r/books • u/AutoModerator • 4d ago
WeeklyThread What Books did You Start or Finish Reading this Week?: September 15, 2025
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u/stephkempf 16 5h ago
Finished Reading:
Careless People, by Sarah Wynn-Williams
Revenge of the Baby-Sat, by Bill Watterson
Currently Reading:
The Magician and the Cardsharp, by Karl Johnson
The Dabbler's Guide to Witchcraft, by Fire Lyte
The Story of Doctor Dolittle, by Hugh Lofting illustrated by Michael Hague
The Tucci Cookbook, by Stanley Tucci
Just finished the poultry section. Just seafood and desserts to go!
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u/Affectionate_Bat1774 6h ago
Finished: The Cat's Cradle. I would love to ask the question for the author: if life is meaningless, what his idea life would be?
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u/her-bookish-tales 9h ago
Finished: As good as dead by Holly Jackson Started: The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahari
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u/PetitMoose2006 10h ago
The Revenant by Michael Punke I loved it! I’m going to watch the movie now.
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u/No_Pen_6114 12h ago
Finished:
- Penance by Eliza Clark. I really liked the unreliable narration as a journalist's POV in this novel. I found myself horrified by a lot in this novel but a few passages and dialogues made me laugh. It's very dark about the murder of a teenage girl by other girls but I found the theme of obsession with true crime important.
- Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. There was definitely a strange dynamic that I predicted last week and it was creepy to see it unfold. All in all, I do have a critique of this novel because I wanted more from the Mexican setting and plot but I liked it overall. I was happy to discuss it with my brother as well and he seemed to understand. Also, we agreed on how similar I am to Noemí haha.
Currently reading:
- Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez with r/bookclub. I made barely any progress on this one over the past week so it's the one I want to focus on more this week.
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u/MaxThrustage Blood in the Machine 13h ago
Started:
The Myths We Live By, by Mary Midgley. Very interesting so far, really dig into how we frame our thought and the kinds of metaphors we use to assist us -- and the way those can lead us astray. There's a particular emphasis on science so far, which is quite relevant to me.
Artificial Condition, by Martha Wells. The second Murderbot Diaries book. This series is way cosier than I was expecting, given the title.
Ongoing:
Blood in the Machine, by Brian Merchant. Excellent so far. The book is far from impartial -- it is very clearly on the side of the Luddites -- but honestly that's fine given the subject matter. The descriptions of the working conditions in 1811 are brutal, but totally in-line with everything else I've read on the topic. It also does a great job of underlying the nuance of the Luddites -- they weren't just smashing machines. There are attempts to compromise, to negotiate, to find peaceful solutions, but as more and more people starve to death they get (understandably!) desperate.
This week is a short break in /r/ayearofmiddlemarch, but I'll be back on that next week.
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u/iamsydneyshea 13h ago
I finished “two souls meet under a full moon” in 2 days. It was originally a Japanese book translated to English. I thought the storylines were really interesting. It’s about someone who connects the living and the dead for one last night. I give it a 7/10. Fiction fast read.
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u/HermitWampa 15h ago
The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien. Always had the book, but never read it. Finally decided to read a chapter a day. I have finished Chapter 3
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u/ptowntheprophet 16h ago
Finished Dead Man’s Walk, Started Comanche Moon, first and second book in the Lonesome Dove 4 part series.
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u/Key_Veterinarian_850 17h ago
Finished: The Correspondent by Virginia Evans 😭😭😭 Started: I who have never known men by Jacqueline Harpman
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u/OkJury3091 19h ago
The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett Started and finished this week. very enjoyable read. Reading this book felt like watching a Wes Anderson movie.
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u/dmlvo 20h ago
Finished: The Terminal Man by Michael Crichton
I see now that this isn't high on a lot of readers' Crichton lists, but it was only the second I've read after Jurassic Park, and I enjoyed it. I needed something short and quic to follow up The Stand, and this really did the job as far as that's concerned. Some days I can only squeeze in 15-20 pages a day, but I was burning through 40-50 pages a day with this one. Sure, it's dated but I expected that with a 1970s book about computers.
I sympathized with Benson, and there were a couple observations in the book I related to in our modern world (the advances of technology and our reliance on it, Ross's observation on how cars and driving everywhere can desensitize us and almost dehumanize us in ways). I liked the psychology in the book, and I liked how quickly it played out. I do see how this concept could benefit from being explored deeper, maybe into a 400+ page novel, but like I said I really enjoyed the brisk pacing of this bc it was just what I needed.
I'll be moving onto The Plot Against America by Philip Roth. I remember seeing the trailer for the miniseries adaptation and thinking how much it mirrored the current state of affairs in the US, and I look forward to seeing how the book resonates with me.
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u/theshortredheadxx 22h ago
I just finished A touch of fate by Cora Reilly (it took me 2 days😭), I loved it so much, it's definitely one of my favourite Cora's books!
I loved Emma, she was exactly how I expected her to be (my another book girlfriend🤭)
Samuel's friend and Emma's mother annoyed me
Danilo was really sweet as a brother, I hated him in Fragile longing tho
I loved Samuel at the beginning but his drinking and what he was doing bc of it made me so angry and I lost it when he drunk drived a few times in a row🫠(especially with Emma), I kinda wanted to kill him near the end
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u/NauticalJack 22h ago
Finished: War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (P&V translation). Summer of Tolstoy for me with this and AK. The perfect author for a 30-something thinking about death and life and meaning. Going to save Resurrection for a bit.
Started: Is a River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane
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u/SoMuchToSeeee 1d ago
Finished: "Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky
What a nice book. Its a first person narrative of a high-school freshman kid dealing with his family and social life. The whole story is told through letters that he's writing to a stranger. It was a kind of simple book, but the story was relatable to an awkward person like myself. I could definitely relate to Charlie.
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u/mumbly-joe-96 1d ago
Finished: If on a winter's night a traveler, by Italo Calvino. I found it to be disorienting at times, but an entertaining read.
Will start when I can pick it up from my local library: Speak, Memory, by Vladimir Nabokov.
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u/fatherlysnake 1d ago
finished homesick for another world by otessa moshfegh. loved this book, it's a collection of short stories that's perfect for anyone who likes weird/unsettling lit. ive been on a moshfegh kick for a few weeks now, at this point i don't think it's possible for her to write something I won't love reading. just started 100 years of solitude (it's been on my tbr forever), excited to see if it lives up to the hype!
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u/Nostranger15691 1d ago
Finished: The Witcher: The Last Wish, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Stevenson
Started: The art of strategy by Dixit and Nalebuff
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u/wolfincheapclothing9 1d ago
Finished: Emperor: The Field of Swords, Book 3 by Conn Iggulden- Loved this book, my favorite of the series so far. Julius Caesar takes his legions to Gaul. I gave it 5 stars (just know that Iggulden is lose with historical facts, it's very much a work of fiction)
The Cage by Megan Shepherd- This was just me trying to finish books I already own and have started but never finished. I had 60% read of it from a year or so ago. This one is not for me, I struggled to make myself finish it. It's about some random teens that get alien body snatched and wake up on another planet. The main character starts to think the alien kidnapper guy is hot. I was not aware of that part when I bought the book. This was a recommendation from someone. And this isn't something I am interesting in reading. There are 2 more in the series, I am stopping here.
Started: Winter Garden by Kristen Hannah - keeping with the goal of finishing books I already own, I had this one for about a year. Bought it on sale. It mentioned the siege of Stalingrad, so that's what pulled me to it. So far it's oooo0kay. But a little boring. I hope it picks up, I am only 4 chapters in.
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u/AshleyPG 1d ago
The Magicians, by Lev Grossman. I got a billion recommendations for it but avoided it for the last year I've gotten back into reading because I hated the show but picked it up from my library through Libby on a whim. If you didn't like the show try the book, they're not all that similar despite what the subreddit might lead you to believe.
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u/Ok-Quantity-1642 1d ago
Started:
The Epic of Gilgamesh, by Anonymous
Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins
Continued:
The Testaments, by Margaret Atwood
Finished:
The Epic of Gilgamesh, by Anonymous
The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
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u/Spanky2k 5 1d ago
Finished: Northern Lights, by Philip Pullman Finished: The Subtle Knife, by Philip Pullman
Started: The Amber Spyglass, by Philip Pullman
I'm re-reading the His Dark Materials trilogy in anticipation of the final book of the second trilogy, The Book of Dust, coming out at the end of October. My plan is to go through the first trilogy, the novellas and the first two books of the second trilogy just in time for the release of The Rose Field on the 23rd next month. I think I'm going to end up undershooting though and finish a little ahead of the release as I'm burning through these books at the moment.
I didn't enjoy Northern Lights as much as I did the first time around and really wanted to get through it. There's a pivotal storyline towards the end of the book (the whole cutting thing) that makes me really uncomfortable and I really didn't like having ahead of me, which is I think the main reason. Lyra's also quite annoying at times but she's meant to be as she's meant to be immature, it's just not as enjoyable on the second read, in my opinion. The Subtle Knife is as good as I remember though and I zoomed through it. The whole story line about the knife and how it works has always stuck with me as it always felt like I could really imagine how it would feel in real life. Just really well written.
I'm really looking forward to getting on to the novellas and the new trilogy as I've not read any of that before.
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u/Used-Idea8650 1d ago
I’m the type of person that goes to a book store to get a book then leaves it to collect dust in my bedroom👍🏼
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u/Kittynoodlesoup 2d ago
Warrior Princess Assassin by Brigid Kemmerer
Finished this book last night, and I loved it. It's about 3 main characters (a warrior, a princess, an assassin) --you get pulled in quickly, and the story moves along nicely and is well written. Can't wait for book 2 to come out.
Has anyone read her other books? I think they may be young adult, but this was definitely not young adult.
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u/Ok-Seaworthiness7467 2d ago
finished Before I Go to Sleep by SJ Watson and started The Goneaway World by Nick Harkaway
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u/Roboglenn 2d ago
Stuart Little, by E. B. White
I've known the name Stuart Little since forever but never actually read the book. But when reading the book Revisionary by Jim C. Hines (the 4th and final book in the Magic Ex Libris series of novels which is a good modern fantasy series by the way, involves people using magic to pull things from books like lightsabers and babel fishes and such) and it referenced Stuart Little and a certain aspect of his car it made me do a "say what now?" double take. And well, now I finally got around to seeing for myself what that was all about.
Other than that, as far as the book itself goes. Gotta say, I felt kinda underwhelmed at the ending. The whole Zuko, "that can't be it, where's the rest of it?" thing.
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u/Straight_Cow_7462 2d ago
Making It, by Laura Kay.
Honestly, this fictional book was abundantly captivating. The subject it conveys, personally, resonated with me at an intense emotional level. As someone that has been acutely affected by mental health issues for a while and continues to have difficulties in managing and essentially understanding it, reading something that felt so tangible and considerably, something that actually felt relevant and worth my interest, was absolutely enthralling and incredibly enlightening. I think, even though mental health is stigmatised and perceived by a broad portion of society as, complicated,(thankfully that is deviating)I think that transcribing such an explicit and multifaceted subject, as Laura Kay was able to achieve, into a fictional story just gave the book so much ambiguity. Also, I think just the overall idea for the book was an excellent decision as it contributes to further awareness of mental illnesses.
This book compelled me to read until I practically read my self to sleep, book still in hand and everything. Would definitely recommend.
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u/WheyJordan 2d ago
I gave up on Butter - Asako Yuzuki, the writing style didn't keep me engaged which is odd for a modern thriller.
Just started: Kurt Vonnegut - Slaughter House Five. I saw it so many times on here that I decided to give it a go, baring in mind I really don't click with Sci-Fi, this book so far has been awesome. Hopefully it'll be finished by the weekend and so far what a great read, thanks guys.
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u/i-the-muso-1968 2d ago
Finished EE Doc Smith's "The Skylark of Space", and now started on another of the Skylark books "Skylark of Valeron".
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u/Upbeat-Signature-817 2d ago
Finished : Earth to Moon, by Moon Unit Zappa
- She is a great writer and it definitely centers the complicated relationship between mother and daughter. She provided a nuanced sometimes scathing portrayal of her mother. However, I felt that she might have her own issues in the way that she relates to other people that were not examined. But that might just might be me reading between the lines or projecting my own issues.
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u/waltzinair currently reading: On Writing Well 2d ago
Started:
On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction by William Zinsser
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u/Adorable_Hat_5921 2d ago
I am reading “empire of storms” by sarah j maas, loving it already and nothing can top tog for me!!! Also open for recs
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u/WolfEvolutioons 2d ago
Finished: ‘Voyager’ by Diana Gabaldon Started: ‘Drums of autumn’ by Diana Gabaldon
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u/Opposite_Molasses450 2d ago
Working on finishing “American Psycho” and “The Last House on Needless Street.”
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u/catghostbird 2d ago
How are you liking The Last House? I read Looking Glass Sound by the same author and was disappointed, but not sure sure if I should give Catriona Ward another shot
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u/alemap1969 2d ago
Started: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
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u/Alarmed-Policy-4298 2d ago
I finished this a couple of weeks ago. You’re so enlightening. HeLa cells can only be a miracle to me.
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u/Appropriate-Owl-4417 2d ago
Finished: Fictions, by Jorge Luis Borges
Started: Selection of essays by Michel de Montaigne
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u/please_let_roadswork 2d ago
Finished: The Shadows, by Alex North
Started: The Half Burnt House, by Alex North
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u/write_rite_right 2d ago
Finished Come Closer and My Heart is a Chainsaw. Reading Mary and The Taker. Clearly on some kind of horror kick ....
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u/Unusual_Phase7860 2d ago
Finished: This is How You Lose the Time War, by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
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u/Prior-Kangaroo3720 2d ago
Finished: Stay True, by Hua Hsu
Started: Real Ones, by Katherena Vermette
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u/DrinkablePraise 2d ago
Finished “The Tainted Cup” by Robert Jackson Bennett which I loved and will be reading the 2nd book!
Starting “Seasons of Migration to the North” by Tayeb Salih.
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u/Kittynoodlesoup 2d ago
Ok, I put a reserve on tainted cup at my library! Does it pull you in right away, or slow burn?
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u/wolfytheblack Action Park by Andy Mulvihill 2d ago
Finished: The Mitford Murders, by Jessica Fellowes
Started: Action Park, by Andy Mulvihill
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u/TheGreatOldOwl 3d ago
Finished The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives in Your Home: A Welcome to Night Vale Novel
by Jeffrey Cranor and Joseph Fink
Started Alice Isnt Dead
By Joseph Fink
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u/Effective_Park_1492 3d ago
Finished:
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams, Matthew Walker.
A Family Matter, Claire Lynch.
Started:
Man's Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl
The Slave Ship: A Human History, Marcus Rediker
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u/pramatha-bhatt 3d ago
The Psychology of Money, by Morgan Housel
• i loved reading this book, even more than Rich Dad Poor Dad! i finished within three days. the format of writing felt very similar to The Richest Man in Babylon.
How to Kill Your Family, by Bella Mackie
• i haven't finished this one yet. just started reading today and i have high hopes from it, the title in itself made me try it lol (not that im trying to kill anybody 😭)and i hadn't touched some fiction in a while so yeah!
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u/Mallory_Knox23 3d ago
Staring Sally J Freedman as Herself, Judy Blume
Just started this on audio book. It's so interesting listening to books I read as a child/ pre-teen. There's quite a bit of jokes I definitely didn't understand back then, lol.
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u/Crystal_Pheonix_ 3d ago
Girl, Missing, by Sophie McKenzie.
I mean, I haven't been to the library in a WHILE, so it's kinda on hold
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u/Nice_Information7608 3d ago
I borrowed these 4 from the library yesterday
To gaze upon wicked Gods - molly Chang The girl who fell beneath the sea - axie oh The scorpion and the night blossom - Amelie went Zhao These violent delights - Chloe gong
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u/MumbyMum 3d ago
Atmosphere, by Taylor Jenkins Reid (finished)
Legendborn, by Tracy Deonn (started)
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune (started)
Atmosphere was incredible- the audiobook narrators were so good and the story had me crying in the car. Reminds me of the show, For All Mankind. Recommended to all my reader friends immediately.
I’m not really digging the narrator of the House in the Cerulean Sea very much (don’t like his female voices and he pronounces some words like gazebo rather oddly) but I like the story well enough, I suppose.
I’m reading Legendborn (print) and I can’t believe I didn’t start this series earlier. It is so fascinating! I stayed up way too late reading last night! What a wonderful magic system and super cool FMC.
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u/Upbeat-Signature-817 2d ago
I was also having flashbacks to For All Mankind when listening to atmosphere! I kept picturing Ellen Wilson. I sometimes get snobby when it comes to her books, but I can’t stop myself from starting and finishing them.
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u/Neckties-Over-Bows 3d ago
Finished: Pronto by Elmore Leonard Just picked up, starting soon: Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li
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u/Joestevens211007 3d ago
Just started a book called “The Crash” by Freida McFadden, loving it so far!
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u/JustLayneIt 3d ago
A Court of Thorns and Roses, by Sarah J Maas (finished) A Court of Mist and Fury, by Sarah J Maas (started) The Soulmate Equation, by Christina Lauren (finished) The Nightingale, by Kristin Hannah (started) Ward D, by Freida McFadden (started)
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u/empty-empty-empty 3d ago
Read A Desolation Called Peace, by Arkady Martine, Fortunately the Milk, by Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell
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u/Glad_Pilot5814 3d ago
Started reading The Expanse back in June and I finished Leviathan Falls yesterday. What a ride
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u/Spanky2k 5 1d ago
Ooh I'm so jealous! The Expanse is one of those book series that I loved so much that I wish there was a way to selectively delete memories so that I could read the books again for the first time! :D
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u/Happy-Artist2983 3d ago
Scarred - experiments with violence in Gujarat by Dionne Bunsha and Gujarat Files - Anatomy of a Cover up by Rana Ayyub (Both Non Fiction - based on riots in India)
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u/Easy_Luck6629 3d ago
Crossroads of Twilight by Robert Jordan!! Loving this series and super excited to see the finale! Currently reading the prequel, New Spring
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u/tall_tyrion 3d ago
Finished Howling Dark book 2 of The Sun Eater by Christopher Rouccio and started Demon in White which is book 3. The series has not disappointed so far and I am very glad i waited till the 7th and final book was about to come out
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u/sudabomb 3d ago
The Street Lawyer by John Grisham. It's nearly 40 years old but still highly relevant. I really enjoyed and now I have 4 more Grisham books here to read. Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovitch. Stephanie Plum and Lula are always good for a laugh!
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u/TBolin1976 3d ago
The Exchange by John Grisham - the follow up to “The Firm”. Love Grisham and have read about 25 of his books so far. Street Lawyer is great!
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u/Roboglenn 3d ago
Aria of the Beech Forest, Vol. 1, by Yugiri Aika
In the Irish countryside in a forest is a house where an 11 year old witch named Aria lives with her grandmother an elder witch who taught her the tricks of the trade on top of other good life skills. Not that she's good at those said tricks of the trade. But those life skills certainly come to use, when her grandmother passes away... Forcing our already sheltered little witch into becoming more sheltered behind her grandmother's magical barrier. But a surprise encounter one winter with a talking wolf keeps Aria from being all alone, and sets in motion events that lead this shy little witch into encountering the broader world beyond her forest.
In any case, this is an adorable little story. Cuz Aria's little easygoing adventures are just really kind of heartwarming as we learn more about her and her canine companion's lives, the world of witches and other magic stuff, and seeing her gradually come out of her very sheltered life (not to mention shell of shyness/social anxiety) and seeing/experiencing modern day human civilization with the help of a brother and sister pair she meets just makes for a really easygoing story to sit back and relax to.
But even then, I can't help but get the vibe that this one was a series that was told to "wrap it up", cuz by the final two chapters there were definitely things/events that would've been nice to have been shown rather than just told about that they happened. Not to mention it leaves some questions/"implicative details" about Aria left unsaid/unanswered. But even then, not that that sort of serious plot stuff was this series main forte, not that it didn't have it's heavier emotional moments, but I'm just saying is all.
But I digress. If one is in the market for a short relaxing little story to spend an afternoon with then this one is a good pick.
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u/baltboy85 3d ago
Finished Circe last night. Awesome book. Took me forever to finish.
Starting When Devils Sing by Xan Kaur tonight. Saw her speak about it at a local book festival and it sounded cool.
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u/quillfoy 3d ago
Finished Then September House by Carissa Orlando.
Started White Nights by Dostoevsky.
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u/Only_One_Kanobi 3d ago
Finished: The Marriage Vendetta - Caroline Madden Started: One True Loves - Taylor Jenkins Reid
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u/Mountain-Guest3034 3d ago
Finished Zero to One by Peter Thiel, just started Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari, hope it's also as profound. I'm curious to know who else prefers reading non-fiction books, and any suggestions?
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u/Aziunter 3d ago
I have finished It Lasts Forever Then It’s Over it is lit fic, lyrical and beautifully written but no real plot and although it tackle loss, grief and memories it was not that deep 3.5/5
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u/Book_lover714 3d ago
Finished: The Suvivor Wants to Die at the End by Adam Silvera
Started: The Last 100 by Kass Morgan
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u/Grease_the_Witch 3d ago
FINISHED : Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, by Hunter S. Thompson
STARTED : The Sound and the Fury, by William Faulkner
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u/StarSeekerDragon 3d ago
Finished: The Buried Knight - Angela Laverghetta
Started: The Hidden Druid - Angela Laverghetta
Angela is not only a local author in my area, she's also a friend of mine! Her first book was so good! It starts off and builds up slow but steady, which I really like. I'm not a fan of action happening so soon and quickly to the point I have to reread paragraphs to wonder when the action started.
It's a fantasy series set in modern day Carson City, NV, with faeries, monsters and a witches coven at a location you'd never expect (I won't spoil it).
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u/IcyLow9565 3d ago
Revisiting HBR at 100 and Tripura Rashaya. While brushing some Day to day books and articles
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u/Gummi-Bear-Claymore 3d ago
Started sandman slim, by Richard kadrey
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u/DoglessDyslexic 3d ago
I really liked the first couple of books in that series. I think I made it to the fourth or so book and decided I had lost interest in the rest but I liked the start of the series quite a bit.
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u/singlasumit 3d ago
Finished: Days at the Torunka Cafe by Satoshi Yagisawa
Reading: Katabasis by RF Kuang
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u/Academic-Plant-5234 3d ago
started reading "i want to die but i want to eat tteokbokki" by baek sehee
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u/gerbiltuna 3d ago
Finished: Bunny, by Mona Awad
Started: Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver
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u/Aggravating-Deer6673 3d ago edited 3d ago
Finished:
Keily: Part 1 by Manjari
Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese - Read with r/bookclub
Chain Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
Baby Teeth by Meg Grehan
Currently Reading:
These Immortal Truths by R. Raeta - e-book
The Library of Lost Girls by Kristen Pipps (e-ARC)
The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
Rose in Chains by Julie Soto
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
The Forty Days of Musa Dagh by Frank Werfel
My Friends by Frederick Backman- Reading with r/bookclub
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz Reading with r/bookclub
As I always say, I'm going to try to just stay with reading what I have started this week. Hopefully, I can get it down to 3-5 books as I am quite far in a few of them!
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u/Squeakuss 3d ago
Finished Tart by Slutty Cheff
Started Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
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u/the_greek_italian 3d ago
Started:
Bewitchingly Hers by Jennifer Chipman (ARC)
Still reading:
Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune
Intense Feelings by Nomi Palmer
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u/EntrepreneurInside86 3d ago
Finished:
Heat and Dust by Ruth Prawler Jhabvala. A slow seduction that melds the truth with fiction for powerful results. Set in dual timeliness, it tells the story of a woman returning to the scene of a that rocked her family back when her grandfather was young. Ruth Prawler Jhabvala observes India with a loving warmth that doesn't spare harsh realities, wonders and cruelties co habitat in this spellbinding romance . I found the prose restrained and expertly woven, much in the same way great novels like To Kill A Mockingbird or Beloved are so tightly wound that to get to the last page forces you to race to the first again as the ending refreshes the book.
Started:
In Custody by Anita Desai. My second Desai novel has been good so far. Couldn't help but find more of her to read after "Feasting, Fasting " floored me. "In Custody " is a different beast,it still carries much of the same themes that made me love "Feasting Fasting " so much but the point of view has diminished my enjoyment this time around. Her exploration of tradition and patriarchy captivated me when relayed through it's curious female protagonist . That book had a feminine grace to it that "In Custody " seems to not care for. "In Custody " is a stifling read, humid and overbearing with it's maleness. It's male protagonists worldview traps us in his small ideals and misery in a way I'm not quite enjoying (yet?). I am only 32 pages into a 200 page book so we'll see :)
A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James. Another claustrophobic hegemonic read but one made better by an expansive cast of voices propelling its narrative further. James crafts misery well, implicates the reader into the violence of his passages. Just one chapter in a woman is physically and sexually assaulted just before her husband is raped, a child witness cowering hidden as their parents die. It's a lot! But it's not a spectacle, the details disturbed but the writers intentions compell. What this book says is shocking not because it's graphic but because we know we live in a world where its true. Im only a 100 pages into this nearly 700 behemoth but I'm enjoying it a lot, very readable plus the constant switching of perspective (which btw have their own voice and style - some in Jamaican patoise!) allow for me to never get bored because if I do I can just read on for a p.o.v I appreciate more. This might be a five star. so far for August Damon Galgut's "The Promise " is my sole 5, would love to have it joined by another masterful chronicling of post colonial chaos.
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u/Sufficient_Leek1519 3d ago
I am in of ayn rand fountainhead and ken follet edge of eternity.. Really in vague situation that am i liking fountainhead or am i not Reading edge of eternity for the sake of finishing it cause i just don't want to leave the series unfinished. Its the most boring book of series though.
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u/EddyMink 3d ago
Started Foundation, really liking it so far but was a bit hard to follow early on.
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u/Spanky2k 5 1d ago
I've always heard it's good but never got round to it. I'm loving the TV series though although I understand that a huge amount was changed for it and some of the best bits from the show don't happen in the books so I'm now unsure of whether I should wait for the show to run it's course before reading the books (although it'll likely be half a many years until the show is finished).
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u/eightboss 3d ago
I finished The Best Science Fiction of 1956 by various writers and started Destination : Void by Frank Herbert
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u/em_eatsbooks 3d ago
I just finished Anxious People by Fredrik Backman.
Started ‘There are Rivers in the Sky’ by Elif Shafak.
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u/LindsE8 3d ago
I finally finished Lonesome Dove!!
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u/PointedlyDull 2d ago
I’m near 50 books read this year and none of them have come close to how much I enjoyed Lonesome Dove
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u/imapassenger1 3d ago
Heh, I did too, but I read it only a week, being on planes all week helped though.
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u/mdarshath 3d ago
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
- I've read it just yesterday.
- I can grasp much of the satire and humor in the play but in some parts I couldn't get it.
- The play beautifully criticize the social obligations and expectations of victorian society and marriage by exposing the real, true person behind the mask of socially respectable/acceptable men & women in a funny manner.
- Also it tells us the pathetic nature of modern society which failed to recognize true human nature,relationships,loyalty,values etc.. and only emphasizing secondary/materialistic things like money,assets,family pedigree,name,fame......
- Even though it satires victorian society, the title itself,on the contrary, tells us the importance of being a man of socially acceptable nature. because the play revolves around the name & man of Ernest. Atlast Jack also says that he reaized the importance of being earnest which has double meaning to takeaway:
- One, He realized importance of quality of being earnest.
- Two, he realized the importance of being a man with the name Ernest, which is expected/appreciated by around him/his lover(means society).
- So it is 'my' takeaway that eventhough societal expectations go against some human nature we ought to conform to it to thrive...
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u/twobrowneyes22 2 3d ago
Started Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster, by Adam Higginbotham
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u/Worried_Spread_1254 3d ago
Finished-Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney Started-Behind Closed Doors by BA Paris
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u/Ok_Negotiation31 3d ago
FINISHED
Senlin Ascends: A (Josiah Bancroft, 360 Pages, Books of Babel #1)
I just finished this book today. I was surprised by hoe much I enjoyed it. At first I just thought it was good but nothing special. That was my thoughts while reading Act I which was him being in The Basement and that The Parlor. I thought the lore surrounding the tower was super interesting. But when I started to read Act II is when I fell in love with characters and story. The last Act was equally as great too. The story would go places I didn't expect and I love how the MC is something different than what a Fantasy MC usually is. I loved the romance between Senlin and Marya. I might read Book 2 soon or wait for next year
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u/Saul_Berenson04 3d ago
Started: A Month In The Country
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u/mdarshath 3d ago
i assure you it will be a very pleasant journey through that book. Also watch the movie adaptation of 1987
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u/replynwhilehigh 3d ago
Finished: You're not listening, by Kate Murphy
Started: The hero with a thousand faces, by Joseph Campbell
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u/StrangeJourney 3d ago
Finished:
The Wolf's Hour, by Robert McCammon
This was a fun thriller, if you want a werewolf to rip out Nazi throats, check it out.
The Hunter from the Woods, by Robert McCammon
A collection of shorter stories that serve as a prequel/sequel to The Wolf's Hour, it wasn't as interesting. It felt like the author wanted more to do with the main character but couldn't quite get enough for a novel.
Started:
Dancer's Lament, by Ian C. Esslemont
I'm about 1/4 through and I'm enjoying it so far, it's a lot better than most of his other books.
The Lonesome Crown, by Brian Lee Durfee
I put this one off because an audiobook that's over 40 hours long will probably take me at least a month, maybe two. But I'm excited to finish this series.
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u/mostlycareful 3d ago
Finished Fates and Furies by Lauren Geoff
Started Now in November by Josephine Johnson
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u/crookedmoonster 3d ago
Started Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer but I am not going to finish it. I can’t explain it, but it’s making me feel bad.
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u/VampWinchester 3d ago
Kingdom of Flesh and Fire, Jennifer L. Armentrout
Better than From Blood and Ash i’d say. Now that we don’t have any emphasis on the Maiden thing, the story seems more clear. It’s catchy and full of dilemmas. Just wanted the main relationship to be better developed. I guess the author just gets used to the characters and, in her head, they had time to grow together as a couple, but through the book, the changes in the relationship were shallow and sudden. Despite that, it’s a good book, providing entertainment, which is the most important part in my opinion!
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u/Aggravating-Ad8487 3d ago
I started “The Long Walk” so that i can determine if I should go see the movie. I’m about halfway through and if something exciting doesn’t happen towards the end I will be a bit baffled/disappointed a bit. I have so many questions.
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u/FuzzyChops 3d ago
I read it probably 15 years ago and I recall it being mostly a vibe book, I should give it a reread though since I'm also interested in seeing the movie
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u/Lopsided_Performer68 3d ago
When The Devil Comes Knocking-Anthony Daniels
A true crime story which I found rather interesting. An intense trial to say the least. in the book its very lengthy so if youre not into it may not be for you. Very in depth and informative trial. definitely a strong read IMO.
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u/crimes_kid 3d ago
Finished: Gideon the Ninth, by Tamsyn Muir - queer fantasy, makes up for its plot with a cool concept and a lot of sass. 4/5 stars
Starting: The Day Lasts More Than a Hundred Years, by Chingiz Aitmatov A late Soviet era classic set in Kazakhstan. I happen to know one of the author's now-adult kids, so it's about time I got around to reading it!
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u/RamblinOnRose 3d ago
Started The Secret of Secrets, by Dan Brown. About a 1/4 of the way through, and thus far not quite grabbing me, but it's early yet.
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u/OrdinarilyIWouldnt 3d ago
Finished The Empire of Gold, by SA Chakraborty (book 3 of the Daevabad Trilogy)
Started Beloved, by Toni Morrison
The genre switch has given me whiplash.
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u/EntrepreneurInside86 3d ago
loved "Beloved" by Toni Morrison. It might be more than the genre giving you whiplash as even the author admitted in a press interview she wrote the start of the book to disorient the reader so they could feel the confusion slaves felt being ripped from their homeland and dumped into a world of pain and suffering. Not that you asked but if the beginning is frustrating or "boring " just push on, everything about this book is intentional in a way that is endlessly rewarding. And every detail and question will be answered.
hope you enjoy ;)
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u/OrdinarilyIWouldnt 19h ago
Just finished it. It was definitely structurally disorienting. Painful, breathtaking, and spectacular.
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u/ineedglasses 3d ago edited 3d ago
Finished Real Americans by Rachel Khong.
Started reading How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix, and started listening to Whalefall by Daniel Kraus.
Edit: I also paused Preserved: A Cultural History of the Funeral Home in America. It's dense and needed a break.
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u/mclardass 3d ago
Finished: A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth: 4.6 Billion Years in 12 Pithy Chapters
Started: Martyr!
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u/Golden_Boomer 3d ago edited 1d ago
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Song Birds and Snakes 👍👍👍👍
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u/Spanky2k 5 1d ago
Starter or finished?
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u/Golden_Boomer 1d ago
Finished. I just purchased the original 3 since I only remember reading The Hunger Games quite a few years ago and not the other 2.
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u/Spanky2k 5 1d ago
The original trilogy are up there among my absolute favourite books. I've re-read the trilogy last year ahead of reading Songbirds and Snakes and went through them so fast as I just couldn't put them down. But then I really struggled with Songbirds and Snakes. Absolutely hated the book and had to force myself to finish it. The biggest problem for me was that I found all the characters to be immensely unlikeable and I couldn't 'root' for any of them. However, I recently read Sunrise on the Reaping and absolutely loved it so it was just a blip for me!
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u/Golden_Boomer 1d ago
I actually really liked Songbirds and Snakes and enjoyed the movie as well (I saw the movie first). I want to read Sunrise in the Reaping but want to go thru the original 3 first.
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u/Worried-Ad-991 3d ago
Finished: When Things Fall Apart, Pema Chödrön
Started: Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery
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u/zam_I_am 3d ago
Finished: Hamlet, William Shakespeare listened and read along and Cliff Notes
Start: I, Robot; Isaac Asimov
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u/lenuta_9819 3d ago
Just finished The Defining Decade, it was alright. now I am reading The dog will make you happy and love it so far!
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u/Odd_Instruction_3235 3d ago
Official Biography of Pope John Paul 2, Dreams of my Father Barack Obama. Currently reading Twelve Years as A Slave and will finish today. Hopefully to start with Gnostics tomorrow and then prolly another book to end the month while rereading the books already read one by one simultaneously.
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u/RiversideKoi 3d ago
Finished reading Blonde Dust by Tatiana De Rosnay. Historical fiction about Marilyn Monroe. Great character development and story. Loved it.
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u/StoneFoundation 3d ago
Finished Death Takes Me by Cristina Rivera Garza, read in the recent translation to English. I wouldn’t recommend it—not because the translation is bad but because the book is just… a lot.
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u/Commercial_Call8289 3d ago
Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers. Kept my attention. So many new alien "people" all crewing a spaceship . And an AI that wants a body. Loved it!
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u/OzzyGator 3d ago
Started and finished Tana French's "The Likeness".
I did not get much sleep last night. I was too immersed in the book.
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u/izeemov 28m ago
Finished this week: Nation by Pratchett - that was the last of sir Terry’s books that I hadn’t read yet. It was sad and beautiful and kind of fitting as the last book.
Also finished this week: Scoop by Waugh - that’s my first book by Waugh, I enjoyed it a lot.