Mystery/Thriller Reading Friends discussion

Option #1 - 2023 Pick any Ten Determination Challenge
8/10

✔️1. READ Starter Villain by John Scalzi audio, audible. A fun book.

✔️2. READ Miami Blues by Charles Willeford audio, audible, in the plus catalog - first book in the Hoke Moseley series. Quite old-school hard-boiled.

✔️3. READ The Last Colony by John Scalzi audio, audible. Sci Fi, favorite author, moving through the series 'Old Man's War' this is book three.

✔️4. READ System Collapse by Martha Wells audio, audible. Sci Fi, another favorite author, Murderbot!

✔️5. READ Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros audio, audible. Apparently this is romantacy or YA fantasy / romance. 20 hours on audio, and it kept me going with cliff hanger chapters.

✔️6. READ Zoe's Tale by John Scalzi another audible audio - this one is a retelling of The Last Colony from a different character's POV. Some didn't seem to like the teen girl perspective - I thought it really added a lot of depth and was well narrated.

✔️7. READ Lighthouse Burning by Jordan Farmer audible audio accompanying a Kindle Unlimited book. dystopian, paranormal and a bit violent

✔️8. READ The Human Division by John Scalzi finished Dec 30, 2023 audible audio I am glad I pushed to get to a few of my audible backlog - though the Scalzi books were so good, it was easy to keep listening.

9.
10

After closing out my first 2023 Determination challenge of 23 books I am starting another ten-book challenge - targeting my audible audiobook backlog. Let's see how this will go with just over three months left in the year.

Yay I’m glad you decided to give doing a second top 10 a try at least it motivates you to get them done.

I finally squeezed in one of my audible audios. Starter Villain by John Scalzi. It was an enjoyable quick listen. Most of the audible backlog I am most interested in are quite long so this will be a challenge to try to complete.

Good for you, Ann. I am still working on my original list. Won't complete it but am doing pretty well. By August I had already read more books than all of 2023.

Good for you Ann,
Carol at least you are getting motivated to get more done from last year.

Added two, I might get half and will be ok with that from audible audiobooks.

You can do it.

added #4 Murderbot! and just saw that Apple TV+ will add a Murderbot series starring Alexander Skarsgard!

WTG Ann.

I'm not going to complain about 5 of 10 is this is all I get to, who knows. Of course, this audible "backlog" was just purchased... I had to read after the mentions by Sherry and others. I do have the ~~28 hour ~~ long audio / next book that will probably make the 2024 determination list.

At least you try and in 2024 if we get this far we try for more. Lol.

Glad to see you enjoyed Fourth Wing! And good job on your DL Challenge #2!

Thanks Carol! I am very glad I read Fourth Wing. The length almost deterred me but the comments here and recommendations from you and Sherry were the nudge I needed.

Carol/Bonadie wrote: "Glad to see you enjoyed Fourth Wing! And good job on your DL Challenge #2!"

I’m hoping to read that maybe next year I’ve read two or three of her other books and have loved them. I know Fourth wing is different but I’ve heard so many good reviews on it.

Number six was a good one, book four in John Scalzi's Old Man's War series. This may be the end of my accomplishments toward this challenge, though I am starting book five now. I'll be fine with it falling in 2024, who knows.

I am at seven and will likely finish #8 by the weekend. It will be another John Scalzi making four of his books for this second challenge.

I went back and added my last audible audio to the tally - putting me at 8 of the 10. Not too bad. on to the 2024 challenge.

Not too bad at all. I've made it a goal for 2024 that I am going after quality and not quantity. So if that means not finishing a challenge, so be it!

That’s good.

I've joined the GR challenge and upped this year's 62 or 65 reads, I forget which, to 70. I too am going to be more selective, even if I miss a Group Read because I'm not in the mood for another thriller.

Gail, I am on board for quality over quantity in 2024. Those really good and meaty long books I may have put off reading before hopefully will rise closer to the top of my piles this year.

Gail W wrote: "Not too bad at all. I've made it a goal for 2024 that I am going after quality and not quantity. So if that means not finishing a challenge, so be it!"

Carol, I've found myself enjoying sci fi and fantasy much more lately myself. I am curious, was it a specific book that burned you out on reading thrillers?

Carol/Bonadie wrote: "I too am going to be more selective, even if I miss a Group Read because I'm not in the mood for another thriller..."

Ann wrote: "Carol, I've found myself enjoying sci fi and fantasy much more lately myself. I am curious, was it a specific book that burned you out on reading thrillers?

Carol/Bonadie wrote: "I too am going to..."

I don't think so Ann. I first stopped reading Harlan Coben's standalones because I hated living through the peril the MC was going through. I stayed away from some of the thriller series but whenever we read one as a group read I'd roll with it. I really prefer my danger more at a distance, so I feel like I want to get back to police procedurals. But then one comes along and sounds really good..... lol