Kristina Simon's 1st Attempt at AtY

[Kristina Simon]

THE 2022 LIST

✔︎ 1. A book with a main character whose name starts with A, T, or Y
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins Read: 3/3/22 ✭✭✭
✔︎ 2. A book connected to a book you read in 2021
The Real Macaw by Donna Andrews Read: 3/24/22 ✭✭✭
✔︎ 3. A book with 22 or more letters in the title
Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller Read: 2/9/22 ✭✭✭
✔︎ 4. A book that fits your favorite prompt that did not make the list (A winner or nominee from the 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards)
The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren Read: 3/22/22 ✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 5. A book by an author with two sets of double letters in their name
Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott Read: 4/12/22 ✭✭✭

✔︎ 6. A book with an image of a source of light on the cover
by Nevada Barr Read: 1/13/22 ✭✭✭
✔︎ 7. A book related to psychology, neuroscience or the mind
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes Read: 6/30/22 ✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 8. 3 books set on three different continents (Europe) - Book 1
The Labyrinth of the Spirits by Carlos Ruiz Zafón Read: 5/21/22 ✭✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 9. 3 books set on three different continents (Asia) - Book 2
Cockroaches by Jo Nesbø Read: 2/6/22 ✭✭

✔︎ 10. 3 books set on three different continents (Africa) - Book 3
Mrs. Pollifax on Safari by Dorothy Gilman Read: 1/16/22 ✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 11. A book from historical fiction genre
West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge Read: 7/6/22 ✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 12. A book related to glass
The Glass Key by Dashiell Hammett Read: 1/24/22 ✭✭
✔︎ 13. A book about a woman in STEM
Bare Bones by Kathy Reichs Read: 7/21/22 ✭✭✭✭

✔︎ 14. A book with fewer than 5000 ratings on Goodreads
A Novel Way to Die by Ali Brandon Read: 1/1/22 ✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 15. A book without a person on the cover
Read: 4/17/22 ✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 16. A book related to Earth Day
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel Read: 8/2/22 ✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 17. A book from NPR's Book Concierge
Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah Read: 4/22/22 ✭✭✭✭

✔︎ 18. A book by an Asian or Pacific Islander author
Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo Read: 7/11/22 ✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 19. A book that involves alternate reality, alternate worlds, or alternate history
Dusk or Dark or Dawn or Day by Seanan McGuire Read: 1/19/22 ✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 20. A fiction or nonfiction book that is set during 1900 -1951
In Farleigh Field by Rhys Bowen Read: 7/24/22 ✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 21. A book with one of the Monopoly tokens on the cover
(Scottie Dog) Read: 4/14/22 ✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 22. A book with a Jewish character or author
The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride Read: 1/3/22 ✭✭✭✭✭

✔︎ 23. A book that features loving LGBTQIA+ relationship
Flash Fire by T.J. Klune Read: 4/1/22 ✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 24. A book related to inclement weather
Murder on the Iditarod Trail by Sue Henry Read: 2/18/22 ✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 25. A book less than 220 pages OR more than 440 pages
The Dalai Lama's Cat by David Michie Read: 4/3/22 ✭✭✭
✔︎ 26. 2 books with the same word in the title - Book 1
Of Blood and Bone by Nora Roberts Read: 1/22/22 ✭✭✭✭

✔︎ 27. 2 books with the same word in the title - Book 2
Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore Read: 4/5/22 ✭✭✭
✔︎ 28. A book that won an award from Powell's list of book awards
To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis Read: 1/28/22 ✭✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 29. A book set on or near a body of water
Hideaway by Nora Roberts Read: 2/3/22 ✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 30. A book related to mythology
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn Read: 8/13/22 ✭✭✭✭

✔︎ 31. A book published at least 10 years ago
Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck Read: 2/13/22 ✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 32. A book where the main character is a female detective/private eye/police officer
Shadows in Death by J.D. Robb Read: 1/29/22 ✭✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 33. The next book in a series
Murder under Cover by Kate Carlisle Read: 3/16/22 ✭✭✭
✔︎ 34. A book with an academic setting or with a teacher that plays an important role
Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire Read: 1/17/22 ✭✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 35. 2 books related to flora and fauna - Book 1
The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly Read: 8/21/22 ✭✭✭✭

✔︎ 36. 2 books related to flora and fauna - Book 2
Whatever You Do, Don't Run: True Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide by Peter Allison Read: 3/13/22 ✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 37. A book that uses all five vowels in the title and/or author's name
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout Read: 3/18/22 ✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 38. A book by a Latin American author
The Cipher by Isabella Maldonado Read: 8/23/22 ✭✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 39. A book from the TIME list of 100 Best YA Books of All Time
If You Could Be Mine by Sara Farizan Read: 8/14/22 ✭✭✭

✔︎ 40. A book related to one of the 22 Tarot Major Arcana cards
Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett Read: 1/8/22 ✭✭✭
✔︎ 41. A book with a theme of food or drink
And Then There Were Crumbs by Eve Calder Read: 7/22/22 ✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 42. A book with a language or nationality in the title
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker Read: 8/10/22 ✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 43. A book set in a small town or rural area
Waiting on You by Kristan Higgins Read: 3/10/22 ✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 44. A book with gothic elements
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen Read: 2/16/22 ✭✭✭✭

✔︎ 45. A book related to a game
Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney Read: 5/10/22 ✭✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 46. A book with a non-human as one of the main characters
Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells Read: 1/11/22 ✭✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 47. A book with handwriting on the cover
by Rosalie Knecht Read: 2/11/22 ✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 48. A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads in 2021 or 2022
The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green Read: 7/4/22 ✭✭✭✭

✔︎ 49. A book connected to the phrase "Here (There) Be Dragons"
Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell Read: 3/7/22 ✭✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 50. A book that involves aging, or a character in their golden years
Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie Read: 2/10/22 ✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 51. A book published in 2022
The Maid by Nita Prose Read: 6/12/22 ✭✭✭✭
✔︎ 52. A book with a time-related word in the title
Time and Again by Jack Finney Read: 1/8/22 ✭✭

[Kristina Simon]

2022 Covers

[Kristina Simon]

#14. A book with fewer than 5000 ratings on Goodreads

A Novel Way to Die by Ali Brandon Read: 1/1/22 ✭✭✭✭

❄️ 1,230 ratings ❄️

Very cute cozy mystery. I'll continue the series.

[Kristina Simon]

#22. A book with a Jewish character or author

The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride
Read: 1/3/22 ✭✭✭✭✭

❄️ James McBride's mother was raised an Orthodox Jew ❄️

Ruth McBride Jordan was an amazing woman. Born in Poland, the daughter of an Orthodox Jewish rabbi, she emigrated to the U.S. in 1921 and settled in Suffolk, Virginia. At 17, fleeing from her abusive father, Ruth ended up in NYC where she married a black man and had 12 mixed race children, all of whom went to college and became successful journalists, doctors, professors, and engineers, despite being brought up in poverty. A truly amazing story.

[Kristina Simon]

#40. A book related to one of the 22 Tarot Major Arcana cards

Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett Read: 1/8/22 ✭✭✭

❄️ Relates to the cards: The Fool, The Magician, The Chariot, The Hermit, The World (and possibly others) ❄️

A dying wizard tries to pass on his powers to an eighth son of an eighth son, only the eighth "son" turns out to be a daughter. In the Discworld, men are wizards and women are witches, at least that's the way it's always been. And Granny Weatherwax does her best to correct the old wizard's mistake and teach the the young girl all she knows. It's not enough, Eskarina wants to be a wizard, not a witch. To do this, she must go to the Unseen University, where all wizards are trained.

In this story, Esk is definitely The Fool on a Fool's Journey. Granny, who wishes nothing more than withdraw from the noise of the world and stay where she is, is the epitome of The Hermit. The Unseen University is filled with Magicians, who are a bit less talented than actual Wizards. And, in the end, Esk fulfills her mission and is set to explore the Wizarding world in all its glory.

This was my favorite Discworld novel, so far. Mostly because of Granny. She was hysterical. There's still something lacking, for me. I find myself getting a little bored in the middle and I have trouble connecting with most of the characters. Hopefully, Granny (or some other character I can get attached to) will show up in more books as the series goes on.

[Kristina Simon]

#52. A book with a time-related word in the title

Time and Again by Jack Finney Read: 1/8/22 ✭✭

❄️ "Time" in title; time-travel ❄️

I thought I'd like this one better than I did. Actually, I thought the movie Somewhere in Time, which I really enjoyed, was based on this book but it's not. The time-travel mechanism is the same but the stories are different. I enjoyed the plot well enough but there were some major issues that set my teeth on edge. Granted, the book was published in 1970 so I guess I shouldn't have been too surprised with the objectification of and paternalistic attitudes toward women. Doesn't mean I have to like it, though, and it rather ruined my enjoyment of the book.

[Kristina Simon]

#46. A book with a non-human as one of the main characters
Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells Read: 1/11/22 ✭✭✭✭✭

❄️ main character is an android ❄️

Another great story in the Murderbot series.

[Kristina Simon]

#6. A book with an image of a source of light on the cover
by Nevada Barr Read: 1/13/22 ✭✭✭
❄️ lighthouse on cover ❄️

I didn't care for the historical aspect of this one and it's my least favorite in the series so far. Too bad, because I really liked the setting of this one. Dry Tortugas National Park is a personal favorite and I was looking forward to Anna visiting. *sigh* Oh well. I still plan to continue the series.

[Kristina Simon]

#10. 3 books set on three different continents (Africa) - Book 3

Mrs. Pollifax on Safari by Dorothy Gilman Read: 1/16/22 ✭✭✭✭
❄️ set in Zambia ❄️

[Kristina Simon]

#34. A book with an academic setting or with a teacher that plays an important role

Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire Read: 1/17/22 ✭✭✭✭✭
❄️ set in a school ❄️

[Kristina Simon]

19. A book that involves alternate reality, alternate worlds, or alternate history

Dusk or Dark or Dawn or Day by Seanan McGuire Read: 1/19/22 ✭✭✭✭
❄️ set in NYC, but with ghosts ❄️

[Kristina Simon]

26. 2 books with the same word in the title - Book 1

Of Blood and Bone by Nora Roberts Read: 1/22/22 ✭✭✭✭

27. 2 books with the same word in the title - Book 2
Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore Read: 4/5/22 ✭✭✭

🐇 common word = OF 🐇

[Kristina Simon]

12. A book related to glass

The Glass Key by Dashiell Hammett Read: 1/24/22 ✭✭
❄️ "glass" in the title, but the idea of a glass key is important to the story ❄️

Richard Layman explains the significance of the glass key in his book, Shadow Man: The Life of Dashiell Hammett:
A glass key symbolizes an act or experience which cannot be reversed or forgotten. It is a key made of glass which allows one entry to a room or a building, then shatters after one use. Skeleton keys were used for many years before and after this story to lock doors from both sides. Hence, a skeleton key made of glass which breaks in a lock will prohibit the locking of a door and will prohibit one from leaving the room. Therefore, once in the chamber, one is compelled to see one's choice through.

It's not a bad book, despite my 2-star rating, I just don't enjoy gritty, hard-boiled, political corruption/crime type books. But, if that's your thing, you might like it!

I much preferred The Maltese Falcon.

[Kristina Simon]

28. A book that won an award from Powell's list of book awards

To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis Read: 1/28/22 ✭✭✭✭✭
❄️ Hugo Award winner ❄️

What a delightful book! I'm glad I read Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome first. It's not necessary for understanding the plot, but the references were a lot of fun. I'll definitely be reading more of Connie Willis.

[Kristina Simon]

#32. A book where the main character is a female detective/private eye/police officer
Shadows in Death by J.D. Robb Read: 1/29/22 ✭✭✭✭✭
❄️ main character, Eve Dallas, is a homicide detective ❄️

It's amazing to me that 51 books into a series, they're still getting better!

[Kristina Simon]

#29. A book set on or near a body of water

Hideaway by Nora Roberts Read: 2/3/22 ✭✭✭✭
💘 set on the California coast 💘

I seem to be on a Nora Roberts kick all of a sudden! I used to be a huge romance fan, but I've drifted away from it in the last several years. Mostly, I think, because I'm more interested in reading about the emotional connection and many of the romances I had picked up seemed to focus more on the sex than the love story. That's fine, but not what I was looking for.

I liked this one because it pairs two mature, mostly happy people going about their lives. Not ones that are soaked in trauma or who are desperate to find "a mate."

[Kristina Simon]

#9. 3 books set on three different continents (Asia) - Book 2

Cockroaches by Jo Nesbø Read: 2/6/22 ✭✭
💘 set in Thailand 💘

I'm not having much luck with hard-boiled, noir-type books this year. Apparently, I need more "escape from reality" and less "corruption and violence," right now. Think I'll avoid these types of books for a bit.

[Kristina Simon]

#3. A book with 22 or more letters in the title

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller Read: 2/9/22 ✭✭✭
💘 23-letter title 💘

Cute. The dialogue was fun and I liked the main characters. I'm not into pirate books that much but I might read the other book in this duology one day.

[Kristina Simon]

#50. A book that involves aging, or a character in their golden years

Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie Read: 2/10/22 ✭✭✭✭
💘 Miss Marple is in her 70s 💘

I can't believe I haven't read a Miss Marple book before now! I'll definitely continue with this series.

[Kristina Simon]

#47. A book with handwriting on the cover

by Rosalie Knecht Read: 2/11/22 ✭✭✭✭
💘 cursive title 💘

I like this one even better than the first in the series. Can't wait for book 3 to come out!

[Kristina Simon]

#31. A book published at least 10 years ago

Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck Read: 2/13/22 ✭✭✭✭
💘 first published 1935 💘

Steinbeck remains one of my favorite classics authors. This was an interesting take on King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

[Kristina Simon]

#44. A book with gothic elements

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen Read: 2/16/22 ✭✭✭✭

My favorite Austen, yet!

[Kristina Simon]

#24. A book related to inclement weather

Murder on the Iditarod Trail by Sue Henry Read: 2/18/22 ✭✭✭✭
💘 mushers trying to survive below freezing temperatures and blizzards 💘

... and a murderer.

[Kristina Simon]

#1. A book with a main character whose name starts with A, T, or Y

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins Read: 3/3/22 ✭✭✭
🍀 Main character: Archer 🍀

This book has been on my TBR list since 2010! So I'm glad to have it off. I'd basically forgotten about it but after I read another Rachel Hawkins book, my library served this one up as a recommendation.

I liked The Wife Upstairs better, but this was a cute YA story. I might pick up the others in the series at some point.

[Misty]

Kristina Simon wrote: "28. A book that won an award from Powell's list of book awards

To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis Read: 1/28/22 ✭✭✭✭✭
❄️ Hugo Award winner ❄️

What a delightful..."

I read this one a few weeks ago as well. Someone on here said something about reading Jerome's book first, so I did, and I am also glad that I did. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I can recommend Doomsday Book by Connie Willis. I loved it, too.

[Kristina Simon]

#49. A book connected to the phrase "Here (There) Be Dragons"

Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell Read: 3/7/22 ✭✭✭✭✭
🍀 Simon's still dealing with the dragon wings & tail he spelled on himself in the last book! 🍀

Adorable ending to an enjoyable series. I've been waffling over whether to include it for this task or for the loving LGBT relationship task. Ultimately decided to put it here because the dragon thing is just so much a part of the book.

[Kristina Simon]

#43. A book set in a small town or rural area

Waiting on You by Kristan Higgins Read: 3/10/22 ✭✭✭✭

🍀 set in Manningsport, New York, population 715 🍀

[Kristina Simon]

#4. A book that fits your favorite prompt that did not make the list (A winner or nominee from the 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards)
The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren Read: 3/22/22 ✭✭✭✭
🍀 Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Romance (2021) 🍀

[Kristina Simon]

33. The next book in a series
Murder under Cover by Kate Carlisle Read: 3/16/22 ✭✭✭
🍀 Bibliophile Mystery #4 🍀

[Kristina Simon]

#36. 2 books related to flora and fauna - Book 2
Whatever You Do, Don't Run: True Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide by Peter Allison Read: 3/13/22 ✭✭✭✭
🍀Lions, tigers, zebras, oh my!🍀

[Kristina Simon]

#37. A book that uses all five vowels in the title and/or author's name
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout Read: 3/18/22 ✭✭✭✭
🍀all five vowels in author's name🍀

[Kristina Simon]

#2. A book connected to a book you read in 2021

The Real Macaw by Donna Andrews Read: 3/24/22 ✭✭✭
🍀I read previous book in series in 2021🍀

[Kristina Simon]

#23. A book that features loving LGBTQIA+ relationship

Flash Fire by T.J. Klune Read: 4/1/22 ✭✭✭✭

[Kristina Simon]

#25. A book less than 220 pages OR more than 440 pages

The Dalai Lama's Cat by David Michie Read: 4/3/22 ✭✭✭
🐇 217 pages 🐇

[Kristina Simon]

#5. A book by an author with two sets of double letters in their name

Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott Read: 4/12/22 ✭✭✭
🐇 pp & tt in Lippincott 🐇

[Kristina Simon]

#21. A book with one of the Monopoly tokens on the cover

Read: 4/14/22 ✭✭✭✭
🐇 Scottie dog on cover 🐇

[Kristina Simon]

#15. A book without a person on the cover

Read: 4/17/22 ✭✭✭✭
🐇 no people on cover 🐇

[Kristina Simon]

#17. A book from NPR's Book Concierge

Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah Read: 4/22/22 ✭✭✭✭
🐇 2016 list 🐇

[Kristina Simon]

#45. A book related to a game

Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney Read: 5/10/22 ✭✭✭✭✭
🍀 Rock, paper, scissors is a game 🍀

[Kristina Simon]

#8. 3 books set on three different continents (Europe) - Book 2

The Labyrinth of the Spirits by Carlos Ruiz Zafón Read: 5/21/22 ✭✭✭✭✭
🍀 set in Spain 🍀

[Kristina Simon]

#51. A book published in 2022

The Maid by Nita Prose Read: 6/12/22 ✭✭✭✭
🥳 published Jan 4, 2022 🥳

[Kristina Simon]

#7. A book related to psychology, neuroscience or the mind

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes Read: 6/30/22 ✭✭✭✭
🥳 MC undergoes a brain operation to increase his IQ 🥳

[Kristina Simon]

#48. A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads in 2021 or 2022

The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green Read: 7/4/22 ✭✭✭✭
🏖 September 2021 thread 🏖

[Kristina Simon]

#11. A book from historical fiction genre

West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge Read: 7/6/22 ✭✭✭✭
🏖 MPG Historical > Historical Fiction 🏖

[Kristina Simon]

#18. A book by an Asian or Pacific Islander author

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo Read: 7/11/22 ✭✭✭✭
🏖 Asian author 🏖

[Kristina Simon]

#13. A book about a woman in STEM

Bare Bones by Kathy Reichs Read: 7/21/22 ✭✭✭✭
🏖 MC is a forensic anthropologist 🏖

[Kristina Simon]

#41. A book with a theme of food or drink

And Then There Were Crumbs by Eve Calder Read: 7/22/22 ✭✭✭✭
🏖 MC is pastry chef working in bakery 🏖

[Kristina Simon]

#20. A fiction or nonfiction book that is set during 1900 -1951

In Farleigh Field by Rhys Bowen Read: 7/24/22 ✭✭✭✭
🏖 set during WWII (1939-1945) 🏖

[Kristina Simon]

#16. A book related to Earth Day

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel Read: 8/2/22 ✭✭✭✭
🔥 set years after global pandemic & death of modern civilization

The Symphony is traveling around Michigan and the Great Lakes region: "Twenty years after the end of air travel, the caravans of the Traveling Symphony moved slowly under a white-hot sky. It was the end of July, and the twenty-five-year-old thermometer affixed to the back of the lead caravan read 106 Fahrenheit, 41 Celsius."

[Kristina Simon]

#42. A book with a language or nationality in the title

Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker Read: 8/10/22 ✭✭✭✭
🔥nationality: American🔥