45 -- Chapter Headings Have Dates

[Lindsey]

45. Chapter Headings Have Dates

For this prompt, we’re specifically looking for books in which the chapter headings have dates. The date may be specific (“June 21” or “Christmas Eve”) or you may stretch it to include chapter titles that are less precise. (“Summer 2019” or “Ten Days Before.”)

It’s up to you whether the chapter title is only a date (For example: None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell) or whether it includes the date as part of the chapter heading alongside other chapter title details. (For example: It may have a chapter number or title and then the dates and location underneath.)

Books that take place over a broad stretch of time or jump between characters or time periods are more likely to feature chapter headings with dates, but they can occur in any genre.

As a creative interpretation, you may choose a book that has dates for some chapter headings but not all. While we wouldn’t necessarily consider section headings to be the same as chapter headings, some books may be broken up into parts or sections with dates but not include dates with individual chapters. Ultimately, it’s up to you how you decide to interpret the prompt. If you think a book fits the prompt, it does!


Click here for our Goodreads List of suggestions

[Connie]

Karen Kingsbury’s Just Once (released 11-14-2023) has dates as chapter headings.

[Angela Y]

None of This is True by Lisa Jewell

[Nicole Brown]

I'm planning on reading The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

[Natasha]

Nicole Brown wrote: "I'm planning on reading The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley"

Angela wrote: "The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley"

Thank you both for the suggestion! :)

[Crystal]

The invisible life of Addie Larue VE Schwab

[Steven and Jessica Stewart]

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

[Chrissi]

I looked at a Kindle sample of Bright Young Women from my TBR list, and many of the section titles have dates and times on them. Will be reading this!

[Tricia]

Chrissi wrote: "I looked at a Kindle sample of Bright Young Women from my TBR list, and many of the section titles have dates and times on them. Will be reading this!"

This is on my TBR also, so good to know.

[Denise]

Joan Didion: The Last Interview and Other Conversations. The date of the conversation or interview is in the chapter heading

EDIT: I found out that Still Alice has chapter date and I really want to read this book, so here it lands.

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*]

My Dark Vanessa

[Liana]

I’m planning on reading A murder at Malabar hill by Sujata Massey.

[Carla]

Holly by Stephen King (I lived her character in another of Stephen King’s novels, The Outsider.

[Tricia]

I'm currently reading Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano and it had dates for each chapter.

[Emma]

My Dark Vanessa or The Year of The Flood

[April]

My book choice is Frozen River by Ariel Lawon

[Lisa Marie]

I will be reading A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

[Susan]

The Whalebone Theatre

[Celina]

I see Moloka'i on the list, which I'll be reading to cover a few other prompts, as well. If I decide that one is too long, I'll buy or borrow Love and Other Words.

[Guylou]

My choice: PIPPO & CLARA by Diana Rosie

[Kayla]

Finished - The Nightingale. I wonder why this wasn’t on the Goodreads list?

[Lindsey]

Kayla wrote: "Finished - The Nightingale. I wonder why this wasn’t on the Goodreads list?"

If someone doesn't have a copy handy to flip through, it's hard to know which books fit. You're welcome to add it to the list yourself.

[Kelly]

Meredith alone

[Michele]

I'm using it for the similar plots prompts, but The Wartime Matchmakers by Lauren Smith has dates as chapter headings, in case someone needs a suggestion. I'm not finished with it, but I'm really enjoying it.

[Chrissy]

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

[Kayla]

Lindsey wrote: "Kayla wrote: "Finished - The Nightingale. I wonder why this wasn’t on the Goodreads list?"

If someone doesn't have a copy handy to flip through, it's hard to know which books fit. You're welcome t..."

I see! First time, didn't know how it worked.

[Kristen]

I’m going to read Band of Brothers for this prompt.

[Samantha]

Finished “The Book of Cold Cases” by Simone St James

[Susan]

For this challenge I am reading the Whalebone Theatre

[Laura]

Finished La tienda de la felicidad by Rodrigo Muñoz Avia

[Monika | The Illustrated Shelf]

My first read of the year, I read Hello Beautiful for this prompt!

[GailW]

Finished Blind Goddess by Anne Holt, a translated work, first in a police procedural series, based in Norway. Really liked it.

[Nikki]

I read The Arctic Fury by Greer Macallister because I worked for three years on an Arctic research vessel and things about the Arctic interest me. I had originally planned to use this book for the selected without reading the blurb category, but since I rarely ever read the blurb I decided to save that for a book that I can’t put into any other categories.

The Arctic Fury alternates between three parallel chronologies, so all of the chapters have dates and geographic headings. I read the book while I was on vacation in Aruba, it was enjoyable and kept me wanting to keep going. I gave it 4 stars, definitely recommend it. It could fit several categories (this one, more than 40 chapters, a grieving character, somewhat of a revenge story, non-chronological order, features an indigenous culture (more like occasionally mentions), finding identity).

[Carolyn]

I read Hopeless by Colleen Hoover.

[Jessica]

I'm reading The Golden Doves by Martha Hall Kelly for this prompt.

[Hannah]

I read Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett. Lots of fun! Looking forward to the sequel.

[Kateri]

I'll probably "Chocolat" by Joanne Harris.

[Erika]

Using for another prompt, but “The Jane Austen Society” by Natalie Jenner had dates as chapter headings.

[Alison]

I read Her Hidden Genius by Marie Benedict. It is the story of Rosalind Franklin's quest to understand the structure of DNA. It would fit perfectly in prompt 6-Women in STEM but I already have too many options for that one.

[Jen]

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James Audioboo has 2 brilliant narrators. First book I've read by her, & I'll certainly read more.

[Maddie]

Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren!

[Shonna]

I read Don't Know Jack, the first book in a series about FBI agents working to find out more about Jack Reacher. The chapter headings have both dates and times.
https://cdnbookworm.blogspot.com/2024...

[Reem]

[Steph]

I plan to read

[CiCi]

First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

[Melissa]

I read The Children on the Hill by Jennifer McMahon

[Liz]

I read Flowers For Algernon for this prompt.

[Kelly]

“Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe” by Fannie Flagg is so funny! Also, it has dates in the chapter headings. A great read!

[Kristi]

The Mistletoe Pact by Jo Lovett

[Crystal]

I read All My Mother’s Lovers by Ilana Masad.
I was originally going to read this book for the Prompt 18, but once I saw the chapter headings I knew I had to switch.