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Misty's 2022 reading challenge
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Misty
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Jul 28, 2022 10:58AM
Holy crap! Duma Key by Stephen King was freaking incredible! I couldn't put it down. I couldn't sleep last night because my mind kept dwelling on the book. I told my family the book was a "slow burn," and it was for the first 2/3 to 3/4 of the book, but it was also a total mind fuck - and the best part was I wasn't even fully aware of it until the book took off! OMFG - it was absolutely amazing. King is a completely genius. This book is tied with It as my second favorite King book right behind The Stand. I'm in awe of how freaking mind-blowingly good he is. Whoa. I used this book for prompt 29 - A book set on or near a body of water.
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For prompt #18 - A book by an Asian or Pacific Islander author - I read Out by Natsuo Karino. Most of the book I loved. It was twisted and crazy. The part that ruined it for me was the whole "horrible man is actually just broken and needs forgiveness" trope that was disgusting. Ugh.
I have had Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips on my TBR list for quite sometime. I was actually supposed to read it for a book club book a few years ago (my suggestion even!), but something happened, and I wasn't able to participate. It worked perfectly for prompt #30 - A book related to mythology as the main characters are Greek gods living in modern day UK. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's ridiculous, but I was laughing out loud. I'm glad I finally got around to reading it.
For prompt #6 - A book with an image of a source of light on the cover - I read Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. It is a post-apocalyptic novel set mostly in Canada. It is a different take on the post-apocalyptic world, and I really enjoyed it. I'm going to watch the TV series now.
I just finished The Ruin by Dervla McTiernan. I didn't use this for an ATY-22 prompt, but I will use it for a summer challenge, and of course, I am trying to read 25 books by women set in 25 different countries, and this was #12 for th year. I really enjoyed this Irish noir novel. I hadn't planned on finishing it so quickly, but I have it on Audible, and I had a lot of yard work to do yesterday - then at night, I just couldn't stop. I wanted to see how it ended! 5 stars.
#20BooksByBlackWomen #7I finished So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo today. It is a fabulous book. Her words are powerful, and I love that she has a lot of suggestions. This book is one I will revisit for sure.
Misty wrote: "Last year, I lost my mom, my fil, my uncle, my nephew-in-law, and a dear friend as well as my dad having a heart attack and being hospitalized twice and my husband losing his job. It was a stressfu..."Any one of those would be extremely difficult. So sorry for your loss! I am glad reading brought you some solace.
We have several books/series in common! My first one is also from the Amelia Peabody series, in fact I have two on my list: Seeing a Large Cat and He Shall Thunder in the Sky (for the weather prompt).
I also have a Jeeves and Wooster book: Joy in the Morning.
I also read a Medici book this year: The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance.
To Say Nothing of the Dog and Three Men in a Boat are among my favorites!
I also read Station Eleven and A Game of Thrones. We seem to have interests in common.
Marta wrote: "We have several books/series in common! My first one is also from the Amelia Peabody series, in fact I have two on my list: Seeing a Large Cat and [book:He Shall Thunder in the Sky|66..."
That's pretty cool. I love finding books in common! :) I have only read two of Connie Willis' books, but I have thoroughly enjoyed both of them. I wasn't overly impressed with A Game of Thrones, but I really liked Station Eleven.
And thanks. Yea - it was a tough year. Thank goodness for reading and the distraction it brought!
I hadn't yet picked a book for prompt #16 - A book related to Earth Day when I found out that our church is reading Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest by Suzanne Simard for its August book club selection. I thought it would fit nicely into this prompt, and it did. It is a fascinating book. It does get a little dry with all the science of fungi and trees, but it is well written, if a little nerdy. I'm nerdy though, so I enjoyed it!
For prompt #37 - A book that uses all five vowels (and sometimes y) in the title and/or author's name - I read The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. I'm not sure what I was expecting with this book, but it wasn't what I read! LOL. The book ended up being very intriguing and I finished it very quickly - even with the flowery language. :)
I read a kids' book called Ties That Bind, Ties That Break by Lensey Namioka. I had gotten this book for my kiddo, and I decided to read it. It was pretty good. Now, if I can just get her to read it. :)
I found The Bone Farm by Dean Koontz in the "included" catalogue on Audible. I have never read a Koontz book but always wanted to, so I decided to give this one a try. It is a prequel story to a character in another of his books. I used it for prompt #43 - A book set in a small town or rural area. This whole book takes place on farm land in the middle of nowhere. I really enjoyed this story. It was fast-paced and very intriguing. I would like to read more stories about this character now.
The Copenhagen Connection by Elizabeth Peters was another fun and fast-paced read. I didn't read it for ATY. I just read it for fun.
I had never read a Nancy Drew book, and I got a free one on Audible for my kiddo - Framed by Carolyn Keene, so I thought I would read it. Meh. I mean, it was fine, but it was just fine. I could have lived without reading it.
I read Grace by Natashia Deon as #8 for my #20BooksByBlackWomen Challenge. It was a very good book - captivating. It has a taste of the supernatural along with characters who draw you in. I would definitely recommend it. My only complaint is that the transitions from one character and time period to another were sometimes hard to follow.
Several years back, I read The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe. I have been wanting to read the sequel, The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs, since it came out three years ago, but it was one of those I just didn't get around to reading! I read it for prompt #11 - A book from historical fiction genre. Technically, only part of the book is "historical," and the other part is current, but I'll count it. The book was really fabulous. I love the story. I remember really enjoying the first book, and the second one may have even been better.
For prompt #41 - A book with a theme of food or drink - I read Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death by M. C. Beaton. It was adorable, fun, and quirky, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I have had The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood on my TBR for literally years, so this year I read it for prompt #19 - A book that involves alternate reality, alternate worlds, or alternate history. It was a very good book. Two of my daughters have read it, so it's always fun to read something that we share and can talk about. The last chapter of the book adding so much to the story. I would definitely recommend it.
I finished Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo today. It is the third book of the Shadow and Bone trilogy. I was hooked. I really loved this series. I am excited to watch the Netflix series, but I have one more book to finish first!
For prompt #40 - A book related to one of the 22 Tarot Major Arcana cards - I read Sisters & Husbands by Connie Briscoe. It is a sequel to Sisters & Lovers that I read years ago. I remember enjoying that book, but this one I loved. It's also not one that you would need to read the first one to be able to enjoy the second one. I loved the relationship between the sisters, and the relationships between them and their significant others was great as well. I would definitely recommend this book. #20BooksbyBlackWomen #9
I used Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick: Stories from the Harlem Renaissance by Zora Neale Hurston for prompt #20 - A fiction or nonfiction book that is set during 1900 -1951. This book is a collection of her short stories many of which were thought lost. There is a comprehensive introduction to both Hurston and each individual story that is thorough and very interesting. It is a great collection. #20BooksByBlackWomen #10
I read Debt of Bones: A Sword of Truth Prequel Novella by Terry Goodkind. I've never read any of his books. This was a novella that is in the "included" catalog of Audible, so I gave it a listen. I enjoyed it. I might read some more of his work.
I love Scandinavian noir, and I am thrilled to discover the writing duo of Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo. Roseanna is the first of ten books they wrote about detective Martin Beck. This book was published in 1965, but it holds up incredibly well. It feels contemporary with the exception of the lack of modern tech. This book is very smartly written, and I look forward to reading more of their books.
For prompt #36 - 2 books related to flora and fauna - Book 2, I read Glory by NoViolet Bulawayo. All of the characters are animals. The book is, at time, funny, absurd, and heartbreaking. My only complaint is that it is occasionally a bit hard to follow. It is really a fantastic book, and I would highly recommend it. I would add this caution though - in parts, it is very violent and might be triggering for some.#20BooksByBlackWomen #11
I read Up From Slavery: The Autobiography of Booker T. Washington by Booker T. Washington but not for the challenge. It was a fabulous book. It was inspiring, interesting, historically important, and heartbreaking. It was heartbreaking because he was so full of optimism, idealism, faith in humanity, and hope. I don't think the country came close to living up to his faith in it.
Okay - I admit that I absolutely hated prompt #47. - A book with handwriting on the cover. Almost every book with "handwriting" on the cover actually has some funky font. Very few books actually have real handwriting on them. This prompt made me realize that if I ever come across one that I despise so much - that is my prompt for cheating! It's just not worth the annoyance. I saw that someone posted an Agatha Christie book on the prompt thread, and I looked up her signature and saw that it was an actual copy of her signature. I figured I would find an Agatha Christie book to read. I got an "included" one off Audible which actually had handwriting on the front! It's crazy how that worked out. It has a picture of paper with handwriting on it. Also, the book was fabulous! I only have on Christie book in my Goodreads list, but I think I have read a couple more of her books. I just can't remember which ones. I had never read this one though. The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie was quite an enjoyable ride. I thought it was interesting and fun. I am very glad I found this book. I still despise the prompt, but it all turned out well! LOL.
My daughter recently read The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson, and she had been trying to get me to read it. I found it in one of the best of the month threads, so I decided to use it for prompt #48 - A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads in 2021 or 2022. I am very glad I read this book because it was fabulous.
I just finished The Colorado Kid by Stephen King. I am a King fanatic, so any time spent with a King book is good, but this book wasn't my favorite. It was okay, but it wasn't what I'm used to from King.
For prompt #35 - 2 books related to flora and fauna - Book 1, I read The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak. It is set on in Cyprus and the UK. I did not know much about Cyprus and did not know about the armed conflict that had taken place there between the Turks and the Greeks. The book was horribly sad and beautiful all at the same time. Hearing from the tree's point of view was a little odd, but it worked. I am very glad I read this book.
I read The White Book by Han Kang. The book is a bunch of tiny stories. It is very effective. I enjoyed the book.
For prompt #52 - A book with a time-related word in the title - I read In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez. I read another Alvarez earlier in the year, and while I liked it, I didn't think it was fantastic. However, I had heard so much about this book that I wanted to give it a try. I'm so glad that I did. This book was absolutely fabulous. I knew how it was going to end, and I still found myself hoping for a different ending. I didn't know a movie had been made from the book. I want to watch it now. I would definitely recommend this book.
I listened to Singing in the Comeback Choir by Bebe Moore Campbell today. My son had football games on the other side of the state, so I drove to watch him play. Unfortunately, he got really sick, and I just ended up driving him back home, but while he slept, I listened to my book. This book was wonderful. I really loved it. The love between the protagonist and her grandmother is just lovely. The story is so real and raw and beautiful. I just loved the book.#20BooksByBlackWomen #12
I read Go, Went, Gone by Jenny Erpenbeck. The version I read was translated from German. The book is set in Germany and centers around a retired professor and his becoming friends with several refugees. He learns about how the refugees are being treated and how his government is not treating them well. The professor has to learn and grow a lot as well as open his mind to rethink the things he has believed. I really enjoyed the book.
For prompt #24 - A book related to inclement weather - I read Dune: The Lady of Caladan by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. It didn't end up having as much inclement weather as I thought it would, but it did still play an important, if small, part. This book was very interesting, and I really enjoyed it. It has been quite a few years since I visited the Dune universe, and I have never read any books by Frank Herbert's son. The book ended on a cliffhanger, so now I'm going to have to read the sequel! :)
I finished Abigail by Magda Szabo. This book was written in 1970, and it was only translated into English in 2020. The book is set in Hungary during WWII. At first it seems like a mean girls story at a boarding academy, but it quickly becomes much more than that. This book is very well written and I was on the edge of my seat. It is a shame that it has taken so long to publish her work in English, but I am definitely going to read more of her work.
I read The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen. A lot of it was fascinating. Set during the end of the Vietnam war, it is a very critical look at the American involvement in Vietnam and the racism in America. It was a harsh but probably not unfair assessment. The book was very violent. It was hard to have any feelings for the protagonist at all. He was just such a lousy person that I wasn't really even upset when he was tortured at the end. I'm glad I read the book, but I can't give it a great review.
I just finished The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare. It was a pretty good book. However, I listened to it on Audible. That was a mistake. The narrator was so terrible that she nearly ruined the book. Her men were just a lower voice with huge amounts of fry and half the time she whined the book. I have a 13 year old. I have enough whining in my life! I wish I had read a physical book rather than an audio book. #20BooksbyBlackWomen #13
Misty wrote: "I finished Abigail by Magda Szabo. This book was written in 1970, and it was only translated into English in 2020. The book is set in Hungary during WWII. At first it seems like a m..."Hi Misty! I'm so pleased to see that you read and enjoyed a book by Magda Szabo. I read Katalin Street by her last year and I found it so beautiful and unique (part of the book is from the perspective of a ghost). I'll put Abigail on my list!
Hannah wrote: "Misty wrote: "I finished Abigail by Magda Szabo. This book was written in 1970, and it was only translated into English in 2020. The book is set in Hungary during WWII. At first it ..."I was really happy to find the book, and I definitely want to read more of her stuff. I'm glad her work has finally been translated into English.
For prompt #13 - A book about a woman in STEM - I read The Shift: One Nurse, Twelve Hours, Four Patients' Lives by Theresa Brown. It was a fascinating book, and I was completely invested in the patient's day and their outcomes. I would recommend this one.
I just finished Four Women Camping Across the United States in 1930. I found it at a used book store. It was a true account of four friends who went on a long road trip in the summer of 1930. It is very short, and I was really wishing for more content. I can find no information on the author, but considering she was a young woman in 1930, I am guessing she has probably passed on. It is a fascinating story. I have requested that it be added to the GR database. Sadly, I used to be able to do that myself, but GR has changed the rules. Bummer.
I just finished Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko. It was pretty good. I plan on reading the sequel. I loved her take on magic and friendship/family. I was pretty hooked by the end.#20BooksByBlackWomen
I finished another short novella from Dean Koontz - Odd Thomas: You Are Destined To Be Together Forever. I enjoyed this one as well. I'm going to need to read a full novel from him soon.
Misty wrote: "For prompt #13 - A book about a woman in STEM - I read The Shift: One Nurse, Twelve Hours, Four Patients' Lives by Theresa Brown. It was a fascinating book, and I was completely inv..."This looks interesting!
Ana AZ wrote: "This looks interesting!"She earned a PhD in English before going into nursing, so her writing isn't overly clinical. I think it's really well written.
Today I finished Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta. This book is beautifully written and also heartbreaking. It is about so many things - the hurt inflicted upon the LGBTQ+ community from the Evangelical community, the danger posed from these hateful beliefs, the heartbreak of being unable to openly love the people your heart loves, surviving while being surrounded by misogyny, and more. I would highly, highly recommend this book - particularly to anyone who is struggling with their own beliefs about god and sexuality. #20BooksByBlackWomen #15
For prompt #39 - A book from the TIME list of 100 Best YA Books of All Time - I read Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor. What a powerful book. I'm not sure I even have words for it right now. These are the young adult books that need to be read. I want to read more of her work. I had started this book with my kids during lockdown, then I lost it! Now, I really want to finish it with them.#20BooksByBlackWomen #16
I just finished Niya: Rainbow Dreams by Fabiola Joseph, and it was okay. It was interesting in places and frustrating in others. The ending was awful. I listened to it on Audible, and it was a 12 1/2 hour book, but on Goodreads it says it's a 146 page book - there is no way. It's just strange all the way around. I mean, I didn't hate the book. I gave it three stars, but I won't read the sequel. #20BooksByBlackWomen #17
After a multi-week reading slump, I finished Hurricane Child by Kacen Callender and it was a big.........meh. Pfffft.
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