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3rd Annual Reading Challenge
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Pam's 2024 12+4 Challenge
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Great list!! The Dead Zone is an oldie but a goodie!!Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on these!
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Good luck and happy reading, Pam. 📚
Nice list! I'll read The Story of the Lost Child in December, because like you, I can't wait to see how the story ends. Good luck and happy reading!
Thank you Alissa, Alondra, and Iona! I hope I got the right mix this year! 😂 I don’t know why this challenge is so hard for me to complete.
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Mod
Its hard because as a reader we get into our reading moods and just don't feel like reading certain books. My list is always a struggle, even though INITIALLY I am excited for a book.
What a great list, Pam! I hope you enjoy reading all of these books. I haven't read any of these books, but I have read some books from these authors. I will check back and see how I'm going to need to rearrange my TBR. Best wishes!
Thanks Lea! I just realized that I’ve only read 2 of these authors so lots of new-to-me authors! I’m excited to start reading the library books! 😂😂😂
I love your list, but more so I love your explanation on each one as to why you added it. I need to check out some of these book lists - booker prize and are you well read. I have a feeling I'll be adding alot of these to my tbr list. Good luck knocking out your list! 😊
Lindsey wrote: "I love your list, but more so I love your explanation on each one as to why you added it. I need to check out some of these book lists - booker prize and are you well read. I have a feeling I'll be..."Thanks Lindsey! The "Are You Well Read" list has 1,000 books! Some are very well known and others are quite obscure and difficult to find. I had to order 3 since I couldn't find them anywhere.
I only have Violeta on my TBR list. Good luck with your challenge.
I'm afraid to look at the Are You Well Read list. Good luck with your varied books.
Denise wrote: "I only have Violeta on my TBR list. Good luck with your challenge."Thanks Denise!
Jackie wrote: "I'm afraid to look at the Are You Well Read list. Good luck with your varied books."
Thanks Jackie! Yes, it's a dangerous list for your TBR, if you like world lit. I have a list of over 100 books that I want to read from the list of 1,000!
Well, I’m already going to have to change my library books since the books are coming in much sooner than I expected! I’ll wait until ~Dec 30 to revise. Who knows what I will want to read in the span of 3 weeks!
3 of my library books have already come in so I’ve got to find 3 replacements or return them and check them out again. Thinking about adding 3 Latin American classics that I’m planning to read - The Tunnel by Ernesto Sabato, Heartbreak Tango by Manuel Puig, and The President by Miguel Angel Asturias. Keeping my options open until the last minute, though! I’m also thinking about adding a book in Spanish for even more of a challenge. I have 2 short ones in mind. Decisions….
Mod
A lot of change happens to these lists before Dec. 31st. Take your time and don't pick what you "should' read; pick what you want to read.
Alondra wrote: "Pam wrote: "3 of my library books have already come in so I’ve got to find 3 replacements or return them and check them out again. Thinking about adding 3 Latin American classics that I’m planning ..."Alondra - I'm actually not picking books I think I should read but books that I plan to read for group and library book club group reads. I did make a few changes now that my library has its book club schedules out. TBH, I'm really overcommitted next year. I think something will have to give!
Great list, Pam. Tom Lake and Great Circle are two that I'm hoping to read in 2024 as well. And The Road to Roswell - I've read several books by Connie Willis and I'm not sure how I missed that one, but I've already put it on hold at my library. Thank you for having that one on your list, and enjoy your books!
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Butterflycager wrote: "Great list, Pam. Tom Lake and Great Circle are two that I'm hoping to read in 2024 as well. And The Road to Roswell - I've read several books by Connie Willis and I'm not sure how I missed that one..."Thanks Butterflycager! I don't even know how I came across The Road to Roswell (probably a podcast or a 2023 list). I live in NM and have been to Roswell so I thought it might be interesting! I have never even heard of Connie Willis but I see she has quite a few books and several people have commented that they like her books. I'm really looking forward to that one!
Bill wrote: "The Dead Zone is one of my favorite King stories. And it was turned into an excellent movie too. Enjoy your selections. Happy New Year."Bill - I agree that the movie was really good! I also watched a few of the TV episodes. I've read a lot of King books but this is one I could never find. I finally bought a copy!
Mod
Cool beans!!! Even if overcommitted, I just hope you enjoy your reading. That helps enable everyone, ya know!?? 😂
I loved The Dead Zone; and I think you will too. I hated the ending and just want to spit nails; but I get it. Ugh!
Other then the Dead Zone the books on your list are new to me.j. I will be watching to see your thoughts throughout the year. The Road to Roswell looks like a really fun read.
I finished 2 library books - The Vulnerables and The Tunnel by Ernesto Sabato (28-Apr-2011) Paperback. They were both 3 star reads, good but I didn't love them. They were both interesting and worth reading but I'm looking forward to some of my other picks.
Ann at the Beach wrote: "Other then the Dead Zone the books on your list are new to me. I will be watching to see your thoughts throughout the year. The Road to Roswell looks like a really fun read."Ann - I am waiting patiently for The Road to Roswell to come in from my library hold! I live in NM and have been to Roswell but have never been abducted by an alien! I think it will be really funny.
Finished one more library book - The House of Doors. It is my first 5 star read of the year! I highly recommend it if you like historical fiction. It's really well written and an interesting story (based on real life events and includes the British author W. Somerset Maugham as a main character) about forbidden love plus a murder! Heartbreak Tango is up next. I'm reading it for a group read in a classics group. I put all of these books on hold in late 2023 so that's why I'm reading them first. Everything is coming in at once!
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Alondra - I think I have a good chance this year of completing this challenge!
I finished Heartbreak Tango. This was an interesting read because of the experimental writing style. Very different from anything I’ve ever read! I feel like I need to read it again to fully appreciate the book. It’s a good story and has a satisfying ending! DNFing Great Circle, at least for now. I can’t get into it and have too many other books I’m more interested in. Considering DNFing The Road to Roswell. It started off funny but 1/3 of the way through it’s not keeping my interest. It’s a lot of dialogue and feels silly and lost the funny touch. I put a library hold on The Goodbye Cat so that will likely be next.
Pam wrote: "Considering DNFing The Road to Roswell. It started off funny but 1/3 of the way through it’s not keeping my interest. It’s a lot of dialogue and feels silly and lost the funny touch.."Honestly, it's not that good. I kept hoping, cause the author's Connie Willis and I've liked her books in the past, that it'd get better. It never did 🤷🏻♀️ Silly is the best description.
Pam wrote: "I finished Heartbreak Tango. This was an interesting read because of the experimental writing style. Very different from anything I’ve ever read! I feel like I need to read it again to fully apprec..."sorry to hear that The Road to Roswell was a disappointment....I was watching to see what you thought to decide if I should add it to my tbr list.
Mod
Yay! That's always a good feeling. That means you were really feeling your book choices. :)
Hopefully, the 2nd list is just as good as the first.
((hugs))
Thanks Alondra! I did a good job with my library book selection. We will see about the books I own! That’s a hard one for me since I’m a heavy library user and always putting books on hold, especially new books. I don’t know why I keep buying books. I think it’s because they are $1 or $2 and it’s too good of a deal to pass up! In March, I’m definitely reading 1 or 2 books I own, even if they are the shortest books on my shelves! 😂
I think I will finish Road to Roswell after all! I have 10 days left on my library checkout. It’s getting little more interesting at the halfway point. My hold for The Goodbye Cat just came in so I’ll start that next. I think next year I will do a just challenge with only library books! Maybe specifically new releases (2024-2025)?
I forced myself to finish The Road to Roswell but wished I wouldn't have. That was a very disappointing read for me. I had hoped it would be like a Carl Hiaasen style humorous alien abduction in New Mexico (my home state). But, I didn't see the humor past the first chapter and most of the book dealt with miscommunications between the alien "Indy" and his abductees. It was tedious and silly. I hate to leave negative reviews, but I had high hopes for this one and a lot of readers have recommended this author. I don't think I will read any more of her books.I've started The Goodbye Cat, which is a collection of 7 short stories, and have read the first 2 stories. I like this book a lot! After finishing it, that will be all of my planned library reads, for this challenge, except for one which is a group read in the fall. I think I will read Violeta next. I'm excited to finally read an Isabella Allende book! I have one other book of hers that I plan to read this year - Daughter of Fortune, for a challenge in a different GR group.
I hear you about The Road to Roswell. So disappointing from an author who's written some really good books. Oh well.
Halfway through the challenge and I'm realizing that I have to start reading the books I own, despite the fact that library holds are coming in faster than I can read them! I have 3 right now. The Goodbye Cat was really good. If you enjoyed this author's book The Travelling Cat Chronicles, you will likely enjoy this one too! The last story features Nana from that book. What I like about the stories is how the author expresses what the cats are thinking! Now, when I look at my dad's cat, I wonder what's going on in that mind of his! I'm more of a dog person than cat but I do like Japanese stories with cats, for some reason, and there seem to be a lot of them.
Lillie wrote: "I hear you about The Road to Roswell. So disappointing from an author who's written some really good books. Oh well."I've read that her earlier books are better. Would you agree??
Pam wrote: "Lillie wrote: "I hear you about The Road to Roswell. So disappointing from an author who's written some really good books. Oh well."I've read that her earlier books are better. Would you agree??"
I loved Doomsday Book and really liked Blackout- but only 2 stars for The Road to Roswell (and To Say Nothing of the Dog, but that may have been my high expectations after Doomsday Book.
I'm getting ready to start The President by Miguel Ángel Asturias for a group read in another group. I'm also starting a personal challenge (with no time frame) to read 30 Nobel Prize winning authors. This will be my first one for that challenge.I think I still have time to finish this challenge! This book will be #7.
Why am I surprised that of the 7 library books on my list, I've read 6 of them and am starting the 7th?! Maybe 2025 will be the year I finally read books I own.
Good luck with that goal, Pam. It is one I set each year and I've yet to be successful. I think for me, part of the issue is that the library sets a limit on the amount of time for reading the book and those at home don't have that urgency!!
Pam wrote: "Why am I surprised that of the 7 library books on my list, I've read 6 of them and am starting the 7th?! Maybe 2025 will be the year I finally read books I own."I've already given up on 2025 and am thinking maybe I'll do that in 2026.
I'm just like Jackie. Books I own I can read whenever, but if I have a deadline, I put those books ahead of the books at home!
Jackie and Lea - That’s exactly what happens to me and, to compound the problem, I keep putting library books on hold. I do better if I start a book as soon as I buy it. I’m trying to read books I own so I can then sell them and buy more books with my credit! I know. It makes no sense. Right now, I’m happy if I read one book per month that I own.
I think the only times I’ve been successful is when I’ve put books I owned on the Group Challenge lists. Other than that, I’m always finding “new shiny” books at the library and I just have to get them. Libraries feed my addiction, lol
Well, it doesn’t look like I will read the rest of these books this year but will have to push them off to next year, except for the one I DNF’d. They are still on a priority list but my library book club reads and library holds are taking a priority right now. Note to self- Do not put any more library books on hold for the rest of this year.
Mod
Excellent note to self.. LOL
On The Same Page
Books mentioned in this topic
The President (other topics)The Travelling Cat Chronicles (other topics)
The Goodbye Cat (other topics)
Daughter of Fortune (other topics)
Violeta (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Miguel Ángel Asturias (other topics)Connie Willis (other topics)
Ann Patchett (other topics)
Connie Willis (other topics)
Hiro Arikawa (other topics)
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✔️- Read
*- Currently reading
Finished: 6/12
Just for fun and to remind myself why I selected these books, I've included the rationale behind my choices.
Books I own:
1.In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez
- On the Are You Well Read in World Literature? list plus it's based on a real story. Alvarez is an author I've been interested in reading.
2.Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
- Library group read
3. The Wooden Sea by Jonathan Carrol
- I discovered this author in 2023 and enjoyed 2 of his books.
4. The Dead Zone by Stephen King
- Other than Agatha Christie, Stephen King is my most read author, but this is one book I've wanted to read for a long time!
5. The Story of the Lost Child by Elena Ferrante
- I've read the first 3 books in the Neapolitan series and am anxious to see how the saga ends!
6. Laurus by Eugene Volodzkin
- The setting and story sound very interesting and I love the cover!
7. My Cat Yugoslavia by Pajtim Statovci
- On the Are You Well Read in World Literature? list. Also, books with talking cats seem to be a theme for me this past year so what's one more?
8. Violeta by Isabel Allende
- I read a lot of Latin American classics in 2023 but Allende falls out of that period. I want to add some current LA authors also!
DNF 9. Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead
- Library book club read
Library Books:
✔️10. The Tunnel by Ernesto Sábato read: Jan 16 (3.25 stars)
- group read and has an intriguing storyline
✔️11. The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng
- 2023 longlist for the Booker Prize; an author I keep meaning to read every year; Somerset Maugham (author of one of my favorite books Of Human Bondage) is a character; plus a beautiful cover. I have really high expectations for this one! Read: Jan 20 (5 stars!)
✔️12. Heartbreak Tango by Manuel Puig
- group read Read: Feb (3.5 stars)
Plus 4 (Library books, cont'd)
✔️ 13. The Road to Roswell by Connie Willis
- Looks really funny! Read : Feb 27 (1.75 stars. Not very funny and just plain silly. I'm very disappointed.)
✔️14. The Goodbye Cat by Hiro Arikawa
-Follow up to The Travelling Cat Chronicles
Read: March 2 - 4.25 stars Not as good as the first book but enjoyable! I prefer a novel over a collection of short stories.
✔️15. The Vulnerables by Sigrid Nunez
- I LOVED her book The Friend and hope this one is just as good! Also, it has a parrot head on the cover so I'm using it for a reading prompt (relating to Jimmy Buffet...) in another group. Read: Jan (3.5 stars)
*16. The President by Miguel Ángel Asturias
- group read