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 2024, only read by you in 2024.

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

So far this year I've read 66 books
34 non fiction
32 fiction

These are my top rated books. ⭐👍

The Blue Zones Secrets for Living Longer: Lessons From the Healthiest Places on Earth-Dan Buettner Non Fiction
I've read a few of Buettner's books and I think this is his best.

Looking for Alaska by John Green
Fiction YA
The book is wonderfully narrated by Wil Wheaton. It's dismaying to see that this novel frequent lands on the list of banned book/challenge books. Yes, the novel deals with difficult topics but isn't that why we read, in part, to learn one is not alone in dealing with the difficult questions and challenges life will throw at everyone?

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking-Susan Cain
non fiction
I think as I get older I crave peace and quiet and being alone. I found the book thought provoking.

What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World's Most Enigmatic Birds by Jennifer Ackerman
non fiction
An excellent and informative book.

Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King
Fiction
I really enjoyed this one. I think because it wasn't supernatural. It's quite the page turner.

The Bomber Mafia: A Dream, a Temptation, and the Longest Night of the Second World War-Malcolm Gladwell
non fiction
This is a compelling story of the US Bombardiers of World War II. I learned a lot.

Finders Keepers by Stephen King
Fiction
Book #2 in the trilogy. Loved it !

The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution's Original Meaning by A.J. Jacobs
non fiction
I love all of A.J. Jacobs' books.

The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War by Erik Larson
non fiction
An excellent informative read. It makes me want to read more about the Civil War.

📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚

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

Austerlitz by W.G. Sebald
DNF- I decided not to continue reading this one as it didn't have paragraphs. I just can't deal anymore with authors who eschew normal rules of punctuation.

1 ⭐The Thursday Murder Club-Richard Osman
Fiction
I am in the minority on this book. Way too many characters and silly plot. The story jumped around a lot. The book is advertised as funny but I didn't think it was. In fact, parts are down right sad.

⭐⭐I did have quite a few 2 stars, (didn't meet my expectations, I'll just share a few of the ones that disappointed me most.

Station Eleven-Emily St. John Mandel
fiction
Again I found myself in the minority on the wildly popular book.
I found the pace dragged and not a lot happens. I was bored.

Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune
Fiction
Yup. Another popular book that just didn't work for me.
I'm not a big fan of the fantasy genre. That said, for me the fatal flaw was it was just boring.

Believe Me: A Memoir of Love, Death, and Jazz Chickens by Eddie Izzard
memoir
I normally find him quite funny. I found most of the stories pedestrian.

The Women-Kristin Hannah
Fiction
Another very popular author that is just not for me. I was disappointed in The Nightingale and now this one . The first half was good. Sort of like MASH without the humor. Unfortunately, the second half of the novel devolves into a silly romance.

Thanks for sharing Alias!

I have several of your favorites already on my TBR. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking is one I've been meaning to move higher up my TBR, so I'm glad for the reminder.
You have some wonderful non-fiction on that list.

I didn't love Station Eleven either, for the same reasons.

My Book Challenge says I've read 54. but I've actually read more like 70 because I don't list them till I review them.

The best have been:

Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel (The best written, too)

The Mirror & the Light by Hilary Mantel

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell (But I didn't like the sugary ending, didn't fit with the rest of the book, which was gorgeous)

Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels (Her best, despite Held: A Novel being on this year's Booker shortlist)

The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng (My favorite of his)

The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng

The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng

Clear by Carys Davies (Loved the remote Scottish island setting)

Fire Exit by Morgan Talty

The Lie by Helen Dunmore (My favorite; a theme in my own writing is the trauma of war)

There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak

The Map of Love by Ahdaf Soueif

The worst were:

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton (A huge letdown)

Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner (Can't remember anything about it other than I hated it)

The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo (Possibly the worst book ever)

One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware (I've liked two of her books, not this one)

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden (Despite making the Booker shortlist, it read like a sex-obsessed middle schooler wrote it to me)

So far I've read 78 books
*only 14 of which were non-fiction, which is a huge shift for me! I've attempted to read more diversity this year (fantasy, thrillers, sci-fi) and clearly succeeded. I can't say I won't revert back next year... :)

Here are my Highs and Lows of 2024:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐5 Star Reads
Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi
Historical Fiction about a young girl whose entire family is assassinated during a coup in Kabul in 1978, then follows her into adulthood as she immigrates to the US. I love Hashimi's writing style and her blend of fiction with real events. She brings her characters to life in a way that few authors do, in my opinion.

A Living Remedy: A Memoir by Nicole Chung
I love a good memoir and really enjoyed Chung's voice in this one. I thought she articulated the pull she felt between worlds so well. Her love for her parents yet her despair at not being recognized wholly was sort of the vein throughout, but it felt raw and vulnerable, traits I enjoy in a memoir.

The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak
I enjoyed this book so much I read 2 others by the same author. This one remained my favorite, but I will likely read more by Shafak.
This one is Historical Fiction and takes place in Greece, Turkey and the UK. The most endearing part of this book is that an old Fig Tree is one of the "main" characters and narrates half of the chapters. A clever trick which allows Shafak to tell 2 decades-apart stories at once through the eyes of the old tree. Bizarrely (or maybe not?) the Fig was my favorite character.

How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue
This might be my favorite of the entire year. It's a heart wrenching story that is fiction, but based in truth, about the greed of both the US oil companies and the local African community/political leaders (*I say African because this novel is based in a fictional city and the country is not named, but there are several that it could be). Children are dying and no one will admit that the water is the culprit - the water poisoned by the oil companies, who bought the towns and fill the pockets of greedy city leaders. There's no happy ending to this one, but it leaves a lot to think about.


Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
The curveball of the year. I was given a copy of this by my mother and wouldn't have read it otherwise. It's sort of recent American history meets science fiction meets literary fiction meets ancient historical fiction. It's bizarre but written so well, and I missed the characters when it was all over - always the sign of a wonderful book in my opinion.


Ok - Now for the ⭐ 1 stars:

Pelican Girls
The only book I DNF'd this year, and the biggest disappointment. I was SO excited for this story - a historical fiction novel set in the early 1700s about women who are pulled from a Paris asylum to be sent across the ocean to Louisiana - to become brides for the male settlers there.
It had so much promise, but the writing was just so bad. And by 1/4 of the way through, the story wasn't looking any better.


⭐⭐ These are technically 2 stars:
Madame Restell: The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Old New York's Most Fabulous, Fearless, and Infamous Abortionist
Another disappointing one that I was so excited about but fell really flat. The story was intriguing - historical and non-fiction, about the infamous abortionist "Madame Restelle." It toggled between boring and too dramatic, and it felt as if the author was taking liberties where she shouldn't (guessing at what someone might have felt or how they would have reacted).

The Wishing Game
I liked the idea of this one - Lucy is a young teacher who's taken Christopher, an orphan, under her wing. Her favorite childhood author holds a contest on Clock Island and she secures one of the coveted spots in a game of wit and book knowledge.
The problem is that quite a bit of the book is just cringey and uncomfortable. Lucy's relationship with Christopher crosses some boundaries, as well as Lucy's relationship with the famous author and his assistant... I think that's the "romance genre" infusion, but it felt... off.

Bella - I have There Are Rivers in the Sky on my TBR, glad to see you enjoyed it.

I've also added a few others after going through your favorites.
Thanks for sharing!

Bella (Kiki) wrote: "My Book Challenge says I've read 54. but I've actually read more like 70 because I don't list them till I review them.

The best have been:

Bring Up the Bodies by [author:Hilary Ma..."

Thank you for sharing your list, Bella.

I read The Housemaid last year. It was a one star book for me also.

Lindsey wrote: "So far I've read 78 books
*only 14 of which were non-fiction, which is a huge shift for me! I've attempted to read more diversity this year (fantasy, thrillers, sci-fi) and clearly succeeded. I can..."

Lindsey, I enjoyed reading your reviews very much. Thanks for sharing with the group !

Lindsey wrote: "So far I've read 78 books
*only 14 of which were non-fiction, which is a huge shift for me! I've attempted to read more diversity this year (fantasy, thrillers, sci-fi) and clearly succeeded. I can..."

I just put The Island of Missing Trees on my list. Thanks so much. Thanks for the on concise reviews.

Bella (Kiki) wrote: "My Book Challenge says I've read 54. but I've actually read more like 70 because I don't list them till I review them.

The best have been:

Bring Up the Bodies by [author:Hilary Ma..."

Bella, this is quite an impressive list. I agree with you on the books that I have also read that you listed.

I couldn't get into the popular Thursday Murder Club, DNF for me.

John wrote: "I couldn't get into the popular Thursday Murder Club, DNF for me."

I'm glad to hear I'm not alone in my assessment, John. Sometimes I wonder what the heck is wrong with me ! LOL.

Lindsey wrote: "Bella - I have There Are Rivers in the Sky on my TBR, glad to see you enjoyed it.

I've also added a few others after going through your favorites.
Thanks for sharing!"

I think you'll like There Are Rivers in the Sky, Lindsey.

Rachel wrote: "Bella (Kiki) wrote: "My Book Challenge says I've read 54. but I've actually read more like 70 because I don't list them till I review them.

The best have been:

Bring Up the Bodies..."

Thank you for letting us know, Rachel. :-) I had a good reading year, I think.

Alias Reader wrote: "Bella (Kiki) wrote: "My Book Challenge says I've read 54. but I've actually read more like 70 because I don't list them till I review them.

The best have been:

Bring Up the Bodies..."

I actually DNF it was so bad. LOL Never will read McFadden again. Or Colleen Hoover, but both of them are always on the bestseller lists. The ladies have found a winning formula for some. Not me!

Lindsey wrote: "So far I've read 78 books
*only 14 of which were non-fiction, which is a huge shift for me! I've attempted to read more diversity this year (fantasy, thrillers, sci-fi) and clearly succeeded. I can..."

Thank you for describing yours, Lindsey. I put The Island of Missing Trees on my TBR list. You make it sound so good, and I do like the author.

Alias Reader wrote: "


So far this year I've read 66 books
34 non fiction
32 fiction

These are my top rated books. ⭐👍

[book:The Blue Zones Secrets for Living Longer: Lessons From the Healthiest Places on Earth|62315..."

I am an extreme introvert, so your book on that subject intrigues me, Alias. I could be a hermit and live in a cabin in the woods and be happy. I cherish my alone time, even though I love my family so much. In my large family, I am the most introverted. Pete is introverted, too. I think our oldest two children will be, but our youngest, Stella is a ball of fire. Very independent, too.

John wrote: "I couldn't get into the popular Thursday Murder Club, DNF for me."

I was going to read that one, John. I don't think I'll waste my time now because my TBR list is so long and it just keeps growing.

Alias Reader wrote: "


So far this year I've read 66 books
34 non fiction
32 fiction

These are my top rated books. ⭐

I see The Women everywhere, but it's never appealed to me. Good to know I'm not missing a great book.

I read 95 books and Will be at 100 by the end of the year, a first. Best:Why We Love Baseball: A History in 50 Moments A book full of far more than 50 great memories and trivia for hardcore baseball fans
Little Women never ceases to be one of my favorite classics
There There the way he chose to write each character in a different voice and he way the stories ultimately overlap made the writing brilliant
The Beekeeper of Aleppobeautifully written story about the Syrian immigrant experience in England and dealing with trauma

I re-read two favorites that get high marks: the Remains of the Day and All the Light We Cannot See
I had many 4 star books as well
The worst book I read was The Echo of Old Books. Disliked the characters, predictable story. Author dropped the “Echoes” of the title which was the most interesting part of the story. And I cannot forgive the author for having her main character find an old copy of The Remains of the Day among some used books…..in 1984. Remains was written in 1989. The MC didn’t have internet, but the author does

Denise wrote: "I read 95 books and Will be at 100 by the end of the year, a first. Best:Why We Love Baseball: A History in 50 Moments A book full of far more than 50 great memories and trivia for ..."

I've had The Beekeeper of Aleppo on my TBR list for years. I should move it up.

Ones I can recommend …


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


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


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


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


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


Reviews of disappointments …
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


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


https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...


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


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

Denise wrote: "The worst book I read was The Echo of Old Books. Disliked the characters, predictable story. Author dropped the “Echoes” of the title which was the most interesting part of the story. And I cannot forgive the author for having her main character find an old copy of The Remains of the Day among some used books…..in 1984. Remains was written in 1989. The MC didn’t have internet, but the author does
.."

That is something that takes 1 minute to research. How that got past the author or editor is bizarre.

* When you hit reply, it copies the first few lines of a post.

If those few lines don't mention the book or the topic you are referring to, please include that at the beginning of your post. This way there is no confusion. Thanks !

RE: Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient Roman WorldEmperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient Roman World by Mary Beard

John, if someone has little to zero knowledge on the topic, (me ! )
would this book be okay to start with?

I did purchase a few books by Nick Holmes this year on this topic. They were having a sale if you purchased all three.

The Fall of Rome: End of a Superpower

The Roman Revolution: Crisis and Christianity in Ancient Rome

Rome and Attila: Rome's Greatest Enemy

Outlandish: Walking Europe’s Unlikely Landscapes by Nick Hunt

John, I have a friend that loves travel/walking hiking books. I'll pass this title on to her. Thanks !

John, even though your 2 or 3 stars disappointed, it didn't seem like they were a total disappointment. You also had zero one stars.

Sounds like you had a pretty good reading year !

Alias Reader wrote: "RE: Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient Roman WorldEmperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient Roman World by Mary Beard

John, if someone has little to zero knowledge on th..."

Mary Beard is very approachable. You'd be the target audience for her work.

John wrote:
Mary Beard is very approachable. You'd be the target audience for her work."

Thank you !

Alias Reader wrote: "Denise wrote: "The worst book I read was The Echo of Old Books. Disliked the characters, predictable story. Author dropped the “Echoes” of the title which was the most interesting part of the story..."

I know why she did it. There is a small part of the story where some characters are German sympathizers in the way Lord Darlington does in Remains and she wanted to draw a parallel. But she also needed the book to take place pre- internet to make it harder for the MC to conduct a search that was essential to what little plot there was. Still inexcusable

John wrote: "Ones I can recommend …


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


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


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


https://www.goodrea..."

I’ve added the restaurant one to my TBR. I love this type of micro history

Thank you to everyone for sharing their lists. I'm flooded with busy-ness right now, but am reading them. How neat to see most folks jumped right on this. Thank you, each & every one!

Alias Reader wrote: "


So far this year I've read 66 books
34 non fiction
32 fiction

These are my top rated books..."

Thanks for sharing these, Alias. Given the number of novels in you "worst" category, i am reminded that i'm often bemused by the fact you read as much fiction as you do. I'm probably noting this because i'm analyzing (what an idea!) my own list, to see why i had a poor reading year. I've almost given up, but usually find a couple which please me, just as you have done. Also, before i leave the Fiction Best, i have found it interesting that ALL my YA selections this year are better than all but one contemporary adult novel i've read.

From your list, both good & not, i also had Looking for Alaska, my choice last year for YA, i think. Also Station 11 was one i fully enjoyed. Although, oddly, the tv miniseries failed me in some ways but led me to try to reread it. I failed. It just didn't grab me this time around.

Dan loved The Women but, to be fair, he doesn't read much fiction, other than mysteries. Also, he usually likes books about Vietnam because he learns more about the conflict.

You've had a good year of reading, but i already had that sense, given your reviews shared over the last 12 months. Thanks for sharing.

Bella (Kiki) wrote: "My Book Challenge says I've read 54. but I've actually read more like 70 because I don't list them till I review them.

The best have been:..."

Thanks for sharing, Bella. I remember your comments on many of these, thanks to the fact your share thoughts on them throughout the year. It's neat to see what rises to the top.

I haven't read any of them but am glad you wrote & shared about them here. Thank you.

Lindsey wrote: "So far I've read 78 books
*only 14 of which were non-fiction, which is a huge shift for me! I've attempted to read more diversity this year (fantasy, thrillers, sci-fi) and clearly succeeded. I can..."

Have you given any thought to how you like the fact you read less NF this year? It's one thing i've been considering, which is why i ask. Diversity has been the key, thanks to the Challenge, so, while few have made my Best, i am glad i read them.

Lindsey wrote: "The curveball of the year. I was given a copy of this by my mother and wouldn't have read it otherwise...."

I smiled at this one, as that's how i got familiar with the writing of Chris Bohjalian. My sister, a nonreader, randomly gave me Skeletons at the Feast as a gift for taking care of her son. Loved it. "Curveball", as you put it, is a perfect word for it.

I will repeat what i wrote for others here, i remember some of the books which hit your Best list, thanks to the reviews you shared here. The Fig Tree as a character was the best, imo.

Thanks for telling us about your reading year. I hope next year is even brighter.

John wrote: "I couldn't get into the popular Thursday Murder Club, DNF for me."

I meant to mention this upthread, too. While i liked the first one, i didn't need any more in the series. And now, there will be a mini-series based on it. Pass.

Denise wrote: "I read 95 books and Will be at 100 by the end of the year, a first. Best:Why We Love Baseball: A History in 50 Moments A book full of far more than 50 great memories and trivia for ..."

You certainly have a breadth of topics for your reading, Denise. I never would have guessed Baseball. And Little Women, what a treat. Thank you for sharing, particularly about the "worst" in Echoes one reason it failed you. If it's in the title, one expects more!

I'm impressed when people with fulltime jobs can read so many books in a year. It's good to know they have been rewarding. I hope next year is even stronger.

Msg 22 John wrote: "Ones I can recommend …
..."

Thank you for linking to your reviews, John. It was nice revisiting what stood out for you. In two of your top recommendations, you mentioned the "minus a star" reason as abutting on politics or (is this another form of politics?) environmental aspects of the prose. I've found this to be true for me, as well. What is actually worse, to me, is that the authors save it until the final chapter, leaving me with a sour taste in my mouth about the entire book.

I don't star rate books but i know i'd deduct for that. It seems to me, and i could be mistaken, those who read the book are doing so because they already had environmental issues in mind. So, they are asking for our patience. I've become rather impatient with that. As for the political, that bugs me, too, but in another way.

What appeals to me about The Restaurant is that it is about eating out, not about food in the sense/way it's mentioned nowadays. As we travel, we've seen such a variety of dining out ideas, leading us to wonder how long this style has been going on.

I'm sorry to see two Vendela Vida novels at the bottom of you lists. As you may recall, i am a fan. Perhaps i've just lucked into ones which called to me. Although i did like Northern Lights, but i do so enjoy books set way up north. You've been fair & patient with the author, probably more than i would have been.

Btw, the link to The Lovers was for the book, i didn't see a review from you. Was there one? I saw that Rachel read & reviewed it in '15, not liking it much.

One more thing, i didn't realize (or maybe forgot) she is married to Dave Eggers. I've heard his name but haven't read anything written by him. He's also mentioned in a book i'm reading now X Saves the World: How Generation X Got the Shaft but Can Still Keep Everything from Sucking--Jeff Gordinier. I have his Zeitoun on my TBR, i see.

ANYway, thank you for sharing these, John. I'm still up in the air about reading My Kitchen Wars book, so appreciate rereading your review.

Denise wrote: "I know why she did it. There is a small part of the story where some characters are German sympathizers in the way Lord Darlington does in Remains and she wanted to draw a parallel. But she also needed the book to take place pre- internet to make it harder for the MC to conduct a search that was essential to what little plot there was. Still inexcusable..."

I wonder if most readers would see it that way. Your attention to that fact makes sense.

madrano wrote: #38
One more thing, i didn't realize (or maybe forgot) she is married to Dave Eggers. I've heard his name but haven't read anything written by him. He's also mentioned in a book i'm reading now X Saves the World: How Generation X Got the Shaft but Can Still Keep Everything from Sucking--Jeff Gordinier. I have his Zeitoun on my TBR, i see.

I read Zeitoun by Dave Eggers back in 2010 and I gave it a good rating of 4/5.

I did own A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers. It reached the number one spot on The New York Times bestseller list upon its publication in 2000.

However, I DNF it after only a few pages. I did intend to go back to it at some point. I may still read it.

madrano wrote: "Lindsey wrote: "So far I've read 78 books
*only 14 of which were non-fiction, which is a huge shift for me! I've attempted to read more diversity this year (fantasy, thrillers, sci-fi) and clearly ..."

Thank you! I do love a good curveball :)

Deborah & Alias - Thank you both for sharing about Zeitoun (& the fun fact about Dave Eggers!)

Somehow, I've only read one book by Dave Eggers and it was a kids/middle grade novel called The Eyes & the Impossible. My girls read it for their book club, but I think I enjoyed it even more.

It should have been included on my 5-star list for this year, but I didn't share any kids' books :)

madrano wrote: "Denise wrote: "I know why she did it. There is a small part of the story where some characters are German sympathizers in the way Lord Darlington does in Remains and she wanted to draw a parallel. ..."

I read this in a book club, and they quite honestly were totally unaware that Remains was published in 1989. I just kind of knew the movie (which does a great job with the book) came out around 1993 not long after the book was published so it nagged me when the MC found it so I looked it up. I have a feeling a lot of readers didn't know that. I think many people familiar with Remains probably would have made the connection when they got to the sympathizer scene

Alias Reader wrote: "I read Zeitoun by Dave Eggers back in 2010 and I gave it a good rating of 4/5. ..."

I think it was after reading the group discussion that i added the book to my TBR. Why i didn't read it with ya'll, i do not recall, as i was in the country, albeit traveling. ANYway, it's still awaiting. :-)

Denise wrote: "they quite honestly were totally unaware that Remains was published in 1989. I just kind of knew the movie (which does a great job with the book) came out around 1993 not long after the book was published so it nagged me when the MC found it so I looked it up. I have a feeling a lot of readers didn't know that...."

Your explanation makes sense. Occasionally, i've read books which seem so authentic to an era, that i forget it was only recently published. Now, that's good writing! At least you were there to clear that issue up, Denise.

When i first saw this thread pop up, i thought i wasn't ready, as there is still almost half the month remaining. However, truth is, for the last several years i barely read anything in December, so what's my problem? lol

That written, i looked at my list of Books Read in '24 and decided to analysis what i was seeing. Sticking strictly to numbers, it comes down to the following:
-92 books read, which is lower than usual for me. ONLY

-24 of those were Nonfiction. Worse, FOUR of those were either about housekeeping/cooking or self-help, as in instructions, which i put in NF because they aren't fiction.

-32 were mysteries, which is far more than please me. I knew i was in a rut for awhile but it was longer than i thought.

MEANING
-32 of my books were novels.

Before i list by best & worst, (with comments, of course, i've turned far to verbose this month, as all have no doubt noted), i want to note that the Nonfiction below are books i think are well presented with fresh material. The fiction is because i wanted to see what Fiction i actually liked. It turns out YA is the answer. No fiction really shined for me this year.

FICTION:
Rereading of Universal Harvester--John Darnielle. I still absolutely treasure the way he wrote about the people in this small Iowa town. And their VCR rental shop, which tells you how long ago it was written.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl--Jesse Andrews. This is a YA, which i find i embrace much more readily than today's "adult" fiction.

We Run the Tides--Vendela Vida. Now that i think about it, this is basically a YA, as the real action takes place with teenagers. Set in San Francisco, two friends "break up", so to speak.

Hester--Laurie Lico Albanese, a sort of reworking of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, employing the idea of synesthesia, whereby Hester associates letters and sounds with colors. This is what kept me reading. The romance didn't work for me.

The Midnight Library--Matt Haig. I liked it more at the time than i do today but i've been in this mood...The idea of one person having many different lives is the key to this novel.

NONFICTION:
The Sisters of Sinai: How Two Lady Adventurers Discovered the Hidden Gospels--Janet Martin Soskice. In the late 1800s two sisters went to the Sinai and uncovered the oldest versions of the gospels. This is their biography, as well as a telling of their struggles to be recognized as the ones to bring them to the world.

Lost in Shangri-la: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II--Mitchell Zuckoff. A small, true story about a sort of rescue mission of crash victims, toward the end of WWII, on a South Pacific island. I liked learning about the event, the press coverage and all unknown tribe which helped the survivors as they waited for rescue. So pleased was i with this author that i will follow up next year with a WWII different rescue, set in Greenland Frozen in Time: An Epic Story of Survival and a Modern Quest for Lost Heroes of World War II

What Stars are Made of: The Life of Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin--Donovan Moore. On another thread, i discussed bios of recently "discovered" female scientists & mathematicians and how disappointing the books are. This is my personal worst but also a good book, for all i learned about Payne-Gaposchkin's work. She was the one proposed that stars were composed primarily of hydrogen and helium. This went against all science knowledge up to 1925, when she published her thesis (watered down, to please her advisor, who ended up getting all the credit when he published his findings indicating she was correct!). Good story, smothered in details about how educational institutions were against women joining them. Still, a best because at last those of us who are not astronomers "know" the woman.

The Great Railway Bazaar: By Train Through Asia--Paul Theroux. Too long and not always as interesting as he thinks, this introduced me to, among other things, train travel in the '70s. Just knowing about the rails pleased me no end.

The Alice B. Toklas Cookbook--Alice B. Toklas. In some ways this was also a biography, more so than the one Gertrude Stein wrote "for" her. Sandwiched between recipes is the tale of the couple's visits around France, homes they established, food they cooked, people met and how they survived WWI. The history was good but not too detailed, which fit well with what i see as her personality.

MY BOTTOM line is that i will be reading fewer mysteries and probably less fiction next year. However, there will be more science, history and some biographies. They are what i most remember and what most makes me feel good about the time i spend reading. Btw, this has been true for the last several years, proving i am a slow learner. :-)

madrano wrote: "When i first saw this thread pop up, i thought i wasn't ready, as there is still almost half the month remaining. However, truth is, for the last several years i barely read anything in December, s..."

Deb, thank you for sharing your Best & Worst.

92 is amazing !


The Great Railway Bazaar: By Train Through Asia--Paul Theroux. Too long and not always as interesting as he thinks, this introduced me to, among other things, train travel in the '70s. Just knowing about the rails pleased me no end.

One of friends absolutely love Theroux's books and this is her favorite. I own it but haven't gotten around to reading him yet. I really should as she really is the only person in my real life who reads non fiction.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl--Jesse Andrews. This is a YA, which i find i embrace much more readily than today's "adult" fiction.

I read this one, too. You liked it more than I did. I gave it a good rating of 3/5


The Midnight Library--Matt Haig. I liked it more at the time than i do today but i've been in this mood...The idea of one person having many different lives is the key to this novel.

I was thinking of trying this one even though Google says it is two genre that I don't like. Science fiction and Fantasy. Maybe I'll remove my library hold.

Regarding Great Railway Bazaar, the audio narration did a lot to make it a five-star experience for me.

Well done with 92! And I loved your breakdown and summaries, thank you for sharing those.

I read Hester after you reviewed it earlier this year and enjoyed it.

Alias - I did not enjoy The Midnight Library, but I think I'm an outlier. I have many friends who loved and recommend it.

John wrote: "Regarding Great Railway Bazaar, the audio narration did a lot to make it a five-star experience for me."

Good to know, John. When I decide to tackle this one, I will do an immersive read and listen to the audio while I read the text.