2025 Reading Challenge discussion

read 180 books
Let's Turn Pages (completed)
read 2024 Tournament of Books longlist
read 2024 Summer TOB longlist
monthly book picks
52 Book Club reading challenge (52 books) & monthly challenges
Around the Year reading challenge (52 books)
Around the Year winter A-Z winter phrase challenge (completed)
Around the Year spring rainbow reading challenge (completed)
A-Z author first name/last name/book title
January - Marathon challenge/The Fates challenge (completed)
February - Dragon Spells challenge/Literary Dragons (completed)
March - Easy as 1 2 3/We've Got Your Number (completed)
April - A Solar-Bration/A Musical Eclipse (completed
Q1 - Winter Tourist Season challenge (completed)
Q1 - Winter Words challenge (completed)
Bibliopoly
Finish Line
It's in the Cards (completed)
Q2 - All About Spring challenge (completed)
Q2 - TBR Spring Cleaning challenge (completed)
May - A Bouquet of Lilies/Literary Lily (completed)
June - Life Changes/Change By Any Other Name (completed)
Around the Year Summer Reading Challenge

1. North Woods - Daniel Mason
2. Airplane Mode: An Irreverent History of Travel - Shahnaz Habib
3. Cold People - Tom Rob Smith
4. The Violin Conspiracy - Brandan Slocumb
5. Brainwyrms - Allison Rumfitt
6. Eyeliner: A Cultural History - Zahra Hankir
7. Rabbit Hole - Kate Brody
8. Number Go Up: Inside Crypto's Wild Rise and Staggering Fall - Zeke Faux
9. Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult - Michelle Dowd
10. Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet - Taylor Lorenz
11. Scorched Grace - Margot Douaihy
12. Chain-Gang All-Stars - Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
13. Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant - Curtis Chin
14. Boys Weekend - Mattie Lubchansky
15. Monstrilio - Gerardo Samano Cordova
16. Beyond the Door of No Return - David Diop
17. The Birthday Party - Laurent Mauvignier
18. The Librarianist - Patrick deWitt
19. Beautyland - Marie-Helene Bertino
20. The Bee Sting - Paul Murray
21. The Auburn Conference - Tom Piazza
22. Mobility - Lydia Kiesling
23. Bad Cree - Jessica Johns
24. The New Naturals - Gabriel Bump
25. The Rachel Incident - Caroline O'Donoghue
26. Poor Deer - Claire Oshetsky
27. There There - Tommy Orange
28. Hild - Nicola Griffith
29. The Other Black Girl - Zakiya Dalila Harris
30. We Ride Upon Sticks - Quan Barry
31. Quietly Hostile: Essays - Samantha Irby
32. I Cannot Control Everything Forever: A Memoir of Motherhood, Science, and Art - Emily C. Bloom
33. Big Swiss - Jen Beagin
34. The Fetishist - Katherine Min
35. Time's Mouth - Edan Lepucki
36. People Collide - Isle McElroy
37. America Fantastica - Tim O'Brien
38. The Book of Love - Kelly Link
39. Death of a Bookseller - Alice Slater
40. Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect - Benjamin Stevenson
41. Come and Get It - Kiley Reid
42. Menewood - Nicola Griffith
43. The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store - James McBride
44. Blackouts - Justin Torres
45. Dayswork - Jennifer Haber & Chris Bachelder
46. The Fraud - Zadie Smith
47. Devil Makes Three - Ben Fountain
48. Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials - Marion Gibson
49. The Hundred-Year House - Rebecca Makkai
50. Wandering Stars - Tommy Orange
51. Three Rooms - Jo Hamya
52. White Cat, Black Dog: Stories - Kelly Link
53. What You Are Looking For Is in the Library - Michiko Aoyama
54. Piglet - Lottie Hazell
55. Rainbow Black - Maggie Thrash
56. Grief Is for People - Sloane Crosley
57. The Knockout Queen - Rufi Thorpe
58. Memory Piece - Lisa Ko
59. Layers: A Memoir - Pénélope Bagieu
60. Monica - Daniel Clowes
61. Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI - David Grann
62. Starter Villain - John Scalzi
63. Thirst - Marina Yuszczuk
64. The Night of the Storm - Nishita Parekh
65. This Other Eden - Paul Harding
66. Horrorstör - Grady Hendrix
67. Ascension - Nicholas Binge
68. Study for Obedience - Sarah Bernstein
69. Worry - Alexandra Tanner
70. Same Bed Different Dreams - Ed Park
71. The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality - Amanda Montell
72. Julia - Sandra Newman
73. China Rich Girlfriend - Kevin Kwan
74. Diavola - Jennifer Marie Thorne
75. Wish You Were Here - Rita Mae Brown
76. From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler - E.L. Konigsburg
77. Piercing - Ryu Murakami
78. The Future - Naomi Alderman
79. Wolf at the Table - Adam Rapp
80. Leg: The Story of a Limb and the Boy Who Grew from It - Greg Marshall
81. The Celebrants - Stephen Rowley
82. A Tale for the Time Being - Ruth Ozeki
83. Outlawed - Anna North
84. When Women Were Dragons - Kelly Barnhill
85. My Dark Vanessa - Kate Elizabeth Russell
86. Strangers to Ourselves: Unsettled Minds and the Stories That Make Us - Rachel Aviv
87. Biography of X - Catherine Lacey
88. Real Americans - Rachel Khong
89. Headshot - Rita Bullwinkel
90. Sociopath - Patric Gagne
91. Green Dot - Madeleine Gray
92. The Reformatory - Tananarive Due
93. The Vaster Wilds - Lauren Groff
94. The Ministry of Time - Kaliane Bradley
95. James - Percival Everett
96. The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches - Sangu Mandanna
97. You Dreamed of Empires - Álvaro Enrigue
98. One of Our Kind - Nicola Yoon
99. The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook - Hampton Sides
100. 11/22/63 - Stephen King
101. The Z Word - Lindsay King-Miller
102. youthjuice - E.K. Sathue
103. Stone Cold Fox - Rachel Koller Croft
104. Kittentits - Holly Wilson
105. The Glow - Jessie Gaynor
106. This Won’t Help: Modest Proposals for a More Enjoyable Apocalypse - Eli Grober
107. All Things Are Too Small: Essays in Praise of Excess - Becca Rothfeld
108. The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder - David Grann
109. Fruit of the Dead - Rachel Lyon
110. I Love You So Much It's Killing Us Both - Mariah Stovall
111. Interview with the Vampire - Anne Rice
112. The Husbands - Holly Gramazio
113. Blue Ruin - Hariz Kunzru
114. Walk the Vanished Earth - Erin Swan
115. One Life - Megan Rapinoe
116. Eileen - Ottessa Moshfegh
117. Nuclear War: A Scenario - Annie Jacobsen
118. The Extinction of Irena Rey - Jennifer Croft
119. Spillage - Michael Gross
120. The Climate Machine - Susan Kemp
121. Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil - Ananda Lima
122. The Bullet Swallower - Elizabeth Gonzalez James
123. Molly - Blake Butler
124. The Eyes Are the Best Part - Monika Kim
125. Do Something: Coming of Age Amid the Glitter and Doom of '70s New York - Guy Trebay
126. Lovesick Blossoms - Julia Watts
127. Glitter Saints: The Cosmic Art of Forgiveness, a Memoir - Robin Brown
128. Whoever You Are, Honey - Olivia Gatwood
129. I Hope This Finds You Well - Natalie Sue
130. The Final Revival of Opal & Nev - Dawnie Walton
131. Joan Is Okay - Weike Wang
132. The Girls - Emma Cline
133. Xala - Ousmane Sembéne
134. A Tale of Two Titties: A Writer's Guide to Conquering the Most Sexist Tropes in Literary History - Meg Vondriska
135. The God of the Woods - Liz Moore
136. The Coin - Yasmin Zaher
137. Sister Snake - Amanda Lee Koe
138. Ripe - Sarah Rose Etter
139. Valley of the Dolls - Jacqueline Susann
140. Butter: A Novel of Food and Murder - Asako Yuzuki
141. The Mars Room - Rachel Kushner
142. The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession - Michael Finkel
143. Barn 8 - Deb Olin Unferth
144. Soulless - Gail Carriger
145. How Can I Help You - Laura Sims
146. Honey - Isabel Banta
147. The Pisces - Melissa Broder
148. Banal Nightmare - Halle Butler
149. Docile: Memoirs of a Not-So-Perfect Asian Girl - Hyeseung Song
150. The Art of Catching Feelings - Alicia Thompson
151. Hum - Helen Phillips
152. Anita de Monte Laughs Last - Xóchitl González
153. The Collective - Don Lee
154. The Hypocrite - Jo Hamya
155. The Great Divide - Cristina Henríquez
156. Interesting Facts about Space - Emily R. Austin
157. The Rich People Have Gone Away - Regina Porter
158. Year of Wonders - Geraldine Brooks
159. Margo's Got Money Troubles - Rufi Thorpe
160. Wayward - Dana Spiotta
161. Macbeth - William Shakespeare
162. Lady Macbeth - Ava Reid
163. Cahokia Jazz - Francis Spufford
164. Perfume & Pain - Anna Dorn
165. The Most - Jessica Anthony
166. State of Paradise - Laura van den Berg
167. Men Have Called Her Crazy: A Memoir - Anna Marie Tendler
168. The Changeling - Victor LaValle
169. Great Expectations - Vinson Cunningham
170. Snake Oil - Kelsey Rae Dimberg
171. The Wedding People - Alison Espach
172. The Night Guest - Hildur Knútsdottír
173. Madwoman - Chelsea Bieker
174. Unspeakable Home - Ismet Prcic
175. The Plot - Jean Hanff Korelitz
176. Every Drop Is a Man's Nightmare - Megan Kamalei Kakimoto
177. Splinters - Leslie Jamison
178. Mabon: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for the Autumn Equinox - Diana Rajchel
179. Bury Your Gays - Chuck Tingle
180. Creation Lake - Rachel Kushner
181. Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend - M.J. Wassmer
182. This Is Not Miami - Fernanda Melchor
183. I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom - Jason Pargin
184. Family Lore - Elizabeth Acevedo
185. Data Baby: My Life in a Psychological Experiment - Susannah Breslin
186. I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself - Marisa Crane
187. Weyward - Emilia Hart
188. Colored Television - Danzy Senna
189. Gold Fame Citrus - Claire Vaye Watkins
190. Misinterpretation - Ledia Xhoga
191. Good Girl, Bad Blood - Holly Jackson
192. Changeless - Gail Carriger
193. We'll Prescribe You a Cat - Syou Ishida
194. The Empusium: A Health Resort Horror Story - Olga Tokarczuk
195. Nightbitch - Rachel Yoder
196. The Final Girl Support Group - Grady Hendrix
197. Erasure - Percival Everett
198. All Fours - Miranda July

(view spoiler)[Let's Turn Pages
page count goal: 40,000
40,304pp. (hide spoiler)]

TOURNAMENT OF BOOKS LONGLIST 2024
All the Sinners Bleed - S.A Crosby (read)
America Fantastica - Tim O'Brien (read)
American Mermaid - Julia Langbein (read)
The Apology - Jimin Han (read)
The Auburn Conference - Tom Piazza (read)
Bad Cree - Jessica Johns (read)
The Bee Sting - Paul Murray (read)
Beyond the Door of No Return - David Diop (read)
Big Swiss - Jen Beagin (read)
Biography of X - Catherine Lacey (read)
Birnam Wood - Eleanor Catton (read)
The Birthday Party - Laurent Mauvignier (read)
Blackouts - Justin Torres (read)
Boys Weekend - Mattie Lubchansky (read)
Brainwyrms - Allison Rumfitt (read)
Chain-Gang All-Stars - Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah (read)
Cold People - Tom Rob Smith (read)
Dayswork - Chris Bachelder (read)
Devil Makes Three - Ben Fountain (read)
The Fraud - Zadie Smith (read)
The Future - Naomi Alderman (read)
The Guest - Emma Cline (read)
Happiness Falls - Angie Kim (read)
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store - James McBride (read)
Hello Beautiful - Ann Napolitano (read)
Idlewild - James Frankie Thomas (read)
Independence Square - Martin Cruz Smith (read)
Julia - Sandra Newman (read)
Land of Milk and Honey - C Pam Zhang (read)
Let Us Descend - Jesmyn Ward (read)
The Librarianist - Patrick DeWitt (read)
Lone Women - Victor LaValle (read)
The Lost Journals of Sacajewea - Debra Magpie Earling (read)
Lovesick Blossoms - Julia Watts (read)
Menewood - Nicola Griffith (read)
Mobility - Lydia Kiesling (read)
Monstrilio - Gerardo Sámano Córdova (read)
The Moth for the Star - James Reich (read)
The New Earth - Jess Row (read)
Open Throat - Henry Hoke (read)
The Prospectors - Ariel Djanikian
The Rachel Incident - Caroline O'Donoghue (read)
The Red-Headed Pilgrim - Kevin Maloney (read)
Rouge - Mona Awad (read)
Same Bed Different Dreams - Ed Park (read)
The Shamshine Blind - Paz Pardo (read)
Sing Her Down - Ivy Pochoda (read)
Snow Road Station - Elizabeth Hay
The Sparrow - James Hynes
Study for Obedience - Sarah Bernstein
This Is Not Miami - Fernanda Melchor (read)
This Other Eden - Paul Harding (read)
Time's Mouth - Edan Lepucki (read)
Vintage Contemporaries - Dan Kois (read)
Voyager: Constellations of Memory - Nona Fernández (read)
Wellness - Nathan Hill (read)
What You Are Looking For Is in the Library - Michiko Aoyama (read)
White Cat, Black Dog: Stories - Kelly Link (read)

CAMP TOB 2024 NOMINEES
All Fours - Mirande July (read)
Beautyland - Marie-Helene Bertino (read)
The Book of Love - Kelly Link (read)
The Bullet Swallower - Elizabeth Gonzalez (read) James
Butter: A Novel of Food and Murder - Asako Yuzuki (read)
Cahokia Jazz - Francis Spufford (read)
The Extinction of Irena Rey - Jennifer Croft (read)
book:The Fox Wife|127278666] - Yangsze Choo (read)
Great Expectations - Vinson Cunningham (read)
The Husbands - Holly Gramazio (read)
The Invisible Hotel - Yeji Y. Ham
James - Percival Everett (read)
Martyr! - Kaveh Akbar
Thirst - Marina Yuszczuk (read)
Wandering Stars - Tommy Orange (read)
You Dreamed of Empires - Álvaro Enrigue (read)

BOOKS ARE MAGIC
JAN - Beautyland - Marie-Helene Bertino (read)
FEB - Martyr! - Kaveh Akbar
MAR - Headshot - Rita Bullwinkel (read)
APR - Worry - Alexandra Tanner (read)
MAY - Blue Ruin - Hari Kunzru (read)
JUN - Blessings - Chukwuebuka Ibeh (read)
JUL - Honey - Isabel Banta (read)
AUG - The Rich People Have Gone Away - Regina Porter (read)
SEP - Creation Lake - Rachel Kushner (read)
OCT - The Repeat Room - Jesse Ball (read)
NOV - Season of the Swamp - Yuri Herrera (read)
DEC - Woo Woo - Ella Baxter

AARDVARK
JAN - Rabbit Hole - Kate Brody (read)
FEB - Valley Verified - Kyla Zhao
MAR - Piglet - Lottie Hazell (read)
APR - Diavola - Jennifer Marie Thorne (read)
MAY - The Garden - Clare Beames
JUN - Perfume & Pain - Anna Dorn (read)
JUL - Whoever You Are, Honey - Olivia Gatwood (read)
AUG - Bury Your Gays - Chuck Tingle (read)
SEP - Colored Television - Danzy Senna (read)
OCT - The Lightning Bottles - Marissa Stapley (read)
NOV - Memorials - Richard Chizmar (read)
DEC - Private Rites

INDIE NEXT
JAN - Poor Deer - Claire Oshetsky (read)
FEB - The Book of Love (read)
MAR - Fruit of the Dead - Rachel Lyon (read)
APR - Rainbow Black - Maggie Thrash (read)
MAY - All Fours - Miranda July (read)
JUN - I Hope This Finds You Well - Natalie Sue (read)
JUL - The Coin - Yasmin Zaher (read)
AUG - Banal Nightmare - Halle Butler (read)
SEP - The Night Guest - Hilda Knútsdóttir (read)
OCT - The Bog Wife - Kay Chronister (read)
NOV - Blood Test: A Comedy - Charles Baxter (read)
DEC - I Made It Out of Clay - Bath Kander

POWELL'S
JAN - Come and Get It - Kiley Reid (read)
FEB - I Love You So Much It's Killing Us Both - Mariah Stovall (read)
MAR - Memory Piece - Lisa Ko (read)
APR - Reboot - Justin Taylor
MAY - Mood Swings - Frankie Barnet
JUN - One of Our Kind - Nicola Yoon (read)
JUL - Docile: Memoirs of a Not-So-Perfect Asian Girl - Hyeseung Song (read)
AUG - Lady Macbeth - Ava Reid (read)
SEP - We'll Prescribe You a Cat - Syou Ishida (read)
OCT - Remember You Will Die - Eden Robins (read)
NOV - Women's Hotel - Daniel M. Lavery
DEC - Absolution - Jeff VanderMeer

FLYLEAF
JAN - The Fetishist - Katherine Min (read)
FEB - Green Dot - Madeleine Gray (read)
MAR - The Extinction of Irena Rey - Jennifer Croft (read)
APR - Real Americans - Rachel Khong (read)
MAY - Kittentits - Holly Wilson (read)
JUN - Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil - Ananda Lima (read)
JUL - State of Paradise - Laura van den Berg (read)
AUG - Scrap - Calla Henkel
SEP - The Empusium: A Health Resort Horror Story - Olga Tokarczuk (read)
OCT - Clean - Alia Trabucco Zerán (read)
NOV - This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things - Naomi Wood
DEC - Rental House - Weike Wang

BOOK OF THE MONTH
JAN - Interesting Facts about Space - Emily Austin (read)
FEB - The Fox Wife - Yangsze Choo (read)
MAR - Anita de Monte Laughs Last - Xóchitl González (read)
APR - The Husbands - Holly Gramazio (read)
MAY - The Ministry of Time - Kaliane Bradley (read)
JUN - Margo's Got Money Troubles - Rufi Thorpe (read)
JUL - The God of the Woods - Liz Moore (read)
AUG - The Wedding People - Alison Espach (read)
SEP - Madwoman - Chelsea Bieker (read)
OCT - Dearest - Jacquie Walters (read)
NOV - The Book of George - Kate Greathead (read)
DEC - Definitely Better Now - Ava Robinson

(view spoiler)[ 52 Book Club Reading Challenge
1. Locked-Room Mystery: The Night of the Storm - Nishita Parekh
2. Bibliosmia: A Smelly Book: Scorched Grace - Margot Douaihy
3. More Than 40 Chapters: Real Americans - Rachel Khong
4. Lowercase Letters On The Spine: Strangers to Ourselves: Unsettled Minds and the Stories That Make Us - Rachel Aviv
5. Magical Realism: People Collide - Isle McElroy
6. Women In STEM: Memory Piece - Lisa Ko
7. At Least Four Different POV: North Woods - Daniel Mason
8. Features The Ocean: Devil Makes Three - Ben Fountain
9. A Character-Driven Novel: Piercing - Ryu Murakami
10. Told In Non-Chronological Order: Blackouts - Justin Torres
11. Starting With The Letter "K": The Knockout Queen - Rufi Thorpe
12. Starting With The Letter "L": Layers: A Memoir - Pénélope Bagieu
13. An Academic Thriller: My Dark Vanessa - Kate Elizabeth Russell
14. A Grieving Character: Rabbit Hole - Kate Brody
15. Part Of A Duology: Wandering Stars - Tommy Orange
16. An Omniscient Narrator: What You Are Looking For Is in the Library - Michiko Aoyama
17. Nominated For The Booker Prize: This Other Eden - Paul Harding
18. An Apostrophe In The Title: Number Go Up: Inside Crypto's Wild Rise and Staggering Fall - Zeke Faux
19. A Buddy Read: Horrorstör - Grady Hendrix
20. A Revenge Story: Starter Villain - John Scalzi
21. Written By A Ghostwriter: The Fetishist - Katherine Min
22. A Plot Similar To Another Book: Piglet - Lottie Hazell
23. The Other Book With The Similar Plot: Three Rooms - Jo Hamya
24. A Cover Without People On It: Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet - Taylor Lorenz
25. An Author "Everyone" Has Read Except You: The Celebrants - Steven Rowley
26. Hybrid Genre: The Other Black Girl - Zakiya Dalila Harris
27. By A Neurodivergent Author: Poor Deer - Claire Oshetsky
28. A Yellow Spine: Stone Cold Fox - Rachel Koller Croft
29. Published In A Year Of The Dragon: Interview with the Vampire - Anne Rice
30. Picked Without Reading The Blurb: Dayswork - Jennifer Habel & Chris Bachelder
31. Includes A Personal Phobia: Monstrilio - Gerardo Samano Cordova
32. Time Frame Spans A Week Or Less: Boys Weekend - Mattie Lubchansky
33. An Abrupt Ending: Monica - Daniel Clowes
34. Set In A Landlocked Country: Mobility - Lydia Kiesling
35. Title Matches Lyrics From A Song: The Book of Love - Kelly Link
36. Has Futuristic Technology: The Ministry of Time - Kaliane Bradley
37. Palindrome On The Cover: Outlawed - Anna North
38. Published By Hachette: Wolf at the Table - Adam Rapp
39. Non-Fiction Recommended By A Friend: Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult - Michelle Dowd
40. Set During A Holiday You Don't Celebrate: The Rachel Incident - Caroline O'Donoghue
41. A Sticker On The Cover: Come and Get It - Kiley Reid
42. Author Debut In Second Half Of 2024: Whoever You Are, Honey - Olivia Gatwood
43. About Finding Identity: Rainbow Black - Maggie Thrash
44. Includes A Wedding: Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI - David Grann
45. Chapter Headings Have Dates: Cold People - Tom Rob Smith
46. Featuring Indigenous Culture: There There - Tommy Orange
47. Self-Insert By An Author: Brainwyrms - Allison Rumfitt
48. The Word "Secret" In The Title: The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches - Sangu Mandanna
49. Set In A City Starting With The Letter "M": You Dreamed of Empires - Álvaro Enrigue
50. A Musical Instrument On The Cover: The Final Revival of Opal & Nev - Dawnie Walton
51. Related To The Word "Wild": The Vaster Wilds - Lauren Groff
52. Published In 2024: Worry - Alexandra Tanner (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[ February mini-challenge
By a Black Author in My Favorite Genre: The New Naturals - Gabriel Bump
Be Mine, Valentine: I Cannot Control Everything Forever: A Memoir of Motherhood, Science, and Art - Emily C. Bloom
By an Author Born in a Leap Year: Mobility - Lydia Kiesling (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[ April mini-challenge
(Never Gonna) Give You Up: Grief Is for People - Sloane Crosley
(Never Gonna) Let You Down: Ascension - Nicholas Binge
(Never Gonna) Desert You: Piglet - Lottie Hazell (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[ May mini-challenge
author's last name starts with the letter M: The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality - Amanda Montell
A is for alpha: Wolf at the Table - Adam Rapp
interrogative word in the title: Leg: The Story of a Limb and the Boy Who Grew from It - Greg Marshall (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[ Around the Year Reading Challenge
1. A book with a title that ends in A, T or Y: Julia - Sandra Newman
2. A book connected to something you read in 2023: Death of a Bookseller - Alice Slater
3. A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the final list (NPR Books We Love list): Chain-Gang All-Stars - Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
4. A book related to the lyrics of What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong: Hild - Nicola Griffith
5. A book set in one of the 25 most beautiful cities in the world: Green Dot - Madeleine Gray
6. A book with wings on the cover: Airplane Mode: An Irreverent History of Travel - Shahnaz Habib
7. A book with a pronoun in the title: Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant - Curtis Chin
8. A book by an author from Canada, Australia or New Zealand: Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect - Benjamin Stevenson
9. A book with fewer than 2024 ratings on Goodreads: Same Bed Different Dreams - Ed Park
10. A history or historical fiction book: The Auburn Conference - Tom Piazza
11. A book with an X connection: Biography of X - Catherine Lacey
12. A book that has been on your TBR for over a year: A Tale for the Time Being - Ruth Ozeki
13. A book that is on a Five Books List: Study for Obedience - Sarah Bernstein
14. A book with a main character who is Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color: The Reformatory - Tananarive Due
15. A book whose author’s name includes one of the 4 least used letters in the alphabet (JQZX): Eyeliner: A Cultural History - Zahra Hankir
16. A book related to the phrase "It's Raining Cats and Dogs": The Bee Sting - Paul Murray
17. A book involving intelligence: Beautyland - Marie-Helene Bertino
18. A book with a botanical cover: When Women Were Dragons - Kelly Barnhill
19. A book connected in some way to any of the flavors of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream: The Birthday Party - Laurent Mauvignier (Chubby Hubby)
20. A book with a single word title: James - Percival Everett
21. A book with a title containing 6+ words: Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials - Marion Gibson
22. A book by an author from an African country: Beyond the Door of No Return - David Diop
23. A book related to Boats, Beaches, Bars, Ballads, or Jimmy Buffett: Menewood - Nicola Griffith
24. A book with a secondary color on the cover: Grief Is for People - Sloane Crosley
25. A book involving a crime other than a murder: Big Swiss - Jen Beagin
26. A book by an author known by their initials: From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler - E.L. Konigsburg
27. A book related to land: The New Naturals - Gabriel Bump
28. A book related to sea: The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook - Hampton Sides
29. A book related to air: Ascension - Nicholas Binge
30. A book set in a country bordering the Mediterranean Sea: Diavola - Jennifer Marie Thorne
31. A book related to “Going for the Gold”: Headshot - Rita Bullwinkel
32. A book with a number in the title: The Hundred-Year House - Rebecca Makkai
33. A book involving travel: America Fantastica - Tim O'Brien
34. A book related to the name of one of Snow White's seven dwarfs: The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store - James McBride
35. A science or science fiction book: I Cannot Control Everything Forever: A Memoir of Motherhood, Science, and Art - Emily C. Bloom
36. A book featuring a character in education: Sociopath - Patric Gagne
37. A book that is part of a series: China Rich Girlfriend - Kevin Kwan
38 & 39. Two books with similar covers: Time's Mouth - Edan Lepucki & One of Our Kind - Nicola Yoon
40. A book involving a wild animal or endangered species, in the content, title, or on the cover: The Future - Naomi Alderman
41. A book with a chilling atmosphere: Bad Cree - Jessica Johns
42. A book with a sound-related word in the title: Quietly Hostile: Essays - Samantha Irby
43. A book by an Edgar Award-winning author: 11/22/63 - Stephen King
44. A book with a touch of magic: We Ride Upon Sticks - Quan Barry
45. A book that is not a novel: White Cat, Black Dog: Stories - Kelly Link
46. A book related to night: Thirst - Marina Yuszczuk
47. A book with a two-word title beginning with THE: The Fraud - Zadie Smith
48. A second book that fits your favorite prompt: Leg: The Story of a Limb and the Boy Who Grew from It - Greg Marshall (Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavor, Half-Baked)
49. A book with a senior citizen character: The Librarianist - Patrick deWitt
50. A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads in 2023 or 2024: The Violin Conspiracy - Brendan Slocumb
51. A book published in 2024: The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality - Amanda Montell
52. A cozy mystery: Wish You Were Here - Rita Mae Brown (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[52 Book Club Readalong
JAN - The Violin Conspiracy - Brendan Slocumb

Reading Challenge Readalong
JAN - The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle - Stuart Turton (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Around the Year Spring Reading Rainbow Challenge
RED:

Thirst - Marina Yuszczuk
ORANGE:

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI - David Grann
YELLOW:

Piglet - Lottie Hazell
GREEN:

Devil Makes Three - Ben Fountain
BLUE:

Death of a Bookseller - Alice Slater
PURPLE:

Time's Mouth - Edan Lepucki
WHITE:

Dayswork - Jennifer Habel & Chris Bachelder
BLACK:
- Lisa Ko
Memory Piece - Lisa Ko
BROWN:
- Nicola Griffith
Menewood - Nicola Griffith
GOLD:
- Kelly Link
The Book of Love - Kelly Link
GRAY:

The Knockout Queen - Rufi Thorpe
5+ COLORS:
- Michiko Aoyama

And if you want a bit of a bonus challenge, try to find titles that start with a letter in these words:

R: Rainbow Black - Maggie Thrash
A: America Fantastica - Tim O'Brien
N: The Night of the Storm - Nishita Parekh
B: Blackouts - Justin Torres
O: Outlawed - Anna North
W: Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials - Marion Gibson

S: Starter Villain - John Scalzi
H: The Hundred-Year House - Rebecca Makkai
W: White Cat, Black Dog: Stories - Kelly Link
E: Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect - Benjamin Stevenson

S: Study for Obedience - Sarah Bernstein
P: People Collide - Isle McElroy
G: Grief Is for People - Sloane Crosley

C: Come and Get It - Kiley Reid
L: Layers: A Memoir - Pénélope Bagieu
F: The Fraud - Zadie Smith
L: Leg: The Story of a Limb and the Boy Who Grew from It - Greg Marshall

W: Wandering Stars - Tommy Orange
T: Three Rooms - Jo Hamya
H: The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store - James McBride (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Around the Year Winter Reading Challenge

H- Brief Answers to the Big Questions - Stephen Hawking
E- The Guest - Emma Cline
L- The Late Americans - Brandon Taylor
L- Land of Milk and Honey - C Pam Zhang
O- The Rachel Incident - Caroline O'Donoghue

N- The New Earth - Jess Row
E- The Lost Journals of Sacajewea - Debra Magpie Earling
W- Mister Magic - Kiersten White

B- The Bandit Queens - Parini Shroff
E- The End of the World Is a Cul de Sac: Stories - Louise Kennedy
G- Gator Country: Deception, Danger, and Alligators in the Everglades - Rebecca Renner
I- Sing Her Down - Ivy Pochada
N- Voyager: Constellations of Memory - Nona Fernández
N- None of This Would Have Happened If Prince Were Alive - Carolyn Prusa
I- Independence Square - Martin Cruz Smith
N- Hello Beautiful - Ann Napolitano
G- Yours for the Taking - Gabrielle Korn
S- The Violin Conspiracy - Brendan Slocumb


W - The Witching Tide - Margaret Meyer
I - Quietly Hostile: Essays - Samantha Irby
N - North Woods - Daniel Mason
T - Cold People - Tom Rob Smith
E - Eyeliner: A Cultural History - Zahra Hankir
R - The Moth for the Star - James Reich

W - Let Us Descend - Jesmyn Ward
O - Poor Deer - Claire Oshetsky
N - Number Go Up: Inside Crypto's Wild Rise and Staggering Fall - Zeke Faux
D - Vintage Contemporaries - Dan Kois
E - Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet - Taylor Lorenz
R - The Red-Headed Pilgrim - Kevin Maloney
L - Boys Weekend - Mattie Lubchansky
A - Happiness Falls - Angie Kim
N - Chain-Gang All-Stars - Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
D - Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult - Michelle Dowd


D - Scorched Grace - Margot Douaihy
R - Brainwyrms - Allison Rumfitt
E - Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant - Curtis Chin
A - The Apology - Jimin Han
M - Beloved - Toni Morrison
I - I Cannot Control Everything Forever: A Memoir of Motherhood, Science, and Art - Emily C. Bloom
N - The New Naturals - Gabriel Bump
G - Monstrilio - Gerardo Samano Cordova

O - There There - Tommy Orange
F - Amazing Grace Adams - Fran Littlewood

S - The Shamshine Blind - Paz Pardo
N - Hild - Nicola Griffith
O - The Other Black Girl - Zakiya Dalila Harris
W - We Ride Upon Sticks - Quan Barry (hide spoiler)]

A - Brainwyrms - Allison Rumfitt
A - Chain-Gang All-Stars - Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
A - America Fantastica - Tim O'Brien
B - Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect - Benjamin Stevenson
B- Big Swiss - Jen Beagin
B - The Book of Love - Kelly Link
C - Dayswork - Jennifer Habel & Chris Bachelder
C - Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant - Curtis Chin
C - Cold People - Tom Rob Smith
D - Beyond the Door of No Return - David Diop
D - Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult - Michelle Dowd
D - Death of a Bookseller - Alice Slater
E - Time's Mouth - Edan Lepucki
E - James - Percival Everett
E - Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet - Taylor Lorenz
F - Cahokia Jazz - Francis Spufford
F - Devil Makes Three - Ben Fountain
F - The Fetishist - Katherine Min
G - The New Naturals - Gabriel Bump
G - Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials - Marion Gibson
G - Grief Is for People - Sloane Crosley
H - The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook - Hampton Sides
H - Piglet - Lottie Hazell
H - Hild - Nicola Griffith
I - People Collide - Isle McElroy
I - Blessings - Chukwuebuka Ibeh
I - I Cannot Control Everything Forever: A Memoir of Motherhood, Science, and Art - Emily C. Bloom
J - Three Rooms - Jo Hamya
J - Bad Cree - Jessica Johns
J - Julia - Sandra Newman
K - White Cat, Black Dog: Stories - Kelly Link
K - Mobility - Lydia Kiesling
K - The Knockout Queen - Rufi Thorpe
L - The Birthday Party - Laurent Mauvignier
L - Boys Weekend - Mattie Lubchansky
L - The Librarianist - Patrick deWitt
M - Beautyland - Marie-Helene Bertino
M - The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store - James McBride
M - Monstrilio - Gerardo Samano Cordova
N - Menewood - Nicola Griffith
N- Outlawed - Anna North
N - North Woods - Daniel Mason
O - Eileen - Ottessa Moshfegh
O - The Rachel Incident - Caroline O'Donoghue
O - The Other Black Girl - Zakiya Dalila Harris
P - The Bee Sting - Paul Murray
P - The Auburn Conference - Tom Piazza
P - Poor Deer - Claire Oshetsky
Q - We Ride Upon Sticks - Quan Barry
Q -
Q - Quietly Hostile: Essays - Samantha Irby
R - The Hundred-Year House - Rebecca Makkai
R - Come and Get It - Kiley Reid
R - Rabbit Hole - Kate Brody
S - Airplane Mode: An Irreverent History of Travel - Shahnaz Habib
S - The Fraud - Zadie Smith
S - Scorched Grace - Margot Douaihy
T - Wandering Stars - Tommy Orange
T - Blackouts - Justin Torres
T - There There - Tommy Orange
U -
U - Barn 8 - Deb Olin Unferth
U - Unspeakable Home - Ismet Prcic
V - The Changeling - Victor LaValle
V - A Tale of Two Titties: A Writer's Guide to Conquering the Most Sexist Tropes in Literary History - Meg Vondriska
V - The Violin Conspiracy - Brendan Slocumb
W - Joan Is Okay - Weike Wang
W - Kittentits - Holly Wilson
W - What You Are Looking For Is in the Library - Michiko Aoyama
X - Anita de Monte Laughs Last - Xóchitl González
X - Misinterpretation - Ledia Xhoga
X - Xala - Ousmane Sembéne
Y - The Fox Wife - Yangszee Choo
Y - Thirst - Marina Yuszczuk
Y - You Dreamed of Empires - Álvaro Enrigue
Z - Eyeliner: A Cultural History - Zahra Hankir
Z - The Coin - Yasmin Zaher
Z - The Z Word - Lindsay King-Miller

(view spoiler)[April - A Solar-Bration
Monday, April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross North America. To solar-brate this spectacular phenomenon read books set in Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Or if you want to be more thorough you cand add other locations around the world: Marquesas Islands, Svalbard (Norway), Iceland, Ireland, western parts of Great Britain, north-west parts of Spain and Portugal, the Azores and Canary Islands.
goal: 5 books

1. White Cat, Black Dog: Stories - Kelly Link (Vermont)
2. Rainbow Black - Maggie Thrash (Montreal)
3. Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI - David Grann (Oklahoma)
4. Starter Villain - John Scalzi (Illinois)
5. The Night of the Storm - Nishita Parekh (Texas) (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[April - A Musical Eclipse

1. Eclipse is a song by the rock band, Pink Floyd.
Read a book featuring astronomy, or read a book featuring a band.
What You Are Looking For Is in the Library - Michiko Aoyama

2. Pink Floyd was formed in London in 1965.
Read a book set in London, or read a book published or set in 1965.
Piglet - Lottie Hazell

3. Eclipse is the tenth and final track on the album, The Dark Side of the Moon.
Read a book with 10 chapters, or read a book that is the final book in a series.
Thirst - Marina Yuszczuk

4. An eclipse occurs when one celestial body is obscured by another, or passes into the shadow of another.
Read a book with the word eclipse, moon, or sun in the title, or read a book featuring an eclipse, moon or sun.
White Cat, Black Dog: Stories - Kelly Link

5. Eclipse was published in 1973 on one of Pink Floyd's most successful albums.
Read a book published or set in 1973, or read a book that was a best seller.
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI - David Grann

6. The band had several names before settling on Pink Floyd, derived from the name of two blues musicians -- Pink Anderson and Floyd Council.
Read a book with pink on the cover, or read a book featuring music.
Rainbow Black - Maggie Thrash

7. Eclipse is often paired with the ninth track, Brain Damage.
Read a book with two authors, or read a book featuring mental health.
Grief Is for People - Sloane Crosley

8. Eclipse was written and sung by Roger Waters.
Read a book with an author or character named Roger or Waters, or read a book with any form of water on the cover.
The Night of the Storm - Nishita Parekh (hide spoiler)]


(view spoiler)[March - Easy As 1 2 3
For this open challenge, read books with numbers in the title. You may read books with cardinal or ordinal numbers, fractions, dates, or times, either as numerals or spelled out. You may also use multiplicative numbers such as once or twice, or group numbers like dozen or score.
goal: 5 books

1. Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect - Benjamin Stevenson
2. Devil Makes Three - Ben Fountain
3. Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials - Marion Gibson
4. The Hundred-Year House - Rebecca Makkai
5. Three Rooms - Jo Hamya (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[March - We've Got Your Number
goal: 10 books

1. One's number is up: one is going to die, or can no longer continue a job or activity.
Read a book where someone dies or loses their position.
People Collide - Isle McElroy

2. Numbers racket: an illegal pick-3 lottery usually played in poor or working-class neighborhoods.
Read a book set in a poor community, or with a three-word title.
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store - James McBride

3. Opening number: the first song and/or dance routine in a musical production.
Read a book with a musician or actor, or a book that inspired a stage, film, or television musical.
The Book of Love - Kelly Link

4. Safety in numbers: humans and animals are thought to be more safe in a group than as an individual.
Read a book about a group of people working toward a common goal, or with an animal group name in the title (murder, school, gang, etc.).
Menewood - Nicola Griffith

5. Little black number: first used in the 19th century, this phrase refers to a LBD (little black dress).
Read a book set in or published in the 19th century, or with a dress on the cover.
The Fraud - Zadie Smith

6. Crunch the numbers: computer and electronics slang, meaning to calculate or analyze large amounts of numerical data for financial purposes.
Read a book about someone in STEM, or with a slang word or phrase in the title
Come and Get It - Kiley Reid

7. By the numbers: precise or planned, this phrase dates to a training book from the American Revolution.
Read a book set in or published in the 18th century, or a book involving strict precision/planning.
Time's Mouth - Edan Lepucki

8. Do a number on: to injure, embarrass, or harm someone or something, or to trick someone into believing something that is not true.
Read a book about someone who harms or is harmed by another, or about a trickster or con artist.
Death of a Bookseller - Alice Slater

9. Odd number: considered lucky in Russia.
Read a book about someone who is lucky, with an odd number in the title, or an odd numbered book from a series.
America Fantastica - Tim O'Brien

10. Even number: considered unlucky in Russia.
Read a book about someone who is unlucky, with an even number in the title, or an even numbered book from a series.
Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect - Benjamin Stevenson (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[February - Dragon Spells
goal: 10 books

J - Bad Cree - Jessica Johns
A - The Auburn Conference - Tom Piazza
B - Beautyland - Marie-Helene Bertino
B - The Bee Sting - Paul Murray
E - I Cannot Control Everything Forever: A Memoir of Motherhood, Science, and Art - Emily C. Bloom
R- The Rachel Incident - Caroline O'Donoghue
W - We Ride Upon Sticks - Quan Barry
O - There There - Tommy Orange
C - Poor Deer - Claire Oshetsky
K - Mobility - Lydia Kiesling (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[February - Literary Dragons
goal: 8 books read: 8 books

1. Saphira (Eragon) - Her name derives from the word 'sapphire', which is a deep blue colour. She was discovered in the mountains. Read a book with mountains on the cover or read a book with a blue color on the cover.
The Auburn Conference - Tom Piazza

2. Norberta (Harry Potter) - Previously named Norbert, she is a Norwegian Ridgeback dragon that Hagrid acquired as an egg. It was later discovered Norbert was female and renamed Norberta. Read a book that is set in Norway or a book by a transgender author.
Poor Deer - Claire Oshetsky

3. Ramoth (Dragonriders of Pern) - Ramoth is a queen dragon who establishes a telepathic bond with Lessa. Read a book with a queen in it or a book with paranormal elements.
Bad Cree - Jessica Johns

4. Smaug (The Hobbit) - A greedy and wicked golden-red dragon who slaughtered Thrór's dwarf clan along with the town of Dale and took the dwarves' treasure. Read a book that features a wicked character or a book that features any type of treasure.
Mobility - Lydia Kiesling

5. Toothless Daydream (How to Train Your Dragon) - A very small, young, bright green toothless dragon. He pretends to be a violent species called the Toothless Daydream, distant relations of the Monstrous Nightmare. Read a coming-of-age book or read a book where the main character disguises themselves as someone else.
Beautyland - Marie-Helene Bertino

6. Mushu (Mulan) - Fa Mulan's closest companion throughout the Mulan series and comic relief. He is a disgraced former family guardian who is demoted to the role of awakening the spirits of the ancestors and family guardians for failing to protect a family member. Read a book that features close friends or a book with spirits/ghosts in it.
The Librarianist - Patrick deWitt

7. Drogon (A Song of Fire and Ice) - A black-red dragon, hatched by Daenerys Targaryen. The largest and most vicious of her three dragons. Read a book with more than 400 pages or read a book with a dragon(s) in it.
The Bee Sting - Paul Murray

8. Draco (Drahonheart [movie]) - The last remaining dragon. Voiced by Sean Connery. Read a book that is the last in a series or read a book where the author's name (or main character) starts with "S" or "C".
The New Naturals - Gabriel Bump (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[January - Marathon challenge
goal: 15 books
1. North Woods - Daniel Mason
2. Airplane Mode: An Irreverent History of Travel - Shahnaz Habib
3. Cold People - Tom Rob Smith
4. The Violin Conspiracy - Brendan Slocumb
5. Brainwyrms - Allison Rumfitt
6. Eyeliner: A Cultural History - Zahra Hankir
7. Rabbit Hole - Kate Brody
8. Number Go Up: Inside Crypto's Wild Rise and Staggering Fall - Zeke Faux
9. Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult - Michelle Dowd
10. Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet - Taylor Lorenz
11. Scorched Grace - Margot Douaihy
12. Chain-Gang All-Stars - Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
13. Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant - Curtis Chin
14. Boys Weekend - Mattie Lubchansky
15. Monstrilio - Gerardo Samano Cordova
16. Beyond the Door of No Return - David Diop
17. The Birthday Party - Laurent Mauvignier (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[January - The Fates challenge
goal: 5 books completed: 9 (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Reading Challenge Q1 Winter Tourist Season
goal: 20 books completed: 20 books


1. Hell, Norway -- 1899 (-14.8F / -26.0C)
This village is named for the Old Norse word hellir, which means overhang or cliff cave. It is home to Stone Age rock carvings and an annual Blues in Hell music festival.
Read a book that involves music, is set in Norway, or has a mountain or cave on the cover.
The Violin Conspiracy - Brendan Slocumb

2. Naryn, Kyrgyzstan -- 2023 (-17.3F / -27.4C)
Named for the river Naryn, one branch the Great Silk Road went through here from ancient times through the Middle Ages. Visitors might enjoy the nearby Salkyn-Tor Nature Park or Son-Kol Lake.
Read a book set in the Middle Ages, featuring road travel, or set near a river, park, or lake.
Monstrilio - Gerardo Samano Cordova

3. Erzurum, Türkiye -- 2009 (-32.8F / -36C)
This city near the Black Sea is home to the Erzurum Citadel, Twin Minaret Madrasa, and Çobandede Bridge, all built in the 11th-13th centuries. The country’s top ski resorts are on Palandöken Mountain which can potentially operate from November to June.
Read a book that involves twins, is set near a ski resort, or has a bridge on the cover.
Chain-Gang All-Stars - Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

4. Anchorage, Alaska, United States -- 1947 (-38F / -38.9)
This city offers glacier viewing by boat or air, an abundance of wildlife including beluga whales, moose, and bears, and a museum featuring art of the native peoples.
Read a book with boat or air travel, about a large mammal, or written by an indigenous author.
Airplane Mode: An Irreverent History of Travel - Shahnaz Habib

5. Fraser, Colorado, United States -- 1962 (-43F / -41.7C)
Situated in the Rocky Mountains near the Continental Divide, this town offers dog sledding, tubing, snowmobiling, and snowshoeing. It sits at an elevation of 8,574 feet.
Read a book featuring winter sports, a division of any type, or published in 1962.
Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult - Michelle Dowd

6. Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States -- 1912 (-43F / -41.7C)
Visitors enjoy fishing, biking, hiking, camping, canoeing, skiing, snowboarding, horseback riding, and almost any winter activity. History buffs can visit forts, learn about the area’s military history, America’s westward expansion, and the local First Nations people.
Read a historical or western book, a book with a horse on the cover, or a book about indigenous peoples.
Beyond the Door of No Return - David Diop

7. Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia -- 1957 (-47F / -43.9)
This city has stunning Buddhist temples, a statue of Genghis Khan, and the Zaisan Hill Memorial, honoring fallen WWII Mongol and Russian allied soldiers. The museum features artifacts from the steppe nomads, the military, and Mongolian jewelry.
Read a book set during World War II, a book about a nomadic culture, or a book with a Buddhist character or author.
Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant - Curtis Chin

8. Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada -- 1879 (-54F / -47.8C)
Winnipeg hosts the Festival du Voyageur, named for the French fur traders who settled here. There are activities in both French and English, with music, food, and incredible ice and snow sculptures.
Read a book with any furry animal on the cover, a book originally written in French, or a book about a traveler.
North Woods - Daniel Mason

9. International Falls, Minnesota, United States -- 1909 (-55F / -48.3)
"The Icebox of the Nation" directly borders Canada. Residents enjoy a wacky winter festival called Icebox Days, which involves games, races, and midnight skiing. They also have frozen turkey bowling and the Freeze Your Gizzard 5K and 10K race.
Read a book set along a border, about a runner, or with a bird in the title or cover art.
Beautyland - Marie-Helene Bertino

10. Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States -- 1923 (-56F / -48.9C)
This city is the northernmost city in the United States. Since it’s above the Arctic Circle, the sun never drops below the horizon for 65 days in the summer, and doesn’t rise for 65 days in the winter. You can explore Iñupiat or Birnirk culture, and the famous whalebone arch known as the "Gateway to the Arctic."
Read a book about whales, a book where the weather has a major impact on the story, or a book set where the “midnight sun” or “polar night” phenomena occur (north of the Arctic Circle or south of the Antarctic Circle).
Cold People - Tom Rob Smith

11. Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada -- 1947 (-60F / -51.1C)
This city is 250 miles south of the Arctic Circle, with lots of First Nations history to explore and incredible Northern Lights displays. It was a huge town during the gold rush, and still has gold and diamond mines. It hosts the annual Snowking Festival, a month long arts celebration held in a snow castle with ice windows.
Read a book set in a castle, with gold or diamonds on the cover, or with a compass direction in the title.
Number Go Up: Inside Crypto's Wild Rise and Staggering Fall - Zeke Faux

12. Dudinka, Russia -- 1947 (-60F / -51.1C)
This very remote port city became an official settlement in 1667. Its major industry is shipping the nickel which is mined nearby. When the river freezes over in the winter, there's an annual ice breakup that requires deliberately flooding the port.
Read a set in Russia, with money in the title or cover art, or a book where flooding occurs.
The Bee Sting - Paul Murray

13. Astana, Kazakhstan -- 1893 (-60.9F / -51.6C)
Astana has been known in the past as Akmolinsk, Tselinograd, Akmola, and Nur-sultan. You can visit the Palace of Peace, which is a pyramid-shaped palace that houses a university, an opera house, a spiritual center, and more.
Read a book about someone with a name change, a book about spirituality, or with a palace or pyramid on the cover.
Brainwyrms - Allison Rumfitt

14. Coral Harbour, Nunavut, Canada -– 1975 (-63F / -52.8C)
This small Inuit community is on Southampton Island. The Sallirmiut people lived here from 500 BCE until the winter of 1902 when they were wiped out by typhus that arrived with a Scottish whaling vessel. There's a lot to do outdoors – hiking in the summer and ice fishing, dog sledding, and snowmobiling in winter.
Read a book where an illness impacts a population, a book by a Canadian author, or a book set on an island.
Boys Weekend - Mattie Lubchansky

15. Golmud, Qinghai, China -- 2023 (-63.4F / -53C)
This split city has two parts that don't touch and is at the start of the Qinghai-Tibet railroad. This “Sky Road’ is the highest railway in the world, and offers beautiful views of Gobi Desert, Kunlun Mountains, Tuotuo River, Tsonag Lake and Qiangtang Grassland.
Read a book with two or 2 in the title, featuring a train ride, or with a landscape on the cover.
The Auburn Conference - Tom Piazza

16. Harbin, China –- 2023 (-63.4F / -53C)
This city has buildings from the Byzantine, Russian, and Baroque architectural styles. It is home to the International Ice and Snow Festival, with ice buildings up to 164 feet (50 meters) high, which are lit up in beautiful colors at night, and snow sculptures longer than two football fields.
Read a book that involves art or architecture, with an icy or snowy cover, or set in China.
The Birthday Party - Laurent Mauvignier

17. Fairbanks, Alaska, United States -- 1934 (-66F / -54.4C)
Located in a valley in the interior of the state, Fairbanks is home to the University of Alaska Fairbanks. You can enjoy the Aurora Borealis from here, and in the summer, the sky stays light for almost 24 hours a day. It has commemorations of Alaska's Native history, hiking and skiing trails, it’s also not far to the North Pole.
Read a book set at a school, a book about polar explorers, or a book with the sun on the cover.
Scorched Grace - Margot Douaihy

18. Snag, Yukon, Canada -- 1947 (-81F / -62.8C)
The little village of Snag came about during the Klondike Gold Rush and consists of about 8-10 native families. When the record above was set, it is reported that a weather observer’s breath “fell to the ground in a white powder.”
Read a book set in a small village or town, with a cover that shows falling precipitation, or set during a gold rush.
Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet - Taylor Lorenz

19. Yakutsk, Russia -– 2023 (-83.9F / -64.4C)
Vendors who sell frozen fish here just lay them down outside, and they freeze instantly. They make accommodations here for the cold, like carpet on stairs to prevent slipping, insulating above ground gas pipes, and building houses on stilts so that they don't melt the permafrost.
Read a book translated from Russian, with a fish on the cover, or involving special accommodations or modifications.
Rabbit Hole - Kate Brody

20. Oymyakon, Sakha Republic, Russia -– 1924 (-96.2F / -71.2C)
This village in Eastern Siberia is the coldest permanently inhabited place on Earth. Many cars are kept running all the time so that the engines don't freeze. There is an annual "Pole of Cold Festival" here which celebrates the ethnic Yakut and Evenk cultures with dog sledding, reindeer races, and ice fishing.
Read a book with a car on the cover, a book about any ethnic culture/group, or with a cold word in the title (frozen, frigid, etc.)
Eyeliner: A Cultural History - Zahra Hankir (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Reading Challenge Q1 Winter Words
goal: 10 books
1. North Woods - Daniel Mason ("north," scenes set in deep winter)
2. Cold People - Tom Rob Smith ("cold," set in Antarctica)
3. The Violin Conspiracy - Brendan Slocumb (scenes set in snowy weather)
4. Rabbit Hole - Kate Brody (key scene set in snowy woods)
5. Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult - Michelle Dowd (many scenes set in winter storms & heavy snow)
6. Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant - Curtis Chin (several scenes set in Detroit in the winter)
7. The Birthday Party - Laurent Mauvignier (set in late winter)
8. The Librarianist - Patrick deWitt (key scene set during a heavy snowstorm)
9. Bad Cree - Jessica Johns (supernatural snow & frost)
10. The New Naturals - Gabriel Bump (character named Snow) (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Bibliopoly
goal: 80 books

Purple Properties:
🟪 2. Purple: Read a book with a wheelbarrow, garden tool or plant on the cover or in the title.
Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult - Michelle Dowd
🟪 4. Purple: Read a translated book originally written in a language other than your native tongue.
Beyond the Door of No Return - David Diop
House 1: The Birthday Party - Laurent Mauvignier
House 2: The Hundred-Year House - Rebecca Makkai
House 3: What You Are Looking For Is in the Library - Michiko Aoyama
House 4: Layers: A Memoir - Pénélope Bagieu
Hotel: Thirst - Marina Yuszczuk

Blue Properties:
🟦 7. Blue: Read a book with any type of hat or head wear on the cover or in the title.
Scorched Grace - Margot Douaihy
🟦 9. Blue: Read a book with an author or character whose sexual orientation is different from your own.
Brainwyrms - Allison Rumfitt
🟦 10. Blue: Read a book with any shade of blue on the cover or in the title.
Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet - Taylor Lorenz
House 1: Quietly Hostile: Essays - Samantha Irby
House 2: Big Swiss - Jen Beagin
House 3: The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store - James McBride
House 4: Memory Piece - Lisa Ko
Hotel: Diavola - Jennifer Marie Thorne

Pink Properties:
🌸 12. Pink: Read a book with any type of dog on the cover or in the title.
Menewood - Nicola Griffith
🌸 14. Pink: Read a book with an author or character whose nationality or birth country is different from your own.
Eyeliner: A Cultural History - Zahra Hankir
🌸 15. Pink: Read a book with any shade of pink on the cover or in the title.
We Ride Upon Sticks - Quan Barry
House 1: The Fetishist - Katherine Min
House 2: The Fraud - Zadie Smith
House 3: White Cat, Black Dog: Stories - Kelly Link
House 4: Study for Obedience - Sarah Bernstein
Hotel: China Rich Girlfriend - Kevin Kwan

Orange Properties:
🟠 17. Orange: Read a book with a ship or boat on the cover, or involving water travel.
Cold People - Tom Rob Smith
🟠 19. Orange: Read a book with an author or character whose religious or spiritual beliefs are different from your own.
Airplane Mode: An Irreverent History of Travel - Shahnaz Habib
🟠 20. Orange: Read a book with any shade of orange on the cover or in the title.
The Rachel Incident - Caroline O'Donoghue
House 1: Poor Deer - Claire Oshetsky
House 2: Devil Makes Three - Ben Fountain
House 3: Piglet - Lottie Hazell
House 4: The Night of the Storm - Nishita Parekh
Hotel: Same Bed Different Dreams - Ed Park

Red Properties:
🟥 22. Red: Read a book with a car, truck or bus on the cover, or involving a road trip.
Mobility - Lydia Kiesling
🟥 24. Red: Read a book with an author or character whose race or ethnicity is different from your own.
Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant - Curtis Chin
🟥 25. Red: Read a book with any shade of red on the cover or in the title.
The Other Black Girl - Zakiya Dalila Harris
House 1: Time's Mouth - Edan Lepucki
House 2: The Book of Love - Kelly Link
House 3: Rainbow Black - Maggie Thrash
House 4: This Other Eden - Paul Harding
Hotel: Worry - Alexandra Tanner

Yellow Properties:
🟨 27. Yellow: Read a book with a boot or shoe on the cover, or involving foot travel.
People Collide - Isle McElroy
🟨 28. Yellow: Read a book with an author or character who has a physical disability or impairment, an emotional or mental disorder, or a neurodivergent condition.
The Bee Sting - Paul Murray
🟨 30. Yellow: Read a book with any shade of yellow on the cover or in the title.
I Cannot Control Everything Forever: A Memoir of Motherhood, Science, and Art - Emily C. Bloom
House 1: Death of a Bookseller - Alice Slater
House 2: Three Rooms - Jo Hamya
House 3: Grief Is for People - Sloane Crosley
House 4: Ascension - Nicholas Binge
Hotel: Wish You Were Here - Rita Mae Brown

Green Properties:
🟩 32. Green: Read a book with a thimble, sewing or craft implement on the cover or in the title.
Blue Ruin - Hari Kunzru
🟩 33. Green: Read a book with an author or character whose gender is different from your own.
The New Naturals - Gabriel Bump
🟩 35. Green: Read a book with any shade of green on the cover or in the title.
Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect - Benjamin Stevenson
House 1: Come and Get It - Kiley Reid
House 2: Wandering Stars - Tommy Orange
House 3: The Knockout Queen - Rufi Thorpe
House 4: Monica - Daniel Clowes
Hotel: Piercing - Ryu Murakami

Dark Blue Properties:
🧿 38. Dark Blue: Read a book with any type of cat on the cover or in the title.
North Woods - Daniel Mason
🧿 40. Dark Blue: Read a book that won an award. (Which one?)
Bad Cree - Jessica Johns (ALA 2024 Youth Media Award, MacEwan Book of the Year)
House 1: There There - Tommy Orange (PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel, James Fenimore Cooper Prize, Center for Fiction First Novel Prize)
House 2: Blackouts - Justin Torres
House 3: Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials - Marion Gibson
House 4: Starter Villain - John Scalzi
Hotel: The Future - Naomi Alderman (2023 Goodreads Choice nominee)

Community Chest & Chance:
🎁 3. Community Chest: Participate in one of our Group Reads. (Which month and book?)
11/22/63 - Stephen King (June)
❓ 8. Chance: Read a book from your TBR shelf within the ten highest or lowest number of ratings.
Beautyland - Marie-Helene Bertino
🎁 18. Community Chest: Participate in one of our Readathons. (Which readathon? List one book you read for it.)
The God of the Woods - Liz Moore (I-Spy readathon)
❓ 23. Chance: Read a book from your TBR shelf among the ten oldest or newest additions.
The Violin Conspiracy - Brendan Slocumb
🎁 34. Community Chest: Participate in one of our Buddy Reads or TBR Twins. (Which activity? What book did you and your twin/buddies read?) Horrorstör - Grady Hendrix (buddy read, April)
❓ 37. Chance: Read a book from your TBR shelf within the ten highest or lowest average star rating.
The Librarianist - Patrick deWitt

Utilities:
💡 13. Electric Company: Read a book with a light source on the cover.
Boys Weekend - Mattie Lubchansky
🚿 29. Water Works: Read a book with any form of water on the cover.
Dayswork - Jennifer Habel & Chris Bachelder

Railroads:
🚂 6. Reading Railroad: Read a book from a celebrity book club list, such as Oprah, Reese Witherspoon, etc.
Chain-Gang All-Stars - Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
🚂 16. Pennsylvania Railroad: Read a book published under an author’s pen name.
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler - E.L. Konigsburg
🚂 26. B&O Railroad: Read a book with an author or title beginning with B or O. (Author’s first or last name; title’s first main word. Omit the, and, of, etc.)
Rabbit Hole - Kate Brody
🚂 36. Shortline Railroad: Read a book under 200 pages long.
The Auburn Conference - Tom Piazza

Misc. Squares:
🗺️ 1. Go: Read a book set on two or more continents.
Monstrilio - Gerardo Samano Cordova
💲 5. Tax: Read a book with money on the cover or in the title.
Number Go Up: Inside Crypto's Wild Rise and Staggering Fall - Zeke Faux
🔒 11. In Jail: Read a banned or challenged book.
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI - David Grann
🚘 21. Free Parking: Read a book of your choice. Anything goes! Julia - Sandra Newman
👮‍♂️ 31. Go to Jail: Read a crime fiction or true crime book.
America Fantastica - Tim O'Brien
💍 39. Luxury Tax: Read a book with a gemstone or precious metal on the cover or in the title.
Hild - Nicola Griffith (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Finish Line

I. Themes - Complete quotes related to our 2024 themes.
1. Naomi Novik, Uprooted
They come and go like seasons, the winter that gives…Grief Is for People - Sloane Crosley
2. Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows
Spring was moving in the air above and in…The Reformatory - Tananarive Due
3. John Green, Looking for Alaska
Every summer since I was little, I’ve gone to garage sales and bought…A Tale for the Time Being - Ruth Ozeki
4. Delia Owens, Where the Crawdads Sing
Autumn leaves don't fall, they…Come and Get It - Kiley Reid
5. Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore
Sometimes fate is like a small sandstorm that keeps...Piercing - Ryu Murakami
6. Ursula K. Le Guin, The Wave in the Mind
People who deny the existence of dragons are often…Strangers to Ourselves: Unsettled Minds and the Stories That Make Us - Rachel Aviv
7. Jim Butcher, Vignette
I have nightmares about hell, where all I do is add up numbers and try to…Headshot - Rita Bullwinkel
8. Aldous Huxley, Brave New World Revisited
An unexciting truth may be eclipsed by…The Bee Sting - Paul Murray
9. Tomi Adeyemi, Children of Blood and Bone
Their lies and lily-scented perfumes taint...The New Naturals - Gabriel Bump
10. Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl
But he turned our family life into an endless road trip with…White Cat, Black Dog: Stories - Kelly Link
11. Anne Rice, The Vampire Lestat
I'm Gentleman Death in silk and lace, come to put out…The Book of Love - Kelly Link
12. J.R.R Tolkien, The Hobbit
The mountain smoked beneath the moon; the dwarves, they heard…You Dreamed of Empires - Álvaro Enrigue
13. Rick Riordan, The Last Olympian
She wore her orange camp t-shirt and…Eyeliner: A Cultural History - Zahra Hankir
14. Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give
What's the point of having a voice if you're gonna be…The Fraud - Zadie Smith
15. Kathryn Stockett, The Help
All I’m saying is, kindness don’t have…Layers: A Memoir - Pénélope Bagieu

II. Opening Lines - Complete the book beginnings.
1. Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid’s Tale
We slept in what had once been…The Ministry of Time - Kaliane Bradley
2. Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451
It was a pleasure to…Worry - Alexandra Tanner
3. Alice Walker, The Color Purple
You better not never tell…The Violin Conspiracy - Brendan Slocumb
4. Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina
All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is…Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet - Taylor Lorenz
5. Min Jin Lee, Pachinko
History has failed us, but…I Cannot Control Everything Forever: A Memoir of Motherhood, Science, and Art - Emily C. Bloom
6. Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca
Last night I dreamt I went to…The Fetishist - Katherine Min
7. Kazuo Ishiguro, Klara and the Sun
When we were new, Rosa and I were… youthjuice - E.K. Sathue
8. Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God
Ships at a distance have every man’s…Biography of X - Catherine Lacey
9. Marcel Proust, Swann’s Way
For a long time, I went to bed… Beyond the Door of No Return - David Diop
10. S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders
When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I…Thirst - Marina Yuszczuk
11. Gabriel García Márquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude
Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was…One of Our Kind - Nicola Yoon
12. Cormac McCarthy, The Road
When he woke in the woods in the dark and cold of the night he’d…Wish You Were Here - Rita Mae Brown
13. Ashley Audrain, The Push
Your house glows at night like everything inside is…Wandering Stars - Tommy Orange
14. George Orwell, 1984
It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were...The Future - Naomi Alderman
15. Shirley Jackson, The Haunting of Hill House
No live organism can continue for long to… Airplane Mode: An Irreverent History of Travel - Shahnaz Habib

III. Closing Lines - Complete these book endings.
1. Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind
After all, tomorrow is…The Night of the Storm - Nishita Parekh
2. Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar
The eyes and faces all turned themselves towards…The Vaster Wilds - Lauren Groff
3. George Orwell, Animal Farm
The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and…All Things Are Too Small: Essays in Praise of Excess - Becca Rothfeld
4. Yann Martel,Life of Pi
Very few castaways can claim to have survived so long at…Boys Weekend - Mattie Lubchansky
5. Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea
The old man was dreaming about…Mobility - Lydia Kiesling
6. Jung Chang, Wild Swans
I was eager to embrace…The Other Black Girl - Zakiya Dalila Harris
7. Annie Proulx, Brokeback Mountain
There was some open space between what he knew and what he tried to…Memory Piece - Lisa Ko
8. Louisa May Alcott, Little Women
Oh, my girls, however long you may live, I never can wish you…Real Americans - Rachel Khong
9. L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
I'm so glad to be at…This Other Eden - Paul Harding
10. Kate Chopin, The Awakening
There was the hum of bees, and the musky odor of…Fruit of the Dead - Rachel Lyon
11. Stieg Larsson, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest
She opened the door wide and let him into her…North Woods - Daniel Mason
12. Lauren Weisberger, The Devil Wears Prada
And then, while the pretty brunette girl finished singing her verse, he…Scorched Grace - Margot Douaihy
13. Asne Seierstad, A Hundred and One Days
It floats through the balcony doors and makes the curtains…Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI - David Grann
14. Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast
But this is how Paris was in the early days when we were very…Cold People - Tom Rob Smith
15. Pearl S. Buck, The Good Earth
But over the old man's head they looked at each other and…The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook - Hampton Sides

IV. Songs - Complete these opening song lyrics.
1. Ed Sheeran, Bad Habits, 2021
Every time you come around, you know...This Won’t Help: Modest Proposals for a More Enjoyable Apocalypse - Eli Grober
2. BTS, Butter, 2021
Smooth like butter, like a…Big Swiss - Jen Beagin
3. Lady Gaga, Stupid Love, 2020
You’re the one that I’ve…Outlawed - Anna North
4. Pharrell Williams, Happy, 2014
It might seem crazy what I'm 'bout to…Study for Obedience - Sarah Bernstein
5. Rihanna, Diamonds, 2012
Find light in the beautiful…Bad Cree - Jessica Johns
6. Carly Rae Jepsen, Call Me Maybe, 2011
I threw a wish in…The Glow - Jessie Gaynor
7. Black Eyed Peas, I Gotta Feeling, 2009
I gotta feeling that tonight’s gonna be…Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials - Marion Gibson
8. Beyoncé, Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It), 2008
Up in the club, just broke up, I’m doing…The Birthday Party - Laurent Mauvignier
9. Eminem, Lose Yourself, 2002
His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are…The Knockout Queen - Rufi Thorpe
10. Sinéad O’Connor, Nothing Compares to U, 1990
It's been seven hours and fifteen days since you took…The Hundred-Year House - Rebecca Makkai
11. Prince, Let’s Go Crazy, 1984
Dearly Beloved, we have gathered here today to get…Brainwyrms - Allison Rumfitt
12. The Eagles, Hotel California, 1976
On a dark desert highway, cool wind in…Ascension - Nicholas Binge
13. The Mamas and the Papas, California Dreaming, 1965
All the leaves are brown and the sky is…Time's Mouth - Edan Lepucki
14. Elvis Presley, Heartbreak Hotel, 1956
Well, since my baby left me, well, I found a new…Stone Cold Fox - Rachel Koller Croft
15. Dooley Wilson, As Time Goes By, 1942
You must remember this, a kiss is…Kittentits - Holly Wilson

V. Idioms - Complete these idioms using your book titles.
1. Up a creek without a…Dayswork - Jennifer Habel & Chris Bachelder
2. As snug as a bug in a… Poor Deer - Claire Oshetsky
3. Look before you… People Collide - Isle McElroy
4. Throw caution to…The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store - James McBride
5. Stop beating around the… Death of a Bookseller - Alice Slater
6. It is always darkest before…We Ride Upon Sticks - Quan Barry
7. Don’t kill the goose that lays the…Piglet - Lottie Hazell
8. The pot calling the kettle… Quietly Hostile: Essays - Samantha Irby
9. Like a cat on a hot tin…Rabbit Hole - Kate Brody
10. Your guess is as good as… The Librarianist - Patrick deWitt
11. Too many cooks spoil the…Wolf at the Table - Adam Rapp
12. Two heads are better than…Devil Makes Three - Ben Fountain
13. All that glitters is not… Chain-Gang All-Stars - Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
14. Every dog has his…Blackouts - Justin Torres
15. A rising tide lifts all…Three Rooms - Jo Hamya (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[It's in the Cards

Ace of Wands: creation, willpower, inspiration, desire We Ride Upon Sticks - Quan Barry
Two of Wands: planning, making decisions, leaving home Hild - Nicola Griffith
Three of Wands: looking ahead, expansion, rapid growth Layers: A Memoir - Pénélope Bagieu
Four of Wands: community, home, celebration This Other Eden - Paul Harding
Five of Wands: competition, rivalry, conflict The Fetishist - Katherine Min
Six of Wands: victory, success, public reward Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect - Benjamin Stevenson
Seven of Wands: perseverance, defensive, maintaining control I Cannot Control Everything Forever: A Memoir of Motherhood, Science, and Art - Emily C. Bloom
Eight of Wands: rapid action, movement, quick decisions The Knockout Queen - Rufi Thorpe
Nine of Wands: resilience, grit, last stand America Fantastica - Tim O'Brien
Ten of Wands: accomplishment, responsibility, burden Dayswork - Jennifer Habel & Chris Bachelder
Page of Wands: exploration, excitement, freedom Big Swiss - Jen Beagin
Knight of Wands: action, adventure, fearlessness Horrorstör - Grady Hendrix
Queen of Wands: courage, determination, joy White Cat, Black Dog: Stories - Kelly Link
King of Wands: big picture, leader, overcoming Menewood - Nicola Griffith

Ace of Cups: new feelings, spirituality, intuition Thirst - Marina Yuszczuk
Two of Cups: unity, partnership, connection The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store - James McBride
Three of Cups: friendship, community, happiness The Hundred-Year House - Rebecca Makkai
Four of Cups: apathy, contemplation, disconnectedness Ascension - Nicholas Binge
Five of Cups: loss, grief, self-pity Bad Cree - Jessica Johns
Six of Cups: familiarity, happy memories, healing Memory Piece - Lisa Ko
Seven of Cups: searching for purpose, choices, daydreaming Monica - Daniel Clowes
Eight of Cups: walking away, disillusionment, leaving behind Worry - Alexandra Tanner
Nine of Cups: satisfaction, emotional stability, luxury Piglet - Lottie Hazell
Ten of Cups: inner happiness, fulfillment, dreams coming true What You Are Looking For Is in the Library - Michiko Aoyama
Page of Cups: happy surprise, dreamer, sensitivity Same Bed Different Dreams - Ed Park
Knight of Cups: following the heart, idealist, romantic The Future - Naomi Alderman
Queen of Cups: compassion, calm, comfort China Rich Girlfriend - Kevin Kwan
King of Cups: compassion, control, balance Study for Obedience - Sarah Bernstein

Ace of Swords: breakthrough, clarity, sharp mind Julia - Sandra Newman
Two of Swords: difficult choices, indecision, stalemate There There - Tommy Orange
Three of Swords: heartbreak, suffering, grief Grief Is for People - Sloane Crosley
Four of Swords: rest, restoration, contemplation Diavola - Jennifer Marie Thorne
Five of Swords: unbridled ambition, win at all costs, sneakiness The Other Black Girl - Zakiya Dalila Harris
Six of Swords: transition, leaving behind, moving on Time's Mouth - Edan Lepucki
Seven of Swords: deception, trickery, tactics and strategy Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI - David Grann
Eight of Swords: imprisonment, entrapment, self-victimization The New Naturals - Gabriel Bump
Nine of Swords: anxiety, hopelessness, trauma Poor Deer - Claire Oshetsky
Ten of Swords: failure, collapse, defeat Piercing - Ryu Murakami
Page of Swords: curiosity, restlessness, mental energy Blackouts - Justin Torres
Knight of Swords: action, impulsiveness, defending beliefs Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials - Marion Gibson
Queen of Swords: complexity, perceptiveness, clear-mindedness The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality - Amanda Montell
King of Swords: head over heart, discipline, truth The Fraud - Zadie Smith

Ace of Pentacles: opportunity, prosperity, new venture Come and Get It - Kiley Reid
Two of Pentacles: balancing decisions, priorities, adapting to change The Rachel Incident - Caroline O'Donoghue
Three of Pentacles: teamwork, collaboration, building Rainbow Black - Maggie Thrash
Four of Pentacles: conservation, frugality, security From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler - E.L. Konigsburg
Five of Pentacles: need, poverty, insecurity Three Rooms - Jo Hamya
Six of Pentacles: charity, generosity, sharing People Collide - Isle McElroy
Seven of Pentacles: hard work, perseverance, diligence Wandering Stars - Tommy Orange
Eight of Pentacles: apprenticeship, passion, high standards Death of a Bookseller - Alice Slater
Nine of Pentacles: fruits of labor, rewards, luxury Starter Villain - John Scalzi
Ten of Pentacles: legacy, culmination, inheritance The Book of Love - Kelly Link
Page of Pentacles: ambition, desire, diligence Devil Makes Three - Ben Fountain
Knight of Pentacles: efficiency, hard work, responsibility Wish You Were Here - Rita Mae Brown
Queen of Pentacles: practicality, creature comforts, financial security Quietly Hostile: Essays - Samantha Irby
King of Pentacles: abundance, prosperity, security The Night of the Storm - Nishita Parekh (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[The Fool: new beginnings, innocence, free spirit (reversed) Beyond the Door of No Return - David Diop
The Magician: willpower, desire, creation, manifestation Eyeliner: A Cultural History - Zahra Hankir
The High Priestess: intuitive, unconscious, inner voice Beautyland - Marie-Helene Bertino
The Empress: motherhood, fertility, nature Mobility - Lydia Kiesling
The Emperor: authority, structure, control, fatherhood (reversed) Number Go Up: Inside Crypto's Wild Rise and Staggering Fall - Zeke Faux
The Hierophant: tradition, conformity, morality, ethics Boys Weekend - Mattie Lubchansky
The Lovers: partnerships, duality, union Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet - Taylor Lorenz
The Chariot: direction, control, willpower Airplane Mode: An Irreverent History of Travel - Shahnaz Habib
Strength: inner strength, bravery, compassion, focus: The Birthday Party - Laurent Mauvignier
The Hermit: contemplation, search for truth, inner guidance Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult - Michelle Dowd
The Wheel of Fortune: change, cycles, inevitable fate Monstrilio - Gerardo Samano Cordova
Justice: cause and effect, clarity, truth (reversed) Chain-Gang All-Stars - Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
The Hanged Man: sacrifice, release, martyrdom The Violin Conspiracy - Brendan Slocumb
Death: end of cycle, beginnings, change, metamorphosis North Woods - Daniel Mason
Temperance: middle path, patience, finding meaning Scorched Grace - Margot Douaihy
The Devil: addiction, materialism, playfulness Brainwyrms - Allison Rumfitt
The Tower: sudden upheaval, broken pride, disaster Cold People - Tom Rob Smith
The Star: hope, faith, rejuvenation The Librarianist - Patrick deWitt
The Moon: unconscious, illusions, intuition The Bee Sting - Paul Murray
The Sun: joy, success, celebration, positivity The Auburn Conference - Tom Piazza
Judgement: reflection, reckoning, awakening Rabbit Hole - Kate Brody
The World: fulfillment, harmony, completion Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant - Curtis Chin (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[HAPPY 30K MEMBERS!
Duration: April 1 - May 31, 2024
goal: 20 books

Prompts
1. Read a book about a book club or other friend group. The Celebrants - Steven Rowley
2. Read a book that includes a party or anniversary celebration. Piglet - Lottie Hazell
3. Read a book that features a bibliophile, bookworm, librarian, or bookshop. Grief Is for People - Sloane Crosley
4. Read a book that was read for this challenge by another participant. Horrorstör - Grady Hendrix
5. Read something from this listopia, or a recommendation from a 30-year-old. Layers: A Memoir - Pénélope Bagieu
6. Pearl is a traditional 30th anniversary gift. Read a book with the word "pearl" in the title, with an author or character named Pearl, or with a gem on the cover. China Rich Girlfriend - Kevin Kwan
7. Read the 30th prompt in the Popsugar Challenge: A book with a one-word title you had to look up in the dictionary. Diavola - Jennifer Marie Thorne
8. Read the 30th prompt of Bibliopoly: A book with any shade of yellow on the cover or in the title. The Night of the Storm - Nishita Parekh
9. Read the 30th prompt of TBR Jar prompts: A book related to the yearly, quarterly, or monthly theme. Memory Piece - Lisa Ko
10. Read a book from the 300 section of Dewey Decimal: Social sciences. Leg: The Story of a Limb and the Boy Who Grew from It - Greg Marshall
11. Read one of the first 30 books on your TBR. Thirst - Marina Yuszczuk
12. Read a book which has been translated into 30 or more languages. Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI - David Grann
13. Read a book with at least 30 chapters or sections. Rainbow Black - Maggie Thrash
14. Read a book with over 30,000 ratings on Goodreads. What You Are Looking For Is in the Library - Michiko Aoyama
15. Read a book by an author who has written more than 30 books. Starter Villain - John Scalzi
16. Read a book with a title that has at least 30 characters, excluding spaces. The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality - Amanda Montell
17. Read a book that was written when the author was in their 30’s. The Knockout Queen - Rufi Thorpe
18. Read a book written by a writer who has been writing for at least 30 years. Monica - Daniel Clowes
19. Read a book published 30 years ago: 1994. Piercing - Ryu Murakami
20. Read a book with the letters T-H-I-R-T-Y-K in the title and/or author's name. White Cat, Black Dog: Stories - Kelly Link (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Q2 Reading Challenge - All About Spring

1. Goodbye winter. Read a book with “spring” in the title, that is set during spring, or that has a happy ending.
Starter Villain - John Scalzi

2. In your Easter bonnet. Read a book with a rabbit or an article of clothing on the cover, or that is about fashion.
Piercing - Ryu Murakami

3. April showers bring May flowers. Read a book that features a garden, or has flowers or an umbrella on the cover.
China Rich Girlfriend - Kevin Kwan

4. Spring is a time of renewal. Read a book about a new beginning or starting over, or that is related to birth or growth in some way.
Layers: A Memoir - Pénélope Bagieu

5. Daylight Saving Time begins in parts of the world. Read a book with "day” or “time” in the title, or a book where someone or something is saved or rescued.
White Cat, Black Dog: Stories - Kelly Link

6. Tulips and daffodils are among the first flowers to bloom in spring. Read a book with pink or yellow on the cover, a book set in the Netherlands, or the first book in a series.
Thirst - Marina Yuszczuk

7. Love is in the air. Read a romance novel or any novel in which two characters are in love.
The Night of the Storm - Nishita Parekh

8. Passover. Read a book with a Jewish author or main character or a book about family or faith.
Grief Is for People - Sloane Crosley

9. March, April, and May are the months of spring. Read any book that contains March, April, or May anywhere (title, author’s name, set in March, character name, with a parade or “march,” etc.)
Wish You Were Here - Rita Mae Brown

10. Farmer’s Market. Read a book set on a farm, that has something you would find at a farmer’s market on the cover, or a book that you got second-hand.
Rainbow Black - Maggie Thrash

11. Cherry blossoms. Read a book set in Japan or that has something associated with tea on the cover.
What You Are Looking For Is in the Library - Michiko Aoyama

12. Spring break. Read a book set in a school or university, with a character who is a teacher, or any book you think of as a beach read.
This Other Eden - Paul Harding

13. Earth Day. Read a book related to environmentalism (fiction or nonfiction), an e-book or audiobook, or read a book with a green spine or cover.
The Future - Naomi Alderman

14. Mardi Gras. Read a book with a character who is in disguise or is hiding something, a book with gold, green, or purple on the cover, or a book set in New Orleans.
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI - David Grann

15. Spring cleaning. Read a book in which a character is a housekeeper, butler, maid or gardener, or a book where something is “cleaned up,” “swept under the rug,” or otherwise hidden or cleared away.
Piglet - Lottie Hazell

16. St. Patrick’s Day. Read a book set in Ireland, about Irish immigrants, or with an author or character whose name is any variation of Patrick (Pat, Patricia, Patty, Paddy, etc.).
Horrorstör - Grady Hendrix

17. “In like a lion, out like a lamb.” Read a book with a character that is like a lion (strong, fierce, intimidating, etc.) or like a lamb (gentle, quiet, playful, etc.), or a book set in either Africa or New Zealand.
The Knockout Queen - Rufi Thorpe

18. Memorial Day. Read a book about memory, that has a soldier as a character, or a book that you've read before but don't really remember.
Memory Piece - Lisa Ko

19. Spring forward. Read a book set in the future or a book that jumps back and forth in time.
Monica - Daniel Clowes

20. Maypole. Read a book that is set in a wood or forest, or that has trees on the cover.
Study for Obedience - Sarah Bernstein (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Q2 Reading Challenge - TBR Spring Cleaning

📗 The thick - a book with more than 500 pages: Same Bed Different Dreams - Ed Park
📗 The thin - a book with less than 200 pages: Monica - Daniel Clowes
📗 The pretty - a book with a pretty cover: Thirst - Marina Yuszczuk
📗 The ugly - a book with an ugly cover: Grief Is for People - Sloane Crosley
📗 The unknown - a book with few reviews: Wolf at the Table - Adam Rapp
📗 The exotic - a book set in an unvisited place: White Cat, Black Dog: Stories - Kelly Link
📗 The tough - a book that's a challenging read: Study for Obedience - Sarah Bernstein
📗 The random - a book that you've chosen blindly: The Knockout Queen - Rufi Thorpe
📗 The old-timer - a book with more time waiting on your shelf: Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI - David Grann
📗 The ancient - a book written long ago: From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler - E.L. Konigsburg
📗 The sequel - a continuation: China Rich Girlfriend - Kevin Kwan
📗 The special - a must read: Rainbow Black - Maggie Thrash
📗 The good - a book with the best ratings: Layers: A Memoir - Pénélope Bagieu
📗 The bad - a book with the worst ratings: The Night of the Storm - Nishita Parekh
📗 The popular - a book with many reviews: What You Are Looking For Is in the Library - Michiko Aoyama
📗 The well-connected - a book that someone recommended: Memory Piece - Lisa Ko
📗 The cheap - a reduced-price book: Leg: The Story of a Limb and the Boy Who Grew from It - Greg Marshall
📗 The expensive - a high-priced book:A Tale for the Time Being - Ruth Ozeki
📗 The given - a free book: The Future - Naomi Alderman
📗 The new - a new release: Piglet - Lottie Hazell (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[July - The Road Less Traveled
July 1-31
read the books from my TBR with the fewest ratings

1. Spillage - Michael Gross (July 15/24 ratings)
2. The Climate Machine - Susan Kemp (July 15/8 ratings)
3. Do Something: Coming of Age Amid the Glitter and Doom of '70s New York - Guy Trebay (July 21/36 ratings)
4. Lovesick Blossoms - Julia Watts (July 22/42 ratings)
5. Glitter Saints: The Cosmic Art of Forgiveness, a Memoir - Robin Brown (July 23/29 ratings) (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[July - Road Tripping
July 1-31

1. On the Road (1957)
Kerouac’s classic book details his travels with his friends as they travel across America in this quintessential slice of countercultural Americana.
• Read a book about a group of friends, written by an author of the Beat Generation, or involving a road trip.
The Extinction of Irena Rey - Jennifer Croft

2. Travels with Charley: In Search of America (1962)
In 1960, John Steinbeck set out across America with his French poodle, Charley. Steinbeck's son said the reason for his journey was that he knew he was dying, and he wanted to see the country one last time.
• Read a book involving a pet, with a character who is seriously ill, or involving any kind of travel.
Fruit of the Dead - Rachel Lyon

3. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (1974)
Robert Pirsig’s book tells the story of a father and son motorcycle trip with a pair of friends but also delves into fundamental questions about how to live life and tries to reconcile science, religion and more.
• Read a book about a father and son, involving bikes, or about spirituality.
Interview with the Vampire - Anne Rice

4. Jupiter’s Travels (1979)
Ted Simon traveled by motorcycle over 63,000 miles through 45 countries in Africa, South America, Australia, and Asia before returning home to London.
• Read a book set on two or more continents, about any kind of exploration, or an adventure book.
Walk the Vanished Earth - Erin Swan

5. Blue Highways (1982)
Heat-Moon set out to travel along the smaller roads, marked blue on the map, in order to discover small-town America.
• Read a book set in a small town, with blue on the cover, or first published in the 1980s.
Eileen - Ottessa Moshfegh

6. The Kindness of Strangers: Penniless Across America (1996)
Mike McIntyre hitchhiked across the U.S. from San Francisco to Cape Fear without so much as a penny, so he would have to rely on complete strangers in order to find rides, eat, and have a place to sleep.
• Read a book involving any act of kindness, with a subtitle, or with any currency on the cover.
Nuclear War: A Scenario - Annie Jacobsen

7. Flaming Iguanas (1997)
Erika Lopez turns the "white man's road trip" trope on end with prose and illustrations that result in a wild and wonderful ride.
• Read a comedy, a book with a female main character, or a book written by a woman.
The Husbands - Holly Gramazio

8. American Nomads (2003)
Richard Grant wandered the American West documenting the lives of hobos, truckers, retirees, and hippies, contrasting them with historical characters, frontiersmen, and conquistadors, who wandered the same lands centuries ago.
• Read a book involving any kind of wanderer, set in the American West, or a historical fiction involving a conquistador.
Blue Ruin - Hari Kunzru

9. Killing Yourself to Live (2005)
Chuck Klosterman set out on a road trip across America exploring the deaths of famous musicians.
• Read a book involving music, a biography or memoir about a famous musician, or a book involving any kind of death.
I Love You So Much It's Killing Us Both - Mariah Stovall

10. Drive Nacho Drive (2014)
Brad van Orden and his wife Sheena quit their jobs and headed south in Nacho, their beat-up Volkswagen van, driving through Central America and South America to the “end of the earth” in Patagonia.
• Read a book with a couple as main characters, set in multiple countries, or with a van, car, or truck on the cover.
One Life - Megan Rapinoe (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[A Bouquet of Lilies
Duration: May 1 - May 31, 2024

Lily Varieties
Red - Tiny Ghost
Worry - Alexandra Tanner
Julia - Sandra Newman
Diavola - Jennifer Marie Thorne
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler - E.L. Konigsburg
Piercing - Ryu Murakami
Outlawed - Anna North
When Women Were Dragons - Kelly Barnhill
White - Casa Blanca
The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality - Amanda Montell
China Rich Girlfriend - Kevin Kwan
The Future - Naomi Alderman
Leg: The Story of a Limb and the Boy Who Grew from It - Greg Marshall
The Celebrants - Steven Rowley
Black - Night Rider
Same Bed Different Dreams - Ed Park
Wish You Were Here - Rita Mae Brown
Wolf at the Table - Adam Rapp
A Tale for the Time Being - Ruth Ozeki
My Dark Vanessa - Kate Elizabeth Russell (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Literary Lily
Duration: May 1 - May 31, 2024

Lily Potter: Harry Potter
Read a book by JK Rowling or a book featuring magic
The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality - Amanda Montell

Lily Bart: The House of Mirth
Read a book by Edith Wharton or a book with an emotion in the title
Worry - Alexandra Tanner

Lily the dragon: Temeraire
Read a book by Naomi Novik or a book featuring dragons
When Women Were Dragons - Kelly Barnhill

Lily Bloom: It Ends with Us
Read a book by Colleen Hoover or a hyped book
China Rich Girlfriend - Kevin Kwan

Lily: Mad Honey
Read a book by Jodi Picoult or a book featuring a trans character
Outlawed - Anna North

Lily and the Octopus
Read a book by Steven Rowley or a book where an animal is a main character.
The Celebrants - Steven Rowley

Lily: Dash and Lily
Read a book by Rachel Cohn or an epistolary book
A Tale for the Time Being - Ruth Ozeki

Tiger Lily: Peter Pan
Read a book by J.M. Barrie or a middle grade/young adult book
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler - E.L. Konigsburg

Lily Kintner: Lily Kintner
Read a book by Peter Swanson or a Goodreads Choice Award nominee for any year
The Future - Naomi Alderman

Lily Bard: Lily Bard
Read a book by Charlaine Harris or a cozy mystery
Wish You Were Here - Rita Mae Brown (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[June: Life Changes
June 1-30, 2024

Read books about people experiencing major life changes.
1. Headshot - Rita Bullwinkel (competing in what is, for several of the characters, the final boxing tournament of their lives)
2. Sociopath - Patric Gagne (memoir about growing up a sociopath)
3. Green Dot - Madeleine Gray (MC starts a new job, falls in love, moves to a new country, & has her heart broken)
4. The Reformatory - Tananarive Due (MC is unjustly sent to a hellish reform school)
5. The Vaster Wilds - Lauren Groff (MC flees her home & must survive alone in the wilderness)
6. The Ministry of Time - Kaliane Bradley (time travel & falling in love)
7. James - Percival Everett (MC escapes slavery)
8. The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches - Sangu Mandanna (MC moves, falls in love, finds new family, starts a business)
9. You Dreamed of Empires - Álvaro Enrigue (alternate history)
10. One of Our Kind - Nicola Yoon (MC moves, gives birth, & changes in other ways)
11. The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook - Hampton Sides (exploration, first contact, death)
12. 11/22/63 - Stephen King (time travel & the butterfly effect)
13. The Z Word - Lindsay King-Miller (a group of friends must survive a zombie apocalypse)
14. youthjuice - E.K. Sathue (MC quits a bad habit & ascends the corporate ladder)
15. Stone Cold Fox - Rachel Koller Croft (MC get engaged/married, changes jobs, has a baby, & re-connects with long-lost family)
16. Kittentits - Holly Wilson (a key character is released from prison, the MC makes new friends, runs away from home, & learns necromancy)
17. The Glow - Jessie Gaynor (MC takes a new job) (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[June - Change By Any Other Name
June 1-30, 2024

1. Accommodate: provide a service; to provide suitably.
Read a book in which a character accommodates guests, with a character who works in a service-related role, or with a main character who has a disability.
Sociopath - Patric Gagne

2. Adapt: to adjust oneself to different conditions; to transfer a work or story to film.
Read a book in which a character must adapt to a new environment or circumstances, or read a book that has been adapted for the stage or screen.
The Vaster Wilds - Lauren Groff

3. Alternate: to change back and forth between conditions, states, actions, etc.
Read a book with alternate timelines, in which the POV shifts between characters, or in which a character changes form (vampire, werewolf, shape-shifter, etc.)
The Ministry of Time - Kaliane Bradley

4. Development: growth; maturity; improvement.
Read a book in which a character ages from childhood to maturity or matures in some way over the course of the novel, with a child or teen main character, or a book with strong character development.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches - Sangu Mandanna

5. Diversify: spread out; branch out, expand.
Read a book from a genre you don’t usually read, that challenges you in some way, or that has a main character that is a different race or nationality from your own.
The Reformatory - Tananarive Due

6. Naturalize: confer citizenship upon; accustom; familiarize.
Read a book about immigrants or immigration, or read a book from a favorite author or genre.
Green Dot - Madeleine Gray

7. Translate: to turn from one language into another; to change the form, condition, nature.
Read a book in translation, or read a book in which a character or environment undergoes a major transformation.
You Dreamed of Empires - Álvaro Enrigue (alternate history)

8. Variation: the act, process, or accident of varying in condition, character, or degree.
Read a book with non-human characters, a retelling of a classic novel or fairy tale, or a book with a diverse cast of characters.
James - Percival Everett (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Around the Year Summer Reading Challenge

June
1. National Ballpoint Pen Day
June 10th, the anniversary of the patent filing. Fun fact: the world's most popular ball point is the Bic Crystal, which sells on average 57 pens per second.
a. A book with a writing utensil on the cover:
The Collective - Don Lee
b. A book written under a pen name: youthjuice - E.K. Sathue (pseudonym for Erin Mayer)
c. A book about a writer, bookseller, or librarian: Molly - Blake Butler (a memoir by the writer Blake Butler about his wife, Molly Brodak, a poet & memoirist who committed suicide in 2020)

2. National Prune Day
June 15th. Fun fact: prunes, the dried version of plums, were originally from China.
a. A book written by someone over the age of 60: 11/22/63 - Stephen King (the author was 63 the year the book was published)
b. A book with more than 400 pages: The Reformatory - Tananarive Due (573pp.)
c. A book with purple on the cover: One of Our Kind - Nicola Yoon

3. Let's Catch a Movie
The term 'blockbuster' was originally used to describe especially destructive bombs, and then came to mean shocking news stories. It's current use as a movie with huge box office returns is often attributed to producer Max Youngstein.
a. Author's initials can be found in BLOCKBUSTER FILM: Stone Cold Fox - Rachel Koller Croft (RKC)
b. A book that has been adapted into a movie or series: Eileen - Ottessa Moshfegh (feature-length film in wide release in December, 2023)
c. A book published in the last two years: Blue Ruin - Hari Kunzru (published in May, 2024)

4. Happy Birthday Paul Gauguin
Born on June 7th 1848 Gauguin was a French artist most known for his contributions to the Post-Impressionist and Symbolist movements. He lived in France, Peru, Martinique, Tahiti, and the Marquesas Islands.
a. A book with at least 4 colors on the cover: The Ministry of Time- Kaliane Bradley
b. A translated book: You Dreamed of Empires - Álvaro Enrigue (translated from Spanish)
c. A book with a seven in the page count: This Won’t Help: Modest Proposals for a More Enjoyable Apocalypse - Eli Grober (272pp.)

July
1. Happy Birthday Satchel Paige
Baseball pitcher Leroy R. (Satchel) Paige (1906-1982) was the first African American pitcher in the American League. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971.
a. A book whose author's initials appear in CURVEBALL: Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil - Ananda Lima (AL)
b. A book featuring a sport: Headshot - Rita Bullwinkel (boxing)
c. A book with a black main character: James - Percival Everett (narrator/protagonist is Black)

2. The Apollo Moon Landing
Apollo 11, the first manned landing on Earth's moon, touched down on the surface on July 20, 1969.
a. A book set in space: Walk the Vanished Earth - Erin Swan (set in part on Mars)
b. A book with the moon on the cover: The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches - Sangu Mandanna
c. A book published in the 1960s: Valley of the Dolls - Jacqueline Susann (published in 1966)

3. Let's Go on a Hike
Fun fact: Yellowstone National Park averages 1 bear attack per year, and there have only been 8 bear-caused fatalities in park history. For perspective that is 1 bear attack per 26.2 million park visits.
a. A book with a cover of a nature scene without people: The Extinction of Irena Rey - Jennifer Croft
b. A book set in a rural area: The Bullet Swallower - Elizabeth Gonzalez James (set in Dorado, Mexico & various rural locations throughout West Texas in 1894)
c. A book with an element of survival: The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder - David Grann (the true story of a few dozen men miraculously surviving being shipwrecked on a tiny, frozen island off the coast of Patagonia in the 1740s)

4. Dog Days of Summer
Fun fact: this phrase refers to the time when Sirius the dog star is visible in the sky.
a. A book with a dog on the cover: Spillage - Michael Gross
b. A book with a hot setting: The Z Word - Lindsay King-Miller (set in the fictional southern Arizona town of San Lazaro in July--many references to the hot weather)
c. An author's first book: Kittentits - Holly Wilson (debut novel/first book)

August
1. The Destruction of Pompeii
Pompeii was a Roman city that was buried under volcanic ash and pumice during the eruption of Mt Vesuvius on August 24, 79 CE. Because of the particular method of its destruction it is extremely well preserved and offers a unique look at life in the ancient Roman Empire.
a. A book featuring an ancient civilization: The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook - Hampton Sides (Cook came into contact with numerous indigenous civilization during his final journey, several of whom had never before encountered Europeans, including the Aboriginal people of Tasmania, indigenous tribes in what is now British Columbia, & of course, the Hawaiian islands, where he met his end)
b. A book with red on the cover: The Husbands - Holly Gramazio
c. A book set in a city: Green Dot - Madeleine Gray (Sydney, Australia)

2. Vacation Time
Fun fact: 60% of the Earth's lakes are located in Canada. Something to think about next time you're by a lake.
a. A book you've been meaning to read: Fruit of the Dead - Rachel Lyon (I've had an ARC for over six months!)
b. A book by a favorite author: The Vaster Wilds - Lauren Groff (been reading her since Arcadia in 2012)
c. A book set somewhere you would like to visit: Sociopath - Patric Gagne (Los Angeles, CA)

3. Let's Play a Game
Fun fact: In Chile the Clue character Mr. Green is named Chef Lettuce.
a. A book with multiple points of view: Anita de Monte Laughs Last - Xóchitl González (POV switches between the characters of Anita, Jack, & Raquel, across a timeline spanning several decades & planes of existence, throughout the book, swapping between first person & third person limited depending on which character is being featured.)
b. A book by an author whose initials appear in SCRABBLE: All Things Are Too Small: Essays in Praise of Excess - Becca Rothfeld (BR)
c. A book in a series: Interview with the Vampire - Anne Rice (book #1 of The Vampire Chronicles series)

4. Back to School Sales
Fun fact: in 2023 the average American household spent $890 on back to school shopping, according to an online survey. Ok, that one's not actually that fun.
a. A book borrowed from the library: The Glow - Jessie Gaynor (borrowed from Multnomah County Public Library)
b. A nonfiction book: One Life - Megan Rapinoe (soccer player Megan Rapinoe's memoir)
c. A book with a character in an educational setting: I Love You So Much It's Killing Us Both - Mariah Stovall (the majority of the book is set in the MC's memories of high school & college) (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[52 Book Club Summer Reading Challenge

OPENING CEREMONIES
1) Set in Paris: Blue Ruin - Hari Kunzru
2) Flame on the cover: This Won’t Help: Modest Proposals for a More Enjoyable Apocalypse - Eli Grober
3) Going for Gold: You Dreamed of Empires - Álvaro Enrigue

ATHLETICS:
4) 100M SPRINT: A short story collection: Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil - Ananda Lima
5) LONG JUMP: Audiobook is 15+ hours: The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook - Hampton Sides
6) STEEPLECHASE: Character is a spiritual leader: The Glow - Jessie Gaynor

INDIVIDUAL SPORTS:
7) BOXING: A strong opening hook: youthjuice - E.K. Sathue
8) WRESTLING: A heavy read: James - Percival Everett
9) FENCING: Dialogue with witty banter! Touche!: Green Dot - Madeleine Gray

GYMNASTICS:
10) BALANCE BEAM: About finding balance in life: Sociopath - Patric Gagne
11) UNEVEN BARS: Series with uneven number of books: Interview with the Vampire - Anne Rice
12) RINGS: Jewelry on cover: Stone Cold Fox - Rachel Koller Croft

WATER SPORTS
13) SYNCHRONIZED DIVING: A sports romance novel: The Art of Catching Feelings - Alicia Thompson
14) WATER POLO: A book that made a splash: 11/22/63 - Stephen King
15) BUTTERFLY: Plot featuring “butterfly effect”: The Ministry of Time - Kaliane Bradley

CYCLING:
16) ROAD CYCLING: Time period without modern transportation: The Vaster Wilds - Lauren Groff
17) TEAM PURSUIT: Featuring a group of friends: One of Our Kind - Nicola Yoon
18) CROSS-COUNTRY: Related to word “endurance”: The Reformatory - Tananarive Due

TEAM SPORTS:
19) HANDBALL: Author shares same last name as an Olympian: The Z Word - Lindsay King-Miller
20) VOLLEYBALL: Set in a country that wins a 2024 Olympic gold in Volleyball: Kittentits - Holly Wilson
21) FOOTBALL/SOCCER: Double letter word in title: The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches - Sangu Mandanna

CLOSING CEREMONIES:
22) At least four Olympic ring colors on cover: Headshot - Rita Bullwinkel
23) An author who hasn’t released a book in the past four years: Xala - Ousmane Sembéne
24) Memoir / Biography about an Olympian: One Life - Megan Rapinoe (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Q3 READING CHALLENGE - SUMMER GAMES

1. Fruit of the Dead - Rachel Lyon (includes sailing)
2. I Love You So Much It's Killing Us Both - Mariah Stovall (includes skateboarding)
3. Interview with the Vampire - Anne Rice (published in 1976)
4. The Husbands - Holly Gramazio (set in London)
5. Blue Ruin - Hari Kunzru (set in 2020)
6. Walk the Vanished Earth - Erin Swan (includes canoeing)
7. One Life - Megan Rapinoe (set, in part, at the 2012 London Games & the 2016 Rio Games)
8. Eileen - Ottessa Moshfegh (set in 1964)
9. Nuclear War: A Scenario - Annie Jacobsen (set & published in 2024)
10. The Extinction of Irena Rey - Jennifer Croft (includes fencing)
11. Spillage - Michael Gross (set in 1976)
12. The Climate Machine - Susan Kemp (published in 2024)
13. Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil - Ananda Lima (author is from Brazil)
14. The Bullet Swallower - Elizabeth Gonzalez James (set in Mexico)
15. Molly - Blake Butler (author is from Atlanta, Georgia, USA & most of the book is set there)
16. The Eyes Are the Best Part - Monika Kim (set in Los Angeles, California, USA)
17. Do Something: Coming of Age Amid the Glitter and Doom of '70s New York - Guy Trebay (author was born in 1952)
18. Lovesick Blossoms - Julia Watts (key part of story is set in New York, USA)
19. Glitter Saints: The Cosmic Art of Forgiveness, a Memoir - Robin Brown (includes cycling)
20. Whoever You Are, Honey - Olivia Gatwood (includes surfing)
21. I Hope This Finds You Well - Natalie Sue (set in Canada)
22. The Final Revival of Opal & Nev - Dawnie Walton (set in both 1972 & 2016)
23. Joan Is Okay - Weike Wang (set in 2020 & author was born in China)
24. The Girls - Emma Cline (published in 2016)
25. Xala - Ousmane Sembéne (first American publishing in 1976) (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Q3 READING CHALLENGE - SUMMER BUCKET LIST

1. Fruit of the Dead - Rachel Lyon (wear flip flops)
2. I Love You So Much It's Killing Us Both - Mariah Stovall (volunteer)
3. Interview with the Vampire - Anne Rice (visit relatives)
4. The Husbands - Holly Gramazio (watch fireworks)
5. Blue Ruin - Hari Kunzru (have a cocktail)
6. Walk the Vanished Earth - Erin Swan (plant a garden)
7. One Life - Megan Rapinoe (attend a wedding)
8. Eileen - Ottessa Moshfegh (try something new)
9. Nuclear War: A Scenario - Annie Jacobsen (helicopter ride)
10. The Extinction of Irena Rey - Jennifer Croft (eat ice cream)
11. Spillage - Michael Gross (attend a baseball game)
12. The Climate Machine - Susan Kemp (go fishing)
13. Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil - Ananda Lima (go on vacation)
14. The Bullet Swallower - Elizabeth Gonzalez James (sleep in a cabin)
15. Molly - Blake Butler (get a tattoo)
16. The Eyes Are the Best Part - Monika Kim (make a craft)
17. Do Something: Coming of Age Amid the Glitter and Doom of '70s New York - Guy Trebay (go to the beach)
18. Lovesick Blossoms - Julia Watts (share a banana split)
19. Glitter Saints: The Cosmic Art of Forgiveness, a Memoir - Robin Brown (sleep under the stars)
20. Whoever You Are, Honey - Olivia Gatwood (ride a rollercoaster)
21. I Hope This Finds You Well - Natalie Sue (throw a party)
22. The Final Revival of Opal & Nev - Dawnie Walton (attend a festival)
23. Joan Is Okay - Weike Wang (stock up on LaCroix)
24. The Girls - Emma Cline (go to a fair)
25. Xala - Ousmane Sembéne (plan a wedding) (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[SEPTEMBER - DISCOVERING THE SEVEN SUMMITS

🏔️ 1. Mount Everest - 8,849 m (29,032 ft): Earth's highest mountain above sea level, Everest is set in the Himalayan mountain range, with the China-Nepal border running across its summit. It attracts many climbers, and has become a pollution hot-spot.
Read a book set where people cross borders (literally or figuratively), one that involves climbing or tourism, or about pollution.
Wayward - Dana Spiotta

🍷 2. Aconcagua - 6,961 m (22,837 ft): This Andean mountain is located in the wine-making Mendoza Province of Argentina. It it has multiple glaciers, the longest of which is 10 km (6 mi) long.
Read a book set in South America, one that involves wine, or a book about climate.
The Wedding People - Alison Espach

🐻 3. Denali - 6,190 m (20,310 ft): This Alaskan mountain is the highest peak in North America. It has had a number of names from several languages, but in 2015, it officially went back to the name used by the local Koyukon people for centuries.
Read a book set in North America, about native people or culture, or involving some kind of name change.
Cahokia Jazz - Francis Spufford

🌋 4. Kilimanjaro - 5,895 m (19,341 ft): This dormant volcano in Tanzania is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest single free-standing mountain above sea level in the world.
Read a book set in Africa, about doing something solo, or in which fire or a volcano play an important role.
Margo's Got Money Troubles - Rufi Thorpe

🐧 5. Mount Vinson - 4,892 m (16,050 ft) : The highest peak in Antarctica, Vinson was first climbed in 1966-1967. During the summer season, there are 24 hours of sunlight, and the average temperature is −30 °C (−20 °F).
Read a book set in the 1960's, one set where there's a midnight sun or polar night, or a book with animals from either pole.
Lady Macbeth - Ava Reid

🐴 6. Mount Elbrus - 5,642 m (18,510 ft): This dormant volcano in the Caucasus Mountain range has two main peaks. Elbrus is either in Europe or Asia, depending on the boundary definition. The Titan Prometheus was punished here after stealing fire from the Greek gods to give to man. Both the eastern and western summits have been climbed with teams of horses.
Read a book involving horses, mythology, or with two authors.
The Changeling - Victor LaValle

⚪ 7. Mont Blanc - 4,806 m (15,766 ft): The 'white mountain' on the French-Italian border is the highest peak of the Alps. The peak was first climbed in 1786, marking the start of modern mountaineering, and the first Winter Olympics was held in neighboring Chamonix in 1924.
Read a book set in one of the eight Alpine countries, written between 1786 and 1924, or involving a sport played in the Winter Olympics.
Creation Lake - Rachel Kushner

💀 8. Mount Wilhelm - 4,509 m (14,793 ft): Based on current political boundaries, this is the tallest mountain in Oceania. A World War II bomber crashed into the mountain during a reconnaissance mission, and a number of climbers have perished during attempts to ascend Wilhelm.
Read a history or historical fiction book, one set in Oceania, or involving a death.
Madwoman - Chelsea Bieker

🏃‍♂️ 9. The shortest mountain on the list is the tallest on Australia's mainland. Its first recorded ascent was in 1840, but a cartographical error mislabeled it as Mount Townsend until 1940. This summit is the finish line for the 240 km (150 mi) Coast to Kosci ultramarathon.
Read a book set in Australia, about a runner, or involving a case of mistaken identity.
State of Paradise - Laura van den Berg

💰 10. Puncak Jaya - 4,884 m (16,024 ft): The world's 2nd largest gold mine is only 4 km (2.5 mi) from this peak, which is the highest island mountain in the world. Politically, this mountain lies in southeast Asia, but by biogeographical standards, it is part of the Australian continent and Oceania, leading to controversy among Seven Summits climbers.
Read a book set on an island, with gold in the cover or title, or involving a controversy.
Perfume & Pain - Anna Dorn

🗻 11. Mauna Kea - 4,207.3 m (13,803 ft): An inactive shield volcano on the island of Hawaii, the peaks are considered to be sacred in the Native Hawaiian religion. Despite this, 13 research telescopes have been built by 11 nations at this summit due to its elevation and environment. Livestock and game animals arrived with early European settlers, and have become feral, threatening native species on the island.
Read a book written by a Pacific Islander, involving astronomy or research, or some kind of ecological threat.
Every Drop Is a Man's Nightmare - Megan Kamalei Kakimoto (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[SEPTEMBER - SURPASSING ONE'S LIMITS

1. The Most - Jessica Anthony 144pp.
2. This Is Not Miami - Fernanda Melchor 160pp.
3. Macbeth - William Shakespeare 184pp.
4. The Night Guest - Hildur Knútsdottír 208pp.
5. State of Paradise - Laura van den Berg 224pp.
6. Mabon: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for the Autumn Equinox - Diana Rajchel 240pp.
7. Great Expectations - Vinson Cunningham 254pp.
8. Every Drop Is a Man's Nightmare - Megan Kamalei Kakimoto 272pp.
9. Splinters - Leslie Jamison 272pp.
10. Wayward - Dana Spiotta 288pp.
11. Bury Your Gays - Chuck Tingle 295pp.
12. Men Have Called Her Crazy: A Memoir - Anna Marie Tendler 304pp.
13. Unspeakable Home - Ismet Prcic 304pp.
14. Lady Macbeth - Ava Reid 320pp.
15. The Plot - Jean Hanff Korelitz 320pp.
16. Madwoman - Chelsea Bieker 336pp.
17. Margo's Got Money Troubles - Rufi Thorpe 348pp.
18. Perfume & Pain - Anna Dorn 352pp.
19. Snake Oil - Kelsey Rae Dimberg 352pp.
20. The Wedding People - Alison Espach 384pp.
21. Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend - M.J. Wassmer 384pp.
22. I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom - Jason Pargin 393pp.
23. Creation Lake - Rachel Kushner 416pp.
24. The Changeling - Victor LaValle 426pp.
25. Cahokia Jazz - Francis Spufford 455pp.

25/20
7635/7543 (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[AUGUST - SMOOTH AS SILK
(msg #19)

1. Smooth as silk – Read a book with a texture in the title (e.g., rough, fluffy, bumpy).

Ripe - Sarah Rose Etter

2. Dead as a doornail – Read a book with a door or window on the cover.

Interesting Facts about Space - Emily R. Austin

3. Easy as pie – Read a book with food in the title or on the cover.

Butter: A Novel of Food and Murder - Asako Yuzuki

4. Light as a feather – Read a book with a vehicle or animal that flies in the title or on the cover (e.g., airplane, balloon, bird).

The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession - Michael Finkel

5. Blind as a bat – Read a book with an animal in the title or on the cover.

Sister Snake - Amanda Lee Koe

6. Happy as a clam – Read a book with a sea creature in the title or on the cover.

The Pisces - Melissa Broder

7. Cute as a button – Read a book with an article of clothing in the title or on the cover.

The Coin - Yasmin Zaher

8. Hard as a rock – Read a book with a mineral or rock in the title or on the cover.

The Hypocrite - Jo Hamya

9. Clean as a whistle – Read a book with a noise in the title (e.g., whistle, song, rumble).

Hum - Helen Phillips

10. Hot as hell – Read a book with a red cover or a mythical creature on the cover.

The Great Divide - Cristina Henríquez (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[AUGUST - FOLLOW THE SILK ROAD

1. The Coin - Yasmin Zaher (Palestine/silver & gold)
2. Sister Snake - Amanda Lee Koe (China & Singapore)
3. Butter: A Novel of Food and Murder - Asako Yuzuki (Japan)
4. Ripe - Sarah Rose Eetter (pomegranate)
5. The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession - Michael Finkel (France & Germany/flute) (hide spoiler)]

Q4 Reading Challenge - Fall Into Books: Autumn Reading Party

Back to School: Read books set in a school or with an academic theme.
I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself - Marisa Crane
Trust Exercise - Susan Choi
Blessings - Chukwuebuka Ibeh
How We Named the Stars - Andrés N. Ordorica
Orchard Outing: Choose books set in an orchard or involving fruits and harvest.
The Bog Wife - Kay Chronister
Oktoberfest: Find books with a festive or cultural celebration.
Gold Fame Citrus - Claire Vaye Watkins
Samhain: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for Halloween - Diana Rajchel
Death Makes a Holiday: A Cultural History of Halloween - David J. Skal
It’s a Killer Thriller Night: Pick thrillers or mystery novels.
Good Girl, Bad Blood - Holly Jackson
The Final Girl Support Group - Grady Hendrix
Clean - Alia Trabucco Zéran
Monster Mash: Select books featuring monsters or supernatural elements.
Dracula - Bram Stoker
Changeless - Gail Carriger
The Fox Wife - Yangszee Choo
Dearest - Jacquie Walters
Mongrels - Stephen Graham Jones
Memorials - Richard Chizmar
She's Always Hungry: Stories - Eliza Clark
Angeline - Anna Quinn
Sweater Weather: Read cozy books set in fall or winter.
Misinterpretation - Ledia Xhoga
A Novel Obsession - Caitlin Barasch
Woodland Wander: Choose books with a forest or nature setting.
Weyward - Emilia Hart
The Empusium: A Health Resort Horror Story - Olga Tokarczuk
What Lies in the Woods - Kate Alice Marshall
Playground - Richard Powers
Orbital - Samantha Harvey
Enjoy the Golden Season: Find books that embrace autumn coziness.
Intermezzo - Sally Rooney
Help Wanted - Adelle Waldman
The Book of George - Kate Greathead
Fall Foliage: Read books with a vivid autumn setting or cover.
American Rapture - C.J. Leede
Remembrance Day: Select books related to historical events or honoring memories.
Colored Television - Danzy Senna
Remember You Will Die - Eden Robins
The Mermaid - Christina Henry
The Lightning Bottles - Marissa Stapley
How Does That Make You Feel, Magda Eklund? - Anna Montague
The Repeat Room - Jesse Ball
Season of the Swamp - Yuri Herrera
The Last Love Note - Emma Grey
Happy Thanksgiving: Choose books about gratitude or family gatherings.
We'll Prescribe You a Cat - Syou Ishida
Model Home - Rivers Solomon
Blood Test: A Comedy - Charles Baxter
Rental House - Weike Wang
Days Until Christmas: Pick books with a holiday theme or set during the festive season.
I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness - Claire Vaye Watkins
The Writing Retreat - Julia Baartz

(view spoiler)[Q4 Reading Challenge - Balancing It Out

Generating Cycle: 🌲 → 🔥 → 🌱 → 🔧 → 🌊 → 🌲 → …

Wood: Water nourishes Wood, the element of spring. It is associated with birth, growth, movement, wind, and the color green.
🌲 Read a book set in spring, about new birth (literally or figuratively), or involving wind or movement.
Dearest - Jacquie Walters
🌲 Read a book with green on the cover or in the title.
Model Home - Rivers Solomon

Fire: Wood fuels fire, which is the element of heat, summer, nature at its peak, growth, passion and hate in human relationships, and the color red.
🔥 Read a book that takes place in summer, a romance, or a book that examines hate or prejudice.
Colored Television - Danzy Senna
🔥 Read a book with red on the cover or in the title.
Erasure - Percival Everett

Earth: Fire creates Earth (Ash), which is connected to harvest time, nourishment, fertility, mother-child relationships and stability. It is represented by the color yellow, like the sun and ripened crops.
🌱 Read a book about cooking, or a book that features parent-child relationships.
I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself - Marisa Crane
🌱 Read a book with yellow on the cover or in the title.
A Novel Obsession - Caitlin Barasch

Metal: Earth contains Metal, which is connected to autumn, gravity, minerals within the earth, heavenly bodies, electrical conductivity, and magnetism. It has structure but can adapt new forms by melting.
🔧 Read a book where set in autumn, or where gravity, minerals, or heavenly bodies play an important role.
The Empusium: A Health Resort Horror Story - Olga Tokarczuk
🔧 Read a book with white on the cover or in the title.
Clean - Alia Trabucco Zéran

Water: Metal can carry Water, which is connected to Winter. It is the source of life, flowing, yielding but powerful, silent and still, It is connected to the colors blue and black.
🌊 Read a book set in winter, where water or ice play an important role, or a book set on water.
Playground - Richard Powers
🌊 Read a book with blue or black on the cover or in the title.
We'll Prescribe You a Cat - Syou Ishida

Controlling Cycle: 🌲 → 🌱 → 🌊 → 🔥 → 🔧 → 🌲 → …

Wood: Metal penetrates Wood, which represents plants, trees, and basic bodily functions such as respiration, heartbeat, etc. It is associated with the East, the planet Jupiter, and symbolized by an Azure Dragon.
🌲 Read a book where the East is important in some way, including the planet Jupiter, or a book with dragons.
The Fox Wife - Yangsze Choo
🌲 Read a book with plants or trees on the cover, or a book involving the heart or lungs.
All Fours - Miranda July

Earth: Wood can break the Earth, which is connected to the change of seasons. It is said to be patient, reliable, logical and governed by duty to others. It is related to the taste of sweetness, the planet Saturn, and birds that prefer the comfort of the earth.
🌱 Read a book about change, about the rights or freedoms of others, or a book about sweets.
Nightbitch - Rachel Yoder
🌱 Read a book that features Saturn, birds, or the change of seasons.
Weyward - Emilia Hart

Water: Earth absorbs Water, the fluid that maintains the health of every cell. Water is quiet, cold, and represents the resting time of winter. It is considered the most feminine of the elements and is very powerful, moving around obstacles in its path. It can nourish and cleanse, but at times can be very dangerous.
🌊 Read a medical book, or one with health advice, a book about feminism, or one that takes place in the North.
The Final Girl Support Group - Grady Hendrix
🌊 Read a book with water on the cover, or a book about some kind of catastrophe.
Gold Fame Citrus - Claire Vaye Watkins

Fire: Water quenches Fire, which is associated with the South, the planet Mars, and the sense of taste.
🔥 Read a book that includes the South or Southern Countries, or the planet Mars,
Trust Exercise - Susan Choi
🔥 Read a book which includes the taste bitter, or about a character's bitterness.
Good Girl, Bad Blood - Holly Jackson

Metal: Fire can melt Metal. Its color is white, and it is determined, forceful, unyielding, and reserved. It represents the West, the planet Venus, and is associated with the taste of spiciness.
🔧 Read a book involving the West, or where a character has persistence and determination to achieve a goal.
Misinterpretation - Ledia Xhoga
🔧 Read a book where the planet Venus plays a role, or involving something spicy.
Changeless - Gail Carriger

🌱 Earth 🌱
Season: Change of Seasons / Transformation
Associated with: harvest time, abundance, nourishment, fertility, mother-child relationships, stability/reliability, logic, governed by duty to others
Color: Yellow
Body: digestive system, sense of taste
Direction: Center
Planet: Saturn
Taste: Sweet
Symbol: Yellow Dragon or birds that prefer the comfort of the earth (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Around the Year Fall Reading Challenge
November 30

P - Perfume & Pain - Anna Dorn
U - Unlikeable Female Characters: The Women Pop Culture Wants You to Hate - Anna Bogutskaya
M - Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend - M.J. Wassmer
P - The Plot - Jean Hanff Korelitz
K - Snake Oil - Kelsey Rae Dimberg
I - I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom - Jason Pargin
N - The Night Guest - Hildur Knútsdottír

S - Macbeth - William Shakespeare
P - Erasure - Percival Everett
I - I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself - Marisa Crane
C - Colored Television - Danzy Senna
E - The Wedding People - Alison Espach

L - State of Paradise - Laura van den Berg
A - Lady Macbeth - Ava Reid
T - Men Have Called Her Crazy: A Memoir - Anna Marie Tendler
T - Bury Your Gays - Chuck Tingle
E - Every Drop Is a Man's Nightmare - Megan Kamalei Kakimoto

F - Cahokia Jazz - Francis Spufford
A - The Most - Jessica Anthony
M - Misinterpretation - Ledia Xhoga
I - We'll Prescribe You a Cat - Syou Ishida
L - The Changeling - Victor LaValle
Y - The Fox Wife - Yangsze Choo

G - Great Expectations - Vinson Cunningham
A - All Fours - Miranda July
T - This Is Not Miami - Fernanda Melchor
H - Good Girl, Bad Blood - Holly Jackson
E - Family Lore - Elizabeth Acevdeo
R - Model Home - Rivers Solomon
I - Intermezzo - Sally Rooney
N - Nightbitch - Rachel Yoder
G - Gold Fame Citrus - Claire Vaye Watkins

H - The Final Girl Support Group - Grady Hendrix
O - The Empusium: A Health Resort Horror Story - Olga Tokarczuk
T - Trust Exercise - Susan Choi

A - Clean - Alia Trabucco Zerán
P - Playground - Richard Powers
P - Unspeakable Home - Ismet Prcic
L - Splinters - Leslie Jamison
E - Weyward - Emilia Hart

C - Madwoman - Chelsea Bieker
I - I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness - Claire Vaye Watkins
D - Data Baby: My Life in a Psychological Experiment - Susannah Breslin
E - Entitlement - Rumaan Alam
R - Creation Lake - Rachel Kushner (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[NOVEMBER - RAISING OUR VOICES

1. A book with a first-person narrator or a non-human narrator: Model Home - Rivers Solomon

2. A book with a character who is a teacher or detective: The Fox Wife - Yangszee Choo

3. A book with a child narrator or an elderly narrator: How Does That Make You Feel, Magda Eklund? - Anna Montague

4. A book with multiple narrators or dual POVS: Intermezzo - Sally Rooney

5. A book written in diary/letter/report format or a distinctive narrative style: Remember You Will Die - Eden Robins

6. A book with a character who is a librarian or a book about books: American Rapture - C.J. Leede

7. A book with a character who is a poet or singer: The Lightning Bottles - Marissa Stapley

8. A book with a silent protagonist or an activist
Clean - Alia Trabucco Zéran

9. A book with a character who is a journalist or storyteller
Playground - Richard Powers

10. A book with a character who is a writer or a strong female voice
I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness - Claire Vaye Watkins

NOVEMBER - VOICES UNBOUND

V - Varied Narrators: Read books with an unconventional narrator. This could be a first-person account from an unusual perspective, like a child, an animal, or an inanimate object.
Remember You Will Die - Eden Robins

O - Own Voices: Read books by a diverse or marginalized author whose main character shares that same trait with the author.
Model Home - Rivers Solomon

I - Intergenerational Voices: Read books that span multiple generations or perspectives.
Playground - Richard Powers

C - Contemporary Voices: Read recent bestsellers or critically acclaimed books published in the last five years.
The Fox Wife - Yangsze Choo

E - Empowered Voices: Read books that feature characters who overcome significant challenges or find their voice in the face of adversity.
Dearest - Jacquie Walters

S - Sympathetic Voices: Read books that are geared towards human emotion and relationships.
Clean - Alia Trabucco Zéran (hide spoiler)]



(view spoiler)[OCTOBER - SHADES OF ORANGE

1.
2.
3.
4.
5. (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[OCTOBER - SUGAR RUSH

1. M&M's: The idea for M&M's came from a candy (Smarties) soldiers were eating during the Spanish Civil War.
Read a book set in Spain or by a Spanish author, or read a book with a title that starts with an "M".
Misinterpretation - Ledia Xhoga

2. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups: One of the most popular candies in the world, Reese's is available in many varieties.
Read a book that is a bestseller or read a book that is part of a series.
Good Girl, Bad Blood - Holly Jackson

3. Hershey Bar: The Hershey company made chocolate bars for the military.
Read a horror or dark tale, or a book involving war or a military member.
Weyward - Emilia Hart

4. Snickers: Named after a horse. Sold under the name Marathon in the UK and Ireland.
Read a book with a horse on the cover or read a book about any type of running, whether it's a marathon or running from someone/something.
Gold Fame Citrus - Claire Vaye Watkins

5. Kit Kat: Kit was the name of the cat on Charmed. Kit Kats are especially popular in Japan.
Read a book featuring witches or a cat, or read a book set in Japan.
We'll Prescribe You a Cat - Syou Ishida

6. Twix: Commonly packaged with two bars.
Read a book by two authors or read a book featuring twins.
I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself - Marisa Crane

7. Twizzlers: Neil Armstrong craved Twizzlers while on the moon.
Read a book with a twist or read a book featuring the moon.
The Empusium: A Health Resort Horror Story - Olga Tokarczuk

8. Skittles: Rainbow theme packaging. Invented in the UK.
Read a book with an LGBTQ+ character or author, or read a book set in the UK.
Changeless - Gail Carriger

9. 3 Musketeers: Named after the novel The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, originally with three flavors—chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla.
Read a book with a number in the title or one featuring a sword.
All Fours - Miranda July

10. Baby Ruth: Named after baseball legend Babe Ruth, this candy bar has appeared in many TV shows and movies.
Read a book about sports or one adapted into a TV show or movie.
Nightbitch - Rachel Yoder (hide spoiler)]

199. Trust Exercise - Susan Choi
200. Samhain: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for Halloween - Diana Rajchel
201. What Lies in the Woods - Kate Alice Marshall
202. Death Makes a Holiday: A Cultural History of Halloween - David J. Skal
203. A Novel Obsession - Caitlin Barasch
204. Entitlement - Rumaan Alam
205. The Fox Wife - Yangsze Choo
206. Model Home - Rivers Solomon
207. Dearest - Jacquie Walters
208. Clean - Alia Trabucco Zéran
209. Playground - Richard Powers
210. Unlikeable Female Characters: The Women Pop Culture Wants You to Hate - Anna Bogutskaya
211. Intermezzo - Sally Rooney
212. I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness - Claire Vaye Watkins
213. Remember You Will Die - Eden Robins
214. American Rapture - C.J. Leede
215. The Bog Wife - Kay Chronister
216. The Mermaid - Christina Henry
217. Blood Test: A Comedy - Charles Baxter
218. The Lightning Bottles - Marissa Stapley
219. How Does That Make You Feel, Magda Eklund? - Anna Montague
220. Mongrels - Stephen Graham Jones
221. Prophet Song - Paul Lynch
222. Blessings - Chukwuebuka Ibeh
223. Memorials - Richard Chizmar
224. The Repeat Room - Jesse Ball
225. Season of the Swamp - Yuri Herrera
226. The Book of George - Kate Greathead
227. Help Wanted - Adelle Waldman
228. She's Always Hungry: Stories - Eliza Clark
229. How We Named the Stars - Andrés N. Ordorica

ATY WINTER '24/'25 CHALLENGE

December 1-February 28

- Fits one of the last 4 prompts on the 2024 list
- Fits one of the first 4 prompts on the 2025 list
- Has a mostly white cover
- Is on a Best of 2024 list
- Is set in the snow
- Is by an author you've read before
- Features a winter holiday
- Is nonfiction
- Is written by an author whose first or last initial can be found in WINTER
- Has a mostly blue cover
- Is a speculative fiction novel
- Features family drama
- Has fire on the cover
- Is written by a BIPOC author
- Is a love story