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

Here is my 4.07 rounded to 4 stars review of Guess Again by Charlie Donlea:

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

Psychological / Crime Thriller
A bit of a cliffhanger ending
Twisted, fast-paced, intense, dark

Here is my 2.84 rounded to 3 stars review of The Valley of Vengeful Ghosts by Kim Fu:

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

Magical Realism
I was expecting horror
Overall, this is an eerie, sad, and introspective novel that wasn’t quite what I was expecting when I read the synopsis. However, it has a great premise, wonderful atmosphere, and a main character that was interesting.

I finished my 9th book

Here is my 4.11 rounded to 4 stars review of Delphian: A British Intelligence Top Secret by Tim Rees:

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

Crime/Espionage Thriller
Intense and fast-paced, with plenty of suspense and intrigue.

Currently reading an advanced uncorrected proof from another site. I am trying to get goodreads to add it so I can count it in my challenges. Aliens Attack! by Dave Housley. Something different for me.

I finished my 10th book

Here is my 4.52 rounded to 5 stars review of The Crossroads by C.J. Box:

My Review

Contemporary Western Crime Thriller
Mainly set in and around Saddlestring, WY
26th book in the Joe Pickett Series
Startling beginning
Action-packed and suspenseful

I finished Antihero a few days ago. It was another great installment in the Orphan X series. I'm not the biggest fan of Joey at times, but it seems like she might be growing up by the end of this one.

my Antihero review

I'm currently reading Murder at Gulls Nest, Daughter of Egypt, and Keeper of Lost Children. It's a bit much all together.

just started this one
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...

I finished my 11th book