Anne’s Comments (group member since Dec 08, 2021)

Anne’s comments from the On The Same Page group.

I had a great month of reading. I am ahead of schedule on many challenges, which will really help as the year goes on. I'm leaving for a long vacation in a few weeks, and I won't have much time to read on my trip. I am also getting into the busy time of year at work, so I may not have much time to read when I get back either.

April Update:
1. 41/100 books, 6 in progress
2. 29/40 series books, 4 in progress
3. 3/10 nonfiction, 2 in progress
4. 5/10 classics (novels or plays)
5. 4/12 2024 Reading challenge, 1 in progress
6. 19/25 Motley challenge
7. 0/3 past reading challenge books
8. 7/20 books owned as of December 31, 2023, 3 in progress
9.a. 2/5 countries, 1 in progress
9.b. 1/5 states, 1 in progress
10. 0/10 Realm of the Elderlings books - I need to get started on these

On The Same Page Monthly Reading Challenge MAY 2024
Start Date: 05/01/2024
End Date: 05/31/2024

Total Pages Read: 2,308
Bonus Points: 350

Books Read:
1. The Wars of the Roses DNF, 18
2. Unnatural Ends 5/5, last 178, +45 (Europe, family, England)
3. Babel 5/5, last 64, +95 (Europe, family, England, ship)
4. The World We Make 5/6, last 141, +85 (sci fi, space travel, boat)
5. Baby-sitters' Fright Night 5/7, last 196, +35 (travel, museum)
6. Tangled Threads 5/11, 357, +25 (family)
7. Parable of the Sower 5/12, last 194, +45 (travel, sci fi, family)
8. Like Thunder 5/20, last 267
9. The Snow Queen's Shadow 5/27, 333
10. Death in the Clouds 5/18, 253, +20 (travel, England)
11. White Trash Zombie Unchained 287
12. Dead Things 20

591. The Stranger Diaries
592. Oblivion
593. Kristy's Book
594. All Systems Red
595. King John
596. Mary Anne's Book
597. The Man with the Golden Torc
598. Richard II
599. Tales from the Nightside
600. King Henry IV, Part 1
601. Henry IV, Part Two
602. Bill Bryson's African Diary
603. Henry V
604. The Golden Spoon

I am up to 2026 now. I will make it through the whole book, but it will take a while.

I'm about a quarter of the way through this book. The ideas and plot line are intriguing, and I do like Lauren, but I find myself only wanting to read one or two chapters at a time because of how dark it is. Also, I'm not a religious person, so the large amount of religious matter is a little much for me. I hope that part gets easier as it goes on.

March Update:
1. 31/100 books, 6 in progress
2. 22/40 series books, 4 in progress
3. 2/10 nonfiction, 2 in progress
4. 0/10 classics (novels or plays)
5. 4/12 2024 Reading challenge, 1 in progress
6. 16/25 Motley challenge
7. 0/3 past reading challenge books
8. 2/20 books owned as of December 31, 2023, 3 in progress
9.a. 2/5 countries
9.b. 1/5 states
10. 0/10 Realm of the Elderlings books - I need to get started on these.

Karol wrote: "You are making good progress, Anne! Seems like a pretty fast start to the year."

I am definitely ahead of schedule, and I'm even further ahead now at the start of April. I have a trip coming up later this spring (Iceland and more!), so I know I will have a few weeks where I don't get much reading done. Summer is also my busy season at work, so sometimes I get a bit behind then, so every area I get ahead early in the year helps a lot.

On The Same Page Monthly Reading Challenge APRIL 2024
Start Date: 04/01/2024
End Date: 04/30/2024

Total Pages Read: 3,078
Bonus Points: 435

Books Read:
1. King John 4/13, 154, +60 (5, Shakespeare)
2. The Man with the Golden Torc 4/13, 393, +10 (library)
3. Mary Anne's Book 4/13, 155, +30 (children's, library, 5)
4. Richard II 4/14, 168, +75 (R, Shakespeare)
5. Tales from the Nightside 4/15, last 98, +10 (library)
6. King Henry IV, Part 1 4/16, 117, +50 (Shakespeare)
7. Henry IV, Part Two 4/20, 127, +50 (Shakespeare)
8. Bill Bryson's African Diary 4/17, 55, +20 (library, 5)
9. Henry V 4/22, 121, +50 (Shakespeare)
10. The Golden Spoon 4/23, 273, +10 (library)
11. Aloha, Baby-sitters! 4/27, 223, +70 (children's, library, planet, A)
12. Babel 480
13. The World We Make 216
14. Unnatural Ends 215
15. Parable of the Sower 106
16. The Wars of the Roses 17
17. Baby-sitters' Fright Night 35
18. Dogs of War 125

420. Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village
421. Warriorborn

400. Jade War
401. The Queen’s Price
402. Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect
403. This is How You Lose the Time War]
404. Dawn Schafer, Undercover Baby-sitter
405. Claudia and the Lighthouse Ghost
406. Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings
407. Venom

394. Winter's Gifts
395. Shadow Speaker
396. Network of Lies: The Epic Saga of Fox News, Donald Trump, and the Battle for American Democracy
397. The Bride Wore Black Leather
398. The Last Remains
399. Necropolis

I recently finished this book, and I enjoyed it as much as the first.

Linette wrote: "Great start, Anne!
I try to do the same, read 2 books from my list each month, so I can finish late summer instead of under pressure end of the year. Not always successful, but close enough."

I wish I was that disciplined. I'm usually scrambling to try to finish 3 or more books in December. I want to read the books on my list, but I seem to get distracted by other books rather easily.

I finished The Queen’s Price on Thursday, so I've now finished 4 books from my list in the first 2 months. That is a much better pace than I had last year, and hopefully I can keep this up. I have not decided which book to read next, but it will have to wait until I finish a few library books.

I had a good month of reading in February, and I've made a lot of progress on some of my goals. Some of my books were quite enjoyable, including my two selections from this year's list. I did have one DNF on a book that I thought I was going to like, so that was disappointing. I was reading it as an audiobook, and I had sped it up to 1.35x, and it still felt slow and boring. Oh, well.

February update:
1. 19/100 books, 3 in progress
2. 17/40 series books, 2 in progress
3. 1/10 nonfiction, 1 in progress
4. 0/10 classics (novels or plays)
5. 4/12 2024 Reading challenge
6. 13/25 Motley challenge
7. 0/3 past reading challenge books
8. 2/20 books owned as of December 31, 2023, 1 in progress
9.a. 2/5 countries
9.b. 1/5 states
10. 0/10 Realm of the Elderlings books

On The Same Page Monthly Reading Challenge MARCH 2024
Start Date: 03/01/2024
End Date: 03/31/2024

Total Pages Read: 3,167
Bonus Points: 815

Books Read:
1. Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect 3/3, last 109, 10 (orange)
2. Dawn Schafer, Undercover Baby-sitter 3/8, 141, +135 (woman, name=dawn)
3. Claudia and the Lighthouse Ghost 3/11, 144, +135 (woman, name=lame)
4. Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings 3/13, 304, +130 (green, elf, woman, adventure, 1st)
5.Venom 3/17, 389, +60 (woman, 3rd)
6. Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village 3/17, 128, , +25 (woman)
7. Warriorborn 3/19, 136, +20 (adventure, orange)
8.Kristy's Book 3/24, 145, +135 (woman, name=follower of Christ)
9. The Stranger Diaries 3/25, 338, +70 (green, woman, 1st)
10.Oblivion 3/26, 672, +10 (adventure)
11.All Systems Red 3/31, 144, +85 (woman, adventure, 1st, STEM)
12.This is How You Lose the Time War DNF, 85
13. Dogs of War 65
14. The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt 9
15. Tales from the Nightside: A Nightside Book 212
16. The Wars of the Roses 57
17. Parable of the Sower 46
18. Like Thunder 35
19. Moon of the Turning Leaves 8

Bill wrote: "I do need to explore Elly Griffiths more."

I've really enjoyed her books so far. I have a book from one of her other series checked out from the library, along with the last book of the Ruth Galloway series.

I finished my next book: The Bride Wore Black Leather. It was an excellent conclusion to the Nightside series. I will have to check out other books by the author, particularly the 2 series that take place in the same world. There were a few references to those series in this book, but I don't think I missed out on too much.

I own all the remaining books on the list, so I won't have to worry about library deadlines for these (unlike the 3 I have completed). I plan to read a few library books before picking out my next book from the list.

I have been slowly completing and updating, but I mostly do edits instead of new posts. I just got Antarctica, and I have Niger in progress.

186. The Locked Room
187. Paw and Order
188. Let It Crow! Let It Crow! Let It Crow!
189. Nightrise
190. Shadowmarch