The Year of Having Fun With Reading - 2024 Recap

 

So, at the beginning of the year, I made a list of 5 books on my shelf and 5 library books that I absolutely had to read this year.  They were my absolute top priority, and I'm pleased to say I read them all with somewhat mixed results.  Here are my thoughts for all 10 books.

1. Homecoming by Kate Morton - I really enjoyed this one.  It was typical Kate Morton atmospheric with an interesting mystery.  It makes me wish she wrote faster!

2.  The Castle on Sunset: Life, Death, Love, Art, and Scandal at Hollywood's Chateau Marmont by Shawn Levy - This was okay.  Part of the problem is that I was wanting more old Hollywood glamour, and this was more in the seedy side of things.  The pacing was a bit uneven as well.

3.  Dark Corners by Megan Goldin - This was a solid thriller with an interesting premise.  I need to read more from this author.

4.  The Grace of Wild Things by Heather Fawcett - I loved this book - definitely one of my favorites of the year.  Loved the characters and adored how the author played homage to Anne of Green Gables.

5.  Arsenic with Austen by Katherine Bolger Hyde - I loved the premise but disliked the main character and the execution was just okay.  

6.  The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman - This was wonderful!  I love a good character coming out of their shell and figuring out what makes them happy and this had that in spades.

7.  The Science of Murder: The Forensics of Agatha Christie by Carla Valentine - If you are an Agatha Christie fan this is a fascinating look at the forensics side of her books.  If you're not a Christie fan this may not be for you.

8.  Postcards from a Stranger by Imogen Clark - I enjoyed this one and it dealt with some challenging issues especially about dealing with aging parents and parents not being quite who you thought they were.  I need to read more by this author.

9.  Blood Red by Wendy Corsi Staub - This one wasn't as much of a thriller as I expected but it was an interesting mystery with a good premise.  I need to read the next book in the series.

10. Death at Greenway by Lori Rader-Day - I ended up DNFing this one.  I thought a mystery set at Agatha Christie's home would be a guaranteed win, but I disliked the characters and just didn't care about what happened.  

Did you have any priority reading this year?  How were your results?