Sherri’s Comments (group member since Nov 10, 2019)

Sherri’s comments from the Around the Year in 52 Books group.

I’m sorry I suggested it. I thought the synopsis of a book would tell the readers what the book is about. Lots of time I’m reading a book for one prompt but then something pops out & the books fits another prompt. It’s rare I plan what books fit what prompts. I don’t think like a planner. I enjoy books with secrets & it seems most books have a secret. Sorry about that.

I like the here be dragons & a book related to the classic Twilight Zone episode twenty two ideas. I have a suggestion for a prompt. A book where secrets are revealed in public. It could be at a party, group vacation,family gathering.

1. How many books did you finish? How many pages did you read? I finished 5 books & The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman. Page count: 1,363
2. Did you meet your reading goals? What were your biggest distractions? I exceeded goals. I thought I would finish 3 books. My biggest distraction was Friday. I had family obligations.
3. Did you have fun? What were your favorite parts? I had fun. I loved the pirate theme,games & personal challenge. I loved checking in with my crew.
4. What was your favorite book of the read-a-thon? Blacktop Wasteland by S.A.Cosby
5. Do you have any suggestions for how to make the read-a-thon better for next time? What would you like to see more of in future read-a-thons? No suggestions. This was my favorite one as of now.
6. Do you plan to participate in future group read-a-thons? Yes

Sunday 25 pages

You all are the best pirate crew. I have a few pages I read today I will add before bed. I have really enjoy the pirate theme,games, & challenges.

I’m about to start Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Diaz for my face to face book club. It will also work for my Book Riot challenge. Read a memoir by a Latinx author. I’ve also wanted to read In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado. I read Good Boy: My Life in Seven Dogs by Jennifer Finney Boylan. It was very good.

Red Hill Virginia. Blacktop Wasteland by S.A.Cosby

2012 Blacktop Wasteland by S.A.Cosby

1. What are you reading for this category? Blacktop Wasteland
2. Many books in these genres are part of a series. Are there any series that you’re currently reading or have enjoyed in the past? Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series, Maggie Hope Mysteries, Maisie Dobbs series.
3. Do you have any favourite mystery or thriller sub genre, eg cozy mystery, domestic thriller, etc? I like cozy mysteries
4. What book would you recommend to other people for this prompt? We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker

- Title: Blacktop Wasteland
- Author: S.A.Cosby
- Rating: 5 stars
- Format (Print, eBook, Audio): eBook
- ATY Prompt you used it for (if applicable): Mystery/thriller
- Brief reason why it was the best: It's like reading an action heist movie. Characters are well developed & I wanted the best for most of them. I couldn't put it down.

I finished Blacktop Wasteland by S.A.Cosby. A mystery thriller. 5 stars. Really good I couldn't put it down. It's like reading an action heist movie. I think it is going to be made into a movie.

Saturday 231

Yo Matey's. I haven't put Blacktop Wasteland by S.A.Cosby anywhere yet. It doesn't work for the galleon. We may be at the point where we can't use it. I will start Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Diaz later this morning. I won't finish it before I drop anchor tonight. I guess everything I read from this point will be for pages read.

I finished Blacktop Wasteland by S.A.Cosby. I didn’t see anywhere to put it so I’m opened to suggestions.

Yo. I got my last read The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien caught up everywhere. I'm currently reading Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby. I will definitely finish probably tomorrow. I put the book on the spreadsheet under plans. It definitely has a thief in it. I will set off now. Hopefully the winds will be in my favor.

Friday 54

This is a record for me. I read 6 five star books. Wow.
The Bad Muslim Discount by Syed M. Masood
The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton
Wayward Son (Simon Snow, #2) by Rainbow Rowell
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
Legendborn (Legendborn #1) by Tracy Deonn
We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker
I also read The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country by Amamda Gorman. 5 stars

I finished The Things We Carried by O'Brien, 4 stars. Not for this challenge but I used it for the Read-Arrr-Thon.

I’m reading Wasteland Blacktop. They steal things in the book.

JUNE

1. Start of Summer
Summer means the best reading months for so many of us. New releases have bright and shiny colors, and the warm weather makes for great picnics and reading in the sun.

a. Read a happy book.
b. Read a book published in June, July, or August. The Biggest Bluff by Maria Konnikova. Published 6/23/2020
c. Read a book from one of the following lists:
- Beach Read Royalty Recommends Summer Books
- Readers' Hottest Books of Summer
- Armchair Traveling: Books Set in Every U.S. State

2. June Birthday: Octavia E. Butler
Octavia Estelle Butler was an American science fiction author. A multiple recipient of both the Hugo and Nebula awards, she became in 1995 the first science-fiction writer to receive a MacArthur Fellowship. Born in Pasadena, California, Butler was raised by her widowed mother. Octavia Butler was born June 22, 1947.

a. Read book whose main character is a Black woman.
b. Read a science fiction book. The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa, Stephen Snyder (Translator), Markus Juslin (Translator)
c. Read a winner of the Hugo Award.

3. Pride Month
The majority of Pride events are held in June to commemorate the anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion in New York City on June 28, 1969, which most historians consider to be the birth of the modern LGBT movement. At the time, police raids on bars catering to LGBT patrons were common, but that night, the patrons of the Stonewall Inn fought back. While historical accounts of the night vary, the violent response ignited a national firestorm of activism that brought new visibility to the struggle for LGBT equality.

a. Read a book with at least 5 different colors of the rainbow on the cover.
b. Read a book featuring an LGBTQIA+ protagonist (not side character). Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Diaz
c. Read a book written by an author who was nominated for the Lambda Award.

4. Set Sail
One summer activity is to hop on a boat and go for a ride on the water. Whether you're fishing off of a kayak, sailing the open seas, or sunbathing on a yacht, floating on the water is guaranteed to bring peace and relaxation.

a. Read a book that starts with a letter in SAILING.
b. Read a book with a boat on the cover.
c. Read a book that takes place completely on an island. Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart. Glasgow Scotland

JULY

1. Halfway there!
July 1st marks the halfway point of the year, and that means 2021 is drawing to a close!

a. Read a book with a number in the title. One For The Blackbird,One For The Crow by Olivia Hawker
b. Read a book that is divided into multiple parts (rather than, or in addition to, chapters).
c. Read a book featuring twin characters.

2. July Birthday: Madeline Miller
Madeline Miller is an American novelist, author of The Song of Achilles and Circe. Miller spent ten years writing The Song of Achilles while she worked as a Latin and Greek teacher. Madeline Miller was born on July 24, 1978.

a. Read a book whose author's initials are found in MADELINE MILLER.
b. Read a retelling of a myth, fable, or fairytale.
c. Read a book nominated for the Women's Prize for Fiction. Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

3. It's Winter Down South
While those of us in the northern hemisphere are enjoying the warm temperatures and the sunshine, our neighbors in the southern hemisphere are cozying up around the fire and drinking hot cocoa.

a. Read a romance book.
b. Read a book with snow on the cover.
c. Read a book whose title starts with a letter in FROSTY THE SNOWMAN. Midnight At The Barclay Hotel by Fleur Bradley. Illustrator Xavier Bonet

4. Take a Dip
Summer is hot, hot, hot, so jump in a pool, lake, or ocean to cool off and get some exercise swimming.

a. Read a book whose title starts with a letter in OCEAN.
b. Read a book whose author initials can be found in TAKE A DIP.
c. Read a book featured on one of these lists:
- 34 of the Best Beach Reads to Help You Escape. The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
- 2021 Summer Reading List: 48 of the Best Books for Adults, Teens, and Kids
- The Best Beach Reads of Summer 2021

AUGUST

1. Back to School
Many students and teachers are heading back to the classrooms this month. Celebrate that back-to-school feeling with a bit of smart summer reading.

a. Read a book by an author that is new-to-you.
b. Read a YA book. Furia by Yamile Saied Mendez
c. Read a book often tested on the AP Literature exam, as found on this list.

2. August Birthday: John Green
John Michael Green is an American author and YouTube content creator. He won the 2006 Printz Award for his debut novel, Looking for Alaska, and his fourth solo novel, The Fault in Our Stars, debuted at number one on The New York Times Best Seller list in January 2012. He was born on August 24, 1977.

a. Read a contemporary book. Where the Grass Is Green and the Girls Are Pretty by Lauren Weisberger
b. Read a stand-alone novel (not part of a series).
c. Read a book nominated for the Printz Award.

3. Summer Reading
Summer is a great time to catch up on your backlist TBR or read the newest releases that you haven't got around to reading yet.

a. Read the newest book by a favorite author.
b. Read the next book in a series you've already started. Dim Sum of All Fears (A Noodle Shop Mystery #2) by Vivien Chien
c. Read a book published in 2021 that you've been looking forward to.

4. Jump on a Plane
With the world reopening, now is a great time to jump on a plane to new countries (literally or, in the case of reading, metaphorically).

a. Read an adventure book.
b. Read a book set in a country you've never visited.
c. Read a book featuring a character that travels to multiple countries. Journey to Munich (Maisie Dobbs #12) by Jacqueline Winspear