Around the Year in 52 Books discussion
2021 Plans
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Emma’s ATY 21 challenge
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I want to try and avoid historical mystery genre books because I am already doing a challenge using these. Having said that, I’ve already used two which I will try to replace further on in the year.
Prompt #51. What are you reading for this category? Who is the author?
The Girl with the Louding Voice
2. Have you read books by many authors on the list?
I’m embarrassed to see that I’ve only read a handful
The Colour Purple
White Teeth
The Street
Homegoing
The Fifth Season
An American Marriage
Roots: The Saga of an American Family
The underground railway
I would like to read from the list:
Queenie, Invisible Man, Americanah, Girl Woman Other, An Unkindness of Ghosts, Red at the bone, Sugar and Devil in a Blue Dress
3. What book would you recommend to others to read for this category?
I really liked The Street and Homegoing.
Also if you like sci fi fantasy The Fifth Season
Prompt #31Question:
1. What are you reading for this prompt?
The Second Sleep
2. How long was/is the author's career?
First book published 1982
3. What other books would you recommend checking out by this author?
I really enjoyed his Cicero trilogy, Pompeii and Conclave
Prompt #8The Inugami Curse
I’ve always wanted to visit Japan because it’s so different to any other culture I know about. I bet the cherry blossom is something to behold in the spring.
Prompt #141. What are you reading for this category?
Black Sun
2. What is the setting for this book? How did it play a role in the story? It’s a whole different world where people belong to one of four elements- earth, air, water- above and below. Some are faith based, some science based.
3. What is a book you'd recommend for someone looking to travel to a made-up place?
I’d heartily recommend this as a great epic fantasy story. But the book Id actually recommend for this category is
The House in the Cerulean Sea
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Prompt #251. What are you reading?
Tomb for an Eagle
2. What kind of island is it set on?
Set on the Orkney Islands
3. What island books would you recommend?
Circe
Burial Rites
Shutter Island✔️
Kensuke's Kingdom✔️
Lord of the Flies
The Survivors✔️
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society]✔️
I would like to read
Sharks in the Time of Saviors
Prompt #1Death at La Fenice
Completed 18 March
This was the first in a series of 30 books by Donna Leon, featuring the Detective Guido Bruno and set in Venice. First published in 1992.
I really enjoyed it and plan to continue the series.
Comparable in quality would be Still Life the first in a series featuring Detective Armand Ganache.
Prompt #26The Empress of Salt and Fortune
Completed 19 March
Historical fantasy short story set in a Chinese inspired kingdom, based on Imperial politics. This managed to convey a great atmosphere of place and world in a very short novella. Looking forward to reading more by this author.
Prompts #18-20 Past, present, futureThe Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O.
Read 20 March
Really excellent story about time travel.
Prompt #41Raybearer
Finished 23 March
This was an outstanding piece of YA writing. It was accomplished, with rich world building, African-inspired and feminist. I can’t wait to read its sequel!
Prompt #9The Summer Country
Finished March 25
Set in Barbados, the story centres around 2 sugar plantations just as the abolition of slavery is beginning to be bandied around by Wilberforce. One young woman from the UK inherits a plantation from her grandfather and she heads to Barbados, making certain assumptions about her grandfather’s history. She discovers many secrets that have remained hidden for many years.
I loved this story!
Emma wrote: "Prompt #9The Summer Country
Finished March 25
Set in Barbados, the story centres around 2 sugar plantations just as the abolition of slavery is beginning to be bandied around by Wi..."
After seeing your post I added this one to my TBR list!
Prompt #34Star of the Sea
Finished 26 March
I much preferred this to Shadowplay, the only other book by this author that I have read. It explores the themes of poverty, starvation , the class divide and the horrors of the potato famine, told from many different perspectives, each belonging to passengers of the Star of the Sea. I enjoyed the way O’Connor explored the different narratives.
If I was to recommend a book or series of books to do with travel I would probably choose The Berrybender Narratives
Which are absolutely genius!
Prompt #15The Invisible Life of Euridice Gusmao
Finished 26 March
A look at life in 1940s -1960s Brazil as portrayed through the eyes of several characters in orbit around two sisters. The character studies were well done but personally I felt there was some emotional distance between me as the reader and the characters.
Prompt #23A Memory Called Empire 29 March and
Later finished 27 March
A Memory called Empire was a fabulous mix of sci fi, space opera, mystery, thriller.
Later was horror, thriller, paranormal. Both got 5 stars from me.
Prompt #49Girl, Woman, Other
Finished 30 March
Great to read about black women’s lives from the British experience. This works really well for the ensemble cast prompt.
Prompt #29Smoke Bitten
Finished 1st April
Yes! I’ve finally caught up with the Mercy Thompson series!. I consider any long standing series that I am reading to be a comfort read. Having caught up with this series I am going to continue the Alpha and Omega series which is a companion series.
Other contenders for this category would have been either
Bryant & May and The Bleeding Heart
Or The Chalk Pit
Book with a building in the titleThe House of Special Purpose
The Round House
Murder in the Lincoln White House
The Paragon Hotel
Dry Store Room No. 1: The Secret Life of the Natural History Museum
Prompt #7One prompt which did not make the final list:
A book with a title containing alliteration
Oona Out of Order
Prompt #3Bryant & May and The Bleeding Heart
6 April
Has a litter of kittens turning up all over the place in the office.
Prompt #12Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead
Finished 7 April
Possibly one of my favourite books this year.❤️
Prompt #6A love story
Stardust
Finished 7 April
Really enjoyed this beautiful illustrated story. I had been going to read Strange Weather in Tokyo, but this got there first!
Prompt #38Random words from generator:
Confront
Heart's Blood
Finished 10 April
Lots of confrontation and threats of war fare in this story.
Prompt #10Snow, Glass, Apples
Finished 10 April
A beautiful looking retelling of Snow White by Neil Gaiman.
Prompt #37Malice
Finished 12 April
I didn’t like this as much as the first one I read by this author:The Devotion of Suspect X
Prompt #52The end
Wake Me After the Apocalypse
Finished 13 April
I had been planning to read either Howards End or Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, but I read this first and it realised it fulfilled the requirements of the prompt.
I really enjoyed this YA take on the end of the world as we know it.
Prompt #7: a criteria that did not make the final list: a book about mental healthFreshwater
Finished 15 April
Prompt 18-20Past present future
Before the Coffee Gets Cold
19 April
Not a very enjoyable read sadly especially when the premise was so interesting.
For this trio of prompts I also readLater and The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O.
All 3 are linked by either time travel or perspectives of the MC in different parts of their lives.
Prompt #40The Midnight Bargain
Finished 20 April
I’m not sure if my tastes are changing, the book was just too young for me or the book wasn’t that good. Flowers on the cover mean I can tick off another prompt though, so there’s that.🤪
Prompt #30Long book
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars
Finished 21 April
878 pages. This was great! I’m a bit wary of space opera and also quite selective, but this was absolutely brilliant. I had to take it slowly for a while, easing myself in, but I found this really gripping.
Prompt #32The Miseducation of Cameron Post
Finished 22 April
Surprisingly difficult to find book covers with more than two people on! This cover had three.
Also a very good read.
Prompt #39White Ivy
Finished 23 April
This was not a successful or enjoyable reading experience for me . I wish I’d stuck with one of my other options
Americanah or My Ántonia
The Beekeeper of Aleppo or Pachinko
Emma wrote: "Prompt #39White Ivy
Finished 23 April
This was not a successful or enjoyable reading experience for me . I wish I’d stuck with one of my other options
Americanah or..."
I am finishing up White Ivy now, and not enjoying it either. Pachinko and Americanah are so good.
I’m definitely going to read both of those. Nice to know I’m not alone re:Whit Ivy- there were so many positive reviews!
Prompt #42Death in a Strange Country
Finished 25 April
This is only the second in a series I’ve recently started and it was excellent and more to my taste than the first one. I’m looking forward to the many books ahead of me in this series!
Prompt #13The Remarkable Mr. Finn
Finished 28 April
I finished the series starting with Fables, Vol. 1: Legends in Exile last year and really enjoyed the whole thing. There aren’t many comic series I read from beginning to end, so this tells you how much I enjoyed it.
I actually thought this was a new graphic novel, but it turned out to be an excellent UF novel.
Prompt #16A book with a building in the title
Options:
Murder in the Lincoln White House or Dry Store Room No. 1: The Secret Life of the Natural History Museum or The Paragon Hotel
But actually going with
Behind the Scenes at the Museum
Prompt #28Book connected to ice
White Silence
Finished 30 April
This was a reread, getting ready for the new release later this year. This was fabulous. I’ve reread it a couple of times and its sequel. I can hardly contain myself at the thought of getting my hands on the new story. A bit of conspiracy, a psychic vibe, a bit of paranormal, a bit of time travel, oodles of intrigue and paranoia. Recommended!
Prompt #366 word + title
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
Finished May 1st
This was really cute and very well done. Nothing beats that first love crush feeling!
Prompt #16Title with a building
Behind the Scenes at the Museum
Finished 4 May
Really enjoyed this! This is the first Book by this author I’ve enjoyed and managed to finish!
Prompt #21‘U’ in both title and author name
Firekeeper's Daughter
This was a surprisingly hard prompt for me- I try not to duplicate books across challenges, but when I realised I’d finally found one for this prompt, I had to use it again!
Prompt #17Muslim author or character
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
Finished 10 May
An awful period to be in Iran, especially as a child.
Prompt #33A collection of short stories
Friday Black
Finished 11 May
I did not enjoy most of the stories and there was a particularly offensive one about abortion.
Prompt #11A Master of Djinn
Finished 18 May
Terrific steampunk fantasy based in a very atmospheric Cairo. Recommended!
Prompt 45The Echo Chamber
Finished July 10
This started off as very funny satire but I thought the whole thing was a bit belaboured. I prefer John Boyle’s more serious books.
Around the Year in 52 Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Firekeeper’s Daughter (other topics)Breasts and Eggs (other topics)
Disenchanted (other topics)
The Echo Chamber (other topics)
Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 (other topics)
More...
✅1. A book related to “In the Beginning...” 18 March
Death at La Fenice
✅2. A book by an author whose name doesn't contain the letters A, T or Y Promise Season 10 April
✅3. A book related to the lyrics for the song "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music
Bryant & May and The Bleeding Heart
✅4. A book with a monochromatic cover
Anya's Ghost 30 March
✅5. A book by an author on USA Today's list of 100 Black Novelists You Should ReadThe Girl with the Louding Voice
✅6. A love story
Stardust
✅7. A book that fits a prompt suggestion that didn't make the final list
Freshwater
✅8. A book set in a state, province, or country you have never visited
The Inugami Curse
✅9. A book you associate with a specific season or time of year
The Summer Country March 25
✅10. A book with a female villain or criminal
Snow, Glass, Apples 10 April
✅11. A book to celebrate The Grand Egyptian Museum
A Master of Djinn
✅12. A book eligible for the Warwick Prize for Women in Translation. 7 Arpril
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead
✅13. A book written by an author of one of your best reads of 2020
The Remarkable Mr. Finn
✅14. A book set in a made-up place
Black Sun
✅15. A book that features siblings as the main characters
The Invisible Life of Euridice Gusmao26 March
✅16. A book with a building in the title
Behind the Scenes at the Museum
✅17. A book with a Muslim character or author
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
✅18. 3 books related to "Past, Present, Future" - Book 1
Later
✅19. 3 books related to "Past, Present, Future" - Book 2
Before the Coffee Gets Cold
✅20. 3 books related to "Past, Present, Future" - Book 3
The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. 20 March
✅21. A book whose title and author both contain the letter "u"
Firekeeper's Daughter May 6th
✅22. A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads
Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 June 13
✅23. A cross genre novel
A Memory Called Empire
✅24. A book about racism or race relations
The Gods of Gotham 2 April
✅25. A book set on an island
Tomb for an Eagle
✅26. A short book (<210 pages) by a new-to-you author
The Empress of Salt and Fortune
✅27. A book with a character who can be found in a deck of cards.
The Queen's Gambit
✅28. A book connected to ice
White Silence
✅29. A book that you consider comfort reading
Smoke Bitten
✅30. A long book
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars
✅31. A book by an author whose career spanned more than 21 years
The Second Sleep 15 March
✅32. A book whose cover shows more than 2 people
The Miseducation of Cameron Post
✅33. A collection of short stories, essays, or poetry
Friday Black
✅34. A book with a travel theme
Star of the Sea 26 March
✅35. A book set in a country on or below the Tropic of Cancer
Miss Phryne Fisher Investigates
✅36. A book with six or more words in the title
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
✅37. A book from the Are You Well Read in World Literature list
Malice
✅38. A book related to a word given by a random word generator
Heart's Blood 10 April
✅39. A book involving an immigrant
White Ivy
✅40. A book with flowers or greenery on the cover
The Midnight Bargain
✅41. A book by a new-to-you BIPOC author
Raybearer
✅42. A mystery or thriller
Death in a Strange Country
✅43. A book with elements of magic
Radical 6 April
✅44. A book whose title contains a negative
Disenchanted July 28
✅45. A book related to a codeword from the NATO Phonetic Alphabet
The Echo Chamber July 10th
✅46. A winner or nominee from the 2020 Goodreads Choice Awards
Clap When You Land. 22 May
✅47. A non-fiction book other than biography, autobiography or memoir
Burma Chronicles 18 June
✅48. A book that might cause someone to react “You read what?!?”
Breasts and Eggs July 27
✅49. A book with an ensemble cast
Girl, Woman, Other 30 March
✅50. A book published in 2021
Klara and the Sun
✅51. A book whose title refers to person(s) without giving their name
Curse Painter
✅52. A book related to "the end"
Wake Me After the Apocalypse