Talk Healthy

How the eff is it 2024?!

Do you have a goal for the year?

What are you reading?

My goal is always 50, but since I always read a few more and last year I read 65, I increased it to 55. I wouldn't even set a goal, but I do it so that Goodreads can count my books. I don't think it does if you don't set a goal.

I finished Playing with Fire by Tess Gerritsen and started another one by her, Bloodstream.

I set my goal at 75 because I did 71 this year, but I have a feeling I might lower it.

I'm currently reading The Celebrants by Steven Rowley. I like his writing.

Hi!

I hit 111 books last year but the last part of the year was really slow for me. I typically choose 100 as my goal and generally hit it. I'm not going to focus on numbers this year because it is starting to stress me out and it shouldn't be. I have a lot going on with a new(ish) job and getting healthy so my fave pastime shouldn't be a chore. I also decided to take a class from the NIH on clinical trials to give me a better background for the new job and that will roughly be 2 hours a week asynchronous.

Blush - I loved The Guncle but thought Lily and the Octopus was really heartwrenching.

I'm currently reading In Light of All Darkness by Kim Cross which is a non-fic on the search for Polly Klaas. It is really well written as served as a case for many "firsts" in FBI/police work that now is standard. It's a bit of a beast of a book but hope to finish it this weekend.

Lily and the Octopus WRECKED me. I read it the same year Tie died. Oof.

I finished The Celebrants: 5 stars.

Now I have Life's Too Short by Abby Jiminez.

I finished Life's Too Short. The sex scenes were CRINGE.

Then I read The Care And Feeding Of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray. Great writing, made me feel something.

Now I have The German Wife by Kelly Rimmer.

Oh geez Blush -- I can't imagine you reading that the same year Tie died. Did you know what is was about?

I also loved The Care and Feeding....

I finished Same Time Next Summer by Annabel Monaghan which was 4 stars for me. Highly recommend.

I'm reading a digital ARC of the latest Kimberly McCreight Like Mother Like Daughter. Funny thing is that I used to work with her husband (shithead) and they are now divorced. A former coworker and I think that her books come from reality and this book starts with Brooklyn sex parties.

I read Lily... In December of 2017, which means Tie had died 7 or 8 months before. But we also had puppy Frankie. I had read the blurb, so I had a vague idea.

I put The German Wife aside because I own it and figured I better read library books.

I just finished Love Me Do by Lindsay Kelk. Some funny bits that will be dated very quickly, but mostly froth.

Now I have Local Gone Missing by Fiona Barton.

I finished Bloodstream and read Ice Cold, also by Tess Gerritsen. They were both excellent. My kind of thriller: not too much police procedure but also no stupid plot twists that make me wanna throw the kindle at the wall. I can't believe I hadn't read anything by her until last year.

Then I read Yellowface by R.F. Kuang. Started out great, but I ended up finding it a little repetitive. I loved her writing and fully intend to read Babel, Rowan!

Now I'm reading Love and Other Human Errors by Bethany Clift. I like it, but I wish she either knew how to use commas or had an editor who did. I had the same problem with her other book. But other than that, I'm enjoying it. It's a rom-com with a touch of sci-fi (set in 2030).

I finished Local Gone Missing; it was pretty good.

I have All the Light We Cannot See now. I might just skim it since I know what happens.

I finished a book a few days ago and forgot to report on it here, and now I've completely forgotten what it was. I should have reported back on it sooner!

Now I'm reading "Scarlet" which is a YA futuristic retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. I'm finding it pretty meh so far, but it's not horrible.