A book that comes out in 2025. The Favorites COMPLETED 1/23/25

8. A book you meant to read in 2024 but never got around to it. Yours Truly COMPLETED 2/15/25

9. A book that came out before you were born (this one might be harder to do but we know you can handle it) The Chinese Shawl COMPLETED 1/20/25 Published in 1943 so definitely older than me.

10. A book that is done by more than one author (it can be a book of short stories by different authors, or one book that is one story with more than 1 author like Patterson or Evanovich I'm sure there is others. The Summer House DONE: 6/7/25

11. A book that won an award. The House on Foster Hill DONE: 10/15/25 won the Christy Award for Mystery/Suspense/thriller in 2018


12. One of the oldest to be read books on your unread mountain. Skyward COMPLETED 2/17/25 Started and stopped this in 2018. My husband read this and enjoyed it. Glad I could finally talk to him about it.

13. A book set in multiple countries. COMPLETED 10/25American Princess by Stephanie Marie Thornton - Our main character was in multiple countries throughout the book.

14. Book you started in the past but put aside and never finished for some reason. (I know we all have them. I have a small tote bag filled with them a different reason why it wasn't finish. A Rogue of One's Own - DONE 2/5/25 I started this about a year ago and finally finished it. I should have left it alone LOL

15. A BFB/Big Fat Book one that is 500+ pages or one longer than your usual average page count or audio length. Shield of Sparrows DONE 6/19/25

Good luck Christina!

Christine, good luck.

Thanks guys! I am excited. :)

Sooo I was pondering, and I went back and made the 10 determination books, books that have been on my TBR that I immediately see and go, "WHY HAVEN'T I READ THAT YET???"

The fifteen challenge I have decided to make more spontaneous.

First Challenge Completed:

2. Read a book by an author that you never read before or one by a new debut author. DONE: 1/8/24 The God of the Woods - I had never read this author before and glad I got to read this. It was a solid mystery.

Definitely recommend!

That’s great you got your first one finished.

Donnajo wrote: "That’s great you got your first one finished."

Thanks :)

7. A book that comes out in 2025. The Favorites COMPLETED 1/23/25

Oh how I regret this one. I love figure skating and it had a full cast for the audio. It was compulsively readable but one of the worst stories. It was predictable. And soooooo soooo soo toxic. I don't enjoy the romanticizing of relationships that need extensive therapy. Drives me nuts.

I didn't like the Favorites I read it before it came out on Netgalley couldn't finish it I had to tell them I couldn't read/review it. Sure wasn't what I thought it would be like. It was under their erotic category. When I requested that one I don't know what I was thinking it would be.
You are doing so good on the challenge. I haven't been getting much reading done plus now I have my library cozy winter challenge to do and it's a little harder this time with a bingo board with different prompts and then you only have to do one review for a book to go into the raffle but you have to get bingo to finish and hand it in for the beginning of March. I think I'm having a harder time with reading lately because I don't have my book journal yet it's I couldn't order it until the company got them in and they came in later plus it's coming from Canada but hopefully going by informed delivery and tracking I might receive my order tomorrow so I'm excepted to set the journal up since it's undated but it doesn't have the planner part like it did last year but only the monthly pages not the weekly so will be using it different I just hope it works out.

Donnajo, I wish I had DNF'D it like you did. That was a smart decision. I wouldn't classify it as erotica but definitely romance heavy. Though to be fair... not explicit like most mainstream romance is lately. Still, I wouldn't recommend it. I know I'm in the minority though. This book is getting rave reviews. Oh well. lol

Also which journal do you use? I make my own...

I order mine from a company called Little Inklings. I’ve used one of theirs three years now. She came out with one last year that holds 200 book reviews this year I wasn’t able to order it until into the new year because she updated it so I finally got my order today so I’m excited to start getting it ready tomorrow. It has a lot of things in it. You can check out Megan’s you tube videos. The one I get is Novel Companion Ultra but the the first year I had the Always Fully one. I still have an extra one from last year I’m saving to use for another year but wanted to try the updated one this year. I’ve ordered and tried different ones over the years from Amazon or BN even just a spiral notebook a few years from them. But I think I’ve been liking the ones from Little Inklings the most. Check out her you tube page.

I will have to check out that company Donnajo, thanks!

I updated the list - specifically numbers 4, 9 and 14.

Christina: you got three of the hardest for me - maybe #14 is easier (put aside and now back to it) but before I was born and not my usual genre can be tough ones - good for you!
I'll check out your #9 since I am always on the lookout for a before I was born that I can actually like. The Chinese Shawl.

ChrisQ wrote: "I will have to check out that company Donnajo, thanks!

I updated the list - specifically numbers 4, 9 and 14."

How are you liking The Count of Monte Cristo, Chris. There's a blast from the past! I read that when I was younger and loved it.

Carol/Bonadie wrote: "How are you liking The Count of Monte Cristo, Chris. There's a blast from the past! I read that when I was younger and loved it."

I am enjoying it! I am about half way through and am taking a pause. Cuz 1000 pages of that font is WOW. LOL

Ann wrote: "Christina: you got three of the hardest for me - maybe #14 is easier (put aside and now back to it) but before I was born and not my usual genre can be tough ones - good for you!
I'll check out yo..."

The Chinese Shawl was a little slow but I was determined to finish because I wanted to check that box. Then I realized I could have done North and South by Gaskell for that one since that is on my TBR too. Oh well. I hope you like it if you do read it!

Updated 8 and 12... moving along.

WTG. You are doing so good.

Updated number 5.

I haven't been reading mysteries as of late. I had a death in the family and have been escaping into some YA Fantasy to distract me. I will stick with that for now...

So sorry for your loss, I’ve had one in my family a weeks ago too. It’s still a hard time.

You are still doing great on the challenge. You have to go wherever your mood wants.

Christina, thinking of you. Condolences for your loss.
As I listen to Iron Flame I am reminded how I do enjoy YA Fantasy. Adding the Skyward books to my TBR. Skyward ; I don’t think I’ve heard of Brandon Sanderson before.

Thanks Donnajo and Ann!

Updated #6 and completed a series. Woohoo!

WTG! You are doing great.

Sorry for your losses, Chris and DJ.

Chris you're an inspiration on your DL!

Thank you for the condolences, it is shaping up to be quite the year.

I removed Thursday Murder Club from determination list. I DNFd it. I didn't like it as much as his other series. I may come back to it, it may have been my head space. I will replace it with a John Grisham novel. I wanted to read one of his books this year.

Added Small Things Like These - Very good and The Judge's List - also very good. Been a long time since I read Grisham.

I liked The Judge's List. I mostly always enjoy Grisham but I'm partial to legal thrillers.

ChrisQ wrote: "Added Small Things Like These - Very good and The Judge's List - also very good. Been a long time since I read Grisham."

ChrisQ wrote: "Added Small Things Like These - Very good and The Judge's List - also very good. Been a long time since I read Grisham."

Yes I do enjoy a good legal thriller!

I updated number 2 and 3. Trying to make the rest of the reads on this list mystery/thriller as an extra challenge.

WTG

You are doing really well on this!

Great progress! You're inspiring me!

Thanks everyone!

Updated #4, and found a new series to read in the process!

That’s great. I like the audio in that series I think I’m up too #14 or 15.

Updated number 10! Plugging along!

Christina: a James Patterson book is always a good one for the more than one author prompt! Great progress with 16 books.

ChrisQ wrote: "Updated number 10! Plugging along!"

Good job, Chris! I haven't decided on one to fulfill this one yet.

Either Patterson or Evanovich I know I can always do or even a book of short shorties by different authors.

Donnajo wrote: "Either Patterson or Evanovich I know I can always do or even a book of short shorties by different authors."

It was tough to find one that fit the prompt and Patterson has soooo many.

I updated #15 and while Shield of Sparrows is a romantasy it had some mystery/twisty elements to it. And it was 666 unnecessary pages. whyyyssoooolong I was so annoyed by the length I had to count it to make it feel like I accomplished something besides my frustration. lol

Chris, we appreciate your sacrifice in service of achieving your BFB goal on the DL!!

Carol/Bonadie wrote: "Chris, we appreciate your sacrifice in service of achieving your BFB goal on the DL!!"

Thank you! :)

I updated #5 - great read, brought me out of my reading slump. Old reliable Harlan Coben...

Christina- good to follow-up the BFB that dragged with a good Coben thriller!

I have to say the same thing I used to read more Patterson books some years read more of his than anyone. Also have gone to a few of his book discussions/signings back in the day but it has gotten too much. My sister has been better with keeping up a lot better than I have.

Updated #9 and #10 - in the home stretch now! woo hoo!

Yay! Looking good!

WTG. You’ll get there.

Updated number 10. Two more prompts to go!

Good luck with your last two Christina!
The award winner is probably easier than the two countries prompt.