The 52 Book Club: 2025 / 2026 Challenge discussion

WEEKLY CHECK-IN
June 24, 2024 -- Week 26

It's the last week of June and we're halfway through this challenge! For this week's discussion... You've been transported to the setting of your current read.

Where are you? How would you feel about living there?

Nazi Germany 1941 - I am not cool with living there

I'm at an academy for kids with mythical backgrounds (Valkyries, Spartans, Oracles, etc.). I wouldn't want to go there; the students are at war with followers of Loki.

Dystopian New Jersey... ugh, it sounds terrible and not on my bucket list

Various times between 2115–2194 in various locations on a vastly changed Earth. Some places seem OK, others—no thanks! I’m only 20% into Light Music by Kathleen Ann Goonan, so I may feel differently as I get further in the book.

NYC in April 2020.
Uh, NYC, maybe. Spring of 2020? Don't think so.

I'm in a Russian jail with Brittney Griner. We are both terrified of what lies ahead.

Okay, too funny. I would quite literally be in Hell. Kingdom of the Cursed by Kerri Maniscalco takes place in Hell. Currently, the main character is at House Wrath (each deadly sin has their own domain in Hell). Obviously, I wouldn't want to be in Hell. Granted this Hell is not fire and brimstone - it's the frozen tundra!!! I could survive House Wrath, but only cause I know the book is leading up to him and the main character coming together (it's a romance, so it's a given and not a spoiler). Still, I'm not going to let my preference for the main male lead distract me from the fact that this week's discussion question has sent me to Hell. Instead of 1st degree burns, you've subjected me to frostbite, hypothermia, and have put my sanity at risk cause if I'm stuck in the portion of Hell known as the Sin Corridor and not at House Wrath, I will literally lose my mind as I am subjected to illusions that test me against all the seven deadly sins.

Can I go home now?

Late 1400s early 1500s in China! Lisa See’s Lady Tan’s Circle of Women. Idk if I want to live in this setting even though I’m learning about the women in that time frame. I wouldn’t want to live it.

Book 1: An alternative London circa 1839. Part of the alternate history has Westminster bridge just collapsing, as well as lack of food, accidents occurring, and possibly impending war. No thank you.


Book 2: Vietnam during the war. Again, no thank you

Book 3: Pacific northwest, present day. It's a little rainy but otherwise I'm pretty satisfied to visit a while

My choices are:

1830's Jamaica soon after emancipation

1920's Shanghai

Gotham

I'm picking Gotham.

I'm currently reading Godshot by Chelsea Bieker.
The story takes place in Peaches, California - a once lush and profitable agricultural town that has become a place of extreme drought, cracked, barren earth where nothing grows, and limited water supply.

Even though where I currently live does match the heat in this book, I wouldn't be too happy about this, especially since the town is home to a religious cult that believes that the rain will come by following "assignments." I'd try to leave ASAP.

London!

Last night I finished Kampen om Afrika: Den europeiska koloniseringen about the Europeans conquest of Africa.

Started straight away on Conquistadorerna: De första koloniala imperierna, more conquests, this time about more Africa, some Asia, and mostly the Americas.

And finaly Brottsplats Gotland - mord, andra brott och skandaler 1920-2015, true crime on Gotland, Sweden.

I choose Gotland.

I'm not sure yet, apart from in the UK (I think) I've not long started Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist by Kate Raworth

A few books ago I was touring the world at tennis tournaments with Double Fault by Lionel Shriver Can I go back to that please?

I am reading several books at a time. One of them is The Count of Monte Cristo', which would put me in Paris. I definitely wouldn't mind being there!

I just finished The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley, which takes place in the not-too-distant future in London. That sounds pretty cool, as long as I can steer clear of the Ministry and all its drama.

I am also in the progress of reading The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki and translated by Jesse Kirkwood. This one takes place in Japan. I 100% would be interested in visiting, assuming I had a translator or could speak the language. I would also be *very* interested in stopping by the Full Moon Coffee Shop to have talking cats read my stars, even though I haven't ever really looked into astrology.