staci426's 2020 Challenge
Discussie2020 Category Challenge
Sluit je aan bij LibraryThing om te posten.
1staci426
Finally getting my thread up and running for this year. I wanted to come up with a fun theme, but nothing was grabbing my attention. Oh well, no big deal. I’ll be using most of the same categories from last year with a few tweaks. I’m hoping this will be a better reading year, I kind of bailed on reading & LT for most of last year to focus on listening to podcasts. I think I’ve come up with a good system to be able to listen to both books & podcasts now, so will hopefully be around for the whole year this time. I do most of my reading via audio books because of vision issues which make reading paper books extremely difficult for me. I’m not going to aim for any specific numbers in my categories and will list a book in multiple categories if it fits. I also hope to participate in all of the CATS, some of the KITS and the BingoDOG this year.
I like to keep a running list of my reads for the year, so will do that here:
JANUARY
1. Once Upon a Time in the North by Philip Pullman, fantasy 4*
2. How Not to Diet by Michael Greger, non-fiction 4*
3. Heartstone by C. J. Sansom, historical myhstery 4*
4. The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, non-fiction 4*
5. Legend by David Gemmell, fantasy 3.75*
6. Paperbacks From Hell by Grady Hendrix, non-fiction 3.5*
7. The Talisman by Stephen King & Peter Straub, horror 3.5*
8. Angelica's Smile by Andrea Camilleri, mystery 3.5*
9. Under the Skin by Michel Faber, science fiction 4*
10. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi, fantasy 4*
11. Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch, supernatural mystery 3.5*
12. Venus in Copper by Lindsey Davis, mystery 4*
FEBRUARY
13. Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann, mystery 4*
14. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer, apocalyptic 4*
15. Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank, apocalyptic 4*
16. Caffeine: How Caffeine Created the Modern World by Michael Pollan, non-fiction 3*
17. Grandma Gatewood's Walk by Ben Montgomery 4*
18. Falling Man by Don DeLillo, fiction 3.5*
19. Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire, fantasy 4*
20. Down Among the Sticks and Bonesby Seanan McGuire, fantasy 4*
21. Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire, fantasy 4*
22. In an Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire, fantasy 4*
23. The Fire Engine That Disappeared by Maj Sjowall& Per Wahloo, mystery 3.5*
24. Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie, mystery 3.5*
25. The Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski, fantasy 3.5*
26. Jagannath by Karin Tidbeck, weird fiction 4*
MARCH
27. Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire, fantasy 3.75*
28. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, time travel 3.5*
29. Grass for His Pillow by Lian Hearn, fantasy 4*
30. Break Shot by James Taylor, memoir 3.5*
31. Glass Houses by Louise Penny, mystery 3.75*
32. Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce, fantasy 4*
33. Torrents of Spring by Ivan Turgenev, fiction 4*
33. The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski, fantasy 3.5*
34. Circe by Madeline Miller, fiction 4*
35. Artists in Crime by Ngaio Marsh, mystery 4*
36. A Red Rose Chain by Seanan McGuire, fantasy 4*
APRIL
37. Mrs. Pollifax and the Golden Triangle by Dorothy Gilman, espionage 3.5*
38. Baptism of Fire by Andrzej Sapkowski, fantasy 3.5*
39. A Murder of Manatees by Larry Correia, sci fi 4*
40. Hogfather by Terry Pratchett, fantasy 4*
41. The Stepsister Scheme by Jim C. Hines, fantasy 3.5*
42. Six and a Half Deadly Sins by Colin Cotterill, mystery 4*
43. Monk's Hood by Ellis Peters, mystery 3.5*
MAY
44. Tower of Swallows by Andrzej Sapkowski, fantasy 4*
45. The Burning Land by Bernard Cornwell, historical fiction 3.5*
46. Grave Secrets by Kathy Reichs, mystery 3.5*
47. The Long List Anthology: More Stories from the Hugo Award Nomination List edited by David Steffen, speculative fiction 4*
Read sometime between May and August
48. Once Broken Faith by Seanan McGuire 4* urban fantasy
49. The Getaway by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen, mystery 3.5*
50. The Legacy by R. A. Salvatore, fantasy 3.5
51. The Fated Sky by Mary Robinette Kowal, science fiction 4.5*
SEPTEMBER
52. Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor, nonfiction 4*
53. N is for Noose by Sue Grafton, mystery 4*
54. Henrietta & Eleanor: A Retelling of Jekyll and Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, retold classics 3.5*
OCTOBER
55. Thinner by Stephen King, horror 3.5*
56. The Real Sherlock Holmes by Mary Duprey Hoehling, non-fiction 3.5*
I like to keep a running list of my reads for the year, so will do that here:
JANUARY
1. Once Upon a Time in the North by Philip Pullman, fantasy 4*
2. How Not to Diet by Michael Greger, non-fiction 4*
3. Heartstone by C. J. Sansom, historical myhstery 4*
4. The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, non-fiction 4*
5. Legend by David Gemmell, fantasy 3.75*
6. Paperbacks From Hell by Grady Hendrix, non-fiction 3.5*
7. The Talisman by Stephen King & Peter Straub, horror 3.5*
8. Angelica's Smile by Andrea Camilleri, mystery 3.5*
9. Under the Skin by Michel Faber, science fiction 4*
10. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi, fantasy 4*
11. Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch, supernatural mystery 3.5*
12. Venus in Copper by Lindsey Davis, mystery 4*
FEBRUARY
13. Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann, mystery 4*
14. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer, apocalyptic 4*
15. Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank, apocalyptic 4*
16. Caffeine: How Caffeine Created the Modern World by Michael Pollan, non-fiction 3*
17. Grandma Gatewood's Walk by Ben Montgomery 4*
18. Falling Man by Don DeLillo, fiction 3.5*
19. Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire, fantasy 4*
20. Down Among the Sticks and Bonesby Seanan McGuire, fantasy 4*
21. Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire, fantasy 4*
22. In an Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire, fantasy 4*
23. The Fire Engine That Disappeared by Maj Sjowall& Per Wahloo, mystery 3.5*
24. Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie, mystery 3.5*
25. The Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski, fantasy 3.5*
26. Jagannath by Karin Tidbeck, weird fiction 4*
MARCH
27. Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire, fantasy 3.75*
28. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, time travel 3.5*
29. Grass for His Pillow by Lian Hearn, fantasy 4*
30. Break Shot by James Taylor, memoir 3.5*
31. Glass Houses by Louise Penny, mystery 3.75*
32. Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce, fantasy 4*
33. Torrents of Spring by Ivan Turgenev, fiction 4*
33. The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski, fantasy 3.5*
34. Circe by Madeline Miller, fiction 4*
35. Artists in Crime by Ngaio Marsh, mystery 4*
36. A Red Rose Chain by Seanan McGuire, fantasy 4*
APRIL
37. Mrs. Pollifax and the Golden Triangle by Dorothy Gilman, espionage 3.5*
38. Baptism of Fire by Andrzej Sapkowski, fantasy 3.5*
39. A Murder of Manatees by Larry Correia, sci fi 4*
40. Hogfather by Terry Pratchett, fantasy 4*
41. The Stepsister Scheme by Jim C. Hines, fantasy 3.5*
42. Six and a Half Deadly Sins by Colin Cotterill, mystery 4*
43. Monk's Hood by Ellis Peters, mystery 3.5*
MAY
44. Tower of Swallows by Andrzej Sapkowski, fantasy 4*
45. The Burning Land by Bernard Cornwell, historical fiction 3.5*
46. Grave Secrets by Kathy Reichs, mystery 3.5*
47. The Long List Anthology: More Stories from the Hugo Award Nomination List edited by David Steffen, speculative fiction 4*
Read sometime between May and August
48. Once Broken Faith by Seanan McGuire 4* urban fantasy
49. The Getaway by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen, mystery 3.5*
50. The Legacy by R. A. Salvatore, fantasy 3.5
51. The Fated Sky by Mary Robinette Kowal, science fiction 4.5*
SEPTEMBER
52. Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor, nonfiction 4*
53. N is for Noose by Sue Grafton, mystery 4*
54. Henrietta & Eleanor: A Retelling of Jekyll and Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, retold classics 3.5*
OCTOBER
55. Thinner by Stephen King, horror 3.5*
56. The Real Sherlock Holmes by Mary Duprey Hoehling, non-fiction 3.5*
2staci426
1. Speculative Fiction: This is my go-to genre and most successful category last year. I find it difficult to sometimes differentiate between science fiction and fantasy, so decided to lump it all together.
1. Once Upon a Time in the North by Philip Pullman, 4*
2. Legend by David Gemmell 3.75*
3. Under the Skin by Michel Faber 4*
4. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi 4*
5. Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch 3.5*
6. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer 4*
7. Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank 4*
8. Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire, 4*
9. Down Among the Sticks and Bonesby Seanan McGuire, 4*
10. Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire, 4*
11. In an Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire, 4*
12. Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski 3.5*
13. Jagannath by Karin Tidbeck 4*
14. Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire 3.75*
15. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon 3.5*
16. Grass For His Pillow by Lian Hearn 4*
17. Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce 4*
18. The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski, 3.5*
19. Circe by Madeline Miller 4*
20. A Red Rose Chain by Seanan McGuire 4*
21. Baptism of Fire by Andrzej Sapkowski 3.5*
22. A Murder of Manatees by Larry Correia 4*
23. Hogfather by Terry Pratchett 4*
24. The Stepsister Scheme by Jim C. Hines 3.5*
25. The Tower of Swallows by Andrzej Sapkowski 4*
26. The Long List Anthology: More Stories from the Hugo Award Nomination List edited by David Steffen, 4*
1. Once Upon a Time in the North by Philip Pullman, 4*
2. Legend by David Gemmell 3.75*
3. Under the Skin by Michel Faber 4*
4. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi 4*
5. Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch 3.5*
6. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer 4*
7. Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank 4*
8. Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire, 4*
9. Down Among the Sticks and Bonesby Seanan McGuire, 4*
10. Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire, 4*
11. In an Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire, 4*
12. Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski 3.5*
13. Jagannath by Karin Tidbeck 4*
14. Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire 3.75*
15. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon 3.5*
16. Grass For His Pillow by Lian Hearn 4*
17. Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce 4*
18. The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski, 3.5*
19. Circe by Madeline Miller 4*
20. A Red Rose Chain by Seanan McGuire 4*
21. Baptism of Fire by Andrzej Sapkowski 3.5*
22. A Murder of Manatees by Larry Correia 4*
23. Hogfather by Terry Pratchett 4*
24. The Stepsister Scheme by Jim C. Hines 3.5*
25. The Tower of Swallows by Andrzej Sapkowski 4*
26. The Long List Anthology: More Stories from the Hugo Award Nomination List edited by David Steffen, 4*
3staci426
2. Mystery/Thriller: This is another popular category for me. I have a bunch of series going here that I hope to make some progress in as well.
1. Heartstone by C. J. Sansom 4*
2. Angelica's Smile by Andrea Camilleri 3.5*
3. Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch 3.5*
4. Venus in Copper by Lindsey Davis 4*
5. Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann, mystery 4*
6. The Fire Engine That Disappeared by Maj Sjowall & Per Wahloo 3.5*
7. Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie, 3.5*
8. Glass Houses by Louise Penny 3.75*
9. Artists in Crime by Ngaio Marsh, 4*
10. Mrs. Pollifax and the Golden Triangle by Dorothy Gilman, 3.5*
11. Six and a Half Deadly Sins by Colin Cotterill 4*
12. Monk's Hood by Ellis Peters 3.5*
13. Grave Secrets by Kathy Reichs 3.5*
1. Heartstone by C. J. Sansom 4*
2. Angelica's Smile by Andrea Camilleri 3.5*
3. Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch 3.5*
4. Venus in Copper by Lindsey Davis 4*
5. Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann, mystery 4*
6. The Fire Engine That Disappeared by Maj Sjowall & Per Wahloo 3.5*
7. Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie, 3.5*
8. Glass Houses by Louise Penny 3.75*
9. Artists in Crime by Ngaio Marsh, 4*
10. Mrs. Pollifax and the Golden Triangle by Dorothy Gilman, 3.5*
11. Six and a Half Deadly Sins by Colin Cotterill 4*
12. Monk's Hood by Ellis Peters 3.5*
13. Grave Secrets by Kathy Reichs 3.5*
4staci426
3. Horror: I was slightly disappointed in my progress here last year. I can’t believe I didn’t read a single Stephen King book in 2019. I’ve been trying to read his works in publication order and have not gotten very far in yet. I am starting off the year with one of his though, so hopefully will keep it up throughout the year.
1. Paperbacks from Hell by Grady Hendrix 3.5*
2. The Talisman by Stephen King & Peter Straub 3.5*
1. Paperbacks from Hell by Grady Hendrix 3.5*
2. The Talisman by Stephen King & Peter Straub 3.5*
5staci426
4. Historical Fiction: This was another category that I didn’t make much progress in last year, but it’s still a favorite of mine.
1. Heartstone by C. J. Sansom, 16th century, 4*
2. Venus in Copper by Lindsey Davis, Ancient Rome 4*
3. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, 18th century, 3.5*
4. Monk's Hood by Ellis Peters, 12th century, 3.5*
5. The Burning Land by Bernard Cornwell, 9th century, 3.5*
1. Heartstone by C. J. Sansom, 16th century, 4*
2. Venus in Copper by Lindsey Davis, Ancient Rome 4*
3. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, 18th century, 3.5*
4. Monk's Hood by Ellis Peters, 12th century, 3.5*
5. The Burning Land by Bernard Cornwell, 9th century, 3.5*
6staci426
5. Non-fiction: I made some good progress with this category last year. I enjoy a lot of different areas within non-fiction and am looking forward to the CAT this year to broaden my choices even more.
1. How Not to Diet by Michael Greger 4*
2. The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon *
3. Paperbacks from Hell by Grady Hendrix 3.5*
4. Caffeine by Michael Pollan 3*
5. Grandma Gatewood's Walk by Ben Montgomery 4*
6. Break Shot: My First 21 Years by James Taylor 3.5*
7. The Nature Fix by Florence Williams .
1. How Not to Diet by Michael Greger 4*
2. The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon *
3. Paperbacks from Hell by Grady Hendrix 3.5*
4. Caffeine by Michael Pollan 3*
5. Grandma Gatewood's Walk by Ben Montgomery 4*
6. Break Shot: My First 21 Years by James Taylor 3.5*
7. The Nature Fix by Florence Williams .
7staci426
6. 1001 Books to Read Before You Die: I’ve been making my way through this list for a while now and was hoping to focus on it much more than I did last year. Hopefully this year will be better.
249. Legend by David Gemmell 3.75*
250. Under the Skin by Michel Faber 4*
251. Falling Man by Don DeLillo 3.5*
252. Torrents of Spring by Ivan Turgenev 4*
249. Legend by David Gemmell 3.75*
250. Under the Skin by Michel Faber 4*
251. Falling Man by Don DeLillo 3.5*
252. Torrents of Spring by Ivan Turgenev 4*
8staci426
7. Around the World: This ended up being a really successful category for me last year. This year, I’m going to exclude the UK as well as the US. Books in translation will count here, as well as books set in a foreign country or by an author from another country.
1. The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, Afghanistan, 4*
2. Angelica's Smile by Andrea Camilleri, Italy 3.5*
3. Venus in Copper by Lindsey Davis, Rome, 4*
4. Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann, set in Ireland & translated from German, 4*
5. The Fire Engine That Disappeared by Maj Sjowall & Per Wahloo, Sweden, 3.5*
6. Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie, Iraq, 3.5*
7. Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski, translated from Polish, 3.5*
8. Jagannath by Karin Tidbeck, author is Swedish, 4*
9. Glass Houses by Louise Penny, Quebec, 3.75*
10. Torrents of Spring by Ivan Turgenev, translated from Russian & takes place mostly in Germany, 4*
11. The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski, translated from Polish, 3.5*
12. Artists in Crime by Ngaio Marsh, author from New Zealand, 4*
13. Baptism of Fire by Andrzej Sapkowski,translated from Polish 3.5*
14. Six and a Half Deadly Sins by Colin Cotterill, Laos 4*
15. The Tower of Swallows by Andrzej Sapkowski\\, translated from Polish, 4*
16. Grave Secrets by Kathy Reichs, mostly in Guatemala & partly in Quebec, 3.5*
1. The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, Afghanistan, 4*
2. Angelica's Smile by Andrea Camilleri, Italy 3.5*
3. Venus in Copper by Lindsey Davis, Rome, 4*
4. Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann, set in Ireland & translated from German, 4*
5. The Fire Engine That Disappeared by Maj Sjowall & Per Wahloo, Sweden, 3.5*
6. Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie, Iraq, 3.5*
7. Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski, translated from Polish, 3.5*
8. Jagannath by Karin Tidbeck, author is Swedish, 4*
9. Glass Houses by Louise Penny, Quebec, 3.75*
10. Torrents of Spring by Ivan Turgenev, translated from Russian & takes place mostly in Germany, 4*
11. The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski, translated from Polish, 3.5*
12. Artists in Crime by Ngaio Marsh, author from New Zealand, 4*
13. Baptism of Fire by Andrzej Sapkowski,translated from Polish 3.5*
14. Six and a Half Deadly Sins by Colin Cotterill, Laos 4*
15. The Tower of Swallows by Andrzej Sapkowski\\, translated from Polish, 4*
16. Grave Secrets by Kathy Reichs, mostly in Guatemala & partly in Quebec, 3.5*
9staci426
8. Entertainment: Last year I had a category that I called The Arts. This year I wanted to expand on that to also include other areas that I find entertaining but are not necessarily part of the arts. Possible topics would be: music, movies, TV, games, hobbies, sports. I’ll include books about these things, as well as books with titles or author’s names related to something entertaining.
1. Grandma Gatewood's Walk by Ben Montgomery 4*
2. Break Shot: My First 21 Years by James Taylor 3.5*
3. Artists in Crime by Ngaio Marsh, 4*
4. The Burning Land by Bernard Cornwell, series is basis for TV show I want to watch, 3.5*
5. Grave Secrets by Kathy Reichs, series is basis of one of my favorite TV shows, 3.5*
6. The Nature Fix by Florence Williams, being in nature is a favorite pastime of mine
1. Grandma Gatewood's Walk by Ben Montgomery 4*
2. Break Shot: My First 21 Years by James Taylor 3.5*
3. Artists in Crime by Ngaio Marsh, 4*
4. The Burning Land by Bernard Cornwell, series is basis for TV show I want to watch, 3.5*
5. Grave Secrets by Kathy Reichs, series is basis of one of my favorite TV shows, 3.5*
6. The Nature Fix by Florence Williams, being in nature is a favorite pastime of mine
10staci426
9. Series: I decided to have a dedicated category to track series reading for me this year. I will not count the first book in a new series here, only series I’ve already started.
1. Once Upon a Time in the North by Philip Pullman, His Dark Materials prequel 1, 4*
2. Heartstone by C. J. Sansom, book 5 in the Matthew Shardlake series, 4*
3. Angelica's Smile by Andrea Camilleri, book 17 in the Inspector Montalbano series, 3.5*
4. Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch, book 3:
Rivers of London, 3.5*
5. Venus in Copper by Lindsey Davis, book 3: Marcus Didius Falco, 4*
6. Down Among the Sticks and Bonesby Seanan McGuire, book 2 of the Wayward Children series4*
7. Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire, book 3 of the Wayward Children series4*
8. In an Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire, book 4 of the Wayward Children series 4*
9. The Fire Engine That Disappeared by Maj Sjowall & Per Wahloo, book 5 in the Martin Beck series 3.5*
10. Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie, book 14 in Hercule Poirot, 3.5*
11. Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski, book 2 in the Witcher Series, 3.5*
12. Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire 3.75*
13. Grass for His Pillow by Lian Hearn, book 2 in the Tales of the Otori, 4*
14. Glass Houses by Louise Penny, book 13 in the Armand Gamache series, 3.75*
15. Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce, book 4 in the Protector of the Small series, 4*
16. The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski, book 0 in the Witcher series, 3.5*
17. A Red Rose Chain by Seanan McGuire, book 9 in the October Daye series, 4*
18. Mrs. Pollifax and the Golden Triangle by Dorothy Gilman, book 8 in the Mrs. Pollifax series, 3.5*
19. Baptism of Fire by Andrzej Sapkowski, book 3 in The Witcher saga, 3.5*
20. Hogfather by Terry Pratchett, book 20, 4*
21. Six and a Half Deadly Sins by Colin Cotterill, book 10 in Dr. Siri Paiboun 4*
22. Monk's Hood by Ellis Peters, book 3 in Brother Cadfael,
23. The Tower of Swallows by Andrzej Sapkowski, book 4 in The Witcher series, 4*
24. The Burning Land by Bernard Cornwell, book 5 in the Saxon Chronicles, 3.5*
25. Grave Secrets by Kathy Reichs, book 5 in the Temperance Brennan series, 3.5*
1. Once Upon a Time in the North by Philip Pullman, His Dark Materials prequel 1, 4*
2. Heartstone by C. J. Sansom, book 5 in the Matthew Shardlake series, 4*
3. Angelica's Smile by Andrea Camilleri, book 17 in the Inspector Montalbano series, 3.5*
4. Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch, book 3:
Rivers of London, 3.5*
5. Venus in Copper by Lindsey Davis, book 3: Marcus Didius Falco, 4*
6. Down Among the Sticks and Bonesby Seanan McGuire, book 2 of the Wayward Children series4*
7. Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire, book 3 of the Wayward Children series4*
8. In an Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire, book 4 of the Wayward Children series 4*
9. The Fire Engine That Disappeared by Maj Sjowall & Per Wahloo, book 5 in the Martin Beck series 3.5*
10. Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie, book 14 in Hercule Poirot, 3.5*
11. Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski, book 2 in the Witcher Series, 3.5*
12. Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire 3.75*
13. Grass for His Pillow by Lian Hearn, book 2 in the Tales of the Otori, 4*
14. Glass Houses by Louise Penny, book 13 in the Armand Gamache series, 3.75*
15. Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce, book 4 in the Protector of the Small series, 4*
16. The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski, book 0 in the Witcher series, 3.5*
17. A Red Rose Chain by Seanan McGuire, book 9 in the October Daye series, 4*
18. Mrs. Pollifax and the Golden Triangle by Dorothy Gilman, book 8 in the Mrs. Pollifax series, 3.5*
19. Baptism of Fire by Andrzej Sapkowski, book 3 in The Witcher saga, 3.5*
20. Hogfather by Terry Pratchett, book 20, 4*
21. Six and a Half Deadly Sins by Colin Cotterill, book 10 in Dr. Siri Paiboun 4*
22. Monk's Hood by Ellis Peters, book 3 in Brother Cadfael,
23. The Tower of Swallows by Andrzej Sapkowski, book 4 in The Witcher series, 4*
24. The Burning Land by Bernard Cornwell, book 5 in the Saxon Chronicles, 3.5*
25. Grave Secrets by Kathy Reichs, book 5 in the Temperance Brennan series, 3.5*
11staci426
10. Off the Shelf: I was really pleased with my progress here. This category is for the multitude of physical books that I own but will not be able to actually read because of my vision issues. I’ve been trying to find audio and eBook editions of them so that it will be easier to read. I think I’m also going to include Kindle and Audible books that I’ve owned for over a year but haven’t gotten to yet, anything purchased before 1/1/19.
1. The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, purchased Kindle edition 8/30/11, 4*
2. Legend by David Gemmell, purchased Audible edition 12/9/18, 3.75*
3. Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank, purchased paperbak 8/29/10, 4*
4. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, purchased sometime before 11/7/09, 3.5*
5. Grass for His Pillow by Lian Hearn, purchased 11/13/07, 4*
6. Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce, purchased omnibus of the series on 2/8/11, 4*
7. The Stepsister Scheme by Jim C. Hines, purchased paperback 1/8/09, 3.5*
8. Grave Secrets by Kathy Reichs, purchased hard cover 11/7/09, 3.5*
1. The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, purchased Kindle edition 8/30/11, 4*
2. Legend by David Gemmell, purchased Audible edition 12/9/18, 3.75*
3. Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank, purchased paperbak 8/29/10, 4*
4. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, purchased sometime before 11/7/09, 3.5*
5. Grass for His Pillow by Lian Hearn, purchased 11/13/07, 4*
6. Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce, purchased omnibus of the series on 2/8/11, 4*
7. The Stepsister Scheme by Jim C. Hines, purchased paperback 1/8/09, 3.5*
8. Grave Secrets by Kathy Reichs, purchased hard cover 11/7/09, 3.5*
12staci426
11. Everything Else: I was surprised that I only had one book here last year. Let’s see how it goes this year.
1.
2.
3.
Did Not Finish: I’m not going to force myself the finish something I’m not enjoying. I’ll keep track of them here as well.
The Mists of Avalon: Mistress of Magic by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak
1.
2.
3.
Did Not Finish: I’m not going to force myself the finish something I’m not enjoying. I’ll keep track of them here as well.
The Mists of Avalon: Mistress of Magic by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak
13staci426
RandomCAT
January: Resolution Reading
February: Leap Year
Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire, 2016
Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie, 1936
Jagannath by Karin Tidbeck, 2012
March: Seasons
Torrents of Spring by Ivan Turgenev
April: Showers and Flowers
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
January: Resolution Reading
February: Leap Year
Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire, 2016
Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie, 1936
Jagannath by Karin Tidbeck, 2012
March: Seasons
Torrents of Spring by Ivan Turgenev
April: Showers and Flowers
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
14staci426
GeoCAT
January: Western Asia
The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, Afghanistan
February: Europe
Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann, Ireland
The Fire Engine That Disappeared by Maj Sjowall & Per Wahloo, Sweden
March: North Africa & the Middle East
The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak, Turkey
April: Australia, New Zealand, Oceania
May: Somewhere I Want to Go
June: Space
July: Mexico, Central & South America
August: East Asia
September: Polar & Tundra
October: US, UK & Canada
November: Africa
December: Anywhere
January: Western Asia
The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, Afghanistan
February: Europe
Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann, Ireland
The Fire Engine That Disappeared by Maj Sjowall & Per Wahloo, Sweden
March: North Africa & the Middle East
The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak, Turkey
April: Australia, New Zealand, Oceania
May: Somewhere I Want to Go
June: Space
July: Mexico, Central & South America
August: East Asia
September: Polar & Tundra
October: US, UK & Canada
November: Africa
December: Anywhere
15staci426
NonFictionCAT
January: Journalism & News
The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
February: Travel
Grandma Gatewood's Walk by Ben Montgomery
March: Biography
Break Shot: My First 21 Years by James Taylor
April: Law & Order
May: Science
June: Society
July: Human Sciences
August: History
September: Religion & Philosophy
October: The Arts
November: Food, Home & Recreation
December: Adventures by Land, Sea & Air
January: Journalism & News
The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
February: Travel
Grandma Gatewood's Walk by Ben Montgomery
March: Biography
Break Shot: My First 21 Years by James Taylor
April: Law & Order
May: Science
June: Society
July: Human Sciences
August: History
September: Religion & Philosophy
October: The Arts
November: Food, Home & Recreation
December: Adventures by Land, Sea & Air
16staci426
SFFFKIT
January: Wanted to Read it Last Year
Legend by David Gemmell
February: Transformation
Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
March: Series
Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire, Wayward Children book 5
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, Outlander book 1
Grass for His Pillow by Lian Hearn, book 2 in Tales of the Otori
Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce, book 4 in the Protector of the Small series
A Red Rose Chain by Seanan McGuire, book 9 in October Daye
April: Time Travel
May: Sentient Things
June: Aliens & Mythical Creatures
July: Space Opera
August: Female Authors
September: International
October: Classics
November: Dystopian
December: Short Fiction
January: Wanted to Read it Last Year
Legend by David Gemmell
February: Transformation
Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
March: Series
Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire, Wayward Children book 5
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, Outlander book 1
Grass for His Pillow by Lian Hearn, book 2 in Tales of the Otori
Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce, book 4 in the Protector of the Small series
A Red Rose Chain by Seanan McGuire, book 9 in October Daye
April: Time Travel
May: Sentient Things
June: Aliens & Mythical Creatures
July: Space Opera
August: Female Authors
September: International
October: Classics
November: Dystopian
December: Short Fiction
17staci426
ScardyKIT
January: 70s & 80s Horror
Paperbacks from Hell: The Twisted History of '70s and '80s Horror Fiction by Grady Hendrix
The Talisman by Stephen King
February: Psychological Thriller
March: Haunted Places
April: Paranormal
May: The Occult
June: Cryptids & Legendary Creatures
July: Femmes Fatales
August: Serial Killers
September: International
October: Halloween
November: Stephen King & Family
December: Classics
January: 70s & 80s Horror
Paperbacks from Hell: The Twisted History of '70s and '80s Horror Fiction by Grady Hendrix
The Talisman by Stephen King
February: Psychological Thriller
March: Haunted Places
April: Paranormal
May: The Occult
June: Cryptids & Legendary Creatures
July: Femmes Fatales
August: Serial Killers
September: International
October: Halloween
November: Stephen King & Family
December: Classics
18staci426
MysteryKIT
January: Historical
Heartstone by C. J. Sansom 4*
Venus in Copper by Lindsey Davis 4*
February: Furry Sleuths
Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann, sheep, 4*
March: Golden Age
Artists in Crime by Ngaio Marsh, 1938
April: Espionage
Mrs. Pollifax and the Golden Triangle by Dorothy Gilman 3.5*
May: From Page to Screen
The Burning Land by Bernard Cornwell, TV show the Last Kindgom
June: Police Procedural
July: Cross Genre
August: International
September: Series
October: New to Me
November: Noir/Gumshoe
December: Cozy
January: Historical
Heartstone by C. J. Sansom 4*
Venus in Copper by Lindsey Davis 4*
February: Furry Sleuths
Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann, sheep, 4*
March: Golden Age
Artists in Crime by Ngaio Marsh, 1938
April: Espionage
Mrs. Pollifax and the Golden Triangle by Dorothy Gilman 3.5*
May: From Page to Screen
The Burning Land by Bernard Cornwell, TV show the Last Kindgom
June: Police Procedural
July: Cross Genre
August: International
September: Series
October: New to Me
November: Noir/Gumshoe
December: Cozy
19staci426
AlphaKIT
January
A
Angelica's Smile by Andrea Camilleri
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Whispers Under ground by Ben Aaronovitch
U
Once Upon a Time in the North by Philip Pullman
Under the Skin by Michel Faber
Whispers Under ground by Ben Aaronovitch
February
F
Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann
Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
Falling Man by Don DeLillo
The Fire Engine That Disappeared by Maj Sjowall & Per Wahloo
B
Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann
Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Grandma Gatewood's Walk by Ben Montgomery
Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire
Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire
March
G
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Glass Houses by Louise Penny
Grass for His Pillow by Lian Hearn
C
Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire
Jamilia by Chingiz Aitmatov
Circe by Madeline Miller
Artists in Crime by Ngaio Marsh
A Red Rose Chain by Seanan McGuire
April
S
Baptism of Fire by Andrzej Sapkowski
The Stepsister Scheme by Jim C. Hines
Six and a Half Deadly Sins by Colin Cotterill
T
Mrs. Pollifax and the Golden Triangle by Dorothy Gilman
Hogfather by Terry Pratchett
May
L
P
June
K
Y
July
J
R
August
O
H
September
M
E
October
D
V
November
I
Q
December
W
N
Year Long
X
Z
January
A
Angelica's Smile by Andrea Camilleri
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Whispers Under ground by Ben Aaronovitch
U
Once Upon a Time in the North by Philip Pullman
Under the Skin by Michel Faber
Whispers Under ground by Ben Aaronovitch
February
F
Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann
Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
Falling Man by Don DeLillo
The Fire Engine That Disappeared by Maj Sjowall & Per Wahloo
B
Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann
Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Grandma Gatewood's Walk by Ben Montgomery
Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire
Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire
March
G
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Glass Houses by Louise Penny
Grass for His Pillow by Lian Hearn
C
Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire
Jamilia by Chingiz Aitmatov
Circe by Madeline Miller
Artists in Crime by Ngaio Marsh
A Red Rose Chain by Seanan McGuire
April
S
Baptism of Fire by Andrzej Sapkowski
The Stepsister Scheme by Jim C. Hines
Six and a Half Deadly Sins by Colin Cotterill
T
Mrs. Pollifax and the Golden Triangle by Dorothy Gilman
Hogfather by Terry Pratchett
May
L
P
June
K
Y
July
J
R
August
O
H
September
M
E
October
D
V
November
I
Q
December
W
N
Year Long
X
Z
20staci426
1. Proper name in title: Angelica's Smile by Andrea Camilleri
2. Set in Asia: Mrs. Pollifax and the Golden Triangle by Dorothy Gilman, Thailand
3. Periodic table of elements: Venus in Copper by Lindsey Davis
4. About birth or death:
5. Not set on Earth:
6. Small press/self-published:
7. Journalism: The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
8. Weird title:
9. Published in 1820/1920:
10. LT author: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
11. Non US/UK female author:
12. Library or Thing in title:
13. Read a CAT:
14. Pen name/anonymous: Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann
15. Published the year I was born (1975):
16. 3+ letters of BINGO in title: Torrents of SprING by Ivan Turgenev
17. Books about books: Paperbacks from Hell by Grady Hendrix
18. About a real historical event:
19. Legacy Library:
20. Red cover:
21. Published in 2020: Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire
22. Mythology/folklore: Circe by Madeline Miller
23. Title contains a pun:
24. Mystery/true crime: Heartstone by C. J. Sansom
25. Epistolary novel: Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
22MissWatson
Welcome back and happy reading!
23rabbitprincess
Welcome back! Looks like you have all the bases covered for a great reading year. I like your analysis of how you did with each of the categories in the previous year.
24thornton37814
Welcome back!
25lkernagh
Good luck with your 2020 reading. Like you, last year I got sucked into podcasts (and an online SIM game). I am hoping that I do better this year with balancing my time with my various entertainment addictions. ;-)
26DeltaQueen50
Good luck with your 2020 reading plans.
28staci426
Thanks for stopping by, everyone! I need to start visiting threads.
I feel like I’m off to a good start for the year. Non-fiction seems to be taking the lead so far with three books finished there. Here are the reads:
1. Once Upon a Time in the North by Philip Pullman 4*
Categories: speculative fiction/series
This is a prequel novella in the His Dark Materials series. It features a young Lee Scoresby and his first meeting with Iorek Byrnison. I had wanted to reread the original trilogy last year in preparation for watching the HBO show, but never got around to it. I’ve decided just to focus on the books in the series I haven’t read yet. This was a fun quick listen to start off the year. This fits for AlphaKIT, U.
2. How Not to Diet by Michael Greger 4*
Categories: Non-fiction
I’ve been trying to follow Dr. Greger’s advice about eating a whole-food, plant-based diet from his earlier book, How Not to Die, so decided to find out what he has to say about dieting & weight loss. A lot of the info seemed to be a repeat of what he said in the first book, this time more specifically geared to weight loss. He did also explain why a lot of the popular diets are not as health or successful long term. And as usual, he cites all of the tests and studies to support what he’s saying. I especially liked his tweaks at the end of the book. I listened to the audio version, which comes with a supplemental PDF which I have not gotten around to looking at yet, but should do soon. Hopefully this will get me motivated to get back on track.
3. Heartstone by C. J. Sansom 4*
Categories: mystery/historical/series
This is book 5 in the Matthew Shardlake series taking place towards the end of King Henry VIII’s reign. Matthew is asked to investigate the allegations made by the son of one of Queen Catherine’s maids about the guardianship of his former students. It had been way too long since I’ve read one of these books. I forgot how enjoyable they truly are. I was immediately sucked back into this world and, hopefully, I won’t take so long to get to the next book. I read this for the MysteryKIT, historical and BingoDOG square, read a mystery.
4. The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon 4*
Categories: non-fiction/around the world (Afghanistan)/off the shelf
The author is a journalist who wanted to do a story about women business owners in Afghanistan. She discovered Kamila Sidiqi. She was a young Afghan woman who needed to find a way to support her family during the Taliban rule when it was illegal for women to work outside of the home. She started a dressmaking business & school with her sisters and was able to help her family as well as many other neighborhood families that were also struggling during this time. Someone in the GeoCAT thread mentioned this book. It sounded familiar and I realized I had bought the Kindle edition back in 2013. I was able to find an audio version at my library, so was able to listen to it in one afternoon. It was an interesting and inspiring story. I’m glad to have finally gotten around to this. I think this one also fits for NonFictionCAT, journalism, since the author is a journalist who went to Afghanistan looking for a story.
5. Legend by David Gemmell 3.75*
Categories: speculative fiction/1001 books/off the shelf
The old warrior, Druss, comes out of seclusion in the mountains to help the Dremai in one last battle to defend their fortress against an attack from the North. This is a classic fantasy that I have been wanting to read for quite a while now and am glad to have finally been able to finish it. It did take me a few tries to get into this. I think the first time, I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind, the story is on the darker side of fantasy. I also think part of the issue was the narrator on the audio. I don’t know what it was about his voice, but I found myself easily distracted while listening. Once I was able to finally get into it, I really enjoyed it. I am counting this one for the SFFKIT, wanted to read it last year. I had hoped to read it for the sword & sorcery month last year, but didn’t get around to it then.
6. Paperbacks from Hell by Grady Hendrix 3.5*
Categories: horror/non-fiction
This was a fun quick listen about the history of horror publishing in the ‘70s & ‘80s. This was a quick overview of different areas of horror that was being published in that time period. He spoke about the authors, publishers & cover artists. Mentioned a few new to me authors I might like to check out. I read this one for the ScardyKIT, ‘70s & ‘80s horror and I’m also using it for BingoDOG, a book about books.
I am currently listening to The Talisman by Stephen King & Peter Straub. I started it for the ScardyKIT, but so far it seems more fantasy than actual horror. It was next in my King bibliography, so wanted to read it anyway. This is my work listen book, so it’s taking longer than usual to finish, plus it’s super long, over 28 hours. I don’t have a new home listen audio going yet, so might use this one for home & work since it’s so long. Need to find a new ebook to read also.
I feel like I’m off to a good start for the year. Non-fiction seems to be taking the lead so far with three books finished there. Here are the reads:
1. Once Upon a Time in the North by Philip Pullman 4*
Categories: speculative fiction/series
This is a prequel novella in the His Dark Materials series. It features a young Lee Scoresby and his first meeting with Iorek Byrnison. I had wanted to reread the original trilogy last year in preparation for watching the HBO show, but never got around to it. I’ve decided just to focus on the books in the series I haven’t read yet. This was a fun quick listen to start off the year. This fits for AlphaKIT, U.
2. How Not to Diet by Michael Greger 4*
Categories: Non-fiction
I’ve been trying to follow Dr. Greger’s advice about eating a whole-food, plant-based diet from his earlier book, How Not to Die, so decided to find out what he has to say about dieting & weight loss. A lot of the info seemed to be a repeat of what he said in the first book, this time more specifically geared to weight loss. He did also explain why a lot of the popular diets are not as health or successful long term. And as usual, he cites all of the tests and studies to support what he’s saying. I especially liked his tweaks at the end of the book. I listened to the audio version, which comes with a supplemental PDF which I have not gotten around to looking at yet, but should do soon. Hopefully this will get me motivated to get back on track.
3. Heartstone by C. J. Sansom 4*
Categories: mystery/historical/series
This is book 5 in the Matthew Shardlake series taking place towards the end of King Henry VIII’s reign. Matthew is asked to investigate the allegations made by the son of one of Queen Catherine’s maids about the guardianship of his former students. It had been way too long since I’ve read one of these books. I forgot how enjoyable they truly are. I was immediately sucked back into this world and, hopefully, I won’t take so long to get to the next book. I read this for the MysteryKIT, historical and BingoDOG square, read a mystery.
4. The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon 4*
Categories: non-fiction/around the world (Afghanistan)/off the shelf
The author is a journalist who wanted to do a story about women business owners in Afghanistan. She discovered Kamila Sidiqi. She was a young Afghan woman who needed to find a way to support her family during the Taliban rule when it was illegal for women to work outside of the home. She started a dressmaking business & school with her sisters and was able to help her family as well as many other neighborhood families that were also struggling during this time. Someone in the GeoCAT thread mentioned this book. It sounded familiar and I realized I had bought the Kindle edition back in 2013. I was able to find an audio version at my library, so was able to listen to it in one afternoon. It was an interesting and inspiring story. I’m glad to have finally gotten around to this. I think this one also fits for NonFictionCAT, journalism, since the author is a journalist who went to Afghanistan looking for a story.
5. Legend by David Gemmell 3.75*
Categories: speculative fiction/1001 books/off the shelf
The old warrior, Druss, comes out of seclusion in the mountains to help the Dremai in one last battle to defend their fortress against an attack from the North. This is a classic fantasy that I have been wanting to read for quite a while now and am glad to have finally been able to finish it. It did take me a few tries to get into this. I think the first time, I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind, the story is on the darker side of fantasy. I also think part of the issue was the narrator on the audio. I don’t know what it was about his voice, but I found myself easily distracted while listening. Once I was able to finally get into it, I really enjoyed it. I am counting this one for the SFFKIT, wanted to read it last year. I had hoped to read it for the sword & sorcery month last year, but didn’t get around to it then.
6. Paperbacks from Hell by Grady Hendrix 3.5*
Categories: horror/non-fiction
This was a fun quick listen about the history of horror publishing in the ‘70s & ‘80s. This was a quick overview of different areas of horror that was being published in that time period. He spoke about the authors, publishers & cover artists. Mentioned a few new to me authors I might like to check out. I read this one for the ScardyKIT, ‘70s & ‘80s horror and I’m also using it for BingoDOG, a book about books.
I am currently listening to The Talisman by Stephen King & Peter Straub. I started it for the ScardyKIT, but so far it seems more fantasy than actual horror. It was next in my King bibliography, so wanted to read it anyway. This is my work listen book, so it’s taking longer than usual to finish, plus it’s super long, over 28 hours. I don’t have a new home listen audio going yet, so might use this one for home & work since it’s so long. Need to find a new ebook to read also.
29thornton37814
>28 staci426: I need to get caught up on the Shardlake series. I really enjoy those.
30JayneCM
>28 staci426: I had Legend down for the same SFFKIT month last year. I read three chapters and then had to return it to the library. I have since found a secondhand copy and am holding it for this year somewhere! I did enjoy what I read - not sure if I would want to read the whole series. We will see!
31staci426
>29 thornton37814: It is such a good series. Hope you enjoy the rest of it when you get to it.
>30 JayneCM: I'm glad you were able to find a copy and hope you enjoy the rest of the book when you finish it. I think I would like to continue with the series, if I can find the rest of the books.
>30 JayneCM: I'm glad you were able to find a copy and hope you enjoy the rest of the book when you finish it. I think I would like to continue with the series, if I can find the rest of the books.
32staci426
It’s only February and I’m already falling behind on posts. I’ll just post a list of everything I’ve read since my last post and then I’m going to try to start posting as soon as I’ve finished reading something moving forward.
. The Talisman by Stephen King & Peter Straub, horror 3.5*
8. Angelica's Smile by Andrea Camilleri, mystery 3.5*
9. Under the Skin by Michel Faber, science fiction 4*
10. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi, fantasy 4*
11. Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch, supernatural mystery 3.5*
12. Venus in Copper by Lindsey Davis, mystery 4*
FEBRUARY
13. Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann, mystery 4*
14. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer, apocalyptic 4*
15. Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank, apocalyptic 4*
16. Caffeine: How Caffeine Created the Modern World by Michael Pollan, non-fiction 3*
17. Grandma Gatewood's Walk by Ben Montgomery 4*
18. Falling Man by Don DeLillo, fiction 3.5*
19. Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire, fantasy 4*
20. Down Among the Sticks and Bonesby Seanan McGuire, fantasy 4*
21. Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire, fantasy 4*
22. In an Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire, fantasy 4*
I’m really happy with my reading so far this year. I’ve gotten more finished than I was expecting by this time of year, plus I’ve really enjoyed most of what I’ve read so far. I did have two abandoned books so far. The Mists of Avalon: Mistress of Magic by Marion Zimmer Bradley. I had read these books over 20 years ago and have been wanting to do a reread for a while now. This time around, I just couldn’t get into it for some reason. And then Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. I’ve been wanting to read this forever and started listening for the group read, but just did not like the narrator on the audio. I think I’ll try this again in ebook format at some point, but there is a really long hold period at the library, so won’t be any time soon.
I am currently working on:
The Fire Engine That Disappeared by Maj Sjowall & Per Wahloo, mystery/audio at work
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, historical fiction/time travel/audio at home
Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski, fantasy/ebook
. The Talisman by Stephen King & Peter Straub, horror 3.5*
8. Angelica's Smile by Andrea Camilleri, mystery 3.5*
9. Under the Skin by Michel Faber, science fiction 4*
10. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi, fantasy 4*
11. Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch, supernatural mystery 3.5*
12. Venus in Copper by Lindsey Davis, mystery 4*
FEBRUARY
13. Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann, mystery 4*
14. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer, apocalyptic 4*
15. Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank, apocalyptic 4*
16. Caffeine: How Caffeine Created the Modern World by Michael Pollan, non-fiction 3*
17. Grandma Gatewood's Walk by Ben Montgomery 4*
18. Falling Man by Don DeLillo, fiction 3.5*
19. Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire, fantasy 4*
20. Down Among the Sticks and Bonesby Seanan McGuire, fantasy 4*
21. Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire, fantasy 4*
22. In an Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire, fantasy 4*
I’m really happy with my reading so far this year. I’ve gotten more finished than I was expecting by this time of year, plus I’ve really enjoyed most of what I’ve read so far. I did have two abandoned books so far. The Mists of Avalon: Mistress of Magic by Marion Zimmer Bradley. I had read these books over 20 years ago and have been wanting to do a reread for a while now. This time around, I just couldn’t get into it for some reason. And then Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. I’ve been wanting to read this forever and started listening for the group read, but just did not like the narrator on the audio. I think I’ll try this again in ebook format at some point, but there is a really long hold period at the library, so won’t be any time soon.
I am currently working on:
The Fire Engine That Disappeared by Maj Sjowall & Per Wahloo, mystery/audio at work
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, historical fiction/time travel/audio at home
Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski, fantasy/ebook
33rabbitprincess
Lots of four-star reads! Excellent!
I'm up to Cop Killer in the Martin Beck series. Hoping to read it sometime this year.
I'm up to Cop Killer in the Martin Beck series. Hoping to read it sometime this year.
34staci426
I just finished the Martin Beck. I've been averaging about 1 book a year in this series. I would like to make a little more progress with it this year.
23. The Fire Engine That Disappeared by Maj Sjowall & Per Wahloo 3.5*
Categries: Mystery/Around the World/Series
This is book 5 in the Martin Beck series which takes place in Sweden in the 1960s. An apartment that was under surveillance by the police explodes. One of the victims seems to have been dead before the fire and has a link to a suicide that happened the same day as the fire. This was an ok installment, probably my least favorite of the series so far. Not really sure what it was, I just wasn't feeling that interested in this case for some reason. Oh, well. I will still continue with the series to see if it picks up again. This one fits for GeoCAT, Europe & AlphaKIT, F.
I've started a new work listen, Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie and am still working on my home listen, Outlander and my ebook The Time of Contempt.
23. The Fire Engine That Disappeared by Maj Sjowall & Per Wahloo 3.5*
Categries: Mystery/Around the World/Series
This is book 5 in the Martin Beck series which takes place in Sweden in the 1960s. An apartment that was under surveillance by the police explodes. One of the victims seems to have been dead before the fire and has a link to a suicide that happened the same day as the fire. This was an ok installment, probably my least favorite of the series so far. Not really sure what it was, I just wasn't feeling that interested in this case for some reason. Oh, well. I will still continue with the series to see if it picks up again. This one fits for GeoCAT, Europe & AlphaKIT, F.
I've started a new work listen, Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie and am still working on my home listen, Outlander and my ebook The Time of Contempt.
35JayneCM
>32 staci426: You did what I did and read all the Wayward Children series to date in a row. I have Come Tumbling Down on hold at library already, for when the copy they have ordered arrives!
36chlorine
Looks like you did a lot of good reading recently! :)
I have Every heart a doorway queued for the end of the month and I'm wondering whether it reads well as a stand alone or ends on a cliff-hanger?
I have Every heart a doorway queued for the end of the month and I'm wondering whether it reads well as a stand alone or ends on a cliff-hanger?
37JayneCM
>36 chlorine: I think you will want to keep reading! And they are all so short that it is easy to keep on going. The books don't necessarily follow on from each other as they each go off to tell you about different characters and their experiences. But they are building up the total picture.
38chlorine
>37 JayneCM: Thanks for the answer! My problem is I'm in too many CATs and KITs and don't have much time to read anything else, so I don't know when I'll be able to read the other books if I want to. :p I really like the idea of several books that can be read separately but form a bigger picture. :)
39staci426
>35 JayneCM: Unfortunately, m y library doesn't have book 5 in the series. I might just end up buying it from Audible.
>36 chlorine: Glad to see you enjoyed the first book. Hope you enjoy the rest of the series as well!
I have finished two more books, probably my last two for the month:
24. Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie 3.5*
Categories: Mystery/Around the World/Series
This is another installment in the Hercule Poirot series. in this one, he happens to be in the area, so helps to investigate two murders at an archeological dig in Iraq. The story is told from the point of view of a nurse who was hired to care for the victim. The female narrator on the audio threw me off for a minute on the audio for some reason. I'm used to male narrators for the Poirot stories. Once I got used to her though, I ended up enjoying the story. I should have saved this one for next month since it will fit the Geo, Mystery & Alpha CATS/KITS, but it did fit for this month's Random having been published in 1936.
Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski 3.5*
Categories: Speculative Fiction/Around the World/Series
This is book 2 in the Witcher series, translated from Polish. In this installment, Ciri leaves the witchers with the enchantress, Yennefer, who is brining her to study sorcery. l found this a little difficult to follow at times for some reason. I don't know if it was an issue in the translation, or if I just wasn't paying close enough attention to what was going on. But overall, I did enjoy this. I especially liked the strong Dungeons & Dragons influence that was prevalent in the book. I will be continuing with the series and hope to start watching the TV show soon as well.
I am still making my way through Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, finding it a bit slow going. For my work listen, I just download Glass Houses by Louise Penny, but haven't started it yet. Not surew what my next e-book will be, maybe a few short stories from one of the numerous collections I've been working on.
>36 chlorine: Glad to see you enjoyed the first book. Hope you enjoy the rest of the series as well!
I have finished two more books, probably my last two for the month:
24. Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie 3.5*
Categories: Mystery/Around the World/Series
This is another installment in the Hercule Poirot series. in this one, he happens to be in the area, so helps to investigate two murders at an archeological dig in Iraq. The story is told from the point of view of a nurse who was hired to care for the victim. The female narrator on the audio threw me off for a minute on the audio for some reason. I'm used to male narrators for the Poirot stories. Once I got used to her though, I ended up enjoying the story. I should have saved this one for next month since it will fit the Geo, Mystery & Alpha CATS/KITS, but it did fit for this month's Random having been published in 1936.
Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski 3.5*
Categories: Speculative Fiction/Around the World/Series
This is book 2 in the Witcher series, translated from Polish. In this installment, Ciri leaves the witchers with the enchantress, Yennefer, who is brining her to study sorcery. l found this a little difficult to follow at times for some reason. I don't know if it was an issue in the translation, or if I just wasn't paying close enough attention to what was going on. But overall, I did enjoy this. I especially liked the strong Dungeons & Dragons influence that was prevalent in the book. I will be continuing with the series and hope to start watching the TV show soon as well.
I am still making my way through Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, finding it a bit slow going. For my work listen, I just download Glass Houses by Louise Penny, but haven't started it yet. Not surew what my next e-book will be, maybe a few short stories from one of the numerous collections I've been working on.
40rabbitprincess
>39 staci426: I'm reading Murder in Mesopotamia for the GeoCAT too! It might actually be one I read in its assigned month :)
41staci426
Squeezed in one last February read on Saturday and my first two March books:
26. Jagannath by Karin Tidbeck 4*
Categories: Speculative fiction/Around the World
I don't remember how I discovered this book, but found it in my Hoopla favorites list and was looking for a quick listen to finish off February, so gave it a go. This was a short collection of short stories that I would classify as weird fiction. One story featured a man who falls in love with a hot air balloon and a woman who loves a steam engine. Another features a switchboard operator who can connect you to whoever you want to speak to. And then there are the three obese women who eat themselves to death. These stories were strange and fascinating. I really enjoyed this collection sn am glad that I did find it. The author is Swedish and I believe she translated the stories into English herself.
27. Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire 3.75*
Categories: Speculative fiction/series
This is book 5 in the Wayward Children series. In this one, we are back at the school and get an unexpected visit from Jack. I was super exicted to find out my library did get a copy of this latest book in the series and that I was able to listen to it right away. I hadn't read the description and was hoping to learn more about one of the other students, but in this one, we are back with Jack & Jill. I did still enjoy it, but woul dhave to say it's probably my least favorite in the series so far. I will be eagerly awaiting the next installment. This one fits for this month's SFFFKIT for series, AlphaKIT for C and Bingo square, published in 2020.
28. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon 3.5*
Categories: Speculative fiction/Historical/Off the shelf
I've owned a copy of this book since before I started cataloguing my books here in 2009 and have finally decided to read it. Former Army nursem Ckaure, is travelling in Scotland with her husband after the war when she ends up going thorugh some stones and emerges in the 18th century. I really enjoyed the historical fiction aspects of this story, but felt a little bogged down in the romance parts. I know it's a romance story, but, it was getting a bit tedious to me after a while, but it wasn't too bad that I couldn't finish it. I actually plan to continue with the series, but probably will wait a bit before going on. I was also a bit disappointed in the time travel bit. I was expecting more travel back & forth between the time periods. Overall, it was entertaining, especially the narration by Davina Porter on the audio. This one fits for the SFFKIT, series, the AlphaKIT, G, and bingo
square, LT author.
I am currently working on:
Glass Houses by Louise Penny, mystery/work audio listen
Jamilia by Chingiz Aitmatov, fiction/e-book
and will soon start as my home listen:
Grass for His Pillow by Lian Hearn, fantasy
26. Jagannath by Karin Tidbeck 4*
Categories: Speculative fiction/Around the World
I don't remember how I discovered this book, but found it in my Hoopla favorites list and was looking for a quick listen to finish off February, so gave it a go. This was a short collection of short stories that I would classify as weird fiction. One story featured a man who falls in love with a hot air balloon and a woman who loves a steam engine. Another features a switchboard operator who can connect you to whoever you want to speak to. And then there are the three obese women who eat themselves to death. These stories were strange and fascinating. I really enjoyed this collection sn am glad that I did find it. The author is Swedish and I believe she translated the stories into English herself.
27. Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire 3.75*
Categories: Speculative fiction/series
This is book 5 in the Wayward Children series. In this one, we are back at the school and get an unexpected visit from Jack. I was super exicted to find out my library did get a copy of this latest book in the series and that I was able to listen to it right away. I hadn't read the description and was hoping to learn more about one of the other students, but in this one, we are back with Jack & Jill. I did still enjoy it, but woul dhave to say it's probably my least favorite in the series so far. I will be eagerly awaiting the next installment. This one fits for this month's SFFFKIT for series, AlphaKIT for C and Bingo square, published in 2020.
28. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon 3.5*
Categories: Speculative fiction/Historical/Off the shelf
I've owned a copy of this book since before I started cataloguing my books here in 2009 and have finally decided to read it. Former Army nursem Ckaure, is travelling in Scotland with her husband after the war when she ends up going thorugh some stones and emerges in the 18th century. I really enjoyed the historical fiction aspects of this story, but felt a little bogged down in the romance parts. I know it's a romance story, but, it was getting a bit tedious to me after a while, but it wasn't too bad that I couldn't finish it. I actually plan to continue with the series, but probably will wait a bit before going on. I was also a bit disappointed in the time travel bit. I was expecting more travel back & forth between the time periods. Overall, it was entertaining, especially the narration by Davina Porter on the audio. This one fits for the SFFKIT, series, the AlphaKIT, G, and bingo
square, LT author.
I am currently working on:
Glass Houses by Louise Penny, mystery/work audio listen
Jamilia by Chingiz Aitmatov, fiction/e-book
and will soon start as my home listen:
Grass for His Pillow by Lian Hearn, fantasy
42JayneCM
>41 staci426: I am waiting for my library hold to come of Come Tumbling Down. So looking foward to it. Jack and Jill are definitely my favourite characters to follow.
I am a bit worried about reading Outlander. I too have owned it forever but I started to watch the series before I ever read it. I love the series SO much, not sure if the book will measure up now! And time travel books are one of my great loves.
I am a bit worried about reading Outlander. I too have owned it forever but I started to watch the series before I ever read it. I love the series SO much, not sure if the book will measure up now! And time travel books are one of my great loves.
43chlorine
>41 staci426: Making a note of Jagannath. I have never read any Tidbeck but have her Amatka on my wishlist. It's interesting to know that she translates her books to English herself. I was advised by friends to read the English translation of Amatka rather than the French one, and this is probably why.
44staci426
>42 JayneCM: If Jack & Jill are your favorites, you will definitely enjoy Come Tumbling Down. Hope your hold comes through soon.
I haven't started watching the show yet, so not sure how it compares to the book. But my experience in general, is usually the book is better than the show/movie. So I would definitely give the book a read.
>43 chlorine: I haven't been able to find anything else from Tidbeck at my library. I'm thinking of picking up Amatka from Audible for the international month in the SFFKit.
I haven't started watching the show yet, so not sure how it compares to the book. But my experience in general, is usually the book is better than the show/movie. So I would definitely give the book a read.
>43 chlorine: I haven't been able to find anything else from Tidbeck at my library. I'm thinking of picking up Amatka from Audible for the international month in the SFFKit.
45chlorine
>44 staci426: That's a perfect choice for the international month and I may do that too!
46staci426
29. Grass for His Pillow by Lian Hearn, 4*
Categories: speculative fiction/series/off the shelf
Book 2 in the Tales of the Otori series which takes place in a fantasy world based on feudal Japan. The story goes back and forth between Takeo as he travels with the Tribe now and Kaede as she decides to travel back to her family home, following the events of the first book. I am truly enjoying this series and am sorry that it's taken me so long to read them. I had originally bought the first three books back in 2007 and did not get to the first one until 2015 and now five years later have finally gotten to the second. I didn't like this one quite as much as the first, which was one of my rare 5* reads, but still enjoyed my visit back into that world. I hope it doesn't take me another 5 years to get to the next one. This book fits for this month's SFFKIT, series and the AlphaKIT, G.
30. Break Shot: My First 21 Years by James Taylor, 3.5*
Categories: non-fiction/entertainment
This was a free download from Audible which I listened to this morning while getting ready for work. It was exactly what the sub-title says, a very brief (only 1.33 hours) memoir about the singers early life, read by Taylor, with some songs thrown in too. I was ok. I did enjoy the addition of the songs. This one fits for this month's NonFictionCAT for biography/memoir.
I am still slowly making my way through Glass Houses by Louise Penny. This is my work listen book and haven't had as much time to liten at work as usual, so it's taking a bit longer that I had thought to get through.
Also slowly plugging away at my e-book, Jamilia by Chingiz Aitmatov.
I think my next home listen will be Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce or I might just finish Glass Houses at home this weekend. I'll see what kind of mood I'm in.
Categories: speculative fiction/series/off the shelf
Book 2 in the Tales of the Otori series which takes place in a fantasy world based on feudal Japan. The story goes back and forth between Takeo as he travels with the Tribe now and Kaede as she decides to travel back to her family home, following the events of the first book. I am truly enjoying this series and am sorry that it's taken me so long to read them. I had originally bought the first three books back in 2007 and did not get to the first one until 2015 and now five years later have finally gotten to the second. I didn't like this one quite as much as the first, which was one of my rare 5* reads, but still enjoyed my visit back into that world. I hope it doesn't take me another 5 years to get to the next one. This book fits for this month's SFFKIT, series and the AlphaKIT, G.
30. Break Shot: My First 21 Years by James Taylor, 3.5*
Categories: non-fiction/entertainment
This was a free download from Audible which I listened to this morning while getting ready for work. It was exactly what the sub-title says, a very brief (only 1.33 hours) memoir about the singers early life, read by Taylor, with some songs thrown in too. I was ok. I did enjoy the addition of the songs. This one fits for this month's NonFictionCAT for biography/memoir.
I am still slowly making my way through Glass Houses by Louise Penny. This is my work listen book and haven't had as much time to liten at work as usual, so it's taking a bit longer that I had thought to get through.
Also slowly plugging away at my e-book, Jamilia by Chingiz Aitmatov.
I think my next home listen will be Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce or I might just finish Glass Houses at home this weekend. I'll see what kind of mood I'm in.
47staci426
31. Glass Houses by Louise Penny, 3.75*
Categories: mystery, around the world, series
This is book 13 in the Three Pines Inspector Gamache series. This one is kind of working backwards, it opens with Gamache on the stand at a murder trial and flashes back and forth between the trial and Three Pines at the time the murder takes place. Gamache has now been made Chief Superintendent of the Surete and has put his career on the line with this case. I structure of this one was a bit different and I’m not sure if I enjoyed it so much. But it’s always enjoyable visiting with the residents of Three Pines. This one fits for this month’s AlphaKIT, G.
32. Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce, 4*
Categories: speculative fiction, series, off the shelf
This was book 4 in the Protector of the Small YA fantasy series. Kel has finally finished her training and is finally a knight. She eagerly awaits her first assignment, which she is hoping will be on the front lines of the upcoming war. However, she is given command of a refugee settlement. I really enjoyed this series and this installment was no exception. Kel is a great character and I have enjoyed reading about her struggles and triumphs as the first girl openly accepted into training as a knight. This series seems to be the third set in the Tortall universe. I think I will go back and read the first two now. This book fits for this month’s SFFFKIT, series.
33. Torrents of Spring by Ivan Turgenev, 4*
Categories: 1001 books, around the world
Dimitri is a young Russian noble travelling in Europe. While in Frankfurt he meets the beautiful Gemma and falls in love. I was surprised by how much I ended up enjoying this. It’s another book I never would have picked up if not for the 1001 books to read before you die list. I decided to pick it up now for the RandomCAT, spring and it also worked for BingoDOG square, 3+ letters of BINGO in the title.
I have been listening to Circe by Madeline Miller and The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski. And I am still slowly making way through Jamilia by Chingiz Aitmatov in ebook.
Categories: mystery, around the world, series
This is book 13 in the Three Pines Inspector Gamache series. This one is kind of working backwards, it opens with Gamache on the stand at a murder trial and flashes back and forth between the trial and Three Pines at the time the murder takes place. Gamache has now been made Chief Superintendent of the Surete and has put his career on the line with this case. I structure of this one was a bit different and I’m not sure if I enjoyed it so much. But it’s always enjoyable visiting with the residents of Three Pines. This one fits for this month’s AlphaKIT, G.
32. Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce, 4*
Categories: speculative fiction, series, off the shelf
This was book 4 in the Protector of the Small YA fantasy series. Kel has finally finished her training and is finally a knight. She eagerly awaits her first assignment, which she is hoping will be on the front lines of the upcoming war. However, she is given command of a refugee settlement. I really enjoyed this series and this installment was no exception. Kel is a great character and I have enjoyed reading about her struggles and triumphs as the first girl openly accepted into training as a knight. This series seems to be the third set in the Tortall universe. I think I will go back and read the first two now. This book fits for this month’s SFFFKIT, series.
33. Torrents of Spring by Ivan Turgenev, 4*
Categories: 1001 books, around the world
Dimitri is a young Russian noble travelling in Europe. While in Frankfurt he meets the beautiful Gemma and falls in love. I was surprised by how much I ended up enjoying this. It’s another book I never would have picked up if not for the 1001 books to read before you die list. I decided to pick it up now for the RandomCAT, spring and it also worked for BingoDOG square, 3+ letters of BINGO in the title.
I have been listening to Circe by Madeline Miller and The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski. And I am still slowly making way through Jamilia by Chingiz Aitmatov in ebook.
48Tess_W
>47 staci426: glad you liked Turgenev. I'm trying to read more Russian authors but they have been hit or miss. I will put this one my wish list.
