Happy New Year!  Wishing you all a happy, healthy, prosperous 2024.  May you read and enjoy many, many books! 

What are we starting out the year with?

I am still (yes, still) listening to The Echo of Old Books.  I hadn't picked it up at all for weeks, but this morning I listened while I got ready for work.  I'd really like to get it finished. I'm kind of "eh" on it. I'm reading Holy Warrior by Angus Donald.  Again, eh.  It's not a bad book.  It is certainly a little reminiscent of my beloved Bernard Cornwell with all the long and detail-rich battle scenes, but I don't know.  Maybe I'm just not into that anymore.  It certainly hasn't been compelling me to go to bed a little early so I have more time to read.  I may just bail on it.  One of my hopes for 2024 is that I can let go of things.  I have a tendency to keep on reading stuff that isn't making me happy, keep working on craft projects I'm really not enjoying, keep doing something I started even though I don't want to keep doing it.  I need to learn that it's okay to drop stuff that is just weighing you down.  There are no book police who are going to come and arrest me for not finishing a book.  LOL!  

Cheers, and here's to only reading what brings you happiness in 2024!! 

Happy 2024!!

Shelley - I'm slowly learning to let things go. Just donated 6 boxes of books to a VA hospital. They're full of books I've either read and held onto, or books I bought ages ago and now no longer want to read. Time to move on!

REK - I finished The Great Bridge today. Excellent book! I live in NYC and have never walked across it. Now I'm going to find time to do it and marvel at its creation. Unbelievable story. It is long (630 pages) and a few times got a little too technical with specs, which I didn't understand. But I definitely recommend it!

Currently reading Pachinko by Min Jin Lee.

Thanks Carolyn!  I'm putting that one on my TBR list.  I finished The Borgia Bride Dec. 31.  It was mind  boggling.  I'm glad I read it at last.  Debated rating it five stars but decided on four because of the Borgia family and their reign of terror.  In ways that made it a hard read for me.  I cherish building others, kindness and sharing.

If anyone here reads fantasy or science fiction I started a listing for fantasy/science fiction reads under the fantasy thread.

I am reading Death Below Stairs  by Jennifer Ashley. I know this series has been around for a bit. I am really enjoying it. Has anyone else read her books she also rights as Ashley Gardner

Read The Prince: A Novel by Vito Bruschini written by a journalist who documents the origins and development of the Mafia in an interesting novel.  Wow!  Whoever knew so much about the Mafia?  It's a four star read.  Donated to the library for its sale table.

Next up:  Shields of Pride by Elizabeth Chadwick

Hello!  Almost done with both of the books I am reading but am not yet ready to report.  However, I wanted to pop in with a question.  One of the categories in the 2024 challenge Carolyn so nicely put together is to read a book recommended by someone on PBS.  Carolyn answered but no one else did.  So, could you guys maybe let me know some of the great books you've read recently that you would definitely recommend?  My favorites from my 2023 reads are - 

The Good Wife of Bath by Karen Brooks

Tears of Amber by Sofia Segovia

The House is On Fire by Rachel Beanland

The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont 

There is a lot of talk about Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus which takes place in the 70s which is on my list to read this year.  Two from my 2023 list that you haven't mentioned I would add are: 

The Widow of the South by Robert Hicks

The Laws of Murder (Charles Lenox, Bk 8) by Charles Finch

I took that to mean any book mentioned at any time by another PBS HF reader.  There are three on your list I haven't read!  Have to check yours out.  I'm trying to clear out some of the books I have on my shelves that I have been meaning to read just about forever.

REK - no, you're right, I think it was just any recommendation from anytime. I just thought I'd narrow it down to books read last year so people didn't have to think too hard. LOL!

REK - But if you have others, you'd like to recommend, please do so!

Okay, I finished both books I was reading. 

The Echo of Old Books by Barbara Davis, which I listened to.  Eh.  Mostly a romance, and I should know better than to read a romance since they are not my thing. It was also a dual timeline, which is also not usually my thing.  The storyline was fairly predictable, with a couple of interesting twists, but it seemed like the novel dragged on a bit, and I wish it would've fleshed out the one main character's ability to read the "echoes of books" more.  I wouldn't say it was a bad book.  I think people who like romances would enjoy it.  

Holy Warrior by Angus Donald.  This was a good book, but I wasn't in love with it.  Lots of "tough guy" stuff like battle scenes and plenty of gore.  Very reminiscent of a Bernard Cornwell book but not as good in my opinion.  I did like this one better than The Echo of Old Books, but I doubt I'll ever read the other books in the series.  

I will be starting these books later today. 

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr.  This one appears to have a triple timeline, which I may hate, but it has excellent reviews, and I really liked Doerr's All the Light We Cannot See. Reading this one. 

North Woods by Daniel Mason.  I'm super excited about this one which was released last fall.  I'll be listening to this one on Audible. 

Read The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti, another that has been lingering on my book shelf for some time.  Now into The Eleventh Man by Ivan Doig, an author I reall enjoy.  Too bad he's gone but there are a number of his books I haven't yet read.

Hey Shelley:  I have Cloud Cuckoo Land  on my shelf and almost put in this month's pile.  Thanks for sharing your reads.  Interested in North Woods so will be looking for your comments.  I'm not an Angus Donald fan so I haven't read that one.

Hello, all!  I hope you have all had an enjoyable weekend.  Cold as all get out here in the north, but that's okay with me.  A good reason to stay inside and read and craft.  I finished listening to North Woods -- in 4 days!  A record for me, and a testament to how much I loved this book.Every second was a joy.  It is kind of like a collection of short stories that all interweave.  Tales that are left somewhat unfinished at the end of their telling wrap themselves up later on.  It reminded me a bit of a Rutherfurd book in that regard, so I guess it stands to reason that since Rutherfurd is my favorite author, this book would be right up my alley.  And there is such a beautiful connection to nature and a reminder of how all life is connected.  A big recommendation from me for this one.

Alice, this one is set in MA, and I'm not sure where you are in relation to where this novel takes place, but it might have some meaning for you.  

Still reading Cloud Cuckoo Land.  I am only about 200 pages into it, but I am really enjoying that one as well.  I think I will start listening to The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon next.  

Finished The Eleventh Man.  Good read but sad until the end.

Finished The Eleventh Man.  Good read but sad until the end which ended on a positive note.  Starting Pendragon's Banner (Pendragon's Banner, Bk 2) by Helen Hollick.  Thanks Shelley for commenting about North Woods by Daniel Mason.  Many people are wishing for this book.

R E K - I listened to it on Audible, so I can't offer it up here.  I did end up ordering the hardcover as I want to skim back through it and possibly annotate it to connect the dots.  Who knows if I will actually get around to this or not, but I have this feeling there were some things I missed.  Plus, I have a couple of family members who might enjoy the book, so I will likely borrow it to them. 

Shelley:  Put North Woods on my TBR but who knows when I would get around to it.  Just compiling books recommended  by others for future reading.  Have been trying to read mostly books from my shelves.  Tend to collect titles I think are interesting and I have dozens of books yet to read so the book shelf is bulging.  Occasionally I go to the library for something that seems really interesting.  There are even holds on this one there so one has to get in line!

Finished Pachinko a few days ago.  It was very good.  I'm now reading Pompeii by Robert Harris.

Finished Pendragon's Banner (Pendragon's Banner, Bk 2) by Helen Hollick., 4.5 atars,  It's been awhile since I read The Kingmaking (Pendragon's Banner Trilogy, Bk 1) but the stories of Arthur can be read almost any time.  Hollick takes a different approach from that of many.  Yes, Athur loves women but Gwenhwyfar emerges here as an independent sometimes ferocious woman who loves him passionately.  I enjoyed this one as well as the athor's comments about her choices in developing it.  Good, good read filled with action and battles.  How Arthur succeeds in defeating his enemies demonstrates his prowess as a soldier.  If you haven't read this trilogy I'd recommend it as it's a good one.

I finished Pompeii and thought it was very good.  I only wish I had read it before I visited Pompeii and Herculaneum a few years ago.  

I am now reading The Forest by Edward Rutherfurd. 

Hello!  I finished Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr last night.  Oh. My. God. Such a wonderful book.  It's going on my very short list of "All Time Favorite Books."  I really, really enjoyed it.  I knew I wouldn't mind that the story was told from the perspective of 5 different people, as I usually like that, but  I thought I would dislike the 3 different time periods format, especially because one was in the future.  I did not mind that at all.  I loved how the story kept switching between the main characters in the different time periods, and I loved how they were woven together.  It is truly a great book, and I highly recommend it. I'm starting the year out strong with not one but both books I've finished this year making my "All Time Favorite Books" list (North Woods made it too).  I'm a little afraid that it will be nothing but downhill from here on out.  LOL! 

I am still listening to The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon, and I am starting The Hacienda by Isabel Canas today.  Intrigued by this one.  The words "Mexican gothic" are mentioned in the synopsis and the words "scary," "creepy," etc. showed up in reviews.  Oooh, sounds fun!  

Finished Carnegie's Maid by Marie Benedict.  Love the books by this author.  Find myself returning to authors I've enjoyed in the past and her interpretation of how Carnegie's life may have changed and why he might have decided to give away his fortune makes for a good story.  I completed THE HERETIC'S APPRENTICE by ELLIS PETERS.  It's been awhile since I've read this series so it's good to return to it.  These light little mysteries make for relaxing reading.  Read The Thistle and the Rose (Tudor Saga, Bk 8) by Jean Plaidy which is an interesting telling about King Henry VIII's sister, Margaret, her mariages and her life in Scotland.

Hello!  I finished two books yesterday. The Hacienda by Isabel Canas which was just okay.  I'm not a horror fan, but this was billed more as "gothic," which I generally like.  This was just a little too over-the-top for me.  Instead of giving me a vaguely creepy feeling, it was a little too full on.  I don't know.  It wasn't horrible, just not my thing.  I also finished listening to The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon, which I thought was very good.  

Last evening I started reading The Trackers by Charles Frazier, which is off to a good start.  This morning I started listening to Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, which I am using for my "book recommended here on PBS" category of this year's HF Challenge.  Carolyn mentioned above that it was "very good," so I'm taking that as a recommendation.  LOL!  I see that there is a TV version on Apple TV+, so once I finish the book I will check that out. I've been watching the "Lessons In Chemistry" series, which is really good.  I have not yet read the book, and I'm not sure if I will or not since I'll have watched the entire series, but we'll see.  

Shelley - I didn't realize there was a tv show made out of Pachinko.  Now I need to watch it!  

Carolyn - Let me know what you think!  "Lessons In Chemistry" is also on Apple TV+, so you might as well check that out too!