2022 Reading In Order

[Jackie, Solstitial Mod]

Like I said before, I managed to get a little bit ahead on my vacation, so now for august my goals are

34. Teach/academic setting : The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary which I've almost finished on audio

35. and 36. Flora and fauna : I've got several audiobooks on hold for relevant nonfiction so we'll see what comes in first

With my physical reading I'm going to try to catch up on some of my other reading challenges a bit.

[Meg]

I've gotten behind. My mythology book The Women of Troy is taking too long from the library. I should have it next week.
But I've finished week 31 (>10y) with Tell No One

[Kathryn]

I got COVID in July and after the first day, I felt better but couldn’t actually go anywhere so I got a lot of reading done. In addition to that, I was on summer break so I already had extra time and am ahead.

In July and the first few days of August, I read:
28. A book that won an award from Powell's list of book awards: The Great Believers
29. A book set on or near a body of water: A Madness of Sunshine
30. A book related to mythology: The Song of Achilles
31. A book published at least 10 years ago: The Hobbit and Peril at End House
32. A book where the main character is a female detective/private eye/police officer: Out of the Shadows
33. The next book in a series: The Fellowship of the Ring
34. A book with an academic setting or with a teacher that plays an important role: Admissions: A Memoir of Surviving Boarding School
35. 2 books related to flora and fauna - Book 1: Once There Were Wolves
36. 2 books related to flora and fauna - Book 2: Lab Girl
37. A book that uses all five vowels in the title and/or author's name: Under One Roof
38. A book by a Latin American author: Lost in the Never Woods

Next up are:
39. A book from the TIME list of 100 Best YA Books of All Time: Firekeeper's Daughter
40. A book related to one of the 22 Tarot Major Arcana cards: The Two Towers
41. A book with a theme of food or drink: Recipe for Persuasion
42. A book with a language or nationality in the title: I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter
43. A book set in a small town or rural area: Gods in Alabama
44. A book with gothic elements: The Haunting of Maddy Clare

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Oh Kathryn, that's a great list!

[Kathryn]

Emily wrote: "Oh Kathryn, that's a great list!"

So far there have been a lot of good ones this summer. I am glad to finally be giving The Lord of the Rings series a fair chance. I’m really enjoying Firekeeper's Daughter. It’s one of many that I probably would have missed if I wasn’t doing this challenge, so I’m grateful for that.

[RachelG.]

I am curious if anyone wants plans to read in order next year? I read in order last year and decided not to for this but missed it. I do plan to go in order next year.

[Nancy]

I think I will do it again! I enjoyed it this year, even with the constraints of not being able to move books around.

[Meg]

I'm really enjoying it, and doing some other challenges in order too. At the moment i want to do it again next year, but i also try to have a different general theme or goal to my challenges each year so i may go a different way.

[Chrissy]

I’m finished through week 35, which is on target, EXCEPT my 2nd book with the same word hasn’t been released yet (Babel, or The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution, I think comes out next week). I also let myself count 2 books ahead of schedule: Perestroika in Paris for week 46 and The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot for week 50. If I have time and a good second choice when I get there, I may read something else to satisfy my itch to keep things tidy!

I am likely to read in order again next year if I do the challenge, but I’m feeling like my reading life needs a shake up too. But I do like not having to pick what comes next to avoid decision paralysis!

[Roxana]

I'm planning to do the list in order next year! This is the first year I've been doing it in order, and I appreciate the extra challenge it's offered me (along with not letting myself use rereads, just for some additional restriction); previously, I've finished the list too early in the year, and this year I'm still at it. I'm on week 36 (the second part of flora/fauna) right now, so just a little ahead of schedule.

[Sue]

I have been reading in order for several years now, and find it very helpful! I have a large physical TBR, so reading in order helps me get into books that I do want to read, but otherwise might keep putting off. I also do several other challenges, which I do not do in order, but fit them in around the AtY books. Since I retired I have been reading about 140 books per year, so I get lots of variety!

[Kathryn]

Sue, I agree with you! Reading in order has gotten me to read a bunch of books I would have otherwise put off (rather than just reading what I felt like at the time). It has added an extra challenge but has also caused me to read more out of my comfort zone and discover new authors. Plus I’ve been more likely to finish the books I start. In the past, I used to give up on books frequently if they didn’t pull me in within 50 pages, but this year that has not happened.

I will say that I have had to stay on top of things with my library holds. I have had a few occasions when I didn’t put a book on hold far enough in advance and have had to read something different from what I originally planned.

I will probably be reading in order next year.

[Sherri]

I didn't plan to read in order this year. My firm plan was to read prompt #1 first because that seemed like good luck. After that I fell into reading in order. I almost threw in the towel in April because I was reading Under the Whispering Door for Pop Sugar & the book was perfect for ATY # 23 which was a June prompt. I almost didn't make it but talked myself out of quitting. Before I saw this discussion I was committed to not reading in order for 2023. I have also struggled with the library hold system. I haven't figured out the timing of when to place the hold. Also reading in order for this challenge has delayed my finishing the Pop Sugar challenge. We will see how I feel in 2023. I still think I will start the 2023 challenge with prompt #1.

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

I love reading in order, and I probably would do it again next year, but with the baby coming in November, I'm going to try to keep as few reading restrictions on myself as possible lol

[Kathryn]

Emily wrote: "I love reading in order, and I probably would do it again next year, but with the baby coming in November, I'm going to try to keep as few reading restrictions on myself as possible lol"

I was unsuccessful in completing this challenge both the year my son was born (2019) and the year after that, even without any restrictions. It wasn’t until he got into a regular sleep schedule that I was able to get in more reading time. I finished it last year and decided to go for the extra challenge this year.

[Nancy]

Yes, library holds has been an issue for me on occasion too. Luckily I tend to slot in 2-3 books per prompt and have been able to get what I need. I'm always looking a few prompts ahead for planning purposes.

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Kathryn wrote: "Emily wrote: "I love reading in order, and I probably would do it again next year, but with the baby coming in November, I'm going to try to keep as few reading restrictions on myself as possible l..."

I'm on track to finish the challenge this year by my due date, so I'm glad for that, but I'm going to go easy on myself next year. I have been voting for easier prompts to fill lol

[Meg]

I agree that library reading makes it more difficult - you have to be very organised, and lucky, and flexible.
I actually read more than ever when I had my baby. She never slept so I always had an audio book on. And I did the marathon feeds with an ebook in hand - hours of reading!

[Jackie, Solstitial Mod]

I'll probably read in order again next year. I generally find that it keeps me from putting off my least favorite prompts until the end.

[Sherri]

I finished the September prompts & have read to prompt # 48. I'm sounding like a broken record but I'm waiting on a library book to come in so I can finish #48.
September
#39 A book from the TIME list of 100 Best YA Books of All Time
Salt to the Sea
October
40 A book related to one of the 22 Tarot Major Arcana cards - Pope Joan
41. A book with a theme of food or drink - Murder Lo Mein
42. A book with a language or nationality in the title - An American Princess: The Many Lives of Allene Tew
43. A book set in a small town or rural area - Puss 'N Cahoots
44. A book with gothic elements - The Hacienda
November
45. A book related to a game - The Memory of Us
46. A book with a non-human as one of the main characters -
Exit Strategy
47. A book with handwriting on the cover - West with Giraffes
My goal is to finish this challenge in September.

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Nice, Sherri! Salt to the Sea is one of my favorites... a good choice from that list!

I finished August slightly ahead... if I want to finish ATY by mid-November, I need to read 5 ATY books a month. It's a stretch for me, as most of my ATY reading has been print, but I'm working on it.

My September Goals:
38. A book by a Latin American author - The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
39. A book from the TIME list of 100 Best YA Books of All Time - The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
40. A book related to one of the 22 Tarot Major Arcana cards - The Fortunes of Jaded Women by Carolyn Huynh
41. A book with a theme of food or drink - Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
42. A book with a language or nationality in the title - The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez

[Nancy]

I'm slightly ahead as well, I'm reading week 36 now. Of course since week 36 starts tomorrow that puts me back on track!

I spent some time today figuring out what I'll read in September, for some of the prompts I slotted in 2-3 books so I need to narrow those down. I also have the week 38 book from the library already, I put it on hold and it came before I was ready for it! So I may just do 36, then 37, then 38, and not worry about being ahead of the game.

[Kathryn]

With school starting back up and my son just being a toddler, I didn’t get as much read as I hoped in the past month.

I’m currently reading:
42. A book with a language or nationality in the title - Im not your perfect Mexican daughter

Next up:
43. A book set in a small town or rural area - Other Birds (it was not my original choice but my library just got it and I’m too excited not to read it)
44. A book with gothic elements - The Haunting of Maddy Clare
45. A book related to a game - We Ride Upon Sticks
46. A book with a non-human as one of the main characters - I’m thinking All Systems Red but might change my mind depending on my mood.

[Sherri]

That's it. I'm done.
48. A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads in 2021 or 2022 - A Psalm for the Wild-Built
49. A book connected to the phrase "Here (There) Be Dragons"- The Cartographers
50. A book that involves aging, or a character in their golden years - The Man Who Died Twice
51. A book that was published in 2022 - The Maid
52. A book with a time-related word in the title - Hour Game

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Congrats Sherri!

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Looking ahead to October, even though I haven't finished my September books yet lol.

43 - Set in a small town: Us Against You by Fredrik Backman (rereading the series before starting The Winners!)
44 - Gothic fiction: The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik (another really anticipated new release for me!)
45 - About a game: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
46 - Non-human main character: I'm a bit stuck on this one... considering All Systems Red, The Last House on Needless Street, The Island of Missing Trees, The Witch's Heart. Clearly I have options but not sure what I'll be in the mood for, so I may just grab them all from the library and wing it.
47 - Handwriting on cover: I'm Not Dying with You Tonight by Kimberly Jones

[Nancy]

Congrats Sherri!

Emily I loved "Tomorrow, and..."

I pulled ahead during the read-a-thon so am on target, however The Winners is throwing a wrench in my plan! I am listening to it, and once I finish my current Kindle book will start switching between both formats. Once that's done I'll start my week 40 book.

Here's my plan for the next 4 weeks:

40 - Tarot - Shakespeare for Squirrels by Christopher Moore (Fool)
41 - Food or drink - Food: A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan*
42 - Language or nationality in the title - torn between Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay or The American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin. The book I pick may depend on library availability more than anything.
43 - Set in a small town or rural area - The Golden Tresses of the Dead by Alan Bradley

I'm also going to have to find a new book for related to a game since I couldn't wait to read The Winners.

* I may replace this with the second Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery since I am loving Arsenic and Adobo.

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

The Winners would work for small town, right? I changed my mind after posting and I'm using Us Against You for small town and The Winners for handwriting on cover (more of a stretch than I wanted for that prompt, but at 22 hours, I need a place to put that audiobook!)

[Nancy]

I would totally count it for handwriting!

[Sherri]

I put my first book on hold at the library for the 2023 ATY reading challenge. It was The Winners. The wait is 16 weeks. The battle with the holds is beginning early for me.

[Sue]

I am also on track and should be fine until mid-November when my son and his fiance arrive from Canada - we haven't seen him for 3 years! (I am in Australia). Anyway, my plan for October is:
40. A book related to one of the 22 Tarot Major Arcana cards - Death of a River Guide
41. A book with a theme of food or drink - Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body
42. A book with a language or nationality in the title - The Swiss Family Robinson
43. A book set in a small town or rural area - The Honey Flow

[Kathryn]

Congratulations Sherri!

I loved All Systems Red, which I used for my nonhuman character book.

For the next few weeks my plan is
47. A book with handwriting on the cover: The Switch
48. A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads in 2021 or 2022 - Anxious People
49. A book connected to the phrase "Here (There) Be Dragons"- Seraphina orTooth and Claw (depending on library holds)

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Ohhh Kathryn, you have a good month ahead. I lovedddd The Switch and Anxious People!

[Nancy]

Me too on both of those!

You guys. The Winners. I have so many thoughts but it is soooo good. I'm almost done and I don't want it to end. Definite trigger warnings though.

[Dubhease]

I'm currently reading:

40. A book related to one of the 22 Tarot Major Arcana cards - My Best Friend's Exorcism
41. A book with a theme of food or drink - James and the Giant Peach

Next up:
43. A book set in a small town or rural area The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories
44. A book with gothic elements - The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Tales

And that will be my spooky October reads. I love that the prompts that were put into October lent themselves so well to this. (Minus James and his peach.)

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Nancy, I'm going to start a Beartown thread because I just finished Us Against You and I feel the need to talk about it.

[Nancy]

Ooh I'll go check it out!

My plan went awry when I realized I had been reading Shakespeare for Squirrels for a week and was only at 25%. I finally decided to just chuck it and read something else for the Tarot prompt.

I was pleasantly surprised (and also had a duh moment) when I realized that The Winners fits a couple of different cards. So that went from a non-challenge read, which put me behind, to a challenge read, and now I'm back on track!

[Nancy]

Holy smokes it's November. 8 more weeks and books to go! Here's my plan for weeks 45 through 48.

45. A book related to a game Rock Paper Scissors
46. A book with a non-human as one of the main characters Fugitive Telemetry
47. A book with handwriting on the cover - either Meet Me in Another Life or The Nanny, depending my mood when I get to this.
48. ATY Best Book of the Month 2021 or 2022 Klara and the Sun - ack, this has super long hold times. Better request it now.

[Chrissy]

44. I'm about a third of the way into Darkly: Blackness and America’s Gothic Soul for a gothic book, and it is really interesting!
45. I finished Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow early for a book with a game - loved it.
46. I actually went out of order on this one when I happened to read Perestroika in Paris randomly earlier in the year and it fits so perfectly here I had to slot it in. Really cute!
47. My plan for handwriting on the cover is I Was Born for This, and my library hold just came in so that will be up next.
48. I'm thinking about The Seed Keeper, and it is available on Hoopla, to finish out November.

[Sheena]

Nancy wrote: "Holy smokes it's November. 8 more weeks and books to go! Here's my plan for weeks 45 through 48.

45. A book related to a game Rock Paper Scissors
46. A book with a non-human as one..."

I loved Rock Paper Scissors - the twists totally got me! (love it when that happens!!)

[Sheena]

I've mostly read in order, but juggled a bit ahead when library holds arrived. I've completed 47 (Verity) & 48 (People We Meet on Vacation) so just two left for November.

45. A book related to a game - Either Pachinko or Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

46. A book with a non-human as one of the main characters - Fantasy is one of my favourite genres, I have so many options I'm just going to randomly pick what I'm feeling when I get there.

[Jackie, Solstitial Mod]

I've got four books left to finish the challenge in order, and one of them is an audiobook I'm almost finished with. I'll still have to decide on what to read for my aging character prompt. I can always go with a Miss Marple reread if nothing else.

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

I'm so close to the end! I'm 31% through The Maid on audio for the published in 2022 prompt, and I'm 100 pages into Tell Me an Ending for the time-related title prompt! My goal was to finish by my due date, which is tomorrow (!!) so I'll be reading a good bit today.

[Tracy]

A new version of “nesting”! We’ll be thinking of you Emily 👶🏻🥰

[Sheena]

Good luck Emily!

[Sherri]

Good Luck Emily

[Sheena]

Thanks to an early library hold and a must read immediately SJM, I've just got two December books left to complete the challenge.

I'm currently reading The Ruin of Kings for the (#49) Here There Be Dragons prompt. It's book one of a high fantasy series so I'm planning on finishing it, reading A Man Called Ove for (#50) Aging/Gold Years and then going back to finish out the year with the rest of the books in The Chorus of Dragons series.

✓ 51. A book published in 2022 - House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas
✓ 52. A book with a time-related word in the title - Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner

I loved reading in order but also thrilled to be wrapping up a bit early. Knowing how busy December can get, it's great to be almost done so I don't feel like reading is on my list of gotta-get-done and can be completely for fun. I will definitely plan for reading in loose order and finishing just a smidge early next year!

Is anyone else planning to read in order again next year?

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

Kudos to everyone who took this on and stuck with it!

[Nancy]

I am planning to read in order, though I don't know that I'll stick to one book per week. I like to read horror/scary books in October and holiday books in December and I'm finding I have to balance those with the challenge. I'd rather finish the challenge early and then be free to read what I want at the end of the year.

[Lindsay]

2022 was my first year doing this challenge so I didn’t try doing it in order. But I am going to try sticking to Month order in 2023 (although some prompts may get filled early if they overlap with other challenges).

I think this will give me a good variety of reading over the year and stop me leaving all the hardest challenges till last!!! I’m also going to do a rejects challenge, so I’m thinking I can probably manage a few of them each month as well as my ‘main’ monthly list!!!!

If a new thread gets posted for 2023 then I’ll try to keep you updated on that :-)