Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

Hey everyone!

A new season is upon us, and it's time for a new discussion thread. Use this thread to post monthly roundups, TBR hopefuls, and just general discussion of books you've read and loved (or loved to hate!).

I'm planning on finished up Ruin and Rising and then reading Six of Crows (both by Leigh Bardugo), so I can watch the television show! :) My hubby has been bugging me to watch it with him, but I told him not until I read the books! I'm also planning on reading Dune: The Lady of Caladan by Brian Herbert for the ATY challenge and Girls Can Kiss Now: Essays by Jill Gutowitz with my daughter.

For audio books, I'm currently reading The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. Next in line is: Sisters & Husbands by Connie Briscoe; Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick: Stories from the Harlem Renaissance by Zora Neale Hurston, and The Scholar by Dervla McTiernan.

I've been averaging 5-6 print books a month (and another 4-5 on audio), and if I want to finish ATY before the baby comes, I need to read 5 ATY books a month... so my print books are all planned out through November!

My plans for September:
The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Latin American author)
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (best of YA list, plus on my 40 Before 40)
The Fortunes of Jaded Women by Carolyn Huynh (tarot card - Wheel of Fortune)
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson (food)
The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez (nationality in title)

I also have Find Your Unicorn Space: Reclaim Your Creative Life in a Too-Busy World by Eve Rodsky for my book club!

All in all, a pretty exciting month for me.

My plan for Sept is to finish:
The Sentence by Louise Erdrich
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
First Person Singular: Stories by Haruki Murakami
The Trial by Franz Kafka
and I'm waiting for The Sandman #1 : Sleep of the Just and The Marrow Thieves on library holds.

August was a terrific month of reading and I hope that September will be just as good! I can't afford to DNF any books if I'm going to finish the challenge.

I just had a bunch of holds come in from my library, so it looks like September is going to be an ambitious month of reading for me. I'm hoping to get to:

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stievfater (currently at 50%)
On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson
The Dragon's Promise by Elizabeth Lim
Babel, or The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution by R.F. Kuang
Uprooted by Naomi Novik
War Storm by Victoria Aveyard (on Audio)
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

I do plan on using all of these for prompts for the challenge (besides Babel, since I've already filled any relevant prompts), so I could push any of these to October, but I'm hoping to get through at least 5/7 of this list!

I finished Search: A Novel. 5 stars. My new favorite book for 2022. This book will work for a prompt you liked but it didn't make it. Religion, faith. Also if anyone is doing the challenge where you need to read a book with a recipe in it this book works. It would be a creative twist for the fall reading challenge prompt that fits the phrase "falling for you". Finally the cover has trees on it.

I just finished prompt #42, so I have 10 to go. That is just under half of the books I've read this year, and I took some time today to reflect on what I've been reading to see if there are any patterns.

I've been very generous with my 4 stars this year - half of the books I've read had that rating. 82% of the books I've read were written by women. 20% written by BIPOC men and women. 23% were romances, 25% were mysteries, the rest included historical fiction, literature, horror, science fiction and fantasy. Only 7% were nonfiction, which is low for me. About 10% were rereads.

I've won several books in Goodreads Giveaways this past year. My favorite was The Peacekeeper by B.L. Blanchard, a mystery set in an alternative modern North America where the Europeans never colonized the world. While the setting was the Ojibwe nation around would be Sault Ste. Marie and Chicago, there are hints of how Asia and Africa are also very different in a world without colonization. Excellent world building.

I finished The World That We Knew. 5 stars. I could use it for the fall reading challenge but not the regular challenge. I have always liked Alice Hoffman. I have decided I don't read enough of her books. I have put The Dovekeepers on my list to use for the 2023 prompt 3 books each of which is set in a different century.

Laurel, maybe you haven't been "generous" with the four stars... maybe you've just read some really great books this year! I have 27% of my books at four stars, 20% at 4.5, and 18% at 5 stars... which means 65% of my books read this year are 4 stars or above. I feel like I've had a really good reading year, and I've been better at DNF'ing books that I would normally rate low.

I loved The Cartographers 5 stats. I used it for #49 "there may be dragons".

I'm using that book when I get to that prompt, Sherri. So many of my book club friends have loved it!

I enjoyed The Unsinkable Greta James. 5 stars. I'm using it for the fall reading challenge Is one last summer read.

I’m back on track with the ATY challenge. I’m starting Voyage to Kazohinia, a dystopian/satirical Hungarian classic by Sándor Szathmári. I’m really looking forward to it! It’s our library’s October sci-fi book club read, which I suggested. So, I hope it’s good!

Sherri wrote: "I loved The Cartographers 5 stats. I used it for #49 "there may be dragons"."

I just read that and it's perfect for that prompt. I found it a bit drawn out but I liked the whole "maps are magic" vibe. The weird thing is that the next book I read was A Great Reckoning. It's a totally different type of book, detective mystery set in Canada, but it turns out a map is central to the plot and Inspector Ganache even says, "Maps are magic"! It's weird when that happens, like one book has an odd fact from history or science that you've never heard of and the next book has the same thing.

Robin P wrote: "It's weird when that happens, like one book has an odd fact from history or science that you've never heard of and the next book has the same thing."

I love it when that happens! I am a choral director, and I accidentally did that with two pieces for my college choir for the fall concert. They have the same phrase. I was both geeking out because it was cool and really irritated with myself that it was an accident and not on purpose! LOL.

I really enjoyed Cemetery Boys. I read it for banned book week

I read The Maid. I thought I was going to like it better than I did. I gave it 4 stars because it was cute but nothing special.

I have The Maid slotted in for the published in 2022 prompt! Hoping I like it well enough.

I read Daisy Darker. 3 stars. I only mention it because it works for prompt # 44 A book with gothic elements if anyone is still looking for a book.

My reading dropped significantly at the beginning of the summer and then experienced a brief resurrection in August (reading-friendly vacation, whoo!) and then fell again in September. But I think the fall weather that has suddenly arrived is re-inspiring me!

I'm currently reading Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie and really feeling the cozy mystery vibes. And because I've been reading along with Dracula Daily, I've got some of that to read every day lately as well (the last week or so has been very exciting in Dracula! The entries have gotten longer as well, so they've been filling my morning reading time). And I'm also in the middle of a nonfiction book that I've been really interested in, Thinking in Systems: A Primer.

Coming up soon will be Crying in H Mart, which I've been looking forward to for awhile. Also Elena Knows, an Argentinian mystery novel that I heard about because it was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize. After that, two books that I'm excited to be receiving in the mail shortly (I almost never buy books - I'm a library girl - but these were lesser known books that I had to track down): Walks Away Woman and The Archive of Alternate Endings.

I have four prompts left. I am currently reading The Family by Naomi Krupitsky for prompt #22, a book with a Jewish character or author. I will be reading: American Eden: David Hosack, Botany, and Medicine in the Garden of the Early Republic by Victoria Johnson for prompt #36, my second of two books related to flora and fauna; The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle by Jennifer Ryan for prompt #43, a book set in a small town or rural area; and potentially A Storm in the Stars by Don Zancanella for prompt # 44, a book with gothic elements. The latter is described as historical fiction about Mary Shelley, who penned Frankenstein, so I think there will be gothic elements, but I don't know yet.

Edit: decided to switch out Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott for the book with the Jewish character or author prompt. It is my Book of the Month pick. It came today and I am intrigued, and I was not that far into The Family yet.

Wound up reading Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley for prompt #44. Thought I would read that first so I might understand references in A Storm in the Stars by Don Zancanella.

I feel like my reading is all over the place this fall. I have one book left to finish a challenge that ended in 2019, so I'm really glad to finally wrap up that challenge. It required that you randomly read 10 books from your TBR/WTR list. My book Lady-Protector by L.E. Modesitt Jr. was the 8th book in the series. That was the challenge that made me realize I don't like having to pick a book from my TBR shelf.

I just read:
The Gilded Ones a YA fantasy by Namina Forna who was born and raised in Sierra Leone. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ An empowering feminist read, here is my review

I’m halfway through my last ATY book (Vernon God Little) and I hate it. Have been reading it for months already and read many other great books in the meantime. Contemplating DNFing and finding another book for that prompt (Powell I think) 😅

I think you should enjoy the last book in the challenge. I'd find another book if it were me.

Considering I have 7 books in my Currently Reading, I'd also recommend dropping a book you're not enjoying and picking up something new lol. Follow my words, not my actions lolol

Rachel wrote: "I just read:
The Gilded Ones a YA fantasy by Namina Forna who was born and raised in Sierra Leone. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ An empowering feminist ..."

I thought the second book was even better - keep going! :)

I have 11 prompts left. Two have some flexibility and I’m sure I can fill. The other 9 I’m not too excited about. Pretty sure I will use a wildcard this time for either #23 or #30. The way I’m feeling now, I may do an abbreviated challenge next year so I can finish some long classics that I’ve started plus others I want to read. I just finished a Hungarian classic Voyage to Kazohinia for a book club meeting next week. It had some really interesting ideas (satire) but the middle section was a real slog. I’m curious what the group will think about it! I feel like it’s hard to switch gears after reading this one. Maybe a Russian short story collection.

Oh I’ve never actually used the Wild Card option before. But maybe I should do that for the last prompt and put in one of my extra books. In that case I’d be done… hmmm

Totally feel that Pam. On the years I'm not reading in order, I try to figure out what prompts I'm not excited about and force myself to read one a month so I'm not left with them all at the end.

I had good intentions for the Powell awards list but I just read The Tea Master and the Detective which is 93 pages. It won a Nebula for best novella, so that's good enough for me.

I've got six prompts left and I'm definitely searching for the easy options now.

I've mostly read in order, jumping ahead when library holds waylaid my plans and/or if book I really wanted to read happened to fit a prompt.

Six books to go for ATY, prompts I've already got books chosen for and am excited to read. 5.5 left in the Fall Reading Challenge (same vibes) and 11 left in PS that I'm mostly dreading and may not finish.

I'm definitely going to read in (loose) order for all future challenges.

I really enjoyed reading in order this year, but I don't know that I'll be able to read as many books next year, so I'm going to be a bit more free with my allocations of books.

I just read:
The Happiest Little Town by Aussie author Barbara Hannay which is a feel good found family story about a small town theatre group, a country romance and a new life. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Here is my review

Misty wrote: "Rachel wrote: "I just read:
The Gilded Ones a YA fantasy by Namina Forna who was born and raised in Sierra Leone. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ An empow..."

Thanks, good tip. I often forget about reading sequels!

I read:
House of Stone by Zimbabwean author Novuyo Rosa Tshuma is an award-winning novel covering the history around the decades of the formation of Zimbabwe as a new nation, in particular the Gukurahundi massacres which followed. ⭐⭐⭐ here is my review

I read:

Chai Time At Cinnamon Gardens by Shankari Chandran a novel which shifts between the conflict in Sri Lanka and a quirky nursing home in Australia trying to bring love and spicy dishes to its feisty residents. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This is my review

Daughters of Smoke and Fire is a powerful story about the struggles of the Kurdish people in Iran, by Ava Homa the first Kurdish woman to publish a novel in English. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Here is my review

Rachel wrote: "Daughters of Smoke and Fire is a powerful story about the struggles of the Kurdish people in Iran”

I found this wasn’t the sort of book one could enjoy while reading it but, my goodness, the story has stayed with me.

I just finished The Sentence by Louise Erdrich. I loved it. I thought it was a good fall read.

I have 9 books left to read. I'm currently working on My Best Friend's Exorcism. It's at the part where things get really bad before (presumably) they get better.

I have requested a book in interlibrary loans that's taking a while to get here. Some books take less than a week, and others take 3 weeks.

I'm at 7 books left for the challenge, but I'm trying to finish before my due date in 5 weeks so... I'll be pushing it, especially if I want to stick to order.

Currently reading Aurora Rising for the nonhuman character prompt and listening to The Winners for handwriting on cover. Both are long books, though Aurora Rising is YA and the font has got to be like size 16 lol

I have ten left, but I've got a lot of shorter ones coming up so I'm hopeful, but also starting to be like, dang I have to read all of these by the end of the year??

Yes, Jackie, that’s exactly how I’m feeling! Although I had 2 promising library holds come in - Mercury Pictures Presents by Anthony Marra and The Marrow Thieves. I’m also listening to Winnie the Pooh for the handwriting prompt, one I’ve been struggling to find. There’s a handwritten sign on the cover. I’m starting to feel like I will finish this year!

Jackie wrote: "I have ten left, but I've got a lot of shorter ones coming up so I'm hopeful, but also starting to be like, dang I have to read all of these by the end of the year??"

I can't believe I actually planned to read 52 books and I can't believe I ended up 2 books ahead of where I should be. December is such a busy month for me that I'm excited about only having to read 2 books that month instead of 4.

I have five left, I'm currently reading The Marrow Thieves for the top 100 YA books and The Book of Cold Cases for inclement weather. I *could* be finished this month but I have a few review books to get through that don't fit anything.

I've read 95 books this year and only 45 have been ATY, so I feel like my side reading has definitely been what pushed me to the edge on timing lol. I've enjoyed my reading year, but whew, these last few weeks will be pressure.

Emily wrote: "I'm at 7 books left for the challenge, but I'm trying to finish before my due date in 5 weeks so... I'll be pushing it, especially if I want to stick to order."

Oh man - you're so close! That's exciting! <3

I have two left on the challenge, and I am reading one of them with my daughter. She is reading it to me. She has severe dyslexia and she is a really slow reader. I love reading with her, but I might have to sneak and read ahead with this one! :)

I just read:
Treasure of the World by Tara Sullivan which is a beautifully written YA/ middle grade story suitable for an adult audience also, set in the mountains of Bolivia where 12 year old Ana and her family struggle to mine silver and eke out an existence, highlighting plight of children forced to work just so their families can eat. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ here is my review

I just read:
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood which is a graphic novel/ autobiography by Marjane Satrapi about growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ here is my review