Annual Reading Challenge--2020

32/60 "U" is for Undertow by Sue Grafton
It's April 1988, a month before Kinsey Millhone's thirty-eighth birthday, and she's alone in her office catching up on paperwork when a young man arrives unannounced. He has a preppy air about him and looks as if he'd be carded if he tried to buy a beer, but Michael Sutton is twenty-seven, an unemployed college dropout. More than two decades ago, a four-year-old girl disappeared, and a recent newspaper story about her kidnapping has triggered a flood of memories. Sutton now believes he stumbled on her lonely burial and could identify the killers if he saw them again. He wants Kinsey's help in locating the grave and finding the men. It's way more than a long shot, but he's persistent and willing to pay cash up front. Reluctantly, Kinsey agrees to give him one day of her time.

But it isn't long before she discovers Sutton has an uneasy relationship with the truth. In essence, he's the boy who cried wolf. Is his story true, or simply one more in a long line of fabrications?


This is number 21 in the Kinsey Milhone series & one of the best so far. I really enjoyed it.
If I wanted to start this series, does it make the most sense to start from the beginning? Are the older ones dated?
 
50/80 The Preacher’s Daughter by Beverly Lewis

I enjoyed the book to a point, but it certainly left loose ties.
 
41. American Princess by Stephanie Marie Thornton. Factionalized account of the life Alice Roosevelt. I really enjoy s.
 
If I wanted to start this series, does it make the most sense to start from the beginning? Are the older ones dated?
I would say yes to starting with the first one as there are a few recurring characters.
But then I'm OCD about things like that, lol.
You could read them out of sequence as she does kinda give a few of the same details in the beginning of each book
I think the whole series is pretty much set in the late 80's. As a private investigator, she goes into detail about how she uses the library to research & cross reference phone numbers & addresses & of course she has a few contacts on the police force & DMV......I keep thinking, man, she could solve things a lot faster if she had a cell phone & internet, lol.
But I do really enjoy this series, will be sad when it ends.
 


I would say yes to starting with the first one as there are a few recurring characters.
But then I'm OCD about things like that, lol.
You could read them out of sequence as she does kinda give a few of the same details in the beginning of each book
I think the whole series is pretty much set in the late 80's. As a private investigator, she goes into detail about how she uses the library to research & cross reference phone numbers & addresses & of course she has a few contacts on the police force & DMV......I keep thinking, man, she could solve things a lot faster if she had a cell phone & internet, lol.
But I do really enjoy this series, will be sad when it ends.
Agreed! It is best to read in order, and it all takes place in the 80s. Sad that she died before writing Z.
 
6/25 Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain

This is a dual story of a woman commissioned to paint a Post Office mural in the early 1940’s and the present day woman who is hired to restore the mural. Both women have secrets and intriguing stories.

I loved this book. At first the description didn’t do much for me but I read it because I’ve enjoyed other books by Diane Chamberlain. But this story really grabbed me. I enjoyed both women’s stories and how they intertwined. I was left with a couple of unanswered questions at the end but was satisfied with all the ‘aha’ moments that it did supply. Definitely my favorite book of the year so far.

My library has reopened with online holds for contactless pick-up and this was the first book I got. It was an excellent book for starting back to reading physical books instead of downloaded ones.

41 of 80
 
Going Home by Judith Keim. This is book one of her Chandler Hill Inn series, It was a quick read with an unbelievable plot and a too sweet outlook.

Beneath a Glass Bridge by Tali Asnin-Barel. Helena was born during WWII to a young Jewish girl pretending to be German and surviving by being a prostitute. She is writing a book which tells the story of her mother in order to explain to her family about her past. Something she has always refused to talk about. It was interesting.

The Bend in Redwood Road by Danielle Stewart. Book one of her Missing Pieces series. It was an interesting story. Gwen has always known she was adapted but when she does a DNA test and finds out she has a sister, she goes a bit crazy. She joins up with a childhood friend who is suffering through a disaster in his career. Together they track down the truth about her adoption and meet her other family.

White Fragility by Robin Diangelo. It took me three weeks to read this. It is a scholarly and somewhat intense discussion of race in the United States. I had to digest it in small portions. I am not sure I agree with all of it but it was definitely worth the effort.

42-45 of 80
 


My library has reopened with online holds for contactless pick-up and this was the first book I got. It was an excellent book for starting back to reading physical books instead of downloaded ones.

41 of 80
I know you are so glad! Due to circumstance beyond my control, I only had one book checked out when ours closed. Now that they have re opened (still limited hours), I have a stack here waiting to be read & several more on hold. I told them I would never again be caught without anything to read, lol.
 
#33/60 V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton
A woman with a murky past jumps off a bridge, or was she thrown? A spoiled kid awash in gambling debt thinks he can beat the system. A lovely woman whose marriage is about to splinter into a thousand fragments. A professional shoplifting ring working for the Mob, racks up millions from stolen goods. A wandering husband is rich and ruthless. A dirty cop is so entrenched on the force he is immune to exposure. A sinister gangster is conscienceless and brutal. A lonely widower mourns the death of his lover, desperate for answers, which may be worse than the pain of his loss. Private detective Kinsey Millhone's thirty-eighth-birthday gift is a punch in the face that leaves her with two black eyes and a busted nose.

Another great one.
 
5 of 20: Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

A powerful true story about the potential for mercy to redeem us, and a clarion call to fix our broken system of justice—from one of the most brilliant and influential lawyers of our time

Bryan Stevenson was a young lawyer when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal practice dedicated to defending those most desperate and in need: the poor, the wrongly condemned, and women and children trapped in the farthest reaches of our criminal justice system. One of his first cases was that of Walter McMillian, a young man who was sentenced to die for a notorious murder he insisted he didn’t commit. The case drew Bryan into a tangle of conspiracy, political machination, and legal brinksmanship—and transformed his understanding of mercy and justice forever.

Just Mercy is at once an unforgettable account of an idealistic, gifted young lawyer’s coming of age, a moving window into the lives of those he has defended, and an inspiring argument for compassion in the pursuit of true justice.

I'm super hopeful and pretty angry about EJI's struggle for justice. Some of the stories shared in this book are heartbreaking. 5 stars.
 
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51/80. The Englisher: Annie’s People Book 2

I guess you have to read the three books to get conclusion!
 
52/80 The Brethren:Annie’s People Book 3 by Beverly Lewis

Well, the series ended quite nicely!
 
42. Suddenly Psychic by Elizabeth Hunter fun mystery about three middle aged best friends that suddenly develop abilities. It was a fun, quick read.
 
53/80. Beyond Summer by Lisa Wingate

A good one, and there’s one more book in the Blue Sky Hill series. Each book with just enough references to previous one. Looking forward to conclusion!
 
7/30 Amish Haven by Dana Lynn - Lawyer and family in witness protection
program in Amish country
8/30 Outsider by Linda Castillo - Dirty cop hides out in Amish country.
Wasn't a fan of the language in this book.
9/30 Hidden Away by Sharon Dunn - Romantic suspense in snowy setting
 
54/80 To Kill a Mocking Girl by Caren Ann Appel

A pretty good murder mystery set in Vienna VA.
 
24/25 The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

Story of an English butler looking back on his life of service at Darlington Hall.

This is an older book (1988?) that was recently recommended to me. I loved it. It’s such a well written story and is really about what is never said or done in the butler’s life really due to his allegiance and devotion to Lord Darlington. It reminded me of Downton Abbey, giving a glimpse into the lives of English servants.
 
16/30-The Drawing of the Three--Dark Tower II by Stephen King. I didn't really like the first in the series, but I really, really enjoyed this one. It seemed much more "King-like." I'm excited to read the next in the series. Favorite part--the lobstrosities!!

Next up for me: Speaking of Summer by Kalisha Buckhanon; The Waste Lands--Dark Tower III by Stephen King

Glad I got you to read book 2! Great, isn't it? Made me want a seafood dinner! LOL!
 
It has been a productive two weeks.

35. The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King (book two of The Dark Tower series)

This is the book where I began to fall in love with the Dark Tower series. The introductions to the three (two?) characters that will prove important to Roland's journey to the Tower is handled beautifully (doorways anyone?). The book has humor, poignancy, and lobstrosities. What more could anyone want?

36. Camino Winds by John Grisham

A break from the King re-read for this quick jaunt. A fun and fully realized sequel (of sorts) to Camino Island, the book's plot line keeps you guessing, and keeps the pages turning. Since we previously lived in Jacksonville, I felt a connection to the locations mentioned, and thoroughly enjoyed the story.

37. Misery by Stephen King

I can't remember when I last read this book through. When I close my eyes. I picture Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes and it was fun to catch up with the origins of this character. The story had its moments of cringing (where my pain sensitive nerves empathically felt every twinge). It was also fun to notice the connections to It, The Shining, and The Drawing of the Three. The 300 pages flew by!

Next set of books. This was interesting!

38. Stephen King: Art of Darkness - The Life and Fiction of the Master of the Macabre - Douglas E. Winter (1986 edition)

This was a fantastic review of Stephen King's work (through 1986). Part biography, and mostly a literature review and analysis, Winter takes a deep dive into all of King's published work (novels, non-fiction, short stories, screenplays) and offers a wonderful perspective on his work. Winter is / was a close confidante of King's, so King's interviews with Winter informed much of the book. A great review for superfans or those new to his work.

39. Bare Bones: Conversations on Terror with Stephen King - Tim Underwood and Chuck Miller, editors

This book is a collection of transcriptions and articles featuring interviews with Stephen King, dating from 1979 to 1985. While there was some duplication of content between the interviews, they were another fascinating insight into King's work. Well worth the read. With the Winter book, this was a fun way to do some meta-analysis of his work.

40. The Tommyknockers by Stephen King

Is it possible I have never read this one before? It has been on my bookshelf for years, but I don't think I have ever read it. I didn't remember the story and any of the details. Maybe I was visited by a UFO who removed the memory from my brain? LOL! The novel tells the story of the excavation of an ancient spaceship under the surface of a Maine farm, and the impact on the town and its residents. Started slow, but it built quickly!
 

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