Book a Week 2017 - BW52: Year End Wrap Up

[Violet Crown]

Okay, 2017 Bingo....

 

B

Prime Number: “A Light in the Heavensâ€: Great Encyclical Letters of Pope Leo XIII

Flufferton: Henry Green, Loving

Eastern Europe: Karel Capek, R.U.R./ The Insect Play/ The Makropulos Case

Spouse Birth Year: Charles Portis, True Grit

Steampunk: ---

 

I

Science fiction: Philip K. Dick, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

My name in title: Stephen Crane, The Third Violet

Short stories: The Stories of Breece D’J Pancake

Seaworthy: Richard Hakluyt, Voyages

Middle Ages: Turold, The Song of Roland

 

N

Western: Larry McMurtry, Horseman, Pass By

Up to 100 A.D.: Seneca, Phaedra

Free: J. F. Powers, Morte D’Urban

Dystopian: -------

Mystery: A. A. Milne, The Red House Mystery

 

G

Translated: Emile Zola, Nana

Outer Space: ------

Finance: -------

One Word Title: Joseph Conrad, Victory

Debut Author: -------

 

O

> 500 pages: Rabelais, Gargantua and Pantagruel

Local author: Jo Ella Powell Exley, Texas Tears and Texas Sunshine: Voices of Frontier Women

Female Adventure: Rose Macaulay, The Towers of Trebizond

Classic: Ovid, Ars Amatoria

Selected by friend: Teresa of Avila, The Interior Castle

---------------------------------------------

 

2017 Personal Book Categories:

 

Books I Covered The Title Of When Reading In Public:

Joseph Conrad, The Nigger of the Narcissus

Alexander Pope, The Rape of the Lock

Henry James, The Reverberator

 

Books About Books:

Gilbert Highet, People, Places, and Books

James Sutherland, English Satire

Milton, Areopagitica

 

Oddly self-referential books:

Vladimir Nabokov, Pale Fire

Stevie Smith, Novel on Yellow Paper

 

Not their best work:

Graham Greene, Monsignor Quixote

Somerset Maugham, The Magician

William Faulkner, The Reivers

Stephen Crane, The Third Violet

 

Books you haven't read but should:

Stevie Smith, Novel on Yellow Paper

The Stories of Breece D’J Pancake

James Hogg, The Three Perils of Man

 

Book I didn't like but recommend to others:

Philip K. Dick, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

 

Book I did like but don't recommend to others:

“A Light in the Heavensâ€: Great Encyclical Letters of Pope Leo XIII

 

2017 Book coincidence:

Larry McMurtry (Horseman, Pass By) is married to the widow of Ken Kesey (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest)

 

[Lady Florida.]

I just saw a thread on the main chat board that Sue Grafton died. :( 

 

NBC confirms it. 

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/books/popular-mystery-writer-sue-grafton-dies-77-her-daughter-says-n833496

[mumto2]

Is anyone planning on other challenges in addition to the 52 books? I’m stuck deciding between Modern Mrs Darcy, Book riot and popsugar

I haven't looked at the other websites but I did take a closer look at Robin's 52 books the other night and discovered a Mind Voyages challenge. http://www.read52booksin52weeks.com/p/mind-voyages.html. For me actually enjoying a couple of Sci Fi books has been one of my accomplishments this past year. I am hoping to do one of the challenges from this list this year.

 

She also has others listed.

[Loesje22000]

Loesje,

 

A couple of idea's that you might like in the cozy genre with an interesting vicar and PCC issues. Not Barbara Pym type but I like them and think you might enjoy them.

 

I love Judith Cutler in general. She writes great police proceduals. This is the first in a newish series which I am hoping she continues. In this one the new wife definitely struggles to meet expectations.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20767173-death-in-elysium?ac=1&from_search=true

 

 

I love this series about a former MI5 agent turned Vicar. Max Tudor is wonderful! Eventually he falls in love with an unusual choice for a vicar's wife.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10946475-wicked-autumn?ac=1&from_search=true

 

 

Raifta, Congratulations on your Bingo. The Invisible Library series is one of my favorites.

 

 

Jane Louise, Welcome! I hope you decide to join us more often.

What does PCC stands for?

It is also used in the Rectors wife and electronic dictionary had no description.

[mumto2]

VC, I love the lists at a quick glace. I plan to have a closer look tomorrow. Ds loved loved When Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. ;). I have no idea what was in that book and am probably happier that way. :lol:

 

I just saw a thread on the main chat board that Sue Grafton died. :( 

 

NBC confirms it. 

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/books/popular-mystery-writer-sue-grafton-dies-77-her-daughter-says-n833496

  

 

I am so sad. :( Also sad about Z........

 

What does PCC stands for?

It is also used in the Rectors wife and electronic dictionary had no description.

PCC stands for Parochial Church Council. Each individual Church of England church has one. They run it. They do whatever they vote for within a particular Church and the Diocese tries to advise.... That honestly sums it up from experience. Basically the PCC in charge of running that particular Church. They hire the vicar, he is paid by the larger Diocese but the PCC and the Wardens are also his bosses. The wardens are the small group of the PCC in charge of day to day, everything from opening the doors to coordinating the electric to be fixed. Wardens do work hard. But being a Vicar is hard, really hard.

 

I assume that rector and vicar are interchangeable but do not know for sure.

[JennW in SoCal]

I keep coming here to write my wrap up, to say a heartfelt thank you to Robin for the totally unexpected (and unearned -- I didn't do bingo or any challenges!) gift in the mail, but then something distracts me and and I have to walk away. I was reading Foxglove Summer this afternoon, the 5th of the Rivers of London series, which made me think of Mumto2 which reminded me I STILL hadn't done my recap. Then I open the chat board only to see the post that Sue Grafton died, which makes me so very, very sad. It is like losing a long time friend as I've been reading her books since the late 80s.

 

Here is a photo of the title page of G is for Gumshoe, which she signed for me during a book tour. 

 

 

And now I see how VC has organized her year's reading into delightful categories and I now want to play with my list to see how I can rearrange and organize it. But I may never get a recap in if I start down that rabbit trail! Let's just say I've read about 59 good books this year, abandoned 2 or 3, and continue reading lots of genre -- sci-fi, fantasy and mystery. Like others, my favorite books include News of the World and the audio version of Trevor Noah's Born a Crime.

 

My ds is still here til early next week. Once he heads back life should quiet down so I can get back to hanging out here with my friends!

[Granny_Weatherwax]

VC, I love the lists at a quick glace. I plan to have a closer look tomorrow. Ds loved loved When Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. ;). I have no idea what was in that book and am probably happier that way. :lol:

 

 <snip>

Androids is a good book.  The movie Blade Runner is loosely based on Androids; there is little of Androids in the movie, though. I  wouldn't waste time on Blade Runner. Even though Harrison Ford headlines, it is not good.

[mumto2]

 

Androids is a good book. The movie Blade Runner is loosely based on Androids; there is little of Androids in the movie, though. I wouldn't waste time on Blade Runner. Even though Harrison Ford headlines, it is not good.[/quote/]

 

Glad to hear that! It's one of those that he read when he was 15 or so from Overdrive. He had a great time teasing me that he probably should not have been allowed to check that one out. I had quit monitoring partly because I didn't like Sci fi much. Trying to change that. Anyway I felt a bit of guilt and he thinks he got away with something. Possibly he just had fun teasing mom knowing she wouldn't read it! :lol:

 

I know I saw Blade Runner at a Drive In years ago but don't really remember it because I was too busy buying snacks for my brother and his wife.

[ErinE]

Androids is a good book. The movie Blade Runner is loosely based on Androids; there is little of Androids in the movie, though. I wouldn't waste time on Blade Runner. Even though Harrison Ford headlines, it is not good.

I agree. Blade Runner is more violent and less thoughtful than Androids. I wouldn't say the author is a great writer in his prose, but his books' premises tend to stay with me.

Edited December 30, 2017 by ErinE

[JennW in SoCal]

Now you all have me curious about Androids -- I suppose I'll need to finally read it. I loved the original Blade Runner movie -- loved the art of it, the look of a future LA, the language, the lighting, the art direction and cinematography. Couldn't tell you much about the plot after seeing it initially as it was total "eye candy"!  Wasn't blown away by this year's follow up movie, though again some of the art direction was impressive and much remains in my mind's eye.

[Robin M]

I haven't looked at the other websites but I did take a closer look at Robin's 52 books the other night and discovered a Mind Voyages challenge. http://www.read52booksin52weeks.com/p/mind-voyages.html. For me actually enjoying a couple of Sci Fi books has been one of my accomplishments this past year. I am hoping to do one of the challenges from this list this year.

 

She also has others listed.

I posted a couple more challenges on to the blog in the past couple days. --  Nobel prize winners, feed your muse (poetry, essays and short stories mini challenge).  Well Educated Mind and Mind Voyages are perpetual challenges.  

 

I'm avoiding looking at crazy challenge connections as well as the novel challenges link.   I have the eyes are bigger than my stomach syndrome.  

 

I enjoyed Blade Runner.  Had watched it years and years ago when first came out. Watched again with hubby last year after reading Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.  The movie is based loosely on the book.  I hardly remembered any of the movie so was like watching it for the first time.  Benefit of getting older I guess. Get to enjoy old movies.   :lol:

 

 

Quiet day at the shop and time for me to wrap things up and go home.  

 

TTFN

[Matryoshka]

Okay, I'm ready to do a bit more wrapping up, though I'm going to save the whole list till Sunday, as I'm still thinking I might finish a couple more. I just started Sein eigener Herr/Independent People by Laxness. I may or may not finish that one, but that would bring me to 10 Chunkys this year, and that's such a nice round number... :tongue_smilie:

· Where did your reading take you this year?

· Which countries and time periods did you visit?

These are all places the books were set; not all of them would qualify for the 'round the world' authenticity test... ;)

 

Czechoslovakia (pre-breakup), Estonia, Germany (4), Iceland (6), Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Russia (5), Spain (5), Sweden, UK (13), Argentina, Brazil (2), Colombia (3), Cuba, Dominica, Honduras (2), Mexico, Venezuela, Botswana, Ghana, Nigeria (2), South Africa (2), Afghanistan, China (3), India (2), Iran (3), Israel, Japan, Korea (2), Mongolia, Tibet, Vietnam, Tasmania, Open Sea (4), Outer Space (8)

 

If we include speculative fiction, also Scotland, New Zealand, Australia, Belgium, Indonesia, Chile, a few alternate realities, and I'm sure others I'm not thinking of. :D

 

Time periods ranged from the middle ages to the present to the far future.

· Top 5 (or more) favorite reads?

You're really not going to make me choose? I'll answer this one later. ;)

· Which book stayed with you the longest after finishing it?

A hard question. Maybe Evicted and Warmth of Other Suns?

· Which book did you think you were going to love, but didn't?

Pachinko, The Man Who Spoke Snakish. Thought I'd really like both of those, but they were both just kind of okay... gave them both 3 stars, but was expecting to like them much more. Oh, and The Essex Serpent which I'd seen praised on many lists. I could not wait for that book to end...

· Which genres or authors you thought you'd never read and was pleasantly surprised to like them?

Westerns. While I didn't loooove News of the World as much as many others here did (I wonder if I would have liked it better if I'd read it rather than listened - wasn't super-crazy about the narrator...), I did like it, and I also really liked The Sisters Brothers. Who'd'a thunk?

· Which mini challenges did you enjoy?

I did the Birthstone challenge (no spelling!), A-Z author and A-Z title. Also the Bingos, but I'll put those in another post. Also kept track of the Chunkys, as I mentioned i'm up to 9 - may or may not finish one more...

 

ETA: forgot the read-a-longs! Really enjoyed both The Razor's Edge and War & Peace. :)

 

Birthstone: Those without the obvious connection are mostly 'where the stone is mined', and I think for Emerald the color...

Jan , Miss Garnet’s Angel, Salley Vickers

Feb , Sergio Y., Alexandre Vidal Porto

March , Wide Sargasso Sea, Jean Rhys

April, The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, Alexander McCall Smith

May , The Green Road, Anne Enright

June , Pavilion of Women, Pearl S. Buck

July , Ruby in the Smoke, Philip Pullman

August , Shah of Shahs, Ryszard Kapuściński

Sept. , Safekeeping, Jessamyn Hope

Oct , Opal, Kristina Wojtaszek

Nov , After the Quake, Haruki Murakami

Dec , The Sisters Brothers, Patrick deWitt

 

A-Z Title

A, Ancillary Mercy, Ann Leckie

B, The Bear and the Nightingale, Katherine Arden

C, Cat’s Table, Michael Ondjaate

D, Deadeye Dick, Kurt Vonnegut

E, Evicted, Matthew Desmond

F, Hidden Figures, Margot Lee Shetterly

G, Miss Garnet’s Angel, Salley Vickers

H, The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood

I, The Invisible Library , Gail Carriger

J, Ancillary Justice, Ann Leckie

K, Kühl graut der Morgen, Kristín Marja Baldursdóttir

L, Lab Girl, Hope Jahren

M, Mockingbird, Walter Tevis

N, The Namesake, Jhumpa Lahiri

O, Ein Mann namens Ove, Fredrick Backman

P, The Palace of Illusions, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Q, A Secret History of the Mongol Queens, Jack Weatherford

R, The Round House, Louise Erdrich

S, Secondhand Time, Svetlana Alexievich

T, Too Like the Lightning, Ada Palmer

U, Utopia, Thomas Moore

V, The Vegetarian, Kang Han

W, All Our Wrong Todays, Elan Mastai

X, Autobiography of Malcolm X, Malcolm X

Y, Sergio Y., Alexandre Vidal Porto

Z, Doctor Zhivago, Boris Pasternek

 

A-Z Author

A, Arnaldur Inrdriðason, Nordermoor

B, Pearl S. Buck, Pavilion of Women

C, Ted Chiang, Stories of Your Life and Others

D, Brian Doyle, The Plover

E, Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence

F, Charles Fanning, Exlies of Erin

G, Elizabeth Gaskell, Cranford

H, Khaled Hosseini, A Thousand Splendid Suns

I, Isabel Wilkerson, The Warmth of Other Suns

J, Steven Johnson, Ghost Map

K, Marjan Kamali, Together Tea

L, Min Jin Lee, Pachinko

M, Emily St. John Mandel, Station Eleven

N, Trevor Noah, Born a Crime

O, Chinelo Okparanta, Happiness, Like Water

P, Paulette Giles, News of the World

Q, David Quammen, The Song of the Dodo

R, Jean Rhys, Wide Sargasso Sea

S, Alexander McCall Smith, The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency

T, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Between the World and Me

U, Ursula Le Guin, The Dispossessed

V, Catherynne M. Valente, Radiance

W, Peter Wohlleben, Das geheime Leben der Bäume

X, Xinran, The Good Women of China

Y, Yaa Gyaisi, Homegoing

Z, Carlos Ruiz Zafón, El laberinto de los espíritus

· Please share favorite covers or quotes

 

(I did love the cover on these last two, even if I didn't like the books as much... Guess don't judge a book ;))

· And last, but not least, share your list of completed reads!

I'll get to that one Sunday when I'm actually done! :D

Edited December 30, 2017 by Matryoshka

[Loesje22000]

 

PCC stands for Parochial Church Council. Each individual Church of England church has one. They run it. They do whatever they vote for within a particular Church and the Diocese tries to advise.... That honestly sums it up from experience. Basically the PCC in charge of running that particular Church. They hire the vicar, he is paid by the larger Diocese but the PCC and the Wardens are also his bosses. The wardens are the small group of the PCC in charge of day to day, everything from opening the doors to coordinating the electric to be fixed. Wardens do work hard. But being a Vicar is hard, really hard.

 

I assume that rector and vicar are interchangeable but do not know for sure.

Thank you!

That explains a lot.

I think in basics our church runs the same way, except in Belgium the federal government pays the wages from Priests, vicars, imams, rabbi etc. but only for the recognised institutes.

In the Netherlands the local parish pays the vicar in protestant churches.

[Negin]

Jane Austen at Home: A Biography is on sale today. 

 

[Lady Florida.]

Jane Austen at Home: A Biography is on sale today. 

 

 

Thank you! That was on my Goodreads to-read list so I grabbed it. I love Lucy Worsley.

[Loesje22000]

Robin,

 

I am working on my BINGO planning and try to remember your monthly list for 2018, I thought there was a Dutch month, but I can’t find the post so I don’t know which authors you named...

[Woodland Mist Academy]

Bringing over a Scoutermom quote from Dec. 2...

I have finished my 52 book challenge! The 52nd book was What Made Maddy Run: the Secret Struggles and Tragic Death of an All-American Teen by Kate Fagan.

 

The book is a good book about a serious and heartbreaking topic. If you have experience with depression, anxiety, or suicidal ideation I would think twice about reading this book as it could trigger negative thoughts and emotions.

 

The book is insightful about the role of technology and modern societal expectations on young people. Obviously, much of what is discussed about this particular case is conjecture, pieced together through interviews, emails, and instant messages after the event but the author is respectful throughout and there is no victim shaming or survivor blaming. There were many times throughout the book in which I had to pause and reflect; my roles as DIII coach, college recruiter, and parent of young adults are all portrayed in the book. Once I became a coach I felt the weight of responsibility for my SAs and, now more than ever, that mantle is cumbersome.

 

I sincerely wish all potential students, student-athletes, parents, and coaches could read this book. 

 

Thanks so much for the recommendation. I had seen the book in the book store, but was on the fence until your recommendation. Your review and answers to my questions in the thread this quote is taken from were spot on. The book left me with much to think about on many levels. Thanks for the recommendation and for answering my questions.

[Robin M]

Robin,

 

I am working on my BINGO planning and try to remember your monthly list for 2018, I thought there was a Dutch month, but I can’t find the post so I don’t know which authors you named...

June is a combo of the Western Europe Low Countries and I picked Georges Simenon and/or Renate Dorrestein. If you have additional suggestions, they would be greatly appreciated.

 

http://www.read52booksin52weeks.com/p/2018-themes-and-authors.html

[Raifta]

Popping in between walking the dog (minus 36 Fahrenheit out there folks) and thawing the supply line to the dishwasher (yes, the house is heated but minus 36 folks!  for days on end) to outline my bingo.

 

B

 

Prime Number - 11 Walks by Alexandra Horowitz

Flufferton - Wild Strawberries by Angela Thirkell

Eastern Europe - Dear Fang, With Love by Rufi Thorpe

Bestseller written in child birth year - A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Steampunk - The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

 

I

 

Science Fiction - Shift by Hugh Howey

Your Name in the Title - Edwina, Countess Mountbatten of Burma by Richard Hough

Collection of Short Stories - Twice Told Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Seaworthy - Miracles on the Water by Tom Nagorski

Middle Ages - Morality Play by Barry Unsworth

 

N

 

Western - The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin

Ancient - The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Free Space - Wild Swans by Jung Chang

Dystopian - Dust by Hugh Howey

Mystery - Death comes to Pemberley by P.D. James

 

G

 

Translated - Voices from Chernobyl by Svetlana Alexievich

Outer Space - Radiance by Catherynne Valente

Finance - Evicted by Matthew Desmond

one Word Title - Pandora by Sylvia Fraser

Debut Author - All our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai

 

O

 

Over 500 Pages - Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

Local Author - Prairie Bridesmaid by Daria Salamon

Female Adventure - Love Among the Butterflies by Margaret Fountaine

Classic - Howards End by E.M. Forster

Selected by a Friend - A Sense of Direction by Gideon Lewis-Krause

 

Overall my favourites were probably The Invisible Library, Evicted, Shift and Dust and Miracles on the Water.  

 

Looking forward to doing 2018 bingo but I haven't even looked at it yet!

 

I didn't do any of the other monthly challenges as I was also trying to get through my chosen shelf for the year - I didn't quite manage that - I still have 6 books left on the shelf (out of 35 or so).  I'm going to finish off that shelf next year and do a half shelf that lies between the two shelves I will have then completed.

 

I've read around 100 books but I'm still hoping to finish 3 more before the year is up and my lists are all still mostly inaccessible due to not having Office installed on the computer yet.

 

Next year I guess my goals are to complete Bingo, complete my 6 shelf books and half shelf, and read two books in French.  I realized that the Outlander series is probably available in French in our library system, so that will be a good one to try I hope.  And to pick a few letters from the alphabet and get books out from the library for authors with those last names who are on my list of books to be read.

[Lady Florida.]

I finished Pride and Prejudice late last night and have now met my Goodreads goal of 107, which is a prime number.

[Loesje22000]

June is a combo of the Western Europe Low Countries and I picked Georges Simenon and/or Renate Dorrestein. If you have additional suggestions, they would be greatly appreciated.

 

http://www.read52booksin52weeks.com/p/2018-themes-and-authors.html

Amelie Nothomb is also a Wallonian author but one that writes almost gothic books.

Her books about her time in Japan are different of style though.

 

Tessa de Loo is a very accessible author, one that people really read also beside highschool literature. Dorrestein too btw...

 

I have to admit I have never read Dorrenstein or Simenon, so I think you made a great choice :)

[Robin M]

I keep coming here to write my wrap up, to say a heartfelt thank you to Robin for the totally unexpected (and unearned -- I didn't do bingo or any challenges!) gift in the mail, but then something distracts me and and I have to walk away. I was reading Foxglove Summer this afternoon, the 5th of the Rivers of London series, which made me think of Mumto2 which reminded me I STILL hadn't done my recap. Then I open the chat board only to see the post that Sue Grafton died, which makes me so very, very sad. It is like losing a long time friend as I've been reading her books since the late 80s.

 

Here is a photo of the title page of G is for Gumshoe, which she signed for me during a book tour. 

 

 

And now I see how VC has organized her year's reading into delightful categories and I now want to play with my list to see how I can rearrange and organize it. But I may never get a recap in if I start down that rabbit trail! Let's just say I've read about 59 good books this year, abandoned 2 or 3, and continue reading lots of genre -- sci-fi, fantasy and mystery. Like others, my favorite books include News of the World and the audio version of Trevor Noah's Born a Crime.

 

My ds is still here til early next week. Once he heads back life should quiet down so I can get back to hanging out here with my friends!

You're very welcome!  Also saddened by Grafton's passing.   "The alphabet now ends with Y".  Sad, yet true. Also has the makings of a intriguing story and book title.  I have "X" on my shelves which I'll be reading this year.    Enjoy your visit with your dear son.   

 

 

I finished Pride and Prejudice late last night and have now met my Goodreads goal of 107, which is a prime number.

Woot! Woot!  Way to go! 

 

Amelie Nothomb is also a Wallonian author but one that writes almost gothic books.

Her books about her time in Japan are different of style though.

 

Tessa de Loo is a very accessible author, one that people really read also beside highschool literature. Dorrestein too btw...

 

I have to admit I have never read Dorrenstein or Simenon, so I think you made a great choice :)

Awesome and thank you.  Have added The Twins to my virtual stacks and Nothomb to my wish list.  

[Lady Florida.]

I don't know why I thought Grafton had made it to Z. I thought I read something about it in an interview with her a while back. Obviously I was imagining it. That's sad that Z will never get written.

 

I'm always sad for families who lose a loved one but I think it's especially hard to have lost someone near a holiday that you celebrate. SIL - my brother's wife - had a sister who was murdered by the only serial killer our small city ever had.She was his last victim before he was caught - his next victim got away and was able to identify him. Anyway, her body was found on Thanksgiving Day (this was long before my brother met her). Her family's Thanksgiving is different than most as they make it a celebration of that sister's life.

Edited December 30, 2017 by Lady Florida.

[Lady Florida.]

I'm trying to remember how we do it - Should I hold off on posting 2018 plans until the new thread? 

[mumto2]

Only one book to go and I am done with my challenges! I will end on a Prime and have spelled Turquoise.

 

2017 Alphabetical by Author

 

A. Andrews, Donna...........Six Geese A-Slaying

B. Braun, Lillian Jackson......The Cat who Played Brahms

C. Carlisle, Kate ........Ripped From the Pages

D. Dennison, Hannah.......Murderous Mayhem at Honeychurch Hall

E. Elgin, Anthony........The Trail of the Wild Rose

F. Flanagan, John A.........Storm Peak

G. Grisham, John........The Whistler

H. Hayley, Noah.......Before the Fall

I. Irdridason, Arnaldur......Reykjavik Nights

J. James, Miranda..........Digging Up the Dirt

K. Kellerman, Faye......Bone Box

L. Lovett, Charlie.......The Lost Book of the Grail

M. McGuire, Seanan.......Midnight Blue-Light Special

N. Neil, Chloe........Biting Cold

O. Olson, Melissa...... Midnight Curse

P. Penny, Louise......Bury Your Dead

Q. Quinn, Julia...... Brighter Than the Sun

R. Rice, Patricia......Must Be Magic

S. Stevenson, DE.....Vittoria Cottage

T. Thompson, James.......Lucifer’s Tears

U. Upson, Nicola.........Angel with Two Faces

V. Vernon, John.......Wolf Lake

W. White, Karen........The Guests on South Battery

X. Xiaolong, Qiu ........Death of a Red Heroine

Y. Yu, Ovidia........Aunty Lee’s Delights

Z. Zettel, Sarah.....Palace of Spies

 

While I was typing this I realized that this is actually a list of some of my favorite authors. Not necessarily the book listed but the author. A few diversions because I needed a hard letter but a list that actually reflects me. :)

[Penguin]

Here is my wrap-up:

 

First, the numbers:

 

59 Adult/YA books

7 Middle grades books

14 Shorts (quickie reads with an ISBN that don't meet my idea of book-length)

 

I didn't tally the shorts into the percentage breakdown. Here is the breakdown:

 

49% Tagged as Sci-Fi or Fantasy

47% Women Authors

28% Either in translation or in Danish

 

6 Danish books

11 books tagged as Nordic

18 Nonfiction books

3 Graphic Novels

5 Re-Reads

 

And now for answers to some of the questions:

Where did your reading take you this year? Sweden, Denmark, Croatia, Ukraine, Russia, Finland, France, Netherlands, England, China, Belarus, India, Italy, Ireland, Syria, Egypt

 

What was your reading goal for the year and did you meet or beat your personal goal? 

 

My main goal was to reboot my reading habit, and I succeeded. I went from 16 books in 2016 to 64 in 2017. I also started a new reading journal, and these were the goals that I wrote in the beginning:

 

Complete the WTM Bingo Challenge (25 books). Done.

Complete the Goodreads Into the Forest Challenge (12 books). Done.

Incorporate shared reading experiences (friends and family, book clubs). Claiming success.

Read in both English and Danish. Improve my ability to read in Danish. Claiming success.

Start working on Russian with the long-term goal of reading in Russian. Not really. Deferred to 2018.

Select one or more long term projects. Claiming success.

 

Top 5 (or more) favorite reads?

 

I liked nearly everything that I read this year. Some standouts were:

 

Laurus (Contemporary Russian fiction)

The Beautiful Struggle: A Father, Two Sons and an Unlikely Road to Manhood (Memoir)

Cafe Europa: Life After Communism (Memoir/Political Commentary)

Voices from Chernobyl: The Oral History of a Nuclear Disaster (Self-Explanatory)

Kunsten at Graæde i Kor (Realistic Fiction)

Fantasy/Sci-Fi: I don't know how to pick! Stardust, Language of Thorns, The Dark is Rising, Odinsbarn, Radiance

 

Which book did you think you were going to love, but didn't?

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

 

Which genres or authors you thought you'd never read and was pleasantly surprised to like them?

I didn't think that I like sci-fi, but I have changed my mind. My son was instrumental in this - by reading and discussing sci-fi with an enthusiast, I have a different outlook now.

 

ETA: I'm not up for typing the whole list right now. This post was a lot of work, lol. Maybe I will add it in later.

Edited January 2, 2018 by Penguin

[Robin M]

I'm trying to remember how we do it - Should I hold off on posting 2018 plans until the new thread? 

I don't remember either.  :lol:   

 

You could share now which may just inspire us to add to our own plans.  Or wait until Monday.  It's entirely up to you.  

[Woodland Mist Academy]

 

 

Read in both English and Danish. Improve my ability to read in Danish. Claiming success.

Start working on Russian with the long-term goal of reading in Russian. Not really. Deferred to 2018.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~snip~~~~~~~~

 

ETA: I'm not up for typing the whole list right now. This post was a lot of work, lol. Maybe I will add it in later.

 

Will Russian be a new language for you or does it just need brushing up? Congrats on the Danish progress!! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

You did better with the list than I did! Here's my 2017 wrap up:

 

I read bits and bobs about this and that.  ;)

[Penguin]

Will Russian be a new language for you or does it just need brushing up? Congrats on the Danish progress!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

You did better with the list than I did! Here's my 2017 wrap up:

 

I read bits and bobs about this and that. ;)

WMA, I started Russian from scratch in 2017 but didn’t do much besides piddle around.

[Kareni]

A one day only classic that is currently free for Kindle readers ~

 

Lombard Street: A Description of the Money Market by Walter Bagehot

 

Also currently free ~

 

Not Another New Year's  by Christie Ridgway

 

For children: Gregory and the Grimbockle  by Melanie Schubert...   "A beautifully realized daydream…" -Kirkus Reviews

 

Mosaic Chronicles  by Andrea Pearson

 

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Robin M]

Thanks to mum for pointing me in Bev's direction. This is one challenge which I can't resist, particularly since some of us will be reading mysteries.  

 

Follow the Clue's Mystery challenge

 

It's also possible we can get creative and come up with something similar for romance or sci fi or literary books.  

[Maus]

Well, I didn't make it to 52 this year.  I checked out more than that, but kept having to return things unread.  I hate that!

 

40.  "un-Spun: finding facts in a world of [disinformation]" by Brooks Jackson and Kathleen Hall Jamieson.  I might read this again, with my son.  Has some good examples of how advertising and politicians are able to use "facts" to make it sound like something else is true, when it's not.

 

39.  "Paris to the Pyrenees: A Skeptic Pilgrim Walks the Way of Saint James" by David Downie.  David and his wife walked from Paris to the beginning of the Spanish Camino, sometimes following the way of St. James.  His wife is a photographer, so it has some lovely pictures. 

 

38. "The Three Musketeers" by Alexandre Dumas.  I've been listening to this while I walk for exercise every evening for the past two months, and finally finished it tonight.  Enjoyable on the whole.  Occasionally got a little bored with the detailed descriptions of things.

37. "The One World School House" by Salman Khan.  Not about the Camino, of course, but I stumbled across it while I was at the library checking out every Camino book they had.  This is both the story of how the Khan academy came about and what he believes is the direction education should go.

36. "A Year of Living Prayerfully" by Jared Brock.  Well, he didn't actually walk the Camino.  He traveled to Santiago de Compostela by car, but I enjoyed the book anyway.  It's a lively account of how he studied the prayer traditions of several faiths by interacting directly with their communities for a year.

35. "10 Routes that Crossed the World" by Gillian Richardson.  This one is written for kids, but I found it rather dry.  

34. "The Road to Santiago" by Kathryn Harrison.  The author walked the Camino once solo, and then tried to take her 12 year-old daughter on another attempt.
33. "The Book of Mormon." (LDS)
32. "I'll Push You" by Patrick Gray and Justin Skeesuck.
31. "Summerlost" by Ally Condie.
30. "Braving the Wilderness" by Brene Brown.
29. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling.
28. "Guitar Zero: the New Musician and the Science of Learning" by Gary Marcus.
26. "Utah Curiousities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Offbeat Fun" by Brandon Griggs.
25. "Songs of the Gorilla Nation: My Journey Through Autism" by Dawn Prince-Hughes.
24. "Frank Einstein and the Antimatter Motor" by Jon Scieszka.
23. "Counseling with Our Councils" by M. Russell Ballard (LDS).
22. "The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle" by Avi
21. "Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, & the Prison of Belief" by Lawrence Wright.
20. "QB: My Life Behind the Spiral" by Steve Young.
19. "Batneezer: The Creature from my Closet" by Obert Skye.
18. "Lord of the Hat: The Creature from my Closet" by Obert Skye.
17. "Beyond Belief" by Jenna Miscavige Hill.
16. "Ruthless" by Ron Miscavige.
15. "Katfish: The Creature from my Closet" by Obert Skye.
14. "Pinocula: The Creature from my Closet" by Obert Skye.
13. "Potterwookiee: The Creature from my Closet" by Obert Skye.
12. "Worth the Wrestle" by Sheri Dew (LDS).
11. "Wonkenstein: The Creature from my Closet" by Obert Skye.
10. "Cub Scout Wolf Handbook".
9. "A Little Princess" by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
8. "A Mother's Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy" by Sue Klebold
7. "Columbine" by Dave Cullen.
6. "Changed through His Grace" by Brad Wilcox (LDS)>
5. "The Reason I Jump" by Naoki Higashida.
4. "No Doubt About It" by Sheri Dew.
3. "Amazed by Grace" by Sheri Dew.
2. "The Gifts of Imperfection" by Brene Brown.
1. "Catch Me If You Can: The True Story of a Real Fake" by Frank W. Abagnale.

[Negin]

Thank you! That was on my Goodreads to-read list so I grabbed it. I love Lucy Worsley.

It was on my wish list as well and I'm also happy to have it now. 

What else have you read by Lucy Worsley? I haven't read anything by her yet. 

[Loesje22000]

Is anyone planning on other challenges in addition to the 52 books? I’m stuck deciding between Modern Mrs Darcy, Book riot and popsugar

I think I will try the BINGO from Robin again :)

I started lasted year with that and it definitly broadened my readings.

It also helped me to make a better use of our library system.

DD wants to try again to get a black out

[mumto2]

I have finished for 2017. Heading out shortly for a get together with friends and then up the tower to ring in 2018. I may or may not be back tonight so Happy New Year everyone! ☺

 

Goodreads says I have a prime number....someplace I have an error because my shelves don't total and they did last week. It's prime and I am going with it. So 307 books last year, with 17 shorts I think, of that at least 34 were audio.

 

I finished spelling my last birthstone this afternoon. I have loved this challenge and already have Chrysanthemum planned from my various bookshelves. I still need to do some serious Bingo planning.

 

T. The Witches Tree by MC Newton

U. UNSUB by Meg Gardiner

R. The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper

Q. The Quant's by Scott Peterson

U. The Unkindness of Ravens by Ruth Randall

O. Year One by Nora Roberts

I. Immortal and the Island of Impossible Things by Gene Doucette

S. How the Finch Stole Christmas by Donna Andrews

E. Immortal at the Edge of the World by Gene Doucette

[Mothersweets]

I have finished for 2017. Heading out shortly for a get together with friends and then up the tower to ring in 2018. I may or may not be back tonight so Happy New Year everyone! ☺

 

Goodreads says I have a prime number....someplace I have an error because my shelves don't total and they did last week. It's prime and I am going with it. So 307 books last year, with 17 shorts I think, of that at least 34 were audio.

 

I finished spelling my last birthstone this afternoon. I have loved this challenge and already have Chrysanthemum planned from my various bookshelves. I still need to do some serious Bingo planning.

 

T. The Witches Tree by MC Newton

U. UNSUB by Meg Gardiner

R. The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper

Q. The Quant's by Scott Peterson

U. The Unkindness of Ravens by Ruth Randall

O. Year One by Nora Roberts

I. Immortal and the Island of Impossible Things by Gene Doucette

S. How the Finch Stole Christmas by Donna Andrews

E. Immortal at the Edge of the World by Gene Doucette

 

Wow! I think you're the winner! 

[ErinE]

I have finished for 2017. Heading out shortly for a get together with friends and then up the tower to ring in 2018. I may or may not be back tonight so Happy New Year everyone! ☺

 

Goodreads says I have a prime number....someplace I have an error because my shelves don't total and they did last week. It's prime and I am going with it. So 307 books last year, with 17 shorts I think, of that at least 34 were audio.

 

I finished spelling my last birthstone this afternoon. I have loved this challenge and already have Chrysanthemum planned from my various bookshelves. I still need to do some serious Bingo planning.

 

T. The Witches Tree by MC Newton

U. UNSUB by Meg Gardiner

R. The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper

Q. The Quant's by Scott Peterson

U. The Unkindness of Ravens by Ruth Randall

O. Year One by Nora Roberts

I. Immortal and the Island of Impossible Things by Gene Doucette

S. How the Finch Stole Christmas by Donna Andrews

E. Immortal at the Edge of the World by Gene Doucette

Congrats on the reads! My number didn’t total either so I think it’s a problem with Goodreads. I spent waaaaay too much time confirming my books before removing the infinite scroll option and doing simple arithmetic with the page numbers.

[Shawneinfl]

I think I will try the BINGO from Robin again :)

I started lasted year with that and it definitly broadened my readings.

It also helped me to make a better use of our library system.

DD wants to try again to get a black out

 

I may try BINGO this year. I just looked at it and I can't quite figure out how the "mystery" squares work. Can anyone explain it to me?

 

[Robin M]

I may try BINGO this year. I just looked at it and I can't quite figure out how the "mystery" squares work. Can anyone explain it to me?

 

 

For our mystery mini challenge  - For each mystery square, you read a mystery book with one of the items in the category.  If you aren't into mysteries, you can also choose another genre.  

 

For each square you read a book which has one of the elements. For example -  a red shoe on the cover.  If you google red shoe on cover and look at images, there is a wide variety and some really interesting books.  Or look for a book with Red Shoe in the Title.  There are a variety of ways to go.  For Ghost in the House or Female Judge -  find a book which has a ghost or female judge in the story. The books can be fiction or nonfiction.   Hope this helps.  If confused about any specific categories, let me know.  

[AppleGreen]

Well, I am as close as I am going to get! 

 

First, I want to say a hearty "thank you!" to all of the wonderful participants in this little micro WTM community. You all have made me feel so incredibly welcome, even when I disappear for weeks and months at a time. You all are the "like-y-est" bunch, and I can always count on you all to light up my notifications with likes.  :hurray:

 

Ok, on to the lists. I did not manage to complete the BINGO challenge. Sad emoji. But, I did read a bunch more this year. I think more than I have read in a number of years, so that is a big yay!

 

B

PRIME: I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives

FLUFFERTON: Me Before You

EASTERN EUROPE-----

BESTSELLER IN CHILD BIRTH YEAR: The Secret Life of Bees

STEAMPUNK------

 

I

SCIENCE FICTION: Shift

YOUR NAME IN THE TITLE----

SHORT STORIES---- (I should have thought of David Sedaris before yesterday!)

SEAWORTHY: The Light Between Oceans

MIDDLE AGES----

 

N

WESTERN: The Marriage Pact (this may be a stretch, but the love interest is a country western singer, so I am taking it  :tongue_smilie: )

ANCIENT-----

FREE: The Underground Railroad

DYSTOPIAN: Dust

MYSTERY:  Gone Girl

 

G

TRANSLATED------

OUTER SPACE-----

FINANCE: North of Normal

ONE WORD TITLE: Moxie

DEBUT: The Song of Achilles

 

O

500+: Wool

LOCAL----

FEMALE ADVENTURE: Where'd You Go, Bernadette?

CLASSIC: LIttle Women

SELECTED BY A FRIEND: Heartburn (If I finish in time!) 

 

So, I only managed to finish one complete row and got close on a column. 

 

Complete list: **indicates nonfiction, @ read aloud

 

The Museum of Extraordinary Things

**The Boys in the Bunkhouse

**Life Reimagined: The Science, Opportunity, and Art of Midlife

The Underground Railroad

**Better Than Before

The Star Attraction

Me Before You

Wool

Dust

Shift

The Secret Life of Bees

@Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life 

My (Not So) Perfect Life

@All American Boys

The Marriage Pact

Regrest Only

**Orange is the New Black

Baggage Check

**North of Normal

Where'd You Go, Bernadette?

@**Just Mercy

**Hillbilly Elegy

**You Are Not So Smart: Why You Have Too Many Friends on Facebook, Why Your Memory is Mostly Fiction, and 46 Other Ways You're Deluding Yourself

**How to Read Literature Like a Professor (Young Reader's Edition)

Sweet Lake

The Hate U Give

**Simply Clean

**It's All a Game

The Song of Achilles

The Light Between Oceans

@Little Women

@The Chamber of Secrets

@Henry Reed, Inc.

@Moon Over Manifest

R is for Rebel

@​The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs

Moxie

Gone Girl

**I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives

Heartburn (maybe!)

 

That is a total of 39, so I did not end up on a prime number. I read so many great books. As I was typing them all, I kept thinking, "Oh, I will say that was my favorite!" but then I would get to another one and think it was my favorite. Every one of the nonfiction books I read was great, except maybe Hillbilly Elegy, which I would rank as good. 

 

My reading took me to Africa and Australia, but more than that it took me into lives that are not anything like mine. It was heartbreaking at times (The Boys in the Bunkhouse, Orange is the New Black & Just Mercy come to mind), hopeful and beautiful (I Will Always Write Back & North of Normal) and a lot of fun (It's All a Game & You're Not So Smart); in short it was exactly what reading should be full of emotions and insight.

 

Some of my favorite quotes: 

 

"Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose." Victor Frankl in Life Reimagined

 

"For a happy life, it's important to cultivate an atmosphere of growth-a sense that we're learning new things, getting stronger, forging new relationships, making things better, helping other people." Better Than Before

 

"I would have argued that the government's drug laws were at best proven ineffectual every day and at worst were misguidedly focused on supply rather than demand...The lesson that our prison system teachers its residents is how to survive as a prisoner, not as a citizen-not a very constructive body of knowledge for us or the communities to which we return." Orange is the New Black

 

I didn't really have a book that I thought I was going to like but didn't. Maybe Hillbilly Elegy, but I think it was mostly because it was overhyped. It wasn't bad. I don't really have a problem abandoning a book I don't love. 

 

No mini challenges for me. While I did not manage to read 52 books, I still read a lot and so enjoyed my reading time! I am shocked at how much reading I can accomplish when I off devices. Note to self. I am looking forward to what I discover next year. 

 

A million thank yous for this lovely little group. I look forward to reading with you all again next year. 

 

*edited a bunch of times because I can't seem to spell or make a coherent thought after a certain length.  :glare:

Edited January 1, 2018 by AppleGreen

[aggieamy]

I don't know why I thought Grafton had made it to Z. I thought I read something about it in an interview with her a while back. Obviously I was imagining it. That's sad that Z will never get written.

 

I know! Weren't we just talking about Grafton just a few weeks ago?!? Such a pity.

 

 

Well, I didn't make it to 52 this year.  I checked out more than that, but kept having to return things unread.  I hate that!

 

<snip>

38. "The Three Musketeers" by Alexandre Dumas.  I've been listening to this while I walk for exercise every evening for the past two months, and finally finished it tonight.  Enjoyable on the whole.  Occasionally got a little bored with the detailed descriptions of things.

37. "The One World School House" by Salman Khan.  Not about the Camino, of course, but I stumbled across it while I was at the library checking out every Camino book they had.  This is both the story of how the Khan academy came about and what he believes is the direction education should go.

36. "A Year of Living Prayerfully" by Jared Brock.  Well, he didn't actually walk the Camino.  He traveled to Santiago de Compostela by car, but I enjoyed the book anyway.  It's a lively account of how he studied the prayer traditions of several faiths by interacting directly with their communities for a year.

35. "10 Routes that Crossed the World" by Gillian Richardson.  This one is written for kids, but I found it rather dry.  

34. "The Road to Santiago" by Kathryn Harrison.  The author walked the Camino once solo, and then tried to take her 12 year-old daughter on another attempt.

33. "The Book of Mormon." (LDS)

32. "I'll Push You" by Patrick Gray and Justin Skeesuck.

31. "Summerlost" by Ally Condie.

30. "Braving the Wilderness" by Brene Brown.

29. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling.

28. "Guitar Zero: the New Musician and the Science of Learning" by Gary Marcus.

26. "Utah Curiousities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Offbeat Fun" by Brandon Griggs.

25. "Songs of the Gorilla Nation: My Journey Through Autism" by Dawn Prince-Hughes.

24. "Frank Einstein and the Antimatter Motor" by Jon Scieszka.

23. "Counseling with Our Councils" by M. Russell Ballard (LDS).

22. "The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle" by Avi

21. "Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, & the Prison of Belief" by Lawrence Wright.

20. "QB: My Life Behind the Spiral" by Steve Young.

19. "Batneezer: The Creature from my Closet" by Obert Skye.

18. "Lord of the Hat: The Creature from my Closet" by Obert Skye.

17. "Beyond Belief" by Jenna Miscavige Hill.

16. "Ruthless" by Ron Miscavige.

15. "Katfish: The Creature from my Closet" by Obert Skye.

14. "Pinocula: The Creature from my Closet" by Obert Skye.

13. "Potterwookiee: The Creature from my Closet" by Obert Skye.

12. "Worth the Wrestle" by Sheri Dew (LDS).

11. "Wonkenstein: The Creature from my Closet" by Obert Skye.

10. "Cub Scout Wolf Handbook".

9. "A Little Princess" by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

8. "A Mother's Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy" by Sue Klebold

7. "Columbine" by Dave Cullen.

6. "Changed through His Grace" by Brad Wilcox (LDS)>

5. "The Reason I Jump" by Naoki Higashida.

4. "No Doubt About It" by Sheri Dew.

3. "Amazed by Grace" by Sheri Dew.

2. "The Gifts of Imperfection" by Brene Brown.

1. "Catch Me If You Can: The True Story of a Real Fake" by Frank W. Abagnale.

 

 

What a great mix of fiction and non-fiction! I see that you've read some of my favorite read alouds with HP, The Little Princess, and Charlotte Doyle too.

 

 

That is a total of 39, so I did not end up on a prime number. I read so many great books. As I was typing them all, I kept thinking, "Oh, I will say that was my favorite!" but then I would get to another one and think it was my favorite.

 

<SNIP>

 

A million thank yous for this lovely little group. I look forward to reading with you all again next year. 

 

Well then ... HURRAH 39 books. I would say if you look back on your reading from last year and thought that you read so many great books then that counts as a WIN!

[AppleGreen]

 

 

 

Well then ... HURRAH 39 books. I would say if you look back on your reading from last year and thought that you read so many great books then that counts as a WIN!

YES! So well said, and I love your optimistic view. This reading year absolutely counts as a win. 

[aggieamy]

Who mentioned the Lucy Worsley mystery documentary? Was you Kathy? Someone else? (Stupid faulty memory. 2018 New Years Resolution ... write things down!)

 

Anyway we watched it last night and really enjoyed it. DH and I did have some really good laughs because Lucy would start talking about a mystery and completely give away the plot especially the twist at the end. We got to the point we were laughing ourselves silly shouting *spoilers* whenever she started talking about a book. DH is reading Bleak House right now and that was one of the books she mentioned.

 

So thank you for that recommendation Lady Florida!

 

***

 

My last book of the year was Mort by Terry Pratchett. We read it for book club. Half of us thought it was great and other half thought it "didn't have enough character development or depth of plot". Oh geez. It's not literature! It doesn't need depth of plot. It's hilarious. A few people from the group listened to it as an audiobook and said it was super that way so I'll listen to the rest of the Death books.

 

I'm pretty sure this was an Erin recommendation so THANK YOU ERIN.

 

:lol:

 

Sandy - Have your kids read the Death series by Terry Pratchett? I definitely thought it would be something they would like.

 

 

Edited December 31, 2017 by aggieamy

[Kareni]

I finished a couple of books since I last reported ~

 

Renal Diet Plan and Cookbook  by Susan Zogheib

 

Since my husband and I are eating a low sodium diet, I found this of interest.  I printed out one recipe to try that appeals to both my husband (the chef du maison) and me.  I shared quite a bit of this book with my husband who commented that it would likely have been a more useful read six months ago when we were just beginning the process.

 

I also re-read with pleasure Andy Weir's The Martian.  Due to a suggestion from me, I received the movie version of The Martian from my daughter.  While my husband and I were watching it, we received a message from our daughter that she was reading Andy Weir's Artemis, which we had given her.  There was a certain balance there.

 

·         Where did your reading take you this year?

·         What was your reading goal for the year ...?

·         Top 5 (or more) favorite reads? ...

·         Which book made you want to read it all over again?  ...     

·         Which ... time periods did you visit?

·         Which books or authors would you recommend everybody read? 

·         Which mini challenges did you enjoy?

 

My reading took me everywhere -- on this planet and off.

 

I had no goal nor do I keep track of my reading.  A good guess is that I read over 300 books this year.

 

My favorites this year were all series ~

 

Anne Cleeland's New Scotland Yard mysteries beginning with Murder in Thrall. (These combine mystery, romance, a stalker hero (!), and a hint of the paranormal.)

 

Lyn Gala's alien male/male romance series featuring Liam and Ondry. The first book is Claimings, Tails, and Other Alien Artifacts.

 

Anne Bishop's The Others series which starts with Written in Red.  This is fantasy with the smallest hint of a romance that develops over the five book series.

 

I do a lot of re-reading (witness The Martian above).  I re-read all three of the series above plus a host of other books.  Re-reading for me is generally a sign that I really enjoyed a book.

 

I visited many time periods past, present, and future.

 

I doubt that my favorites would work for all readers but those who enjoy mysteries, romances, and fantasy might give them a try.

 

I think I completed one mini-challenge during the course of the year, but I no longer recall which one it was!

 

I've no list to share since I don't keep track of my reading.  I have enjoyed reading everyone else's lists though!

 

Thanks Robin for hosting this thread.  I enjoy it very much.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Granny_Weatherwax]

I finished The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper. 

 

This takes me to 56 books. I am as pleased as punch to have read or listened to this many books.

 

I'm working on which of the challenges I want to do for next year. I've created a journal just for reading and books. SInce I'm home alone tonight, I figure I'll go through my dusty collection. It will help immensely since tomorrow begins the No New Books Challenge.

 

Happy New Year everyone!

[ErinE]

 

 

My last book of the year was Mort by Terry Pratchett. We read it for book club. Half of us thought it was great and other half thought it "didn't have enough character development or depth of plot". Oh geez. It's not literature! It doesn't need depth of plot. It's hilarious. A few people from the group listened to it as an audiobook and said it was super that way so I'll listen to the rest of the Death books.

 

I'm pretty sure this was an Erin recommendation so THANK YOU ERIN.

 

:lol:

 

Sandy - Have your kids read the Death series by Terry Pratchett? I definitely thought it would be something they would like.

 

You're welcome! The Death books count among my favorite Pratchetts with the exception being Soul Music (which is still a good read). Going Postal is great as well and my kids enjoyed the BBC "movie" (really two 45-minute episodes).

[Lady Florida.]

It was on my wish list as well and I'm also happy to have it now. 

What else have you read by Lucy Worsley? I haven't read anything by her yet.

 

Well I confess I haven't actually read anything of hers. I've only seen her documentaries but I really like them.

 

 

  

Who mentioned the Lucy Worsley mystery documentary? Was you Kathy? Someone else? (Stupid faulty memory. 2018 New Years Resolution ... write things down!)

 

Anyway we watched it last night and really enjoyed it. DH and I did have some really good laughs because Lucy would start talking about a mystery and completely give away the plot especially the twist at the end. We got to the point we were laughing ourselves silly shouting *spoilers* whenever she started talking about a book. DH is reading Bleak House right now and that was one of the books she mentioned.

 

So thank you for that recommendation Lady Florida!

 

***

 

Yes, that was me. Glad you enjoyed it.

[Matryoshka]

Okay, I'm calling the year! :D  154 books - I overshot the prime 151 (or undershot 157)... Whoopsie.

Here's the list - Listed by BigBingo row (did 28 rows!  :hurray:  - up to book 140) and the bunch at the end are ones that I read and also filled a square but didn't finish the row. And yes, 100% of my books filled a Bingo square.  I may have to go cold turkey...  :laugh:

Books in red are my five-stars, so ones I'd highly recommend. :)

And a link to my Goodreads 2017 page in case anyone gives a hoot.  :hat:  Hopefully I did that right!

 

1.     Set in Asia – Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane

2.     Local Author – In the Heart of the Sea

3.     Random book from the 240 shelf in your library – The Imitation of Christ

4.     Female villain – Ruby in the Smoke

5.     Book translated from a non-European language – Good Women of China

6.     Middle East – Shah of Shahs

7.     Book selected by your younger daughter – Into the Wild (Warriors #1)

8.     Seaworthy - Plover

9.     Yellow is the predominant color on the cover – Ensayo sobre la ceguera

10.   Prime number – Station Eleven

11.   Essay Collection – A Cup of Coffee with My Interrogator

12.   Mountain-climbing – Into Thin Air

13.   A book about books - Mockingbird

14.   Mars –Empress of Mars

15.   Made into a movie – Hidden Figures

16.   Russian Revolution – Dr. Zhivago

17.   Agatha Christie – The Seven Dials Mystery

18.   Basque – Perfect Happiness

19.   Indie publisher – Safekeeping

20.   Selected by a friend – Ancillary Justice

21.   Travel gone wrong – River of Doubt

22.   Neil Gaiman – Ocean at the End of the Lane

23.   Make 'em laugh! – My Man Jeeves

24.   Has a cemetery in it – Prisionero del cielo

25.   Book set in Oceania – A Long Way Home

26.   Cartels – El ruido de las cosas al caer

27.   Opera – War and Peace

28.   South Africa – Long Walk to Freedom

29.   Outer space - Radiance

30.   Murder Mayhem & Madness – Masked City

31.   Voodoo – Wide Sargasso Sea

32.   Free Space – Ancillary Sword

33.   Written by a blogger – You’re Never Weird on the Internet

34.   Free Space – The Warmth of Other Suns

35.   Something silly – Starship Grifters

36.   A rose on the cover - Todesrosen

37.   Character smokes – Roadside Picnic

38.   Art – Girl in Hyacinth Blue

39.   Edgar Award – The Greenglass House

40.   I want to be or to know the main character of this book – Pavilion of Women

41.   Sherlock Holmes – The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes vol. 1

42.   Manga– Puella Magi / Madoka Magica

43.   Book from an Africa39 author – Half of a Yellow Sun

44.   Autobiography – Malcolm X

45.   Narrated from multiple viewpoints – Please Look After Mom

46.   Written by an author who uses a pen name - Schattenfuchs

47.   Ancient (BC) up to 100 AD – Palace of Illusions

48.   Free Space – Ancillary Mercy

49.   Eastern Europe – Bear and the Nightingale

50.   One-word title - Pachinko

51.   Magical Realism – Del amor y otros demonios

52.   Wrath – The Round House

53.   Book with chickens on the cover – Love Among the Chickens

54.   Paranormal – Burning Bright

55.   Crimean War – The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline

56.   Your favorite holiday as the main theme or timeframe of the book – Something Wicked This Way Comes

57.   Rainforest – Lost City of the Monkey God

58.   Book from a friend's "read" list on Goodreads – The Green Road

59.   Medical – Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down

60.   Elves sprites or other impish creatures – Wee Free Men

61.   Nebula Award - Annihilation

62.   "Cake" in the title – Rabbit Cake

63.   A sword fight might break out. En garde! – El capitán Alatriste

64.   Set in Antarctica - Endurance

65.   Short story collection – Stories of Your Life and Others

66.   Clouds or type of cloud on the cover – Cloud Atlas

67.   Female adventure – Miss Garnet

68.   Part of a series – Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency

69.   Book I would buy for a friend – Together Tea

70.   Author who is the same age you are – Murmullo de las abejas

71.   Free Space – The Namesake

72.   Unicorns! - Stardust

73.   "Night" in the title –Night Sessions

74.   Cuba – Waiting for Snow in Havana

75.   Free Space – The Dispossessed

76.   LBGTQ – Sergio Y

77.   Free Space - Utopia

78.   Kurt Vonnegut – Deadeye Dick

79.   Free Space – The Radium Girls

80.   Book recommended by NPR – Secondhand Time

81.   Book with a Duke as a main character – Seven Surrenders

82.   Has pretty pictures in it – Frauen, die lesen, sind gefährlich

83.   Mystery - Todeshauch

84.   Translated from a language you have not read previously in translation – The Man Who Spoke Snakish

85.   Oprah book club selection – Middlesex

86.   Translated – Mann namens Ove

87.   Thriller – We Have Always Lived in the Castle

88.   Banana! – Banana: The Fate of the Fruit that Changed the World

89.   Finance - Evicted

90.   Set in the 1970s – Die verlorene Ehre der Katharina Blum

91.   Newsworthy – Hillbilly Elegy

92.   YA – Hollow City

93.   Bootlegging – Bootlegger’s Daughter

94.   Your name in the title – Exiles of Erin

95.   Cooking – Kühl graut der Morgen

96.   Women's suffrage –  Romantic Outlaws: The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and Her Daughter Mary Shelley

97.   Gothic –Northanger Abbey

98.   Vampires – Invisible Library

99.   Set in Africa – Happiness Like Water

100. Dinosaurs – Dragon Dawn

101. Philosophy – Too Like the Lightning

102.  Mythological character in the title – Golem and Jinni

103.  Made into a musical – Menschen im Hotel

104.  Western – News of the World

105.  Philately – Going Postal

106.  Set in South America – El olvido que seremos

107.  Middle Ages – En busca del unicornio

108.  Climate  – Clade

109.  Classical composer or musician – The Noise of Time

110.  Dr. Seuss compilation – A Hatful of Seuss

111.  Maya Angelou – I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

112.  An author you think you hate – Die Verwandlung

113.  Novella – Of Mice and Men

114.  Book selected by your older daughter – Autobiography of Red

115.  Cozy mystery written in the 1960s – The Cat Who Could Read Backwards

116.  Booker Prize – The Vegetarian

117.  Argentinean author – El jardín de los senderos que se bifurcan

118.  Charlemagne – Song of Roland

119.  Book bought used - Engelstimme

120.  Pilots –The Stone Pilot

121.  Written in your younger daughter's birth year – Prodigal Summer

122.  Curse word in the title – ¿Cuándo se jodió Venezuela?

123.  Icelandic – Nordermoor

124.  On a 2016 "Best of" list – Lab Girl

125.  Set in your state of birth (or country of birth if outside the US) – Heat & Light

126.  Set in a major American city – Let the Great World Spin

127.  Botany – Das geheime Leben der Bäume

128.  Olympian – Boys in the Boat

129.  "Queen" in the title – The Beet Queen

130.  Gold Rush – The Sisters Brothers

131.  Steampunk – The Goblin Emperor

132.  Sci-fi – All Our Wrong Todays

133.  Geography or Maps – The Map Thief

134.  Haruki Murakami – After the Quake

135.  Silk Road – Secret History of the Mongol Queens

136.  Written by a comedian – Born a Crime

137.  Book from Emma Watson's Feminist book club – Perseopolis

138.  Set in Europe –The Essex Serpent

139.  Over 500 pages – El laberinto de los espíritus

140.  No human characters â€“ Tooth and Claw

141.   Dystopian – A Handmaid’s Tale

142.   Biology – Song of the Dodo

143.   Michael Ondaatje – Cat’s Table

144.   Vietnam – The Sympathizer

145.   I fell down a wormhole the rabbit hole or into a black hole – The Fold

146.   Birthstone in the title – Opal

147.   First published book - Homegoing

148.   Classic – Age of Innocence

149.   Published in 2017 – Lincoln in the Bardo

150.   "Sun" in the title – A Thousand Splendid Suns

151.   Somerset Maugham – Razor’s Edge

152.   Disease – Ghost Map

153.   Flufferton - Cranford

154.   Civil Rights – Between the World and Me

 

 

[Kareni]

Some books that are currently free for Kindle readers ~

 

Bennett Sisters Mysteries Volume 1 & 2  by Lise McClendon

 

The Husband Mission  by Regina Scott

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

[Robin M]

Awesome lists, ladies. I’ll be reading over them for days, probably with a jillion tabs open, adding books to my want list.

 

Before we start the new year, I want to say I’m proud of each and every one of you, appreciate you sharing your reading adventures with me, and very thankful for all of you. Best wishes for a great and blessed new year!

 

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