The Perks Of Being A Book Addict discussion

Looking forward to reading about you plans for 2026, your current reads and your opinions/reviews on books read. 😊

Every year I say I’m going to focus on my TBR, but I get easily distracted by the new trending books. This year I’m going to do the 52 book club challenge and set a goal of 52 books, since that matches how old I’ll be this year. My focus will be to read whatever I feel like reading at the moment.
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JoJo_theDodo wrote: "Every year I say I’m going to focus on my TBR, but I get easily distracted by the new trending books. This year I’m going to do the 52 book club challenge and set a goal of 52 books, since that mat..."

Sounds good. :)

Here is my 2.38 rounded to 2 stars review of Animals Are A-holes: Meet the Biggest Jerks of the Animal Kingdom by Brynn Wallace:

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

Non-fiction with humor, but still disappointing

Here is my 2.4 rounded to 2 stars review of The Promise of Redwood Cove by Alesha Cary:

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

Romance with a bit of Paranormal for the series
Prequel to the Redwood Cove series
Great introduction to the characters, but no real plot.

Here is my 4.2 rounded to 4 stars review of The Replacement by Matt Brolly:

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

Police Procedural / Crime Novel
2nd book in the DS Liam Kilshaw series
Great atmosphere and characterization
Some trigger warnings
Somewhat dark at times

Finished The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa | read by Tracie Kato-Kiriyama | Review

Here is my 4.07 rounded to 4 stars review of A Merciful Death by Kendra Elliot:

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

Crime Novel, Police Procedural, a bit of Romantic Suspense
1st book in the Mercy Kilpatrick series
Great imagery and characterization
Too easy to identify the antagonist

This year I hope to read more from my TBR list. That list is incredibly long. I also hope to read more in general. The past few years have been busier than normal now that I have two toddlers running around. 😄 Now that they are a little older, I hope I can read more often.

Currently I am reading Welcome to the Fae Cafe by Jennifer Kropf.

I started the year reading Life as Planned. I have been in a weird kind of reading slump and didn't actually read anything this year until picking it up again yesterday. I went about 4 days without reading at all. I'm hoping to finish it quickly now.

Here is my 4.11 rounded to 4 stars review of Antihero by Gregg Hurwitz:

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

Thriller
11th book in the Orphan X series
1st book in the series that I have read, but I own the first 7 and want to read them.
Dark themes, violence, gritty, chilling
Great character growth

Finished reading the Seventh Plague by James Rollins a thriller. Now I will be reading an old romance A Dangerous Love byBrenda Joyce part of the De Warenne series

Here is my 4.23 rounded to 4 stars review of A Merciful Truth by Kendra Elliot:

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

Crime Novel, Police Procedural, a bit of Romantic Suspense
2nd book in the Mercy Kilpatrick series
Great imagery and characterization
A twist near the end that I didn't see coming

I finished Life as Planned. I thought it was very good, but slow moving. I can really enjoy a slow moving book at times though and this one worked for me.

My review of Life as Planned

I also finished The Deal of a Lifetime. I have no idea what to think about it. It was different and a very short story.

I am now reading Geraldine Verne's Red Suitcase. I'm enjoying it, but I'm about 1/3 through and not much has really happened yet.

Here is my 4.3 rounded to 4 stars review of Robert B. Parker's Big Shot by Christopher Farnsworth:

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

Crime novel / mystery
23rd book in the Jesse Stone series
Strong, flawed, and capable protagonist, good pacing, and a solid plot.

Here is my 4.62 rounded to 5 stars review of Cold Zero by Brad Thor and Ward Larsen:

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

Political Thriller/ Espionage
Standalone novel, but I would love it to become a series
Plane crash-lands on ice near the North Pole
Fantastic atmosphere and setting, good characterization, action-packed

Here is my 3.44 rounded to 3 stars review of The 21st Century: Photographs From the Image Collection by National Geographic Society:

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

Photography from 2000 to 2021
Wonderful photos
Chapters weren't cohesive and didn't work for me

Here is my 4.24 rounded to 4 stars review of A Merciful Secret by Kendra Elliot:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Crime Novel, Police Procedural, a bit of Romantic Suspense
3rd book in the Mercy Kilpatrick series
Great imagery and characterization
Plenty of family drama

I just finished:Someone Knows by Vi Keeland

My Review

I found this mystery at a friends of library sale. I hope it is good. Death in Brittany byJean-Luc Bannalec

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman

My review - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Started reading The Ninefold Key byRebecca Brandewyne

Here is my 4.12 rounded to 4 stars review of The Hard Line by Mark Greaney:

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

Action / Political Thriller
15th book in the Gray Man series
Intriguing, action-packed, violent, thought-provoking, and suspenseful
The ending wasn't sufficiently wrapped-up for me so I am anxiously waiting on the next book in the series.

Ghosts of Panama: A Strongman Out of Control, A Murdered Marine, and the Special Agents Caught in the Middle of an Invasion
by actor Mark Harmon and former CIS SAC Leon Carroll Jr.


My review - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I finished Inside Man a couple days ago. It was a great addition to the series. 4+ stars.

My review of Inside Man

I'm currently reading Keeper of Lost Children and finishing up Geraldine Verne's Red Suitcase.

Here is my 3.27 rounded to 3 stars review of The Whisking Hour: A Bakeshop Mystery by Ellie Alexander:

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

Cozy Mystery - light on the mystery part
22nd book in the Bakeshop Mystery series
set in Ashland, OR
Great characterization and atmosphere
Entertaining and fun with a small-town vibe
Focuses more on food, friendship, family, community, and helping others than on the mystery itself.

Find out how I pay tribute to onscreen representation of one of my favorite detectives:

https://youtube.com/shorts/hlEaJw56HSA

Currently reading Swallowing the Muskellunge byLawrence Patrick O'Brien

Here is my 4.5 rounded to 5 stars review of The List by Steve Berry:

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

Standalone thriller
Great atmosphere and characterization
Dark, unique, and suspenseful

Here is my 4.16 rounded to 4 stars review of Scorched Earth by John Gilstrap:

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

Action / Political Thriller
17th book in the Jonathan Grave Series
Intense, gripping, suspenseful, & action-packed
Lots of violence and one torture scene

Here is my 4.20 rounded to 4 stars review of Dead Woman Walking by Carolyn Arnold:

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

Crime Thriller / Police Procedural
15th book in the Detective Amanda Steele series
Great characterization, fast-paced
The ultimate antagonist was too easy to discern.

I have a few books going at the moment.

I'm about 70% of the way through Five Gold Rings. The FMC annoys me at times due to her way of dealing with her breakup. Otherwise, it's a really cute read.

I'm also about 80% through The Marlow Murder Club. I hope to finish this one tomorrow. You have to suspend your disbelief quite a bit, but it's a fun read and I'm enjoying it.

I'm still not very far into Keeper of Lost Children. What I've read is very good. I just haven't had much time to read it. I would really like to find a chunk of time to get engrossed in this one.

Here is my 4.38 rounded to 4 stars review of Stripped Bare by Shannon Baker:

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

Crime Thriller / Investigation
1st book in the Kate Fox series
Strong female protagonist
Several suspects
A twist at the end that I didn't see coming along with several that I did expect.

I've recently finished both The Marlow Murder Club and Five Gold Rings. I enjoyed both books.

I am now reading Antihero and looking forward to spending more time reading Keeper of Lost Children.

Here is my 4.2 rounded to 4 stars review of The McCollister Files Vol. 1: Helix Rising: by J.L. Calder:

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

Military Thriller Origin Story / Political Thriller
Novella 1 of 3
Companion series to Double Helix trilogy
Action-packed, full of intrigue, some unexpected twists
Great character introduction of the protagonist