Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

Christmas book recommendations game

This game is part of the Winter reading challenge but you’re welcome to join in whether or not you’re participating in the challenge.

This Christmas, give the gift of a good book recommendation!

Maybe there’s a new genre you’ve been meaning to try but you’re not sure where to start? Or you’d like to find a hidden gem in one of your favourite genres? This task lets you ask for a recommendation from a fellow group member who enjoys the genre you’re interested in.

To join in, you’ll need to say which genre you’d like a recommendation for and which genre(s) you think you could give someone else a recommendation from. Santa (assisted by the mod elves!) will then make a list of who is recommending a book to who. And then all that’s left is for you to give and receive the gift of a book recommendation from another member of the group. We are asking each person to recommend three books so the person receiving the recommendation has some options to choose from.

We will also have a thread (link to be added) for you to share a review or some quick thoughts on how you enjoyed the book that was recommended to you.

Just to be clear: we are exchanging recommendations only, each person is responsible for borrowing, buying or otherwise acquiring the book that’s recommended for you. Of course if you can’t get a copy or you really don’t like the recommendation then there’s no obligation to read it. :-)

To participate please post your answers to these questions in this thread:

1. What genre would you like a recommendation for?
2. Is this a genre that’s new to you or one of your favourites?
3. What genre(s) would you be able to give a recommendation for?
4. Is there anything the person recommending a book for you should know about the type of books you like (for instance you dislike books with violence in, you don’t want to read a very long book, you can’t get new release books from your library, etc)?

Deadline to participate
As this is a Christmas gift, if you want to join in please make sure you have signed up by Saturday 14 December. We will post a list of who is recommending a book to who on Monday 16 December and if possible you should give your recommendation by Monday 23 December.

Any questions please just ask in this thread and the mods will be happy to help.

The list

➖ Alison recommending a book for Bamaace83 (Romance genre)
➖ Bamaace83 recommending a book for Monkiecat (a scary book!) Please see note below
➖ Bunny recommending a book for Lynne - (Mystery)
➖ Cali recommending a book for Lieke - (Young adult / fantasy)
➖ Charlston recommending a book for Milena (Urban fantasy or steampunk)
➖ Ellie recommending a book for Charlston (Nonfiction)
➖ Emily recommending a book for Karissa (Magical realism)
➖ Janell recommending a book for Cali (Young adult)
➖ Jill recommending a book for Kathryn (Historical fiction)
➖ Jkmays recommending a book for Jill (Historical fiction)
➖ Karissa recommending a book for Jkmays (Literary fiction)
➖ Kathryn recommending a book for Simone (Murder mystery)
➖ Lieke recommending a book for Janell (YA fantasy)
➖ Lynne recommending a book for Ellie (Science fiction)
➖ Milena recommending a book for Bunny (Mystery)
➖ Monkiecat recommending a book for Emily (LGBT fiction)
➖ Simone recommending a book for Alison (Historical fiction)

I’m sorry this is a bit of an imperfect request, Monkiecat requested a horror/scary recommendation but nobody else in the game listed this as a genre they are familiar with. Bamaace83, you mentioned suspense and thriller as genres you could recommend a book in so I’m hoping maybe you can suggest something that’s suitably scary. If this doesn’t work for either of you then you can post here or message me and we will work something out. Sorry again that this isn’t quite ideal!

Reserved

1. What genre would you like a recommendation for?
- Historical fiction or LGBTQIA+, please

2. Is this a genre that’s new to you or one of your favourites?
- Historical fiction is one of my favorites, and I'm always looking for new LGBTQIA recommendations. Bonus if you can get both in one book!

3. What genre(s) would you be able to give a recommendation for?
- Historical Fiction, realistic YA, LGBTQIA+, literary fiction, memoirs, magical realism

4. Is there anything the person recommending a book for you should know about the type of books you like (for instance you dislike books with violence in, you don’t want to read a very long book, you can’t get new release books from your library, etc)?
- I'm not great with graphic violence (for example, I could not get through The Kite Runner).

I would like to participate in this:

. What genre would you like a recommendation for? book club selections, literary fiction, historical fiction
2. Is this a genre that’s new to you or one of your favourites? these are my favorites
3. What genre(s) would you be able to give a recommendation for? same as above: literary fiction, book club, historical fiction, memoirs
4. Is there anything the person recommending a book for you should know about the type of books you like (for instance you dislike books with violence in, you don’t want to read a very long book, you can’t get new release books from your library, etc)? I don't like Christian fiction. Characters with faith is fine, but I find books labeled as Christian fiction to be simplistic and to have too pat answers.

1. What genre would you like a recommendation for? I would love magical realism recommendations. Or general fantasy for people who aren't super into fantasy haha.
2. Is this a genre that’s new to you or one of your favourites? Magical realism is new to me this year, and I've loved the few books I've read. I loved YA fantasy as a kid, but haven't read much fantasy as an adult.
3. What genre(s) would you be able to give a recommendation for? General contemporary fiction, literary fiction, and thrillers. Also, not a genre, but I would be happy to give some audiobook recommendations.
4. Is there anything the person recommending a book for you should know about the type of books you like (for instance you dislike books with violence in, you don’t want to read a very long book, you can’t get new release books from your library, etc)? I'm open to anything if it's good, but I usually enjoy adult novels over YA novels.

1. What genre would you like a recommendation for?
Murder mystery or historical fiction

2. Is this a genre that’s new to you or one of your favourites?
Both favourites!

3. What genre(s) would you be able to give a recommendation for?
Murder mystery, suspense, historical fiction, Christian fiction, memoir/biography, contemporary fiction

4. Is there anything the person recommending a book for you should know about the type of books you like?
I can handle some violence, sex and swearing but I'm not keen on graphic violence, graphic sex or excessive swearing. And preferably not longer than 500-ish pages!

1. What genre would you like a recommendation for?
Fantasy (YA), magical realism

2. Is this a genre that’s new to you or one of your favourites?
Both favourites, but I haven't read as many magical realism books

3. What genre(s) would you be able to give a recommendation for?
Fantasy (YA)

4. Is there anything the person recommending a book for you should know about the type of books you like?
Books can be in dutch, english or swedish :)

1. What genre would you like a recommendation for?
Urban fantasy, steampunk, indigenous literature
2. Is this a genre that’s new to you or one of your favourites?
All new to me
3. What genre(s) would you be able to give a recommendation for?
Mystery, historical fiction, literary fiction
4. Is there anything the person recommending a book for you should know about the type of books you like (for instance you dislike books with violence in, you don’t want to read a very long book, you can’t get new release books from your library, etc)?
YA would not be my first choice, but I am willing to read anything.

1. What genre would you like a recommendation for?
Science fiction, cli-fi, medical thriller.

2. Is this a genre that’s new to you or one of your favourites?
Two favourites and one I think I like but don't read much of (and need for Popsugar next year).

3. What genre(s) would you be able to give a recommendation for?
Science fiction, fantasy, YA (all genres), STEM non-fiction.

4. Is there anything the person recommending a book for you should know about the type of books you like?
No macho main characters please. Would love some recs with good audiobook versions.

1. What genre would you like a recommendation for? I would like historical fiction, literary fiction and memoir recommendations. I am especially looking for great audio books as I have a long commute and listen to audio books while driving.
2. Is this a genre that’s new to you or one of your favourites? These are my favorites.
3. What genre(s) would you be able to give a recommendation for? Literary fiction, contemporary fiction and historical fiction.
4. Is there anything the person recommending a book for you should know about the type of books you like (for instance you dislike books with violence in, you don’t want to read a very long book, you can’t get new release books from your library, etc)? I'm am game for anything.

1. What genre would you like a recommendation for? Romance

2. Is this a genre that’s new to you or one of your favourites? Favorite!

3. What genre(s) would you be able to give a recommendation for? Romance, Thriller, Suspense

4. Is there anything the person recommending a book for you should know about the type of books you like (for instance you dislike books with violence in, you don’t want to read a very long book, you can’t get new release books from your library, etc)? I'm open to anything!

1. What genre would you like a recommendation for?
Murder mystery or retellings

2. Is this a genre that’s new to you or one of your favourites?
Both favorites!

3. What genre(s) would you be able to give a recommendation for?
Murder mystery, suspense, historical fiction, Christian fiction, books with neurodiverse characters

4. Is there anything the person recommending a book for you should know about the type of books you like?
I love action-packed books and books where the characters have issues (mental, struggling, etc.). I'm not so much into romance. I don't mind a bit, but it shouldn't be the focal point of the book.

I’ll play thanks!

1.What genre would you like a recommendation for?

I’d like to read another amazing, entertaining non-fiction.

2. Is this a genre that’s new to you or one of your favourites?

A fav! And I’m open to weird, wonderful, quirky or murderous, micro, mathematical or mad.

3. What genre(s) would you be able to give a recommendation for?

Eek. I suppose what I read the most would be mystery, fantasy and a bit of science fiction. I’m fairly broad in my tastes. My least experience is in historical, war, epic, biography/autobiography/memoir or humour

4. Is there anything the person recommending a book for you should know about the type of books you like (for instance you dislike books with violence in, you don’t want to read a very long book, you can’t get new release books from your library, etc)?

I’ve read a few ww1 and ww2 related texts lately but I’m not so keen on war stories. I’m also not a fan of biographies and their iterations, or humour.

Thanks to my KK in advance and to the mods who work their butts off!!!

I would love to participate!

1. What genre would you like a recommendation for? Romance, Historical Fiction or Fantasy

2. Is this a genre that’s new to you or one of your favourites? They are my favorites

3. What genre(s) would you be able to give a recommendation for? Romance, Non-fiction (I try to read at least a couple per year:), Fantasy

4. Is there anything the person recommending a book for you should know about the type of books you like (for instance you dislike books with violence in, you don’t want to read a very long book, you can’t get new release books from your library, etc)? I am open to anything!

1. What genre would you like a recommendation for?
Jewish Fiction or Journalism (to help with 2020 prompt #34) ... or historical fiction, YA Scifi/Fantasy, or murder mystery
2. Is this a genre that’s new to you or one of your favourites?
The "J"s are new, the others are favorites
3. What genre(s) would you be able to give a recommendation for? Murder mystery, historical fiction, YA
4. Is there anything the person recommending a book for you should know about the type of books you like (for instance you dislike books with violence in, you don’t want to read a very long book, you can’t get new release books from your library, etc)?
Prefer to avoid graphic sex & violence, but have been known to laugh at a corpse bouncing off a windshield (maybe you had to be there). Not a fan of horror unless it's tongue-in-cheek/satirical.

1. What genre would you like a recommendation for?
Fantasy, Poetry and also always looking for new mystery authors.

2. Is this a genre that’s new to you or one of your favourites?
Mystery is my fav. Others I have not read much

3. What genre(s) would you be able to give a recommendation for? Murder mystery/thriller. Literary fiction

4. Is there anything the person recommending a book for you should know about the type of books you like? Please not Christian fiction. Not a big romance fan

1. What genre would you like a recommendation for?
Mystery! Or some science or history nonfiction recs.
2. Is this a genre that’s new to you or one of your favourites?
I am new to the mystery genre and would like some direction. I am currently making my way through the Hercule Poirot books and am really enjoying them. Otherwise I haven’t really read any mysteries at all. As for science and history nonfiction, I love them but don’t read enough of them, so I wouldn’t mind some recommendations in that area.
3. What genre(s) would you be able to give a recommendation for?
Science fiction, fantasy (YA and adult)
4. Is there anything the person recommending a book for you should know about the type of books you like (for instance you dislike books with violence in, you don’t want to read a very long book, you can’t get new release books from your library, etc)? Not into Christian fiction. Romance can be a subplot but not the main plot, please. Otherwise I am okay with whatever!

1. What genre would you like a recommendation for?
Your favorite

2. Is this a genre that’s new to you or one of your favorites?
Favorites - Young Adult, psychological thriller, graphic novels
New to me - historical fiction, romance, poetry, short stories

3. What genre(s) would you be able to give a recommendation for?
Young Adult, contemporary fiction, audiobooks,

4. Is there anything the person recommending a book for you should know about the type of books you like (for instance you dislike books with violence in, you don’t want to read a very long book, you can’t get new release books from your library, etc)?
please nothing with first person descriptions of depression or self harm. I may read via audiobook would *love* a rec with a good narrator - not essential though.

Thanks for joining the game everyone!

Below is a list of who is recommending a book to who. I’ve tried to make sure everyone is recommending a book from one of the genres they listed as favourites. In some cases the person you’re recommending a book for might have requested a recommendation for a sub genre of one of your favourite genres - if anyone doesn’t feel able to recommend a book in the genre requested then please don’t worry about it, just send me a message and we’ll work something out. :-)

A quick reminder of the rules: please recommend three books, and if possible please give your recommendation by Monday 23 December. Please also take a look at the message posted in this thread by the person you’re giving a recommendation to so you can see if they have made any requests about the type of books they prefer.

When you’re ready to give your recommendation please post it as a new message in this thread. It would be great to hear how you enjoyed the book recommended to so you can also use this thread to add a review or any thoughts on the book after you’ve read it.

Here’s the list...
➖ Alison recommending a book for Bamaace83 (Romance genre)
➖ Bamaace83 recommending a book for Monkiecat (a scary book!) Please see note below
➖ Bunny recommending a book for Lynne - (Mystery)
➖ Cali recommending a book for Lieke - (Young adult / fantasy)
➖ Charlston recommending a book for Milena (Urban fantasy or steampunk)
➖ Ellie recommending a book for Charlston (Nonfiction)
➖ Emily recommending a book for Karissa (Magical realism)
➖ Janell recommending a book for Cali (Young adult)
➖ Jill recommending a book for Kathryn (Historical fiction)
➖ Jkmays recommending a book for Jill (Historical fiction)
➖ Karissa recommending a book for Jkmays (Literary fiction)
➖ Kathryn recommending a book for Simone (Murder mystery)
➖ Lieke recommending a book for Janell (YA fantasy)
➖ Lynne recommending a book for Ellie (Science fiction)
➖ Milena recommending a book for Bunny (Mystery)
➖ Monkiecat recommending a book for Emily (LGBT fiction)
➖ Simone recommending a book for Alison (Historical fiction)

I’m sorry this is a bit of an imperfect request, Monkiecat requested a horror/scary recommendation but nobody else in the game listed this as a genre they are familiar with. Bamaace83, you mentioned suspense and thriller as genres you could recommend a book in so I’m hoping maybe you can suggest something that’s suitably scary. If this doesn’t work for either of you then you can post here or message me and we will work something out. Sorry again that this isn’t quite ideal!

Should we just list our recommendations in this thread? Or go find their planning thread and list them there?

No problem, I'm going to see what I can find for you Monkiecat. I got this! Off to stalk your read list for ideas....

Bunny,

These mystery recommendations are for you. I hope that because I am the first one doesn't make it seem like I didn't take enough time to think.

Magpie Murders (because you have so much Agatha Christie on your read list)
The Widows of Malabar Hill
Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions (you seem to like older lady detectives)

This was really hard. There are so many more recommendations I could have given.

Monkiecat,

I hope these recommendations work for you. I went off a couple goodreads lists, google, and crossing my fingers.

The Institute by Stephen King (On my own TBR lis, looks good, won goodreads 2019 award for horror)
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski (on several lists, on your TBR list, but also super long)
Ring by Kōji Suzuki (these movies scared the crap out of me, on your TBR, not many pages so hopefully a fast read because of the holidays)

If none of these work, let me know, and I'll go back to the drawing board. :)

Hey Simone, I've compared the books you and I have in common that I'd read, and then I looked at books that I've enjoyed that aren't on your GR TBR list. So I'm giving you some recommendations for books that are on your TBR list and books that aren't.

Books on your TBR list:
1. The Lost Man by Jane Harper - I'm Australian, so I do like some of our Aussie authors. I read this earlier this year and thought it was great - really evokes the Outback. Or The Dry by the same author (which isn't on your shelves, I don't think) is also great.
2. The Cuckoo's Calling Robert Galbraith - I read this several years ago - it's a bit grittier than The Lost Man, a bit darker, but I'm quite enjoying the whole Cormoran Strike series and this is the first one.
3. Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth - I notice that you'd also asked for retellings and although this isn't really my area, I have read and enjoyed this one based on the story of Rapunzel. And another Aussie author!

Books not on your TBR list:
1. Silent Child by Sarah A. Denzil - I just read this about a month or so ago on audiobook, narrated by Joanne Froggatt (she played Anna in Downton Abbey) and I thought it was great! I was hooked when I was reading it and looked forward to going for a walk so I could listen to more of my book!
2. The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn - I know there's been some controversy about AJ Finn - who he is and whether he's copied this book (ironically from another Sarah A. Denzil book - Saving April!), but I only found that out after I read this - and I really did enjoy it at the time. I was completely drawn in and I felt sorry for the narrator who was trying to report a murder, but no one was paying attention to her because they couldn't find the body and she was struggling with substance abuse issues. I'll have to read Saving April so I can compare!
3. Everything You Told Me by Lucy Dawson - I read this about 18 months ago - I can't actually remember whether it's a murder mystery or just a mystery, but once again I felt sorry for the narrator who was struggling to work out whether things had really happened or if she'd imagined them. I remember that I was completely gripped by it at the time!

I noticed that you said you like books where the characters have issues such as mental health issues, and in all of these three there are elements of wondering how reliable the narrator is, and whether they are seeing things inaccurately because of their state of mind.

Happy Christmas, Simone – hope you get some enjoyable reading out of these!

Lol, I was working on trying to update my book challenges tonight and decided I better get this done before I get distracted with work and real life. I told myself in 2020 that I was going to be better about keeping on track and finishing the challenges that I sign up for because I struggled in 2019.

Hi Jill,
I looked at your profile, compared your books with mine, and it looks like we read quite a bit of the same stuff.

I am suggesting three books that I gave five stars out of five for, but I did not listen to any of them on audio books. (Most of the books I listen to are nonfiction). But hopefully one of these will work for your commute.

I cannot figure out how to add the link for book and author...if someone can walk me through it, I will be glad to change these.

Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta
The Pearl that Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi
Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa

Hope you enjoy at least one of these.

Hi Kathryn,

I did not want to recommend books that all took place during the same era so I am recommending book that take place in different times and locations.

I noticed you have Ariel Lawton’s Code Name Hélène on your TBR so I would like to recommend her 2018 book, I Was Anastasia.

A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner takes place in New York City in two different times, 1911 and 2001.

My WWII pick is We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter.

My last pick is a nonfiction history book, The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of a Donner Party Bride by Daniel James Brown. I love all his books but this one might be my favorite.

I hope you find a book among these suggestions that sparks your interest!

Happy reading and Merry Christmas!

Jkmays wrote: "Hi Jill,
I looked at your profile, compared your books with mine, and it looks like we read quite a bit of the same stuff.

I am suggesting three books that I gave five stars out of five for, but I..."

Thank you so much for the suggestions! I have out all three on my TBR and the audio version of Under the Udala Trees is now on hold at the library.

Hi jkmays! I'm not sure of your username significance, but my middle name is May and I go by "kmay" on a lot of sites so matching with you feels a little bit like fate. We also seem to have similar reading tastes as half the books I looked up as ideas, you had already read. I tried to find one book from each of your wanted genres that I had read and enjoyed so hopefully you will like the following recommendations:

The Moor's Account by Laila Lalami (historical fiction) - Takes place in the 16th century and tells of a Spanish expedition that lands in Florida and the journey they face across the country from the POV of a conquistador's Moroccan slave.

The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey (bookclub) - If Matilda and Miss Honey were trying to survive a zombie apocalypse, that would be this book. Don't let the zombie theme scare you off this book as I'm really not a fan of zombie novels typically, but this book isn't about that. It's about the relationship between a teacher and her student, and looks at so many layers of humanity. (This was a good audiobook listen).

All Things Cease to Appear by Elizabeth Brundage (literary fiction) - While this novel may lean toward the thriller genre (think Gone Girl), I would definitely place it firmly also in literary fiction. The writing is stupendous. I don't want to say too much about it, but I found it very atmospheric as the story unravels like an old sweater.

Honorable Mentions:
American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson (historical fiction) *great audiobook
Perfect Little World by Kevin Wilson (bookclub)
The Farm by Joanne Ramos (bookclub)
White Oleander by Janet Fitch (literary fiction) *already on your TBR
Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips (literary fiction/slow burn thriller) *already on your TBR
Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli (literary fiction) *already on your TBR

Jill wrote: "Hi Kathryn,

I did not want to recommend books that all took place during the same era so I am recommending book that take place in different times and locations.

I noticed you have Ariel Lawton’s..."

They all sound great, Jill! I Was Anastasia isn't available at either of my two local library systems, but the others all are. And I do see another Ariel Lawhon, Flight of Dreams, is availabke and sounds interesting. I'll probably go with either A Fall of Marigolds (I read and enjoyed my first Susan Meissner this year) or We Were The Lucky Ones for this challenge, but whichever ones I don't get to for the challenge I will bear in mind for another time!

Happy Christmas to you as well, and may you enjoy your reading over the Christmas period!

Kathryn wrote: "Jill wrote: "Hi Kathryn,

I did not want to recommend books that all took place during the same era so I am recommending book that take place in different times and locations.

I noticed you have A..."

Flight of Dreams is very good! I considered recommending that one instead of I Was Anastasia.

Kathryn wrote: "Hey Simone, I've compared the books you and I have in common that I'd read, and then I looked at books that I've enjoyed that aren't on your GR TBR list. So I'm giving you some recommendations for ..."
Thaaaaaankkkksss!!! I'm going with J. K. Rowling. I tried reading it this year and I just couldn't get into it, even though I really liked Cormoran's flaws and wit. I will start over again and finish it this time.

Simone wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "Hey Simone, I've compared the books you and I have in common that I'd read, and then I looked at books that I've enjoyed that aren't on your GR TBR list. So I'm giving you some reco..."

I enjoyed it, but I feel like the books have gotten better as she's gone along. I think the third one is the best, so far, although the fourth was still good. I'm looking forward to whenever the fifth comes out - I hope she's scribbling away (or probably tapping away, in this day and age) as we speak!! Hopefully whenever you tried it before just wasn't the right time for you and it will be better this time!

Simone wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "Hey Simone, I've compared the books you and I have in common that I'd read, and then I looked at books that I've enjoyed that aren't on your GR TBR list. So I'm giving you some reco..."

Actually, I was just thinking - you'd probably like The Casual Vacancy as well.

Here is my recommendation for you, Alison. I looked at the books on your to-read challenge to find some that I can recommend:

1) Hunting Prince Dracula
This one is great!!! It combines historical fiction, fantasy, retelling, and romance. I loved the entire series!

2) If you are into smutty romance, read Verity
This book kept me at the edge of my seat the entire time and OMG, it gets steamy too ;-) It's contemporary, not historical fiction, but a fantastic read!

3) One of my favorites this year was Aurora Rising It's not historical fiction, but fits your favorites romance and fantasy. I'd recommend listening to the audiobook. They use multiple narrators and that makes the book even better. I can't wait for the sequel!

4) I literally just finished The Storyteller. Not quite as much a tearjerker as The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah or We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter, but a great dual-timeline book. Jodi Picoult perfectly combines the two timelines. Sometimes the book is a bit predictable, but then there comes a plot twist. It does have a bit of romance in it too.

5) There is one book on your list that has my book boyfriend/crush in it lol. Thorne is the best character in the entire series! So I will add another fantasy semi-romance book to your recs: Cress

I hope you like these as much as I liked them! You should totally read them all. I recommend fitting them into your ATY Winter Challenge. They are such great books!

Jill wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "Jill wrote: "Hi Kathryn,

I did not want to recommend books that all took place during the same era so I am recommending book that take place in different times and locations.

I no..."

I see Flight of Dreams is available at my local library, so I might have to drop in and pick it up when I'm out and about tomorrow!! A Fall of Marigolds isn't available for about 6 weeks (I've placed a hold), and the wait time for The Indifferent Stars Above is about 10 weeks, but I've already downloaded We Were The Lucky Ones so I'll see which one I eventually end up reading!

Thanks again, Jill!

Ellie,

Wow you have read a lot of good books! I had fun going through your shelves. Here are two of my favorites and two recent reads that I enjoyed, all science fiction.

Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky
The only thing about this book that isn’t incredible is the title. It is imaginative and thrilling and just really smart. He writes this story so well and oh my goodness the world-building! It has hands-down the most well-crafted alien species/society I have ever read. I wish I could read it for the first time again! I could rave about it for ages but won’t because then I’ll start spoiling things. I also highly recommend the sequel, Children of Ruin.

Hyperion by Dan Simmons
Another favorite. It is first in a four book series, but I have only read the first two. The latter two apparently take place 100 years later and can be read separately. Anyway, Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion are great reads. And the first book has an interesting format that works well - the seven travelers each tell their own story a la Canterbury Tales. I have heard good things about the audio versions, but I cannot recommend those personally.

Exhalation: Stories by Ted Chiang
I am not normally a short story person, but I chose this as a sort of palate cleanser in between two fantasy series. All of the stories were interesting, and most were thought provoking and quite compelling. Nominated for Goodreads 2019 Science Fiction.

The Test by Sylvain Neuvel
Novella. Really messed up dystopia. A quick and wild ride.
Also nominated for Goodreads 2019 Science Fiction.

For the medical thriller in the PopSugar challenge, I am going to read either The Farm or Lock In. The only true medical thriller I have ever read was The Hot Zone: The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus in high school, and it was definitely thrilling. Well done for sure, but terrifying. A couple of scenes are still with me seventeen years later. And I think it was mostly non-fiction with just a few exaggerations.

And there aren’t any cli-fi books I’ve read that you haven’t read already!

Lynne

Sorry, I'm so late with this. It was really hard to narrow this down but here are some suggestions in no particular order

1. Still Life by Louise Penny. This is the first in the Gamache series. Any book in the series is good, but I would suggest reading them in order and I think this one really should be read first.

2. Naked in Death by J.D. Robb. Although I wouldn't call it sci-fi, this is set in a futuristic world you might enjoy.

3. Any of the first 25 of the Robert B. Parker Spenser books. I say the first 25 because even though the last ones are still good, I think the earlier ones are better.

4. The Monkey's Raincoat by Robert Crais.

5. The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman. This is a fast read and I love, love her.

Simone wrote: "Here is my recommendation for you, Alison. I looked at the books on your to-read challenge to find some that I can recommend:

1) Hunting Prince Dracula
This one is great!!! It comb..."

Simone
Thank You for all of the great recommendations!! I have Verity on my Kindle and Aurora Rising in hardback so I think I will choose between these two!
I have worked Cress into my ATY challenge and now I am off to add Hunting Prince Dracula to my TBR!
Happy Holidays!
Alison

bamaace83

I am so sorry that I am a bit late in posting this!
I took a peek at your GR profile and we share a lot of the same interests in books :)

In Historical Romance, I would recommend 2 that I have recently read and really enjoyed: The Beast of Beswick and Bringing Down the Duke

If you like the combination of fantasy/romance, I really enjoyed A Court of Thorns and Roses (I flew through the whole series) and a duology by Amy Harmon starting with The Bird and the Sword.

Have you ever read any of the contemporary Winston Brothers series by Penny Reid? It follows a family of 6(?) boys and 1 girl and each book stars one of the boys...you would start with Truth or Beard. She recently finished the series in November with brother Billy.

Have you read Mariana Zapata? She has been called "the Queen of the Slow Burn"! Once I discovered her, I had to read her backlog! The Wall of Winnipeg and Me and Under Locke were two of my favorites!

Happy Holidays!
Alison :)

Alison wrote: "If you like the combination of fantasy/romance, I really enjoyed A Court of Thorns and Roses (I flew through the whole series) ..."

I avoided reading it for the longest because I oftentimes don't like hyped books, but the entire ACOTAR series has become one of my favorites. I love Rhysand. I think he is my book crush lol.

Bunny wrote: "Lynne

Sorry, I'm so late with this. It was really hard to narrow this down but here are some suggestions in no particular order

1. Still Life by Louise Penny. This is the first in the Gamache se..."

Thanks, Bunny!! I am glad you recommended so many - now I have several new authors to try. I like the sound of Mrs. Pollifax, so I think I am going to start with that one :)

Karissa wrote: "Hi jkmays! I'm not sure of your username significance, but my middle name is May and I go by "kmay" on a lot of sites so matching with you feels a little bit like fate. We also seem to have similar..."

Thank you for all your suggestions, Karissa. I really think American Spy looks interesting.. I added it to my TBR list, but the library wait list is too long to get it before the end of the challenge. So...for now I am going with White Oleander...It has been on my TBR list forever and I kinda forget about it, so now is the time.

My name is just my initials and last name...not sure why I did that but it is from years ago and I wouldn't know how to change it, even though I would like to. Thanks for your help . Happy reading :)

Monkiecat wrote: "not sure which one I'll go for... House of Leaves looks most intriguing, but I've got a ton of end-of-year reading to get to before I can tackle a 700 page book. decisions, decisions... :))"

I know, that book looks interesting to me, but I'm not sure if I won't to tackle the 700 pages this close to the end of the year. I think I'm going to put that on my reading list for January. That's also why I tried to find a variety of page numbers because it's the holidays. :)

Alison wrote: "bamaace83

I am so sorry that I am a bit late in posting this!
I took a peek at your GR profile and we share a lot of the same interests in books :)

In Historical Romance, I would recommend 2 tha..."

Thanks for all the recommendations! I think I decided to read Bringing Down the Duke because my library had it available but I'm going to put the rest of the books on my to be read list so that I can try those out in 2020. At some point, I may also need to work on knocking books off that to be read list. Hmm, we will see when that happens.

Hi Lieke!

This is my first time recommending a book to someone so hopefully I compared our read and to be read shelves accurately and you haven't already finished these....

Book #1: Scythe
I'm currently reading, but positive I would recommend. The idea that humanity has advanced beyond mortality and now needs a class of people to "gleen" (aka kill) to avoid over population is super thought provoking. This isn't dark but there are a lot of great highlights.

Book #2: A Discovery of Witches
I didn't realize I like witches, vampires, and the like until I read this book. Nice, easy, gripping read. This was a book I would stealthily read while at work because I couldn't put it down.

Book #3(the wildcard) Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage
It's been a while since I read this but still think about a lot. It's one of those books where not a lot happens but somehow it is a lot. Not sure how to describe it but it was a really great read. This is a terrible recommendation but I swear it's really interesting and good :D

Karissa,

I love magical realism (and also fantasy *lite*) so I have a few recommendations for.

I see that you already read The Astonishing Color of After, which I loved.

So my recommendations are:

- The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender: This one is often labeled as YA, but it's really more adult fiction. I found it on the group's underrated list and really enjoyed it. It was a little strange, but the characters were intriguing and it was definitely a good read.

- The Night Circus: This one is one of my favorites, but it's definitely a polarizing book. If you like beautiful settings, you'll love this one. It's plot was a bit confusing and meandering, but if you let it take you, you'll enjoy it. It has beautiful writing and made me want to live in the book. It's definitely more fantasy than the rest of my suggestions though.

- The Sugar Queen: Or anything by Sarah Addison Allen, but this is the one I rated the highest. She is the best at writing more light-hearted magical realism that feels very realistic with slight touches of magic thrown in. Her books are adult, but definitely on the lighter side, so if you're looking for a great winter read in between heavier books, this is a good one for you.

Hope you enjoy!

Lynne wrote: "Ellie,

Wow you have read a lot of good books! I had fun going through your shelves. Here are two of my favorites and two recent reads that I enjoyed, all science fiction..."

Thank you! I've gone off Dan Simmons due to his personal views but I will read the others.

Hi Charlston! I compared our books and it looks like we have similar tastes so I hope you enjoy my recommendations for nonfiction.

Do Zombies Dream of Undead Sheep?: A Neuroscientific View of the Zombie Brain tries to explain how zombies could be a thing medically. It's written by two people with a background in neuroscience and psychology so it's a fascinating and fun read.

Command and Control is a bit connected to war but is a history of the atomic bomb and the countless near misses. It's kinda scary.

The Knowledge: How to Rebuild Our World from Scratch is a great one for science fiction fans, explaining all of what we'd need to do to rebuild civilisation after the apocalypse. I loved it, though I'm not sure I'd survive very long!

A bonus one is East of Croydon: Travels through India and South East Asia inspired by her BBC 1 series 'The Ganges' because you said you weren't keen on humour but I love Sue's sense of humour.