Book Nook Cafe discussion

It's that time of year folks!

Every year at BNC we post our favorite books and the ones that we really disliked. (you will find past lists in this Folder)

The books do not have to be published in 2023, only read by you in 2023.

If you could provide a link and a few words on each book that would be great.

So far this year I've read 57 books
33 non fiction
24 fiction

These are my top rated books ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 👍

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
Fiction
I loved every page of this book. The story kept me turning the pages and the writing was top notch.

The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture by Gabor Maté
Non Fiction.
Mate hits it out of the park with this insightful and thoughtful book. A must read.

The Beauty of Dusk by Frank Bruni
non fiction - memoir
Bruni loses sight in one eye and may lose it in the other. This is a tale of courage and was beautiful written.

A Street Car Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
Fiction - Play.
This classic is one of my all time favorite plays.

A Life on Our Planet: My Witness Statement and a Vision for the Future by David Attenborough
Non Fiction.
Attenborough looks back over his life and how people have impacted the planet for worse. The clock is ticking and we have very little time to turn things around. A must read. Some may find it depressing but unless we face facts soon, we have a very bleak future ahead of us.

📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚

Books that did not resonate with me. ⭐ or ⭐⭐ 👎

I only had 1 star read and quite a few 2's. I'll only list a few 2's that I thought were a generous rating.

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
Fiction
I am so in the minority on this one. This book garnered over 200,400 reviews on Amazon and 90% were positive.
I thought the plot was ridiculous. The writing pedestrian.

The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan
Fiction
Again a book most people on Amazon loved. It also won awards.
Stupid plot. One is supposed to feel bad for these mothers sent away to some dystopia camp. The problem is the mother in the story really is not a good mother !

Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty by Anderson Cooper
Audio book
Non Fiction
Very little about Cooper's mom. Mostly about long gone people that I really didn't care about.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
Fiction
Sorry Christie fans! This was torture for me to get through.

Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon by Michael Lewis
Non Fiction
I like the Michael Lewis books I've read. The problem with this one it seems Lewis unfortunately went in as a fan boy of Sam Bankman-Fried. Then midway in writing the book news broke that SBF was a fraud. So Sam's quirky behavior wasn't so cute anymore.

I enjoy seeing what folks didn't like almost as much as what they did. Did it take you long to narrow down the best, Alias Reader? Last year was hard for me but i think it'll be easier this year. HOWever, i'm not ready to select yet, as i know this will take time.

Another interesting facet of these lists for members of Book Nook Cafe, is that those of us who keep in daily or weekly or monthly contact, also recall comments made as the books were being read. For instance, i recall posts you made, Alias, about the Bruni and Mate books, including some quotes. Cool.

Deb the list wasn't too hard for me to create as I keep a book journal.
It's one or two lines for each book I read.

Date- Title- Author- rating (0-5) # that book is for the year, NF or Fiction, if it's an audio book I'll note that and narrator. At the bottom of each page I will total the NF and F books. So it's quite easy to see my stats and books for the year. A whole year maybe takes up 7 or so pages front and back.

I started the book in 1999 ! It's a hard cover journal. I'm finally coming to the end after all these years. I probably have another year to fit in. I already purchased another book to continue on. Anyone who reads a lot, I always recommend doing this. It literally only takes 2 minutes. It's a handy reference and also fun to go back and see how ones reading tastes have changed or if a certain author, genre or topic caught your fancy.

I love seeing what everyone loves (& doesn't!) each year.

Alias - I too loved The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture. And also truly disliked The School for Good Mothers, so we're on par there!

Alias Reader wrote: "Deb the list wasn't too hard for me to create as I keep a book journal.
It's one or two lines for each book I read.

Date- Title- Author- rating (0-5) # that book is for the year, NF or Fiction, i..."

I keep a journal but it's still not easy. Perhaps it's that star system which makes it easier. Yours were 5 stars for the Best & 1 or 2 stars for the worst. It was there waiting for you. Good use of the stars.

My easy-glance journal is on Microsoft Excel, so i can find the titles, genres, etc. easily, at least. The sad part is that sometimes i cannot remember anything about the book. This happens more often due to our Challenge, as they weren't books which were in any way on my radar.

Thanks for the info. I love that you have your list from 1999 and still have space for another year. Each year i realize my notes are getting more & more extensive. Thankfully, mine is a loose leaf notebook.

So far I've read 48 books this year.
Fiction = 31 / Non-Fiction 17

I'm surprised that I read more fiction this year than last. Unsurprisingly, the majority of my 5-stars and favorites are non-fiction.

I have a whopping 15 5-star reads, so I'll just share a few of my absolute favorites:


Bold and heart-warming memoir.


I love this one and will likely read it again with my kids when they're older. It's translated from Japanese and technically YA, but is a wonderful read for anyone. Sort of magical realism with mental health undertones.


I just love Abraham Verghese and will read anything he writes.


Another author I really enjoy, and this book was no exception. These topics intrigue me and I thought the author duo (father and son) did an excellent job on this one.


This was long but oh so good. Written with a wonderful mash-up of history and personal accounts, so it felt less like a straight-up history book (although it was heavy with history and facts).


This book is a beautiful exploration of mental health. I love Akwaeke Emezi 's writing and will definitely read more from her.


Likely not for everyone, but I love plants. I especially love how Robin Wall Kimmerer melds her love of science, tradition and her love of nature all into one beautiful collage.


This was so sad and so beautifully written.


Another extremely sad yet beautifully written memoir.
Apparently, I have a favorite genre !

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I didn't have any 1-stars this year, but did have some 2-stars.
Here is my "Do Not recommend" list:


I was disappointed by this one. The topic is one of my favorites to read about, but it wasn't executed well.


This one has over 4 stars and lots of reviews on GR, so I seem to be an outlier. Maybe I missed something. The story itself was good and there was a lot of potential. But it didn't read like a "thriller" so much as a depressing monologue on motherhood.


I found this too predictable and didn't love the writing. Overall story was good though.

Lindsey wrote:

Alias - I too loved The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture. And also truly disliked The School for Good Mothers, so we're on par there!
..."

:)

madrano wrote:

"I keep a journal but it's still not easy. Perhaps it's that star system which makes it easier. Yours were 5 stars for the Best & 1 or 2 stars for the worst. It was there waiting for you. Good use of the stars.

My easy-glance journal is on Microsoft Excel, so i can find the titles, genres, etc. easily, at least. The sad part is that sometimes i cannot remember anything about the book...."

Without the stars I would never recall my reaction to a book. I'm happy if I even remember reading the book.

Lindsey wrote:

"So far I've read 48 books this year.
Fiction = 31 / Non-Fiction 17


When the Body Says No The Cost of Hidden Stress by Gabor Maté
Another author I really enjoy, and this book was no exception. These topics intrigue me and I thought the author duo (father and son) did an excellent job on this one."

Well done on the number of books read.

I don't recall this Gabor Maté book. I have to check it out. Thanks !

Lindsey wrote:
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
I just love Abraham Verghese and will read anything he writes.


Even though it's a big honking book, I really should try to read this one next year. It's silly that I am resistant due to the size as I really loved his Cutting for Stone

Lindsey wrote:

"Last Boat Out of Shanghai The Epic Story of the Chinese Who Fled Mao's Revolution by Helen Zia
This was long but oh so good. Written with a wonderful mash-up of history and personal accounts, so it felt less like a straight-up history book (although it was heavy with history and facts).

This is a period in history I want to learn more about. I've been thinking of a bio of Mao. But I think Last Boat out of Shanghai would be better.

Even though it's a big book, I'm going to write it in my TBR notebook. I think I may have written the title in there when you mentioned it during the year. I'll check.

Lindsey wrote: "So far I've read 48 books this year.
Fiction = 31 / Non-Fiction 17

I'm surprised that I read more fiction this year than last. Unsurprisingly, the majority of my 5-stars and favorites are non-fic..."

Lindsey, it seems you had a well-rounded year with many winners. Lucky you. You've given me a couple of titles i'd like to try, including the Mizuki Tsujimura YA and the Moss book, from Kimmerer. Thank you for sharing your favs and not-so much titles.

And congratulations on reading so many books while raising young 'uns!

Alias Reader wrote: "Lindsey wrote:

"Last Boat Out of Shanghai The Epic Story of the Chinese Who Fled Mao's Revolution by Helen Zia
This was long but oh so good. Written with a wonderful mash-up of history and person..."

The author did a great job of making the history digestible, I thought. Had I read the actual book (I listened on audio), I think I could have followed even better. But as it was, I learned so much and got a general timeline for that period in Shanghai. I liked how she connected it to Taiwan, the US, Japan, etc. so it was a very well-rounded account.

madrano wrote: "Lindsey wrote: "So far I've read 48 books this year.
Fiction = 31 / Non-Fiction 17

I'm surprised that I read more fiction this year than last. Unsurprisingly, the majority of my 5-stars and favor..."

Thanks Deb! I will admit, many of those titles are audiobooks, "read" while doing dishes or driving to/from work. Otherwise that "books read" number would be much lower. I'm very fortunate for audio versions.

Lindsey wrote: "The author did a great job of making the history digestible, I thought. Had I read the actual book (I listened on audio), I think I could have followed even better. But as it was, I learned so much and got a general timeline for that period in Shanghai. I liked how she connected it to Taiwan, the US, Japan, etc. so it was a very well-rounded account.

I appreciate the follow-up comments. It absolutely is one that interests me. Thank you also for the audio tip.

I find audio is only good for me in certain circumstances. One, is if the book is just entertainment fiction. Second, if I plan to follow along with the text. Lastly, memoirs are usually easy for me to follow along and not something I generally wish to take notes on.

Lindsey wrote: "I will admit, many of those titles are audiobooks, "read" while doing dishes or driving to/from work. Otherwise that "books read" number would be much lower. I'm very fortunate for audio versions..."

I used to make a note whether i read a book in print or audio. The reason i no longer do so is because i seldom enjoy the audio. My mind appears not to work in a way that is conducive to audios. To be honest, i haven't tried that much, either. When i exercise, i prefer to be listening to music, as i'm not one to listen to that much, either.

Yup, i'm one of those. Good thing i can still read. Meanwhile, i really think i could benefit by getting the hang of audios before i get too old. I suspect my Mother-in-Law would have benefited greatly from audio books (& music) but her memory now is such she tends to only remember the older things she knew, not newfangled. So, i don't want to be in that state. :-)

Rambling...

madrano wrote: "Lindsey wrote: "I will admit, many of those titles are audiobooks, "read" while doing dishes or driving to/from work. Otherwise that "books read" number would be much lower. I'm very fortunate for ..."

I tend to agree with you, and would much prefer to read an actual book. I connect better with the characters and gain more overall.

Unfortunately, I think it's going to be my reality until my kids are a bit older. I just counted out of curiosity - I've only *read 15 actual books this year (out of 48!). So I'd definitely be getting less "reading" done without audio available.

That hadn't occurred to me, your comments about your MIL. My MIL doesn't read much, as it makes her eyes too tired. Perhaps we can find a way to get audio working for her.

Lindsey wrote: "That hadn't occurred to me, your comments about your MIL. My MIL doesn't read much, as it makes her eyes too tired. Perhaps we can find a way to get audio working for her.."

I've had days like that, too, Lindsey. I've blamed the computer & tv but, truth is, the reading is what suffers when my eyes are tired. I suspect it's not too early to introduce audio books to her.

I use my library's books. There is a learning curve, as the systems seem to change over the years. What i learn now may be altered later but at least i'll know what i like. Good luck.

I have one more to finish this year, but I don't know if it'll make it into my favorites of the year. It was a decent year rating wise.

These were the best reads for me this year:


by
Sara Goodman Confino
5 Stars

I was a good 95% done with the book and had given it a solid 4 stars. Then I got to the last chapter and OH MY GOODNESS! So, the one twist I sort of felt throughout the book, but the bomb that was dropped at the very end was TOTALLY unexpected. The end was so emotional compared to the rest of the book. The author really left the outcome of the major twist up to your imagination, though. I was a little distraught at not knowing 100% of the truth about the ending, but that last twist is what bumped it up to a 5 star rating for me.
~~~~~~~~~~

by
Laurie Notaro
5 Stars

In the latest book from Laurie Notaro, she gives a hilarious insight to being a middle aged woman. Each chapter is a different topic and I swear I could relate to almost all of them. This book had me laughing so much! I've loved most of her other books as well, but this one was just so relatable since I'm 48.
~~~~~~~~~~

by
Fiona Davis
5 Stars

I loved this book. It was so interesting to read about women's lives in the 1950's. I love NYC, where this book is set, so that was lots of fun to read about that time in the city. The story is told between the past and present, between Rose in 2016 and Darby in 1952.

**************************
Worst reads that I managed to actually finished were:


by
Natalie D. Richards
3 Stars

This was a YA novel, but I guess with a title like Gone Too Far I was expecting a bit more from it. It was a fast read, but didn't really pull me in like I was hoping. It was good enough to keep me reading, but I'm not sure if I'll try anything else by this author.
~~~~~~~~~~

by
Jack Steen
3 Stars

So, this book really intrigued me, especially since I read it close to Halloween. I love horror movies and thought this would be a good read. Also, having a psych degree, things like asylums interest me.
Turned out it was just 'ok'. It wasn't nearly as gruesome as the synopsis made it sound. It was horribly written, too. The editor did a really bad job, as well. Grammar mistakes, punctuation mistakes....
I knew about half way through the 2nd story that I wouldn't be continuing the series.
****************************
A few that I didn't finish were:

~*Kim*~ wrote: "I have one more to finish this year, but I don't know if it'll make it into my favorites of the year. It was a decent year rating wise."

Don’t Forget to Write sounds intriguing. I'll have to check that out further.

Thanks for sharing your best/worst with us, Kim !

Kim, thanks for sharing favorites from this year. Your selections look good. My last novel was set in the early 1950s, in New York City, as well. It's a neat time & place to read about in fiction.

The best I've read in 2023 is, by far, The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker.

It is a horror novella exploring the unbound pursuit of pleasure and the horrors that can be unleashed in the process.

A Masterpiece.

www.goodreads.com/book/show/52635.The...

I really did not have any stinkers but I read some great books including-

Alistair wrote: "The best I've read in 2023 is, by far, The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker.

It is a horror novella exploring the unbound pursuit of pleasure and the horrors that can be unleashed in the process...."


Thanks for sharing, Alistair !

The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker

I've heard of the author but have not read anything by him.

Julie wrote: "I really did not have any stinkers but I read some great books including-
."

From you list, Julie, I can second your opinion on Becoming It was excellent.
I read the book, but I think at some point I might like to listen
to the audio as it is read by Mrs. Obama.

The worst book I read in 2023 was, by far, Verity by Colleen Hoover. To me, it was just trash, despite the fact that she has a huge following. The best was Goat Mountain by David Vann, but it is very dark. Vann is an excellent writer, but he does love the dark side of life. I do, too, if it is well-written.

Edit: Verity was not only my worst book of 2023, it's the worst book I've ever read in my life.

Kiki (Formerly TheGirlByTheSeaOfCortez) wrote: "The worst book I read in 2023 was, by far, Verity by Colleen Hoover. To me, it was just trash, despite the fact that she has a huge following. The best was [book:Go..."

I tried a handful of pages of Verity since Collen Hoover seemed everywhere. Nope, I thought it was horrid.

Though she was on the NY Times bestseller list with numerous books this year. Just not my cuppa tea.

Alistair wrote: "The best I've read in 2023 is, by far, The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker.

It is a horror novella exploring the unbound pursuit of pleasure and the horrors that can be unleashed in the process...."

Ah, so this is where the "Hellraiser" series began. Thanks for mentioning this one, Alistair. I see it's considered one of the horror classics. I'm glad you shared with us.

"Julie wrote: "I really did not have any stinkers but I read some great books including-
."..."

Good list, Julie. I liked both Becoming and Gal Sleuth. I thought the latter gave a fine outline of how series and syndicates worked. It was an education. Also, i had no idea how many series there were back in those early days.

Thanks for sharing some of your top 2023 titles of the year.

Kiki (Formerly TheGirlByTheSeaOfCortez) wrote: "The worst book I read in 2023 was, by far, Verity by Colleen Hoover. To me, it was just trash, despite the fact that she has a huge following. The best was [book:Go..."

I keep hearing many readers mention Hoover's works with disdain but she continues to make the Top Seller lists with several different books. Oh my.

I'm in the middle of three fairly long books and it is unlikely I'll finish any of them before the ball drops tomorrow, so I think it is safe to put up a few of my favorite reads in the past year. Only one of these was published in 2023, so I'm hoping for more from '24!

Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett
This was the first book I finished in 2023 and my review of it read in part: "It was so much fun to get to know the inhabitants of Everton, NH -- the Starling family, the 5th grade class, the former residents, those lost and those looking, and all of the animals past, present, real, and imagined . . . ". This book was a pleasure to read in every way.

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
A short but powerfully moving story of a coal merchant in 1980's Ireland who (from my review) ". . . makes a discovery that upends his heart and forces him to reflect upon his own past -- and face his own moral crisis."

North Woods by Daniel Mason
A piece of land, an apple orchard, a house, and those who live, love, and die there, over the course of two centuries. Simply a marvelous and marvelously constructed story.

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
An elderly couple in post-Arthurian Britain set out to visit their son, but they are having trouble remembering where he lives or many other details about him; in fact, they and seemingly everyone around them are having some difficulty remembering much of any thing from the past. The couple are joined on their journey by a foreign warrior, his page, and an ancient knight, and over time, shared and troubling memories begin to emerge. It is a fable, after a fashion, and will not be to everyone's taste, but I loved it.

Great selection - Thanks for sharing those, James!

I've been wanting to read another by Kazuo Ishiguro. I read Klara and the Sun this year and liked it but didn't love it. I enjoyed Ishiguro's style of writing.

I finished this last night and OMG, it definitely goes on my best of 2023 list. I flew through it, staying up late 2 nights in a row to keep reading. It really left me wanting more. It's the 2nd book I've read by this author and I've really liked both of them.


Rock Paper Scissors
by
Alice Feeney

James wrote: "I'm in the middle of three fairly long books and it is unlikely I'll finish any of them before the ball drops tomorrow, so I think it is safe to put up a few of my favorite reads in the past year. ..."

Keegan's talent has drawn my attention this year with Foster, so i will definitely check out Small Things, James. I've read a number of novels by Ishiguro, with mixed feelings on some. Giant intrigues me with the memory/war angle. Thank you for sharing your list with us.

~*Kim*~ wrote: "I finished this last night and OMG, it definitely goes on my best of 2023 list. I flew through it, staying up late 2 nights in a row to keep reading. It really left me wanting more. It's the 2nd bo..."

It's pure joy to find an author whose work keeps you reading. I'm happy for you, Kim. Enjoy!

madrano wrote: "Kiki (Formerly TheGirlByTheSeaOfCortez) wrote: "The worst book I read in 2023 was, by far, Verity by Colleen Hoover. To me, it was just trash, despite the fact that..."

She writes trashy genre romances, filled with profanity and sex that might appeal to some. Not to me. I've never been a fan or romances, but it's a huge-selling genre.

Alias Reader wrote: "Kiki (Formerly TheGirlByTheSeaOfCortez) wrote: "The worst book I read in 2023 was, by far, Verity by Colleen Hoover. To me, it was just trash, despite the fact that..."

I finished it because I'd purchased the ebook, but my, how I hated it. Never again will I read a book by that author.

madrano wrote: " . . . Keegan's talent has drawn my attention this year with Foster, so i will definitely check out Small Things . . . "

Well, I have to thank you, madrano, for pointing me to Keegan! Your review of Foster led me to that and the rest of her work -- exactly what one hopes will happen in a community forum like this.

James wrote: "Well, I have to thank you, madrano, for pointing me to Keegan! Your review of Foster led me to that and the rest of her work -- exactly what one hopes will happen in a community forum like this..."

Perfectly put, James. And it is my pleasure that i contributed to you reading enjoyment.

James wrote: "I'm in the middle of three fairly long books and it is unlikely I'll finish any of them before the ball drops tomorrow, so I think it is safe to put up a few of my favorite reads in the past year. ..."

Thanks for sharing, James. I liked that the books you enjoyed most are not the titles that are heard everywhere.

~*Kim*~ wrote: "I finished this last night and OMG, it definitely goes on my best of 2023 list. I flew through it, staying up late 2 nights in a row to keep reading. It really left me wanting more. It's the 2nd bo..."

That sounds like an interesting thriller, Kim. I don't think I've read or heard of a book that has face blindness as a topic. I've heard of people afflicted with this.

It's difficult for me to come up with best & worst books this year because there were few books which awed me (unlike last year), which is what i want from a "best". What i will offer first, however, is this--

BIGGEST & BEST SURPRISE AUTHOR
Vendela Vida, first read for Prompt (#8 Second Person novel). (The Diver's Clothes Lie Empty) While not liking the second person angle, i liked Vida's writing & observations, so i read another--Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name. Set in far northern reaches of our planet, the story was as intriguing as the setting. I will be reading more by her! This makes her my Biggest Surprise of '23, book-wise.

The following nonfiction was informative and well presented, so near "BEST".

The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate: Discoveries from a Secret World- Peter Wohlleben, incidentally, the first book i read this year. Wohlleben is a German forester, which meant he included facts from more countries than other tree books i've read.

The Pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West--David McCullough. Well-written & researched, it's what i came to expect from him.

Empress of the Nile: The Daredevil Archaeologist Who Saved Egypt's Ancient Temples from Destruction--Lynne Olson. A well written biography of a 20th century French archeologist whose work helped save some valuable pieces.

At America's Gates: Chinese Immigration during the Exclusion Era, 1882-1943--Erika  Lee. A good look at the immigration policies which were first instituted in the US and how most are still in effect, one way or the other. Also included are the stories of how Asian immigrants eluded those policies via Canadian & Mexican border crossings, etc.

Freedom Farmers: Agricultural Resistance and the Black Freedom Movement--Monica M. White. This book informed readers about the way the Civil Rights Movement of the mid-20th century fostered the community gardens, businesses and similar enterprises for various US communities. It also helped encourage the whole food movement.

The following fiction was entertaining and rewarding this year:

Foster--Claire Keegan. Her prose is clear and the evocative descriptions moved me. I'm a new fan. In this one, a child is taken to the home of an older couple, where she lives for awhile.

Demon Copperhead--Barbara Kingsolver. This was probably too long but she echoed some of the best of Charles Dickens characterizations and warmth, despite a cruel world. Whoda Thunk David Copperfield in West Virginia?

The Chosen--Chaim Potok. While an older novel (1966), it well expressed and uncovered depths of feelings in a teenage boy, living in Brooklyn with his family.

My Brilliant Career--Miles Franklin. Even older than the last (1901), this autobiographical novel is set in the late 19th century Australian wild country. The heroine is coming of age & given opportunities to life a better life for awhile, with hopes of introductions to a more organized society than her family can give her. Judy Davis starred in the filmed version of this good book.

Where'd You Go, Bernadette--Maria Semple. A decade after it was published, i found this one fit me like a glove. I liked the characters, the love and the eccentricities of the protagonist, whose occupation as an architect has paused. Cate Blanchett starred in this filmed version. I can imagine reading this book again, so pleased was i with events and the ending.

Time Shelter--Georgi Gospodinov. This year's Booker International Prize winner. The narrator/ author, opens up a clinic of the past together with a man called Gaustine. The clinic's goal is to transport Alzheimer patients to the periods they felt safe and to make them remember their past, which works. Other people like the idea and this becomes a sort of political movement in other nations, some hearkening back to the Nazi era. Interesting idea, which tickled my imagination, not to say screamed of "Make America Great Again" ideas and other rightist movements in other nations. At last, a Prize Winner i liked.


WORST
Cuisine Chinoise: Five Tales of Food and Life--Zao Dao. This art in this graphic novel was good, particularly those featuring brown and reds. The stories rang few bells with me and i mostly didn't get it. Clearly not the audience for this one. Others might really like it, i hasten to add.

The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous ObsessionArt Thief--Michael Finkel. While this book is on many "Best" lists this year, i've learned in conversations that it failed others, as well as myself. The topic--about a young European couple who stole from small museums and homes opened to the public--is intriguing but the author failed to tell the compelling story the readers i know expected. Even in explaining why they stole and kept the art seemed more like a boring newspaper story than book-worthy. Still, it is about art thievery, which fascinates. It wasn't just a disappointment but also ended up being a bad reading experience for me.

The Fallen--Michael Wood . Given this was a short prequel, it's possible that i just didn't know enough about the series to care. But ultimately, it was so uninteresting, i wonder that folks like the series.

The Mexican Witch Lifestyle: Brujeria Spells, Tarot, and Crystal Magic--Valeria Ruelas
I read this for our prompt for a book about which i knew nothing beforehand. Mexican Witches filled that bill. To be fair, it was pretty decent in explaining parts of why it is a popular belief and has a following. However, far, far too much of it was about how to perform the routines and a workbook describing the herbs, minerals and such used in the rites. It was fairly well organized and probably would have suited a follower, just not someone new to it all.

madrano wrote:

While not liking the second person angle, i liked Vida's writing & observations, so i read another--Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name. Set in far northern reaches..."

Love that title !

madrano wrote:

Where'd You Go, Bernadette--Maria Semple. A decade after it was published, i found this one fit me like a glove. I liked the characters, the love and the eccentricities of the protagonist, whose occupation as an architect has paused. Cate Blanchett starred in this filmed version. I can imagine reading this book again, so pleased was i with events and the ending."

Loved that book !

madrano wrote: "It's difficult for me to come up with best & worst books this year because there were few books which awed me (unlike last year), which is what i want from a "best". What i will offer first, howeve..."


Demon Copperhead--Barbara Kingsolver.
I agree good writing as usual. Good story on an important topic. It was just way too long.

The Chosen ``Chaim Potok. I enjoyed this one too. A 4/5 star read for me.

I enjoyed reading your Best/worst list, deb. Thank you for the recap !

Alias, i returned to this thread to make certain i shared it here. Then, i saw your comments, which didn't show up in my "Unread" batch. This happened yesterday, only with your replies, in another thread. I wonder what's up?

ANYway, i recalled how you loved the Semple novel, which led me to go for it. I am so very glad i did. The character just called to me. I watched the film, too, and didn't want it to end.

I am grateful so many of us shared our best/worst lists, even if we were not pleased with doing so. In the sense i expressed it, that is. I'm still changing my mind on some of my original selections, which is why i didn't post about them.

RE: Where'd You Go, Bernadette

madrano wrote: "Alias, i returned to this thread to make certain i shared it here. Then, i saw your comments, which didn't show up in my "Unread" batch. This happened yesterday, only with your replies, in another ..."

I've not seen the movie, deb. I should check it out. Maybe at some point I'll just re-read the book as I enjoyed it so much.

I didn't like one Today Will Be Different as much.

I remember that you didn't like the subsequent book from her that you read. Pity, as i would welcome something very similar. Including Antarctica, of course. :-)

madrano wrote: "I remember that you didn't like the subsequent book from her that you read. Pity, as i would welcome something very similar. Including Antarctica, of course. :-)"

I read it back in 2016. I see I gave it a 2+ rating. I am guessing it suffered from comparison to her other book. Maybe my expectation were too high.

Perhaps if i read it today I would enjoy it.