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

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

For the week of 2/13/2020-2/20/2020 I finished 3 books.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. I used it for a book from the Goodreads 2019 Choice Awards. It won the mystery & thriller category. It was nominated for debut novel.
Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing. I used it for two books that are related to each other as a pair of binary opposites. I am using Antarctica & Arctic as my binary opposites. This book took place in Antarctica.
Mostly Dead Things by Kristen Arnett. A book about the arts.

What are you reading for this prompt? Mostly Dead Things by Kristen Arnett.
How does it connect to this prompt? A major theme is taxidermy. The protagonist definitely feels this is an art form. Also the mother in the novel uses art to express grief & feelings of repression.

I am currently reading A Madness of Sunshine by Nalini Singh. I will definitely have over 100 pages left to read tonight at midnight so I’m good for Saturday. I think it will work for the author’s initials for all levels. On the insect level the phrase spider web is used. They also describe the spider as having hairy legs. The book is set in New Zealand so at this early stage it is fall but springtime may appear before the end of the book. My game plan is to ask all of you if anything will work if I get stuck. I haven’t studied all levels yet because once we pick a starting level I will focus on filling prompts with my read then.

Hello Team Lucky Charms. I feel very lucky to be on this team. This is my first read-a-thon. The nerd in me is definitely coming out. I am ready & excited. Good luck to everyone.

Finished Mostly Dead Things by Kristen Arnett. Set somewhere in Florida. Not sure exactly where but in Florida.

Endurance:Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing. Antarctica.

For this prompt I am using Antarctica & the Arctic. I finished the Antarctic book. Endurance Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing. I gave it 5 stars. I almost cried when I finished from relief. I only used it for this prompt but it can be used for a book set in a time or place you wouldn’t want to live in. Book set in the Southern Hemisphere. A book with the major theme of survival. History. Book set in a rural or sparsely populated area.

What is your estimated reading speed ( slow,medium,fast)? Medium

How many books do you usually finish in a week? 2

Which time zone do you live in? EST

Can you commit to checking in with your team frequently during the read-a-thon? Yes

Are you interested in being a team leader for your group? No thank you.

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides—London

I just finished The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides this morning. It won the award for mystery & thriller for 2019. Was nominated for best debut novel.

I have finished 2 book and is since my last check in. Cat’s Eyewitness #13 A Mrs. Murphy Mystery by Rita Mae Brown & Sneaky Pie Brown. I used it for a book by an LGBTQIA author. The other book was Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. A book with a silhouette on the cover.

I went with Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.

I read Cat’s Eyewitness #13 A Mrs Murphy Mystery by Rita Mae Brown & Sneaky Pie Brown.

Cherokee America by Margaret Verble. Oklahoma. Set in the old Cherokee nation in the 1800’s.
Cat’s Eyewitness by Rita Mae Brown & Sneaky Pie Brown. Crozet Virginia.

I finished Cherokee America by Margaret Verble last night. I am using it for a book from the NYT notable books list. It was on the list 2019. I really liked it. It would also work for the prompt book set in a rural or sparsely populated area. It was set in the old Cherokee nation.

What are you reading this week?
I finished Cherokee America by Margaret Verble last night. I am using this book for this prompt. I am currently reading book #13 in the Mrs. Murphy series by Rita Mae Brown & Sneaky Pie Brown. Cat’s eyewitness.
Do you often look at “best of” or “must read” list to find books & are there any you would recommend?
I only look at “best of” list at the end of the year. I do look forward to all the end of year lists. I do not read books biased on any lists. Any book I read about goes on another list to see if I can fit them into prompts. A book can stay on my list for years or I may never read it. I use lists & recommendations to stay current but not to rush out & read. There was six other books on the 2019 NYT notable list I was considering for this prompt. Cherokee America was available first.

I read 9 books for the month & I gave 7 four stars. I didn’t have 5 stars this month. I was torn between using Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy or The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey to answer this question.
Favorite read for January The Widows of Malabar Hill
Author Sujata Massey
Format ebook
ATY prompt used, book with a geometric geometric pattern or element on the cover.
Reason why I liked the book. It is set in Bombay India during the 1920’s. Perveen Mistry is the first female solicitor in India working at her father’s law firm. She is from a respected Zoroastrian family. Perveen has a past that the reader finds out about in flash backs. The law firm represents 3 widows of Muslim faith living in purdah. Because of her past history & her current status as the only female lawyer in India she is a champion of female rights. I really liked the female voices in the book. I also liked her father because he stands by Perveen giving her opportunities many fathers at the time wouldn’t have done.

I am late to the game. I am posting my completed January reads.
Greece (Ancient)The Silence of the Girls
UK, London-Girl,Woman,Other
Massachusetts,US-Very Far Away from Anywhere Else
Japan-Convenience Store Woman
Pennsylvania,US-The Overdue Life of Amy Byler
Texas,US-Dumplin’
Atlanta Georgia, US- Darktown
Shaker Heights, Ohio,US- Little Fires Everywhere
Bombay India-The Widows of Malabar Hill

I read The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey. The partition has an Islamic geometric pattern on it.

I read Little Fires Everywhere byCeleste Ng published in 2017.