2020 December Reading Challenge

[Elizabeth]

2020 was an odd year for publishing. Many books got delayed, or even canceled, so let's show books that were published in 2020 some love. For your challenge read a book that was published for the first time in 2020.

Good luck!

[Carolyn]

I think I can handle this one, too. In fact I happened to finish a 2020 release on December 1 -- The Thursday Murder Club! And conveniently the next book I picked up from my TBR piles is A Promised Land which is another 2020 release. Not very far in but I'm up to 2001 I think.

[Lisa]

Elizabeth wrote: "2020 was an odd year for publishing. Many books got delayed, or even canceled, so let's show books that were published in 2020 some love. For your challenge read a book that was published for the f..."

Hey Elizabeth

Do you work through the library or work at the library?

I think I am going to need help figuring out a short book that I
can read that came out in 2020. I read one book this year that came out in 2020 but it was a really long book.
I have other books that I want to read before the end of the year.
so I won't be able to finish another long book that came out in 2020. so would you be able to help me with some book recommendations of short books that came out in 2020?

[Deborah]

I like this idea!! There are a few books on my list that came out this year that I have been putting off. For this challenge I think I will read Slideout: A Military Thriller by Gary J. Darby. Which was published in March 2020. It has been a while since I have read a thriller...This could be interesting.

[Britt, Book Habitue]

I just read The Jane Austen Society which was published this year!

[Elizabeth]

Lisa wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "2020 was an odd year for publishing. Many books got delayed, or even canceled, so let's show books that were published in 2020 some love. For your challenge read a book that was p..."

Hey Lisa,

I work for Salt Lake County Library. :) I can help you find a book. Do you have a genre you prefer?

[Debbie]

I was going to do one of the 2020 Caldecott Honor books, but then I realized that, with the award given in January, the books are published in 2019. Back to the choosing board.

Ah, here we go: Goodnight Mermaid by Karla Oceanak

[Lisa]

Elizabeth wrote: "Lisa wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "2020 was an odd year for publishing. Many books got delayed, or even canceled, so let's show books that were published in 2020 some love. For your challenge read a bo..."

I read mostly read young adult paranormal romance. but since I am already reading something that's already young adult paranormal romance . I think something that isn't paranormal.

[Linda]

I will have to see what I can find that sounds good that doesn't have a ton of holds on them.

[Danielle]

I’m going with Mother Land

[Teresa]

One thing I like about having a large tbr on Goodreads is browsing the lists and seeing which books I already tbr'd. It makes narrowing down my choices easier.

[Becky]

I read Three Things I Know Are True, which is a quick read, a novel in verse. I thought it was excellent.

[Stephanie]

If anyone needs help finding books, we've got a display at Smith library (3300 S 810 E) focusing on some of the best books of 2020! We've got a diverse group of reads-fiction/nonfiction/young adult and kid lit! ^_^
Honestly, the quality of books that have come out this year is one of the few things that has kept me going.

[Debbie]

I have read Going Down Home with Daddy by Kelly Starling Lyons (Review). I really enjoyed it!

[Alyson]

I read "Nat Enough" to see if it was good enough to give to my daughter this Christmas--it is! See http://www.eatreadandbemommy.com/2020... for my review.

[Amanda]

Finally managed to finish a book during the challenge for this month... it might be the first time all year... I read shadow fall by Alexander Freed.

[Greg]

I read The Searcher by Tana French.

Finished!

In fact, that's 10/10 challenges for the year!

[Debbie]

Amanda wrote: "Finally managed to finish a book during the challenge for this month... it might be the first time all year... I read shadow fall by Alexander Freed."

Good for you Amanda!

[Amanda]

Thanks Debbie!
I’ve read a lot this year... And I’ve done most of the challenges... I just haven’t been finishing them during the correct month...

[Susan]

I read Murder by Rainbow Cake for this challenge. It is a very clean, non violent murder mystery. It has a touch of romance but not a lot of it. Enjoyed this book and series.

[Elizabeth]

Amanda wrote: "Finally managed to finish a book during the challenge for this month... it might be the first time all year... I read shadow fall by Alexander Freed."

Yay!

[Debbie]

Amanda wrote: "Thanks Debbie!
I’ve read a lot this year... And I’ve done most of the challenges... I just haven’t been finishing them during the correct month..."

The important thing is you are reading and enjoying it.

[Debbie]

I read another book Goodnight Mermaid by Karla Oceanak. I loved the illustrations in this book. Two were particularly fun for me, both crowd scenes. The first, in the background, had a yellow submarine. The other, in the foreground had a walrus wearing sun glasses. For those who don't see the allusion, they are references to The Beatles.

[Stephanie]

I read a couple of comics/graphic novels that were published in 2020! I read the second volume of Spell on Wheels, a lovely collection of webcomics called Cat's Cafe: A Comics Collection (seriously, SO CUTE!), the second volume of Vox Machina's adventures (I liked it a lot better than the first!). So that's been fun!

[Linda]

I read Her Quiet Revolution: A Novel of Martha Hughes Cannon: Frontier Doctor and First Female State Senator
This book is labeled as Historical Fiction but to me it read more like a biography. It was very interesting. The author includes chapter notes at the end of the book to tell the facts related to each chapter.

[Carolyn]

Still working my way through Barack Obama's book, but in the meantime I did finish another 2020 release The Book of Lost Names.

[Danielle]

Carolyn wrote: "Still working my way through Barack Obama's book, but in the meantime I did finish another 2020 release The Book of Lost Names."

I’m reading The Book of Lost Names right now.

[Carolyn]

Before the Ever After is worth a try if you like middle grade and/or novels in verse. Also a 2020 release.

[Teresa]

I read A Lady Compromised, the fourth in a historical cozy mystery series. It was published in November 2020.

[Elizabeth]

Can you believe that it's already the 22nd? I can't! Just 9 more days to finish this challenge.

[Britt, Book Habitue]

Read Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson. Not a lot of resolution, but it fits. A poignant and ultimately hopeful little book.

[Deborah]

Happy Holidays everyone! I just finished Slideout: A Military Thiller by Gary J. Darby which was published March 2020. It was a little slow to start, but once it got going, I stayed up way to late to finish it.

[Audrey]

I read Stranger Danger, which just came out Monday.

[Elizabeth]

Good job everyone! Only a couple of more days to get in your entries. (Can you believe it?)

[Donna]

Here is my list of December reads published in 2020:

The Glass Queen
The Rise of Skywalker
Big Lies in a Small Town
The Exiles
Is This Anything?
Invisible Girl
Forgiving What You Can't Forget: Discover How to Move On, Make Peace with Painful Memories, and Create a Life That's Beautiful Again
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
Empty Out the Negative: Make Room for More Joy, Greater Confidence, and New Levels of Influence
Eat for Life: The Breakthrough Nutrient-Rich Program for Longevity, Disease Reversal, and Sustained Weight Loss
A Time for Mercy

[alisonwonderland (Alison)]

Last night I finished reading Kimberly Brubaker Bradley’s Fighting Words, which was published in August 2020. Five-star read for me! Recommended for older middle grade readers as well as young and not-so-young adults.

[Debbie]

Donna wrote: "Here is my list of December reads published in 2020:

The Glass Queen
The Rise of Skywalker
Big Lies in a Small Town
The Exiles
[book..."

HOLY COW!!! I'm struggling to read anything. Partly, life got a little too real this month (not COVID related) and, if that's not enough, my cataracts are getting noticeably worse. I have an 80 page book that has been renewed once and is about to renew again. Who can't finish an interesting 80 page book in 2 months? Right now, me.

[Donna]

Debbie wrote: "Donna wrote: "Here is my list of December reads published in 2020:

The Glass Queen
The Rise of Skywalker
Big Lies in a Small Town
[book:The Exiles|4..."

I think we are all having some interesting struggles this month as well as the whole year. Not sure what next year has in store for us all. It has been crazy.

For me, I have had a ton of overtime this month and that is where I do the bulk of my audio listening. So I've read more than usual.

[Carolyn]

One more 2020 release I happened to squeeze in (finished faster thanks to some help from the audiobook) was Perestroika in Paris by Jane Smiley.

[Debbie]

As 2020 is in it's last hours, dwindling down across the globe, I wish all of you a Happier New 2021. May all your dearest dreams move forward, even if not all can come true!

[JoAnn]

Sorry to post late. I read several books in December that were first published in 2020.
I read all five in the Faraway Series promoted by Amazon. I liked The Prince and the Troll best.
Adam's Wish and Where did Luna go? made my little one smile.
He also loved Scooper and Dumper, which we received a pre-release ebook with First Reads. It's publication date is Jan 1, 2021

[Elizabeth]

Congratulations to our December 2020 prize winner! Teresa read A Lady Compromised to complete the challenge!

[Teresa]

Thank you!