Books #24 Reading Chats

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I’ve read 129/100 this year which I’m happy with. I have a couple of books I’m almost finished so think I’ll end the year about 131 books.
I like to have a book goal for fun but don’t really pay much attention to it.
I used to follow someone on instagram+twitter who read so many books! She ended up annoying me as she didn’t work, read all day and appeared to ignore her family to do so. She came across smug and I had to unfollow.
Any recommendations for decent bookstagram accounts?
 
Finished Before the Coffee Gets Cold and I was just very underwhelmed. Raced through it at the end just to get it done. Cute concept though.

Gonna do Confessions by Kanae Minato next and I’ve heard good things. I’m in the mood to read something darker atm after getting so into Penance so hoping this fits the bill.

Also just ordered I Who Have Never Known Men which I’m excited for as again, heard good things.
 
twilightgarden said:
I’ve read 129/100 this year which I’m happy with. I have a couple of books I’m almost finished so think I’ll end the year about 131 books.
I like to have a book goal for fun but don’t really pay much attention to it.
I used to follow someone on instagram+twitter who read so many books! She ended up annoying me as she didn’t work, read all day and appeared to ignore her family to do so. She came across smug and I had to unfollow.
Any recommendations for decent bookstagram accounts?
Click to expand...

My favourite are

Marcereads
Coolgalreading
Bookswithmitch (but she isnt posting regularly)
Ellereadsomebook
Rachelturnsthepage

I think it depends what you like reading though :D
 
@Caffeine Fiend Thanks! I’ll check them out. Should have mentioned I mostly like crime, thriller type books but open to other genres. I’ll laugh if anyone recommends the account i unfollowed. Maybe i was secretly jealous of her library like reading room and the fact she could read all day and have nothing else to do. 🤭
 
twilightgarden said:
@Caffeine Fiend Thanks! I’ll check them out. Should have mentioned I mostly like crime, thriller type books but open to other genres. I’ll laugh if anyone recommends the account i unfollowed. Maybe i was secretly jealous of her library like reading room and the fact she could read all day and have nothing else to do. 🤭
Click to expand...

whatmichaelareads is a thriller account. I found her on TikTok but she does Instagram too
 
2023 Recap

How do you feel about your reading year? Good? Bad? Better than last year? Worse than last year? Spill all.

What was your average rating this year? (If you rate)

What was your favourite read of 2023?

Any other books worth a mention?

What was your least favourite read of 2023?

What book exceeded your expectation?

What book didnt live up to your expectation? Or just wasnt as good as you thought it would be?

Favourite non fiction book of the year?

Do you have any book goals for 2024?





Have left off any target talk as I dont want to discourage those with small or large numbers from participating but feel free to talk about it if you'd like to.
 
Caffeine Fiend said:
2023 Recap

How do you feel about your reading year? Good? Bad? Better than last year? Worse than last year? Spill all.

What was your average rating this year? (If you rate)

What was your favourite read of 2023?

Any other books worth a mention?

What was your least favourite read of 2023?

What book exceeded your expectation?

What book didnt live up to your expectation? Or just wasnt as good as you thought it would be?

Favourite non fiction book of the year?

Do you have any book goals for 2024?





Have left off any target talk as I dont want to discourage those with small or large numbers from participating but feel free to talk about it if you'd like to.
Click to expand...


2023 Recap

How do you feel about your reading year? Good? Bad? Better than last year? Worse than last year? Spill all.
I’m pleased with my reading this year. I read way more than I planned to. I didn’t quite complete the alphabet challenge, but had my planned book for Z been released I would have read it.

What was your average rating this year? (If you rate)
Only two books got 5. The majority were between 3.5-4.

What was your favourite read of 2023?
And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer. It broke my heart.

Any other books worth a mention?
I was very surprised at Richard Armatige debut novel. It was excellent, to read and also to listen to on audio. I’m looking forward to more from him.

What was your least favourite read of 2023?
Betty. It really did drag. And I was so looking forward to reading it too.

What book exceeded your expectation?
And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer. I didn’t expect it to break me like it did. I knew it was going to be well written because of the author’s other works. But, my oh my … it will live inside of me forever. I will definitely read this again every year.

What book didnt live up to your expectation? Or just wasnt as good as you thought it would be?
Again, Betty. I thought it was going to be a good read, emotionally challenging but good. I really didn’t like how it was written. I actually gave up in the end, it was one of my most disappointing DNF. I did say I would pick it up again, but it’s highly unlikely when there are so many other books to read.

Favourite non fiction book of the year?
With the End in Mind. I’ve read / listened to it several times now and it’s just bloody brilliant. I think everyone should read it at some point in their life.

Do you have any book goals for 2024?
I’d like to do another challenge. Just not sure which yet. I think maybe I’d like to read a few series books, with the proviso that if book 1 isn’t ‘great’ then I can ditch the rest of the series.
 
2023 Recap

How do you feel about your reading year? Good? Bad? Better than last year? Worse than last year? Spill all.
It has been a good reading year, I’ve just hit my target of 60 books so really pleased with that!

What was your average rating this year? (If you rate)
4.3 - This is quite high because if I’m not enjoying a book or can’t get into it I will DNF and not rate it at all.

What was your favourite read of 2023?
In Memorium is my favourite, it just blew me away. Phenomenal writing and so emotive, I still think about it now and I read it at the beginning of the year.

Any other books worth a mention?
The Bee Sting, How to Build a Boat and Kala, all set in Ireland but completely different and brilliant.

What was your least favourite read of 2023?
I’m a Fan. Just didn’t get the hype but luckily it was very short so I did finish it!

What book exceeded your expectation?
Penance by Eliza Clark. It was surprising in format and I loved the way she delved into and encapsulated exactly how it feels to be a weird teenage girl.

What book didnt live up to your expectation? Or just wasnt as good as you thought it would be?
Vladimir! I really loved it until about half way through and then it took a turn and I just couldn’t get back on board with it! 👀

Favourite non fiction book of the year?
I don’t read much non-fiction but I loved Strong Female Character by Fern Brady. ❤️

Do you have any book goals for 2024?
I would quite like to do a challenge like A-Z but I’m a rebel at heart and the surest way to get me to not read a book is because I ‘have to’! So I’ll see…
 
2023 Recap

How do you feel about your reading year? Good? Bad? Better than last year? Worse than last year? Spill all.
very good, i surpassed my target and this was the year that i got back into reading. a lot of that thanks to my kindle and this thread!

What was your average rating this year? (If you rate)
the average is 4, some were 3, some 5, only 1 got a rating of 2.

What was your favourite read of 2023?
never lie by freida mcfadden. i wish all thrillers were as unpredictable as this one.

Any other books worth a mention?
i re-read more than half of the harry potter books and i just love them so much!

What was your least favourite read of 2023?
it starts with us by colleen hoover. tbf i didn't really like the first one either so i could have predicted that.

What book exceeded your expectation?
don't let her stay by nicola sanders.

What book didnt live up to your expectation? Or just wasnt as good as you thought it would be?
the inmate by freida mcfadden.

Favourite non fiction book of the year?
i don't like non-fiction books.

Do you have any book goals for 2024?
i am not sure yet about the number goal i want to set but i would love to try and do the a-z challenge, and finish my harry potter re-read.
 
Thanks @Caffeine Fiend for the qs, good prompters.

2023 Recap

How do you feel about your reading year? Good? Bad? Better than last year? Worse than last year? Spill all. Pretty good overall – has been an up and down year but I’ve diversified the range of books I’ve been reading this year and branched out into audiobooks more.

What was your average rating this year? (If you rate) 3.67

What was your favourite read of 2023? Fiction - Lessons in Chemistry or Black Butterflies by Priscilla Morris – Non Fiction – Unlawful Killings

Any other books worth a mention? Probably but can’t think off the top of my head.

What was your least favourite read of 2023? Hidden River by Adrian McKinty – freebie audiobook on Audible, so must drugs chat and I just found the characters so annoying. Or Let’s Pretend this Never Happened by Jenny Lawson – a book club pick that I just didn’t get on with at all.

What book exceeded your expectation? Fourth Wing

What book didnt live up to your expectation? Or just wasnt as good as you thought it would be? Just Got Real by Jane Fallon – I loved Worst Idea Ever but I didn’t get on with this one as much at all.

Favourite non fiction book of the year? Unlawful Killings by Wendy Joseph QC – so interesting.

Do you have any book goals for 2024? We’re moving house so a goal for me is getting some nice shelves set up so I can actually keep and display more books once I have read them 😊 and getting a nice reading set up in the room that will also be my office to squirrel myself away when the husband has friends round! Mostly just to carry on enjoying reading. And Iron Flame is hopefully going to be under the Christmas tree so that may well be a first book for me in the new year.
 
2023 Recap

How do you feel about your reading year? Good? Bad? Better than last year? Worse than last year? Spill all.

Another good reading year. I’ve had less 5 stars this year (15 compared to 32!) but I think I’ve been a lot more selective about what I’m giving a high rating to.

I’m also trying to be more picky about what I’m buying.


What was your average rating this year? (If you rate)

According to StoryGraph, my average rating is 3.6


What was your favourite read of 2023?

Those that stand out without me having to look back at what I’ve read, are:

I Let Him Go by Denise Fergus (The James Bulger story)

None of this is True by Lisa Jewell

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

After I Do by TJR

Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier


Any other books worth a mention?

Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica

The Secrets of Strangers by Charity Norman

The Only Suspect by Louise Candlish

One True Loves by TJR

Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult


What was your least favourite read of 2023?

The Dave’s Next Door by Will Carver. I’ve said it before but he’s such a hit and miss author and it really disappoints me when I don’t enjoy his books, because the premise often sounds so good.


What book exceeded your expectation?

Anything that I’ve mentioned above that haven’t been thrillers. I never expect to enjoy them as much so I’m pleasantly surprised when I do.


What book didnt live up to your expectation? Or just wasnt as good as you thought it would be?

I’d hoped to enjoy Murder on the Christmas Express more. I was hoping I’d enjoy Pretending by Holly Bourne more too, after loving Girl Friends.


Favourite non fiction book of the year?

I Let Him Go by Denise Fergus. Heartbreaking but just captivated me, I listened to it in a day.


Do you have any book goals for 2024?

I want to delve into fantasy. I’m going to do another alphabet challenge too and another that I’ve shared previously, but I’m prioritising either those I’ve not read that I’ve had a while, those on my wish list or those of another genre.
 
2023 Recap

How do you feel about your reading year? Good? Bad? Better than last year? Worse than last year? Spill all

A. Much better than last year. Massive slump in 2022 barely read at all, but joined this thread early this year and not had a slump since!

What was your average rating this year? (If you rate)

A. Hard to say, but the majority of my reads are 3 stars for a book I liked but didn't love, and 4 stars for a book I enjoyed reading but probably wouldn't read again


What was your favourite read of 2023?

A. Have a few - most memorable are Three by Valerie Perrin (translated from French) ans Before My Actual Heart Breaks by Tish Delaney

Any other books worth a mention?

A. I flew through The House In The Woods and loved Secrets of Strangerd.

What was your least favourite read of 2023?

A. sorry to all Fredrik fans but it was Beartown.

What book exceeded your expectation?

A. Not sure, I try not to have too many expectations but have got better at DNFing. Life's too short and reading is for enjoyment!

What book didnt live up to your expectation? Or just wasnt as good as you thought it would be?

A. Has.to be Beartown again

Favourite non fiction book of the year?

A. Havent read any this year, apart from.Nancy Birtwhistles eco books so will have to say those!

Do you have any book goals for 2024?

A. to read 100 books. To only read books I love and DNF if I'm not into the book by 30%. To read All the Light We Cannot See. To read the books currently stacked on my bookshelf. To go through all the unread books on my kindle and ditch any I bought ages ago but still haven't and not likely to read.
 
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