Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

Week 34: A book set in or by an author from the Southern Hemisphere
Find Me Unafraid: Love, Loss, and Hope in an African Slum by Kennedy Odede & Jessica Posner
Completed: August 21, 2017
★★★★★


This was a book we read for my real life book club in August. One of the authors is from Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya, which is Africa's largest slum. It is just south of the Equator. Since I was going to be reading this book in August anyway, this was lucky timing to have it coincide with this topic.

Reading teaches me about peoples, places, things & events I knew absolutely nothing about. The people who live in Kibera deal with devastation on a daily basis: violence, rape, poverty, hunger, despair, disease. There is no one who lives there that it doesn't touch. Kennedy Odede's story of trying to make his world a better place is uplifting and instructive to all.

Week 35: A book where one of the main characters is royalty
Sister Queens: The Noble, Tragic Lives of Katherine of Aragon and Juana, Queen of Castile by Julia Fox
Completed: September 18, 2017
★★★


I have been on quite the nonfiction kick lately, so I wanted to read a historical book about real life royalty. I find the idea of royalty fascinating and I have a love for British history, so I chose Sister Queens: The Noble, Tragic Lives of Katherine of Aragon and Juana, Queen of Castile because it would tell me about someone whose history I knew, Katherine of Aragon, and someone I knew next to nothing about, her sister Juana the Mad.

I enjoyed that these stories were told from the perspective of these women, not the men who happened to them, and that the book showed how their lives intertwined. I know so much about the life & wives of Henry VIII, that it's nice to understand how the people in that drama were connected on an international stage. I didn't love the narrative voice of the author though.

Week 36: A Hugo Award winner or nominee
The Geek Feminist Revolution by Kameron Hurley
Completed: September 20, 2017
★★


I am not at all interested in being made to read science fiction. I pick some up on my own here and there, but knowing I had to read some is a whole different matter. And then I realized that there is a category of the Hugo Awards for Best Related Work, ie. nonfiction. Wahoo. I find the idea of women's role in geek culture an interesting topic, so I thought this would be a good choice for me.

Almost immediately I know that wasn't the case. I didn't really enjoy the author's voice; I probably should've just given up on it after reading the first few essays. There were a lot of gratuitous f-bombs, which I hate. I am not opposed to profanity in literature if it serves a purpose, but when it doesn't serve a purpose, it really bugs me. And the profanity in this book doesn't seem to serve a purpose except to convey, look how big & bad & angry I am. I also understand that the essays were blog posts, but because they're written to be taken separately, there was a lot of overlap in stories, which I didn't think worked as well in book form. What I did really enjoy about the book was the Geek section, which was primarily feminist literary criticism. I was really interested in the points she was making in regards to how different tropes & archetypes were portrayed in literature & media.

Week 37: A book you choose randomly
The Interstellar Age: Inside the Forty-Year Voyager Mission by Jim Bell
Completed: September 22, 2017
★★★


I was excited about actually using chance to pick my book, as opposed to saying I just "randomly" picked a book off my TBR. I went to my overdrive app, filtered by nonfiction audiobooks about Science because I was in the mood to read something scientific, then picked the 7th book on the 7th page of books (because 7 is my favorite number). I have a few different libraries that I have access to, so I did cruise through a few libraries using this same formula until I found a book that interested me.

I was very excited to have this be my randomly chosen book. I'd never heard of the book before, and I'm really interested in space. But upon reading the book, I was confused by the memoir elements to this book, especially because the writer didn't seem to be someone who had a vital role in the Voyager Mission. I didn't care as much about his experiences observing the mission; I wanted to know more about the mission itself. And I wasn't entirely satisfied with the information I was given about the mission. I can't really pinpoint what I would've wanted, maybe more about the struggles it took to get the mission going, but I just didn't really enjoy reading this one. It didn't seem to have an organized structure to facilitate telling the story of Voyager.

Week 38: A novel inspired by a work of classic literature
Caroline: Little House, Revisited by Sarah Miller
Completed: October 16, 2017
★★★


I was extremely excited by this prompt. There seemed so many excellent options to choose from. I didn't know how I'd narrow it down, and then while on the Overdrive website, I saw Caroline: Little House, Revisited listed under new releases. Having just read the Little House series earlier this year and knowing that I had this topic coming up shortly, I immediately decided this was the perfect book for this topic and put the book on hold at the library. Waiting for the book to come in was extremely difficult because I was so excited.

This book tells the story of Little House on the Prairie from Ma's perspective. But then almost immediately upon starting the book, something was wrong. Where was Baby Carrie? The Ingalls family was leaving the Big Woods and there was no Baby Carrie, only a pregnancy. It turns out the book is based on the facts of the Ingalls' life at the time, not on the books. I didn't like that. If we're revisiting Little House on the Prairie, it should revisit the book. That was hard for me to get past, and then I hated the first half of the book. I hated the personality that Miller gave to Caroline. I didn't feel like Ma was a hard, angry woman in the Little House series, but I feel like that's what Miller made her. The first half of the book tells of the journey in the covered wagon from Wisconsin to Kansas, and though Miller probably did an excellent job describing the frustrations of a young mother alone in a wilderness, it was really dreadful to read. It was repetitious and long, and it made me dislike Ma. When the family got to Kansas, the book really picked up for me. I liked seeing the events of Little House on the Prairie from an adult's point of view. The book was a great concept, but rather disappointing in execution.

Week 39: An epistolary fiction
A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper
Completed: October 20, 2017
★★


I was not in the mood to read an epistolary novel when this topic came up, but I was very excited for the next 2 topics & already had my books picked and checked out from the library, so that gave me the motivation to power through this topic. I've had A Brief History of Montmaray on my TBR for a while. The title & cover are beautiful, so I figured this was the time to read this one.

I did not enjoy reading this book at all. I don't know that it's really a two star book objectively, but for me, trying to get through it this week, it did not earn any extra stars. I wasn't in the mood for this book. And I feel like what I got from the blurb was not at all what the book gave me. I expected historical fiction, but what I got was eccentric and fantastical with some magical realism thrown in and lots of whiny teenage girl diary (which is not necessarily a bad thing; I did read 9 of the Princess Diaries books). But this book was just definitely not for me now. And I'm kind of sad about it because I expected to like this book & read the entire series.

Week 40: A book published in 2017
Lucky in Love by Kasie West
Completed: October 21, 2017
★★★


Kasie West is my guilty pleasure author. I read all of her YA romances. They're cute and clean and light and quick. So when I realized that one came out a few months ago, I put it on hold at the library & it came in time to work for this topic.

This was definitely not my favorite from Kasie West. I'm 100% not interested in reading about people making bad financial decisions. I don't need that kind of stress in my life. Its ending was cute & romantic, to be expected, but it just wasn't worth it for all the stress of the rest of the book. Maybe if I was a teen reading about someone winning the lottery, it would be interesting & fun, but as an adult, it was just too real & too painful.

Week 41: A book with an unreliable narrator
Final Girls by Riley Sager
Completed: October 22, 2017
★★★


I have been a little wary of this topic. How will I pick a book with an unreliable narrator without it ruining my read of the book. I originally planned to read this for Week 40: A book published in 2017, but when I started it, I realized that the narrator has repressed the traumatic thing that happened to her, and in not knowing her own past, she is a reliable narrator. Perfect; that takes care of that category.

I had a bit of a hard time getting into this book. (And by that I mean, not really, because I read the entire book within a 12 hour period, but all thrillers are like that for me: once I start, I'm racing to the finish.) But I found the way the main characters talked (to themselves and to others) a bit off. Their personalities didn't ring true. But I got past that & was hooked, needing to know what happened. Then when I finished, I felt like, That? That was what you decided to have happen? I thought it was cheesy, and I'm sure that wasn't what the author was going for. I'm chalking it up to the fact that the author was a man. I feel like if it was a woman writing about women, it would've been stronger.

Well, I'm finally all caught up on my book postings. I will try not to get 8 months behind again, haha!

But to have all these gems in one place... what a blessing. I hope to read the Great Lakes book some day. I was born in Michigan City, IN. That should give you a BIG clue as to which of the Great Lakes it is on the shores of!!!

Oh Celia, you totally should read it! It will probably hit so close to home for you. It will be a perfect book for next year's element topic for water.

Excellent suggestion. Will do just that!!

Week 42: A best book of the 21st century (so far)
Atonement by Ian McEwan
Completed: October 22, 2017
★★★★


I think this is the only book I actually planned ahead for the challenge. I was supposed to read Atonement for a book club back in 2014, but it was 2 months before my wedding & I was too distracted by that to read it. But my cousin chose it as her favorite book for our book club, so I knew I needed to revisit it at some point. And I've meant to revisit it for the last 3 years. When I searched Best of the 21st Century lists & saw this on there, I knew I had to tackle it. And then. And then. None of my libraries had it unabridged on audiobook. I'd tried to read my hard copy before & I knew it wouldn't work for me. Eventually I was able to get a copy of it, and once I got started, I was hooked.

McEwan's writing style is exquisite. I can't think of anyone else I've read that's quite like him. The detail, the art, the focus on the internal all were a joy to read. I enjoyed the way the novel addressed narration and storytelling. In that way it reminded me of my all-time favorite book, Absalom, Absalom!. This focus on narration has the ability to change the entire way you perceive the book and the story, and that's what happened to me in the end. I think I need to go back and reread the last section because it's been haunting me since I finished the book a few days ago.

Excellent review, Katie. I'm glad you were able to get to read/listen it finally.

I'm glad I could finally read it. It was putting my challenge on hold since I am reading in order. But once I got into it, I got through it so quickly.

Week 43: A book with a chilling atmosphere
Bird Box by Josh Malerman
Completed: November 16, 2017
★★★


Every October, I participate in All Hallows Read with some friends from college. It's a book exchange of scary/creepy/chilling books. I received this book in our 2016 exchange, and after getting some good reviews of it from members of this group, I chose it for this topic.

This book should 100% be a movie. As I read, I could see it so clearly in my mind. I was glad to see that it's being made into a movie. I think it will be a successful movie. About a third of the way into the book, I wanted to give up because it just felt like so much of the same over and over. I thought the end a bit of a letdown, but it was definitely a book that optimized chilling atmosphere.

Week 44: A recommendation from "What Should I Read Next"
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
Completed: November 21, 2017
★★★


I had the hardest time with What Should I Read Next. I had a number of new releases I read this year & loved, and I very much wanted to use one of those to get a recommendation, but most weren't in the database. I realized that using a classic would probably be the best way to get a result, so I used this to select one of my two monthly classics. I wanted something short since I still have a number of topics left in the year, so that's what led me to chose The Old Man and the Sea.

I felt about this the way I always feel reading Hemingway. If I had an English professor to help me understand Hemingway, I probably would've loved it. I have trouble myself deciphering his motivations, symbols and meaning. But this book was dreadfully sad, which we all know means it's right up my alley.

Week 45: A book with a one-word title
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
Completed: November 23, 2017
★★★★


I don't even remember why I picked this. I think I was focused on my goal of reading 2 classics per month. With the end of November approaching, I needed a second classic, and being in a reading slump, I wanted something short. Siddhartha was short, a classic, and available at the library, so that made my choice.

This book was a total surprise to me. I would like to know more about what led Herman Hesse to write this book, but I was surprised to find myself totally engrossed by this book, and I listened to the entire thing while making Thanksgiving pies. Philosophically interesting, and I enjoyed the cyclical nature of the story. I enjoy cyclical storytelling.

Week 46: A time travel novel
Tempest by Julie Cross
Completed: November 24, 2017
★★★


I wanted to read a time travel novel that was less science fiction and more about human relationships. I wanted a time travel love story. I have read a number of them, so it became difficult to find something in this genre that I haven't read before. Pouring over time travel romance book lists led me to this one.

I really enjoyed this. I liked the characters and their interactions. But frustratingly, this is the first of a trilogy. Though I devoured this in less than two days and then immediately checked out the second book, I didn't read it. I don't want to make the investment of two more books. I just want to download the story into my brain without taking the time to read it. Can't that be a thing?

Week 47: A past suggestion that didn't win
White Working Class by Joan C. Williams
Completed: November 28, 2017
★★★★


I had the plan to pick the past suggestion I was most interested in and then find a book to match it. But having chosen my past several reads specifically to meet challenges, I decided that I wanted to pick a book that I truly wanted to read, figuring I'd be able to find a category for it. I enjoy reading books of sociology, so I picked this. It's a new release with only 468 ratings, so I selected it for the category "a book with less than 1000 ratings on Goodreads."

This book focused on the white working class in America, the author asserting that this class gets much less recognition than the elites, the poor & minorities. This book needed more, more pages, more analysis, more development. But boy has it made me think. Some really fascinating ideas. And as someone from a mixed class family, I really felt truth in some of the author's assertions.

Week 48: A banned book
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
Completed: December 4, 2017
★★★


I am so over the banned book topic. I feel like it has come up again and again in challenges I've participated in over the past 3 years. I was not at all excited about this topic. I had planned to read 1984, but it wouldn't download correctly when I checked it out from the library, and since I was so over this topic, I didn't feel like picking some other classic. So I went the children's book route on this one just to get it over with. I read The Lorax and Green Eggs and Ham, since apparently they've book been banned.

Green Eggs and Ham was the only Dr. Seuss book we owned growing up, so I was very familiar with it, but I never read The Lorax. It was fine, quite sad, but mostly it was just quick so I could move on to the next topic.

Week 49: A book from someone else's bookshelf
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
Completed: December 21, 2017
★★★★★


My intention for this topic was to read a book that a friend lent to me, because then it would truly be a physical book from their bookshelf. But I couldn't get into the one I had selected for this prompt, and the days were ticking by as the end of the year closed in. My hold on Dear Martin came in at the library, and since I have 2 Goodreads friends that have it on their To Read shelf, I figured that was close enough for this topic with 10 days left in the year and 3 topics left to go.

This was an excellent book. It made a great compassion read to The Hate U Give, which was my favorite book of the year. Both books are about high schoolers who are dealing with issues of race, authority and violence. The stories they tell are moving and eye opening, and they share perspectives that need to be shared so that our society can learn empathy and compassion. I couldn't help but wonder who these books are written for though. Both are about exemplary, bright talented youths who attend predominantly white schools and have white love interests. I worry that these books are written to show white people what people of color go through every day in our country, and that the only way the authors feel they can make white people care or understand is by showing these POC youths in relation to whites. I hope this isn't the case, but I'd like to see a book with similar themes without needing the main character to inhabit both a black world and a white world.

Week 50: A Penguin Modern Classic
The Pearl by John Steinbeck
Completed: December 22, 2017
★★★★


With the end of the year and Christmas closing in, I was looking for a short book because I knew I wouldn't have a lot of time to dedicate to reading. After reading and loving East of Eden and Of Mice and Men over the past 2 years, The Pearl jumped out at me as a good choice.

This feels like a fable. It felt a lot like The Old Man and the Sea to me. The details were poignant. I felt for the characters. The ending was perfect. I talked to my dad about it after I read it; he said he read it when he was in school, and I was amazed that he remembered character names and the action of the story with great detail. One of those books that sticks with you.

Week 51: A collection
However Long & Hard the Road by Jeffrey R. Holland
Completed: December 27, 2017
★★★★


I have been working my way through this collection of theological addresses for about two months. As I planned out my last few reads of this challenge, this book fit perfectly into the collection topic.

Jeffrey R. Holland is known as a powerful orator and preacher in my religion. I had 2 addresses to finish yesterday to complete this book, and those two were perfect messages of hope and perseverance that were exactly what I needed that day. Beautiful how it works out that way.

ONLY ONE MORE TO GO!

YOU CAN DO IT!!

Go Go Go!!!!!!😊

I love your summaries Katie. It really helps me decide whether or not to read something. For instance Siddhartha... I read it when I was a teenager, and was iffy about whether I wanted to pick it up again, but now I think I will... maybe for the short book prompt.

Thanks Lizzy! You totally should. It's a quick one. And weird, but interesting.

Week 52: A book set in a fictional location
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Completed: December 29, 2017
★★★


It came down to the wire for me this year. I needed a book set in a fictional location, so my mind immediately went to fantasy. I wasn't in the mood for that, and I realized that I needed one more classic to meet my goal for the year of reading 2 classics per month. I scrolled through my Classics To Read list for inspiration, and this was the perfect pick. Because it's short!

I have always hated the movie The Wizard of Oz so I was never too enthusiastic to read this book. But it was fun and pleasant and actually makes me want to give the movie another try.

And with that, my challenge is done for the year! Reading in order definitely put me at a slower pace than previous years because when I had no interest in the next topic, I just stalled until I could get myself motivated to trudge through.

But now I'm looking forward to a new challenge for 2018 - all nonfiction reads of pre-selected books!

Congrats! I didn't know the Wizard of Oz wax a book!

Good luck next year. That's a lot of non-fiction!

Congrats :)

Congratulations Katie !!!

Congratulations! 🎉

I was really underwhelmed by The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - although I read it aloud to the Spider, and it doesn't flow well as a read-aloud. It lacked a lot of the magic of the movie, but I'm still planning to read at least one of the sequels, as I find the world interesting.

Perfect timing!! Nice job!!!!