Annual Reading Challenge--2020

[KevM]

Ok, it’s the end of another month, so time for my reading round up. This month I read 4 books, bring my total for 2020 to 15. The 4 books I read this month were:


12) Hazel Scott: The Pioneering Journey of a Jazz Pianist, from Café Society to Hollywood to HUAC by Karen Chilton - Biography. The life of international Jazz star and civil rights activist Hazel Scott. 4/5

13) Let Your Mind Run: A Memoir of Thinking My Way to Victory by Deena Kastor & Michelle Hamilton - Memoir. The running life of Deena Kastor. Probably best known for winning the Bronze medal in the Marathon at the ‘04 Athens Summer Olympics. Currently holds 4 US records. 4.75/5

14) Sisters of Tomorrow: The First Women of Science Fiction Edited by Lisa Yaszek & Patrick B Sharp - Anthology. A collection of some of the earliest Sci-fi short stories, poems, scientific writings, and editorials by women. A decent read, though some of the writings do have the issues you would expect from a predominantly white collection of the time period. 3.75/5

15) Zenobia: Between Reality and Legend by Yasmine Zahran - Historical Narrative/ Narrative Biography? Not sure how to label this one. It’s written as if from Zenobia’s perspective, which was a nice choice. I can’t say I remember reading something written like this before. Zenobia was a 3rd century queen of the Palmyrene Empire who revolted against the Roman Empire. 4.25/5

 

[TammyNC]

I have three to add. All were quite different reads from each other but I really enjoyed each of them.

5/20 - Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano - This one I chose since it was one of Jenna's book club picks. Took a while to get it from the library so I was behind on reading it. My heart really went out to Edward and in the end how he helped so many was touching.

6/20 - Red Notice by Bill Browder - So much during this book just made my mouth drop. Maybe I just had my head stuck in the sand but I vaguely remember hearing his name in the past but knew nothing of this story. Very interesting to read.

7/20 - The Whispers of War by Julia Kelly - I picked this one up just on a whim from the library (before the virus took hold) when I picked up Dear Edward. I admit I teared up at the end when the granddaughter was giving the eulogy and especially after reading all her grandmother went through.

 

[melk]

12/25. Little Wonders by Kate Rorick

A less than flattering video of a preschool mom pitching a fit goes viral and basically destroys her life. But she pulls herself up, makes a new friend and gets back on track, just a different track.

I felt like something light and this was definitely it. It was funny and a quick read. Definitely fit the bill as something not too heavy, no deeper meanings. Good for when you’re just in the mood for a little lightheartedness.

 

[melk]

5/20 - Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano - This one I chose since it was one of Jenna's book club picks. Took a while to get it from the library so I was behind on reading it. My heart really went out to Edward and in the end how he helped so many was touching.

I almost took this one out of the library a few weeks ago. But I know there‘s a plane crash in it and I somewhat recently got over a fear of flying. I was afraid it would renew my fears. Is the crash graphic? Should I let it stop me?

 

[TammyNC]

I almost took this one out of the library a few weeks ago. But I know there‘s a plane crash in it and I somewhat recently got over a fear of flying. I was afraid it would renew my fears. Is the crash graphic? Should I let it stop me?

I was actually reading it near the time we were suppose to fly out for our WDW trip in March. It did have me pause to think if I should continue reading. I decided if it got too graphic I would stop so as not to cause any more stress and anxiety. It never got graphic enough to cause issues for me. It focused more on the things happening on the plane during the flight/before the crash and then him afterwards. But, maybe it is one you want to put on the back burner to read until you start to feel more comfortable flying.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Update time!

#11-Deadline Captain Charlie's Battan Diary, 3 stars
#12-Life and Other Inconveniences, K. Higgins 4 stars
#13-How to tell if Your Cat is Trying to kill You, M. Inman, 3 stars-I'm a cat lover, but this book just wasn't very funny
#14-Summer of '69, E Hildebrand, 5 stars. If you remember Chappaquiddik, the Vietnam War, spent time in Massachusetts and especially Martha's Vineyard, and the songs of that generation, this book is for you. Every chapter is titled with a popular song of that time. When I saw "Fortunate Son" as the title of the first (and last) chapter, I was in heaven. If not, I confess, I just can't be objective. I LOVED this book!

 

[bostonkyle106]

I committed to 35 books this year on the GoodReads challenge. I have knocked out 6 so far with #7 underway.

 

[willowsnn3]

 

[mini22]

15/35 Undercover by Danielle Steel

 

[bostonkyle106]

I recently just finished "The Institute" by Stephen King. I loved the premise and the first half to three quarters was compelling but I found the last quarter of the book and the ending to fall somewhat flat.

 

[Disney_Alli]

19/75 - Offside (Dartmouth Cobras book 4) Bianca Sommerland

I really enjoy this series. I just bought the last two novellas and the last full book in the series so I’ll continue with these in the background of others.

 

[bobbiwoz]

26/80 Almost Just Friends by Jill Shalvis

 

[MGMmjl]

11/30 - Cave of Bones by Anne Hillerman

This is another novel in the continuation of the Navajo Tribal Police series started by Tony Hillerman. I enjoyed this book, and look forward to reading the other 3 books in the series written by Anne.

 

[bobbiwoz]

11/30 - Cave of Bones by Anne Hillerman

This is another novel in the continuation of the Navajo Tribal Police series started by Tony Hillerman. I enjoyed this book, and look forward to reading the other 3 books in the series written by Anne.

Did not realize daughter continued the stories!

Is Spider Woman’s Daughter the first Anne wrote? Have you read it?

 

[MGMmjl]

Did not realize daughter continued the stories!

Is Spider Woman’s Daughter the first Anne wrote? Have you read it?

Here is the order of Anne's books so far:

1. Spider Woman's Daughter
2. Rock with Wings
3. Song of the Lion
4. Cave of Bones
5. The Tale Teller

I haven't read Spider Woman's Daughter yet. I found Song of the Lion and Cave of Bones on sale for a good price a few months ago, and those are the only ones I have read so far. I look forward to reading all of them! I hope to go back and read Spider Woman's Daughter next.

 

[OKW8297]

15. Shelter by Robin Merrill. Nice Christian fiction about a homeless shelter in a church. A nice, easy read for these troubling times.

 

[willowsnn3]

19/60 Edgeland by Jake Halpern
Thousands of miles south of the island of Bliss, day and night last for 72 hours. Here is one of the natural wonders of this world: a whirlpool thirty miles wide and a hundred miles around. This is the Drain. Anything sucked into its frothing, turbulent waters is never seen again.
Wren has spent most of her life on Edgeland, a nearby island where people bring their dead to be blessed and prepared for the afterlife. There the dead are loaded into boats with treasure and sent over the cliff, and into the Drain. Orphaned and alone, Wren dreams of escaping Edgeland, and her chance finally comes when furriers from the Polar north arrive with their dead, and treasure for their dead.
With the help of her friend Alec, Wren plans to loot one of the boats before it enters the Drain. But the boat--with Alec and Wren onboard--is sucked into the whirlpool. What they discover beyond the abyss is beyond what anyone could have imagined.

Pretty good YA book. Nothing exciting.

 

[Tiggerish]

In A Field of Blue by Gemma Liviero. This was a free book from Amazon Prime, The author is well known and well liked but I have not read any of her other books. This one is historical fiction set in England just after WWI. It also moves between different narrators and their memories of the war and their childhoods. It gets into France post war and the wilds of the Canadian Rockies. The story is complex but more than a love story between an English soldier and a French woman. It is also about the love between sisters, between brothers and among family members. It was sometimes slow going as the author is into detail but I did keep picking it back up and finally finished it. It was probably worth the effort but it was an effort.

23 of 80

 

[Disney_Alli]

20/75 - The Sinner (Black Dagger Brotherhood Book 18) - J.R. Ward

Really enjoyed the newest installment in the series! So excited there’s going to be a new spin off starting in August.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Here is the order of Anne's books so far:

1. Spider Woman's Daughter
2. Rock with Wings
3. Song of the Lion
4. Cave of Bones
5. The Tale Teller

I haven't read Spider Woman's Daughter yet. I found Song of the Lion and Cave of Bones on sale for a good price a few months ago, and those are the only ones I have read so far. I look forward to reading all of them! I hope to go back and read Spider Woman's Daughter next.

Thank you! I look forward to these!