Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

Happy March, everyone. First month of spring, and a time change for those of us still using Daylight Savings Time (amen). What are your goals for the month? How are you doing with ATY? Let us know what you're reading!

I am actually just starting the challenge now (I needed to finish up last year first). The Housekeeper and the Professor was my first book, which I had been meaning to get to all last year. I liked it but didn't love it, which was a bit disappointing - I was expecting to really love it. Now I'm reading Klara and the Sun, which I LOVE so far.

My goals are mostly just to mood read as I please, but I do have a stack of library books I'm looking forward to. One of my plans for the year is to return to some favorite authors and continue some series, so I have The Word for World Is Forest by Ursula Le Guin on deck (she's one of my top favorites, really looking forward to this) and Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett, part of the Discworld series. And then on the other hand, I have a few books that I heard about recently and was really intrigued by: I listened to an episode of This American Life than had a reading from In the Dream House in it and thought it was incredible, so I'm excited to read the rest of it. And several people I watch on Youtube read the Women's Prize for Fiction nominees last year and said they enjoyed Small Pleasures, which sounded interesting, so I'm going to give that a try.

I don't usually pick books based on their covers, but look at that cover!!

Ugh I love a good cover!!

The Tournament of Books starts on March 8 and a I have a few I really want to get to before it starts, including Klara and the Sun. Looks like I'll need to prioritize it.

Emily wrote: "Ugh I love a good cover!!

The Tournament of Books starts on March 8 and a I have a few I really want to get to before it starts, including Klara and the Sun. Looks like I'll need t..."

You read Piranesi, right? I kind of feel like Klara and the Sun is like the science fiction version of Piranesi - they're not at all similar in plot, but they have a similar feeling of being dropped into a strange world and only given information about it very slowly. Plus in both cases, the main character is very intelligent but also has no idea what's going on and is also very sweet and naive and endearing. But I think Klara and the Sun is a bit less disorienting than Piranesi is, lol.

Oooooooooh that's a good comparison! Ok fine I'll pick it up next, you twisted my arm lolol

I’m not sure where I am at the challenge. I still need to update and figure out which books I read last month fit the AT Y challenge and which ones are side reads. One of my goals is complete series or catch up to where the author is in the series. Last month, in did finish the An Ember In Ashes series by Sabaa Tahir. I really enjoyed the first two books and found the second two books disappointing. Tahir switches each chapter between 2 or 3 characters. Too often, I’d have to check back to the chapter title to see who’s point of view I reading from. That was the biggest disappointment.

So while, I finished one series, I’m pretty sure I started 4 new ones so that does not really help with wrapping up series.

I am doing quite well - but getting distracted by the spring challenge :-D
I am reading Map: Collected and Last Poems for that and Timbuktu for both the spring and ATY challenge.

I looved Piranesi, but must confess that Klara and the Sun was a dnf for me...

Hmm, I loved Klara and the Sun and found Piranesi kind of annoying. It was too obvious what was going on and it reminded me of The Starless Sea in being rather formless. Maybe because Klara and the Sun is all about relationships and there really aren't any in Piranesi.

Oh I disagree! I thought Piranesi had a few interesting relationships, if not particularly healthy ones. His interactions with The Other, and then later with the detective, really impacted his experiences. I do plan on reading Klara this month, hopefully, since it's a Tournament of Books pick so I'll see how I feel about the three... I can't imagine it being worse than The Starless Sea lol

How funny! I loved both Klara and the Sun and Piranesi and was disappointed by The Starless Sea. I did think that Piranesi and The Starless Sea were similar, I just thought Piranesi succeeded at what The Starless Sea was trying to do.

Klara and the Sun seems to be kind of hit and miss - especially among people who are already fond of the author's work. I haven't read anything else by Ishiguro, so I'm curious to know if I'll like some of his other books even better.

I've only read Never Let Me Go, and I loved it. Ah now I want to pick up Klara right now lol. I need to get through Matrix first!

Hannah wrote: "How funny! I loved both Klara and the Sun and Piranesi and was disappointed by The Starless Sea. I did think that Piranesi and The Starless Sea were ..."

I think you hit it on the head, Hannah. I loved The Remains of the Day, and thought Klara and the Sun was just OK. I kept waiting for it to wow me.

What's everyone reading this weekend?

I'm listening to The Women with Silver Wings: The Inspiring True Story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II and reading The Neighbor's Secret (related to glass prompt)!

I'm reading two things, which isn't super common for me (I basically only do it when I'm reading something that I feel needs to be broken up). So I've got The House of the Spirits by Isabelle Allende, which I am enjoying, but similarly to the Gabriel Garcia Marquez that I've read, I can kind of only handle in small doses. And then I've got The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories by Ken Liu, and I always prefer to break up short story collections a bit. I'm not really loving this one - I have quite liked some of the stories but others not so much and on the whole, I can't help but comparing it a bit with my favorite sci fi stories by Ted Chiang. This isn't really fair, as they're not really trying to do the same thing, but I guess I'm just spoiled now when it comes to sci fi short stories.

I just started Piranesi and I'm not sure about it. I'm hoping it get better for me soon. I love The Starless Sea and Piranesi isn't holding a candle to it so far. I also need to get back to reading The Dragon Reborn for my Wheel of time reread. I was supposed to have finished it yesterday, but other new shiny books distracted me. 😋

Hannah wrote: "I'm reading two things, which isn't super common for me (I basically only do it when I'm reading something that I feel needs to be broken up). So I've got The House of the Spirits by Is..."

I felt the same way about The House of the Spirits. It took me over three months to read it last year because I would put it down, then read something else, then pick it up again. I will be reading her book Violeta, which was published this year, as soon as I finish the books I am currently reading.

I remember last year there was a book game, not by this group or Goodreads, where they showed pictures and people had to guess the book. For example there was a picture of a ham in a net and the book was Hamnet. Or there was a corgi with a crown and the book was Queenie.

Does anyone remember what that was and when this years' game comes out?

It's the Hidden Book Game. I love and hate it in equal measure. It comes out towards the end of the year. I can't find the 2021 version but some previous ones are here. https://caboodle.nationalbooktokens.c...

Thanks Kat! It did take me days but now that I’m reading Queenie the clue makes so much sense!

I’m reading (1) Klara and the Sun (for my library’s sci-fi book club), (2) I Must Betray You, the newest historical fiction YA set in Communist Romania by Ruth Sepetys (which I am loving!) and (3) have one more story to read in Daphne du Maurier’s Don’t Look Now short story collection. I will be happy if I finish these three books this month and start 1 more.

Is anyone else having problems with the Goodreads search function? It's acting super weird for me, like as though a bunch of books (weirdly all popular books? Like books with a lot of reviews?) just don't exist?

Hannah wrote: "Is anyone else having problems with the Goodreads search function? It's acting super weird for me, like as though a bunch of books (weirdly all popular books? Like books with a lot of reviews?) jus..."

Yes! I was trying to tag an Ursula K. Le Guin book the other day and it was like it didn't exist. The goodreads search function tends to go through these flounders and then randomly fixes itself. Lord only knows what kind of 'upgrades' they're working on...

Yes Hannah! I just tried to add Ruta Sepetys' new novel in another thread and it was missing!

Glad it's not just me but boooooo, Goodreads!!

Hannah wrote: "Is anyone else having problems with the Goodreads search function? It's acting super weird for me, like as though a bunch of books (weirdly all popular books? Like books with a lot of reviews?) jus..."

Yes, this has been happening on and off to me for a while now... I usually find shutting down google chrome and opening again resolves it. Super annoying when you're in the middle of a review or comment, though!

I've read a few interesting ones this month, with another few still to come. Some of my highlights include:
The Fell by Sarah Moss, an intriguing short novel set in UK during the first wave of C19 lockdowns. Quite cerebral about the effects of isolation and stress on different individuals. (review here)
Nine Lives by Peter Swanson - a quick and entertaining read, loosely inspired by Agatha Christie's classics And Then There Were None and The A.B.C. Murders and others that have used the "murder list" trope. (review here)
A Fatal Crossing by Tom Hindle, a well-executed debut in the historical mystery genre - follows the investigation of a murder aboard an Atlantic steamship in 1924. (review here)
The Perfect Crime edited by Maxim Jakubowski & Vaseem Khan, a fantastic collection of crime-mystery short stories, showcasing the diversity of talented authors around the world. (review here)

I'm currently trying out a new author, Alison Stuart, with her historical-mystery-romance Gather the Bones. It's a genre I really enjoy, and is great so far...

Klara and the Sun was one of my favorite books I read last year. So weird and wonderful! I am reading The One by John Marrs right now. I am listening to the audiobook. It is also weird, but a nice mindless book. I'm enjoying listening to it while I walk my dog! :)

I have a surprise day off due to inclement weather passing through tomorrow, so I'm looking forward to a day on the couch with my book! Currently reading Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys for my irl book club, and listening to Tokyo Ever After on a whim.

I’m finishing up Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck. It’s not as good as I hoped it would be. I also started reading a French classic, Tartarin de Terascon by Alphonse Daudet, translated to Spanish. I’ve ordered the English translation to help in reading the Spanish edition. So far, I like it and I’m learning LOTS of new Spanish vocabulary!

I finally got my March reads updated and I’m halfway done. I’ve mainly just been reading what I want so I have several harder for me tasks left.

I'm guessing that we are continuing the April discussion here. I hope all that those who celebrate Easter have a wonderful Easter weekend and everyone else also has a wonderful weekend.

I made progress this month with finishing another trilogy of Tawny Man Fool's Errand, Golden Fool, Fool's Fate by Robin Hobb.

Now, to read the next books The Rainwild Chronicles.

I have not updated any of my April reads so I have no idea where I'm at in the challenge.

Sorry, I've had a lot going on this month and must have dropped this particular ball! Thanks Jillian, I'm going to update the name of the thread.

I was finishing up a sci fi/fantasy challenge in March, so my reading was entirely speculative fiction. I didn't consciously plan this, but so far my April reading has been almost all the opposite - lots of historical fiction and contemporary fiction!

I started out with Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers. I thought this book was gorgeously written and had a really pleasant, relaxing pace, I just enjoyed reading it a lot. Then I reread The Vegetarian by Han Kang, a very dark and strange book. Next was Salt Houses by Hala Alyan, which I chose for an "around the world" kind of challenge I'm doing - the author is Palestinian-American and the book is set in several middle eastern countries. I had never heard of it before researching for the prompt and I quite enjoyed it! The writing was really lovely and the characters really spoke to me, though it did confirm my recent realization that multi-generational family sagas are not my favorite type of historical fiction. I wonder if they're becoming more popular after the success of Homegoing?

Currently, I'm reading The Complete Fiction of Nella Larsen: Passing, Quicksand, and the Stories, which I'm using for the "connected to a 2021 read" prompt, as I added it to my TBR after reading The Vanishing Half. I'm also reading Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead, which I'm surprised to find is quite thematically similar to The Vegetarian! I'm curious if lots of people who liked the one also liked the other. I didn't realize how focused on animals this book would be, but now I'm thinking it might be a perfect fit for the fauna prompt.

Up next, I have The Sparrow (can't go a whole month without science fiction!), Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants, and Atonement.

Hannah, The Sparrow has been on my reading list for the past two years. I was not able to get the library copy when Covid started. Then, I bought a used copy and it has sat next to my bed for over a year. Hopefully, I will get to it soon since it sounds so good.

I have been frustrated in my reading this month because I have worked many late hours at work, some nights until after 2 a.m.! When I have had a little down time, I have found it difficult to get into reading; I am a lawyer and I read and write a lot, so with those long hours, there is a degree of burnout in concentrating on reading. Accordingly, I tend to find TV watching an easier activity, and I tend to watch stuff that does not require concentration (like HGTV) or get caught up rewatching some series I have previously watched (like Call the Midwife, Outlander, etc.) Nevertheless, I did finish The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story earlier this month (I started it in February and read a chapter or two, let it sit with me for a while, then read a novel before reading the next chapter). Earlier last week, I finished The School of Mirrors by Eva Stachniak. Historical fiction set before, during, and in the aftermath of the French Revolution. Currently, I am reading A Greek State in Formation: The Origins of Mycenaean Pylos by Jack L. Davis. (I was a history major, although my focus was on American history; I am trying to expand my horizons.) And I am reading Natalie Jenner's The Jane Austen Society. I am struggling to stay still to read after 11 intense days glued to my computer; and struggling to get drawn into either book. Perhaps I just need a good page-turner or a smutty bodice ripper right now. I read 10 books in January, 11 in February, 8 in March (four were 600+ pages), and only 2 so far in April. 27 books counted in the challenge.

Barbara, I've been very similar... way more cooking competitions this month than actual reading. I finished 12+ books each month this year, but it's looking like April will be around 6 or 7, if I'm lucky.

As April begins wrapping up, how are y'all doing on the ATY challenge? I'm currently two books (soon to be three books) ahead, according to the tracker on the group, but I'm hoping to finish the challenge by November so I'll need to pick up the pace a bit more to get it done on time.

I've currently finished 31 of the ATY prompts. I'm hoping to finish two more books for the challenge this month.

17. A book from NPR's Book Concierge-
This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar

and

20. A fiction or nonfiction book that is set during 1900 -1951-
For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway

Once I finish This Is How You Lose the Time War (I'm 15% done and I don't really get it but it is short so I'll keep at it), I'll have completed all my list/award type prompts so that will be a relief.

I don't really have any goal of when to finish since I'm mainly just reading what I want but some of the prompts I have left do require some research. I don't enjoy looking up personal information on authors so I unfortunately still have: 18. A book by an Asian or Pacific Islander author, 22. A book with a Jewish character or author, and 38. A book by a Latin American author left.

Once I finish the book I’m reading, I will be 3 books up for the ATY challenge. I have some longer books on tap, so that cushion will be helpful!

Nice, Pam!

I'm currently 1 book ahead (but 50% through my next book). April was a tough month for me, so I'm hoping May sunshine will bring better reading times!

Does this ever happen to you, where you read a bunch of slower-paced books that you did, on the whole, enjoy in a row, but because they were all kind of slow, you feel a bit blah about it? I'm looking back on my month full of four star reads, but feeling a bit uninspired! Which is odd, because I like a good slow paced book! But I had really been flying through things in February and March, so maybe that's why I feel this way.

Sorry, I’ve come late to the party. I’d decided to only do 22 books in 2022 - traveling but have upped that number because I read a few quick short stories & am rereading several books before I drop them into our local Little Free Library box. I’m sure I could/will read the 52 but I have so many on the shelf that need read & rehomed, I doubt if they’d meet the posted challenge. Looking forward to seeing the upcoming list in May. Thanks!

I finally finished For Whom the Bell Tolls!

lol I'm clearly very good at updating these threads... let's call it a spring discussion, and we will post a new one on June 1!

Hannah wrote: "Does this ever happen to you, where you read a bunch of slower-paced books that you did, on the whole, enjoy in a row, but because they were all kind of slow, you feel a bit blah about it? I'm look..."

I got this feeling when I was reading the Tournament of Books list -- it was full of "thinkers" and I got a bit bogged down in it, even though I liked the books individually.

I am sooooo behind on all my reading. It's just been so hard to concentrate on anything. I'm thinking I need to swap over to short books and graphic novels for a bit until I get my mojo back.

Jackie wrote: "I am sooooo behind on all my reading. It's just been so hard to concentrate on anything. I'm thinking I need to swap over to short books and graphic novels for a bit until I get my mojo back."

Me too. I have just read two books this month. One of the books I’ve been reading on for the past 4 weeks is 200 pages so not really a long book. I’ve finally made it to page 50. That being said, I really don’t understand anything but apparently from the reviews it is just suppose to be beautifully written but does not make any sense. Not sure why it has so many 5 stars or why I don’t just DNF it.

I have been very lucky this month to read some really great books. There are two that I would like to recommend to everyone.

Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki Hell is owed a soul, which a violin teacher has promised to deliver. She finds an untrained, talented transgender violinist to deliver to the demon. She also discovers love with a donut baker, who happens to be a galactic starship captain trying to keep her family safe.
It was a 5⭐ read.

Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space is a nonfiction about how fairytales of the past and consequential those we tell now influence how we see people with disabilities.

It is very thought provoking.

I was lucky enough to read both of the books in the same time period. The messages of both echo each other so well.

Anastasia both the books you mentioned sound like interesting reads.

I have finally updated my May reads and have 15 books left for the ATY with is more than normal this time of year but the relaxed pace also feels nice.

Emily are we going to have a summer discussion starting for June-August. It has been over 100*F here this past week so it does not feel very springy anymore.

Yep! I will open up the thread later today and it will go out with the newsletter tomorrow.

I've been in my pool all weekend, and I totally agree that spring has sprung and it is definitely summer!