2025 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden.

Pages: 325 pages

Length: 1 month (November)

Participants: M, Anshika, TerryJane

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

I've got to pick this up from my library by the 1st so I'm gonna try to snag it soon and jump right in.
I've never read this author before but I have The Bear and the Nightingale on my shelf too that's been staring at me for well over a year.
Looking forward to seeing if this author is one for me :)

M, I read her Winternight Trilogy and gave each of them 4 stars. It's been awhile, but as I recall, they were very atmospheric. I'm hoping this one is just as good. I enjoy both WWII fiction and paranormal, but I can't recall that particular genre crossover in anything else I've read. Looking forward to it!

Well I started this one today and am about 21 chapters in (has short chapters) and I'm overall interested/mildly entertained.
On first impressions, I couldn't stand the writing, haha. These choppy sentences drive me nuts!
The benefit of this writing style however means I'm moving through it pretty quick even if I'm not fully immersed.
(view spoiler)[Having just read chapter 20 I think things are about to heat up with this unsettling character on scene now. Winter instantly knew it was not a good idea to go with him and this makes me far more curious to see how things progress from their point of view versus the ladies. (hide spoiler)]
I still don't love the writing style but I'm invested enough to not really care anymore :)

Happy reading!

Ya know....being in the states, I completely forgot I was reading books this week, lol.
I think I'm about half way so I'll likely finish this weekend :)

I have to laugh and shake my head at this being nominated in the Goodreads Choice Awards.
I think I need to start putting back the popular titles because they never quite do it for me!
(view spoiler)[Overall this story fell pretty flat for me. I liked the characters enough but there was no real substance to them, and everything felt so damn predictable. The love between Freddie and Winter felt incredibly forced, Laura's was convenient and the ending made my eyes roll. (hide spoiler)]
I'd still consider picking up The Bear and the Nightingale but I wont be afraid to DNF it if it starts to falter.

M wrote: "I have to laugh and shake my head at this being nominated in the Goodreads Choice Awards."

I got bogged down in the very long and painful A Little Life and am just starting on the rest of my November reads, and focusing on lighter books at the moment.

I understand that completely TerryJane.
I read nothing but short and low stakes books after the heaviness that was A Little Life.
Happy reading to you even if you don't get to this one! :)

M, I started this one last night and am 20% into it on audio. So far, I really like the premise and the characters. (view spoiler)[Freddie and Hans have escaped their premature pillbox burial; and Laura, Mary, and Pim have just set out to cross the Atlantic. (hide spoiler)] *rubbing hands together in anticipation*

I hope you enjoy it all the way through TerryJane! :)

I finished late last night, and I did enjoy it over all. If I weren't comparing it to her Winternight Trilogy, it would have fared better, but I'm leaning toward 3.5 stars. However, I really appreciate the hope we were left with in the end after the pain and darkness, so I will round up to 4 stars.