The 52 Book Club: 2025 Challenge discussion

WEEKLY CHECK-IN
January 8, 2023 -- Week 2

We've finished our very first week of 2023, so let's chat about it!

Which prompt did you choose to start 2023 with? What book did you match with it? Any specific reasons why that was your pick? Did you enjoy the read?

Liz's week one read was The Three Lives of Alix St Pierre by Natasha Lester.
"I really enjoyed this book. While its plot felt familiar (especially for those who read a lot of historical fiction), the story was packed with both espionage and ballgowns, adventure and romance, and a hunt for truth and justice -- and that made for a really easy and enjoyable read. I matched this to the "fashionable character" prompt, which was a perfect fit. I'd definitely recommend it if you enjoy typical WWII historical fiction."

My first book of the challenge was Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas for #33 A Banned Book. I really enjoyed it, a fast-paced YA with LGBTQ+ representation (hence why it was banned). I gave it 4 Stars

I read a lot this week. I read Gaddafi's Harem: The Story of a Young Woman and the Abuses of Power in Libya, Inheriting Edith and Every Day for prompts 1, 2 and 37. Of the three, Inheriting Edith was my favorite.
I started with these because I'm trying to read the list in order this year, but I had to read Every Day for a book club, and I REALLY don't like present tense, so I used that to get it out of the way early.

I read The Bone Ships by R.J. Barker, satisfying prompt #51–Doesn’t fit any of the other 51 prompts. It also fits the January prompt for the Better World Books 2023 Challenge (New Year, New Author). It’s the first book of a trilogy and I rated it 4 stars for originality and world-building. The characters were a bit predictable, but we’ll see where the story goes in the rest of the series. I am moderator of a couple groups here at Goodreads and we are discussing this book in one of those groups this month.

I read Heartstone by C.J. Sansom for #4 Title that starts with the letter H. It’s the fifth book in the Matthew Shardlake Tudor Mystery series and I will follow up with the last two books in the series this year, I hope. The books are long but I love the suspense and historical detail.

I was going to read a book that I meant to read last year first. But that didn't happen. I got The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human delivered before the new year on Libby, so that was my first book. I also got A Gentleman in Moscowon audio through Libby so that became my 2nd book. I think I will be able to start my intended first book this week. It will either be Angels & Demons or The Nightingale both are books I meant to read last year.

I've read three so far. Not sure which prompts to use them for yet...
The Tombs by Cussler, tentatively for the prompt 35: intended for last year or 11: about secrets
A Dark and Stormy Tea by Childs, tentatively for the prompt 31: set in a workplace or 35: intended for last year (for one of the mini challenges)
Dark Roads by Stevens, tentatively for 20: featuring siblings or 9: features a dedication

I just finished my first book for the year which was A Practical Guide to Happiness in Adults on the Autism Spectrum: A Positive Psychology Approach by Victoria Honeybourne. (For the first prompt: book with a subtitle.)

I chose it as my first as I just recently got diagnosed with autism and I'm starting therapy sessions next week so I figured I'd get a headstart. I'm not sure if I'm going to follow the prompts in order or if I'm going to go at random so no idea what I'm reading next!

I started the year with The Ten Thousand Doors of January for prompt #29 Sends You Down a Rabbit Hole. This might be a creative interpretation of this prompt, but I think it fits. The story revolves around going through doors that lead to other worlds similar to Alice's rabbit hole. I ended up loving it!

Next, I read Finna for #31 Set in a Workplace. This is basically set in an IKEA where wormholes open up randomly and the workers are tasked with rescuing a lost customer. It was entertaining, but it felt like the tension between the two MCs who just recently broke up weighed down this short book.

I finished A Treacherous Treasure by Melanie Dickerson, and chose it first only because it was an ILL request and I had to return it to the library last week. It was a cute, clean romance, but I thought the mystery was definitely lacking. It fits #2: Featuring an Inheritance, so that works out well (not the book I'd intended to read for that prompt, but I'm going to try being flexible :P).

I also finished The Wicked King by Holly Black last night, which could work for either #11, #35, or #38. It wasn't part of my plan either, so I'm holding out to see how things go. I quite loved this one - I have to finish some of my arcs before I can go on to the final book in the trilogy, but I'm very excited!

My first book is Enchantment: The Life of Audrey Hepburn which I've had on my TBR list for a little bit.
It is going towards Fashionable character prompt. I chose it because I needed a nonfiction break from the many fiction books I read at the end of last year
Since it is nonfiction it is taking me some time to get through, but I'm enjoying it.

the prompt i started was Title Starting with the letter "G" and the book that completed it was Good Talk by Mira Jacob. I don't have any significant reason that i chose that book for that prompt but when i saw that it could complete it, i was pretty satisfied. I enjoyed the book, i really like graphic novels and it became one of my favorites.

I’ve read Heir of Fire (#4), The Wastelands (#45), and Snatched (#6). Currently working on Valley of Horses for #14.

First book of the year was My Heart Is a Chainsaw and im not sure where im going to put it but first real Prompt was #20 How I'll Kill You

My first book was Friends in High Places by Donna Leon. It's first because it's an audio, and I was in the car for a trip. Detective story set in Venice. I've enjoyed the series so far. It was all about murder, so placed it in the 'Related to the word murder' category. I don't pick my categories until after I've read a book, then pick the best fit.

I have been working with books that was already reading or planning to read. So far I completed prompts 11, 28 and 36. My books are The Body in the Gallery, Comic Sans Murder and Flash and Bones. Some of those work for other prompts also, so I may end up shuffling them.

My first book was The Evening and the Morning by Ken Follett. I placed it in the Time in the Title prompt. A good, although long, read! Most of the books that I hope to read are ones that I own, so this is another that I can pass on to my bookworm daughter!

I started with Hang the Moon by Alexandria Bellefleur for prompt 4, Title Starting With The Letter "H". I started with it because I got the book from the library at the end of 2022 so it was the perfect way to kick off the 2023 challenge!

I also managed to cruise through three other books in the first week:
- Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid (prompt 44: A Contemporary Setting)
- Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (prompt 43: A Book Everyone Has Read)
- The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank (prompt 13: Published Posthumously)

I started with It Starts with Us2] by Colleen Hoover for prompt 6, Under 200 pages (kindle version)

I also managed to finish 4 additional prompts in the first week of the challenge:
- The House in the Pines by (prompt 50: related to the word murder)
- Right Behind You by Lisa Gardner (Prompt 20: A book by silbings)
- The Chestnut Man by Søren Sveistrup (Prompt 24: Nordic Noir)
- The Girl from Blind River by Gale Massey (prompt 7: a city or country name in the title)

My goal is to finish another 4 prompts during the second week of this challenge

Update: Finished an additional 3 books for the second week:
One of Us Is Dead by Jeneva Rose (Prompt 9: A book with a dedication)
Before She Disappeared by Lisa Gardner (Prompt 21: Second hand book )
The Breakdown by B.A. Paris (Prompt 45: The first work in the book is "the")

I read Endless Night by Agatha Christie. This met #2 (featuring an inheritance). It was my first Agatha Christie read. I am beginning the mini-challenge on this. I really enjoyed this book. I'm sorry I've waited so long to check out Agatha Christie.

So far, I've read Cantoras for book about secrets, In the Wild Light for written in present tense, Sleeping Murder for published posthumously, Midnight Blue for related tot he word murder, The Violin Conspiracy for has an epilogue, and Signal Fires for a book about siblings. Out of these 6, I gave three (Cantoras, In the Wild Light, and Signal Fires) 5 stars and highly recommend them :)

I read Göğe Bakma Durağı by Turgut Uyar for the prompt #3. I preferred to read it because it's a short poem book and I wanted to make a fast start.

I read Target This by Lily White for prompt 14: a survivor’s tale. It fit nicely as the female lead survives A mental and physical game of cat and mouse to a point. Was definitely interesting and a bit darker than I normally read.

So far, I've read Silence: The Power of Quiet in a World Full of Noise for promt 1 and The Inheritance Games for promt 2, both 4 stars.
I've also read The Hawthorne Legacy and started The Final Gambit, what can I say I've been caught up in the series 🤦‍♀️️

I'm not assigning books to prompts yet, but the first book I have read this year is America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie.

This week I finished two books so far (one started last week), Dave Barry Is Not Making This Up for written by a comedian (I am including people who are funny for a living, which he is even if it's primarily in written form)

plus featuring an inheritance (integral to the plot) The Patient by Jane Shemilt

I just signed up with this group today. How lucky! It just so happened that I started my year with One Night on the Island by Josie Silver (prompt 42 Time in the Title).

My first book for the challenge was Best Foot Forward (prompt 40 Written by a Comedian).

My first read was The Doll House by Phoebe Morgan siblings were the main characters so it fitted #5. I was very disappointed as I never really got into the plot or cared about the characters. It is a sad way to start the new year.

This week I am hoping to finish Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty which seems significantly better than The Doll House so far. Plus it is for my book club and fits #15 because it is set in Australia.

I started with A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute. I have had this book in my TBR for quite some time and when I saw the "Set in Australia" prompt, I knew what I was going to start with. Excellent story and nice writing.

Other prompts it could work for:
2. Featuring an inheritance
14. A survival story

A Proposal They Can't Refuse by Natalie Cana

It could work for 9 A book with a dedication, 11 a book about secrets, or 26 has an epilogue.

I’ve read Babel, Human Acts and am listening to Great Expectations on audiobook. Also currently reading Great Circle. I’m doing it I’m prompt order to keep track.

I also started listening to Spare by Prince Harry as I couldn’t help myself haha.

My first book of 2023 was The Orphan Collector. it was so good and takes place in 1918 during the flu pandemic. It is heartbreaking and of course brings memories of our own pandemic. it is easy to see how this exact scenario could happen given the situation a d lack of resources.

I read this one as it was the 1st friend suggested book for Januafor my 2023 challenge.

So far I have read 4 and am almost finished with a 5th
Prompt 2 Inheritance - Parting the Veil by Paulette Kennedy
Prompt 4 Starting with H - Here On Earth by Alice Hoffman
Prompt 50 Relating to Murder - Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak
Prompt 9 Book with Dedication - The Witch of Tin Mountain by Paulette Kennedy

Almost finished with:
Prompt 12 High Fantasy - Crescent City House of Earth and Blood

I read Ready Player One for Prompt 2 - Featuring an inheritance.
I also finished my 7th book by Agatha Christie for the side challenge, The Mysterious Affair at Styles. It was not my favorite of hers.

I read The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System: Ren Zha Fanpai Zijiu Xitong (Novel) Vol. 4 for the prompt "Book you meant to read last year". I meant to read it as soon as I got it, but I never got around to do that, so I wanted it to be my first book of the year

I've managed to read five books this second week, making seven so far. I'm trying to decide which prompt to cover next; I'll either read Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo for A book by a Caribbean author, or The wind up bird chronicle by Haruki Murakami for A book that sends you down a rabbit hole.

Lindsey wrote: "My first book of the challenge was Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas for #33 A Banned Book. I really enjoyed it, a fast-paced YA with LGBTQ+ representation (hence why ..."

I read that last year and really enjoyed it!

I just finished The Cat Who Saved Books for #49 A book with books on the cover. It was a quick read and quite interesting. Translated books are always a bit harder as I feel like I miss a lot of the nuance. Still, great read.

Im behind but I just finished Shadowsong, which fits prompt #20 about siblings. I didn't enjoy it as much as I did the first, which for me rarely happens, but I was still highly satisfied with the conclusion of the series.

Donna wrote: "I read Heartstone by C.J. Sansom for #4 Title that starts with the letter H. It’s the fifth book in the Matthew Shardlake Tudor Mystery series and I will follow up wit..."

I loved this series. Will re-read at some time or other!

Just finished The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman for #50 , relating to murder. Most enjoyabel!

My week 2 book is for the prompt #1 A book with subtitles for which I read In love: A memoir of love and loss by Amy Bloom.

I started 2023 with Mandy Kaling's Is Everybody Hanging Out Without Me? I used it as "A Body Positive Message". I wanted something light hearted to read over the holiday. I enjoyed it as a light hearted memoir.

For my second book I chose prompt #40 - written by a comedian - Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama by Bob Odenkirk

For week 2 I chose prompt #14 - A Survival Story - and read Until it Fades by KA Tucker. She definitely is a survivor.

My first read was for prompt 10: Takes Place during the Roaring Twenties. I picked The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton. It was one the books I didn't get to last year and I really got into it!

In week 2 I read Up to No Gouda for prompt 9: Book with a dedication. It was a reasonably good cozy mystery that was a group read for the Cozy Mystery Corner.

Prompt 8- dystopian fiction
Completed The Handmaid’s Tale

Prompt 18- set during a war other than WWI/WWII
started For Whom The Bell Tolls

I had a very slow start to 2023 so my first book wasn't started until January 9th. I read Verity by Colleen Hoover for Prompt #11: A book about secrets
I picked this prompt because of the book as it was highly recommended by a friend

Happy Reading