Around the Year in 52 Books discussion
2019 Plans
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Bryony's "fluff, mysteries and fun" 2019 plan
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🥅 General reading goals for 2019 🥅✔️ 🌟Complete the Around the Year in 52 books challenge (52/52)
✔️ 🌟 Read at least five books about parenting / child development / education (5/5)
🌟 At least 50% of my reading to be books I already own (7/39 = 18%)
🌟 Read at least five books that are 500+ pages long (3/5)
Series to continue with
Hercule Poirot series by Agatha Christie
James Bond series by Ian Fleming
Miss Marple series by Agatha Christie
Isabel Dalhousie series by Alexander McCall Smith
Kurt Wallander series by Henning Mankell
Jackson Brodie series by Kate Atkinson
Hannah Swensen series by Joanne Fluke
Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch
Paddington Bear series by Michael Bond
Authors I'd like to read more in 2019
Colm Tóibín
Sebastian Faulks
Stephen King
John le Carré
Kate Atkinson
Reading recordJanuary
Around the Year in 52 Books
❊ Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear ⭐️⭐️⭐️
❊ What Mothers Do: especially when it looks like nothing by Naomi Stadlen ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
❊ The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz ⭐️⭐️⭐️
❊ Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
❊ Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler ⭐️⭐️
February
Around the Year in 52 Books
❊ The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
❊ Knots and Crosses by Ian Rankin ⭐️⭐️
Side reads
❊ The Snowman by Michael Morpurgo ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
❊ The Railway Children by E. Nesbit ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
❊ Secrets of the Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg ⭐️⭐️⭐️
March
Around the Year in 52 Books
❊ Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks by Annie Spence ⭐️⭐️
❊ Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Side reads
❊ The Gentle Potty Training Book: The calmer, easier approach to toilet training by Sarah Ockwell-Smith ⭐️⭐️⭐️
❊ The Furthest Station by Ben Aaronovitch ⭐️⭐️
❊ Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World by William H. McRaven ⭐️⭐️
April
Around the Year in 52 Books
❊ Siblings Without Rivalry by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
❊ The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
❊ Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Side reads
❊ I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life by Anne Bogel ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
May
Around the Year in 52 Books
❊ The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
❊ Educated by Tara Westover ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
❊ A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
❊ Three Act Tragedy by Agatha Christie ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
❊ Calm Parents, Happy Siblings: How to stop the fighting and raise friends for life by Laura Markham ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Shortlist for prompts 1-261. A book that was nominated for or won an award in a genre you enjoy
❊ The Power by Naomi Alderman 💎
❊ The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters
❊ The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling
❊ Inferno by Dan Brown 🌐
❊ The Ghost Road by Pat Barker
✔️ ❊ Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear (Macavity Award, best first mystery novel; Agatha Award, best first mystery novel) 🌐
2. A book with one of the 5 W's in the title (Who, What, Where, When, Why)
✔️ ❊ What Mothers Do: especially when it looks like nothing by Naomi Stadlen 💎
❊ Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
❊ Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor 🌐
❊ Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
❊ What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver (re-read) 💎
❊ What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty 🌐
❊ Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
❊ The Man Who Smiled by Henning Mankell 💎
3. A book where the author’s name contains A, T, and Y
❊ Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty 🌐
❊ All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr 🌐
✔️ ❊ The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz
❊ The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
❊ A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
❊ For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway
4. A book with a criminal character (i.e. assassin, pirate, thief, robber, scoundrel etc)
✔️ ❊ Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
❊ Artemis by Andy Weir 💎
❊ The Alienist by Caleb Carr
❊ American Gods by Neil Gaiman
5. A book by Shakespeare or inspired by Shakespeare
✔️ ❊ New Boy by Tracy Chevalier Read in 2018
✔️ ❊ Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler 🌐
❊ Dunbar by Edward St. Aubyn 🌐
6. A book with a dual timeline
❊ The House at Riverton by Kate Morton
❊ The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
✔️ ❊ 🔝 The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton 🌐
❊ The Distant Hours by Kate Morton 💎
7. 2 books related to the same topic, genre, or theme: Book #1
❊ 🔝 (a) Calm Parents, Happy Siblings by Laura Markham
❊ (b) Good Ideas: How to be Your Child's Best Teacher by Michael Rosen 📚
❊ (c) Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever by Mem Fox
❊ (d) Montessori Read Write by Lynne Lawrence
8. 2 books related to the same topic, genre, or theme: Book #2
❊ 🔝 (a) Siblings Without Rivalry by Adele Faber
❊ (b) Brain Rules for Baby: How to Raise a Smart and Happy Child from Zero to Five by John Medina
❊ (c) The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease
❊ (d) Montessori Play And Learn by Lesley Britton
9. A book from one of the top 5 money making genres (romance/erotica, crime/mystery, religious/inspirational, science fiction/fantasy or horror)
✔️ ❊ The Endless Beach by Jenny Colgan Read in 2018
❊ The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey 💎
❊ Dissolution by C.J. Sansom 📚
✔️ ❊ Knots and Crosses by Ian Rankin 💎
The Bat by Jo Nesbø 💎
One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson 🌐
10. A book featuring an historical figure
❊ The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory 💎
❊ The Bletchley Girls by Tessa Dunlop 📚
❊ Dissolution by C.J. Sansom 💎
❊ Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel
11. A book related to one of the 12 Zodiac Chinese Animals (title, cover, subject)
❊ The Trouble with Goats and Sheep by Joanna Cannon
❊ The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
❊ Life of Pi by Yann Martel
❊ The Rooster Bar by John Grisham
❊ The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
❊ The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga 💎
12. A book about reading, books or an author/writer
❊ The Little Shop of Happy Ever After by Jenny Colgan
❊ The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald 💎
❊ On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King (re-read)
13. A book that is included on a New York Public Library Staff Picks list
❊ Artemis by Andy Weir 💎
❊ Circe by Madeline Miller
14. A book with a title, subtitle or cover relating to an astronomical term
❊ The Toymakers by Robert Dinsdale 💎
❊ Artemis by Andy Weir 💎
❊ Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch
❊ A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers
❊ Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers
❊ The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
15. A book by an author from a Mediterranean country or set in a Mediterranean country
❊ The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah 💎
❊ All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
❊ Chocolat by Joanne Harris
❊ Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris 💎
16. A book told from multiple perspectives
❊ The Help by Kathryn Stockett
❊ An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
❊ Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult
❊ Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward 💎
❊ The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin 💎
❊ Small Island by Andrea Levy 💎
17. A speculative fiction (i.e. fantasy, scifi, horror, dystopia)
❊ The Night Masquerade by Nnedi Okorafor
❊ The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey 💎
❊ Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks 📚
❊ The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks 💎
18. A book related to one of the elements on the periodic table of elements
❊ The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick 💎
❊ The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
❊ The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements by Sam Kean
19. A book by an author who has more than one book on your TBR
❊ Milly Johnson
❊ Jenny Colgan
❊ Agatha Christie
❊ Henning Mankell
❊ Joanne Fluke
❊ Alexander McCall Smith
❊ Ian Rankin
❊ Kate Morton
❊ Robert Ludlum
❊ Philippa Gregory
❊ Ken Follett
❊ Becky Chambers
❊ Iain Banks
❊ Iain M. Banks
❊ Jane Austen
20. A book featuring indigenous people of a country
❊ The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera
❊ State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
❊ There There by Tommy Orange
21. A book from one of the polarizing or close call votes
The first book on your TBR, sorted by whichever criteria you choose
❊ The Racer: Life on the Road as a Pro Cyclist by David Millar (1st book when sorting my TBR by date marked as to-read)
A book related to or set in a national capital city
The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton
Two books - one inspired by the word high and one inspired by the word low
❊ The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett (high page count)
❊ Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton (low page count)
3 books that are a trilogy or part of a series
❊ Knots and Crosses by Ian Rankin
❊ Hide and Seek by Ian Rankin
❊ Tooth and Nail by Ian Rankin
❊ Molloy by Samuel Beckett
❊ Malone Dies by Samuel Beckett
❊ The Unnamable by Samuel Beckett
A book of short stories, essays, or poems
❊ The Book of Liverpool: A City in Short Fiction by Eleanor Rees
❊ Old City, New Rumours by Ian Gregson
A Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction winner or shortlist
22. A book with a number in the title or on the cover
❊ How To Talk So Little Kids Will Listen: A Survival Guide to Life with Children Ages 2-7
❊ Siblings Without Rivalry
❊ 11/22/63 by Stephen King
❊ Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
❊ The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
❊ The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
❊ Three Things About Elsie by Joanna Cannon 💎
23. 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #1 Something Old
❊ (a) The South by Colm Tóibín
❊ (b) The Birds And The Bees by Milly Johnson
❊ (c) A Small Town in Germany by John le Carré 💎
24. 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #2 Something New
❊ (a) House of Names by Colm Tóibín
❊ (b) The Mother of All Christmases by Milly Johnson
❊ (c) Paris Echo by Sebastian Faulks 💎
25. 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #3 Something Borrowed
❊ (a) The Testament of Mary by Colm Tóibín
❊ (b) The Queen of Wishful Thinking by Milly Johnson
❊ (c) Circe by Madeline Miller 💎
26. 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #4 Something Blue
❊ (a) The Master by Colm Tóibín
❊ (b) A Winter Flame by Milly Johnson
❊ (c) Us Against You by Fredrik Backman 💎
Shortlist for prompts 27-5227. A book off of the 1001 books to read before you die list
❊ Atonement by Ian McEwan 📚
❊ White Teeth by Zadie Smith
❊ The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
❊ The Hours by Michael Cunningham 💎
❊ The Ghost Road by Pat Barker
❊ Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks
❊ The Secret History by Donna Tartt
❊ The Heather Blazing by Colm Tóibín
❊ The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks 💎
❊ Beloved by Toni Morrison 💎
❊ Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson
❊ The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood 🌐
❊ The Color Purple by Alice Walker 💎
❊ The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco 📚
❊ Smiley's People by John le Carré 💎
❊ Kiss of the Spider Woman by Manuel Puig
❊ Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré
❊ A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute
❊ Borstal Boy by Brendan Behan
28. A book related to something cold (i.e. theme, title, author, cover, etc.)
❊ There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather: A Scandinavian Mom's Secrets for Raising Healthy, Resilient, and Confident Kids by Linda Åkeson McGurk 🎧
✔️ ❊ An Island Christmas by Jenny Colgan 💎
❊ If on a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino
29. A book published before 1950
✔️ ❊ Peril at End House by Agatha Christie
❊ Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery
❊ The Good Soldier by Ford Madox Ford 💎
30. A book featuring an elderly character
❊ The Summer Book by Tove Jansson
❊ The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson 🌐
❊ Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout 💎
❊ The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry 💎
❊ The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
31. A children’s classic you’ve never read
❊ The Moomins and the Great Flood by Tove Jansson
32. A book with more than 500 pages
❊ All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
❊ 11.22.63 by Stephen King
❊ The White Lioness by Henning Mankell 💎
33. A book you have owned for at least a year, but have not read yet
❊ Last Child In The Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv 💎
❊ Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks
❊ The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: Travels through My Childhood by Bill Bryson
❊ Our Kind of Traitor by John le Carré
❊ Walk the Lines: The London Underground, Overground by Mark Mason
❊ Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
❊ Atonement by Ian McEwan
❊ Quantum Of Solace; by Ian Fleming
❊ No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
34. A book with a person's name in the title
✔️ ❊ Lord Edgware Dies by Agatha Christie
❊ My Name is Leon by Kit de Waal
❊ Smiley's People by John le Carré 💎
❊ The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum 💎
❊ Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder 💎
35. A psychological thriller
❊ Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan 💎
❊ The Driver's Seat by Muriel Spark
36. A book featured on an NPR Best Books of the Year list
❊ Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
❊ Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman 💎
37. A book set in a school or university
❊ The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey 💎
❊ Class: Welcome to the Little School by the Sea by Jenny Colgan
❊ The Secret History by Donna Tartt
❊ The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark
38. A book not written in traditional novel format (poetry, essay, epistolary, graphic novel, etc)
❊ Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder 💎
❊ If on a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino
❊ The Book of Liverpool: A City in Short Fiction by Eleanor Rees
39. A book with a strong sense of place or where the author brings the location/setting to life
❊ The Book of Liverpool: A City in Short Fiction by Eleanor Rees
✔️ ❊ The Endless Beach by Jenny Colgan
❊ A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles 💎
❊ The Little Shop of Happy Ever After by Jenny Colgan
40. A book you stumbled upon
❊ Good Ideas: How to be Your Child's Best Teacher by Michael Rosen
41. A book from the 2018 GR Choice Awards
✔️ ❊ Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
❊ Circe by Madeline Miller 💎
❊ The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah 💎
❊ The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn 💎
❊ The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin 💎
❊ Us Against You by Fredrik Backman 💎
42. A book with a monster or "monstrous" character
❊ The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman 💎
❊ The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman 💎
❊ La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman
43. A book related to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) [fiction or nonfiction]
❊ Artemis by Andy Weir 💎
❊ State of Wonder by Ann Patchett 💎
44. A book related in some way to a tv show/series or movie you enjoyed (same topic, same era, book appeared in the show/movie, etc.)
Billions
❊ Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue 💎
Both set in New York and have characters involved in the financial services industry
Mad Men - characters shown reading these books
❊ Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence
❊ The Group by Mary McCarthy
❊ USA: The 42nd Parallel / 1919 / The Big Money by John Dos Passos
❊ The Godfather by Mario Puzo
45. A multi-generational saga
❊ The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett 💎
❊ Winter of the World by Ken Follett
❊ Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson
46. A book with a (mostly) black cover
❊ A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers
❊ Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan 💎
❊ The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern 💎
47. A book related to food (i.e. title, cover, plot, etc.)
✔️ ❊ Peach Cobbler Murder by Joanne Fluke
❊ Friends, Lovers, Chocolate by Alexander McCall Smith
❊ Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson
48. A book that was a finalist or winner for the National Book Award for any year
❊ To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
❊ The Color Purple by Alice Walker💎
❊ The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen
❊ The Tiger's Wife by Téa Obreht 📚
❊ All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr 🌐
❊ Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward 🌐
49. A book written by a Far East Asian author or set in a Far East Asian country
❊ Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
50. A book that includes a journey (physical, health, or spiritual)
❊ A History of Loneliness by John Boyne 💎
❊ Full Circle by Michael Palin
❊ Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
51. A book published in 2019
❊ The Secret Commonwealth by Philip Pullman
❊ Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James
52. A book with a weird or intriguing title
❊ The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
Abandoned plans!Just so I can keep a record of it and in case anyone else is interested, here's where I got to with planning a list using only books published in the eighteenth century or earlier.
Note: I had to stretch some of the prompts quite a bit to find something that fits - eg I'm not sure that anyone was using the phrase "psychological thriller" in the eighteenth century. ;-)
I do want to read all of these at some point, but 2019 won't be the year!
1. A book that was nominated for or won an award in a genre you enjoy
2. A book with one of the 5 W's in the title (Who, What, Where, When, Why)
Twelfth Night, or What You Will by William Shakespeare (1601)
3. A book where the author’s name contains A, T, and Y
The Spanish Tragedy by Thomas Kyd (1592)
4. A book with a criminal character (i.e. assassin, pirate, thief, robber, scoundrel etc)
Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe (1722)
5. A book by Shakespeare or inspired by Shakespeare
Hamlet by William Shakespeare (1603)
6. A book with a dual timeline
7. 2 books related to the same topic, genre, or theme: Book #1
Paradise Lost by John Milton
8. 2 books related to the same topic, genre, or theme: Book #2
The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser
9. A book from one of the top 5 money making genres (romance/erotica, crime/mystery, religious/inspirational, science fiction/fantasy or horror)
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by Unknown (14tg century CE)
10. A book featuring an historical figure
Lives of Noble Grecians and Romans 1 by Plutarch (2nd century CE)
11. A book related to one of the 12 Zodiac Chinese Animals (title, cover, subject)
The Mabinogion by Unknown (15th century)
12. A book about reading, books or an author/writer
The Battle of the Books by Jonathan Swift (1704)
13. A book that is included on a New York Public Library Staff Picks list
The Odyssey by Homer (8th century BCE)
14. A book with a title, subtitle or cover relating to an astronomical term
15. A book by an author from a Mediterranean country or set in a Mediterranean country
Gargantua and Pantagruel by François Rabelais (1532)
16. A book told from multiple perspectives
The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio (14th century CE)
17. A speculative fiction (i.e. fantasy, scifi, horror, dystopia)
The Blazing World by Margaret Cavendish (1666)
18. A book related to one of the elements on the periodic table of elements
The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
19. A book by an author who has more than one book on your TBR
20. A book featuring indigenous people of a country
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
21. A book from one of the polarizing or close call votes
22. A book with a number in the title or on the cover
The Arabian Nights: Tales of 1,001 Nights
23. 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #1 Something Old
The Epic of Gilgamesh by Anonymous (c 21st century BCE)
24. 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #2 Something New
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1605)
25. 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #3 Something Borrowed
26. 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #4 Something Blue
27. A book off of the 1001 books to read before you die list
Aesop's Fables by Aesop
28. A book related to something cold (i.e. theme, title, author, cover, etc.)
The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare
29. A book published before 1950
The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri
30. A book featuring an elderly character
King Lear by William Shakespeare
31. A children’s classic you’ve never read
The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
32. A book with more than 500 pages
Clarissa, or, the History of a Young Lady by Samuel Richardson
33. A book you have owned for at least a year, but have not read yet
Antigone by Sophocles
34. A book with a person's name in the title
Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded by Samuel Richardson
35. A psychological thriller
Les Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos
36. A book featured on an NPR Best Books of the Year list
Replace with a book with N, P, R in the title
The Misanthrope by Molière
37. A book set in a school or university
The Governess; or, The Little Female Academy by Sarah Fielding
38. A book not written in traditional novel format (poetry, essay, epistolary, graphic novel, etc)
The Poetry of Petrarch by Francesco Petrarca
39. A book with a strong sense of place or where the author brings the location/setting to life
40. A book you stumbled upon
41. A book from the 2018 GR Choice Awards
42. A book with a monster or "monstrous" character
Beowulf by Unknown
43. A book related to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) [fiction or nonfiction]
Leonardo's Notebooks by Leonardo da Vinci
44. A book related in some way to a tv show/series or movie you enjoyed (same topic, same era, book appeared in the show/movie, etc.)
The Iliad by Homer
45. A multi-generational saga
Metamorphoses by Ovid (1st century CE)
46. A book with a (mostly) black cover
Songs of Innocence and of Experience by William Blake
47. A book related to food (i.e. title, cover, plot, etc.)
48. A book that was a finalist or winner for the National Book Award for any year
Replace with a book with N, B, A in the title
The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
49. A book written by a Far East Asian author or set in a Far East Asian country
The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu (1008)
50. A book that includes a journey (physical, health, or spiritual)
The Aeneid by Virgil (1st century BCE)
51. A book published in 2019
Replace with book published in 1519, 1619 or 1719
52. A book with a weird or intriguing title
The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman by Laurence Sterne (1759)
Poirot and Grisham? That sounds much more realistic than the behemoth of a list I put together. Sometimes fluff is all I can handle, and I just have some cats! Happy reading and welcoming your little one!
Thanks MJ! :-) I'm a total perfectionist sometimes so I really didn't want to set myself up to fail by putting together a super ambitious plan that I'd abandon by the end of January. And fluff is definitely about all I can handle at the moment!
Two weeks into the year and I’ve actually managed to read more than I expected. I decided to start reading in order, mostly just because it seemed easier than actually making a choice about what to read first. I doubt I’ll carry on in order all year though as unpredictable library hold lists make it too difficult to get books at the right time. I also made a resolution to start writing reviews for at least some of the books I read. I always struggle with this as I never feel I have anything original to say and it’s hard for me to imagine anyone would be interested in what I have to say about a book. It’s definitely a step out of my comfort zone but so far I’ve written short reviews of all of the books I’ve read this year.
Books read so far:
❊ Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear ⭐️⭐️⭐️
❊ What Mothers Do: especially when it looks like nothing by Naomi Stadlen ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
❊ The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Next up:
❊ Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan (I’m really looking forward to this one. I haven’t read much historical fiction recently and it’s always been one of my favourite genres so I hope I’ll enjoy this.)
❊ Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler or Dunbar by Edward St. Aubyn (I’ve enjoyed the other Hogarth Shakespeare books I’ve read so I’m looking forward to either of these two)
❊ The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton (this is my top choice at the moment for the dual timeline prompt but I might still change my mind as I’d like to join the February Book of the Month discussion)
Wowza! You're probably going to complete 52 twice. Thank you for all these 1600's, I'm putting them on my 10,000+ to-read list. :)
Oh I wish I was going to complete the challenge twice, but this year I think I might struggle to hit 52 total. I managed just over 100 books last year though, so maybe I should be more optimistic. Glad you got some ideas for your TBR, I had a lot of fun making my 18th century or before list. I keep revisiting it and wishing I could complete it but I just don’t think I have the concentration for all those super old school books this year. Maybe next year though...
It looks like you are starting off very strong! I think we could all use a little more Poirot in our lives.I hope you're liking Manhattan Beach.
Poirot has rescued me from many a reading slump so I definitely agree! I’m glad it’s such a long series as I’m up to the tenth book (Murder on the Orient Express) already and I’m not looking forward to finishing it. I’m really enjoying Manhattan Beach so far. I love what a strong sense of place and time it has, and the characters are all so believable and interesting. Thanks again for the recommendation!
Inspired by Marina and Jody, I’m also setting myself a goal of reading more long books. I’m not brave enough to commit to reading only long books for the challenge but I’m going to aim to include at least five 500+ page books in my challenge.So far the most likely options are:
The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton (512 pages)
Winter of the World by Ken Follett (940 pages)
Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James (640 pages)
11/22/63 by Stephen King (849 pages)
La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman (560 pages)
Just wait, next year you'll go all the way :-)I have The Clockmaker's Daughter on my list of possible books this year. I really like Kate Morton and have enjoyed several of her books
I've just read Winter of the World, so I might finish the trilogy. I've read them before so it's not high on my TBR but they are good books and easy to read.
Mod
Marina, I’ll see how my mini long books challenge goes this year before I sign up to that! ;-) It is tempting though. I read almost 25,000 pages last year (and 40,000 in 2017) so in theory I should be able to read enough to complete 52 500+ books. But in practice I think I’d miss having time for side reads. I’m looking forward to Winter of the World. I read Fall of Giants over a year ago so it’ll be nice to continue the trilogy. I find them quite easy to read too, but for me the historical background also makes them a bit more interesting than the average family saga type book.
Emily, that’s kind of my motivation for writing reviews too. I often look back on my reading record for the last year and can’t fully remember what I thought of some of the books I read. Hopefully just writing a quick review will help jog my memory. Your blog looks awesome, I can’t believe I didn’t know until now that you wrote a book blog!
January updateI’ve read five books so far this year, which is actually more than I’d expected to manage in January.
I didn’t have any five star reads but my favourite book was What Mothers Do: especially when it looks like nothing by Naomi Stadlen. I loved reading this and I’d recommend it to any parent of young children.
My least favourite was Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler. Ugh, this was really not great. It’s supposed to be a retelling of The Taming of the Shrew but the plot has only a passing resemblance to the play. The characters are frustratingly one dimensional and overall it just feels disjointed and a bit pointless. Two stars from me, but only because I usually reserve one star ratings for books I find actually offensive rather than just not very good.
I’ve managed to write reviews for all the books I’ve read so far. I’m still struggling with how self-conscious I feel about putting my opinions out there for people to read, but I’ll keep trying and hopefully I’ll get used to it.
February plans...I’ve just started The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton. Unusually for me I’m listening to it as an audiobook. The wait for a library book was about four months and I want to join the book of the month discussion so I decided to give the audiobook a try. I’m enjoying it so far and it’s reminded me that I have several audiobooks saved in my audible account that I haven’t yet listened to.
I’ve also just started my first side read of the year. It’s one of my childhood favourites, The Railway Children by E. Nesbit. I can literally remember some of it word for word, which I guess tells you how much I loved the book as a child. I’m so hoping I love it as much as six or seven year old me did.
February updateI read five books in February, though as only two were for AtY I’m now two books behind on the challenge. Hopefully I’ll manage to catch up in March.
One of my AtY books was my first five star read of the year, The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton. I loved the characters in this book and the writing was just perfect, I’m already looking forward to reading more by Kate Morton.
My other AtY book was Knots and Crosses by Ian Rankin. Ugh, what a disappointment! A totally unlikeable main character and a predictable plot meant I really didn’t enjoy this. I can only assume later books are better as otherwise I can’t imagine how it has become such a popular series.
I sort of unintentionally started reading in order but then I skipped weeks 7 and 8 as I had non-fiction books planned for those weeks and I was more in the mood for novels. But now as I’m no longer reading in order I’m finding it harder to decide what to read next. I think I might try The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald, or The Furthest Station by Ben Aaronovitch.
Still writing reviews. Still feeling self-conscious about it. Still planning to persevere...
Bryony wrote: "February updateI read five books in February, though as only two were for AtY I’m now two books behind on the challenge. Hopefully I’ll manage to catch up in March.
One of my AtY books was my fi..."
You should post a few options in the What Should I Read Next Thread and let us decide for you.
Totally impressed by how much you’ve been able to read with a newborn (and an older child!). And yay for reading some big books - I’m with Marina, in 2020 you’ll be doing all 52 as chonks. 😉
March updateThat was a terrible reading month. I didn’t read much and what I did read was generally not enjoyable. The one highlight of my month was Murder on the Orient Express. I can always rely on Agatha Christie for a good page turner.
Ah well, onwards and upwards, hopefully I’ll get more reading done in April, and discover some better books.
Also, sorry to Milena and Jody for not replying to you before. I somehow turned off notifications on my own thread - I blame sleep deprivation, or perhaps it’s just my usual lack of skill with technology! ;-)
I think you're doing great! I'm sure you have lots of other things to look after especially with a newborn, so I wouldn't blame you if you only read fluff this entire year :-D
Thanks Marina! I’m definitely reading plenty of fluff, interspersed with books about how to encourage good sibling relationships. :-)I’ve had a much better start to April. My first read was I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life by Anne Bogel. I could relate to this so much and it helped remind me why I love to read. It was the perfect cure for my reading slump and I rated it five stars.
I’ve also just finished Siblings Without Rivalry by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish. This was great too, and had loads of practical ideas which I’m already making use of. I’d definitely recommend this to any other parents of two or more children.
April updateYes, I’m writing my April update halfway through May. I’m also four books behind schedule for the challenge though so at least I’m consistent.
I only read four books in April, which I’m a bit disappointed with. One of them (The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory) was over 500 pages though so my page count for the month isn’t too bad.
I’ve read two books so far in May and I’m starting another tonight. I’m determined to catch up with the challenge eventually, this can’t be the first year I fail to complete AtY!
I may have forgotten to update for months, but I’ve finally finished this year’s challenge. Perfect timing for 2020 planning too!Some of my favourite books were:
The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton
Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne
The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
Circe by Madeline Miller
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré
Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson
I feel like I’ve discovered some authors who might become favourite authors of mine, including Kate Morton and Kate Atkinson. Behind the Scenes at the Museum was the perfect book to finish my 2019 challenge, I was enjoying it so much I stayed up half the night to finish it. John le Carré was already a favourite of mine and I can see now why Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is one of his most popular books. Circe was so beautifully written, I’m so glad I took a step out of my comfort zone and read it even though it’s not a genre I usually enjoy.
There were only a few books I didn’t really enjoy. I read The Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay for the prompt to read a book you stumbled across, and kind of wished I hadn’t stumbled
across it. It was an okay story but I really didn’t like the author’s writing style, it felt very clunky and the dialogue was so stilted and awkward.
So, that’s my third consecutive Around the Year in 52 Books challenge completed. I’m going to spend the rest of the year working on my owned books mega challenge, making reading plans for 2020 and trying to stay away from the temptation of Amazon’s Kindle daily deals!
Congrats, Bryony! Well done :-)I have some of your favourites on my TBR, so maybe I should look into those soon.
Good luck with your mega challenge!
Thanks Marina! I would definitely recommend all the books I listed as favourites this year. I almost didn’t read Behind the Scenes at the Museum because I had read one of Kate Atkinson’s Jackson Brodie series a couple of years back and didn’t really love it, but I’m glad I gave her a second chance as Behind the Scenes at the Museum was brilliant.
Around the Year in 52 Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Behind the Scenes at the Museum (other topics)The Clockmaker's Daughter (other topics)
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (other topics)
Circe (other topics)
Winnie-the-Pooh (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Kate Atkinson (other topics)Madeline Miller (other topics)
Aravind Adiga (other topics)
John le Carré (other topics)
A.A. Milne (other topics)
More...
And then I remembered...I'm probably going to spend at least the first part of the year in a sleep-deprived haze as we're expecting our second baby in January.
So, my plan for 2019 is to read whatever combination of cozy mysteries, thrillers and other assorted fluff my brain can cope with. If I feel like reading something with a bit more depth then that's great, but I'm officially giving myself permission to read nothing but Poirot novels, Grisham thrillers, and other easy reads if that's what it takes to keep me out of a reading slump.
Of course, since I’m clearly addicted to challenge planning, as soon as I started actually planning my 2019 list I managed to fill it with plenty of books that don’t quite fit my “fluff, mysteries and fun” agenda. We’ll see how it goes...
======================
✔️ 1. A book that was nominated for or won an award in a genre you enjoy
🌐 Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear (2.1.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Winner of the Macavity Award for best first mystery novel (2004), Winner of the Agatha Award for best first mystery novel (2003)
✔️ 2. A book with one of the 5 W's in the title (Who, What, Where, When, Why)
🌸 What Mothers Do: especially when it looks like nothing by Naomi Stadlen (10.1.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 3. A book where the author’s name contains A, T, and Y
🌸 The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz (13.1.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 4. A book with a criminal character (i.e. assassin, pirate, thief, robber, scoundrel etc)
🌺 Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan (27.1.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 5. A book by Shakespeare or inspired by Shakespeare
🌐 Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler (31.1.19)
⭐️⭐️
✔️ 6. A book with a dual timeline
🎧 The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton (23.2.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 7. 2 books related to the same topic, genre, or theme: Book #1
🌸 Calm Parents, Happy Siblings: How to stop the fighting and raise friends for life by Laura Markham (26.5.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 8. 2 books related to the same topic, genre, or theme: Book #2
🌼 Siblings Without Rivalry by Adele Faber (11.4.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 9. A book from one of the top 5 money making genres (romance/erotica, crime/mystery, religious/inspirational, science fiction/fantasy or horror)
🌸 Knots and Crosses by Ian Rankin (26.2.19)
⭐️⭐️
✔️ 10. A book featuring an historical figure
🌸 The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory (20.4.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 11. A book related to one of the 12 Zodiac Chinese Animals (title, cover, subject)
🌸 The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga (4.5.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 12. A book about reading, books or an author/writer
🌺 Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks by Annie Spence (20.3.19)
⭐️⭐️
✔️ 13. A book that is included on a New York Public Library Staff Picks list
🌼 Educated by Tara Westover (11.5.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 14. A book with a title, subtitle or cover relating to an astronomical term
🌺 A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers (20.5.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 15. A book by an author from a Mediterranean country or set in a Mediterranean country
🌼 Chocolat by Joanne Harris (26.6.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 16. A book told from multiple perspectives
🌼 Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (8.6.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 17. A speculative fiction (i.e. fantasy, scifi, horror, dystopia)
🌸 Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (11.6.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 18. A book related to one of the elements on the periodic table of elements
🌸 The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick (7.7.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 19. A book by an author who has more than one book on your TBR
🌼 The Little Shop of Happy Ever After by Jenny Colgan (16.6.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 20. A book featuring indigenous people of a country
🌐 There There by Tommy Orange (5.8.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 21. A book from one of the polarizing or close call votes
A book with less than 200 pages
🌼 Winnie-The-Pooh by A.A. Milne
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 22. A book with a number in the title or on the cover
🌐 Three Act Tragedy by Agatha Christie (25.5.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 23. 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #1 Something Old
🌼 The Racer by David Millar
The oldest book added to my TBR. (25.8.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 24. 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #2 Something New
🌺 The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary (18.6.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 25. 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #3 Something Borrowed
🌸 Circe by Madeline Miller (28.7.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 26. 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #4 Something Blue
🌼 Outer Order, Inner Calm by Gretchen Rubin (6.8.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 27. A book off of the 1001 books to read before you die list
🌼 Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré (21.8.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 28. A book related to something cold (i.e. theme, title, author, cover, etc.)
🌼 Silence: In the Age of Noise by Erling Kagge (28.5.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 29. A book published before 1950
🌐 Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (15.3.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 30. A book featuring an elderly character
🌐 A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie (20.6.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 31. A children’s classic you’ve never read
🌐 Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers (30.4.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 32. A book with more than 500 pages
🌼 Sunshine Over Wildflower Cottage by Milly Johnson (29.6.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 33. A book you have owned for at least a year, but have not read yet
🌸 A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle (11.9.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 34. A book with a person's name in the title
🌼 Dear Mrs Bird by A.J. Pearce (5.7.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 35. A psychological thriller
🌸 Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan (19.9.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 36. A book featured on an NPR Best Books of the Year list
🌼 My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite (26.8.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 37. A book set in a school or university
🌺 Normal People by Sally Rooney (15.9.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 38. A book not written in traditional novel format (poetry, essay, epistolary, graphic novel, etc)
🌼 Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple (10.8.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 39. A book with a strong sense of place or where the author brings the location/setting to life
🌺 The Mersey Sound by Adrian Henri, Roger McGough and Brian Patten (8.8.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 40. A book you stumbled upon
🌐 The Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay by Nicola May (1.7.19)
⭐️⭐️
✔️ 41. A book from the 2018 GR Choice Awards
🌸 Us Against You by Fredrik Backman (19.10.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 42. A book with a monster or "monstrous" character
🌼 A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams (11.9.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 43. A book related to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) [fiction or nonfiction]
🌼 Hard Pushed: A Midwife’s Story by Leah Hazard (12.9.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 44. A book related in some way to a tv show/series or movie you enjoyed (same topic, same era, book appeared in the show/movie, etc.)
✍🏻 How to Become a Football Agent: The Guide by Erkut Sögüt (14.8.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 45. A multi-generational saga
🌐 Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson (27.10.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 46. A book with a (mostly) black cover
🌸 Artemis by Andy Weir (5.9.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 47. A book related to food (i.e. title, cover, plot, etc.)
🌐 Cherry Cheesecake Murder by Joanne Fluke (2.6.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 48. A book that was a finalist or winner for the National Book Award for any year
🌐 American Street by Ibi Zoboi (20.10.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 49. A book written by a Far East Asian author or set in a Far East Asian country
Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal (12.10.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 50. A book that includes a journey (physical, health, or spiritual)
🌐 Father, Son and the Pennine Way: 5 days, 90 miles - what could possibly go wrong? by Mark Richards (6.7.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 51. A book published in 2019
🌺 The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction by Meghan Cox Gurdon (14.6.19)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✔️ 52. A book with a weird or intriguing title
🌼 "Dirty Northern Bastards!" And Other Tales from the Terraces: The Story of Britain's Football Chants by Tim Marshall (27.5.19)
⭐️⭐️
➜ = currently reading
✔️ = completed
⭐️ = rating (out of 5)
Cover collage in reading order