Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

This week is largely a personal choice. But for the sake of not leaving anyone hanging, here's a few lists that may inspire you.

-----------------------------------
Suggestions:
Popsugar: Most Anticipated Books out in 2018
Book Riot: 101 Books Coming Out in 2018 that you Should Mark Down Now
Time Magazine's All-Time 100 Novels
Buzzfeed: The 24 Best Fiction Books of 2017
-----------------------------------

Optional questions:
- What are you reading for this category?
- Where are you getting your expectations from?

For this category I chose 2 and REALLY want to try and read both...
The Enchanted, which got almost straight 5 star reviews from one of my other groups ( those who didn't give it 5, gave it 4), and I snagged a kindle edition recently for $1.99 on Book Bub so I'm super excited.

Also, My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward, which is probably going to be an intensely personal and difficult read for me, but I'm hoping to gain some hope and insight from it.

I think I might choose La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman for this. I loved the His Dark Materials trilogy and I’ve been looking forward to this ever since its publication date was confirmed.

Another book on my shortlist is The House of the Spirits. I haven’t read anything by Isabel Allende before and everyone I know who has read this book has loved it.

BRAVE
Still Me
The Great Alone
The Cruel Prince

These are all highly anticipated books for 2018 but ones for other years would be:

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
A Man Called Ove
Looking for Alaska
The Enchanted

The Book Thief... I still havent read this

No One Ever Asked

I put down Glass Sword for this one. I enjoyed the first one, so I'm looking forward to this one. It should be a fun read.

Somebody Else's Kids I have read Torey Hayden before and find her books to be very facinating, they are based on true stories. I bought this book recently from a fleamarket and have high hopes for it.

The Leavers. I have read and heard great things about this book.

I just finished Fall of Giants and rated it 5 stars, so I will most likely read Winter of the World, book 2 in the series. I expect it will be equally good!

For this week I am choosing 199 Cemeteries to See Before You Die
by Loren Rhoads. I have always enjoyed visiting cemeteries, first as a genealogist and later as a geocacher. The stories they tell, and the sense of history they leave me with, makes for an interesting experience.

What are you reading for this category?
The Fourth Bear, by Jasper Fforde


Where are you getting your expectations from?
One of my besties, with whom I share similar tastes in books, has raved about this book for ages. It's his favourite book. It also has a rating of 4.07 on Goodreads.

Pam wrote: "I just finished Fall of Giants and rated it 5 stars, so I will most likely read Winter of the World, book 2 in the series. I expect it will be equally good!"

I absolutely loved the whole series and I hope you will too!

I might have to do this category late, because I have high expectations for My Plain Jane, but it doesn’t come out until June 26!

The Refugees

The World According to Garp

I'm excited for Record of a Spaceborn Few, The Great Alone, and Spinning Silver. Unfortunately, only The Great Alone will be released in time if I read this prompt in order...

Okay, I've never read this so I'm hoping it's betting than To kill a mockingbird.

John Steinbeck –

I heard Beth Underdown discuss her novel The Witchfinder’s Sister and was immediately hooked.

- What are you reading for this category? Origin by Dan Brown
- Where are you getting your expectations from? Because I've really enjoyed the other books in the series.

While looking for another week's book I found this series Charlie M. The caption has be hoping it will be very fun. This was actually my 2nd choice as the book I really have high expectations for does not have a release date yet. Peace Talks

- What are you reading for this category?
Jonh Green's new book Turtles All the Way Down
- Where are you getting your expectations from?
I loved The Fault in Our Stars, so I'm hoping this one is going to be as good

I just finished Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda.

When this book came out, it was EVERYWHERE. The blogs blew up, it won all kinds of awards, it was THE book to read.

I picked it up at Walmart for $8 last week and read it in 3.5 hours today. I enjoyed it. It was warm and fuzzy, and, despite everything, hopeful. It didn't exactly live up to my expectations -- the writing was not superb, and the content wasn't super insightful. It did entertain me and make me think just a little, and it did warm my heart, so I definitely think it was worth the time I took to read it.

I'm starting The Rules of Magic.
It came up for a Book of the Month for my bookclub on Goodreads. I'm a fan of anything that centers around magic and witches. I keep seeing good reviews so I was very excited. I've read a few pages so far and am very happy for far.

What are you reading for this category?

Where are you getting your expectations from?
I was looking for a love story for my book club and in the search I came upon this one. The description sounded great and the comparison to Love Story was definitely exciting. It let me down.

Finished 2/4/18

Plainsong
This book is tenderly written, and I gulped it down in one sitting. There is one story line that caught me off guard (if I was cranky and it was a different author, I'd be rolling my eyes), but because the writing is so lovely I forged ahead and let myself be taken in by the wonderful and kind characters.

What are you reading for this category?
The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared

Where are you getting your expectations from?
The book store owner. I was browsing and picked this one up and he made a comment saying it was a brilliant book!

I’m going to read Big Little Lies for this prompt. I recently watched the tv show and absolutely loved it so I definitely have high expectations for the book! 🤞🏻

Before We Were Yours intrigued me from the very first time I read about it. The subject matter, especially being based on a true story, really fascinated me.Since my library didn't then have a copy I bought my own - and my book buying budget is extremely limited. I'm glad I did since I loved it and can envisage myself rereading it - and I tend not to re-read a lot since there are always so many book and never enough reading time.

- What are you reading for this category? What You Want To See
- Where are you getting your expectations from? I read her first book The Last Place You Look last year and really enjoyed it. I love mysteries and it was that part of the book good but more so i just connected with her writing and characters.

I read Eliza and Her Monsters for this prompt. I've seen it spoken very highly of on booktube, and I've actually owned it for a little while also. It was very good. Didn't get 5 stars from me, but still a very fun read.

- What are you reading for this category?


- Where are you getting your expectations from?
I had high expectations after reading a high review. By the half of the book I was bored and at the end of the book the high expectations were not met.

- What are you reading for this category?
Hell in a Handbasket by Denise Grover Swank

- Where are you getting your expectations from?
I am very invested in this series and each new book becomes my favorite. This book definitely exceeded my expectations.

Last Night
by Kerry Wilkinson
already read it, just updating late , 4/24/18
I heard that the author was good so when I saw it on Netgalley I requested it , and I have to say i'll be picking up more books by her when I can

Effi Briest by Theodor Fontane
I'm reading this classic in translation and have high hopes. I like books with titles that are the name of a character.

I chose Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson for this prompt. I absolutely loved the first 2 books of the Stormlight Archives series (which is quickly becoming one of my favourite fantasy series of all time), so I have high expectations for the third one! I’m already about a third of the way in and it’s amazing, although veeeeryyy long (55 hours of audiobook 😨).

I'm reading The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith - I read the first in the series, The Cuckoo's Calling, last year and it was one of my favourites for the year, so definitely high expectations for this one.

I am currently reading Tears of the Giraffe, by Alexander McCall Smith. I absolutely loved The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency, and as the follow up in this series I have high expectations for this too. So far it has not disappointed. I love the writing and the humour within it. Alexander McCall Smith is quickly turning into a favourite of mine.

What are you reading for this category?
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
- Where are you getting your expectations from?
The time period, the fantasy aspects, the fact that a friend bought it for me thinking I would love it and a niece recommended it for the same reason.

- What are you reading for this category?
A Gentleman in Moscow
- Where are you getting your expectations from?
I've heard nothing but gushing about this book.. I"m glad it met my high expectations

- What are you reading for this category?
I am reading The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman
- Where are you getting your expectations from?
This is the third volume of the Dark Materials series, and I enjoyed the first two, and this promises to complete the fantasy world building (and the story).

- What are you reading for this category?
Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

- Where are you getting your expectations from?
I love both of the authors and everyone I know who has read it has enjoyed it.

I think I might pick Red Clocks for this week. I do have high hopes for it considering I bought it.

For this prompt I picked Queen Sugar by Natalie Baszile. . I had high expectations because a friend said it was the best book she read in the year it came out.
I gave it 4 stars. It was a very good story, had some good characters, and I very much enjoyed it.
I’d also recommend this book for the warm atmosphere prompt, as it takes place in the very very warm weather of Louisiana. It would also be good for those reading a book for every State in the US.

I've chosen The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende for this week. I've heard wonderful things about her writing, but my high expectations are mostly because of Marina - she loved this so much, and as our tastes are quite similar, I have really high hopes that I will too. No pressure, Marina. 😉

What are you reading for this category? Glass Houses by Louise Penny
Where are you getting your expectations from?
I've read every book in the Inspector Gamache series and have loved every one.

I read Saving Fish from Drowning by Amy Tan - I have enjoyed several of her books before and as this one was set in Burma, it had a double attraction. I loved it, and was surprised to see so many bad reviews on Goodreads. To me it was a good story, very well told, with so much intelligent humour. I smiled all the way through!

Meddling Kids was one of my favorite books of 2017 so I had very high hopes for the author's other English book The Supernatural Enhancements. I was loving it most of the way through but the ending was a bit of a let down. I still gave it 4 stars, but I fell disappointed. I'll still be on the lookout for future releases from Cantero.

I read The Marsh King's Daughter by Karen Dionne. My expectations were from the description of the plot. I bought it in hardcover when it came out and had not had the opportunity to get to it.

I loved it!

What are you reading for this category?
Kiss the Girls

Where are you getting your expectations from?
I enjoyed the movie and have read other books from the author and enjoyed them. This was the second book in the Alex Cross series and I really enjoyed the first.

I enjoyed this book also.