2024 Reading In Order

[Nancy]

I do, and that's the shortest hold so looks like I will be doing that one on audio!

[Jillian]

1. A book with a title that ends in A, T or Y-
Stowed Away by Barbara Ross 1/27/2024

This was my planned book! I didn’t like it as much as some of the previous books, but it was good to make progress on a started series.

Next up, is either Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree or Jaguar Prophecies by Jeff Wheeler. They are both books from series I started last year. I’ll count whichever one I finish first for the challenge and the other will be a side read.

[Bana AZ]

After only the first week of January, I'm abandoning my plan to read roughly in month order and read roughly in quarter order instead (3 months). I am in way too many groups and book clubs, and am too easily influenced by booktube to read ATY in order. Lol. So I probably won't be in this thread anymore.

[Bea]

And because of anticipated travel, I am reading ahead. I have finished the first two week's books and am on the third. I will try to retain the order, just not the weeks.

[♞ Pat]

Bea wrote: "And because of anticipated travel, I am reading ahead. I have finished the first two week's books and am on the third. I will try to retain the order, just not the weeks."

That's me as well. I'm running in order, but I'm in the middle of my second book for prompt 3 as of today.

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Same. I think I'm going to stick to the months (a bit... maybe I'll let myself get ahead by a book or two depending on library holds), but I'm not worried about week to week.

[Karin]

I'm not reading in order, but I did manage to read for Weeks 1 and 2 in weeks 1 and 2 of the challenge :) However, so far I've read five 4 books that fit for this one.

[Abbie]

I’m a little late to the party this year, but having read in order in 2022 and 2023, I am planning to do so again. I sometimes overlap my books - especially fiction, non-fiction, and audio - so my goal has been to FINISH the books in order regardless of when I started them. I would have liked to finish them in the assigned week, but I fell quite a bit behind both years and only managed to finish 2022 on NYE and 2023 just today (hence the late start on 2024).

For 2024, I think I’m going to relax my goal and just group by month. The strict order doesn’t work well for the way I read non-fiction (in small chunks over several weeks) or trying to read any newer releases with long hold lines at the library. Also hoping to not get so stupidly far behind this year, even though I am starting a week late. Maybe this discussion can give me some accountability?

Here’s my rough plan for January:
Week 1: Title ending in ATY – The Henna Artist
Week 2: Connected to 2023 – There There or The Marrow Thieves (Tookie’s list from The Sentence)
Week 3: Prompt that didn't make it in – Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures (Related to mushrooms)
Week 4: What a Wonderful World – Harry's Trees
Week 5: 25 Most Beautiful Cities – The Shadow of the Wind (Barcelona)

Off to read a small chunk of Entangled Life and then start on Henna Artist!

[Joanne]

I also finished my last book for 2023 late, so I've just started making my plan for January 2024. I've always read by month since I joined this group and it's what I'm doing again this year. I generally am reading 2-3 books at any given time, so it helps to plan out 4-5 books and start them in whatever order works best for my schedule.

January:
Week 1: Title ending in ATY – Company by Max Barry
Week 2: Connected to 2023 – Payment in Blood by Elizabeth George (read the first book in the series in 2023)
Week 3: Prompt that didn't make it in – Mrs. Kimble by Jennifer Haigh (A book with a common household object on the cover)
Week 4: What a Wonderful World – The Space Between Worlds Micaiah Johnson
Week 5: 25 Most Beautiful Cities – Lethal White by Robert Galbraith

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Joanne, I saw that there will be a sequel coming out for The Space Between Worlds. I feel like I read that book a long time ago but I remember enjoying it!

[Jillian]

2. A book connected to something you read in 2023- Jaguar Prophecies by Jeff Wheeler 1/9/2024

I enjoyed the second book in the series.

I've started the audio for
3. A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the final list (A book the that helps you reflect or recharge)-
To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis

I'm not going to strictly follow 1 book a week, but I'm also not going to try and rush through the challenge. I've tried to mix in both shorter/easier reads along with longer/more challenging reads. I've tried to find options for about 13 weeks out and options for some of my priority reads.

I also have several side reads going and if I happen to finish them and they fit for the next prompt, I will add them (like starting War and Peace at the end of December).

[Elaine]

Finished my January prompts…I considered filling in other prompts with books read this month but decided that might make me finish the challenge too early. I can always go in and backfill if needed…

3. A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the final list (meant to read in 2023)
Under the Mistletoe
4. A book related to something mentioned in the lyrics of What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong (colors of the rainbow)
Frozen Dragon
5. A book set in one of the 25 most beautiful cities in the world (NYC)
Billionaires Assistant

[D.L.]

I have done a couple of prompts so far (mostly ones toward the end of the list ironically) but I feel I need direction to finish this challenge so I am going to do the rest of the reads in order starting now. So here are my picks for the rest of January:

1. A book with a title that ends in A, T or Y: Killer Instinct
2. A book connected to something you read in 2023 (YA novel/blind character): Girl, Stolen
3. A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the final list (A book about twins): The Lying Game
4. A book related to something mentioned in the lyrics of What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong: Tending Roses
5. A book set in one of the 25 most beautiful cities in the world: The 8th Confession

[laurel!]

Reading in order, doing one book per week! I finished The Heartbreak Bakery for week 1, The World We Make for week two, and Girl, Woman, Other for this week so far :)

[♞ Pat]

So I'm done through prompt 5, but reading my second book for that one this week. Figure that puts me roughly two weeks ahead of schedule, which is fine since I'm pretty sure I'm going to start lagging behind at some point. Might as well make a strong start!

[Bea]

I am on schedule, except that, even though I have started the current week's read, I am still reading last week's book. It turned out to be a bit of a slog for me. I will finish both in the next two days or so.

Now to start planning on February:
Week #6: World After - on hold
Week #7: The Wife Between Us or These Is My Words: The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881-1901 The deciding factor will be as much how soon can I get the book as how long it is and whether I like the blurb. Both books have been planned and unread before. Both meet other current challenges. And, I cannot decide!
Week #8: The Lightkeeper's Daughters
Week #9: The Last Chance Olive Ranch So far this one's ratings are holding at 1918. I hope it stays there as I really want to read it.

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

I've also finished through Prompt 5. I don't mind getting a prompt or two ahead, but I haven't quite decided what book I'll read for Prompt 6 with wings on the cover.

I had The Bee Sting slotted in, but I still have a few weeks on the hold for both ebook and print, and I was thinking I may do The Many Lives of Mama Love: A Memoir of Lying, Stealing, Writing, and Healing, but I want to do that on audio and the wait is pretty long.

I own... zero books... with a wing on the cover, surprisingly. So. I have some decisions to make. At least I have plenty of other books to read in the meantime.

[♞ Pat]

Emily wrote: "I've also finished through Prompt 5. I don't mind getting a prompt or two ahead, but I haven't quite decided what book I'll read for Prompt 6 with wings on the cover.

I had [book:The Bee Sting|620..."

I'm also playing the By The Month challenge at Pick A Shelf, which has pushed me to read books published in January. I grabbed "The Stolen Heir" and "Lady Clementine" - Stolen Heir was a recommend from a work colleague and Lady Clementine was off my TBR. So I've finished prompt 6 as of today, and I have a week to read whatever I want before reading "published in February" books for the PAS challenge.

I'm going to read "The Cruel Prince" and "Let Us Descend" this coming week - neither of which fits a challenge for ME, but the Let Us Descend would for the wings challenge here.

[Jillian]

3. A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the final list (A book the that helps you reflect or recharge)-
🎧 To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis 1/20/2024

I enjoyed this book though it would have been perfect for prompt 16." Raining cats and dogs."
There was rain, cats and a dog.

Now, I'm working on Cloud Cuckoo Land for prompt 4. This one might take me into week 5 to finish since I'm listening to the audio book while following along on my kindle.

I have Wonder by R.J. Palacio for week 5 and my version is hardback. Then for week 6, I have Still Life by Sarah Winman or Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy which are ebooks. I have a feeling I will be getting a bit behind since I don't have as much time to sit and read.

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Pat, I was considering Let Us Descend for the wings prompt, but I have Salvage the Bones on my shelf and queued up for February, so I don't want to get burnt out on Jesmyn Ward. I did hear Descend was excellent though!

I've thought it through and figured out my February plans (now that it's officially in the last 1/3 of January lol). I usually try to intentionally include Black authors in my reading for February, but I'm also reading the Tournament of Books list, so that's what drove these decisions, mostly.

Prompt 6 - wings on cover - How You Grow Wings
Prompt 7 - pronoun in title - I'm Not Dying with You Tonight
Prompt 8 - Canadian author - The Librarianist
Prompt 9 - less than 2024 ratings - The Lost Journals of Sacajewea

[Joanne]

Emily wrote: "Joanne, I saw that there will be a sequel coming out for The Space Between Worlds. I feel like I read that book a long time ago but I remember enjoying it!"

Whaaaaatttt??? No way! I hadn't heard. Luckily it's in a few months, otherwise I wouldn't want to read this one yet. I have the worst memory for books so especially for fantasy or science fiction, I try not to space out sequels or I won't remember anything.

[Serenity]

Although I will have finished all the prompts for January this month, they weren't actually done in order. So I think just getting the prompts done in their respective months will be my "in order" goal going forward. Here is my prospective list for February:

Prompt 6 - wings on cover -The Long Call
Prompt 7 - pronoun in title - I Have Some Questions for You
Prompt 8 - Canadian author - This Place: 150 Years Retold This is also serving as my "Read Harder" BIPOC history book.
Prompt 9 - less than 2024 ratings - Camp Scare This will also serve as my "Reader Harder" Middle Grade Horror.

[Chrissy]

After a very slow start, I am now on book 5, The Architect's Apprentice, set in Istanbul. Then I can spend the rest of January on a few more ToB books before February gets here.

My prelim list for Feb is
6. The Bee Sting
7. What You Are Looking for is in the Library
8. Bad Cree
9. Blackouts (or another ToB book)

[♞ Pat]

Emily wrote: "Pat, I was considering Let Us Descend for the wings prompt, but I have Salvage the Bones on my shelf and queued up for February, so I don't want to get burnt out on ..."

I've got The Librarianist queued up for my Canadian author read as well. It looks enticing!

[Pauliina]

I'm reading in order as well. I'll use mostly library books (and audio books), so might need to switch somethings around depending on when I get the books, but overall, aiming to read the books in order and within the correct month.

So far, I've read Verity (#1), Jakob (#2, read the other two parts in 2023) and The Paradise Guest House (#3, set in a different hemisphere).

For this week's prompt I'm reading Twelve Moons: A Year Under a Shared Sky (I went with the line "the bright, blessed days, the dark sacred night”). I am absolutely loving it so far! I purchased this book last year and am really happy to be reading it finally!

[Kathryn]

I have been reading faster than expected so I’m a few weeks ahead. I’m hoping this will help when I either get busy with life or if I have a reading slump.

Over the past two days I have finished:
6. A book with wings on the cover — House of Earth and Blood (this was a weird one for the prompt—while there was definitely a bird on the cover, I don’t recall anything about a bird in the story)
7. A book with a pronoun in the title — This is How You Lose the Time War

Next up:
8. A book by an author from Canada, Australia or New Zealand — A Stitch in Time by Kelley Armstrong
9. A book with fewer than 2024 ratings on Goodreads — The Blighted Stars
10. A history or historical fiction book — The Other Boleyn Girl or Hamnet
11. A book with an X connection — The Poet X
12. A book that has been on your TBR for over a year 84, Charing Cross Road

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Oh Kathryn you have some good ones on your lineup!

[Hayley]

I am a little bit behind in my reading because two books that I read last month took me 9+ days to read. So, I'll catch up on the prompts that I'm behind on first before starting on February's prompts. Depending on how fast I read, I might be able to finish one more from January's prompts.

Catch Up
Prompt 3 - Phantom - Susan Kay
Prompt 5 - Eternal - Eternal

February
Prompt 6 - Strange the Dreamer - Laini Taylor
Prompt 7 - I Must Betray You - Ruta Sepetys
Prompt 8 - The Book Thief - Markus Zusak
Prompt 9 - The Bird Hotel - Joyce Maynard

[Bea]

Well, I have finished with January, and the first book for February is pending transit to my library. So...do I wait for it to come in or proceed to the next book available to me?

[Jillian]

Bea wrote: "Well, I have finished with January, and the first book for February is pending transit to my library. So...do I wait for it to come in or proceed to the next book available to me?"

As someone who has several books going at once, I’d proceed to the next book while waiting.

[♞ Pat]

As someone who likes lists and order, I'd read something that doesn't fit just because I want to read it. I had a couple of books that I've done that with for the same reason as the one facing you.

[Anastasia]

I agree with Pat. I have done the same thing this year. Thankfully I am participating in anther challenge that I have fit most of those into .
I am reading in order so far. I have changed out one or two books later in the challenge because I read them for another challenge already. It is making me really think about the books I have put on hold at the library and when they are expected to be available.

It is a fun dilemma.

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

I agree Anastasia. I've changed my book for the wings on cover prompt 6 times now based on library availability - some of them coming too early, some with longer wait times than I expected. I don't mind having to hunt for more!

Bea, I'd probably do a side read - a read that is not for ATY - in the meantime. A book you want to read now but that doesn't necessarily fit a prompt for now.

[♞ Pat]

Anastasia wrote: "I agree with Pat. I have done the same thing this year. Thankfully I am participating in anther challenge that I have fit most of those into .
I am reading in order so far. I have changed out one ..."

I do check a couple of tasks ahead of where we are and then take a look at my library catalog to see what might be available in a kind of quick way and also where I am on the wait list for the long wait lists (just to get an idea of how far out I might be and what tasks are going to be in that time-frame neighborhood). I created a "queued up" shelf for the next 6-8 titles that I have "in hand" or arriving soon so that I can get my titles into my challenges where and when they fit best. The NOTES column on my shelf is really REALLY helpful for trying to figure out my "queued up" shelf which seems to need sorting about every other day!

[D.L.]

I am doing alright so far, I think. Here's my line up for February!

6. A book with wings on the cover: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
7. A book with a pronoun in the title: The Trouble with Hating You
8. A book by an author from Canada, Australia or New Zealand: What Alice Forgot
9. A book with fewer than 2024 ratings on Goodreads: Catch It Spinning

[Marie]

I managed to start the year with week one, but then library holds came in and that meant going a bit out of order and ticking off weeks 11 and 26. Also, as I chose a multiweek for the suggestion that didn't make it, even though I've read six books this year, I'm only halfway through the third prompt :(

So I still have The Two Lives of Sara, You, Thirty Days of Darkness and The Elegance of the Hedgehog to read for weeks 3, 4 and 5.

In the unlikely event I get to the "February" books in February, this is what I have lined up:

6. The House of Shattered Wings
7. Her Majesty's Royal Coven
8. Alone in the Wild, How to Ditch Your Fairy and Gideon the Ninth (yes, I turned it into a multi-week, and yes, I'm going to be in even further out of sync by March!)
9. Nighthawking

[♞ Pat]

My February reads for the first week at least ...

#7 ~ A book with a pronoun in the title ~
Remember Me? & I Have Some Questions for You
#8 ~ A book by an author from Canada, Australia or New Zealand ~
Weyward & The Last Grand Duchess

after that ... I'll be on a week by week hunt but hope to get at least through #12 by the end of February since my plan is to read at least 11 books! I do have some first book picks from my TBR February PAS Month by Month books.

#9. A book with fewer than 2024 ratings on Goodreads ~
How to Tame a Fox (and Build a Dog): Visionary Scientists and a Siberian Tale of Jump-Started Evolution

10. A history or historical fiction book ~
The Women

11. A book with an X connection ~
Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton

12. A book that has been on your TBR for over a year ~
I have a ton of these, so it's going to pretty much be whatever else is going on that week

[Bea]

Well, my first book for February is still in transit from somewhere...and I am leaving to visit my brother in TN for a week...so I went to the library and got Lord of the Wings as a replacement.

[Jillian]

4. A book related to something mentioned in the lyrics of What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr 2/1/2024

This book was hard to get into. There are so many different story lines. Ultimately, it all came together, and I enjoyed this book.

5. A book set in one of the 25 most beautiful cities in the world-
Wonder by R.J. Palacio 2/2/2024

I didn't care for this prompt beautiful felt so objective, but I made it work. I really enjoyed this book. There is something special about middle school books.

My next books are:

I decided to go with my shortest wing cover books, since I a few long books coming up.

6. A book with wings on the cover-
Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy

I have had this one for awhile so it seemed like a good time to listen to it.
7. A book with a pronoun in the title-
We by Yevgeny Zamyatin

[Sue]

I am on track but have already done quite a bit of juggling due to my Australian challenges which come in monthly. I usually read pretty strictly in order by the week from my huge physical tbr (due to my obsession with the free swap bookshelf at our local learning centre, and charity shops), but will be travelling for 7 weeks later in the year, so that's when it's likely to all fall apart. My plan for February is:

5. A book set in one of the 25 most beautiful cities in the world: The Unbearable Lightness Of Scones (Edinburgh)
6. A book with wings on the cover: The Bass Rock
7. A book with a pronoun in the title: Buying a Fishing Rod for My Grandfather
8. A book by an author from Canada, Australia or New Zealand: The Idealist

[Sherri]

I'm trying to read in order this year but I've wanted to quit several times already. I'm reading slower this year so we'll see how I do. This is what I've completed so far.
Week 1: Title ending in ATY – The Lost Journals of Sacajewea
Week 2: Connected to 2023 – The Gift of Rain
Week 3: Prompt that didn't make it in – A book over 500 pages. The Rose Code
Week 4: What a Wonderful World - The Covenant of Water

[♞ Pat]

Currently reading for the Pronoun prompt

I Have Some Questions for You

I'm enjoying it, but my weekend hasn't been terribly cooperative in getting it finished. Hoping to get that done in the next couple of hours.

[Jillian]

Sherri wrote: "I'm trying to read in order this year but I've wanted to quit several times already. I'm reading slower this year so we'll see how I do. This is what I've completed so far.
Week 1: Title ending in ..."

I'm tracking where my side reads would fit in case I get really far behind or decide not to keep reading in order.

This year, I'm actually feeling more relaxed by completing the challenge slower.

[Anastasia]

I am having a difficult time with a book that has wings on the cover. :(

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Anastasia, I had the same issue! I owned zero books with wings! I ended up picking a book that had Wings in the title (so the word was on the cover) and that was good enough for me.

[Chrissy]

I just finished The Bee Sting for wings on the cover, and really enjoyed it. To me, it didn't seem as long as it was, but YMMV.

[Bea]

I am still on track!
√Week #6 (wings on cover): World After - still on hold. Found another book to read:
√Week #7 (pronoun in title): The Wife Between Us
√Week #8 (Canadian author): The Lightkeeper's Daughters - started last night.
√Week #9 (ratings below 2024): The Last Chance Olive Ranch So far this one's ratings are holding at 1924. Crossing fingers that it stays at this level.

Now to start planning March:
Week #10 - The Disappearance at Pere-Lachaise [Historical Fiction/Historical Mystery/Historical]
Week #11 (Book with an x connection - Author name) - When She Was Good
Week #12 - This will be an owned book...something that has been around for more than 10 years.
Week #13 (Five Books List: Best Crime Classic) - Gaudy Night

[Elaine]

February progress is going well...

6. A book with wings on the cover
The Sweetheart List 2-10-24

I have other books with more prominent wings I might sub out, but for now I will go with the birds in the distance because the book is already finished (and I liked it!)
7. A book with a pronoun in the title
Things We Hide from the Light 2-6-24
8. A book by an author from Canada, Australia or New Zealand
planning to read: Hades OR Reed OR both by Austrailian author Anna Hackett
9. A book with fewer than 2024 ratings on Goodreads
Heart2Heart: A Paranormal Charity Anthology (Collection), Volume 7 2-2-24

[♞ Pat]

Chrissy wrote: "I just finished The Bee Sting for wings on the cover, and really enjoyed it. To me, it didn't seem as long as it was, but YMMV."

That one just arrived on my reserve shelf, so I'm excited about starting it -- but it's pretty intimidating how long it is!

[Jillian]

I was able to complete week 6 and 7 during the read-a-thon.

6. A book with wings on the cover-

Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy 2/14/2024

For some reason, I thought this was a non-fiction book. It definitely is not so there was some disappointment, and I have tried to separate my expectations for my views on the book. Overall, it is a weird book.

7. A book with a pronoun in the title-

We by Yevgeny Zamyatin 2/18/2024

I have had this book on my shelf for a long time so this prompt was the perfect time to read it. I might go back and reread it later since it was my last book in the read-a-thon. I probably missed some stuff.

For week 8 I'm going with an Australian author, Duel at Araluen. I have a ton of books that work for week 9 so I have not decided what to read there yet. I'm also doing a side read of The Bee Sting which seems to be a fast read despite the page length.