Book Talk – January 2024

Sometime last year I considered skipping these book talk posts in January as I am not sure if they are so interesting to you. But I keep looking back at my own posts if I need a jump start what a book was about or if I think about recommending a book to a friend and wanted to check again. So I am continuing my book talks in 2024.

I decided to add a few more notes on characters and settings this year. Because I have a hard time remembering the names or where exactly a story was placed but once I read it jumpstarts my entire memory. Also I love to know where a story is set when I look for recommendations. Especially since I am working my way towards chipping away at my read around the world challenge.

The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman | ★★★★✶

Goodreads says: The secret to love that lasts!  “How do we meet each other’s deep emotional need to feel loved? If we can learn that and choose to do it, then the love we share will be exciting beyond anything we ever felt when we were infatuated.” —Dr. Gary Chapman.  Dr. Gary Chapman’s international bestseller has brought back or intensified the love in millions of marriages by revealing the five distinct languages we all use to express love: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch.  Couples who understand each other’s love language hold a priceless advantage in the quest for love that lasts a lifetime— they know how to effectively and consistently make each other feel truly and deeply loved. That gift never fades away. 
What I thought: I am not sure where I heard about this concept first. But one day the husband I talked about it for some reason both of us not knowing what it was about. A quick surge gave me an overview and I was intrigued to learn more. After a misunderstanding I got this audiobook. It was very interesting to hear. And I think I will think about this concept much more than I will now think (hence the high rating according to my own definition). But with all I think this concept only really works if both partners know. And while there was one excitement in there where only a wife was committed to speak her husbands love language and later on steering him into the path to speak her I am not sure I agree with the method. But overall definitely food for thought.
Medium: audiobook through library
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: German title “Die 5 Sprachen der Liebe” paperback, ebook
Recommend to: Everyone wanting to learn more about the way people express and receive love.

Oona out of Order by Margarita Montimore | ★★★★✶

Goodreads says: Just because life might be out of order, doesn’t mean it’s broken.
It’s new years eve 1982, and Oona Lockhart has her whole life before her. At the stroke of midnight she will turn nineteen, and the year ahead promises to be one of consequence. Should she go to London to study economics, or follow her heart and remain at home in Brooklyn to be with her boyfriend? As the countdown to the new year begins, Oona feels lightheaded, woozy, and it’s not from the champagne. At the stroke of midnight Oona is torn from her life and everyone she loves, finding herself in her 51 year old body thirty-three years into the future. Greeted by a friendly stranger in a beautiful house she’s told is her own, Oona learns that will with each passing year she will leap to another age at random. Still a young woman on the inside, but ever changing on the outside, who will she be next year? Philanthropist? Club kid? World traveler? Wife to a man she’s never met?
What I thought: I really really enjoyed this different take on time travel. Character was at times annoying at times nice but always interesting. I had a feeling about Kinsey. I liked the hopping back and forth but the inner age was chronological. How would you feel at 19 in a body of a 51 year old.
Characters: Oona Lockhart – time traveling main character, Dale – the boyfriend, Edward – the husband, Madeline – the mother, Kinsey – assistant
Setting: fancy apartment mainly, always midnight, always champagne, sometimes with company
Medium: audiobook through library
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: not translated
Recommend to: Everyone loving a good time travel story or needs some fun easymentertainment.

Electric Midnight by Nathan Van Coops | ★★★★☆

Goodreads says: Do Androids Die With Their Secrets?
Loner detective Greyson Travers just found his latest client dead on the sidewalk. Left with only a cryptic coin and a victim no one knows, it’s a case he doesn’t want.
When a corporation producing androids offers to fund his investigation, Greyson smells a setup, but a girl with a mysterious past may hold clues to the truth.
Dangerous people move in the shadows of this city, and now Greyson is in their sights. But with a fast car and his sarcastic AI riding shotgun, he’s betting he can hunt down the killer before his time is up.
Strap in for another page-turning mystery in the Paradox PI series, with twisting time travel, unforgettable characters, and a wise-cracking detective who never quits.
Solve this mystery from the future today.
What I thought: Loved diving into this mystery. Very nerdy and sci-fiy adding a bit of gang and black market crime into the mix as well as greedy cooperations. Or was it just a human trait that made the villain do it? I kinda guest where this was going but it was still a fun read. It also made me think bit about all the robots and androids that will surely come into the world and how ethically we will handle it. Some comment said “it has splash of knight rider” – so true. So fun.
Characters: Greyson Travers – time traveling P.I., Waldo – witty, friendly AI
Setting: The future, the past, a futuristic view that reminded me a bit of Tesla’s vision
Medium: eBook through Kindle unlimited
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: no translation
Recommend to: Everyone loving mystery novels and needs another layer of confusion – adding time travel and timelines.
Additional note: Second Book in the Paradox P.I Series

The Clockwork Game by Nathan Van Coops | ★★★★☆

Goodreads says: How do you solve a murder that hasn’t happened yet?
Private detective Greyson Travers is on a case he can’t quit. Isolated at a remote lodge with a half-dozen other guests, he’s on the trail of a priceless historical artifact. But when the body of a stranger goes missing in the fog, the treasure hunt quickly becomes a murder investigation.  Suspicion grows as Greyson plays a dangerous cat-and-mouse game with a killer who is making up all the rules.  No one at the lodge is who they seem and Greyson will need to decipher friend from foe if he wants to escape the island alive.  Take another trip through time with a mystery that will keep you listening late into the night.
What I thought: I really really enjoyed this one. It is not necessarily a new trope – a group of people locked in a certain space with no-one leaving and a killer among them. But add in time travel – not everyone being able to do it – but lots of hints not adding up and it becomes a lot more fun. I just love the humor in these books. It is funny and witty and has a lot of 80’s and 90’s pop references. I find it hilarious and I usually do not pick up humor and find a lot of things not particularly funny while the husbands chuckles all the time when reading or listening to something.
Characters: Greyson Travers – time traveling P.I.
Setting: remote island, no communication, diverse group of people – some know each other, some hate each other, some time travelers, some with secrets, some with crime connections.
Medium: eBook through Kindle unlimited
Original Language and Title:
Publications: no translation
Recommend to: Everyone loving mystery novels and needs another layer of confusion – adding time travel and timelines.
Additional note: Third Book in the Paradox P.I Series

Tomorrow Detective by Nathan Van Coops | ★★★★☆

Goodreads says: Private detective Greyson Travers doesn’t talk about his past, but when a specter from his youth is released from prison, he’s forced to unlock buried memories. His old nemesis is stirring tension in the criminal underworld, and it’s not long before the trouble boils over into Greyson’s private life. To protect the people he loves, he’ll need to dig into decades old murders and face the unsettling consequences of his own actions. And the truth always comes at a cost.
Buckle up for another page-turning mystery in the Paradox PI series, with mind-bending time travel, high-octane action, and a detective whose mouth is as dangerous as his gun.
What I thought: In this books we learn the backstory of Grey which was traumatic for him and something he is reluctant to share. He made mistakes and has to live with the consequences. And a more upbeat note there is a romance blooming which is fun. I also love the setting of the time traveling inn. I have heard that this will be the last in the series and I am a bit sad I won’t be able to join more adventures.
Characters: Greyson Travers – time traveling P.I., Waldo – witty, friendly AI, appreance of Dr. Harold Quickly – inventor of time travel
Setting: Time traveling Inn with jumps to the 80’s, parallel rime streams with same characters.
Medium: eBook through Kindle unlimited
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: no translation
Recommend to: Everyone loving mystery novels and needs another layer of confusion – adding time travel and timelines.
Additional note: Fourth Book in the Paradox P.I Series

Everyone knows you go home by Natalie Sylvester | ★★★★☆

Goodreads says: The first time Isabel meets her father-in-law, Omar, he’s already dead—an apparition appearing uninvited on her wedding day. Her husband, Martin, still unforgiving for having been abandoned by his father years ago, confesses that he never knew the old man had died. So Omar asks Isabel for the impossible: persuade Omar’s family—especially his wife, Elda—to let him redeem himself.
Isabel and Martin settle into married life in a Texas border town, and Omar returns each year on the celebratory Day of the Dead. Every year Isabel listens, but to the aggrieved Martin and Elda, Omar’s spirit remains invisible. Through his visits, Isabel gains insight into not just the truth about his disappearance and her husband’s childhood but also the ways grief can eat away at love. When Martin’s teenage nephew crosses the Mexican border and takes refuge in Isabel and Martin’s home, questions about past and future homes, borders, and belonging arise that may finally lead to forgiveness—and alter all their lives forever.
What I thought:
Characters: Isabel – wife, Martin – husband, Eduardo – Martins nephew, Claudia – Martin’s sister, Elda – Martin’s & Caludia’s mother, Omar – Martin’s & Caludia’s late father
Setting: smaller town somewhere in Texas, flashbacks to Mexico and the border region
Medium: eBook through Kindle unlimited, library | audiobook through library | paperback | hardcover
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: French and Spanish
Recommend to: Everyone wanting to learn about life of emigrants, something about the Días de los Muertos and crossing the border.
Read Around the World: logged for Peru

Ich schwimme nicht mehr da, wo die Krokodile sind by Sabine Kuegler | ★★★★☆

Goodreads says: Sabine Kuegler, “jungle child” and torn between two cultures, often returns to Papua in the course of her life – to where she grew up. During one of these trips, she falls seriously ill, is considered to be out of treatment and undertakes one last desperate attempt to find a cure. There she experiences adventures that many people find hard to believe. It is only after five years that she returns and talks for the first time about her search for healing, happiness and her place in life. Sabine Kuegler, whose worldwide bestseller Jungle Child has touched millions of readers, questioned her identity between cultures for a long time. Her unique life perhaps also opens up the opportunity to be a mediator between cultures. “My story began the day my father discovered the Fayu people, a tribe that had been at a standstill in its development for centuries. It was also the beginning of the inner collision of two worlds. Because I carry within me the culture, psychology, mentality and spirituality of two societies that are so opposite and so different from each other that they should be at home on different planets.”
What I thought: This was really interesting to listen too as it catapulted me into a world I had no idea about. Wasn’t even aware existed. Very educational. Very interesting. I am pretty sure I will pick up her other books.
Setting: Islands of Papua New Guinea and Oceania
Medium: audiobook through library
Original Language and Title: German
Publications: not yet translated
Recommend to: Everyone interested in different cultures, native lifestyles and medical journeys.

Postcards from a Stranger by Imogen Clark | ★★★★☆

Goodreads says: When Cara stumbles across a stash of old postcards in the attic, their contents make her question everything she thought she knew.
The story she pieces together is confusing and unsettling, and appears to have been patched over with lies. But who can tell her the truth? With her father sinking into Alzheimer’s and her brother reluctant to help, it seems Cara will never find the answers to her questions. One thing is clear, someone knows more than they’re letting on.
Torn between loyalty to her family and dread of what she might find, Cara digs into the early years of her parents’ troubled marriage, hunting down long-lost relatives who might help unravel the mystery. But the picture that begins to emerge is not at all the one she’d expected—because as she soon discovers, lies have a habit of multiplying . . .
What I thought: I really enjoyed this read. I thought the characters were very interesting, layered and not flawless. They had real time struggles, ups and downs and real moments. I liked that the main character was not young anymore. I could relate to the struggles Cara had. Would pick up a book by this author again.
Characters: Cara – thirty-something woman talking care of her dad who has Alzheimers, Michael – the brother
Setting: House in small town, foggy moorland, London, San Fransisco
Medium: eBook through Kindle unlimited
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: German title “Wenn deine Zeilen mich berühren” paperback, ebook
Recommend to: Everyone loving a good family drama with interesting characters with flaws.
Read Around the World: logged for Great Britain

My Roommate is a Vampire Kondo by Jenna Levine | ★★★★☆

Goodreads says: Cassie Greenberg loves being an artist, but it’s a tough way to make a living. On the brink of eviction, she’s desperate when she finds a too-good-to-be-true apartment in a beautiful Chicago neighborhood. Cassie knows there has to be a catch—only someone with a secret to hide would rent out a room for that price.
Of course, her new roommate Frederick J. Fitzwilliam is far from normal. He sleeps all day, is out at night on business, and talks like he walked out of a regency romance novel. He also leaves Cassie heart-melting notes around the apartment, cares about her art, and asks about her day. And he doesn’t look half bad shirtless, on the rare occasions they’re both home and awake. But when Cassie finds bags of blood in the fridge that definitely weren’t there earlier, Frederick has to come clean… 
Cassie’s sexy new roommate is a vampire. And he has a proposition for her.
What I thought: This was such an enjoyable audiobook. I really loved it and was engaged in the story. The couple was lovable and fun. I liked that
Characters: Cassie – broke artist, Fredrick – vampire who needs help navigating the modern world
Setting: New York City apartment
Medium: audiobook through library
Original Language and Title: German
Publications: not translated
Recommend to: Everyone loving a fun romance novel and likes vampires.

Money Kondo by Hava Misimi | ★★★★☆

Goodreads says: Everyone wants as much of it as possible, if you have it, many things are easier, but talking about it is often difficult: money. “Money Kondo” is the first multi-stage tidying plan that helps you to organize your finances step by step and thus live more freely and look to the future in a more relaxed way.
What I thought: Good introduction. Learned some new things I need to have a closer look at. Food for thought. A book that fits the German market and system.
Medium: audiobook through library
Original Language and Title: German
Publications: not translated
Recommend to: Everyone living in Germany needing to know more about finances.

When breath becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi | ★★★✶☆

Goodreads says: At the age of thirty-six, on the verge of completing a decade’s training as a neurosurgeon, Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. One day he was a doctor treating the dying, the next he was a patient struggling to live.
When Breath Becomes Air chronicles Kalanithi’s transformation from a medical student asking what makes a virtuous and meaningful life into a neurosurgeon working in the core of human identity – the brain – and finally into a patient and a new father.
What makes life worth living in the face of death? What do you do when when life is catastrophically interrupted? What does it mean to have a child as your own life fades away?
What I thought: This was an interesting tale, some interesting thoughts, and yet it didn’t grab me as much as I had hoped. Everyone was raving about it and I always felt it should be a book to read but I finally wanted to know what the hype was a bout. While Kalanithi is ver eloquent with words and at times maybe even poetic this just didn’t move me. It still is a good book.
Medium: audiobook through library
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: German title “Bevor ich jetzt gehe” hardcover, paperback, ebook
Recommend to: Everyone loving a memory, enjoys end of life accounts.

The Longest Echo by Eoin Dempsey | ★★★☆☆

Goodreads says: Occupied Italy, 1944. In the mountain regions south of Bologna, Liliana Nicoletti’s family finds escaped POW James Foley behind German lines. Committed to the anti-Fascist cause, they deliver him to a powerful band of local partisans. But when the SS launches a brutal attack against the Resistance, Liliana’s peaceful community is destroyed. Alone and thrown together by tragedy, James and Liliana fight together as Monte Sole burns. Forging an unbreakable bond, their only hope of survival is to make it to the Allied lines.
Twelve years later, fate reunites Liliana, newly widowed, and James, now a journalist for a New York magazine. Liliana reveals to him the obsession that has haunted her since the massacre at Monte Sole: finding and bringing to justice the SS officer who ordered her family killed. James has a revelation too. He might know how to hunt the man down. Joining forces once more, and increasingly drawn to each other, Liliana and James discover new levels of conspiracy on a journey that leads them to Argentina—and to a choice that will change their lives forever.
What I thought: I felt like reading a WWII novel after staying way from them for a while. But lately I am back into the historic fiction genre. I enjoyed learning about a region during WWII which I wasn’t aware of and that massacre that happened on Monte Sole. However I found this novel not as gripping as White Rose, Black Forest by the same author. Still a good read.
Characters: Liliana Nicolett – Italian girl, James Foley – escaped US soldier
Setting: Mountain Region south of Bologna, New York, Argentina
Medium: eBook through Kindle unlimited, library | audiobook through library | paperback | hardcover
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: no translation yet
Recommend to: Everyone loving WWII historic fiction and wants to learn about the war in Italy.
Read Around the World: logged for Irland

The Year of Less by Cait Flanders | ★★★☆☆

Goodreads says:

In her late twenties, Cait Flanders found herself stuck in the consumerism cycle that grips so many of us: earn more, buy more, want more, rinse, repeat. Even after she worked her way out of nearly $30,000 of consumer debt, her old habits took hold again. When she realized that nothing she was doing or buying was making her happy—only keeping her from meeting her goals—she decided to set herself a challenge: she would not shop for an entire year.

The Year of Less documents Cait’s life from July 2014 to June 2015, during which time she bought only consumables: groceries, toiletries, gas for her car. Along the way, she challenged herself to consume less of many other things besides shopping. She decluttered her apartment and got rid of 70 percent of her belongings; learned how to fix things rather than throw them away; researched the zero waste movement; and completed a television ban. At every stage, she learned that the less she consumed, the more fulfilled she felt.
What I thought: This was interesting enough to finish and had some nuggets of knowledge and food for thought. However it didn’t quite grab my intention as much as I had hoped. I may check out the blog and see if smaller bite size articles will be more helpful though.
Medium: audiobook through library
Original Language and Title: English
Publications: not translated
Recommend to: Everyone needing some inspiration and motivation to get into the decluttering and simplifying of life.

The Shape of Love by Marina Neumeier | ★★☆☆☆

Goodreads says: Cleo can hardly believe her luck: she has landed an internship with the celebrated designer Ornella Russo in Venice! But her start is bumpy, as her boss quickly makes it clear that the curvy student has no place in the fashion world. And then there’s Alessandro: the face of Ornella’s new collection, a famous male model – and the grandson of Cleo’s landlady. Right from the start, they feel an attraction that unsettles them both. Because while Cleo’s figure makes it difficult for her to allow closeness, Alessandro has his own fears to contend with …
What I thought: I finished because it had SHAPE in the title. But seriously this was so so bad plotting. Every cliché you can think of in the fashion world is in there. a plump fashion designer who needs to fight for acceptance, a male model with a eating disorder, an enemy that is intriguing and a fashion mogul who is mean. Yawn. Only fun thing it was set in Venice and I’ve been there. Everything else tiresome. Will not continue the series.
Characters: Cleo – fashion designer, Alessandro – male model
Setting: Venice, and a bit of Munich
Medium: audiobook through library
Original Language and Title: German
Publications: no translation
Recommend to: No one.

Books I couldn’t finish

Keeping track of the books that weren’t right for me. This month it was:

• Tom Lake by Ann Prachett – DNF at 7% I had a feeling this isn’t my kind of book and decided to not force it.
• Bin ich traumatisiert? by Verena König – DNF at 20 %. Reading this felt not right the way the author talked. Also rather superficial.
• The Spanish love deception – DNF on page 2, too much toxic masculinity that was tried to be covered up in bad jokes, pointing out it isn’t ok accompanied with giggles. No.

New books on the shelves

Always buying books even though I am trying to reduce my TBR pile. Here is this month purchases. Please hold me accountable and ask if I read them or just piled them up.

• The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson – kindle steal for 0,99€
• The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo – kindle steal for 0,99€

What was the first book you read this year? Is there one book you definitely want to read in 2024? Is there a time traveling book you can recommend to me? What was the last book you DNFed? What is the last book you bought for yourself?