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Mona's Reading List


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Currently Reading:
 

 
I'm using the Goodreads rating system: 
1/5 - didn't like it
2/5 - it was ok
3/5 - liked it

4/5 - really liked it
5/5 - it was amazing
 
Books Read - 2016
 

 

1. "The Hundred-Year-Old-Man Who Climber Out of the Window and Disappeared" - Jonas Jonasson, 4/5
2. "A Little Life" - Hanya Yanagihaha, 5/5
3. "The Apprentice" - Tess Gerritsen, 4/5
4. "Outlander" - Diana Gabaldon, 4/5
5. "My Life on the Road" - Gloria Steinem, 4/5
6. "The Maze Runner" - James Dashner, 5/5
7. "The Scorch Trials" - James Dashner, 4/5
8. "The Death Cure" - James Dasher, 4/5
9. "A Mother's Reckoning: Living in the aftermath of the Columbine tragedy" - Sue Klebold
10. "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" - J.K. Rowling, 3/5
11. "The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry" - Gabrielle Zevin, 5/5
12. "Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death" - James Runcie, 4/5
13. "Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness" - Scott Jurek4/5
14. "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" - J.K. Rowling, 5/5 (audiobook)
15. "American Gods" - Neil Gaiman, 4/5
16. "Sidney Chambers and the Perils of the Night" - James Runcie, 5/5
17. "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" - J. K. Rowling, 3/5
18. "1984" - George Orwell, 5/5


 
Books Read 2017
 

Spoiler

 

1."Knots and Crossed" - Ian Rankin, 5/5

2. “Lion” – Saroo Brierley, 5/5

3. “Murphy’s Boy” – Torey Hayden, 4/5

4. “When Breath Becomes Air” – Paul Kalanithi, 5/5

5. “Deal Breaker” – Harlan Coben, 5/5

6. “Drop Shot” – Harlan Coben, 5/5

7. “Fade Away” – Harlan Coben, 5/5

8. “Back Spin” – Harlan Coben, 4/5

9. "The No Spend Year: How I spent less and lived more" - Michelle Mcgagh, 4/5

10. "The One" - John Marrs, 4/5

11. "Turtles All The Way Down" - John Green, 4/5

 

 

Books Read 2018

 

Spoiler

 

1. "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" - J.K. Rowling, 5/5

2. "Glass Houses" - Rachel Caine, 5/5

3. "Sa alergi sau sa mori. Jurnalul unui campion" - Killian Jornet, 5/5

4. "A Little Life" - Hanya Yanagihaha, 5/5

5. "The Kicking the Bucket List" - Cathy Hopkins, 4/5

6. "One False Move" - Harlan Coben, 4/5

7. "Shine: Rediscovering Your Energy, Happiness and Purpose" - Andy Cope, 4/5

8. "Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are so You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be" - Rachel Hollis, 5/5

9. "The Final Detail" - Harlan Coben, 5/5

10. "The Bad Christian's Manifesto: Reinventing God" - Dave Tomlinson, 4/5

11. "This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor" - Adam Kay, 5/5

12. "Darkest Fear" - Harlan Coben, 5/5

13. "The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness" - Dave Ramsey, 3/5

 

 

Books Read 2019

 

Spoiler

 

1. "Cavalerii florii de cires" - Constantin Chirita, 5/5

2. "Orphan X" - Gregg Hurwitz, 4/5

3. "The Nowhere Man" - Gregg Hurwitz, 4/5

4. "The Hunt for Red October" - Tom Clancy, 4/5

5. "Hellbent" - Gregg Hurwitz, 4/5

6. "The Kite Runner" - Khaled Hosseini, 5/5

7. "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing" - Marie Kondo, 4/5

8. "Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Tell You Everything You Need To Know About Global Politics" - Tim Marshall, 5.5

9. "Reasons to Stay Alive" - Matt Haig, 4/5

 

 

Books Read 2020

Spoiler

 

1. "Promise Me" - Harlan Coben, 4/5

2. "Killing Floor" - Lee Child, 4/5

3. "The Big Nine" - Amy Webb, 3/5

4. "Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine" - Gail Honeyman, 5/5

5. "Assassin's Apprentive" - Robin Hobb, 5/5

6. "Northanger Abbey" - Jane Austen, 3/5

7. "Haikyu!!", vol. 1 - Haruichi Furudate, 5/5

8. "Tokyo Ghoul", vol 1. - Sui Ishida, 5/5

9. "Becoming" - Michelle Obama, 5/5

 

 

Books Read 2021

Edited by anisia
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  • 3 weeks later...

"A Little Life" - Hanya Yanagihara

 

Goodreads description: When four classmates from a small Massachusetts college move to New York to make their way, they're broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition. There is kind, handsome Willem, an aspiring actor; JB, a quick-witted, sometimes cruel Brooklyn-born painter seeking entry to the art world; Malcolm, a frustrated architect at a prominent firm; and withdrawn, brilliant, enigmatic Jude, who serves as their center of gravity. Over the decades, their relationships deepen and darken, tinged by addiction, success, and pride. Yet their greatest challenge, each comes to realize, is Jude himself, by midlife a terrifyingly talented litigator yet an increasingly broken man, his mind and body scarred by an unspeakable childhood, and haunted by what he fears is a degree of trauma that he’ll not only be unable to overcome—but that will define his life forever.

 

Personal Note: 

This is a 720 pages long novel I finished in a bit over 2 days - just couldn't put it down. I have a feeling it will be one of my favourite reads of 2016. Before reading it, a word of caution would probably be good - it deals with some pretty horrific themes from child abuse to self-harm to death (I would have liked a tiny bit of warning before starting it). This is not a happy novel and although the ending I felt fit well with the themes of the book, it did not make me smile. However it's written in such a beautiful way that it grips you from start to end. I fell in love with Jude and Willem and all the way through wanted them to be happy - of course more so Jude who just deserved a break. The one negative I'd mention is that it is a very long novel that could have easily lost some of those pages. The same effect could have been created through a bit less writing...beautiful writing yes, but I did think at times "let's move on now". All in all though, amazing read and I highly recommend it. 

 

Rating 5/5

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  • 8 months later...

"American Gods" - Neil Gaiman

 

Goodreads DescriptionDays before his release from prison, Shadow's wife, Laura, dies in a mysterious car crash. Numbly, he makes his way back home. On the plane, he encounters the enigmatic Mr Wednesday, who claims to be a refugee from a distant war, a former god and the king of America.

Together they embark on a profoundly strange journey across the heart of the USA, whilst all around them a storm of preternatural and epic proportions threatens to break.

Scary, gripping and deeply unsettling, American Gods takes a long, hard look into the soul of America. You'll be surprised by what - and who - it finds there...
 
Personal Note
 
First, I accidentally started reading the Author's Preferred Text which is significantly longer. Overall I enjoyed this book a lot although it did take me a while to get into it. I liked Shadow as a character and I loved all the twists and turns especially in the later parts of the book. I also loved reading about all the gods and mythology. One of the very few things I didn't like - a couple of the chapters felt random, I don't understand how they link in with the rest of the book. I definitely recommend the book, though maybe the initially published text? I found the author's preferred text slightly long-winded. 
 
Rating - 4/5

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Great review! I'm glad you liked American Gods :). Shame about the longwinded-ness.

 

I think the originally published version probably wouldn't have had the issue; I've also read plenty of reviews that didn't have an issue with how long it was, so it's probably just a personal issue! 

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  • 2 months later...

I've decided there's no point in starting a new topic for 2017 as I never updated the 2016 enough. I'll continue updating this one for 2017 too - as always, beginning of the year is full motivation! 

I'm going to try something new this year and decide on the books I want to read in advance for the month and hopefully tackle books  from the two lists I'm slowly making my way through: Rory Gilmore and 1001 Books. 

 

January Books will hopefully be:

 

1. Knots and Crossed - Ian Rankin (finished)

2. The Amazing Adventures of Cavalier & Clay - Michael Chabon (Rory Gilmore +  1001 Books)

3. The Godfather - Mario Puzo (1001 Books)

4. Making It Up As I Go Along - Marian Keyes (Kindle)

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"Knots & Crosses" by Ian Rankin

 

Goodreads DescriptionAnd in Edinburgh, of all places, I mean, you never think of that sort of thing happening in Edinburgh, do you...? 


That sort of thing is the brutal abduction and murder of two young girls. And now a third is missing, presumably gone to the same sad end. Detective Sergeant John Rebus, smoking and drinking too much, his own young daughter spirited away south by his disenchanted wife, is one of the many policemen hunting the killer. And then the messages begin to arrive: knotted string and matchstick crosses - taunting Rebus with pieces of a puzzle only he can solve.

 

Personal Note

I've wanted to start reading the Inspector Rebus series for years and never got around to it. I do love a good crime novel and I really like Rebus as a character. It was also nice to read something based in Edinburgh, which isn't too far away from where I live. I like reading about familiar places and being able to have a good image of what is being described. Following this, I'm curious to see how Rebus  will develop over the series. 

 

 

Rating: 5/5

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  • Janet changed the title to Mona's Reading List - ongoing

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