2023 Motif Wrap-Up

[Tanya Patrice, Mod]

Tell us how did you do on the challenge? Answer any of the questions below or share anything you want.

Did you do all the months? Which months did you NOT do (if any)? What was your favorite book read for the challenge? Did you discover a new author you would like to read more of or a love of a new genre?

[Emily]

I did most of the months - the only month I had a hard time with was July! But I have a book picked out and it's now on my to-read list for 2024. :)

January: Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard
February: A Dark and Stormy Tea and It Starts with Us
March: The Year of the Horses
April: The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series
May: Carrie Soto Is Back
June: Tress of the Emerald Sea
August: America the Beautiful?: One Woman in a Borrowed Prius on the Road Most Traveled
September: Mister Magic
October: The Empty Grave
November: Pancakes in Paris: Living the American Dream in France
December: The Snow Child

For August, I'm going to finally read Flash: The Homeless Donkey Who Taught Me about Life, Faith, and Second Chances

I loved this challenge this year - it really pushed me outside my normal reading lists. My favorite book I read this year came out of this challenge - Tress of the Emerald Sea! I'm definitely adding more Brandon Sanderson to my reading lists! :)

[Cecil]

Did all but September, too much going on that month. Here’s my list:
Jan. - Under Raven’s Wing
Feb. - The Darkest Secrets
March - Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
April - The Rose Code
May - Sara’s Game
June - Man in the Water
July - Winterkill (Joe Pickett)
Aug. - Black Dog
Sept. - WOULD have read Dark Matter (maybe next time)
Oct. - Into the Wood - Tales of Baba Yaga
Nov. - The Paris Apartment
Dec. - Polar Bear Dawn

Really enjoyed The Rose Code and Winterkill. The Tales of Baba Yaga was entertaining, short stories that had different takes on this legend. Polar Bear Dawn was good enough I might check out others in this series. Winterkill is part of the Joe Pickett series that has never disappointed, the endings are heart stopping!
I have decided that I’m going to do these challenges sporadically in 2024, really trying to get through my burgeoning bookshelf of actual physical books, since often I couldn’t find something to fill the motif unless it was on my Nook or Kindle book lists. Too many books on my shelf I really want to get to, that don’t always fit the motif.

[Shawn]

I did all of the months. I enjoyed the challenge and came across a couple books that I ended up loving but probably would not have ever found without the challenge, ie West with Giraffes and Threadneedle.

Jan - West with Giraffes
Feb - Beautiful Graves
March - Daisy Jones & the Six
April - Threadneedle
May - The Night Circus
June - The Island
July - Crave
Aug - Crush
Sept - Z-Town
Oct - Court
Nov - Xenocide
Dec - The Hunting Party