Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

Sheena wrote: "That's awesome Pat!

I finished #14 early (library hold) so am already done this week.


But still have to finish #7 because I was waiting on a hold w..."

I've had that book on my to-read radar for the longest time. Was it good?

I liked it a lot - great banter, excellent plotting and a few surprising twists but it was really long and a bit dull in places.

I've decided to stop with book one for now. Series is supposed to 9 books and so far three have been published in 2006, 2007, 2013. This book wrapped up nicely and I feel like I could be content to let the story end here. If he finishes the series or I can confirm the other published books aren't cliffhanger then I'll reconsider.

Sheena wrote: "I liked it a lot - great banter, excellent plotting and a few surprising twists but it was really long and a bit dull in places.

I've decided to stop with book one for now. Series is supposed to ..."

Thanks. That "really long" is what's been holding me off of it. I tend to like the 350-450 page reads so that I can read MORE books in a week than just one.

My March reading (apologies for the delay in posting this)

For this months goals:
ATY 10 posh: China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan
ATY 10 scary: Life of Pi by Yann Martel
ATY 10 ginger: Rainbow Valley by L M Montgomery
ATY 12: The Conference of the Birds by Ransom Riggs
ATY 13: Co-wives, Co-widows by Adrienne Yabouza

Read in previous months:
ATY10 baby: The Chalet School Wins the Trick by Elinor M Brent-Dyer
ATY 11: What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

Read towards previous months goals:
ATY 3 cult: Breaking Free by Rachel Jeffs
ATY 9: Hallucinations by Oliver Sacks

For future goals:
ATY 17 21st century: Golden in Death by J D Robb
ATY 19: The Library by Bella Osborne
ATY 27: A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka
ATY 30: The Queen’s Lady by Joanna Hickson
ATY 42: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Weeks still to be completed:
ATY 10 sporty - plan to read this in April

I'm finally caught up!

Just finished my Prompt 15 book - which I selected a 20th Century read because I needed it to fit another challenge.

Gosh it was so so so so SO good!

The World Played Chess by Robert Dugoni
Read ~ 4.17.23
Pages ~ 400
Relevance ~ Setting is primarily 1968 & 1979
5★

The best coming of age book I've ever read. Told on three fronts, 18 year old William in Viet Nam in 1968, 18 year old Vincent in 1979, and 18 year old Beau in 2015 (who is Vincent's son). William and Vince's stories are the primary focus of the book, and Vincent is really the central story, so most of the book takes place in 1979, in the summer after he graduates from high school. William's story is told partly in Vincent's story line, but also through his journal, which he sends to Vincent the year Vince's son Beau graduates from high school. The journal takes place in a day-to-day brutal dialog of William's 13 month tour of duty as a Marine on the front line of the guerilla warfare in 1968 Viet Nam.

The level of nuance in the telling of how the life stories of one person can profoundly affect another, and as a result subsequent generations. This book was masterfully written. I know it's early in the month yet, but I cannot imagine that another book will come even close to my best read of April.

My dad was a fighter pilot in Vietnam, in 1967, and after reading this book, I called my mother to ask her a question that I could not ask my dad, who is no longer living. My dad loved to fly. LOVED to fly. His last thoughts at 83 years old were of flight vectors. But he retired after he came home from Viet Nam because the military was going to send him back to Viet Nam and then permanent duty station him at the Pentagon, fast tracking him to a top level brass position. He always said it was because he didn't want to be stationed at the Pentagon, but after reading this book, I wondered whether it was also because they were sending him back to VN. My mother insists that "no. He would have gone back. He did not want to put his children in Washington DC in 1968 in the middle of the protests and violence of the late 60's." But now I wonder if he was completely honest with her about that. Because this book....gads, THIS BOOK. I've been in tears off and on for the past two days just thinking about William and my dad, and all those 18-year-old boys, used as "styrofoam packing material" so the war machine could make money. I'm so angry. I'm so very very very sad. But mostly, I'm just gutted.


My next read will be
Hester for my 1800's selection, Prompt 16 selection for this week. Then I'll see what happens from there! But it feels great to be back on track!

I will be behind. I did not bring this week's book on my road trip. Instead, it is sitting on my desk at home. Oh, well.

Due to some rearranging I'm on track for April.

My book club read The Mysterious Affair at Styles, which I put in for week 14 - con, deception or fake. And while it kind of works, it felt a bit like a stretch to me. So I was pleasantly surprised to find that The Cuban Heiress, which I had from NetGalley, totally works for that prompt! I read it in two days which brought me back on schedule.

Then I read Haven for the first of the 3 in different centuries, it's set in 7th century Ireland. The other two books I had planned for that weren't available at the library. Another pleasant surprise to realize that Dirty Laundry, also a NetGalley book which I'm reading now, is set in 21st century Ireland! So a quick search found me The Irish Boarding House, set in 20th century Ireland. I'll start that next, when I finish my current audio that has an hour left.

That leaves a book related to science, which will be Upgrade, which I have on hold in various formats at several libraries so hopefully one of them comes up in time for the first week in May.

I'm glad I gave myself the freedom to read by the month and not necessarily by the week as I feel less stressed about going in order.

I am also well on track, having had a couple of quick reads for the first two prompts for this month. I read The Madness of Crowds for the con, deception or fake, then The Pull of the Stars for the 20th century (set in WW1). I'm currently reading Lorna Doone, set in the 17th century but it is long and my copy has very tiny print, so it will put me back with some of my other challenges. I had planned to read The Three Musketeers for the 19th century, but my old copy also has tiny print, so I may switch to something 21st century instead. I may fall behind in May as I will be visiting my elderly mother interstate and not sure how much reading I'll be able to do, so my major goal will be to read during the 4-hour flights across the country, rather than being seduced by free access to recent movies!

Sue wrote: "I am also well on track, having had a couple of quick reads for the first two prompts for this month. I read The Madness of Crowds for the con, deception or fake, then ..."

I loved The Pull of the Stars!

@ Pat, congrats for getting caught up
@ Nancy, I'm thinking Upgrade for science too

I managed to fill in my few skipped prompts during the readathon, but fell a bit behind on the 3-week prompt because I just couldn't pick a book. I finally decide to go with a gothic theme and plan to read;

The Woman in White ( 1859)
My Cousin Rachel (1951)
A House with Good Bones (2023)

I am back from my two week vacation and ready to start reading in order again. I have last week's book on hand and will get it going right away. This week's is on hold at the library, but, later today, I will be picking up next week's read.

So over the next several days, I should at least get two of the three books started for 4/16 - 5/6. Hopefully the hold will not be too long for the one book.

My April reading

For this months goals:
ATY 14: My Friend Anna: The True Story of a Fake Heiress by Rachel DeLoache Williams
ATY 16: 20th Century: The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
ATY 17: 21st Century: Golden in Death by J D Robb

Read in previous months:
none

Read towards previous months goals:
ATY 10: sporty: Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer

For future goals:
ATY 22: Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Carline Craido Perez
ATY 25: Clap When You Land by Elisabeth Acevedo
ATY 26: Mad Honey by Jodi Piccolt
ATY 35: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
ATY 37: The Cuckoo's Cry by Caroline Overington
ATY 43: Shadows in Death by J D Robb

Weeks still to be completed:
ATY15: Aim to complete this in May

Prompt 18

I plan to read these three books this week...
Once There Were Wolves finished 5.2.23
Project Hail Mary
The Cartographers

Guess we will see how it goes

I am a bit behind because of the traveling. However, I have started both the last two books planned for April and have the one for this week on my desk.

UPDATED - Finished:
#16: Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker
#17: The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

Up next:
#18: Lab Girl
#19: Every Note Played this week's book
#20: On the Road

#21-#22 (rest of May): I haven't chosen yet.

I finished Week 18 with three really decent reads!

A Book Related To Science

Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy
4★

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
5★

The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd
4★


This week, I don't have a whole lot of TBR to pick from, so I'm going to start with
The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz
Literature Arts

I'm in a bit of slump. I can't seem to read more than few dozen pages without getting distracted. Need to get myself sorted this week and back on track!

I am still playing catch-up. I am close to finishing Lab Girl for the first week in May, and I have the next two on my desk. However, I am tired...slowing up on the reading. Maybe I need a day or two off.

I'm caught up at this point.

Route of travel is going to be one of my NetGalley ARC reads.

Someone Else's Bucket List by Amy T. Matthews

eta ~ Completed 5.25.23

Finished week #18 (book about science) with Lab Girl. 3*

Starting both week #19 (Every Note Played) and week #20 (On the Road). I am expecting to finish both mid-week, which means I will be only a little behind starting next week's book. Catching up!

Week #21: The Best We Could Do. This will be a quick read and may help me get back on track. Placed hold at library.

Week #22: The Sinner. Unless I need another short book, then it will be The Sandcastle Girls.

May reading was a hot-mess for me. Too many other things going on, but I'm getting back on track for June. I updated my spreadsheets today and got my plan together.

Need to finish Heart of the Sun Warrior for the Spring Challenge, then catch up on Week 21 with The Joy Luck Club & Week 22 with My Cousin Rachel
Next up - planning summer challenge :D

Gads, I'm behind again....

I've been reading books, just nothing that has counted. However, I think by the end of this week, I'll be back on track...

Week 21 ~ MAY 21
Book by an Asian Diaspora Author

Read ~ 6.2.23

Week 22 ~ MAY 28
A Book With A Faceless Person On The Cover


Week 23 ~ JUNE 4
A Book With A Body Of Water In The Title

My May reading

For this months goals:
none

Read in previous months:
ATY 19: The Library by Bella Osborne - read March 2023 - 4/5 stars
ATY 20: The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway - read January 2023 - 3/5 stars
ATY 21: The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan - read February 2023 - 5/5 stars
ATY 22: Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez - read April 2023 - 4/5 stars

Read towards previous months goals:
ATY 15: 15th Century - The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory - read May 2023 - 4/5 stars

For future goals:
ATY 24: The Windsor Knot by S J Bennett. - read May 2023 - 3/5 stars
ATY 28: The Lying Game by Ruth Ware - read May 2023 - 3/5 stars
ATY 29: Redheads at the Chalet School by Elinor M Brent-Dyer - read May 2023 - 3/5 stars
ATY 38: The Radleys by Matt Haig - read May 2023 - 4/5 stars

Weeks still to be completed:
ATY 18: I had a book planned for this, but due to events in my life I no longer want to read this. So I'll need to pick a new option.

This has been a strange reading month, as although I've read a lot, I didn't read any for 'this months challenge' and I'm still 1 book behind for the 'reading in order' challenge.

Aughhh: for the first time this year I did not finish a month on time. I got stuck on a book I wasn't liking for way too long (that didn't even end up working for a prompt). And the library loans were not in my favor either.

Jackie wrote: "Aughhh: for the first time this year I did not finish a month on time. I got stuck on a book I wasn't liking for way too long (that didn't even end up working for a prompt). And the library loans w..."

I've felt that way for the past three weeks! I slogged along with a book that just wasn't great, and by the time I was finished, I had trouble getting motivated to pick up another one.

I just finished Counterfeit, which was fun, so I'm hoping that will get me back on track. I'm a couple of prompts behind at this point.

Finished week #19 (Every Note Played).

In the middle of week #20 (On the Road). This book is a dated slog for me, but I will finish it!

Week #21 The Best We Could Do. Picked up last night from the library.

Week #22 The Sandcastle Girls. Will pick up from library tomorrow.

That will bring me up to June. Still running behind.

@Bea -

I really loved The Sandcastle Girls.

I have struggled a bit too but have sort of caught up. My Week #20 book is long and dense, so I decided to have a break after 200 pages and moved on to read #21The Flower Net, and #22 Intimate Strangers, both of which I enjoyed very much. Now I have to go back and finish the last 300 pages of Palace Walk and then I can move into June. Plans for June:
#23 The Inn at Rose Harbor
#24 With My Little Eye
#25 All Our Shimmering Skies
#26 Shuggie Bain

OK...it turns out that I have The Lake House Secret on my Kindle. So I am all set for trying to catch up through next week.

JUNE Plan:
Week #23: The Lake House Secret
Week #24: Code Talker: The First and Only Memoir By One of the Original Navajo Code Talkers of WWII
Week #25: The Widows of Malabar Hill
Week #26: Last Night at the Telegraph Club

Kay, I got my catch up plan sorted! I swapped out some previously planned selections for books that I had (not waiting on hold)/shorter picks.

ATY Main Catch Up
#17 (was on hold) A House with Good Bones
#21 - The Joy Luck Club
#22 My Cousin Rachel
#23 - The River Wild

Last Spring Challenge (springbreak) - Sourdough
First Summer Challenge: Dad is MC - The Bromance Book Club

A book a friend is insisting I read immediately!!! Fourth Wing

Will tackle future June planning next and see if I can get a bit ahead again!

Well, the bad news is that I caught Covid...and was not able to read for several days. I am recovering well, though. I finally finished the On the Road book. I think if it had not been for this challenge, it would have been a DNF.

I have the last May book on hand but there are several others that I need to finish before I start it. SO...still behind.

Bea wrote: "Well, the bad news is that I caught Covid...and was not able to read for several days. I am recovering well, though. I finally finished the On the Road book. I think if it had not been for this cha..."

Glad to hear you're feeling better, and on the mend!

I'm still soooo behind too. I was certain I would finish A House with Good Bones but only finished about half over the weekend. (Stupid ceiling painting!!! )

I'm slowly getting caught up .. 3.5 books last week! That's better than the last month or so. Woot!

✓ #17 (was on hold) A House with Good Bones
✓ #21 - The Joy Luck Club
#22 My Cousin Rachel - ready for pick up !
✓ #23 - The River Wild

/ Sourdough (halfway through)
First Summer Challenge: Dad is MC - The Bromance Book Club
Fourth Wing

Hoping to finish the 3.5 left on my previous list this week and add 24, 25, and summer challenge book2 to get all caught up next week.
Happy reading everyone!

Still behind but working on it:

Reading and hope to finish today or tomorrow:
The Sandcastle Girls (My last book for May.) DONE

Reading:
#23: The Lake House Secret

Have on hold and should be ready this week:
#24: Code Talker: The First and Only Memoir By One of the Original Navajo Code Talkers of WWII
#25: The Widows of Malabar Hill
#26: Last Night at the Telegraph Club

So yesterday I picked up Last Night at the Telegraph Club and Code Talker: The First and Only Memoir By One of the Original Navajo Code Talkers of WWII froom the library. Then last night I received an email notice from the same library that The Widows of Malabar Hill is now on ready hold for me!

I don't know if I will be able to get it today, but Monday will still be June. Now to get them read!

My June reading

For this months goals:
ATY 23: Where the Desert meets the Sea by Werner Sonne - read June 2023 - 3/5 stars

Read in previous months:
ATY 24 The Windsor Knot by S J Bennett. - read May 2023 - 3/5 stars
ATY 25 Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo - read April 2023 - 4/5 stars
ATY 26 Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult & Jennifer Finney Boylan - read April 2023 - 5/5 stars

Read towards previous months goals:
ATY 18: Everything You Need to Know About the Menopause by Kate Muir - read June 2023 - 5/5 stars

For future goals:
ATY 32: Manchester - Thrown by Sara Cox - read June 2023 - 2/5 stars
ATY 36: The Trial by Frank Kafka - read June 2023 - 4/5 stars
ATY 46: The Black Egg by James E Wishart - read June 2023 - 3/5 stars

Weeks still to be completed:
none

I managed to 'catch up' on the week I'd missed previously so I'm going to try to keep up with each month and not fall behind again. This is definitely easier to achieve as the year goes on, as I've pre-completed lots of the topics with books I've already read.

Lindsay wrote: "I managed to 'catch up' on the week I'd missed previously so I'm going to try to keep up with each month and not fall behind again. This is definitely easier to achieve as the year goes on, as I've pre-completed lots of the topics with books I've already read."

I might have to do the same, Lindsay. I am 3 weeks behind, although I now have the books and am soon to start 2 of them. I originally planned 3 possible books for each prompt through June. However, if I read one out of order, I simply eliminated it as a book for the prompt. As time has gone on, that is making it harder for me, not easier.

(As of August, I left the rest of the year open for later planning, so I will need to get back to planning soon.)

And, I am finding that I am not interested at all in the grimdark and dystopian options for week #28. So, after reviewing the options listed in the week's thread, I have opted for an author I enjoy and a KIS book with dark in the title. In a Dark, Dark Wood

I'm definitely loosey goosey with reading in order this year. I started The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba for tropical setting but I couldn't get into it. I requested the audio instead but there's a wait.

I'm currently listening to Pride and should finish today or tomorrow, it's short. I'll start The Shadow of the Wind for author from Continental Europe today.

I placed holds on the audio for A Curse So Dark and Lonely for dark, hopefully it comes in sooner than later as that will help me get caught up.

I did not read books in prompt order this year because my local library offers the option of automatically placing holds for upcoming books of authors I've selected. As new holds are added to my reserves list, I try to see where they might fit the prompts. Publication dates and popularity with other library patrons often dictate when I can read the books.

I did some shuffling and am close to being caught up. I cancelled the audio hold for The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba and instead read Reckless Girlsfor tropical setting.

I finished Pride for pride, of course.

I also couldn't get into The Shadow of the Wind so requested the audio for that, but the wait time is pretty long, so I think instead I'm going to read The Island of Missing Trees for author from Europe, which I will start after I finish A Curse So Dark and Lonely for dark. Then I will be back on track. I have The Undomestic Goddess in paperback for light.

Then I need to figure out what I'm going to do for chess piece, either I Capture the Castle or a Stephen King backlist title, either Firestarter or Cujo. It will depend on library availability and my mood at the time. I'm also in the process of moving so anything I can get on audio gets priority.

I am on track again, reading in order each week, but had a bit of a wobble when I realised the book I had read for #27 actually didn't fit - apparently Iran is not part of continental Europe. So, back to the bookshelves looking for something else, and have just finished The Three Musketeers which has been lounging on my shelves for I don't know how many years. For the rest of July I have:
#28 - The Marriage Portrait
#29 - The Bellbird River Country Choir
#30 - King's Ransom

HaHa! I have started all three of the June books as well as next week's (#28). When I finish one of those, I will start this week's book as I have it on my desk.

I am determined to catch up! I have selected the books for the next two weeks (but have not yet requested from the library) and only have to decide on one for the literature map. Go, me!

Way to go, Bea!!

I just got caught up with all main prompts (YAY), am finishing my Summer Challenge read, and then starting on this week .. #28. A book that is dark

I have a bunch of KIS options picked out for that and next week's light, just have to decide which ones to go with.

#30 is going to be The Bandit Queens
And I have to figure out the lit map pick, but I figure that's almost a freebie.

Finished weeks #25 and #28, still reading weeks #24 and #26 (both June). Catching up! I do have week #27 on my desk, but need to finish one of the ones I am still reading.

Next week's book was placed on hold at two libraries but the hold lists are long at both...so I might do the same as I did for this week...go for "Light" in the title.

Bea wrote: "Finished weeks #25 and #28, still reading weeks #24 and #26 (both June). Catching up! I do have week #27 on my desk, but need to finish one of the ones I am still reading.

Next week's book was pla..."

I started What Lies in the Woods last night for #28; it's both dark in theme (serial killer/murder) and cover

I'm in a similar place for #29 light - I have a few options on hold, but not sure when I'll get what so playing that one loose.

I'm back on track for week 29! Finished What Lies in the Woods yesterday (loved it) and started the The Authenticity Project for this weeks "light" prompt.
I'm just a few chapters in, but it seems the perfect uplit pick

#29...I have chosen to read a Kindle book that I already have. Although it is listed as horror, mystery thriller and suspense, it has "light" in the title and is about a boy who is kept in a basement out of sight that gravitates toward light. The Light of the Fireflies

Still working on the last two for June. Hope to finish by next week...and that will nearly bring me up to date!

Hey, y'all. I was just looking at the calendar for July and at my plan (divided into monthly groupings). I seem to have counted #31 for July rather than August. Now I am second guessing it.

Good news! I am finally finishing up June...working on the last one, which I hope to complete today.

July is coming along also as I expect to finish this week's in one day - only 120 pages!

I'm not only caught up now, I'm a week ahead as I finished FIRESTARTER By STEPHEN KING 1980 First Editionfor chess piece. I chose that one because it has fire on the cover so works for the summer challenge too.

I'm taking a break from ATY to read some Pop Sugar challenge books as well as my book club book.

Coming up, I have The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany for favorite author map (Kristin Harmel), and then the UNESCO prompt, which I fear I may have trouble with. I had planned on the second Cemetery of Forgotten Books but since I didn't end up reading the first one, that's out. I slotted in An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good instead but a friend told me they had a hard time getting into it. So I want to get started on that early in case I have to make changes.

For the 4 prompts after that I have to pick between 2 books so I'll post what I decided later on.

My plan for July has really been re-worked since I originally decided on options.

#27 ~ A book by an author from continental Europe
Suite Francaise (Ukraine author)

I will start working on this one today. I have another on inter-library loan request just in case that I cannot get into this WWII book.

#28 ~ A book that is dark
In a Dark, Dark Wood READ

I had originally planned book options for Grimdark and Dystopia genres for this prompt. But, by the time the week came around, I was not in the mood for either. I decided to go with a book title that included the word "dark". It turned out to be a book with Thriller, Suspense, and Horror genres...dark.

#29 ~ A book that is light
The Light of the Fireflies READING

I had originally planned to read Hopepunk genre books for this prompt. However, my chosen book (The House in the Cerulean Sea) was on hold with both my library systems, and I was afraid it would not come for months...so I started a book with the word "light" in the title. Now my original planned book is in. Dilemma.

#30 ~ A book related to a chess piece
The Uncommon Reader - This book is about Queen Elizabeth. READING

I have chosen this book from my options because it is relatively short (120 pages) and thus will help me catch up more quickly.

Finally, I decided that week #31 belonged with August since most of it falls in that month.