Thursday, December 7, 2023

No Tomorrow, by Tom Wood

Title:  No Tomorrow
Author: Tom Wood
Borrowed from Queen Anne's County Public Library Audiobook
Started: 12/5/2023
Finished: 12/7/2023

Another fun entry in the Victor the Assassin series.

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

The Secret, by Lee & Andrew Child

Title: The Secret
Author: Lee & Andrew Child
Purchased hardcopy
Started: 11/18/2023
Finished: 11/29/2023

Pretty weak Reacher novel.  

Kill for Me, by Tom Wood

Title: Kill for Me
Author: Tom Wood
Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook
Started: 11/27/2023
Finished: 11/29/2023

Another entertaining Victor the Assassin book.  

Sunday, November 19, 2023

The Final Hour, by Tom Wood

Title: The Final Hour
Author: Tom Wood
Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook
Started: 11/16/2023
Finished: 11/19/2023

Decent entry in the Victor the Assassin series. 

Friday, November 10, 2023

What the World Will Look Like When All the Water Leaves Us, by Laura Van Den Berg

Title: What the World Will Look Like When All the Water Leaves Us
Author: Laura Van Den Berg
Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition
Started: 10/25/2023
Finished: 11/10/2023

My literary crush on Van Den Berg continues, I think I've read all of her published works.  Haven't felt this connected to an author since I discovered Denis Johnson years ago.  

Wednesday, November 8, 2023

A Time to Die, by Tom Wood

Title: A Time to Die
Author: Tom Wood
Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook
Started: 11/7/2023
Finished: 11/8/2023

A pretty good entry in the Victor the Assassin series, much better than the last one. 

Monday, November 6, 2023

The Stranger Upstairs, by Lisa M Matlin

Title: The Stranger Upstairs
Author: Lisa M Matlin 
Borrowed from DC Public Library Audiobook
Started: 11/6/2023
DNF

This book is terrible, made it about half way before stopping. Only recording it here so I can search it later if I forget I already gave it a shot.  One of the very rare DNF for me, but it was just painfully bad.  

Sunday, November 5, 2023

Universal Harvester, by John Darnielle

Title: Universal Harvester
Author: John Darnielle
Borrowed from DC Public Library Audiobook
Started: 10/31/2023
Finished: 11/5/2023

I liked this book but struggled to really get absorbed by it.  Feel like this was me, not the book. Reading it may have been a better way for me than the audiobook version.  

Monday, October 30, 2023

The Empty House and Other Stories, by Algernon Blackwood

Title: The Empty House and Other Stories
Author: Algernon Blackwood
Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook
Started: 10/27/2023
Finished: 10/30/2023

Decent collection of horror short stories. 

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Our Wives Under the Sea, by Julia Armfield

Title: Our Wives Under the Sea
Author: Julia Armfield
Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Kindle Edition 
Started: 10/17/2023
Finished: 10/25/2023

Great book covering heartbreaking loss in an intriguing way.  Really enjoyed this one. 

Monday, October 23, 2023

Find Me, by Laura Van Den Berg

Title: Find Me
Author: Laura Van Den Berg
Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook
Started: 10/22/2023
Finished: 10/23/2023

My obsession with Van Den Berg continues -- this was my least favorite of her works so far, but I don't mean to imply I didn't like it.  Find Me just didn't speak to me like the other two I read. Still enjoyable, Van Den Berg includes a lot of FLA in her books which I enjoy, bring born and raised in central FLA.  

Anyway, this is one author I'll be following. 

The Wendigo, by Algernon Blackwood

Title: The Wendigo
Author: Algernon Blackwood
Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook
Started: 10/21/2023
Finished: 10/22/2023

Decently entertaining. 

Friday, October 20, 2023

I Hold a Wolf by the Ear, by Laura Van Den Berg

Title: I Hold a Wolf by the Ear
Author: Laura Van Den Berg
Borrowed from DC Public Library Audiobook
Started: 10/16/2023
Finished: 10/20/2023

Started this one as an audiobook, switch to Kindle because I was enjoying it so much and wanted to read it that way instead.  But had another loan come available and went back to audio.  

That's not really important I guess, what is important is how much I'm enjoying the works by Van Den Berg.  Can't really explain why, but the way she writes and the stories she's telling are extremely compelling.  

Thursday, October 19, 2023

Love in a Dry Season, by Shelby Foote

Title: Love in a Dry Season
Author: Shelby Foote
Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook
Started: 10/11/2023
Finished: 10/16/2023

I like these Shelby Foote southern dramas, characters driven by various desires.  But I also tire of them about two thirds of the way through.  As I've said before with audiobooks narrated by Grover Gardner -- he really is the best.  Not sure I'd have stuck with this book in print, but having Gardner narrate it makes all the difference. 

Monday, October 16, 2023

You Should Have Left, by Daniel Kehlmann

Title: You Should Have Left
Author: Daniel Kehlmann
Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Kindle Edition
Started: 10/16/2023
Finished: 10/16/2023

Intriguing novella with similar themes to House of Leaves.  Disturbing and enjoyable.  

Saturday, October 14, 2023

The Third Hotel, by Laura Van Den Berg

Title: The Third Hotel
Author: Laura Van Den Berg
Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition
Started: 10/10/2023
Finished: 10/14/2023

This book spoke to me.  Right from the start I felt a connection to this book and was entranced.  I would have a hard time explaining why, but I absolutely loved this book.  I felt a connection to the protagonist and her story in a way that transcended my normal connection as a reader.  This one was special to me. 

Tuesday, October 10, 2023

The Darkest Day, by Tom Wood

Title:  The Darkest Day
Author: Tom Wood
Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook
Started: 10/8/2023
Finished: 10/10/2023

This next entry in the Victor the Assassin series was terrible.  Big step back from the previous entry, which was the best. 

Saturday, October 7, 2023

The Game, by Tom Wood

Title: The Game
Author: Tom Wood
Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook
Started: 10/5/2023
Finished: 10/7/2023

Third book in the Victor the Assassin series.  Best of the bunch so far. 

Wednesday, October 4, 2023

The Enemy, by Tom Wood

Title: The Enemy
Author Tom Wood
Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook
Started: 10/2/2023
Finished: 10/4/2023

These loner assassin/tough guy books (Reacher, Grey Man) are terrible but also stupidly enjoyable, and this Victor the Assassin series is more of the same.  And I'll read them all.

Things We Lost in the Fire, by Mariana Enriquez

Title:  Things We Lost in the Fire
Author:  Mariana Enriquez
Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook
Started: 10/1/2023
Finished: 10/1/2023

Been battling a cold the last couple of weeks and I've had a lot of time for audiobooks at all hours where coughs have been keeping me awake.  Powered through this one in a single day of listening that way.  Enjoyable horror short stories.

Sunday, October 1, 2023

The Killer, by Tom Wood

Title: The Killer
Author: Tom Wood
Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook
Started: 9/20/2023
Finished: 10/1/2023

A so-so hitman book, first in a long series.  I kept it going between other books but not sure I'll continue with the rest in line. 

Saturday, September 30, 2023

Gone with the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell

Title: Gone with the Wind
Author: Margaret Mitchell
Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Audiobook
Started: 9/22/2023
Finished: 9/30/2023

While I'd seen the movie a few times I hadn't read the book until now.  What an epic novel, very glad to have finally taken the time to read it. 

Saturday, September 16, 2023

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, by John Berendt

Title: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Author: John Berendt
Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Audiobook
Started: 9/10/2023
Finished: 9/16/2023

Put off reading this one since it's publication but having visited Savannah a dozen times or so over the years I finally caved.  It's as good, if not better, than everyone said it was.  

Saturday, September 9, 2023

The Amulet, by Michael McDowell

Title: The Amulet
Author: Michael McDowell
Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Kindle Edition
Started: 9/1/2023
Finished: 9/9/2023

Decent pulp horror novel. 

Wednesday, September 6, 2023

The Exorcist, by William Peter Blatty

Title: The Exorcist
Author: William Peter Blatty
Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook
Started: 9/4/2023
Finished: 9/6/2023

Annual re-reading of this classic, I'm not usually a fan of author read audiobooks but reviews swore Blatty was excellent and they were right.  Very enjoyable.  

Monday, September 4, 2023

Something in the Water, by Katherine Steadman

Title: Something in the Water
Author: Katherine Steadman
Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle Edition
Started: 8/30/2023
Finished: 9/4/2023

A page turner thriller, not great, but an easy read if you can stand the anxiety of a protagonist who continues to make inane decisions.  

Warlock, by Oakley Hall

Title: Warlock
Author: Oakley Hall
Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Audiobook
Started: 8/20/2023
Finished: 9/4/2023

What a fantastic book.  Sometimes I stumble upon these books and can't believe I've gone so long without ever knowing about them.  The perfect Western.  

Saturday, August 26, 2023

The Cellar, by Minette Walters

Title: The Cellar
Author: Minette Walters 
Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Kindle Edition
Started: 8/24/2023
Finished: 8/26/2023

Recommendation from a reddit post, really enjoyed this creepy and unsettling novel.  

Monday, August 21, 2023

Hidden Pictures, by Jason Rekulak

  • Title: Hidden Pictures
  • Author: Jason Rekulak
  • Borrowed from DC Public Library
  • Started: 8/20/2023
  • Finished: 8/21/2023
Enjoyable short novel that was reasonably creepy, if not actually scary.  End is wrapped up very nicely and sweetly, 

Sunday, August 20, 2023

The Fallen, by David Baldacci

Title: The Fallen
Author: David Baldacci
Gift from neighbor in paperback
Started: 8/12/2023
Finished: 8/20/2023

Another Amos Decker/Memory Man book. Decent.  

Thursday, August 10, 2023

The Fix, by David Baldacci

Title: The Fix
Author: David Baldacci
Gift from neighbor in paperback
Started: late July 2023
Finished: 8/10/2023

Best of the Amos Decker series so far.  Still not great, but decent enough. 

Friday, July 21, 2023

Augustus, by John Williams

Title: Augustus
Author: John Williams
Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Audiobook
Started: 7/16/2023
Finished: 7/21/2023

After really enjoying William's Butcher's Crossing, I looked into other works by the man. Augustus sounded interesting and somehow it was even better than BC.  

A great companion to I Claudius in some ways.  Really enjoyable. 

Friday, July 14, 2023

Butcher's Crossing, by John Williams

Title: Butcher's Crossing
Author: John Williams
Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Kindle Edition
Started: 7/9/2023
Finished: 7/14/2023

I absolutely loved this book.  Had I the time I wouldn't have out it down.  But even breaking it up over several days I found myself looking forward to getting an hour or so devoted to it.  

Friday, July 7, 2023

The Grand Banks Cafe, by Georges Simenon

Title: The Grand Banks Cafe
Author: Georges Simenon
Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition
Started: 7/3/2023
Finished 7/6/2023

Enjoyable mystery featuring Inspector Maigret. 

Thursday, June 29, 2023

The Last Mile, by David Baldacci

Title: The Last Mile
Author: David Baldacci
Gift from neighbor, paperback
Started: 6/22023
Finished: 6/29/2023

Second in the Amos Decker/Memory Man series.  This one was terrible, a real slog, even though all plot points were obvious.  Neighbor gave me several more in the series so I'll read them, but I'm not expecting much.  

Tuesday, June 20, 2023

Memory Man, by David Baldacci

Title: Memory Man
Author: David Baldacci
Gift from a neighbor in paperback
Started: 6/18/2023
Finished: 6/20/2023

Neighbor gave me several books to read while convalescing after shoulder surgery.  This was one of thoe, but he also gave me the next three books in the Memory Man series as  well.  So expect to see a few more entries here as I work through them. 

Decent, easy thrillers.  This first one lays the ground work, so curious to see if the next in the series are better mysteries.  

Sunday, June 18, 2023

Dont Fear the Reaper, by Stephen Graham Jones

Title: Don't Fear the Reaper
Author: Stephen Graham Jones
Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook and Kindle Edition
Started: 5/24/2023
Finished: 5/17/2023

The follow up to My Heart is a Chainsaw, I listened to the first two thirds on audiobook slowly over time as I convalesced after shoulder surgery when it was too painful to hold a book up.  Pain and fatigue made it hard to listed for long periods of time.  As I've gotten better, I switched to the Kindle Edition and knocked the final third out in a day. 

Overall I liked this one, but not as much as the first one.  

Sunday, June 11, 2023

Game of Snipers, by Stephen Hunter

Title: Game of Snipers
Author: Stephen Hunter
Borrowed from a neighbor in hardback
Started: 5/24/2023
Finished: 6/11/2023

Started this one the day I had shoulder surgery, too hard to read a hardback in my recovery, so took me a few weeks to pick it back up. 

Slow start but the book was otherwise a slow, easy, enjoyable read.  

Tuesday, June 6, 2023

The Late Monsieur Gallet, by Georges Simenon

Title: The Late Monsieur Gallet
Author: Georges Simenon
Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Kindle Edition
Started: 6/5/2023
Finished: 6/6/2023

A tweet from Nathan Ballingrud turned me into this French detective series.  A very short, enjoyable read. 

Sunday, June 4, 2023

Mapping the Interior, by Stephen Graham Jones

Title: Mapping the Interior
Author: Stephen Graham Jones
Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition
Started: 6/2/2023
Finished: 6/5/2023

A melancholy novella, well written and haunting. 

Monday, May 29, 2023

Ill Will, by Dan Chaon

Title: Ill Will
Author: Dan Chaon
Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition
Started: 5/24/2023
Finished: 5/29/2023

I thought this was well written, but I wasn't in the right head space to really enjoy it. 

Friday, May 26, 2023

Night of the Mannequins, by Stephen Graham Jones

Title: Night of the Mannequins
Author: Stephen Graham Jones
Borrowed from Queen Anne County Public Library Audiobook
Started: 5/22/2023
Finished: 5/26/2023

Decent novella., Not my favorite. 

Tuesday, May 23, 2023

Targeted, by Stephen Hunter

Title: Targeted
Author: Stephen Hunter
Borrowed from neighbor hardback
Started: 5/20/2023
Finished: 5/23/2023

Easy page turner. Neighbor loves these books and other similar authors, expect I'll be reading a lot of them in the bear future.  

Thursday, May 18, 2023

My Heart is a Chainsaw, by Stephen Graham Jones

Title: My Heart is a Chainsaw
Author: Stephen Graham Jones
Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Audiobook
Started: 5/13/2023
Finished: 5/18/2023

After finishing The Only Good Indians (and loving it) I wanted to try another SGJ book.  My Heart is a Chainsaw was also great, I understand now the hype around SGJ.  Guy is a hell of a writer.  

Saturday, May 13, 2023

The Only Good Indians, by Stephen Graham Jones

Title: The Only Good Indians
Author: Stephen Graham Jones
Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Audiobook
Started: 5/9/2023
Finished: 5/13/2023

Have had this one on my list for a while, wondering if it could live up to the hype.  Happy to say it exceeded my expectations, this was a spectacular book.  Going to be thinking about this one for a while. 

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

The Last Town, by Blake Crouch

  • Title:  The Last Town
  • Author: Blake Crouch
  • Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition
  • Started: 5/9/2023
  • Finished: 5/10/2023
Book 3 of the Wayward Pines trilogy, more of a novella than a full length book.  I'm torn on this one -- it was exciting and I didn't want to put it down, but it all became so coincidental and focused on Ethan & his family.  So exciting and I couldn't put it down, but I liked Ethan a lot less in this book, and became somewhat bored by the dynamic between him, his wife, ex-lover, and her ex-lover.  

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

The Donut Legion, by Joe R Lansdale

Title: The Donut Legion
Author: Joe R Lansdale
Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition
Started: 5/4/2023
Finished: 5/9/2023

Enjoyable Lansdale standalone novel. 

Friday, May 5, 2023

Isolation - The Horror Anthology, by Dan Coxon

Title: Isolation - The Horror Anthology
Editor: Dan Coxon
Borrowed from Fairfax County Public Library Kindle Edition
Started: 5/1/2023
Finished: 5/5/2023

Strong selection of stories of isolation, many focused on the pandemic/post pandemic world.  Good stuff. 

Monday, May 1, 2023

Episode 13, by Craig DiLouie

Title: Episode 13
Author: Craig DiLouie
Borrowed from DC Public Library Kindle Edition 
Started: 4/27/2023
Finished: 5/1/2023

Pretty good found footage-ish horror novel.  

Tuesday, April 25, 2023

Burner, by Mark Greaney

Title: Burner
Author: Mark Greaney
Borrowed from
Started: 4/17/2023
Finished: 4/25/2023

Latest in the Grey Man novel series, one of the best of the bunch.  Hats off to Greaney for knowing what his readers wanted and giving it to us.  Very enjoyable.