Tim's 2019 Challenge (42 book goal)

[Tim]

Last year I managed to hit a record (for me at least) 65 books. This year I'm moving the goal down a bit, but trying to raise the page count up. While I've already got several shorter books hurting my average page count this year, one of my side goals will be a few significantly longer reads.

Another side goal is to have all least 12 Japanese novels (well on target for this goal at the moment).

The book breakdown:

January

1. The Bat by Jo Nesbø - 3/5 stars
2. The Great Passage by Shion Miura - 4/5 stars
3. The Thief by Fuminori Nakamura - 4/5 stars
4. Dune by Frank Herbert - 5/5 stars
5. Hit Man by Lawrence Block - 4/5 stars

February

6. Audition by Ryū Murakami - 3/5 stars
7. Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert - 4/5 stars
8. Golden State by Ben H. Winters - 1/5 stars
9. Sing the Four Quarters by Tanya Huff - 3/5 stars

March

10. No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy - 5/5 stars
11. Hit List by Lawrence Block - 3/5 stars
12. The Gun by Fuminori Nakamura - 3/5 stars
13. Last Winter We Parted by Fuminori Nakamura - 5/5 stars
14. The Lady Killer by Masako Togawa - 3/5 stars

April

15. The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji - 3/5 stars
16. Seven Blades in Black by Sam Sykes - 4/5 stars
17. The Bridegroom Was a Dog by Yōko Tawada - 3/5 stars
18. Hear the Wind Sing by Haruki Murakami - 3/5 stars

May

19. Slapstick or Lonesome No More by Kurt Vonnegut - 3/5 stars
20. Penguin Highway by Tomihiko Morimi - 2/5 stars
21. Wounds: Six Stories from the Border of Hell by Nathan Ballingrud - 4/5 stars

June

22. Evil and the Mask by Fuminori Nakamura - 4/5 stars
23. The Body Snatchers by Jack Finney - 3/5 stars
24. Perfect Blue: Complete Metamorphosis by Yoshikazu Takeuchi - 3/5 stars

July

25. White Jazz by James Ellroy - 3/5 stars
26. Priest of Bones by Peter McLean - 4/5 stars
27. The Song of Kieu: A New Lament by Nguyễn Du - 5/5 stars
28. Psycho II by Robert Bloch - 2/5 stars

August

29. Murder in the Crooked House by Sōji Shimada - 3/5 stars
30. Anthem by Ayn Rand - 3/5 stars

September

31. One, Two, Buckle My Shoe by Agatha Christie - 3/5 stars
32. One Bloody Thing After Another by Joey Comeau - 1/5 stars
33. Allhallow's Eve by Richard Laymon - 3/5 stars

October

34. The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Giesbrecht - 5/5 stars
35. Japanese Ghost Stories by Lafcadio Hearn - 4/5 stars

November

36. The Valancourt Book of Horror Stories: Volume Three by various - 3/5 stars
37. Hell! Said the Duchess by Michael Arlen - 3/5 stars
38. Requiem Infernal by Peter Fehervari - 4/5 stars

December

39. Castle of Blood by C.L. Werner - 4/5 stars
40. Artificial Condition by Martha Wells - 4/5 stars
41. The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch by Philip K. Dick - 5/5 stars

[PEB]

Impressive lists of titles. Are you months grouped b theme?

[Tim]

PEB wrote: "Impressive lists of titles. Are you months grouped b theme?"

Typically, if there's a theme for the month, it's unintentional. I have done themes in the past, but I'm usually so tired of it by the end of the month that I've stayed away from them recently. The only planned theme for the year will be in October where I'll stick with horror reads. :)

[Rachael]

Good luck with your reading challenge

[PEB]

Tim wrote: "PEB wrote: "Impressive lists of titles. Are you months grouped b theme?"

Typically, if there's a theme for the month, it's unintentional. I have done themes in the past, but I'm usually so tired o..."

You are a more prolific reader than me. I was noticing your titles because it seems we like similar things. I am also a reader of horror. I will have to check your October list.

Happy Spring.

[Tim]

Rachael wrote: "Good luck with your reading challenge"

Thank you very much. :)

PEB wrote: "You are a more prolific reader than me. I was noticing your titles because it seems we like similar things. I am also a reader of horror. I will have to check your October list.

Happy Spring. "

Oh yes, I always make a big even out of October, trying to find a nice combination of classic horror that I missed out on and obscurer reads to let people know about. It's always good fun. :)

And a happy Spring to you as well!

[Tim]

Big update coming when I can get to a computer.