Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

My plan for August is still a bit in flux.

#31 ~ A book found by inputting a favorite author on https://www.literature-map.com

When I planned this month's options, I chose Ray Bradbury. I love his writings and his vision of the world. I will either read Foundation by Asimov or Negotiating with the Dead: A Writer on Writing by Atwood.

The first will introduce me to Asimov and will create the setting for a book I own in the series. The second will help me work on my goal of becoming a published writer.

#32 ~ A book set in a UNESCO City of Literature

I chose Edinburgh as I plan to go to Scotland next year and so am focused on all things Scottish. I can either read a new book set in this city or continue a series that occurs in this city. Not sure yet which I will choose, although the series is one I enjoy and haven't read in months.

#33 ~ A book by an author with a first name popular in 1923

I have chose the following for consideration:
Female USA - Mary, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret, Betty
Female UK - Margaret, Mary, Joan, Joyce, Dorothy
There are lots of options. I might just go to the library and scan the shelves!

#34 ~ A novella

Oh, this one is planned already, and I own it! I will be reading Pudd'nhead Wilson.

#35 ~ A book with a school subject in the title

History of the Rain
***The Little French Bistro
The Chemistry of Death

I will probably read The Little French Bistro in honor of the French classes I took in high school, but the other two are definitely possibles still.

@ Nancy - way to go! So awesome to get a bit ahead!!

@ Bea, thanks for the reminder to focus on planning AUG!! I'm plugging away reading but need to take a look at my list and plans and confirm things!

Re: Cerulean Sea - Klune seems to be love or hate depending on your take on uplit/hopepunk. I love it and loved THITCS, definitely worth the read if you like uplit & slightly twee :D Can you juggle prompts to included both? Off the top of my head, he's written more than 7 books. Or, I could see it being someone's fav BOTM?

Does everyone have their August plans set?
I think I've just finished confirming mine ...

#32 The Mother-in-Law (Melbourne)
#33 -Vespertine Vespertine (Margaret)
#34 -What Moves the Dead (176 pages)
#35 - The Magic Music Shop

So happy to be back on track :D

My August reads are:
#31 - Red Bones by Ann Cleeves
#32 - Murder and Mendelssohn by Kerry Greenwood (Melbourne)
#33 - Daniel Deronda by George Eliot
#34 - The Girl with the Dogs by Anna Funder
#35 - The Art of Seeing by Aldous Huxley Huxley, Aldous (for some reason Goodreads has the title recorded as author, and vice versa)

I've got two books to finish for July! Really gotta get a move on

#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.

UPDATE: Decided to return this book unread. My inter-library loan book is in, so I will pick it up tomorrow.

I will finish #29 and #30 this weekend. The Uncommon Reader, which is the book for this week is FUN! What a delightful tale about Queen Elizabeth. Highly recommend.

Bea wrote: "#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 g..."

Update #2: My inter-library loan book is Madam Verona for prompt #27. Author is from Belgium. Should finish this weekend.

Also, I have the book for #32. I went with the series: Isabel Dalhousie by Alexander McCall Smith and will read The Novel Habits of Happiness.

As of Monday, I will be caught up! Awaiting library loan for #31, but I can start #32 while awaiting. No other holds so it shouldn't be a long wait.

My July reading

For this months goals:
ATY31: Real Murders by Charlene Harris - read July 2023 - 2/5 stars

Read in previous months:
ATY 27 A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka - read March 2023 - 4/5 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 30: The Queen’s Lady: A captivating Tudor historical drama from the international bestselling author (Queens of the Tower) by Joanna Hickson - read March 2023 - 4/5 stars

Read towards previous months goals:
none

For future goals:
ATY 51: How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix - read July 2023 - 4/5 stars

Weeks still to be completed:
none

I've already read all of the prompts for August, I'll put my summary of those up at the end of the month.

I only have 3 prompts to complete for the rest of the year. I might try to do all of these in September, as I've already planned my reading for August.

Wow! Lindsay. Only 3 left to complete!

I am sure all y'all will be happy to know that I have caught up! At least to this week. Book is on hold and being transferred for week #31, but I have the next 3 in hand already. So August looks to be a good time for me.

Thanks for putting up with all my posts. How is everyone else doing who planned to read in order?

I should finish The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany tonight for week 31 (lit map author) which means I'm exactly on track. I have another audio I've been waiting ages for that I'll listen to first, before starting week 32 (UNESCO city of lit), which I have planned An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good.

For the 3 weeks after that I have to choose between a few books so those are still TBD.

Also I'm moving next week, which means I do a lot of audios while packing, so should stay on track as long as I can get what I want to read in Libby or Hoopla.

I'm still on my last book for July but then August is (mostly) lined up and should be good to go. I got a little bogged down in some chunkier books last month.

Starting weeks #31 and week #32 today. Current as I just got last week's hold today.

Finished week #32. Still reading week #31. Now have all the books planned for this month on hand.

My August reading

For this months goals:
ATY32: Manchester Happened by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi - read August 2023 - 3/5 stars

Read in previous months:
ATY 33: Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood - read January 2023 - 3/5 stars
ATY 34: Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata - read January 2023 - 4/5 stars
ATY 35: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus - read April 2023 - 5/5 stars

Read towards previous months goals:
none

For future goals:
none

Weeks still to be completed:
none

I only have 3 prompts to complete for the rest of the year. I might try to do all of these in September/October, so I can have 2 months of 'free reading' (or reading towards other challenges lol).

Last post I left off with week 32, so here's what I've read since then and what's coming up. I am still right on track, reading week 35.

33. A book by an author with a first name popular in 1923 - I read The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica
34. A novella - I read To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers
35. A book with a school subject in the title - I'm currently reading The Chemistry of Love by Sariah Wilson

For September, I have planned:

36. A book that has been translated from another language - Broken Summer by Jung-Myung Lee
37. A book with the theme of returning home - We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange
38. A book with the sun, moon, or stars on the cover - Flying Solo by Linda Holmes or Horse by Geraldine Brooks (I will likely read Flying Solo and push Horse to next year)
39. A western - TBD. I have 3 books penciled in and will decide at that time.

I am behind. I hit a reading slump partly due to so many books needing to go back to the library, and partly due to so many things happening in my life.

I caught up to week #34 (Pudd'nhead Wilson, which is a book I own . Needless to say, it is waiting while I try to finish the push on the stack of library books due!

Week #35: The Chemistry of Death is just now on my to start pile. I expect to get it done by the end of the weekend.

And, here it is September, and I haven't even planned this month out!

I am one book behind going into September - I just need to finish my book set in a UNESCO city of literature. I had a couple false starts for this prompt but I'm now listening to the audiobook of The Doctors Blackwell: How Two Pioneering Sisters Brought Medicine to Women and Women to Medicine. The goodreads page says that one of the settings of this book is Edinburgh so here's hoping.

I am on track too, though scrabbling to keep up, with a very long book coming up...
35. A book with a school subject in the title: The Art of Seeing by Aldous Huxley
36. A book that has been translated from another language: The Story of the Stone, or The Dream of the Red Chamber, Vol. 2: The Crab-Flower Club by Cao Xueqin 600+ pages!!
37. A book with the theme of returning home: The Many-Coloured Land: A Return to Ireland by Christopher J. Koch
38. A book with the sun, moon, or stars on the cover: One Bright Moon by Andrew Kwong
39. A western: Three little maids by Ethel Turner

Started Week #34 Pudd'nhead Wilson, but since I own it...well, it gets read after the library books.

Finished Week #35 The Chemistry of Death.

Started Week #36 The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate: Discoveries from a Secret World. Very interesting.

On Hold at library weeks #37-39: awaiting notice that they are in.

Currently on track, reading Whiskey When We're Dry for Western. I did a little rearranging as I like to read scary/ghost/supernatural books in October.

Up next:

40. A book with a full name in the title - The Haunting of Maddy Clare
41. A book from the NPR “Books We Love” lists - The Book Eaters
42. A book related to a ghost, spirit, phantom, or specter - The House on Tradd Street
43. A book that involves a murder - The Broken Girls
44. A book where the cover design includes text that is not completely horizontal - The Fangs of Freelance

In June, I thought I was going to have to bag this idea; I got 7 books behind schedule, even though I had read a lot of books for other challenges. I finally caught up yesterday. My western was Heresy by Melissa Lenhardt. Really good book. I am currently reading Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo, but not for this challenge. Next up is Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver for 40. A book with a full name in the title.

I am on track for this challenge but falling behind with my Australian challenges, due to being held up by my 600+ page Chinese classic. Hope to catch up in the next week though, and my books for October are:
40. A book with a full name in the title - Talking about Jane Austen in Baghdad: The True Story of an Unlikely Friendship
41. A book from the NPR “Books We Love” lists - Demon Copperhead
42. A book related to a ghost, spirit, phantom, or specter - The Ghost Tattoo
43. A book that involves a murder - Murder and Mendelssohn

Wow! Y'all are really on the ball. I haven't even looked at October yet. Guess I had better do so.

EDIT: Well, when I checked my plan, I discovered that I had not planned any books for the rest of the year.

Right now I have 3 possibles for #40, #42, and #44, so I just need to pick one for each. #43 will not be an issue, since I read mysteries a lot and will probably just put in whatever I happen to read that week. For #41, I will need to look up the lists.

My September reading

For this months goals:
ATY39: Searching for Calamity: The Life and Times of Calamity Jane by Linda Jucova - read September 2023 - 2/5 stars

Read in previous months:
ATY 36: The Trial by Frank Kafka - read June 2023 - 4/5 stars
ATY 37: The Cuckoo's Cry by Caroline Overington - read April 2023 - 4/5 stars
ATY 38: The Radleys by Matt Haig - read May 2023 - 4/5 stars

Read towards previous months goals:
none

For future goals:
ATY 49: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin - read September 2023 - 4/5 stars

Weeks still to be completed:
none

I only have 2 prompts to complete for the rest of the year (ATY 41 & ATY 50) so I think I'm going to read both of these in October so I can have 2 months to finish up the other challenges I'm working on!!!

My October/end of the year reading

For October/November/December months goals:
ATY 41: When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi - read October 2023 - 5/5 stars
ATY50 - Con/Deception/Fake - Miss Benson's Beetle by Rachel Joyce - read October 2023 - 4/5 stars

Read in previous months:
ATY 40: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank - read February 2023 - 4/5 stars
ATY 42: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield - read March 2023 - 3/5 stars
ATY 43: Shadows in Death by J D Robb - read April 2023 - 4/5 stars
ATY 44: The People on Platform 5 by Clare Dooley - read June 2023 - 3/5 stars
ATY 45: Dragonfly in Amber by Diane Gabaldon - read February 2023 - 3/5 stars
ATY 46: The Black Egg by James E Wishart - read June 2023 - 3/5 stars
ATY 47: There Is No Planet B: A Handbook for the Make or Break Years by Mike Berners-Lee - read January 2023 - 5/5 stars
ATY 48: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Mass - read January 2023 - 4/5 stars
ATY 49: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin - read September 2023 - 4/5 stars
ATY 51: How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix - read July 2023 - 4/5 stars
ATY 52: A Map of Days by Ransom Riggs - read January 2023 - 3/5 stars

Weeks still to be completed:
none

Woo hoo that's me finished all the prompts. I left ATY 50 (your favourite prompt) to the end so I could assess this. I picked Con/Deception/Fake as I love the unexpectedness of this vibe.

I really enjoyed trying to read in order as it meant not leaving the 'hardest' prompts to the end, so I might do this again next year. I'm hoping to finish my other challenges in October and November, so I can spent December finishing off some of the many many series' that I'm midway through.

I am flagging. I had such hopes for finishing this challenge, and reading in order seemed to be a way to accomplish that.

It didn't help that I hit a couple of reading slumps this year, nor that my life got really busy this fall with courses and activities planned with others. Those have all been wonderful things but have eaten away my reading time.

I doubt that I will finish. I am about 15 books away from the end on this and the same in PS. And that does not even count the many other challenges that I let slide this year.

And, I have not yet started October books...

Bea wrote: "I am flagging. I had such hopes for finishing this challenge, and reading in order seemed to be a way to accomplish that.

It didn't help that I hit a couple of reading slumps this year, nor that ..."
I feel for you Bea - I priotitise this challenge, but try my best to fit my Australian challenges around it. I used to also do the PS challenge but this year there were just too many that were too difficult for me. I have still kept a record of books that would fit, but there's no way I would have finished it (currenly at 32/50). I do find reading in order for AtY really helps me to approach books that would otherwise put me off (mostly long classics) but I do usually really enjoy them, so will continue to read in order!

Lindsay wrote: "My October/end of the year reading

For October/November/December months goals:
ATY 41: When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi - read October 2023 - 5/5 stars
ATY50 - Con/Decept..."
Congratulations on finishing, but it doesn't seem to me that you have really read in order. It's tricky isn't it! Planning ahead and stopping yourself reading those books you really want to read until it's time is the hardest part, but I find it's so rewarding to get to those that you keep putting off! And, as you have found, the balance is better when you don't leave all the "difficult" books until the end!

I guess I use the ‘my challenge my rules’ philosophy to reading in order. Each month I’ve aimed to read the books for that months ATY challenge and any other books I’ve read (for other challenges) I’ve also tried to fit into any remaining ATY slots I’ve got.

I don’t think that me finishing in October means I’ve been ‘cheating’ at this challenge.

I’m really proud of how I’ve done. And I’ve been posting in this chain to keep my progress updated for anyone else who is also trying to do this (in which ever way they choose).

Congratulations to everyone who is working towards this challenge, as it’s definitely an extra twist on reading 52 books over the year.

Lindsay wrote: "I guess I use the ‘my challenge my rules’ philosophy to reading in order. Each month I’ve aimed to read the books for that months ATY challenge and any other books I’ve read (for other challenges) ..."

Oh please don't think I am criticising, especially about finishing in October - that does impress me! I guess I was just confused about all the books you read earlier in the year for the later prompts. So sorry if I've offended you (pulling my head in now)

Question, now that we are facing the imminent (I hope!) release of the 2024 list... how many of you are planning on reading in order again? I have done this challenge 6 times now, and read in order two of them. I'm thinking of doing it again next year, but I'm not sure I want to commit again!

Since I rely (mostly) on my library for books, and seem to unintentionally pick books that are in demand (who would think after all these years that I’d still have to wait for East of Eden?!) reading in order isn’t really an option for me.

I don't know...I've liked doing it in order by month, but I might switch it up for next year.

I started this challenge in 2018 and read mostly in order that year, but mixed it up a bit. Since then I've read strictly in order, which is not hard for me because I read almost exclusively from my physical TBR (which is constantly being added to), so planning is not too difficult. I occasionally have to get a library book or search the charity shops to meet a tricky prompt, but I enjoy the challenge. I will definitely be reading in order again, and have already planned much of my list for next year

This year, with a very few exceptions, I'm planning to read only books available from my local borough libraries for the challenge.. It will depend a bit on when they are free to borrow, but in general, that will make it easier to read in order. Last year I read out of order, partly because I started with books I'd had to buy second hand while they were available. I also had quite a few holds on library books from out of borough, so it was a question of them making their way through the system which was a bit unpredictable.

I've never read in order, but am considering it for next year. I just don't know how to hold off reading the book planned for prompt 30 for example, when I want to read it NOW!
I've set an embargo on book buying for next year so I'll be reading only what I already own - too many books, too little time LOL!

I am not sure yet about next year as I am planning to travel to Scotland for about a month.

However, this year, I did not plan just one book for each prompt as I am a bit of a mood reader also. Rather I planned three so I had a choice.

On the occasion that I read one of the books ahead of time, I marked it read on my list of three and chose a different book to actually count for the prompt. That did make it hard later in the year as I struggled to stay on track and would have loved to have counted those early read books, but I chose not to do so.

The other issue for me is that I use library books almost all the time and waiting for my holds sometimes delayed my reading for a particular week. Example: I am just now getting to September and the last two books chosen are just now available for me. I will pick them up today.

OK...back to getting reading in order done.

I have started my last August book - Pudd'nhead Wilson. It is a book I own and the reason I have not yet started it (lots of library books to read),

For September, I have read book #36 (The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate: Discoveries from a Secret World, started book #37 (Rosemary and Rue) and will be picking up from the library the last two (#38 - Demons are a Ghoul's Best Friend and #39 = Listening Woman). I expect those past two to be quick reads.

For October, I have planned books for weeks #40-#42, well, actually #43, since that last one is my main reading genre and no book will need to be planned. I will use whatever I read that week that is a murder mystery!

For #40, Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk, I will pick it up today from the Library.

Books #41 and #42, I have requested holds. If I cannot get #41 Tokyo Rose - Zero Hour: A Japanese American Woman's Persecution and Ultimate Redemption After World War II from interlibrary loan, I will just buy it. My aim is to have it by the end of the month either way. #42 is Ghost Talkers.

That brings me up to current planning as I have not yet made a decision about the last book of the month. Also, November and December are yet to be planned.

Still trying to finish this challenge this year.

This was my second year reading in order, and I also read by the week, which I'm not sure others do? Not judging, just unsure. Last year I was super strict about it but this year I loosened up and as long as I read the prompt during that month, and it was loosely in order, I counted it. I do plan to read in order again next year, and use the same philosophy as this year. As a library reader it does make it easier to be flexible.

I have certain types of books I like to read at certain times of the year, e.g. October is for ghost/horror books whenever possible. I had to rearrange my plan but I managed to do that this year and it's making me very happy.

I have trouble timing books... some books I expect to read quickly end up lasting forever, and some I expect to take a few days get read in a weekend. When I read in order the first time, I just... read in order. I ended up finishing in the summer, because I'd just pick up the next book for the next prompt.

Last time I read in order, I stuck to the month each prompt was in, so I'd plan 4-5 ATY books for the month then read side reads for the rest of the month. Which was great until I got pregnant... then I started speeding up so I could finish before I had the baby in November.

I'm thinking next year I'm going to stick mostly to the month, only allowing myself to get ahead one or two books. I finished this year in June and I hate feeling aimless with my reading... like I don't know what to pick up next. So I'm going to stretch ATY for the full year to help with that.

I'm definitely planning to read in order again for 2024. It adds some restriction to my challenge, otherwise it's just too easy for me. I read in order but not timing-specific, and read a ton of other books that don't go on the challenge in between, so sometimes I might finish 3 ATY prompts in a week, and other times there might be a few weeks between two prompts while I'm reading other things. But it keeps the challenge stretched out through most of the year for me, rather than finishing too early and then waiting months for the next year's challenge to be underway. I might try, for 2024, being slightly more on a schedule, but to be honest, even with my looser version this year, I've stayed surprisingly on track with which prompts are scheduled to be in which month, what with all the other non-challenge reading I do.

I realized last night that I have not read in order as much as I thought I did. When a book was not available, I had to go on until it was. And, my poor owned book got left behind while I worked on meeting the deadlines of the library books.

So, next year, given that I will be traveling for about a month, I will have to come up with another plan. When will we know the order of the prompts?

Maybe I can figure out a plan that allows a break for traveling.

Bea wrote: "I realized last night that I have not read in order as much as I thought I did. When a book was not available, I had to go on until it was. And, my poor owned book got left behind while I worked on..."
Oh yes - I normally read strictly in order week by week, filling in with other books for other challenges in between, but it has suddenly occurred to me that I will also be travelling next year for 7 weeks to Canada (to visit my son and his wife) and England and Scotland (for hiking), so will not be able to carry many physical books. I will have to take that into account with my planning, and build in some ebooks. Hmmmm....

Bea wrote: "I realized last night that I have not read in order as much as I thought I did. When a book was not available, I had to go on until it was. And, my poor owned book got left behind while I worked on..."

Next year's list will likely be posted on Tuesday after these final prompts are revealed. I have the list mostly put together... just need to see the final results before I can place the last few.

Emily wrote: "Next year's list will likely be posted on Tuesday after these final prompts are revealed. I have the list mostly put together... just need to see the final results before I can place the last few. "

Thank you, Emily. I just saw it!

OK...I have finished planning the rest of the 2023 prompts with 3 options for each.

Edited: Currently I am reading for prompt #34 (owned book - my last August book). I have finished #35 -#38, started #39 (my last September book), with #40 (October) cued for next to read. That will catch me up to October.

My second October book is a graphic novel, which no one seems to have. The GA Library loan system only has one copy and, since it is a NEW book for them, it is not loaned out on intra-library loan. The Aiken library did not have it at all so I requested an inter-library loan. The librarian has responded that she is recommending it for purchase and, if not, she will see interlibrary loan for it. May be a while before I get it.

The last two weeks in October I have requested the books and are on awaiting my hold request.

I have done it! I finished #34 and am caught up to October.

Starting #40 Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk

Oh that one is such a delight to read, Bea.

Finished #40.

Saga continues on #41. I made the decision to buy it and donate to my library, since they do not have it. Bookstore is having it delivered to me and says it will arrive in 4-10 days, with money on the earlier time frame. I notified the library only to learn that they have made the decision to buy it also and that it will be on hold for me!

#42 for this week is on hold and in transit for my request.

Finished #41 - Tokyo Rose - Zero Hour: A Japanese American Woman's Persecution and Ultimate Redemption After World War II

Started #42 - Ghost Talkers

To be started this week #43 - Bewitched, Bothered, and Biscotti

And #44 The Last Illusion is on my desk waiting for Sunday to roll around!