Beth's 2018 ATY Reading Challenge

[Beth F]

I've been lurking in the group for a couple months and wasn't planning to participate in this year's challenge but I'm too excited for 2019 and decided to backfill with some of the books I've already read and get through as many of the other prompts as possible before the end of the year. :)

1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
2.
3.
4. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
5. Spectacle: The Astonishing Life of Ota Benga by Pamela Newkirk

6. The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx
7. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
8. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
9. Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches' Guide to Romance Novels by Sarah Wendell and Candy Tan

10. Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman
11. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
12. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
13. Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

14.
15.
16.
17. HELP! A Bear is Eating Me! by Mykle Hansen
18. Men of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong

19. Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
20. Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James
21. Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James
22. High Voltage by Karen Marie Moning

23.
24. A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters
25. Vicious by V.E. Schwab
26.

27. Sold by Patricia McCormick
28. Storm Front by Jim Butcher
29.
30.
31. Shakespeare's Kitchen: Renaissance Recipes for the Contemporary Cook by Francine Segan

32.
33. Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast by Robin McKinley
34.
35. Something About You by Julie James

36. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
37. Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
38. Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
39. Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella

40. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
41. Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
42. Margaret's Ark by Daniel G. Keohane
43. Talk to Me First: Everything You Need to Know to Become Your Kids' ""Go-To"" Person about Sex by Deborah M. Roffman

44. Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix
45. Through the Woods by Emily Carroll
46. The Darkest Kiss by Gena Showalter
47. Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin

48. The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty
49.
50.
51.
52.

[Beth F]

November 28, 2018

#48 A book related to one of the 7 deadly sins

What are you reading for this category?
The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

Which sin did you choose?
Lust and wrath played an equally significant role.

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My second book from this author and definitely not my last.

The consistently strong character development is my favorite part of her work. The characters, especially the main female characters, are nuanced and flawed with strengths and weaknesses that are reminiscent of real people. She plays off the various stereotypes of what it’s like to be female, to be a mother (working mother, stay-at-home mother, single mother, married mother, widowed mother, childless mother, etc.). Other women and society at large hold these stereotypes over the heads of women and Moriarty is able to manipulate these “facts” of life in such a realistic manner that it was easy for me to imagine that these characters are still out there living their lives even though I’ve finished the book.

Approximately each chapter is written from a different character’s perspective. Normally this sort of constant head-hopping would bore or confuse me but Moriarty is a master at this technique and it had the opposite effect than usual for me. It’s usually too easy for me to set down a book and walk away when the perspective changes too frequently but in this case it actually made it difficult to walk away and once I made it through the introductions in the beginning, I read the remaining ~80% of the book in a single day.

The husband’s secret wasn’t difficult to guess—I’m not a frequent reader of mysteries but it was fairly obvious that it was either this thing or that thing and when the reveal happened, I wasn’t shocked. The build-up to that point came somewhat obviously but because the actual point (at least for me) of this novel was both the development and destruction of characters and relationships—with a twist—it didn't matter that I guessed the secret correctly. For me, the novel worked extremely well.

I can’t wait to read more!

[Beth F]

December 2, 2018

#19 A book nominated for the Edgar Award or by a Grand Master author

What are you reading for this category?
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

Is it a winner, nominee, or Grand Master author?
It's an Edgar winner for best young adult.

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The world was falling down around my ears while I read this but I could not put it down. So good.

[Beth F]

December 7, 2018

37. A Women's Prize for Fiction winner

What are you reading for this category?
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward

Why did you choose this book?
I had seen it listed as a group read and was intrigued by the description. I love to read books by female authors and especially multi-generational family sagas. I've also been trying to be more mindful about choosing books that were written by people of color.

When browsing through the lists, did you see many books you already read?
No! And that's another thing I need to be more mindful of in the coming year--read more award winning fiction. My 40th birthday is less than a month away and it's leading me to reflect on how I'd like to spend the second half (hopefully) of my life. Giving support to amazing female authors sounds like something I could get on board with.

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I struggled with the rating on this because I tend to rate books based on my own personal enjoyment and/or how deeply connected I feel to the characters on an emotional level.

Much of this book was unpleasant, most of the characters were unlikeable, and the entire time I was reading it I felt like I was reading it. The counterpoint to that is becoming so totally engrossed in a story that you forget you're reading--that never happened to me with this book, although there's a part of me that wonders if this is one of those books that would get better for me with multiple readings because the story inside this book is so far outside the realm of my own "American experience", it's almost like I'd need numerous encounters before I could even start to think about how to climb inside these characters shoes and walk around for a little bit. I disliked Toni Morrison's Beloved the first time I read that too but had a completely different opinion the 2nd go around, and I can't help but draw comparisons between the two given the significant roles played by ghostly characters who had died terribly by violence in both books.

Unfortunately I can't rate this higher than 3 stars but I would absolutely 1,000% pick up another book by this author and I'd especially love to read one where Kayla is a grown main character. I was not surprised by her role in the final scene at all and I loved it. I want more.

[Kathy]

Nice review, Beth. I haven't read Sing, Unburied, Sing yet but plan to. I felt the same way on first reading Beloved also and wonder if I should read it again in light of your experience.

[Beth F]

Thanks Kathy - I suppose there is only one way to find out! Yes, Beloved was completely different for me the second time I read it. It’s probably been 15 years since I read it but Sing, Unburied, Sing has me thinking about it again. It might be time for another reread for me too. :)

[Beth F]

December 9, 2018

44. A ghost story

What are you reading for this category?
Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix

Why did you pick this story? Are you expecting to be afraid?
The combination of horror and humor intrigued me and the play on IKEA was irresistible. I skimmed several reviews before reading and it doesn't appear that anyone was afraid. Scary books aren't my favorite thing to read, so I wasn't expecting to be scared either.

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Kind of weird. Funny, yes, but mostly weird.

[Jackie, Solstitial Mod]

Beth wrote: "December 9, 2018

What are you reading for this category?
Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix

Why did you pick this story? Are you expecting to be afraid?
The combination of horror and h..."

LOL that book scared me, but I'm a wuss! Still enjoyed it though. Who could resist the pull of a haunted Ikea?

[Beth F]

I think was just too amused to be scared and when the spooky stuff really took off I'd already made up my mind. The premise was very clever. The next time I'm at IKEA I'll be imagining it with all the lights off, and spooky ghosts coming out of the fake doors and windows.

[Beth F]

December 23, 2018

25 - A book with an antagonist/villain point of view

What are you reading for this category?
Vicious by V.E. Schwab

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Possibly the most boring book I've ever read about villains.

I gave it 2 stars for the sisters, Serena and Sydney, but Eli and Victor were incredibly "meh". I feel like I deserve an endurance award for finishing this because I kept walking away after every 2 chapters or so and had to repeatedly force myself to pick it up again.