Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

I finished Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez. This is like most classic reads for me, didn’t love, didn’t hate. The thing with this book is that it was required reading for my daughter in 11th grade at an all girls Catholic high school!!

Halfway through I looked at her and said “Seriously? This is what you read in high school?” She said she didn’t read the whole book, just the first couple of chapters, a few in between to look for quotes and the last couple chapters. Since she got an A in AP English IV, I couldn’t fault her logic.

I’m using this for ATY #24, book with an emotion.

I finished The Last Train to Key West by Chanel Cleeton. I totally loved this book. Again, the author's writing was great.

I had the paper book and the audio. The story has three MC's, each was read by a different person. This audio was one of the best that I have listened to.

I'm using this book for prompt #18 A book by an author you've only read once before. It would also be used for #40 - book with a place in the title, or #22 - A book about survival.

I also started a side challenge of the Caribbean Islands. Yes, I realize that Key West in part of Florida, which is part of the US:) I have visited Key West three times as cruise ports. I love love Key West and would go back in a heart beat.

Popsugar Summer Challenge

✔️A book with "summer" in the title - The Summer House by Lauren K. Denton

✔️A book with a summer drink or cocktail on the cover - Mai Tai One On

✔️A book that takes place in your favorite (or dream) summer destination - The Overdue Life of Amy Byler in New York.

✔️A book about a vacation - That Birthday in Barbados

✔️A book with an LGBTQ+ protagonist - The Portrait of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
✔️A book with an item you'd find at the beach in the title - Cottage at the Beach by Lee Tobin McClain
✔️A book with a body of water or pool on the cover - Queen Bee by Dorothea Benton Frank

A book set at a resort or hotel

✔️A book with a release date in June, July, or August of any year
Murder on the Orient Expresspublished in June

✔️A summer-set thriller - The Guest List by Lucy Foley

A book involving a summer romance
A book about Black history in America
✔️A scary book you'd read around a campfire - The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James
✔️A book that takes place during the summer before high school or college- Summer by Summer
A book that takes place in a beach town
✔️A book with "sun," "sand," or "waves" in the title - The Sun Down Motel
A book with sunglasses on the cover
DD Mai Tai One On
A book about camping or summer camp
A book classified as a "beach read"
A book that makes you nostalgic for summer (rereads welcome)

✔️ Beach Haven by T.I. Lowe, could work for beach town, beach read

I just finished The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris.

My only thought is WOW. I don’t have words to describe my thoughts and feelings about this book. I can’t say I enjoyed it, I can’t say I liked reading it, the book had a profound impact on me. This is based on a true story of a couple that survived the Auschwitz concentration camp.

“Save the one, save the world” Lale Sokolov.

I finished Queen Bee by Dorothea Benton Frank on audiobook.

This book was a total hot mess, lol funny. You had no clue what the characters where going to do next.

ATY #10, book over 400 pages and PS Summer.

Side note - the Goodreads book description was totally inaccurate.

I finished Today Will Be Different by Maria Semple.
I actually didn’t like this book at all. 1 star

I read Where'd You Go, Bernadette last year and like it.

My July reading plan and wishful thinking 🌞🏝🍹

Done - Fri 7/17 - The Overdue Life of Amy Byler - ATY #36 - I truly have no clue why I’m reading this book.

Done - Sat 7/18 - The Sun Down Motel ATY #16 - Summer

Done - Mon 7/13 - The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde - 1001 book - ATY #25 - Summer

Done Sat 7/4 - The Guest List by Lucy Foley - ATY #41 - Mystery - Summer

Done Sat 7/11 - Mai Tai One On by Jill Marie Landis - USA- Hawaii, Summer

Done- Fri 7/17 - How to Be Both by Ali Smith- Abe author - ATY #25 or #29

Done - Wed 7/8 - Beach Haven by T.I. Lowe - Summer

Around the World book
Done - Sun - 7/12 - Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie - ATY #6 -ABE- Croatia and Yugoslavia

Added

Done- Sun 7/12 -The Wife Stalker ATY #12 - USA-Connecticut

Done - Mon 7/6 - Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford - ATY #32, USA-Washington or Idaho

Done - Fri 7/10 - Cottage at the Beach by Lee Tobin McClain - Summer

I finished the audio of The Guest List by Lucy Foley. Great book...4 1/2 Stars
Once I started reading this book, I couldn’t put it down.

The audio was so good..there was 6 different readers. My last three audiobooks had multiple readers, which greatly adds to the audiobook.

Finished Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford for ATY #32.

This book was very good. I really enjoyed it. Such a bittersweet story.❤️

I finished The Wife Stalker by Liv Constantine for ATY #12 - a book that is a collaboration. 4 1/2 stars.

Another book that I cannot put down!!

Plan for mid July:

Books available - Not sure what to read:

✔️Summer by Summer by Heather Burch - ATY #1 - Belize

✔️The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern - ATY #3 or 19 Fantasy

✔️Done 7/17 - Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward - ATY #30 - New York Times list - (Abe Author) - USA-Mississippi

✔️Moonlight in Vermont - USA challenge

✔️Wow, No Thank You

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams - 1001 book - #19-Fantasy

✔️Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver - ATY#40 - Place with a name in the title - USA-AZ/OK

Library pick up

✔️My Story by Elizabeth Smart

Finished Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward for ATY #30 - book on the New York Times list.
4 stars How do you like a book that is so heartbreaking and sad?? A very moving story of a young boy and his family.

I finished The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James. 4 1/2 stars

Wow, a great book. I had both the print book and the audio. The audio book had two readers, which help with keeping the duel time line of the story straight.

This book will be included in the best book of the month list.

End of August plan:

Currently reading:

✔️ The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

✔️ - 8/26 - The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story byHyeonseo Lee - ATY news story

✔️Trouble in Paradise by Elise Noble - ATY #13 - ATW -Egypt

✔️ 8/25 - Lethal Game by Julie Rowe - ATY #4

✔️The Last Wife by Karen Hamilton -ATY #48

September plan:

Done - Stealing Home - ATY #51

Didn’t read - The Confession Club - ATY #46 - Missouri

Changed my mind - Postmortem - USA-VA

Done - Dear Daughter - USA-SD

Thanksgiving week plan:

To update my ATY list. Completed 2nd Round of ATY 2020.

Work on USA challenge:

Reading
✔️Kansas - A Dog Named Christmas by Greg Kincaid

Options:

✔️Nebraska - O Pioneers! by Willa Cather - Abe author

✔️Minnesota - Up at Butternut Lake by Mary McNear

Wisconsin - The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

Missouri - Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

✔️Arkansas - Grave Sight by Charlaine Harris