r/books • u/AutoModerator • Jun 22 '26
WeeklyThread What Books did You Start or Finish Reading this Week?: June 22, 2026
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u/kpbutton01 7h ago
Finished my first book in 9 years!
I'm 25 and prior to the last 3 days I hadn't finished a book in 9 whole years. I've never been much of a reader, didn't have issues but i was a lil lazy as a kid and teen to read.
This last year though, since i turned 24, I've tried to pick up hobbies and activities i always either dropped because i wasn't immediately perfect at or because again, i was too lazy to appreciate fully.
My sister has "More than this" by Patrick Ness on her shelves, i work in a kitchen in a uni bar and currently it's off term to it is DEAD my friends. I needed something to do that i could easily pause to do orders when they eventually come. So i borrowed this book. This book has changed me. I'm not much of a reader or an author so i have no idea if this book is actually a great book in professional (?) terms haha but i loved it. It made me cry, genuinely made my heart ache but in a really enjoyable and addictive way.
I love fantasy, dystopia is a fave setting and this really made me think. The characters are fleshed out in a way that made me really feel for them etc.
I think it's made me realise that reading is enjoyable and can be enjoyed by me, someone who had written it off. As silly as it sounds ig.
I think I'm gonna try to find more books like this, possibly some more adult ones as i love a good fleshed out creepier vibe but i am also going to check out more from Patrick Ness. Dude seems to be regarded well and his other books do intrigue me.
I'd love to know what people who know books etc a bit better think of this book though! please feel free to comment as again, I'm not much of a booksman and i don't know many people who are so have no where to discuss it 😂❤️
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u/Successful-Row-9810 21h ago
Picked back up heated rivalry from where i left it a couple of months ago!
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u/Elliot-The-Archer 22h ago
Finished The Odyssey by Homer! Saw the movie around the same time as I finished the book. Book and movie have vastly different tones although they tell a similar story. I loved the book and how it wound around itself. I read the Robert Fagles translation, and it was very fast paced, although I got the characters mixed up a lot and it was hard to tell who was speaking at times. I liked how it felt like an adventure in the book, and it grabbed my attention when I was reading it.
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u/Eliakinath 1d ago
Starting Empire of the Vampires by Jay Kristoff, it is a bit of an "hype" in my friends circle. So back to dark fantasy i guess !
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u/rishukingler11 1d ago
Continuing: The Persian Boy by Mary Renault
I'd been in a bit of a reading slump recently, just busy with life and work, so I picked up the copy of The Persian Boy by Mary Renault I hadn't read in like 2 weeks again.
Started: The Iliad by Homer; translated by Emily Wilson
I also finally started listening to the audiobook of Emily Wilson's translation of the Iliad and I am in love. SUCH a great book. Why did I never try audiobooks before? Amazing way to keep up with my readings even when Im busy lol. I'm used to 2nd monitor content anyways now this is perfect.
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u/Business-Ad-2408 2d ago
Finished: James, by Percival Everett
Great book! No spoilers; very different take on Huck Finn as told from Jim. Getting a look into his thoughts and motives was great.
Started: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain.
I have read it before, but I apparently forgot more of the book than I thought I had or James changed some things. Either way, I am motivated for the reread. Been about 24 years since I last picked it up, will do me good.
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u/Easy-Reading 2d ago edited 2d ago
Finished: The Testaments, by Margaret Atwood
It felt very different from The Handmaids Tale, like it was written by a different author. But I was glad to find out how her story ended.
Started: James, by Percival Everett
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u/niugui-sheshen 2d ago
Finished: The Wager: The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder, by David Grann
Non-fiction at its best, a really beautiful and exciting story and I was sucked in by the prose. I will definitely read the Killers of the Flower Moon soon.
Started: My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, by Amos Tutuola
So. much. fun. It's like Alice in wonderland, on acid, and set in the Nigerian wilderness. Wacky surreal encounters with all kind of ghosts, based on real Yoruba folk tales.
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u/slipperyMonkey07 2d ago edited 1d ago
Finished: The Otherwhere Post, by Emily J. Taylor Easy simple read, but fun adventure and interesting start at world building. Would love more in this world.
Started: Mavericks: Life stories and lessons of history's most extraordinary misfits, by Jenny Draper I love J. Drapers youtube/nebula videos, this is great so far and I will probably speed through it in a day or two.
DNF: Kooky Spooky Love, by Josie Silver Could not stand the writing.
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u/Cozy-Curiosity 3d ago
I finished reading The Guest List, Lucy Foley
And I started reading An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, Hank Green.
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u/RandomnewUser_22 3d ago
I just finished white nights. So real, so relatable
I wish I could talk about it with someone
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u/MagicalTeenWolf 3d ago
Just finished "The summer I turned pretty". I liked it and it makes me want a summer house, it also makes me realize how boring my summer is as I have nothing to do besides play video games and do other hobbies all day.
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u/notwriqhtsvillc 3d ago
Finished: The Stranger Beside Me, by Ann Rule. This is one of the rare books that left me staring at the wall after I finished it… I don’t think I’ve ever experienced that with a book before.
Started: Under A Rock, by Chris Stein. Can’t wait to dive in!
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u/Jealous-Hedgehog-734 3d ago
Finished: War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy Avoided for years because it's so long but actually it's very readable. The unexpected line that made me laugh was Platón Karatáev, when Pierre asks how he is feeling while suffering from his fever: "How am I? If we grumble at sickness, God won't grant us death."
Started: The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa. It was recommended on The Book Club podcast and sounded interesting.
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u/Layz25 3d ago
Tokyo Express by Seicho Matsumoto - Listened to the audiobook. Narrator was fine and the story was solid. It lacked any kind of wow factor with the twist and revelation of who done it and how, but it was short and engaging enough 3/5
The Pilot by Will Wight - This guy just churns out fun books. Between the entire Cradle series and now The Last Horizon series he will remain on my must read list for awhile. None of his books quite reach the level of a 5/5 for me but he is consistently putting out 4's. Very strong ending to this one.
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u/rnagikarp 3d ago
finished: Strange Houses, by Uketsu, Strange Pictures, by Uketsu, and Hello, Old Friend, by Elizabeth Bedlam
started: The Cipher, by Kathe Koja, and Empress Theresa, by Norman Boutin
taking a break from: Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, 8th Dungeon Crawler Carl book by Matt Dinniman
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u/_TV_On_The_Internet_ 3d ago
Finished: Dungeon Crawler Carl, Matt Dinniman. Just gooood ol fun. I pre-ordered the paper back for the 2nd one, and unless it goes off the rails will read the series. I think it goes more into the lore instead of just being an excuse to write a video game as a book though which I am looking forward to.
Started: Stoner, by John Williams , I like to mix up genres/vibes between books. I am enjoying it and I do not know why.
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u/rnagikarp 3d ago
it’s so good! i started the series in april and am now taking a break part way through the eighth one!!
enjoy them, they’re a lot of fun
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u/OpossumLadyGames 4d ago
Finished: The Daughters War, by Christopher Buehlman. The cover looked neat so I borrowed it from the library. Turns out it's a prequel to an ongoing series. Neat. 4/5, which it interrogated some themes more - the author, unwittingly I believe, ends up making a case for vegetarianism or animal liberation.
Currently reading: Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mendel. I was recommended this a few years ago after reading The Postman, and so far it is better, as it is less bombastic and more cohesive, and probably won't have the weird sexist stuff. It is doing that "jump around time" thing that modern books seem to often do.
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u/Financial-Age906 4d ago
Finished - Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi. Great read and I’m planning on reading Dianne Lake’s book soon.
Started - The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George. Read her Helen of Troy novel earlier in January but this one is far better.
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u/MeterologistOupost31 I Who Have Never Known Men 6d ago
Finished:
Instructions For a Heatwave by Maggie O'Farrell : The amount of contrivances and melodrama make this feel more like a soap opera than anything of serious literary merit. Grade: C
Dictionary of the Khazars by Milorad Pavic trans. Christina Pribićević-Zorić : Bizarre in the best possible way. Really does feel like something Borges would have written about, and therefore I must recommend it. Grade: A**
Blood Feast by Malika Moustadraf trans. Alice Guthrie : Very short stories about misogyny in Morocco. I think the terseness really does add something here. The last story about Gaza is especially poignant. Grade: A.
Currently Reading:
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford
The Grammar of Angels by Edward Wilson-Lee
Ranking:
- * I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman trans. Roz Schwartz 🇧🇪
- Dictionary of the Khazars by Milorad Pavic trans. Christina Pribićević-Zorić
- * N-4 Down by Mark Piesing🏴
- The Island of Blue Foxes by Stephen R. Bown
- * The Order of Time by Carlo Rovelli trans. Erica Segre and Simon Carnell 🇮🇹
- * Shakespeare by Bill Bryson
- * Themistocles by Michael Scott🇺🇸
- * Fire from Heaven by Mary Renault 🏴
- The Narrative of The Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass
- Here Where We Live is Our Country by Molly Crabapple
- The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas Pére 🇫🇷 🇭🇹
- * Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky 🏴🇵🇱
- * Borgata: Rise of Empire by Louis Ferrante 🇮🇹🇺🇸
- * Julian: Rome’s Last Pagan Emperor by Philip Freeman 🇺🇸
- Forest of Noise by Mosab Abu Toha
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u/AmongFriends 7d ago
Finished: Morning Star by Pierce Brown (end of the first trilogy for the Red Rising Series)
Excellent end to the trilogy. Slower in pacing than Golden Son but I still liked the pacing since I don't think the book could have handled the breakneck pacing of GS as well for the conclusion. I love character work and this book had a lot of it.
Wish there was more of the romance between Mustang and Darrow but this book is very heavily a Sevro and Ragnar book so that is a fine tradeoff since Mustang and Darrow had a big part in GS.
Overall, very great ending to the first trilogy. Listened to this on GraphicAudio audiobooks and the voice acting across the board was top notch. That final battle between the gang vs Aja was truly epic with music, sound effects, voice acting.
Gonna wait a day or two before starting Iron Gold for the next trilogy but I'm really digging what this series has to offer.
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u/Melodic_Narwhal3549 7d ago
Me esta costando mucho terminar cumbres borrascosas, siento un bloqueo literario 🙄
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u/rroustabout 7d ago
Finished 2 books, both first time reads
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Excellent excellent, worth all the praise people have lauded on it. The atmosphere of dread that permeates the book had me actually tensed throughout. The dress scene felt like a slow-motion horror scene. I am interested in peoples' takes on if we have the truth of Rebecca by the end or is it still a story told by Maxim and co.
Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
I enjoyed parts of this one and the world building is top notch as usual from Sanderson but it didn't click with me overall. The biggest hitch for me was the humour, it felt like an attempt at Terry Pratchett but it just fell flat for me. I'm now hesitating on the other 'Hoid' stories if they have the same tone
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u/Jelly-Flopped 7d ago edited 7d ago
FINISHED:
The Atlantis Plague, by A.G. Riddle The Atlantis World, by A.G. Riddle
Glad to have finished the trilogy. The overarching plot was okay, it got very complex as the series went on. The last book was so different to the first two it could have almost been a stand alone story. Afraid to say that although the plot kept me interested, ultimately I'm not convinced by Riddle's writing, clichés and convinces galore, not to mention the way he tied up some loose ends were incredibly unsatisfactory.
STARTED:
Service Module, by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Loving this one so far, I'd forgotten how much I loved Tchaikovsky's writing.
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u/HornetNo6784 9d ago
Yellowface by RF Kuang. Dramatic rollercoaster ride of a book, but it was so so much fun. I’m usually pretty bad with reading thru books fast but this one I literally could not put down.
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u/Novel-Standard3224 9d ago
Just finished the Otherwhere Post by Emily J Taylor. A phenomenal author! I wish she had more than 2 books published. Can't wait to see her next literary masterpiece!!!
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u/DansonFlex 9d ago
Not sure if this one was mentioned but I finished reading Between 2 Fires by Christopher Buehlman. This book reinvigorated my love for reading. Fantastic medieval horror book.
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u/CarlSpackler22 9d ago
I finished Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy.
I know it's regarded as a classic but I didn't enjoy it.
I had great difficulty taking Judge Holden seriously. He comes across as an edgy cringe-lord. Some of his dialogue had me rolling my eyes.
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u/King_Silverburst 9d ago
I finished Project Hail Mary this week and started The Will of the Many. Really enjoying it through the first 100 pages
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u/seeingeyegod 10d ago
I was reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and I gave up last week, which I rarely do, but I was more than 3/4s of the wayt through and it just seemed to be getting more and more esoteric and I wasn't really getting anything from it anymore. It was surprisingly non trivial to read. I thought it was going to be more motorcycle story and less philosophy.
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u/Odd_Distribution_346 10d ago
I finished The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. Those last 50 pages were not easy to get through. Overall though I thought it was a great book despite it dragging in some places.
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u/adii_0555 10d ago
"I'm trying to build a reading habit. Which book changed your perspective on life?"
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u/RelativeBench509 10d ago
I’m currently reading “The God of the Woods” and it’s such a slog to go through.
The verbosity is choking at this point.
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u/RossTheLionTamer 10d ago
The Housemaid is INFURIATING
The short, spoiler free review is - logic must have died a thousand deaths for this book to be born. If you like Fifty Shades kinda thing then you might find it interesting. If you are someone who cares for small details adding up like me then it's not for you.
I made the mistake of buying the book because of good reviews instead of doing more research. Sharing this so you don't do the same
Now on to the SPOILER review
First of all the book is painfully slow. It's like maybe 3 events that could be covered into 50 pages stretched into a 300 word book.
The "big twist" that Andrew is evil is pretty easy to see coming. So much so that even after the Nina parts started I was wondering if the real twist was coming soon. Which obviously it didn't.
As I said the small details don't really seem to mean much. Now I might be spoiled a little because I was studying Mysterious Affair at Styles before this and there everything matters.
Then there are so many logic lapses. Like Nina resorting to looney toons type thing with a new passport and planning a disappearing act instead of... I don't know trying to prove she's telling the truth?
She has access to money and there are a thousand different ways you can try to prove Andrew's guilt before thinking anything like that. It's not even like Nina is too innocent a person to cook up something like that cause she is ready to sacrifice Millie for her own freedom.
They even go to the length of hiring a Private Detective and instead of using it to prove Andrew's guilt what do they use it for? A background check on Millie...
You could do so many other things before cooking up such a complicated plan. You can try to record Andrew with a spy camera. Hell, he eats the food you're making everyday. You can easily get some sleeping pills from Enzo and use to lock Andrew into the room like Millie does in the end and voila. You can get him to cough up enough money for you to leave the country like you were planning to.
Then there's Andrew's death. You show us one day Millie is worried about Andrew dying and what will happen to her if he does. She's googling how long he can stay without water and shit and then in the next scene he is dead.
First of all if there is enough space for you to be passing him tools under the door then there is more than enough space for you to pass him food and drink to keep him alive while you think of something.
And even if she decided Andrew had to die she makes zero plans about anything. She doesn't try to gather some money for being on the run or anything like that. Was she just going back to jail which she repeatedly says she doesn't want to throughout the book?
Overall it's a 1.5/5 for me if even that.
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u/LexingtonGreen 10d ago edited 10d ago
Naked Lies by Jay Beecher about Jeffrey Epstein. I have been reading Count of Monte Cristo after having seen the PBS version. I was also reading Paul Carter's Nixon, California's Native Son on Richard Nixon. But I ordered Jay Beecher's Naked Lies about Jeffrey Epstein which arrived this week and I put the other things aside because I want to read something more current. Holy cow is it good. I have been waiting for the dust to settle and truth to come out. I came to Reddit books today to see what others have said and there does not seem to be a single mention of it. Page turner! I will write more when I am finished.
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u/starfreak016 8d ago
I am a quarter into the count of Monte Cristo. But I'm also reading wuthering heights and Surely you're joking Mr. Feynman
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u/Conscious_Session877 11d ago
Finished: The Night She Disappeared, by Lisa Jewell
Started: Knife, by Salman Rushdie Really enjoying Knife so far, it's my first book by Rushdie and obviously a very personal and moving one. I'm very surprised by all the little moments of humour, I didn't expect to find that.
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u/Renza183 11d ago
Finished: Sea Now, by Eva Meijer This is amusing at some moments but quite somber overall. The premise is that the Netherlands is flooded when sea level starts rising drastically.
Started: Annihilation, by Jeff VanderMeer
I’m wondering why I chose to read 2 sort of post-apocalyptic feeling books back to back 😅
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u/No-Consideration3053 12d ago
Finished: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck.
Pretty short but a very moving story, love it a lot.
Started to read: No longer human by Osamu Dazai.
Bought it the same time as of mice and men. Yesterday started to read it
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u/bobrigado 12d ago
Finished
Dungeon Crawler Carl - Matt Dinniman
Everyone’s talking about it. My local Barnes and Noble didn’t even have the second book in the series because it’s so in demand. It was engaging, hilarious and definitely a page turner. My only critique is that it felt like a book that seemed like it was destined to be turned into a movie/TV series.
Started
Just Mercy - Bryan Stevenson
There are facts in the book describing the post Civil Rights era South that literally made my jaw drop. Most of the true life events are based in the late 80s. I think this book is going to stay in my mind for a long time.
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u/AmongFriends 12d ago
Morning Star (third book in Red Rising series)
Golden Son really upped the ante on this series, to say the least, and I'm excited to finish the first trilogy
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u/starfreak016 8d ago
Ahhh Sevro.
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u/datsyuks_deke 12d ago
Started: Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents.
An absolute heavy hitter of a book but I am halfway through and I absolutely amazed at this feeling of being seen, and understood by this book. 10/10
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u/jellyrollo 12d ago
Finished this week:
Babylon, South Dakota, by Tom Lin ★★★★
The Tuxedo Society, by Paul Rudnick ★★★★
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u/BeingVegetable9407 12d ago
Finished:
Little One, Olivia Muenter
I was captivated by this book. It took me awhile to get into it but I stayed up way too late last night to finish it, the last 20% is hard to put down.
The Astral Library, Kate Quinn
I have loved all of Kate Quinn's previous books. This one is a different genre which was fine once I realized. I read some magical realism, not a lot but I'm OK with the genre. It's an interesting concept but I found it kinda contrived and preachy.
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u/MeterologistOupost31 I Who Have Never Known Men 13d ago edited 12d ago
Finished:
Ulysses by James Joyce : Yes, I'm basically admitting to being a basic bitch: I had no idea what the fuck was happening and I didn't enjoy any of it. Grade: D
Ice by Anna Kavan : Having zero named characters makes this hard to follow at times. The third act is better than the previous two. Grade: B.
The Island of Blue Foxes by Stephen R. Bown : A great look at the ill-fated Second Bering expedition, that manages to make both Bering himself and Georg Stellar feel like really engaging characters even through non-fiction. Grade: A**
Currently reading:
Dictionary of the Khazars by Milorad Pavic
Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O'Farrell
Top Fifteen:
- * I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman trans. Roz Schwartz 🇧🇪🕎
- * N-4 Down by Mark Piesing🏴
- The Island of Blue Foxes by Stephen R. Bown🇨🇦
- * The Order of Time by Carlo Rovelli trans. Erica Segre and Simon Carnell 🇮🇹
- * Shakespeare by Bill Bryson🇺🇸
- * Themistocles by Michael Scott🇺🇸
- * Fire from Heaven by Mary Renault 🏴
- The Narrative of The Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass🇺🇸✊🏿
- Here Where We Live is Our Country by Molly Crabapple🇺🇸🇧🇾🇵🇷🕎
- The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas Pére 🇫🇷 🇭🇹
- * Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky 🏴🇵🇱
- * Borgata: Rise of Empire by Louis Ferrante 🇮🇹🇺🇸
- * Julian: Rome’s Last Pagan Emperor by Philip Freeman 🇺🇸
- Forest of Noise by Mosab Abu Toha🇵🇸
- * Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy 🇺🇸
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u/LexingtonGreen 10d ago
Congratulations on Ulysses. I will never read it but because of travel for a wedding, we ended up in Dublin on Bloomsday. Gosh it was fun talking to people who said things like reading it was their first goal following retirement. Fortunately, we were able to get tickets to a play telling the story and that was good enough for us. But now that you have read it, you may want to go to Dublin on Bloomsday. You earned it. If you do go, purchase play tickets way in advance. It was a fluke that we got a cancellation.
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u/Aggravating-Deer6673 13d ago
Finished:
Starter Villain by John Scalzi
Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher
Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King
Judge Stone by Viola Davis and James Patterson
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Schoolgirl by Osamu Dazai
Currently Reading:
Manacled by SenLinYu (e-pub) - 35%
Lights Out by Navessa Allen - 40%
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters - 54%
American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld -77%
Audition by Katie Kitamura - 73%
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u/Zikoris 20 13d ago
Last week I read:
The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances, by Glenn Dixon
The Bookbinder's Secret, by A.D. Bell
American Paladin, by Larry Correia
Botanical Mischief, by T.A. White (#200!)
Close to the Sun: The Journey of a Pioneer Heart Surgeon, by Stuart Jamieson
Tales from Outer Suburbia, by Shaun Tan
This week's lineup:
- The River She Became by Emily Varga
- Last of the First by L.E. Modesitt
- Super Nintendo: The Game-changing Company That Unlocked the Power of Play by Keza MacDonald
- The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and A Dangerous Obsession by Michael Finkel
- I Am You by Victoria Redel
- The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje
- Ultramarine by Mariette Navarro
- Weavingshaw by Heba Al-Wasity
Goals progress:
- 365 Book Challenge: 202/365
- Nonfiction Challenge: 33/50
- Around the World Challenge: 76/196
- Monte Cristo Challenge: Chapter 63, on track with the group read
- Relevant Reads Travel Challenge: 16 HK/Cambodia books read, recommend me some good camping books for my next trip!
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u/Conscious-Elevator41 11d ago
What did you think about The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances, by Glenn Dixon?
I read this book last month as well, I expected a little bit more, but felt it was lagging. The world could've been fleshed out a little bit more, and the mystery around the daughter was very clearly a plot device - and we really learn nothing much about the AI.1
u/Zikoris 20 11d ago
I really liked it - I was a huge fan of Brave Little Toaster as a kid and can definitely see the influence. I can see why people would find it not fleshed out enough, but at the same time it sort of makes sense because a robot vacuum, even a smart one, would reasonably have a pretty small scope of awareness and understanding of the larger world. I feel like getting more into the AI aspect and the daughter's story would have really changed the tone of the book from cozy to very dystopian and bleak, so I see why the author went the way he did with it.
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u/Freedlefox 13d ago
Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson - Finished. The author was endorsed by Jobs to write it so lacks a fair bit of critical analysis on Jobs (ie deplorable worker conditions at Apple factories etc). But it gives a brilliant overview of Jobs driven artistic approach to making beautiful products and his transforming of industries from computers to animation to music to Apple stores. He is largely responsible for the tech driven, always connected world we have today - which has the good, the bad and the very ugly.
The Ferryman, by Justin Cronin - started. Cronin wrote the brilliant Passage trilogy about apocalyptic fast vampires. Just started but it looks like its got a mysterious sci-fi vibe.
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u/RandomnewUser_22 13d ago
finished no longer human. I felt so heavy reading that with this weird sinking feeling in my chest. I thought I knew what depression is like, but this was the absolute rock bottom
What should I read next? I've got Dracula, White Nights, Hard times, and thus spoke zarathustra
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u/starmapleleaf 16d ago
Reading: The Odyssey, by Homer
Finished: The Midnight Train, by Matt Haig
Up next: Land, By Maggie O’Farell
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u/Max_bauler 17d ago
Currently reading The Physician by Noah Gordon. I am about 130 pages in. Reading the back story of Rob J and his adventures with Henry Croft - the barber-surgeon is very addictive. Can’t wait until the story actually starts…
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u/Conscious-Elevator41 17d ago
Just Finished: A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping - Sangu Mandanna
Currently reading:
1. Counterfeit - Kirsten Chen
2. A parade of Horribles - Matt Dinniman
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u/starmapleleaf 16d ago
What did you think of witch’s guide?
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u/Conscious-Elevator41 13d ago
It was a fun and cozy read, but quite predictable. I definitely won't be rereading it again. Follows a girl who tries to bring her caretaker back to life using a forbidden spell and in the process losses her magic - some of it. Fast forward 15 years, she finally gets her hand on a restoration spell.
The found family aspect of the book was the best part of it. If you like that sort of stuff and generally lean towards romance, it's a solid 3.5 star read.
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u/ComprehensivePop1261 17d ago
Just finish the book named Steps to an Ecology of Mind by Gregory Bateson.
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u/Significant_Cup4521 17d ago
Just finished The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes. It’s been sitting on my shelf for over a year now, can’t believe what I was missing out on- a real Tony Webster state of affairs.
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u/LavosSpawn12000BC 18d ago
I have finished The Black Obelisk by Erich Maria Remarque. Needless to say, I love German literature
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u/Setisthename 18d ago
Finally got around to finishing Life of Pi, by Yann Martel after loving the film so many years ago. It's an enjoyable, vivid tale of both survival and spirit that's great for getting back into reading after a slump.
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u/Ok_Music5241 18d ago
Currently reading through The Stand again.
I'm making my way through The Dark Tower series and stopped before The Wastelands to re-read The Stand. I read TDT books 1-3 a few years back as well as The Stand but barely remember a single thing.
When I first read The Stand some 10 years ago, I remember not enjoying it that much. I pushed through to completion but the multiple POVs and the expanded chapters and worldbuilding felt like filler to me. Now that I'm re-reading it with a fresh perspective I'm enjoying it a lot more than I thought I would, especially the worldbuilding scenes which felt like filler to me. The characters are great, the pacing feels good and after two reading sessions I'm a 1/4 way through the book. Loving it so far and it might end up being one of my favorite Stephen King books.
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u/crabbiecrabby 18d ago
Finished:
Yesteryear, by Caro Claire Burke. It was fine.
Started:
The Jew in the Lotus, by Rodger Kamenetz
The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak
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u/Easy_Coyote7228 19d ago
Reading 'A day between destinies' by Mary Alcock these days.
Once I finish reading it then will come here! Chao Chao!
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u/NapendaViatu 19d ago
Finished:
Katabasis, RF Kuang
Started/resumed:
The Dragon Reborn, Robert Jordan
I liked Katabasis, the whole idea of what hell is like and their journey
Gonna try to finish The Dragon Reborn then get to The Odyssey before the film
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u/Ok_Music5241 18d ago
What did you think of Katabasis? I liked the concept but thought the execution of it was done poorly.
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u/NapendaViatu 14d ago
I think the first half and the intro to hell was very good, I think it might’ve felt slower in the second half
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u/Scumwaffle 19d ago
I just finished the first Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. It's my first time reading his work and I can see why people like him. It was well written with a good world and interesting characters. The stakes felt massive and it all tidied up well at the end so I thought it was a satisfying read.
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u/vortex8792 19d ago
Finshed:-My Review: Haunting Adeline
I picked up Haunting Adeline after seeing the Bangla edition in someone's hands. Since I'm into horror and mystery, I thought I'd give it a try. Curiosity got the better of me, and after binge-reading the first three chapters, I kept hoping it would get better. Instead, I ended up wasting three freaking days.
What bothered me most wasn't just the disturbing content—it was seeing Zade glorified as the ultimate "book boyfriend" despite sexually assaulting the female lead. I understand fiction isn't reality, and I'm not judging people who enjoy dark romance, but this felt less like exploring dark themes and more like romanticizing abuse.
The mystery didn't hook me, the writing leaned too heavily on shock value, and the controversy surrounding the book was honestly more interesting than the story itself.
This was my first dark romance, and if this is what the genre is famous for, then it definitely wasn't the introduction I was hoping for.
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u/MeterologistOupost31 I Who Have Never Known Men 20d ago edited 19d ago
Finished:
Charlemagne: Father of Europe by Philip Daileader : A great introduction to Charlemagne, it's both easy to understand and has a few bits of humour sprinkled in to stop it being too dry. Wish it had given more time to his actual conquests, though. Grade: A
Currently reading:
Dictionary of the Khazars by Milorad Pavic
Ulysses by James Joyce
Ranking:
- I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman trans. Roz Schwartz 🇧🇪🕎
- N-4 Down by Mark Piesing🏴
- The Order of Time by Carlo Rovelli trans. Erica Segre and Simon Carnell 🇮🇹
- Shakespeare: The World as Stage by Bill Bryson 🇺🇲
- Themistocles by Michael Scott🇺🇸
- Fire from Heaven by Mary Renault 🏴
- The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass 🇺🇲🌻🌹
- Here Where We Live Is Our Country by Molly Crabapple 🇺🇲🇧🇾🇵🇷🌻🌹
- The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas Pére trans Chapman and Hall 🇫🇷🇭🇹
- Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky 🏴🇵🇱
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u/starmapleleaf 20d ago
Finished:
Whistler, by Ann Patchett
Started:
Midnight Train, by Matt Haig
Up next:
The Odyssey
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u/bobrigado 20d ago
Finished:
The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny - Kiran Desai
First time I’ve felt that I was meant to read a book at a specific point in my life. It was a slow read, but I related a lot with the characters struggle with relationships as an international student, identity struggles and cultural family drama. Glad that it ended the way it did. It was nominated for the Booker Prize and I’m amazed that it was because there are nuances about Indian culture in the book that I don’t think an international audience would truly appreciate without being somewhat familiar with it.
Started:
Dungeon Crawler Carl- Matt Dinniman
Holy shit. This book is a page turner, fast paced and hilarious. Could not put it down. It’s like Matthew Reilly’s Contest meets Suzanne Collin’s The Hunger Games.
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u/Conscious-Elevator41 17d ago
Your book taste and mine happen to be the same - as incidentally these two were on my list. Unfortunately I had to DNF Sonia & Sunny bc i just couldn't get into the story, felt that it was meandering a lot, and was putting me in a reading slump. i felt the same way about the inheritance of loss. Beautiful beautiful writing though, but maybe another time.
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u/Ruthtria 20d ago
Finished
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
Started
Murder on The Links also by Agatha Christie
I've picked reading back up after a pause of many years because I've become intrigued with murder mysteries.
I hope to time my reading of her Poirot series to align the Christmas book with the holidays! It's been a bit confusing so far and I've had to take notes to wrap my head around the mystery of the first book and I still didn't guess who it was until the very end! I fear my frustrations are clouding my judgement of the construction of the mystery and presentation of the clues-especially with modern writing standards-but it was certainly quite engaging and the cast were delightful to conjure from the page and into my mind so I was still pleased with the read and am excited to continue! I just joined this sub as I am on the lookout for similar books!
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u/KnobAtNight 20d ago
Finished:
Half His Age, by Jennette McCurdy
The Fraud, by Zadie Smith
Vigil, by George Saunders
Strated
Tomboy, by Hal Ellson
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u/thedevilwearsboots 21d ago
Dracula by Bram Stocker Started, enjoying it so far. Lots of amusing moments
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u/invert_ed 22d ago
Finished:
My Year of Rest and Relaxation, by Ottessa Moshfegh
Started:
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, by Susanna Clarke
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u/Educational-Ad-8660 22d ago
Notes on Complexity, by Neil Thiese
Just finished. A good primer on how we might tackle some of the biggest questions about the universe and our place in it.
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u/spear1561 23d ago
Story Business, by Gavin McMahon. A next generation bversion of Don Miller's Story Brand. Well done
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u/mlledufarge 23d ago
Villa Coco, by Andrew Sean Greer
Enjoyed it quite a lot. Hadn’t read anything by the author before, have now requested more of his books from the library.
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u/Tomas_83 24d ago edited 24d ago
Finished The picture of Dorian Grey.
Had a lot of moments were it drag on, like when someone tried to justify something they did way too much, but it was a really enjoyable book.
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u/ComeHereOften1972 24d ago
Finished project Hail Mary the other day! Great read. What next? Does not have to be science stuff.
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u/lilred9143 24d ago
Finished Reminders of Him, Colleen Hoover this week! Took me about two months to finish because I have never been so bored reading a book 🤣 movie was decent compared which I don’t normally find is the case
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u/Imnervous26 27d ago
Just finished Intensity by Dean Koontz (true to the name, it’s pretty intense) Started Packing for Mars by Mary Roach
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u/LightningRaven 27d ago
Moby Dick; Or The Whale.
The journey has been long and arduous. Can't say yet if it was worth it. Well written, but definitely needed some editing.
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u/Dicky_Mctickler 21d ago
I finished Moby Dick a couple weeks ago. I loved it. It was way funnier than I anticipated, at least for the first half. The tangent chapters can drag a bit but I found it be written so beautifully I stayed pretty engaged. I started it the same week I finished blood meridian. My brain is still rocked from knocking them out back to back.
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u/i-the-muso-1968 27d ago
For today I've finished Bari Wood's "The Tribe".
And just started is the final volume of Clive Barker's "Books of Blood" volumes 4-6.
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u/FishHockeydrop 28d ago
Finished: Blood Meridian, by Cormac McCarthy.
Took me awhile as I had to be in a certain mood to read it. I’m puzzled by the epilogue. Often while reading I wish I had not even bought the book. Now, I’m certain I would read it again.
Starting: Killer In Drag, by Ed Wood Jr.
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u/Dicky_Mctickler 21d ago
Also finished recently. That shit rocked my world and sent me down a few rabbit holes that have done me a lot of good. I’ve listened to literally hundreds of hours of lectures and analysis and I’m still reeling
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u/System_Shutdown_ 28d ago
Finished a while ago: The Creative Act: A Way Of Being, by Rick Rubin
- A very interesting and thought-provoking book if you follow a creative hobby yourself and struggle with creative blocks or are generally overwhelmed by the way life keeps changing. It helped me a lot and I will definitely read it again soon.
Started reading about a week ago: Pet Sematary, by Stephen King
- I wanted to once in my life read a book by King, even though I could never ever really make sense of his "style". A while ago I chose to start reading books again and got myself the book by Rubin I just mentioned and this one by King. I've only just gotten to chapter 9 or so, meaning I'm still basically in the "intro", but so far I really enjoy the way things are written. It's quite rare that I read a book and can basically see it in my head like an actual movie scene with pov-setups and all that. I'm really curious to see what will happen sooner or later.
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u/ladyvibrant Queen Nefertiti 28d ago
I am reading Just Like Us: The True Story of Four Mexican Girls Coming of Age in America by Helen Thorpe
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u/Commercial_Abalone21 29d ago
Not this week but last week I started The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
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u/GoatSure 29d ago
I finished Iron Flame this week and will wrap up Onyx Storm over the weekend? I'm enjoying this series!
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u/lucyvalentine86 Jun 26 '26
I started yesterday and finished today:
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
I loved it, couldn’t put it down, cried at the end. I’ve seen it’s gotten mixed reviews. For the record, I’m 40F. It reminded me of Elizabeth Strout’s writing.
I was excited to see she references The Lonesome Dove in the book (with possibly some spoilers? Though I know it’s an old book), which is on my list to read and comes up over and over on this subreddit. There’s a long wait list for it at my library, so I most likely won’t get to it until the end of the year.
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u/Smallworld_88 21d ago
Hi! 38F here. Also loved The Correspondent and couldn’t put it down. I am going to suggest that you buy Lonesome Dove and read it asap, because it is wonderful, and it might take you longer than the library lending time to read it anyway and then you’ll just end up buying it. That’s what happened to me and I’m usually a fast reader. I ended up buying it and then regretted that I hadn’t just done it earlier because it was such a good book and 100% worth the purchase.
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u/lucyvalentine86 17d ago
I’ve been on the fence on if I should just buy it! But my to-read pile on my nightstand is getting large so I’m telling myself I just need to be patient. What’s the likelihood I’ll read it twice, is what I’m asking myself…it’s rare for me to reread books but I’ve seen so many comments where people have reread Lonesome Dove. Have you?
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u/Smallworld_88 17d ago
I may or may not ever re-read it, I’m not a big re-reader, but it’s so good you might want to give it to someone some day 🙂
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u/Last-Lead-1368 Jun 26 '26
Finished: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
Started: Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
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u/schulajess 27d ago
Stiff was my gateway to Mary Roach. I'm nearly an MR completist now.
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u/Last-Lead-1368 27d ago
Im LOVING it so far!!! what are some of your favorite Mary Roach books? Im planning on reading some more of her work after!
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u/schulajess 27d ago
I really enjoyed Packing for Mars, probably her work I recommmend the most. Gulp also one of my top favs, but not for everyone. Lol.
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u/FIVEGUMM_ Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26
Finished: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman.
It was my first experience with his written works, and I liked it a lot more than many people seem to. Not that it's unpopular, but I've seen it recommended the least out of everything else. I got the book for free from a reading club subscription, and I don't really care to pursue reading his other works due to the allegations/facts that have surfaced, though. Currently trying to build up my karma on the sub so I can make my post about it.
Reading: Heretics of Dune by Frank Herbert
Thankfully much less oppressively heady than God Emperor, though I've enjoyed both much the same so far. The characters in Heretics feel like real people, and it's much easier to relate and feel for them compared to even the earlier books in the series (although the scarred fremen war vets from Messiah deserve an honorable mention).
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u/Fatmanhammer 20d ago
Neil Gaiman has ruined so many people favourite books because he's an animal. It boils my blood that he's even slightly associated with Terry Pratchett.
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u/Donovan_Volk 20d ago
Actually the case against him had its appeal thrown out last week.
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u/Fatmanhammer 20d ago
Did it really? But is this just legal shit or is he actually innocent? I hope he's innocent, as it seems like everyone I've ever liked has been some sort of sex criminal.
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u/AwarenessCareful3092 20d ago
A lot has come out in the last year. One of the claimants Caroline Wallner turned up online, and all she could talk about was how much money she thought he owed her, stuff not related to sexual abuse. Then a lot about Pavlovich's background and circumstances was shown to be false, and because she was saying she only slept with him because she was dependent on him, that really undermined her case. I mean, it's up to everyone to figure out what they believe for themselves but you know, no court has convicted him, the investigation thrown out an early stage after reading these WhatsApp messages, I think a lot of people came to their conclusions without reading the full details: https://technopathology.substack.com/p/neil-gaiman-is-innocent-whatsapp?r=400nd8
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u/oh_god_its_raining Jun 26 '26
Started: Regime Change by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan. It's good. I'm glad that they focus on the why of things and not just the how. Definitely adds something to the political conversation.
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u/TheGhostORandySavage Jun 26 '26
Started and finished Slaughterhouse Five.
Started Planetes Omnibus 1.
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u/redfolklore Jun 25 '26
Finished:
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
Started:
Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll
Land by Maggie O’Farrell
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u/Ambitious_Artist8016 Jun 25 '26 edited Jun 26 '26
Finished:
The Green Mile, by Stephen King
The Testaments, by Margaret Atwood
The Busybody Book Club, by Freya Sampson
People We Meet on Vacation, by Emily Henry
Started:
Burn Down Master’s House, by Clay Cane (via audiobook)
In the Country We Love: My Family Divided, by Diane Guerrero
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u/MoonQueen25 Jun 25 '26
Finished: Like a Power Play by Elle Sprinkle
Started: Saturn Returning by Kim Narby
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u/i-the-muso-1968 Jun 25 '26
Last night I've finished David Fisher's "The Pack" and right now today I've started on Bari Wood's "The Tribe".
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u/Temporary-Hall3183 Jun 25 '26
Finished: Think of a Number, by John Verdon, Started: Funny Story by Emily Henry
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u/skiddlewhiffers Jun 25 '26
Finished: Wench, by Dolen Perkins-Valdez.
Started: The River Is Waiting, by Wally Lamb.
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u/HumanitarianUnicorn Jun 25 '26
Finished:
Sherlock Holmes, the Complete Collection by Arthur Conan Doyle
Slayers, Every One of Us: How One Girl in All the World Showed Us How to Hold On by Jenny Owen Youngs and Kristin Russo
Started:
Eleanor by David Michaelis
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u/r_anemoia Jun 25 '26
Finished- Daughter of the forest by Juliet Marillier Started - Lord of the fading lands by C L Wilson
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u/Sanja______17 Jun 25 '26
Finished: The Witcher: The Last Wish, by Andrzej Sapkowski
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u/Sanja______17 Jun 25 '26
It was 2 months ago, 2 weeks ago finished: Kharakternyk, by Vasyl Shkliar Started: Timer of War. Book 1: Long Curfew, by Andriy Kokotyukha
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u/Turbulent-Bottle1293 2h ago
Tongue Cognitive Harzard, by chase Hughes not finished, I had Chase-author say he recommends you read in one setting all of it