Joanna’s Comments (group member since Dec 27, 2013)

Joanna’s comments from the CPL's Book a Week Challenge group.

Congratulations to all of our 2021 Book Quest winners: Emilee, Linda, Rachel, and Lonna!

Did everyone survive the storm Saturday/Sunday? That wind was really blowing! Perfect weather for curling up inside and reading (I unfortunately was out in it).

What is everyone reading this week? I finished two books over the weekend - So Many Beginnings and The Love Hypothesis. If you participated last year, you might remember me gushing about A Clash of Steel which was a Treasure Island remix and part of a larger series that looks to remix classic works through more diverse lenses. So Many Beginnings is the Little Women remix and it was amazing. I highly recommend it.

Not sure what I'm reading this week. I want to finish a couple volumes of Magus of the Library and then might finally start on The Gilded Wolves (I've been holding off on reading the final book in the series because I'm scared lol).

Not sure if everyone saw, but last week, Kayzee posted a link to help everyone with the "Read a book you can read in a day" Take It or Leave It challenge. Here is the link: https://getpocket.com/explore/item/20...

Thank you, Kayzee, for sharing it!

Happy reading!

We all know Book Quest is a challenge! The goal is to try and read 52 books over the course of the year (one a week) or you may have other book goals, larger or smaller. Unfortunately, life can get in the way of the perfect reading time and meeting those goals. What are book lovers to do?

Below are some tips and tricks to help you read more!

1. Always carry a book with you. One of the easiest ways to get more reading done is to always be prepared by having a book on hand. Standing in a long line at the grocery store? Have to go to the DMV? Caught at the Great Bridge? Waiting for the kids’ practice to be done? Whip out that book! It’s amazing what those little pockets of time do. Ebooks are also a great way to ensure you always have a book with you. Whether it’s an ereader or an app on your phone, they tend to be lighter and easier to carry.

2. Listen. Do you have a long commute? Do a lot of cleaning/cooking? Like to exercise? Try audiobooks! Audiobooks are a perfect way to get in reading time while also accomplishing other tasks. If you’re afraid of missing information while listening, try a reread with an audiobook of a book you’ve read previously.

3. Don’t be afraid to DNF. DNF (short for “Did Not Finish”) can be tough for many of us. I’m a completionist- once I start a book, I feel guilty if I give up on it. But there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that! If you’re just not feeling a book, set it aside and move on. Life is too short to read books you either aren’t in the mood for or dislike.

4. Be conscious of your time. We all do it. We’re heading to bed and to unwind, we scroll aimlessly through the internet. Why not use that time to read instead? Set aside 10, 15, 20, or whatever minute count you want before bed to read. Also evaluate how you use your time during the rest of the day. When do you find yourself aimlessly scrolling and can you be reading instead?

5. Size matters not. I know. We all want to be able to say we read 52 600+ page tomes in a year. And that is a worthy goal. But when it comes to reading, size matters not. Read that novella. Jump into a graphic novel. Don’t think that the only books that count have to meet a certain page count (unless that’s a personal goal you’ve set, in which case, carry on!).

6. Read multiple books. I’ve seen this one around on the sites and it also works for me- have multiple books going at once. Why? Because if tonight you suddenly don’t feel like reading that epic fantasy you were loving, you can indulge in the cute romance without feeling guilty. It helps keep you from being bored and ending up in a slump. This one doesn’t work for everyone, though. Some of us are one book at a time kind of people and that’s perfectly fine.

Do you have a helpful tip or trick for reading more? Share in the comments any that you’ve found helpful!

Tiffany wrote: "I'm excited to be here for my first challenge! I'm midway through "Twice in a Blue Moon" by Christina Lauren. I set a goal for 50 books this year, so fingers crossed!"

Welcome!! We're so happy to have you join us this year! Keeping all our fingers crossed on meeting those reading goals this year.

Jackie wrote: "I read and finished The Storied Life of AJ Fikry.
I started The Riviera House, but my naughty dog tore up the book, so I’m waiting for my library hold rather than replacing my copy.
While I wait,..."

Oh, no! Silly puppy. Books are for reading not eating. Literary names for pets are the best!

Lyn wrote: "Joanna
I was looking through an old book journal that I keep track in.
Was 2014 the first 52 book challenge? So, We are heading into our 8th year,wow"

I wish we could do emojis on here because I want to post the shocked face one so much. Because you're right! The oldest topic folder on here is from 2014. 8 years! Thanks for being a part of the challenge for so long!

Arlice wrote: "I am excited about starting my fifth year of the CPL Book Quest.
I have set my reading goal in 2022 for 200 books.
I just completed My Monticello by Jocelyn Nicole Johnson and The Two Lost Mountain..."

Woo hoo! Happy 5th anniversary! That's very exciting. Here's to meeting your goal. :D

Links (because it wouldn't let me post them in the main topic):

1. Beanstack - https://chesapeake.beanstack.org/read...

4. Online Book Club - https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

5. Library Website - https://www.chesapeakelibrary.org/

Happy New Year!! And we're off!

Some quick highlights...

1. Book Quest 2022 is live! You do not need to create a new account. Simply sign in to your Beanstack account and click "Register for this Challenge." You can then start logging your books.

2. Take It or Leave It is back! You can find the challenges under "Activity Badges." It follows the same process as last year- challenges are quarterly; new challenges may pop up unexpectedly at any time; do one, do some, do all, or do none, it's up to you!

New this year- you will see challenges that aren't book related but are library related. We're pushing our online resources this year so expect to see some fun challenges geared around those resources.

3. If you participated in the 2021 challenge, the grand prize and other prize drawings will be Monday, January 10, and winners will be contacted via the email provided on Beanstack.

If you haven't already picked it up, there is a completion prize for 2021! You can stop by the Central Library any time we're open to collect yours- it's a little notebook, perfect for keeping track of your tbr and jotting down notes as you read. I will be sending an email about this to everyone who completed the challenge using the emails provided in Beanstack.

4. Make sure to go join all the fun over at the Online Book Club. January's book is The Duke and I by Julia Quinn.

5. This is a general PSA. Beginning next week, January 10, the library will have new operating hours. You can find this on our website.

Phew. That was a lot of highlights! Thank you for reading through them. We're so excited for another year and another challenge to read 52 books!

What books are you starting the new year off with? Let us know in the comments.

I started (and finished) The Charm Offensive which I really enjoyed as well as vol.1 of The Magus of the Library.

Book Quest 2022 is now live! Log into your Beanstack account and you can register for the challenge.

Logging books for 2022 will follow the same procedure as 2021.

Look for more information in the Week 1 thread.

Good luck on your 2022 challenge!

As we get ready to close out 2021, it's always fun to look back on the books we've read this year. What stand outs did you read? Find any new favorites? Tell us about them!

I had a really good reading year even if I didn't make my actual reading goal. But I enjoyed almost all the books I read which makes me happy. Some of my highlights include:

- A Clash of Steel by C.B. Lee. This is a Treasure Island retelling set in the South China Sea and features the real historical figure Zheng Yi Sao. I loved the mixing of the classic with historical fiction. Plus the author's notes in the back were amazing.

- The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood. I read a lot of romance books this year which is highly unusual for me. And while I enjoyed them all for the most part, this one was probably my favorite. It's grumpy meets sunshine in an academic setting plus it grew out of Star Wars fan fiction (I love fan fiction and I enjoy AUs so right up my alley).

- The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells. Was this my favorite thing I read this year? Probably. Artificial construct (aka Murderbot) develops feelings and has to figure out how to deal with them? Oh, yes. Murderbot is the absolute best and they are extremely precious. The humans they interact with were also great. I flew through this series and am eagerly awaiting the next installment.

- Legendborn by Tracy Deonn. I love a good retelling. And this, this is an amazing retelling. King Arthur and his knights but make it modern, with a girl trying to figure out who killed her mother, a secret society, and navigating the prejudices of the South. The book ended on a massive cliffhanger with book 2 due out November of next year.

- Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. This book returns to what I loved most in The Martian: a scrappy human in the midst of impossible odds, figuring out ways to survive. Also features a new favorite precious character who I can’t talk about without spoiling the plot. You’ll just have to read it to meet them!

These were just a few of the stand out books I read this year. I’m excited to see what great reads 2022 will bring. See you all next year!

Happy Holidays! For all who celebrate, I wish you a very Merry Christmas! For all who don't, I hope you have a lovely week and that your weekend is restful and relaxing!

Feel free to let us know what books you're reading this week if any. Are they holiday themed? Mine are but not this holiday- I'm still working on spooky books.

Also, beginning Monday the 27th, anyone who has completed their 52 books can stop by the Central Library to pick up their completion prize (while supplies last). It's a little notebook! It's perfect for carrying around, jotting down book thoughts, or using it to keep track of your growing to be read pile. I'm so happy with how they turned out and hope you all will find them useful in your reading life!

Happy Holidays again, everyone!

PS. No, your eyes do not deceive you. We've skipped a whole week in numbering. That's my fault because somewhere along the way, I miscalculated a week. This is actually week 51 and last week should have been 50. Oops.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... though it certainly didn't feel like it the other day. And it looks like we're in for another couple days of warm weather. Do you enjoy the warm weather around the holidays? Or are you the sort like me who needs snow?

With Christmas around the corner, that means we are heading into the final weeks of 2021. I hope everyone's enjoyed participating in this challenge. Be sure to log in all your books before midnight on December 31. 2022's challenge will be going live January 1st.

What is everyone reading this week? I finished book 4 of the Invisible Library series, The Lost Plot, and it was great. It started fast and never let up. Next I'm going to work on The Ex Hex and Nothing but Blackened Teeth (two very different types of books, I know).

Happy reading!

Lyn wrote: "when we had cats, there was no peaceful reading,they had to be the center of attention,same thing if I wanted to use my sewing machine, they had to be on my lap,heading butting my hand"

Haha. Cats are both the best and the worst during reading or other hobby time. But they are just too precious so of course you have to give them love and scratches.

Did anyone feel a bit lost yesterday when Goodreads was down? No? Just me? I'm not on here nearly as much as some people I know but I definitely missed being able to add books to my "want to read" list (I get so many emails from work with new book info that I'm constantly updating that list) and update what I'm currently reading. But it's back so all is right with the world.

What is everyone reading this week? Is it something you would recommend? I'm working on book 4 of the Invisible Library series, The Lost Plot, and like its predecessors, it's started off with a bang and hasn't let up. I can't wait to see what happens but at the same time, also concerned about my characters.

I also somehow missed that the library got a copy of Subpar Parks. If you've never heard of them, you need to check it out. I found her via Instagram and what she does is find one star reviews of our national parks and illustrates views of the park with those one star reviews. It's absolutely hilarious. You will also definitely question these people. The book goes into more depth about each park, its history, its significance to Indigenous Peoples, as well as having some fun anecdotes. I started reading the book last night and I already recommend it and following her Instagram account.

Happy reading, everyone!

How was everyone's Thanksgiving? Did you all recover? I hope everyone had a wonderful time.

What are you reading this week? I'm working on book 6 of the Bridgerton series - When He Was Wicked - and then I have a whole stack of spooky books to read. I think I mentioned being in a spooky mood back in October but I never got around to actually reading any of them. But two of my most anticipated finally arrived at the library - Nothing but Blackened Teeth and Within These Wicked Walls - so I'm going to try for a spooky December.

Happy reading!

Halfway through November! December will be here before we know it. Are you ready for the holidays? Do you decorate? If you decorate for Christmas, do you believe in decorating only after Thanksgiving or do you start putting stuff up the moment October is over (these are the important questions, lol)?

Earlier this year, we did a thread about favorite places to read, but now I'm wondering... do any of you have some sort of book nook? A special room or place or shelving where you store your books?

For me, there is something really nice and satisfying about space dedicated to books. More so if it's nice and uniform. Lol. A benefit to moving (and helping to offset the incredible stress) is now I have a library room! I obviously share it with my roommate but it's wonderful walking into a room and just seeing shelves of books. Granted, right now, it's in a state of chaos (boxes... boxes everywhere). Soon, though, it'll be all put together and organized. I can't wait.

Have a wonderful week everyone!

What is everyone reading this week? Is it something I should add to my tbr pile?

I am reading... nothing right now. I know. Despite the books listed on my Goodreads' "Currently Reading," I'm not reading anything. In my defense, I'm in the process of moving! I have found a house to rent and it's been crazy in my world. Hopefully in the next two weeks, I'll find time to pick a book back up.

Speaking of moving, I sometimes wish my hobbies did not include reading and buying books. Why are books so heavy? And why do they need so many boxes? Have any of you had to move with your books? How did it go?

Have a great week!

What is everyone reading this week?

I'm in the middle of beta-ing a book for my roommate. It's been really good so far but it's going to be a multi-book series and she's a bit evil so we'll see if we're still friends when I finish (just kidding, we'll still be friends, even if she hurts my favorite characters... maybe).

Once I'm done, hopefully I'll finally start So Many Beginnings and then I have a few spooky books to read: Summer Sons, Plain Bad Heroines, The Death of Jane Lawrence, and The Keeper of the Night. We'll see how many I can get through this week.

Happy reading!

Susan wrote: "I recently finished The Winter Black series by Mary Stone. (Pretty good overall. A solid 3 ⭐ for the series.)
I finished Such A Fun Age a couple of days ago and am now reading Anxious People."

The Winter Black series seems really interesting. I'm going to add it to my tbr.

Happy Monday, everyone! How's your Monday been going? I hope your week is off to an amazing start.

I've been thinking about sequels and the anticipation that comes with them. This is probably tied to the fact that I just took a massive inventory of all the series I've started but never finished, lol. For a lot of them, only book one was out at the time I read them so I anticipated many sequels but got distracted and read none. Hopefully you don't find this happening to you.

What sequels are you currently anticipating? Any that you are just counting down the days until? Book three in the Gilded Wolves series, The Bronzed Beast, is probably my most anticipated sequel. The book came out in September but my preorder didn't arrive until last Thursday. I'm hoping this coming weekend I'll be able to sit and read the whole thing in one sitting. Another anticipated sequel is Aurora's End. I loved book one in this series but I heard book two had a massive cliffhanger so I've been waiting for book three to finish it. I'm also currently really needing volume five of Heartstopper. I adore that comic but it doesn't look like it'll be out until 2023. It's so far away!

Tell us your most anticipated sequels!

Arlice wrote: "I really loved the book.
I try not look at reviews because I not want the reviews to sway how I might like the book or not.
Can wait for book two to come out next year in May."

Yay! That's good to hear. I know; I generally try to avoid reviews for the same reason but I don't always succeed. But I'm glad you really loved it. I'm looking forward to reading it.

What is everyone reading this week? Any good fall or spooky reads?

I'm in the middle of A Clash of Steel which is a YA remix of Treasure Island. I'm really enjoying it, despite the fact that the book did take over 100 pages to set up the main story. But the details were so rich (the food descriptions! it made me so hungry) that I'm willing to forgive it. Macmillan is actually doing a whole series of YA classic remixes which retell classic books through diverse authors using their own unique cultural lenses. I'm super excited for the whole series. Two are out right now, the above Treasure Island one and So Many Beginnings which is a Little Women retelling (and I've heard nothing but great things about it). In March, the Robin Hood one comes out and I cannot wait.

After I finish the two remixes, I'm going to start The Masked City which is book two of the Invisible Library series. I am determined to finally finish it!

Arlice wrote: "I am currently reading Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor, The Colony by John Tayman and The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna.
I will be re reading The Vanishing Half next.
[bookcover:Remote Control|34215..."

How are you liking The Gilded Ones? I've read some reviews that rave about it but I've also seen some that expressed some disappointment. But I'd love to know your thoughts!