Tag: Robert Galbraith

TTT: Out of the Box

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Today’s Top Ten Tuesday topic is “Ten Book I Enjoyed Recently (last yearish) That Weren’t My Typical Genre/Type of Book (or that was out of your comfort zone).”

I tend to stay inside my own little “classics” / cozy mysteries / YA fantasies / kid lit box. Here are some great books from outside that box.

Contemporary / Realistic Fiction:

  1. The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick
  2. Sorta Like a Rock Star by Matthew Quick
  3. Devoted by Jennifer Mathieu (I’m actually getting ready to re-read this one via digital audiobook!)
  4. Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Thriller:

  1. Cormoran Strike series by Robert Galbraith

Southern Gothic:

  1. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
  2. Winter’s Bone by Daniel Woodrell

Graphic Novel:

  1. Zita the Space Girl series by Ben Hatke
  2. Cleopatra in Space series by Mike Maihack

Steampunk:

  1. Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell

I’m linking up: Top Ten Tuesday

2015 Reading Wrap Up

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Behold, the thing that reads a lot!

On this final day of 2015, I am wrapping up all the reading I’ve done this is year. It’s a lot.

First, an update on my 4th Quarter TBR:

  1. The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde.
    ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ I could just as easily have re-watched the film version since, as far as I could tell, it was unabridged. Witty and charming, as expected.
  2. Anne of the Island by L. M. Montgomery.
    ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ This has always been one of my favorite books from one of my favorite series. It shows its age poorly in a few places (racism) but I love it nonetheless. Patty’s Place, Phil, Aunt Jimsie, and the cats are all wonderful additions to Anne’s world.
  3. Emma by Jane Austen.
    ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Probably my least favorite Austen heroine and hero. Emma is a brat and Mr. Knightley is a creeper. The hilarious supporting characters are what earn this one four stars.
  4. The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allen Poe.
    ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ I can appreciate all the hallmarks of the genre that Poe created in this story, but the far-fetched solution is rather ludicrous.
  5. Wicked Autumn by G. M. Malliet.
    ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Max Tudor, MI-5 operative turned Anglican priest (nominative determinism?), is an interesting character. The village and its inhabitants were okay, as was the mystery itself. This one is definitely all about the detective.
  6. Why Is This Night Different from All Other Nights? by Lemony Snicket.
    POSTPONED
  7. Spinning Starlight by R. C. Lewis.
    ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Rounded up from 4.5 stars. R. C. Lewis has done it again! Like Stitching Snow, Spinning Starlight is a brilliant fairytale retelling interwoven with a fully realized a sci-fi world, and a teeny bit of a love story.
  8. Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith.
    ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ I’m torn about this one. Strike and Robin are great characters. I’m attached to them and I want to continue reading their stories. The crimes / mysteries are ancillary. However, the books just keep getting more profane and violent (I didn’t think that was possible after The Silkworm, but Galbraith / Rowling managed it). I will probably continue to read the series, but I will NOT be re-reading nor will I buy any of the subsequent books. I can wait for a library copy.
  9. Beastly Bones by William Ritter.
    ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Jackaby is still delightfully Wholock (this time with a significant dash of Harry Potter thrown in). This series is charming, although too derivative for a five star rating.
  10. All Dressed in White by Mary Higgins Clark.
    ⭐ ⭐ 1/2 Decent entry in the series knocked down from 3.5 stars for the eye-roll inducing deus ex machina in the climatic scene.

Now, on to the challenges (unless otherwise noted, my specific challenge books are listed here):

  1. Goodreads Challenge – Read at least 365 books. Surpassed! I read 475 books this year (or I will by the end of today 😉 ). See them all here.
  2. Birthday Month Reading Challenge hosted by Lois @ You, Me, and a Cup of Tea – Read a book each month by an author whose birthday is in that month. Achieved!
  3. Hard Core Re-Reading Challenge hosted by Lois @ You, Me, and a Cup of Tea – Re-read a bunch of books. I entered at Level 3 30-40 Re-reading fever. Surpassed! I re-read 75 books this year.
  4. Cruisin’ Thru the Cozies Reading Challenge hosted by Yvonne at Socrates’ Book Reviews – Read cozy mysteries. I entered at Level 3 -Super Sleuth – read 13 or more books. Surpassed! I read 85 cozies this year.
  5. Back to the Classics Challenge hosted by Books and Chocolate – Read classics in 12 particular categories. The rules of the challenge state the a classic must be at least 50 years old. Achieved!
  6. Personal Classics Challenge – Read (or re-read) classics that I currently own. For this personal challenge I am defining classics as books that are at least as old as I am. I read 42 books from my list this year.
  7. Poirot Challenge – I am attempting to read all of Agatha Christie’s Poirot novels and short stories in original publication order. I read 10 novels and 18 short stories this year.
  8. Reading My Library Challenge co-hosted by Stefani @ Caught Read Handed – Read lots of library books in April. I read 50! Wrap-Up post here.
  9. 20 Books of Summer Challenge hosted by Cathy @ 746 Books – Read 20 books between June 1 – September 4. Achieved!
  10. Pop Sugar Reading Challenge – Read books in 50 different categories. Achieved!