Cypress' First 2020 ATY Plan

[Cypress]

This year (2019), I managed to read 66 books. I did not realize how easy it would be for me, so I think it's time for a challenge! I tend to stick to sci-fi, but this past year I really broke out of my genre and had a good time. I'm hoping this challenge will encourage me to do the same (as well as fit some more sci-fi in, of course). For simplicity's sake, I'll just go in order of the list.

Now for the list:

1. A book with a title that doesn't contain the letters A, T or Y
2. A book by an author whose last name is one syllable
3. A book that you are prompted to read because of something you read in 2019
4. A book set in a place or time that you wouldn't want to live
5. The first book in a series that you have not started

6. A book with a mode of transportation on the cover
7. A book set in the southern hemisphere
8. A book with a two-word title where the first word is "The"
9. A book that can be read in a day

10. A book that is between 400-600 pages
11. A book originally published in a year that is a prime number
12. A book that is a collaboration between 2 or more people
13. A prompt from a previous Around the Year in 52 Books challenge
14. A book by an author on the Abe List of 100 Essential Female Writers

15. A book set in a global city
16. A book set in a rural or sparsely populated area
17. A book with a neurodiverse character
18. A book by an author you've only read once before

19. A fantasy book
20. The 20th book [on your TBR, in a series, by an author, on a list, etc.]
21. A book related to Maximilian Hell, the noted astronomer and Jesuit Priest who was born in 1720
22. A book with the major theme of survival

23. A book featuring an LGBTQIA+ character or by an LGBTQIA+ author
24. A book with an emotion in the title
25. A book related to the arts
26. A book from the 2019 Goodreads Choice Awards
27. A history or historical fiction

28. A book by an Australian, Canadian or New Zealand author
29. An underrated book, a hidden gem or a lesser known book
30. A book from the New York Times '100 Notable Books' list for any year
31. A book inspired by a leading news story

32. A book related to the 2020 Olympic Summer Games in Japan
33. A book about a non-traditional family
34. A book from a genre or sub genre that starts with a letter in your name
35. A book with a geometric pattern or element on the cover

36. A book from your TBR/wishlist that you don't recognize, recall putting there, or put there on a whim
37. Two books that are related to each other as a pair of binary opposites: Book #1
38. Two books that are related to each other as a pair of binary opposites: Book #2
39. A book by an author whose real name(s) you're not quite sure how to pronounce

40. A book with a place name in the title
41. A mystery
42. A book that was nominated for one of the ‘10 Most Coveted Literary Prizes in the World’
43. A book related to one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse
44. A book related to witches

45. A book by the same author who wrote one of your best reads in 2019 or 2018
46. A book about an event or era in history taken from the Billy Joel song "We Didn't Start the Fire"
47. A classic book you've always meant to read
48. A book published in 2020

49. A book that fits a prompt from the list of suggestions that didn't win
50. A book with a silhouette on the cover
51. A book with an "-ing" word in the title
52. A book related to time

[Cypress]

JANUARY

✔️1. A book with a title that doesn't contain the letters A, T or Y

Borne by Jeff Vandermeer 📚
Oh gosh, I really do love Jeff Vandermeer. I know his books aren't for everyone, and that's okay. I still love him. If you enjoyed other books by him, like the Southern Reach trilogy, I believe you would enjoy Borne as well. Vandermeer's vernacular is so rich and fun, some many find it borders on verbose, but I felt like it just added to the world he built. In typical Vandermeer fashion, he leaves a lot unexplained, letting the reader come up with their own ideas. I personally enjoy this style a lot. My only criticism, and it's minor, is I felt like I didn't truly understand the purpose of the Magician as a character, but maybe that was the point. All in all, I just loved this book.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

✔️2. A book by an author whose last name is one syllable

The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick 🎧
I really wanted to like this one more. It may have won a Hugo, but I found that it fell flat in too many places. I wasn't drawn to any of the characters, and I'm not sure I really like the way Dick writes his female characters. I give sci-fi authors from this time a little leeway when it comes to writing women, but there's only so much I can stand. Juxtaposed with Vandermeer's leading women, this got a little cringey. The story was fantastic, as Dick is apt to do, but it just didn't leave as much of an impression on me as I was expecting.
⭐⭐⭐

✔️3. A book that you are prompted to read because of something you read in 2019
I read Dark Matter last year and just loved it. I'm excited to read more from this author!

Recursion by Blake Crouch 📱
Yes. That's my response to this book: yes. This is what I live for. Those nights where you just can't put a book down. Cursing when you have to get off the train because your commute to work is over and you have to stop reading. Needless to say, I loved this book. It's mind-bendy, it's suspenseful, it's fun. Crouch has a way of taking complicated, difficult topics usually reserved for hard science fiction, and making them accessible to most audiences. This book was a real treat.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

✔️4. A book set in a place or time that you wouldn't want to live

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mendel 📱
Ah, one of my favorite genres: post-apocalyptic disease outbreak. I have to admit, my epidemiological nerdy self would've appreciated more details on the disease, but wasn't the point of this book. Good character exposition, a unique spin on a popular genre, and just the right amount of suspense to make me catch my breath. Like others, I found the sections set before the disaster a little boring. I understand their purpose, but I just didn't care as much for the characters in those sections. I enjoyed reading this and give it a solid 4/5.
⭐⭐⭐⭐

✔️5. The first book in a series that you have not started

Blood of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski 🎧
Eh. It was okay. The first half was pretty cool, and I enjoyed the characters and the setting. I understand that this is technically not the first book in the series, as there were two books of short stories. Perhaps I'd like those more. I found this book a little boring, but, to be fair, I'm also not the biggest fan of high fantasy. The female character were a little eye-roll-y at times. I could have done without reading about Triss getting wet at the mere sight of Geralt, but it was cool to have a young girl be the main character. I enjoyed the juxtaposition of Ciri training to be a witcher and a magician. I would certainly be willing to give another Witcher story a try.
⭐⭐⭐

[Cypress]

FEBRUARY

✔️15. A book set in a global city

Severance by Ling Ma 🎧
I devoured this book pretty quickly, but it took me a while to think about. It's such an allegorical piece, and I really enjoyed that about it. I found it to be a little slow-paced at times, and the main character wasn't all the likeable. But the themes certainly resonated with me quite a bit. I really enjoyed Ma's writing style as well. A unique take on a popular sub-genre, that's for sure!
⭐⭐⭐⭐

✔️7. A book set in the southern hemisphere

Moxyland by Lauren Beukes 📚
I could not get into this book. I couldn't follow the plot most of the time, but there were some interesting ideas in here. I loved the setting, but all the characters ended up being pretty similar despite each one having their own chapter in their own point of view. It just came off as trying too hard to be hip.
⭐⭐

✔️8. A book with a two-word title where the first word is "The"

The Power by Naomi Alderman 🎧
This book kinda messed me up, not going to lie. I'm not sure I can even really rate it. Part of me was utterly disgusted and found the whole second half just totally unbelievable. Women just weren't acting like women. But then, the more I think about it, particularly with the ending dialogue, that's what the author is trying to show, isn't it? I still have to take off a star, because it just left a bad taste in my mouth, but I get this book. And I honestly couldn't put it down. That said, there were some aspects of this book that really bothered me and I didn't particularly like any of the characters. This book gets 3.5 stars from me: gripping story with a few significant flaws.
⭐⭐⭐

✔️9. A book that can be read in a day

Le Petit Prince d'Antoine de Saint-Exupéry 📚
Je n'ai pas lu ce livre en un jour. Mon français est assez mauvais. Mais je l'ai fini ! J'adore ce livre. Il est injuste de l'évaluer, car je l'ai déjà lu. Et je l'aime toujours. C'est créatif, magique et un peu triste. Et c'est un bon livre pour apprendre le français. Ce sera toujours l'un de mes livres préférés de tous les temps.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Cypress]

MARCH

✔️6. A book with a mode of transportation on the cover

Buttermilk Graffiti: A Chef’s Journey to Discover America’s New Melting-Pot Cuisine by Edward Lee 📱
I love books like this. I don't think I'll ever grow tired of learning about food. This book reads like a love poem to food in America, and Edward Lee is the right poet to express it. He describes the highs and lows of his adventure in such a charming way, it's hard not to want to make the exact same journey as him. I found some chapters less impactful than others, but it was certainly candid and honest.
⭐⭐⭐⭐

✔️11. A book originally published in a year that is a prime number

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari 🎧
I liked this book a lot. Harari is obviously a very talented writer. It was one of those books that got me thinking. I quite enjoyed the first half of the book, and I am always interested in explanations and interpretations of the agricultural revolution. It is not without flaws, though. I found the last half of the book to be a little sensationalized, and was particularly bothered with his use of "the exception enforces the rule." Seemed like a leap in logic. His view is just one of many, but it was certainly entertaining.
⭐⭐⭐⭐

✔️13. A prompt from a previous Around the Year in 52 Books challenge
A book with a number in the title or on the cover

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller 📚
This book was a challenge, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I did have a rough time at certain parts, particularly with keeping the characters straight, but there is something very magical about this book. I absolutely loved Heller's writing style. I was captivated, even in the moments where I was kind of lost. The story was a delicate balance of humor and absurdity, and the abject horror of war. This is clearly a must-read for a good reason.
⭐⭐⭐⭐

✔️ 18. A book by an author you've only read once before

Exhalation: Stories by Ted Chiang 📚
Ted Chiang once again proves his mastery of story-telling with this collection of short stories. I honestly left this book wanting more. I will certainly continue following Chiang and eagerly await more! The diversity of tone, setting, character, and even prose made this a brilliant collection. I think even non-science fiction fans will find these stories fascinating and gripping. And for us hardcore science fiction fans, this scratches every itch.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

✔️25. A book related to the arts

The Disaster Artist: My Life Inside The Room, the Greatest Bad Movie Ever Made by Greg Sestero 🎧
Anyone who has seen "The Room" would probably be intrigued by this book. It's hard not to be utterly fascinated by the character of Tommy Wiseau, especially because he's a real person. Sestero proved to be quite the writer, even though I found some of his prose to be a little over-the-top at times. Fit the theme of Hollywood though! This book was difficult to put down and had some genuine laugh-out-loud scenes.
⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Cypress]

APRIL

10. A book that is between 400-600 pages

The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty 🎧

16. A book set in a rural or sparsely populated area

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steibeck 📱

17. A book with a neurodiverse character

Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee 📱

22. A book with the major theme of survival

The Stand by Steven King 🎧

[Cypress]

MAY

14. A book by an author on the Abe List of 100 Essential Female Writers

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Leguin 📱

19. A fantasy book

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

20. The 20th book [on your TBR, in a series, by an author, on a list, etc.]
The 20th book to win a Hugo

The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov

21. A book related to Maximilian Hell, the noted astronomer and Jesuit Priest who was born in 1720

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell 📱

[Cypress]

JUNE

23. A book featuring an LGBTQIA+ character or by an LGBTQIA+ author

Babel-17 by Samuel R. Delaney

24. A book with an emotion in the title

Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor

12. A book that is a collaboration between 2 or more people

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone 📚

26. A book from the 2019 Goodreads Choice Awards

Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? Big Questions from Tiny Mortals About Death by Caitlin Doughty

27. A history or historical fiction

Regeneration by Pat Barker

[Cypress]

JULY

28. A book by an Australian, Canadian or New Zealand author

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

29. An underrated book, a hidden gem or a lesser known book

Off to Be the Wizard by Scott Meyer

30. A book from the New York Times '100 Notable Books' list for any year

Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou

31. A book inspired by a leading news story

White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo

[Cypress]

AUGUST

32. A book related to the 2020 Olympic Summer Games in Japan

Akira, Vol. 1 by Katsuhiro Otomo 📚

33. A book about a non-traditional family

Educated by Tara Westover

34. A book from a genre or sub genre that starts with a letter in your name
Cyberpunk because my name is Cypress!

The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi

35. A book with a geometric pattern or element on the cover

The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell 📚

[Cypress]

SEPTEMBER

36. A book from your TBR/wishlist that you don't recognize, recall putting there, or put there on a whim

Semiosis by Sue Burke

37. Two books that are related to each other as a pair of binary opposites: Book #1
Sun and moon

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

38. Two books that are related to each other as a pair of binary opposites: Book #2
Sun and moon

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein

39. A book by an author whose real name(s) you're not quite sure how to pronounce

The Man Who Spoke Snakish by Andrus Kivirähk

[Cypress]

OCTOBER

40. A book with a place name in the title

Voices from Chernobyl: The Oral History of a Nuclear Disasterby Svetlana Alexievich

41. A mystery

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie 🎧

42. A book that was nominated for one of the ‘10 Most Coveted Literary Prizes in the World’

The Sellout by Paul Beatty 📚

43. A book related to one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse

Feed by Mira Grant

44. A book related to witches

All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders

[Cypress]

NOVEMBER

45. A book by the same author who wrote one of your best reads in 2019 or 2018

Perdido Street Station by China Mieville

46. A book about an event or era in history taken from the Billy Joel song "We Didn't Start the Fire"

Artemis by Andy Weir

47. A classic book you've always meant to read

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

48. A book published in 2020

The Hidden Girl and Other Stories by Ken Liu 📚

[Cypress]

DECEMBER

49. A book that fits a prompt from the list of suggestions that didn't win
A book with food on the cover or about food

Why You Eat What You Eat: The Science Behind Our Relationship with Food by Rachel Herz

50. A book with a silhouette on the cover

The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal

51. A book with an "-ing" word in the title

A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki

52. A book related to time

Doomsday Book by Connie Willis

[Cypress]

Half way through January and I'm having a blast. I already know I'm going to end up ahead, and that's fine by me. I'm happy to fit in as many extra books as I can. I finished Station Eleven last night, along with Saga books 5 and 6. I'm not really counting them in my "read" books because they're so short, but I guess they still count! I'm tempted to pick up The Strange Bird since it ties in with Borne and is only about 100 pages. I also just put in a request for Moxyland from my library, so I'll have to jump on that as soon as I get it.

Too many decisions! And then I keep looking at other folks' lists and getting more inspiration haha.

[Cypress]

It's the first day of February and I'm already a book ahead! I'm really struggling to get into Moxyland, but I can see glimpses of something intriguing, so I'm pushing on. I devoured The Power in four days, but I'm still conflicted with how to rate it. I think, ultimately, I give it a 3.5 out of 5. There were a few things that really irked me, but I was very engaged in the story in the end.

I'm looking forward to re-reading The Little Prince. I collect the book in different languages, so I've got a whole bunch to choose. Not that I can actually read most of them, haha. When I was developing this list, I thought I would have already begun my Spanish classes, but I haven't, so I guess I'll give it a shot in its original language. Or if that's too frustrating, I can go to Danish since I do speak it relatively proficiently.

[Cypress]

I got the audiobook for Severance much earlier than I was expecting, so I swapped it with Buttermilk Graffiti. I had no idea I was getting it so soon from the library, so I (foolishly) started my side read of Seveneves also on audiobook. I generally like to read one book and listen to one book at a time, so this is a little jarring. But hey, I'm already powering through Severance! Loving it so far.

[Cypress]

I finished Seveneves! It wasn't for this challenge, but I have been meaning to read it. The only other novel by Neal Stephenson that I've read is Snow Crash, and, honestly, I'm blown away that they're by the same offer. Stephenson really proved that he is versatile and has a never-ending imagination. I am sorely impressed. Seveneves totally scratched that nerd itch for me. It won't be for everyone, and there were passages that felt like way too much detail, but that's Stephenson for you. I look forward to reading more of his work.

[Cypress]

Haven't updated in a while. Coronavirus has just got me spooked. But I have been finding a lot of solace in reading. I finished Catch-22 today and absolutely loved it. I picked up a few books from the store today to support my local business, so I've definitely got plenty to read. Hoping to hunker down and take it easy.