On The Same Page discussion
2022 Independent Challenges
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Alissa's 2022 Challenges
#1 IN SERIES I will read the first in a series and decide if I want to continue with the series or remove it from my TBR and not bother with the rest.
3. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (Outlander)
4. A Beautiful Place to Die by Malla Nunn (Emmanuel Cooper)
7. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
(Flavia de Luce)
CURRENTLY READING 9. Baltimore Blues by Laura Lippman (Tess Monaghan)
11. Illuminae by Amie Kaufman (The Illuminae Files)
15. The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber (Blossom Street)
Continue with Series?
YES
A Curse so Dark & Lonely
Savannah Blues
Rot & Ruin
Thin Ice (but not enthusiastically)
The Innocent
Myron Bolitar
Dexter
NO
Monstress
Hex Hall
CONTINUING SERIES Choosing 15 books at random that I have at least started, hoping to further the series or possibly finish it!
1. The Third Victim by Lisa Gardner, #2 in series (Quincy & Rainie)
11. The Coffin Dancer by Jeffery Deaver , #2 in series (Lincoln Rhyme)
12. Flesh and Bone by Jefferson Bass, #2 in series (Body Farm)
13.
14. Us Against You by Fredrik Backman, #2 in series (Beartown)
NONFICTION/ MEMOIRS 30 NF/memoirs- adding on the ones from last year I didn't get a chance to tackle, and adding on some others
4. Love Lockdown: Dating, Sex, and Marriage in America's Prisons by Elizabeth Greenwood
8. Scent of the Missing: Love and Partnership with a Search-And-Rescue Dog by Susannah Charleson
10. Gorillas in the Mist by Dian Fossey
11. Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations by Mira Jacob
12. Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist by Judith Heumann
15. Killing Crazy Horse: The Merciless Indian Wars in America by Bill O'Reilly
16. Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
18.The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power by Deirdre Mask
19. What Made Maddy Run: The Secret Struggles and Tragic Death of an All-American Teen by Kate Fagan
20. Hill Women: Finding Family and a Way Forward in the Appalachian Mountains by Cassie Chambers
21. Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America by Beth Macy
22. If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood by Gregg Olsen
23. The Answer Is�: Reflections on My Life by Alex Trebek
25. Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi
27. Something Must Be Done About Prince Edward County: A Family, a Virginia Town, a Civil Rights Battle by Kristen Green
29. Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget by Sarah Hepola
30. The Beauty in Breaking by Michele Harper
LIBRARY READ OR REJECT This is a program that my library just started!
READ OR REJECT
Personalized book recommendations conveniently delivered to your doorstep. Your perfect book match is waiting for you!
Read or Reject pairs your reading taste with our book experts to customize 3 book selections just for you and then mail them directly to your home. Tell us your reading interests and we’ll do the rest!
So once a quarter, I will reach out to my library to recommend me 3 books at random. I will list them here and try and read/ rate at least one book. I love this idea
QUARTER 1
1. Clap When You Land Already read, not eligible
2.
3.
QUARTER 2
1. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer- Already read, not eligible
2. The Murder of the Century: The Gilded Age Crime that Scandalized a City and Sparked the Tabloid Wars by Paul Collins- ran out of time
3. The Scarlet Gospels by Clive Barker- was not interested in selection
QUARTER 3
1. Personal Effects: What Recovering the Dead Teaches Me About Caring for the Living by Robert A. Jensen- ran out of time
2. Lies We Bury by Elle Marr- ran out of time
3. The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell- ran out of time
QUARTER 4
1. The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
2. The Kidnapping of Christina Lattimore by Joan Lowery Nixon
3. What Light by Jay Asher
ALISSA'S 40TH BRTHDAY CHALLENGE!On May 9th, 1982 this world gained a bookworm and lovely person in ME! =) I am celebrating my 40th birthday in 2022, so I decided to do a Birthday Challenge- 40 books, 1 book for each year and that book was published in that year (ex a 1982 book, a 1983 book, etc) I hope to get all 40 in but we'll see!
*On a side note, wow there a lot of books that became TV shows/movies! =)
13/41
1983- The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis
1985- Blood Meridian, or the Evening Redness in the West by Cormac McCarthy
1986- Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
1987- The Tommyknockers by Stephen King
1988- Lightning by Dean Koontz
1989- A Time to Kill by John Grisham
1990- The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
1991- Loves Music, Loves to Dance by Mary Higgins Clark
1994- The Alienist by Caleb Carr
1995- High Fidelity by Nick Hornby
1996- Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells
1999- White Oleander by Janet Fitch
2000- White Teeth by Zadie Smith
2001- Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal by Eric Schlosser
2002- Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
2003- A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
2004- Sandstorm by James Rollins
2007- The Woods by Harlan Coben
2008- Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
2010- The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson
2011- The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
2012- Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker
2014- An Untamed State by Roxane Gay
2015- Girl at War by Sara Nović
2016- Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
2017- The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
2018- Normal People by Sally Rooney
Mod
On May 9th, 1982 this world gained a bookworm and lovely person in ME! =) I am celebrating my 40th birthday in 2022, so I decided to do a Birthday Challenge- 40 b..."
Early Birthday Wishes, Alissa! What a great challenge!
Mod
Rot & Ruin is another fun series from Jonathan Maberry. Make sure to pick up his "dead of night" series too; because all of these will converge. Joe Ledger, Rot & Ruin and Dead of night.
How can you be so organized????Yay for Illuminae, I hope you'll love it as much as I did.
I love your list and its variety. Quite a few are on my TBR, and maybe I'll get to read some of them. Post your next to read choices, and maybe we can buddy read them :-)
Happy reading!
Mod
As always, so many books that hit my inner reader gene. I'll be curious your thoughts when you read Outlander. A favorite of my daughters a few years ago, but I haven't opened yet.
Ooh, very interesting. I was 40 last month, wish I'd known about this idea, I'll likely forget it next time I have a big birthday! I will keep an eye on some of your feedback, we do have an overlap on books, so will be interesting to see if I need to push some of mine further up the list. I also love your library's new program, I'd definitely give it a go
I love your challenges - you always have such interesting books. Your series list looks dangerously good. There's so many I haven't read. I have read and love me some Stephanie Plum, Harry Dresden, and of course Us Against You is so good. I hope you are into Outlander and Cursebreakers more than I was.
I'm hoping to read the Myron Bolitar and Will Robie series some day too...hope you enjoy the first books and are so enthusiastic that it pushes me over the edge.
I've read and enjoyed Killing Crazy Horse, Hillbilly Elegy, A Time to Kill, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, The Poisonwood Bible, White Teeth, Kafka on the Shore, Olive Kitteridge, The Song of Achilles and The House in the Cerulean Sea.
I'm looking forward to our buddy reads of No Good Man Among the Living, Hidden Valley Road, All the Pretty Horses, it will be fun!!! I'm hoping to read The Queen's Gambit this year too.
Ioana wrote: "How can you be so organized????Yay for Illuminae, I hope you'll love it as much as I did.
I love your list and its variety. Quite a few are on my TBR, and maybe I'll get to read s..."
notebooks & sticky notes lol
Alissa wrote: "notebooks & sticky notes lol"You should see my office at work...sticky notes everywhere, but not in an organized fashion. I know my way in that madness, but nobody else should try 🤣
Mod
Sticky notes rule! *fist pump*
Love the 40th birthday challenge. You're a brave one! Best of luck!
Completed 1st book of the year, from my 40th birthday challenge.TRIGGERS: death, child loss, mental health
1.) The Push by Ashley Audrain
Wow, this book. On one hand, I read it in 2 days and I needed to keep reading, I could NOT put it down. On the other hand, it was so hard to read as a mother, excruciating at times. I ended up rating it 3 stars because while I did like it, I honestly don't know if I could recommend it because you definitely do not end the book feeling happy or accomplished. I felt defeated and angry and just..... just. It was very well written and the exploration of new motherhood and how physically, mentally and emotionally draining it is was spot on. But the story itself.... yikes.
3 STARS
That’s quite a book to start off the new year with 😳Well, at least it can only get happier from there? Maybe?
What’s the next one you’re reading?
Lillie wrote: "That’s quite a book to start off the new year with 😳Well, at least it can only get happier from there? Maybe?
What’s the next one you’re reading?"
just finished Book #2, review to come lol
I will try and keep my Currently reading books... well... current... ha! They are listed on the top of the page. I am currently reading these:
2. Billy Summers by Stephen King
I shouldn't be surprised that my first tome of the year is a SK novel. He's my favorite. He'll always be my favorite. But this one was disappointing. It was a "ripped from the headlines" type of story and I felt it was incredibly underwhelming. I did love the ending however. But more could have been done with it.
I did enjoy The Overlook/ The Shining references!
2 STARS
Interesting mix! Read Outlander and some of Sue Grafton's books in the Alphabet series - enjoyed them. Happy reading :-)
Completed another b-day challenge book,3. The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune
5 STARS
This book felt so good. There have been books about magical children before (hello, Miss Peregrine) but this one just hit different. I loved these children. I loved this island. I loved Linus, the government official in charge of surveying magical orphanages to determine if they are run correctly .... but got a bit more of what he bargained for dealing with a group of spunky children, including the literal Antichrist (by far, the best character in the novel). "Lucy" as in Lucifer. A six year old child who delights in making people uncomfortable with his discussions on death and destruction, but is also hilarious and sweet and so desperate for acceptance. This book was a beautiful story about acceptance and wanting to be included. Just wonderful
Book #4-A Good Neighborhood by Therese Anne Fowler
3 STARS
Oh boy. So many things to discuss with this one. I liked it? And I use the question mark for a reason. There were parts I really enjoyed and there were parts I flatout hated. What starts off as two neighbors fighting over a tree turns into a heated debate about race and nature vs nurture and right and wrong. I feel like this book would be an excellent book club choice.
Alissa wrote: "Book #4-A Good Neighborhood by Therese Anne Fowler3 STARS
Oh boy. So many things to discuss with this one. I liked it..."
Oh boy...sums this book pretty well. I agree with you.
Mod
Woot!!
Alondra wrote: "Look at you; completing 3 books already!! <3<3Woot!!"
4.... =)
1 was an audio so I'm able to "double dip" when getting books in!
Book #5-Completed my first Continuing Series book,Winter Storms by Elin Hilderbrand
3 stars
This book is #3 of a 4-book series by one of my favorite authors, Elin Hilderbrand. These books are perfect companions to the holiday/winter season. I love the Quinn family and all their family drama. I highly recommend you give this series a try- start with #1. Winter Street
I had to go double check how far I got through this series one holiday season (1 - 3, all 3 stars). They were perfect for the time. Haven't read the fourth either.
Book#6- Stay Close by Harlan Coben-Buddy read w Lea
3.25 STARS
I haven't read too many Harlan Coben novels but I'd like to read more. This book was a hefty one. But it read quick. As some of the characters provide aliases, it was a bit confusing in the beginning. However, once I figured out Maygin/Cassie/Megan were the same person, trying to both escape and confront her past, the story flowed much better.
I didn't realize until after I started reading it that this is a show on Netflix, so I may be tempted to watch it to compare. Overall, this was a decent, good-paced book. I gave it an extra .25 star bc while I didn't guess the killer the ending felt hokey and didn't really make sense to me. But overall, I enjoyed it!
Haha, I guessed the killer straight off, probably because I have read other books by Harlan Coben, and I think he has a way of writing endings...same as we know Jodi Picoult always has an ending twist. Nonetheless, I always find him to be entertaining. I'm intrigued about the Netflix series...I don't have Netflix, so I have to find a way to lay my hands on it. Looking forward to our next buddy reads.
Alissa wrote: "Book#6- Stay Close by Harlan Coben-Buddy read w Lea
3.25 STARS
I haven't read too many Harlan Coben novels but I'd like to read more. This book was a hefty one. ..."
I've only read his Gone for Good and enjoyed it. I have no idea why I haven't read more...
LOL, love the extra 0.25 star 🤣
Book #7- If You Ask Me by Betty White4 STARS
I miss her. What a wonderful woman. I got the audiobook because I wanted to hear her stories in her own voice. Whats so endearing about this book is she wrote it at 89 years old and marvels that she made it that far. Oh honey, if you only knew that we'd enjoy you for 10 more years... RIP sweet Betty White ♡♡
Mod
4 STARS
I miss her. What a wonderful woman. I got the audiobook because I wanted to hear her stories in her own voice. Whats..."
She was ahead of her time and perfect for this time.
1st DNF of the year- The Phantom of Fifth Avenue: The Mysterious Life and Scandalous Death of Heiress Huguette Clark
DNF @ 25%
the story seemed interesting, but the flow of the book was just too dull and dry, and it didn't maintain my interest.
Alissa wrote: "DNF @ 25%the story seemed interesting, but the flow of the book was just too dull and dry, and it didn't maintain my interest."
😢it does sound interesting...
Book #8-
by Alethea Kontis2 STARS
This was a choice from my library's Read or Reject. I asked for some YA, and I was pleasantly surprised I was given an author and book I'd never heard of. Sometimes you discover a new author or find a rare gem. Sadly, this one was not one of them. It had a good foundation- magic book, possession, witches- but overall I was underwhelmed.
***
Book #9- Completed The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel
5 STARS
I had a feeling this book would be a winner, as it is not only Historical Fiction, which is my favorite genre, but it is also a Book about Books. I LOVE Books about Books, and when it is about a secret book designed to hold the real names of Jewish children as they attempt to embark to freedom during WWII, I was in.
Reading books set in WWII never is done with dry eyes and this one is no exception. And that ending? Double fist the Kleenex. All the Stars.
Mod
I hope the next reads are awesome!!
Book #10- Completed a Series #1 book, A Curse So Dark and Lonely.
3 STARS
A fairy tell retelling of Beauty & the Beast? Yes please! Rhen, the Beast/prince character, has ordered his commander, Grey, to abduct a young woman each year and bring her to his castle. Each time, he hopes that this new captive will eventually fall in love with him and break his curse. The kingdom of Emberfall, is a typical fantasy world, something that would fit in perfectly with every other fantasy novel. There is a slight blurring of real world and fantasy world in parts, some which were humorous (Harper was taken from Washington DC, and the townsfolk are told she is a Princess from the land of Deacee).
This one was definitely very similar to Sarah Maas' A Court of Thorns and Roses, but this one was an interesting ride. I did like that the main character Harper was not perfect- she has minor cerebral palsy- but her affliction doesn't define her, and she's a very likable heroine. I will most likely continue with the series.
Book #11- Girls Like Us by Cristina Alger2.5 STARS
FBI Agent Nell is estranged from her police officer father when she gets the call that he's been killed in a motorcycle accident. When she arrived back to her hometown to say goodbye and close up some loose ends, she's drawn into a case that he was actively working on. A murder of a local call girl that was shot and dismembered. The man who confessed to the murder was already in jail... or was he? As Nell is trying to close the chapter with her dad, another girl is found murdered in the exact same way. Nell begins to dig deeper into her father's past and begins to realize she didn't really know her father at all.
This police procedural drama had so much potential but in the end it fell flat. The ending was rushed and the "twist" at the end was a bit eyerolling. Forgettable.
Book #12- The Summer Children by Dot Hutchison
3.5 STARS
FBI Agent Mercedes Ramirez's world comes crashing down around her. After a night out with her girlfriend, she comes home to a child on her front porch, covered in blood and clutching a stuffed teddy bear. He tells her that an angel killed his parents and then brought him here so Mercedes could keep him safe.
This sets in motion a tale of a vigilante who is hell bent on enacting justice on parents whose kids are being reported to CPS for a variety of abuses, and is taking matters into their own hands. As a survivor of abuse herself , Mercedes herself is struggling with her own demons and trying to find out who exactly is killing these parents, and "saving" the kids.
This is a #3 in a series (the first one,
- is SO good, I highly recommend it!!) but this one can be easily read as a standalone. I was so riveted and horrified and also emotionally conflicted. I felt bad for the children who were forced to witness their parents murders.... however, I didn't exactly feel bad for the pedophiles who were getting what they deserve? This book does bring up a lot of interesting topics such as foster care and the "failure/success" of CPS . Overall, I really liked this one and want more books about Mercedes.
You've had a good January already. I've had The Butterfly Garden on my list since you recommended it...I have to get in the mood to tackle a new series. Too bad Girls Like Us wasn't as good as you hoped. I have a book by that author on my shelves, but never read anything. And I'm glad you liked A Curse So Dark and Lonely - I had a very similar opinion of the first book. I hope you do finish the series, very curious to hear your thoughts. I know Beauty and the Beast is one of your favorites.
I guess you must be the one that recommended The Butterfly Garden...I have it on my TBR, too. Someday, because I have WAAAY too many books to read....
Ioana wrote: "I guess you must be the one that recommended The Butterfly Garden...I have it on my TBR, too. Someday, because I have WAAAY too many books to read...."It's soooooooo good. You and Lea need to bump it up the list. Chop Chop lol
Book #13- Diagnosis: Solving the Most Baffling Medical Mysteries by Lisa Sanders
3 STARS
If you enjoyed the show House, MD you would enjoy this book. I had never heard of it and would have never considered reading it, but this group chose it for the NF selection so I got the audiobook and gave it a try. Really enjoyable!!
Alissa wrote: "Book #13- Diagnosis: Solving the Most Baffling Medical Mysteries by Lisa Sanders3 STA..."
I hope to get to it soon, I think there's a discussion post somewhere.
Book #14- Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by Mary Roach
2.5 STARS
Killer trees! Killer beans! Killer cats! =)
This book definitely has its humorous moments, but I didn't enjoy it as much as the author's other work, Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers. This was okay.
Mod
I'm only slightly co-dependent. 🤣
Alondra wrote: "What is up with all these 3 stars or less books!?? I need you to read something that knocks your socks off, so I can add it to my TBR!! I'm only slightly co-dependent. 🤣"
You going to go add It Ends with Us??? Bahahaha
Yeah idk the end of the month was a bit meh for me. I hope Februarys better!
JANUARY RESULT 14 Books read:
5 Books
6 Audiobooks
3 Ebooks
1 star- 0
2/2.5 Stars- 4
3 Stars- 6
4 Stars- 2
5 Stars- 2
# of Books Completed Per Challenge:
12+4: 3/16
#1 in Series: 1 (1 currently reading)/ 15
Continuing: 2/15
Library RorR- 2/3
Nonfiction/Memoir: 1/30 (1 DNF)
40th Bday- 2/41
Overall, it was an okay month. It started off pretty strong but the last few books were just meh. But, I did restart and keep up with my bookstagram (@alissa_reads_and_recs) so I'm pretty happy with that!
Best Book: It's a tie between The House in the Cerulean Sea & The Book of Lost Names
Worst Book: The Phantom of Fifth Avenue: The Mysterious Life and Scandalous Death of Heiress Huguette Clark. My first and probably not last DNF.
Biggest Surprise: I was surprised how moved I was reading House in the Cerulean Sea. I am still thinking about the book
Currently Reading:
Red, White & Royal Blue- on my 40th b-day list. This audiobook is so funny
Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening- on my #1 in series list. Should finish it today
Once There Were Wolves- on my 12+4. Really good so far!
The BFG- my 3rd grader is reading this with her class and asked me to read it along with her. How could I say no?
(ALERT ALERT PEOPLE- LEA HAS NEVER READ ANYTHING FROM ROALD DAHL. GET HER!)
On my February List:
The Henna Artist
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family
The Guncle
Black Cake
The Nature of Witches
The People We Keep
Yellow Wife
You've Reached Sam
Did You Hear What Eddie Gein Done?
Flesh and Bone
On The Same Page
Books mentioned in this topic
The People We Keep (other topics)Their Eyes Were Watching God (other topics)
The House in the Cerulean Sea (other topics)
Every Summer After (other topics)
The Book of Lost Names (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Christina Lauren (other topics)Kennedy Ryan (other topics)
John Boyne (other topics)
Holly K. Dunn (other topics)
Jennifer Finney Boylan (other topics)
More...
I will also be giving some love to my neglected Instagram page in 2022 so please follow me at @alissa_reads_and_recs =)
#1 IN SERIES
CONTINUING SERIES
NONFICTION/ MEMOIRS
LIBRARY READ OR REJECT
40TH BIRTHDAY CHALLENGE
CURRENTLY READING: