The Book Bump

The holidays are over. I have quite a bit of backlog on my book reviews of 2023. Don’t worry; I’ll get there eventually. (Hopefully!)

I pledged to read 12 books on Goodreads this year, as I have just started carving out time to read. So, I didn’t want to be overly ambitious despite the 26 books count last year.

As for all the other books on this list, I don’t always have a “valid” or “interesting” reason to want to read a novel. Sometimes, it’s simply the blurb that intrigued me or I was attracted to the cover; other times, it might be the hype that finally gets me to read a book.

My 12 books of 2024 (in no particular order):

Before I Go To Sleep by S. J. Watson

Devolution by Max Brooks

The Minotaur (2 doights de mensonge) by Ruth Rendell

The Dark Half by Stephen King

I was a little disappointed by Stephen King’s Bag of Bones, but I did enjoy Sleeping Beauties, so I will give him another go with this novel. Why? Because the protagonist in Bag of Bones is mentioned as the protagonist of this novel. I thought it was ingenious of King to link his characters together, making them feel more realistic.

That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo

Richard Russo appears three times in Stephen King’s booklists at the end of his memoir On Writing. While this title doesn’t appear, I found it in my town’s book box, so I thought, why not give him a go? I am always eager to broaden my list of appreciated authors (for want of a better way of saying it.)

Vernon Subutex by Virginie Despentes

The Girl Who Lived Twice by David Lagerkrantz

I recently learned that another author is continuing Stieg Larsson’s work. When I was shopping in December, I happened upon Karin Smirnoff’s The Girl in the Eagle’s Talons, which reminded me that I had yet to read David Lagerkrantz’s last novel in the Millenium book series.

I remember feeling excited and nervous about someone continuing Larsson’s work. I enjoyed Lagerkrantz’s take on Larsson’s original character, albeit they felt slightly flatter.

Who knows, perhaps I shall try Smirnoff’s version, too. Is such a thing as “too much of a good thing?”

Redemption by Jussi Alder Olsen

I’ve read the first two in the Department Q series and loved the author’s slow-burn approach to crime-solving. I read Mercy in 2018 and Disgrace in 2021.

Safe to say, I am very behind in this book series, as there are now nine novels. But there’s no rush.

Maus I and II by Art Spiegelman

Game of Thrones – A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin

I read A Song of Fire and Ice last year and thought I should continue the series. Despite the first novel ending on a cliffhanger, I enjoyed it enough to want to continue reading. I wouldn’t say I like it when book series do that. I like to be able to read the first and not have to read the rest if I don’t want to.

The subtleties of writing a series, I suppose. Granted, I can imagine that having a stand-alone first novel is quite challenging, as you have to intrigue the reader enough to want to pick up the second novel.

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Bachman

I read Anxious People last year and loved it. I can’t wait to lose myself in another of Bachman’s novels.

Without counting what I might pick up at the library next time I take my munchkins or swipe from my parent’s bookshelves, here’s a list of other books I would like to read this year.

Other books I’d like to read if I get the chance:

• Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Bachman
• The Magician’s Secret by Charles Townsend
• Wild Thorns by Sahar Khalifeh
• The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller
• The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruis Zafon
• Moscow Babylon by Owen Matthews
• Vernon Subutex II by Virgine Despentes

So, what are you guys reading this year?