Handshakes' 2023 Challenge

Hello everyone. I've never read 50 books in a year before, and I could definitely use some encouragement! So... despite being behind last year, I was able to rally toward the finish-line and complete my original 12 book goal. I'm gonna shoot for a "little" bit more this year. I'm also considering the A-Z challenge in which I pick at least one title that starts which each letter of the alphabet. Wish me luck!

1. Revival by Stephen King ★★★★☆
2. Brain by Robin Cook ★★★★★
3. City of Glass by Paul Auster ★★★☆☆
4. Mortal Fear by Robin Cook ★★★★☆
5. Point Omega by Don DeLillo ★★★☆☆
6. Running Wild by J.G. Ballard ★★★☆☆
7. The Deep by Peter Benchley ★★★★☆
8. By His Grace by Dada Mukerjee ★★★★☆
9. The Forgotten Room by Lincoln Child ★★★★☆
10. The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton ★★★★★
11. Eleanor Rigby by Douglas Coupland ★★★★★
12. Deep Fathom by James Rollins ★★★★★
13. Tick Tock by Dean Koontz ★★★★☆

Good luck in 2023.
When I click Travels by Michael Crichton, I get Gulliver's Travels.

Gravity's Rainbow ought to be an adventure! I've been steering around it for years. Anathem and Lolita are great. Nice idea to read Greg Bear after his recent passing.

>2 mnleona:, Travels is it, I think. And here's Ghost Story by Straub, nothing ghosty about it! ;)

>2 mnleona: I did notice that but I'm not sure how to fix it and I'm too lazy to figure it out.

>3 Cecrow: Yes! All three of those should be fun. Taxing and time consuming as well. I found out about Greg Bears passing just a week ago or so. What a bummer. He has some really good books with big ideas.

what a great list ^_^

i'm very interested in The Deep and The Swan Thieves. I read and loved Kostova's The Historian so much I actually got afraid to buy her 2nd book in case i get disappointed :p silly silly :d

>5 riida: I definitely know the feeling. I've also read The Historian (and I enjoyed it immensely), so I'll read The Swan Thieves and let you know if you should read it.

Hmm, I've had My Name is Red on my shelf for a couple of years now. Curious to see what you think of it so I can determine whether to read it sooner rather than later.

Happy New Year!

>7 LittleTaiko: I'll let you know what I finish it!

Finished The Deep by Peter Benchley. It was pretty good. I'd give it ★★★★☆.

>9 handshakes: wow! one book down! a lot of people are off to a running start ^_^

I have to find a copy of The Deep now. I have not seen Jaws yet, but I'm also looking forward to reading the book.

>10 riida: Trying to get ahead of the game! It was a decent book. Jaws was interesting--read it a few years ago, and it was nothing like the movie.

Just finished The Forgotten Room by Lincoln Child. It was pretty good!

Moving right along, I see. I noticed in your first post you said "50" but you can count this TBR Challenge completed at 24. It's an easy one compared to most (and the only one I'm capable of tackling, lol.)

>13 Cecrow: Haha, 24 is an accomplishment in itself. I have only read that many a handful of times.

>14 handshakes: myself, i list 24 books for the challenge but consider it a success if i finish 12 :D

last year i finished just 6 or 8 i think :p

>15 riida: Life gets in the way sometimes. Book count is such a touchy goal anyways. Your six or eight could be equivalent to my eighteen. I've been trying to read for a specified amount of time lately and that's helped me read more books.

>16 handshakes: - I really like your goal of reading for a specified amount of time. It helps me to know when I have certain pockets of my day set aside for reading - it gives me something to look forward to.

>17 LittleTaiko: Thanks. I use the Bookly app to track my progress and I try to read for at least one hour a day. Having a reading streak helps motivate me. The stats are great too!

Just reread The Andromeda Strain. Just as good as before, if not better.

Just reread Eleanor Rigby by Douglas Coupland. Way better the second time around!

I've never read Douglas Coupland, despite his coining the name for my generation, and I think he's Canadian which ought to give me another reason.

>21 Cecrow: His novels are wonderful! I'd recommend trying at least one.

Finished Deep Fathom by James Rollins last night. What a ride!

Recently finished TickTock by Dean Koontz.

>24 handshakes: oooh been a while since i read a dean koontz (i went through a koontz phase when i was younger). i dont recognize this one (is it new?). how did you find it?

Appears to be from 1996; makes sense with a title like that, long before TikTok became a thing.

>25 riida: Nah it's an oldie. Found it at a secondhand store.

Finished Kingdom of Bones and JPod recently.

>28 handshakes: i've been in IT all my working life, and JPod sounds wildly appealing to me ^_^

>29 riida: it was pretty hilarious. You'd probably enjoy it!