I love sharing good books, and lately, I’ve been diving into some great reads! Whether it’s fiction that keeps me up past bedtime, non-fiction that shifts my perspective, or audiobooks that make daily tasks more enjoyable, I always have at least one book (usually more) in progress.
The Books I’m Reading Right Now
Here’s a roundup of the books I’m reading right now, books I finished recently, and my thoughts on each. If you’re looking for your next read, you might just find it here!
This list doesn’t include my DNFs (did not finish).
The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown
Angels & Demons is one of my favorites of all time, so I read anything else that comes out in the Robert Langdon series (The Da Vinci Code is the most recognizable). Sign me up for all of the around the world scavenger hunts. This one is based in Prague.
The Resistance Women by Jennifer Chiaverini
This story follows two women in 1930s Berlin. Seems apropos…
The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn
The Huntress by Kate Quinn was a 5-star read for me, and I have been exploring some of her other novels. This one is about a Russian female sniper in WWII and her visit to the US to meet Eleanor Roosevelt.
Format: Kindle App
Books I’ve Recently Finished
Thanks For the Feedback by Douglas Stone & Sheila Heen
This one was a good non-fiction read. I listened to it while working on other things, and there were some great observations and pieces of advice that I wish I’d learned years ago.
A Symphony of Echoes
This is the second installment in the Chronicles of St. Mary’s. I was a big fan of the first one. This one has been harder to get into for me, but I’m going to keep going because I love the premise: librarians who jump through space and time to solve historical mysteries.
Worst Case Scenario
I finished it, but this one wasn’t for me. While I love a good fast-paced thriller, this one was too sad and scary. I don’t know about you, but I’m spooked by the recent airplane-related tragedies, and this didn’t help. (I should’ve known that from the cover, but here we are.)
Format: Audio
Remarkably Bright Creatures
I really wanted to like this one. I would have listened to a whole book by Marcellus (the octopus). The rest of the story didn’t land with me, and it was too slow for my taste.
Format: Audio
Just One Damned Thing After Another
This one is fun! It’s fast-paced and a completely new perspective on time travel without being science-fiction-y. There’s a whole series, and I plan to keep going.
Format: Kindle
Mistress of Rome
I was so thrilled with The Huntress that I’ve decided to try more by Kate Quinn.
This is the first in a series. I probably won’t continue the series, but Ancient Rome is a perspective I haven’t explored in historical fiction before, and I’m learning more than I knew about the time.
Format: Kindle App
Family & Other Calamities
The sass! The snark! The 90s nostalgia! This one was fun!
Format: Kindle
The Huntress
This was so good! The plot follows a team of nazi hunters, and the story follows three perspectives, each of which is captivating. I do love historical novels, and I gravitate toward those about WWII, but this is an angle that was new to me, and I enjoyed every bit of it. 5 stars!
Format: Kindle
Open When
This is the counterpart to Dr. Julie Smith’s first book: Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before, which made my list of Life-Changing Non-Fiction Books. The first is a lot about practical theory about how your brain works, this one is for when you’re going through it.
I didn’t enjoy reading this as a start to finish book. It truly is meant to be opened to the chapter you need when you need it.
Format: Hardback then Kindle App
Death Row (Alibis collection)
This one was free via Amazon First Reads (I consider Prime to be worth every penny), and it was surprisingly good for a short story. It felt like a full thriller that didn’t overstay its welcome. It was thought-provoking on so many levels.
Format: Kindle
Cut and Thirst: A Short Story
Meh… Death Row was better.
Format: Kindle
Don’t Forget to Write
This one is by the same author as Behind Every Good Man (below), which I LOVED. The writing style is the same, the protagonist is just as spunky, the ending has a great twist! 4.5 stars! I think I have a new favorite author.
Format: Kindle
Here One Moment
Well the premise of this one is certainly new! A woman on a plane predicts the age and cause of death of all of the passengers, and then we follow their stories to see what happens. It started strong, but I wasn’t into it anymore by the end.
Format: Libby Audiobook
The Women
Kristin Hannah is a master of novels based in history. This one is about a woman to enlists to be a nurse in Vietnam. I learned so much about that time, both in Vietnam and in the US. It drew me in, and I can’t stop thinking about it now that it’s over. I definitely got a book hangover from this one. It made my list of 5-star fiction books.
Format: Kindle
Be Ready When the Luck Happens
I’ve been a fan of Ina Garten for years, and it was interesting to hear her story. She’s easy to listen to, and as always, I recommend the audiobook format for celebrity memoirs.
Format: Libby Audiobook
Camino Island
This one started out exciting, but the excitement never picked back up for me.
Format: Libby Audiobook
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
This one was available without a wait on Libby. It was surprisingly good. Hated the language, loved the message.
Format: Libby audiobook
Behind Every Good Man
This was such a delight! It made my list of 5-star fiction books, and my full review can be found there. I hope somebody turns it into a show or movie.
Format: Kindle app on phone
Eleven Numbers
I don’t typically do short stories, but this one was free with Kindle First Reads, which is an Amazon Prime benefit (it pays for itself), so I decided to give it a whirl. It was great!
Format: Kindle
Sapiens
It’s interesting to hear human history from such as high level view.
Format: Libby audiobook
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
This one was trippy, long, and unlike anything I’ve read before. It kept me interested, but was difficult to follow. I did appreciate the reveal(s).
Format: Kindle
Final Thoughts
I’ve written more about my 5-star fiction and non-fiction books. And I have advice for reading and knitting at the same time if you’re up for a challenge!
