Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

Sheena wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "I tried to listen to The God of Small Things and abandoned it after about 2 hours (I really had no idea what was going on)! I might retry it again as an ebook later in t..."

I've done this too, there are definitely some books that just don't work well on audio.

I do that a lot, but often the other way around! Sometimes a book I can't get into in print, I can better absorb on audio. And there have been times that neither format works and then I just DNF.

The God of Small Things, being set in India, might have names and places that aren't familiar to us. Audio can be great for local accents, but it can be harder to keep things straight, since you can't just glance back at another page.

I think in general, I remember things more from audiobooks, but that might be because I am forced to slow down. I read quite fast in print and could miss things. For humor, I definitely laugh out loud more at audiobooks. I'm just not as funny reading in my own head as a professional narrator can be.

I seem to be an auditory learner, as I was always good at listening and picking things up. When I was in college, there was basically no multimedia. You just had to listen to the professor talk, and take notes. I had no problem with this. My husband, who I met there, is a visual learner. He really likes to see charts, diagrams, etc. He assumed he just wasn't smart and gave up on several subjects, when a lot of it was a bad match in style. I love audiobooks and can listen while doing other things. Both my husband and daughter can enjoy them at times but it takes a lot of concentration, so it's only on long car trips, or in my daughter's case, during hourlong chemo treatments, that this worked.

My father was a kinesthetic learner. He knew how to drive a stick shift car but it was impossible for him to describe in words to tell someone else how to do it.

Sheena wrote: "I'm happy to hear you mention abandoning audio and retrying reading. I have done this several times and so glad to hear it's not just me that occasionally struggles with parsing audio."

I have trouble with audio, too. When books work for it, they work great, but most things are hard for me to sit through that way.

I am currently having this trouble with Daisy Jones & the Six, which I wanted to read before Opal & Nev for the interracial relationship prompt. I might have to tweak my plan a bit.

My "reading in order" experiment isn't an entire failure so far, but it isn't exactly a success. My goal now is to complete all the prompts for that month in that month in any order, but also to allow other prompts to be completed with the mood reads. There has been A LOT of mood reading going on over here; I am really excited about my short story challenge and I am burning through story collections and novellas as fast as I can. Some of those can be swapped in for the January prompts, but some can't.

Sheena wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "I tried to listen to The God of Small Things and abandoned it after about 2 hours (I really had no idea what was going on)! I might retry it again as an ebook later in t..."

I have also done the opposite! I will sometimes decide that I need the audio to get me through a book if something is not connecting. I can totally agree that sometimes I am the one who is not in the mood for a book and will try it later (even years later) and say to myself "why didn't I read this sooner."

For my week 3 (A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the 2023 list) the book I had been planning to read about genealogy just didn't interest me so I had to switch gears and find a new book. I finished Where the Language Lives: Vi Hilbert and the Gift of Lushootseed about Language and it was great!

For week 4 I have a cozy mystery I have been saving for this prompt and am working on a non-fiction that deals with race relations but I am not sure how I feel about it.

I’m definitely a visual learner but love listening to audiobooks, especially while doing chores, jigsaw puzzles, going for a walk, etc. However the style of The God of Small Things made it really hard for me to follow while listening. It kept switching back and forth over different time periods and I noticed myself zoning out a lot.

Now I’m listening to The Sentence and am finding it much easier to follow.

RachelG. wrote: "Sheena wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "I tried to listen to The God of Small Things and abandoned it after about 2 hours (I really had no idea what was going on)! I might retry it again as an e..."

I started reading Dissolution as a physical book from the library but the start is quite dry and I found it slow going. My library loan was due and it had been requested by someone else so I couldn't renew it, and I hate leaving murder mysteries unfinished, so I got the audiobook and enjoyed it a lot more!

Aimee wrote: "RachelG. wrote: "Sheena wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "I tried to listen to The God of Small Things and abandoned it after about 2 hours (I really had no idea what was going on)! I might retry..."

Sometimes listening to something (or vice versa) can totally change the game!

Just finished my next audible read. Was it technically in order? No. Was it next in order of my audible books? Yes. I'm counting it lol 🙌🏻

I'm shocked and delighted by how much I liked this: The Real Diana

Writing: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Narrator: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Story/content: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I've never read anything about Diana before and I'm glad I took a chance on it. This is my second 5-star read by Lady Colin Campbell this year, I'll call that a win!

Interracial Relationships this week (#4)

I'm planning Razorblade Tears which I just got in my hands this morning. The library queue was VERY long!

I already read The Shaman Sings which I was reading for another challenge, but it turns out that it fit this one as well, so I'm using it too!

Then I have a couple of long books to read - I don't know yet if they will fit the prompt, but I need to finish them for a January Monthly challenge so if I just read two for this one this week, that'll be ok ...

I messed up my TBR list and read about Tookie and Flora from The Sentence for prompt 4 earlier than planned.

So far, I'm still in order, but just a smidge early since I finished The Sentence on Saturday. Though, I think this was maybe meant to be, because I'm trying to juggle individual and team readathon picks this week so it's worked out great.

I'm really looking forward to my pick for week #5 - A book with 4 or more colors on the cover. I'm in the middle of a Winter Reading challenge prompt book now, but Remarkably Bright Creatures is up next.

Sheena wrote: "I'm really looking forward to my pick for week #5 - A book with 4 or more colors on the cover. I'm in the middle of a Winter Reading challenge prompt book now, but Remarkably Bright Creatures is up..."

Ooh that is a very pretty cover! Hope you enjoy it.

My choice for the 4+ colours prompt was

It was an interesting read and I liked the multi-generation narrative, but I would have preferred a linear time line rather than jumping back and forth in time as it made it harder to remember who was who (e.g. Sybil is Evelyn's daughter, Jackie's sister and TC's aunt, so when a POV character mentioned her, I had to remind myself all over again how she was linked to them).

I feel like week 5 really snuck up on me. I kind of forgot about it. I finished for the prompt and am currently reading . I hadn't originally planned on using either of these books but the timing worked out.

I did for four colors. It started out strong but kind of lost its direction.

Plans for the rest of the month:

06. A book where books are important - The Last Chance Library
07. A book with ONE of the five "W" question words in the title - What Happened to the Bennetts
08. An author's debut book - Florida Woman
09. A book nominated for an award beginning with W - The Last House on Needless Street

Just checked library availability and I should be good to go with all of these.

I read for 4 colors on the cover…it was good to be back in this series, although this book was one where I liked the MCM much more than the FMC.

I'm halfway through The House in the Cerulean Sea for the 4 colors prompt. I've heard such great things but I'm not that into it. I will finish it though because I need to know what else happens that makes it such a favorite book.

Here's what I plan to read in February:

6. A book where books are important:
The Book Thief

7. A book with one of the five W question words in the title:
Getting Noticed: A No-Nonsense Guide to Standing Out and Selling More for Momtrepreneurs Who 'Ain't Got Time for That' (This title is cringey and I can't stand the term Momtrepreneurs, but I like the author's content on social media, so I bought her book.)

8. An author's debut book:
Wuthering Heights

9. A book nominated for an award beginning with W:
The Paper Palace

Aimee wrote: "Sheena wrote: "I'm really looking forward to my pick for week #5 - A book with 4 or more colors on the cover. I'm in the middle of a Winter Reading challenge prompt book now, but Remarkably Bright ..."

One of those I need to draw a family tree books!

Sheena wrote: "Aimee wrote: "Sheena wrote: "I'm really looking forward to my pick for week #5 - A book with 4 or more colors on the cover. I'm in the middle of a Winter Reading challenge prompt book now, but Rema..."

Yes that's exactly it!

SUBSTITUTIONS:
I had Horse planned for January prompt #4, but it didn't come in until yesterday. So I substituted Pumpkinheads.
I read Fiddler on the Roof for prompt #5 as I had read Remarkably Bright Creatures at the end of December for another group challenge...and it was one of my choices for Prompt #5.

Plan for February:
6. A book where books are important
***The Christmas Bookshop

7. A book with ONE of the five "W" question words in the title
Who -
***The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared

8. An author's debut book
***The Kitchen House

9. A book nominated for an award beginning with W
Women's Prize for Fiction Nominee -
***Flight Behavior (Also won Weatherford Award for Fiction)

I got 3 of the 4 out of the library yesterday, so I should be set up to do well this month, also.

I am back on track after a little blip with a non-fiction book that was not easy to read quickly. Now on my week 5 book, so February's set-up is:
5. A book with 4 or more colors on the cover - A Case Of Two Cities
6. A book where books are important - The Shelly Bay Writers' Group
7. A book with ONE of the five "W" question words in the title - The Man Who Died Twice
8. An author's debut book - Rules of Civility

Looking forward to all of these!

Sue wrote: "I am back on track after a little blip with a non-fiction book that was not easy to read quickly. Now on my week 5 book, so February's set-up is:
5. A book with 4 or more colors on the cover - [boo..."

Oh ... [book:The Man Who Died Twice|55457493] is a great idea for that prompt!! I have several other possibilities on my shelf to choose to from so I've put off making a final pick ... but maybe I'll read that too?? I read TMC last week and loved it.

So far I'm on track and have pretty much stuck to my plan, although I cheated a little on the "prompt that didn't make the list" by picking the book first then finding a rejected prompt that it worked for!

Plan for February:

6. A book where books are important: Book Lovers (straightforward choice!)
7. A book with one of the five "W" question words in the title: When We Were Orphans (I've read a few Ishiguro books before and enjoyed then, so I nabbed this when it came up on an Audible sale)
8. An author's debut book: Kaikeyi (been on my TBR since it was released, a good excuse to finally get round to it)
9. A book nominated for an award beginning with W: A Girl Is a Half-formed Thing (2014 winner of the Women's Prize for Fiction)

So the week of four color covers. I've got a long list that I'm planning to prune as I figure out stuff.

I started with
The Villa by Rachel Hawkins (turquoise, yellow, green, white)
which I enjoyed very much!

I'm filling stuff in for challenges now, so I'm reading one of my NetGalley books until I get myself a little more sorted today.

~ eta ~
This book was SO good.

And I'm trying to finish up

EDITED//UPDATED Feb 4th:

I'm already 7 books in to the challenge because jumping between Kindle/Physical/Audible causes some misalignment of what is available and what I'm doing // able to read.

My next 4 books are:

Prompt 3. A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the 2023 List: A book with a character who has a career or hobby that interests you
⚪️ Business Is Personal: The Truth about What It Takes to Be Successful While Staying True to Yourself ~ Audible

Prompt 4. A book with an interracial relationship
⚪️ The Indigo Girl ~ home library/paperback AND Audible

Prompt 5. A book with 4 or more colors on the cover
⚪️ American Colonial: Puritan Simplicity to Georgian Grace ~ home library/paperback

* I'm working on this slowly but its a physically giant book about architecture and to read it I have to literally lay it out on the dining room table and set a time block to do it haha. It's very interesting and I'm enjoying it, it's just cumbersome.

Prompt 6. A book where books are important
Ash and Quill ~ home library/hardcover

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Books already completed for this challenge: Progress: 7/52

1. A book set in a location that begins with A, T, or Y
✅ The Station // AUSTRALIA ★ ★ ★ ★
2. A book by an author you read in 2022
✅ Dibs // Kimberly Knight&Rachel Lyn Adams ★ ★ ★ ★
8. An author's debut book
✅ Naturally Thin: Unleash Your SkinnyGirl and Free Yourself from a Lifetime of Dieting ★ ★ ★ ★
11. A book about a person/character with a disability
✅ My Darling Duke ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
MC badly injured in a Fire; details in spoiler (view spoiler)[ Very bad burn scars, broken back from incident w/resulting ambulatory and sexual dysfunction issues (hide spoiler)]
14. A book with a con, deception, or fake
✅ Meghan and Harry: The Real Story ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
26. A book related to pride
✅ The Real Diana ~ audible ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
51. A book published in 2023
✅ The Rest of the Story ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

So this month didn't really go to plan, as I didn't finish the 1st 5 prompts. I did finish 11 books so I've covered books that are later in the list (I knew I would do this).

Achieved in January:
√ 1. A book set in a location that begins with A, T, or Y - Alamaba - Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee - read January 2023 - 3/5 stars
√ 2. A book by an author you read in 2022 Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs - read January 2023 - 4/5 stars
√ 4. A book with an interracial relationship I'm Not Dying with You Tonight by Kimberley Jones & Gilly Segel - read January 2023 - 5/5 stars
√ 5. A book with 4 or more colors on the cover A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ismael Beah - read January 2023 - 4/5 stars
√ 8. An author's debut book The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - read January 2023 - 5/5 stars
√ 20. A book with a cover or title that includes a route of travel The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway - read January 2023 - 3/5 stars
√ 33. A book by an author with a first name popular in 1923 Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood - read January 2023 - 3/5 stars
√ 34. A novella Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata - read January 2023 - 4/5 stars
√ 47. A book related to a geometric shape There Is No Planet B by Mike Berners-Lee - read January 2023 - 5/5 stars
√ 48. A book with an unusually large version of an animal in the story A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Mass - read January 2023 - 4/5 stars
√ 52. A book with an unusual or surprising title A Map of Days by Ransom Riggs - read January 2023 - 3/5 stars

Prompts I thought I would do in January but didn't:
3. A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the 2023 list - I'll catch up on this later in the year I already know what I want to read for this but I haven't got the book yet!!!

Prompts I'm hoping to do in February:
6. A book where books are important
7. A book with ONE of the five "W" question words in the title
9. A book nominated for an award beginning with W

So far I'm loving the 'in order by month' process. It's giving me the flexibility to bail on books that aren't working for me while still letting me feel like I'm on track. Which I needed because this month started with 2 dnf's and a 1 star. I just gave What Moves the Dead 5 stars, so all is right with the world again.

What Moves the Dead was so great!

@ Jackie and Amy .. you convinced me :D
I was on the fence but have loved some of Kingfisher's other books so I'm going to give it a go.

Week 6. A book where books are important.

I love this prompt! So many good options.

I'm stick with my earlier choice:

Amy (Other Amy) wrote: "What Moves the Dead was so great!"

I agree. Wonderful reading, that one.

Week 6 for me ---

I'm going to go with the book that I need to read for my "By-The-Month" PAS challenge and read

The Cat Who Saved Books by Sōsuke Natsukawa

I have a couple of others lined up, but some of my other challenges are starting to pinch me a bit, so if I get this one read this week, I'm calling it a win.

Im still on track, finished The Reading List for week 6 and loved it. I did slot one book in ahead of schedule that I read for the Tournament of Books, Mouth to Mouth for a person with no face on the cover.

Oh, thanks for the reminder. I finished January early and so took a bit of time off from reading for ATY. Now to start my week 6 book: The Christmas Bookshop.

Pat, I just finished The Cat Who Saved Books and gave it 4*. I hope you enjoy it also.

I'm trying so hard to keep my TBR but keep adding half the books I see mentioned here, LOL! The Cat has been added!

I might have to deviate from my plan a little because my local independent bookseller has been hyping up For Thy Great Pain Have Mercy on My Little Pain, which has now sold out but I have my name down for the next print run.
I'm hoping it arrives in time for "debut novel" but if not I might have to do "book set in a UNESCO city of literature" months early (it's set in Norwich, coincidentally where I live - I'm sure that didn't have any influence on my bookseller recommending it ;) )

Bea wrote: "Pat, I just finished The Cat Who Saved Books and gave it 4*. I hope you enjoy it also. ..."

I got it from the library today, so I'm hoping to finish it quickly! It looks good so far!

Sheena wrote: "I'm trying so hard to keep my TBR but keep adding half the books I see mentioned here, LOL! The Cat has been added!"

Me too! I am in multiple GR groups with some terrific people and they keep recommending more books!

Yeah I'm with all of you, my TBR is NOT improving right now!! 😂

Robin P wrote: "Sheena wrote: "I'm trying so hard to keep my TBR but keep adding half the books I see mentioned here, LOL! The Cat has been added!"

Me too! I am in multiple GR groups with some terrific people and..."


I work at a library. Every book that comes across my desk goes into my TBR. It's a freaking disease, I tell you! I need either therapy, a # step program, or an intervention.

EDITED//UPDATED Feb 8th:

I just completed Business Is Personal: The Truth about What It Takes to Be Successful While Staying True to Yourself for prompt 3: A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the 2023 List: A book with a character who has a career or hobby that interests you
This was fantastic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ on Audible; self narrated by Bethenny Frankel

Up Next//In Progress:

Prompt 4. A book with an interracial relationship
⚪️ The Indigo Girl ~ home library/paperback AND Audible

Prompt 5. A book with 4 or more colors on the cover
⚪️ American Colonial: Puritan Simplicity to Georgian Grace ~ home library/paperback

* I'm working on this slowly but its a physically giant book about architecture and to read it I have to literally lay it out on the dining room table and set a time block to do it haha. It's very interesting and I'm enjoying it, it's just cumbersome.

Prompt 6. A book where books are important
Ash and Quill ~ home library/hardcover

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Books already completed for this challenge: Progress: 8/52

1. A book set in a location that begins with A, T, or Y
✅ The Station // AUSTRALIA ★ ★ ★ ★
2. A book by an author you read in 2022
✅ Dibs // Kimberly Knight&Rachel Lyn Adams ★ ★ ★ ★
3. A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the 2023 List
A book with a character who has a career or hobby that interests you
✅ Business Is Personal: The Truth about What It Takes to Be Successful While Staying True to Yourself ~ Audible
This was fantastic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ on Audible; self narrated by Bethenny Frankel
8. An author's debut book
✅ Naturally Thin: Unleash Your SkinnyGirl and Free Yourself from a Lifetime of Dieting ★ ★ ★ ★
11. A book about a person/character with a disability
✅ My Darling Duke ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
MC badly injured in a Fire; details in spoiler (view spoiler)[ Very bad burn scars, broken back from incident w/resulting ambulatory and sexual dysfunction issues (hide spoiler)]
14. A book with a con, deception, or fake
✅ Meghan and Harry: The Real Story ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
26. A book related to pride
✅ The Real Diana ~ audible ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
51. A book published in 2023
✅ The Rest of the Story ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

I had lots of options for week 07. A book with ONE of the five "W" question words in the title and had decided to go with The Man Who Died Twice but it's still on hold.

I'm going to read my Winter Challenge book first and see if TMWDT comes in the next couple days. I may go with a different book to fill the prompt this week or come back to it later. I'm having an indecisive week, LOL

I don't have anything in hand for this week. I'm off to peruse the library shelves today and see what is out there. ;-)

eta ~

I ended up reading What Happened to the Bennetts which was pretty much exactly what I needed to read this week. Not too much, not too little - it was JUST right.

I have finished my books for February a bit early and am starting to look ahead to March to see what I need to put on hold. The spice girls prompt is one that I am not sure yet what I will read. Possibly an athlete memoir for sporty spice.

I am just starting last week's read (The Christmas Bookshop) and so am a bit behind. I do have this week's book on hand (The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared). I will get it started this week yet, but may not finish it by Sunday. I have requested next week's planned book (The Kitchen House). But, since I am behind, I have time yet to get that one.

EDITED//UPDATED Feb 20th:

I just completed The Indigo Girl for prompt 4: Interracial Relationship
This was fantastic.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ on Audible for both story and Narrator



Progress: 10/52

Getting there one book/week at a time!



Up Next//In Progress:

Prompt 5. A book with 4 or more colors on the cover
⚪️ American Colonial: Puritan Simplicity to Georgian Grace ~ home library/paperback

* I'm working on this slowly but its a physically giant book about architecture and to read it I have to literally lay it out on the dining room table and set a time block to do it haha. It's very interesting and I'm enjoying it, it's just cumbersome.

Prompt 6. A book where books are important
Ash and Quill ~ home library/hardcover

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Books already completed for this challenge: (view spoiler)[

1. A book set in a location that begins with A, T, or Y
✅ The Station // AUSTRALIA ★ ★ ★ ★
2. A book by an author you read in 2022
✅ Dibs // Kimberly Knight&Rachel Lyn Adams ★ ★ ★ ★
3. A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the 2023 List
A book with a character who has a career or hobby that interests you
✅ Business Is Personal: The Truth about What It Takes to Be Successful While Staying True to Yourself ~ Audible
This was fantastic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ on Audible; self narrated by Bethenny Frankel
4. A book with an interracial relationship
✅ The Indigo Girl ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
"Based on historical documents, including Eliza's letters, this is a historical fiction account of how a teenage girl produced indigo dye, which became one of the largest exports out of South Carolina, an export that laid the foundation for the incredible wealth of several Southern families who still live on today. Although largely overlooked by historians, the accomplishments of Eliza Lucas influenced the course of US history. When she passed away in 1793, President George Washington served as a pallbearer at her funeral."
8. An author's debut book
✅ Naturally Thin: Unleash Your SkinnyGirl and Free Yourself from a Lifetime of Dieting ★ ★ ★ ★
11. A book about a person/character with a disability
✅ My Darling Duke ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
MC badly injured in a Fire; details in spoiler (view spoiler)[ Very bad burn scars, broken back from incident w/resulting ambulatory and sexual dysfunction issues (hide spoiler)]
14. A book with a con, deception, or fake
✅ Meghan and Harry: The Real Story ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
26. A book related to pride
✅ The Real Diana ~ audible ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
28. A book that is dark
✅ Be Mine, Twisted Valentine
The theme was dark and twisted AF
51. A book published in 2023
✅ The Rest of the Story ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
(hide spoiler)]

Finished prompt 6: Books are important with The Christmas Bookshop. I have my chosen books for Prompts 7-9 awaiting a start on my desk. Running behind in weeks but will finish all 3 soon.

I'm about half way through The Lager Queen of Minnesota for the Winter Reading Challenge. (2 weeks/2 books left to go!)

Next up will be my Week #8 pick for debut book. A Flicker in the Dark

I've gotten myself twisted around the axle by committing to a challenge that isn't helping me get anywhere at all. I'm going to go through and see what I can do about cleaning up some of my challenge commitments so that I can get back on track with THIS one.

I'm on schedule. It's week 8 and I have a couple of books lined up for it.

Vox
All Good People Here
and if it gets here in time
The Thursday Murder Club

I was hoping to get Lessons in Chemistry but I'm still sitting #106 in the queue at my library, so that's obviously not going to happen this week -- it will have to be a later down the line read.

I just finished The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan for the week 8 prompt - An author’s debut book.

I thought it was great! 5 stars

“Four mothers, four daughters, four families whose histories shift with the four winds depending on who's "saying" the stories. In 1949 four Chinese women, recent immigrants to San Francisco, begin meeting to eat dim sum, play mahjong, and talk. United in shared unspeakable loss and hope, they call themselves the Joy Luck Club. Rather than sink into tragedy, they choose to gather to raise their spirits and money. "To despair was to wish back for something already lost. Or to prolong what was already unbearable." Forty years later the stories and history continue.”