Mystery/Thriller Reading Friends discussion

Option #3 - 2023 Determination Plus Challenge

23/23

**1. Shooting at Midnight by Greg Rucka (READ 1/26/23)

**2. Weird Things Customers Say in Bookstores by Jen Campbell (READ 3/14/23)

**3. Knit Two by Kate Jacobs (READ 5/8/23)

**4. The Weekenders by Mary Kay Andrews (READ 7/4/23)

**5. Unlucky 13 by James Patterson (READ 6/29/23)

**6. Twist of Fate by Jayne Ann Krantz (READ 7/30/23)

**7. Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau (READ 8/7/23)

**8. The Life She Wants by Robyn Carr (READ 8/19/23)

**9. Still Alice by Lisa Genova (READ 9/13/23)

**10. Mortal Compass by Danielle Steel (READ 9/27/23)


The next 13 books is the "Plus" part of the challenge. Hope you enjoy and are able to find some great books that will fit in.

**11. A book set in a different country than you live in.
Miss Benson's Beetle-Rachel Joyce (READ 1/18/23)

**12. Read a book by an Author that you never read before or one by a new debut author.
Mountain Rescue-Sandra Owens (READ 1/16/23)

**13. A book that someone recommended to you. Foster by Claire Keegan (READ 6/28/23)

**14. A book that is a different genre than your normal type of read. (could be out of your comfort zone).
Live Wire by Kelly Ripa (READ 1/10/23)

15 & 16. 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)
**15. Fun House by Chris Grabenstein (READ 2/12/23)

**16. Going Rogue by Janet Evanovich (READ 1/5/23)

**17. A book that comes out in 2023.
Last First Kiss-Stella Holt (READ 1/15/23)

**18. A book that you mean to read in 2022 but never got around to it.
Every Summer After by Carey Fortune (READ 2/7/23)

**19. A book that came out before you were born. (this one might be harder to do but we know you can handle it) The Birthmark by Nathaniel Hawthorne (READ 1/2/23)

**20. 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 and I'm sure there are others. The Beach House by James Patterson and Peter De Jonge (READ 4/4/23)

**21. A book that won an award. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins (READ 3/8/23 got the Longlist award)

**22. One of the oldest to be read books on your unread mountain. Twist of Fate by Jayne Ann Krantz (READ 7/30/23)

**23. A book set in multiple countries.
Stars in the Italian Sky by Jill Santopolo (READ 1/20/23)

Updated #11, 12, 17.

Good going, DJ!

Carol/Bonadie wrote: "Good going, DJ!"

thank you.

Updated #14 & 23.

Updated #1 could use for #15 but I rather use for top section. Hardcover off my shelf.

DJ- good for the top numbers, you know there will be plenty of series books to choose from. Six so far is great progress!

I figured if anything it got me started with hardcover for top and like you said I’ll be able to do series.

Updated #15 & 18. I need to get moving on the other prompts.

DJ/ I can do #15 with the same book! (Unfinished series)

I know you can forgot to remind you about it. LOL.

updated #2, 16 & 19 (19 I put for time being even though it was a short story still counting it if I decide to read something else longer I can always switch it). #21 too didn't realize until I checked American Dirt got an award too so using that one.
I keep forgetting to update here.

Over halfway! Great progress, always good to get the “before you were born” entry.

Yes. Figured put that one can always switch it.

Finally updated #20. I'm currently working on three books for the top section.

Good going, DJ. I see that like me you are struggling to get to the oldest book in your TBR. I think I should stop trying to get the absolute oldest and just pick one that's relatively old, LOL.

That’s a good idea. There is different ways you can take that one year published on shelve or has been on shelf longest. So many books have come and go on shelf but I know that one has been around since it came out.

Carol: I think “relatively old” is going to have to be employed. Finding the ‘oldest’ book I actually still want to read is a challenge for sure.
Unlike DonnaJo, I also am struggling with the ‘book before I was born’ lol

That is why I used the short story for time being I might still switch that one.

Ann wrote: "Carol: I think “relatively old” is going to have to be employed. Finding the ‘oldest’ book I actually still want to read is a challenge for sure.
Unlike DonnaJo, I also am struggling with the ‘book before I was born’ lol.."

Ann, I think I'm going to make that my goal for this weekend.... looking through my tons of books and picking one for this category.

For books before I was born, I started googling and realized I wanted to read one of the classic noir mystery writers. My other go-to, which I've never gotten more than a few chapters into, is East of Eden by John Steinbeck. You could Google classic authors before 19XX. Or consider older classics like Charles Dickens. There are still a few of his I want to read/listen to.

Good suggestions Carol!
Carol/Bonadie wrote: "For books before I was born, I started googling and realized I wanted to read one of the classic noir mystery writers. My other go-to, which I've never gotten more than a few chapters into, is East of Eden by John Steinbeck. You could Google classic authors before 19XX."

I do have a freebie ebook copy of The picture of Dorian Grey that fits that prompt if I decide to ever read it one of these years had it last year too. But so far the short story for Hawthorne is there unless I end up with another that fits and has more pages.

I’m not too worried about the top ones have 3 going now and I know I’ll be reading more print owned books in summer.

Recommended and oldest on shelf are the only two that need to be done on bottom.

Donnajo wrote: "I do have a freebie ebook copy of The picture of Dorian Grey that fits that prompt if I decide to ever read it one of these years had it last year too. But so far the short story for Hawthorne is t..."

Oh I read that a few years ago. Very good, although I did find the language a little dated I think. It's a classic.

Well I remembered and used ** for ones I did already rather than checkmark since it was the easiest and what I had.

DJ, the asterisks work great too!
Donnajo wrote: "Well I remembered and used ** for ones I did already rather than checkmark since it was the easiest and what I had."

It helps know by a fast look which are done if anything.

I need to work on top section but I think in summer and shore I’ll get more of my own print books read I’m almost finished with one book for up there. A book recommend to me shouldn’t be a problem need to double check what I read already might have one I finished I could use. Oldest I have two I could use for that.

Updated #3.

updated #13, #4, and #5.

Still need to do #22 on bottom which I have started it's but arcs have been keeping me busy. Then I have 6-10 in top section which shouldn't be a problem if I get to read my own print books and again have at least 2 started.

You're doing great!

Thanks. Slow but sure.

DJ: three books is great. I also enjoyed Mary Kay Andrews' The Weekenders. We have to figure the "older on your TBR" book was on there a long time for a reason. LOL.

Donnajo wrote: "updated #13, #4, and #5.
Still need to do #22 on bottom which I have started it's but arcs have been keeping me busy. .."

I keep forgetting to add books here when I finished. I might do the Heather graham book or there might be two other ones that might be older. The arcs are keeping me away from reading my own print books but yesterday was a good day finished one netgalley and my book club book. So now I’m reading a tule one and I have two netgalley left (one for live beginning of aug and one end of sept I’m waiting to hear on 3 other netgalley). So I’m hoping to get back to reading my own print books soon.

Updated #22. Now I just have to take care of the top 5 which I hope to finish up soon.

Good for you DJ! Hope the top five are easy!

I think I know what I’m going to read for them.

updated #6 & 7. I keep forgetting to come here and add my finished books. 3 more books to go.

DJ Mary Jane looks good! You are very close

Donnajo wrote: "updated #6 & 7. I keep forgetting to come here and add my finished books. 3 more books to go."

it was a fast moving book not a young adult type but it was about a young girl who was a nanny. it was a cover by for me.

Wow, DJ, you are really doing it! Good for you.

Thanks. Hopefully I’ll finish the last few. I have library book club plus another requested library book and any read/review books that I get that I have to read before my own print books which right now are put aside but I’m hoping to get back to them soon. I’m hoping that I’ll be finished with challenge by end of month and can start another top 10 one.

Updated #8. Two more to go.

Yay!

Updated #9. Another book off my printed owned shelf (with a little help from libby audio)
One more book to go. Have a few started and put to side because of current library impulse books (I should be reading my own print books). But I can't wait to finish another owned printed book to add so I can finish up this challenge and start another top 10 challenge.

DonnaJo, so you are going to start another top ten? I did that last year and didn’t finish it. I’m not sure if I will this year.

Yes I checked last year it looks like I did put it under a new thread/topic whatever you call it and it looks like I finished it in December. If anything it motivates me to get those owned printed books read. You should still do it. I was going to do other books besides printed owned like maybe ebooks but that wouldn’t be good since I’m always adding more and I really need to get owned print read and gone and I don’t want to pick the books ahead that only stops me from reading them. Lol. You should still do it I even if you don’t finish it because it does help you get what you did get done.

DJ: true, it could be motivational. I will see.. :)

Donnajo wrote: "Yes I checked last year it looks like I did put it under a new thread/topic whatever you call it and it looks like I finished it in December. If anything it motivates me to get those owned printed books read.....
You should still do it I even if you don’t finish it because it does help you get what you did get done"

Finally finished my last book updated #10. So my Determination Plus Challenge is completed.
I will be doing another 2023 Determinatiion Top Ten 2 challenge so will be starting another thread.