Reading challenge 2021

[drwitz]

4/60. Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri

Wow, wow, wow. This was a fantastic read and well-worth your time and attention. This memoir (mostly true but also fictionalized) tells the story of Daniel Nayeri who is an Iranian immigrant to America and his upbringing in the US. Making reference to "The Arabian Nights", Nayeri weaves a personal story of his own experience with one of his parents, grandparents, and others. It was a beautifully written story which left me emotionally moved.

5/60. Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria And Other Conversations About Race (revised and updated) by Beverly Daniel Tatum, PhD

This is a dense, studious and worthwhile book on the lived experience of racism and racial barriers. Chapters look at white identity, race-ethnic-cultural development among blacks, racial identity among other race groups, and ways to address racial animus and conflict. The 20th anniversary edition was published in 2017 at the start of the Trump administration and it would be fascinating to read an even more updated version, but this is an important read and worth the time (it took me several weeks because I was paying close attention).

6/60. On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder

This short but mighty read warns of the dangers of fascism and recounts the 20 lessons we must learn to ensure that we avoid a repeat of the past. With lessons like "1. Do Not Obey in Advance" and "10. Believe in Truth", Snyder spends a few pages explaining the dangers of ignoring each rule and drawing lessons relevant to our current political climate. Published in 2017, I just learned of this book recently, but it belongs on my bookshelf, right next to my copy of the Constitution.

7/60. Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

Another phenomenal book, and one you just HAVE to read. This book is a beautiful YA paranormal adventure telling the story of Yadriel, a trans gay teenager who is struggling to be accepted by his Latinx family for who he is. This is further complicated by the fact that his family are brujx (or witches / magic users) whose job is to help souls cross over from this world to the afterlife, and Yadriel's fate becomes even more complicated when he is matched with the soul of another teenage boy who has recently been murdered. A beautiful tale of acceptance, love, and Latinx and trans/queer culture.

 

[melk]

8/35 Isaac’s Storm by Erik Larson

Account of the 1900 Galveston hurricane that killed over 6000 people, making it the greatest natural disaster in U.S. history.

I found the first half of the book to have some pretty dry parts, explaining how hurricanes form, the forecasting of the times, explanation of the barometer, etc.
But once it got into the hurricane hitting Galveston and the real accounts of what happened to people, I couldn‘t put it down. Fascinating and tragic.

 

[PollyannaMom]

My library is offering to send home random books.

That is so cool!

 

[tiggrbaby]

8/35 Isaac’s Storm by Erik Larson

Account of the 1900 Galveston hurricane that killed over 6000 people, making it the greatest natural disaster in U.S. history.

I found the first half of the book to have some pretty dry parts, explaining how hurricanes form, the forecasting of the times, explanation of the barometer, etc.
But once it got into the hurricane hitting Galveston and the real accounts of what happened to people, I couldn‘t put it down. Fascinating and tragic.

Thanks! I really like his books!

 

[YoYoAurora]

Every year I intend to join this reading challenge and every year I forget to do it. Not this year!

I use Goodreads to track my reading. So far, I'm ahead of my goal. I've been binge-reading a couple of series that are entertaining but not too mentally challenging. I think my brain is enjoying the break. My preferred genres are mystery, thriller, true crime, romance, science fiction, and fantasy. I take reading breaks during the workday and read before going to sleep and I listen to parts of some of my books.

Goal: 52 books
Read to date: 12

1/52 - The Witch is Back by Amanda M. Lee (Wicked Witches of the Midwest Series)
2/52 - The Megalodon Mix-Up by Amanda M. Lee (Charlie Rhodes Series)
3/52 - The Undead Uproar by Amanda M. Lee (Charlie Rhodes Series)
4/52 - The Duke and I by Julia Quinn (Bridgerton Series)
5/52 - The Incubus Impass by Amanda M. Lee (Charlie Rhodes Series)
6/52 - The Killer Clown Calamity by Amanda M. Lee (Charlie Rhodes Series)
7/52 - The Banshee Brouhaha by Amanda M. Lee (Charlie Rhodes Series)
8/52 - The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn (Bridgerton Series)
9/52 - An Offer From A Gentleman by Julia Quinn (Bridgerton Series)
10/52 - Freaky Days by Amanda M. Lee (Mystic Caravan Series)
11/52 - Freaky Lies by Amanda M. Lee (Mystic Caravan Series)
12/52 - Freaky Hearts by Amanda M. Lee (Mystic Caravan Series)

Next up on my to-read list: All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot (re-read), Fragments of Light by Beth Hodgson, Tropic of Stupid by Tim Dorsey, Slay Bells by Hildie McQueen, The Charleston Assassin by R. H. Johnson, and The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow as well as finishing the Mystic Caravan Series.

 

[Simba's Mom]

8/35 Isaac’s Storm by Erik Larson

Account of the 1900 Galveston hurricane that killed over 6000 people, making it the greatest natural disaster in U.S. history.

I found the first half of the book to have some pretty dry parts, explaining how hurricanes form, the forecasting of the times, explanation of the barometer, etc.
But once it got into the hurricane hitting Galveston and the real accounts of what happened to people, I couldn‘t put it down. Fascinating and tragic.

Thanks for the review. Since we live close to Galveston (well in the big state of Texas, 6 hours away is relatively close), I considered this book. N ow it sounds like I should go back and read it.

 

[bobbiwoz]

12/50 Larkspur Cove by Lisa Wingate

 

[MGMmjl]

4/30 - Serafina and the Seven Stars by Robert Beatty

This is the 4th and (so far) final book in a series of historical, fantasy young adult novels that take place at the Biltmore Estate in 1899-1900. I read the first book simply because it was set at Biltmore, but I really enjoyed the series. Robert Beatty has also started a series of young adult novels set in the Great Smoky Mountains with one book so far, and another due later this year. I am planning on reading the first book of that series next.

 

[tiggrbaby]

I really wanted to like both of those books as they are supposedly based upon the island where I live for most of the year. Sadly, I didn't really care for either one. Now, I did like his new Jake Brigance.

https://www.ameliaislandbookfestival.org/post/mr-grisham-is-camino-island-about-the-book-loft

 

[jen7233]

#6-Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris. Thanks to someone who mentioned they read this. I didn't know The Tattooist of Auschwitz had a branch off story. This one is on female prisoner Cecilia "Cilka" Klein, a Czech prisoner under Russian control post WWII time period, sentenced to 15 years, for supposed conspiring with the enemy (Germany) while held in Auschwitz by the Germans. I liked this book most the way through until she was working in the clinic after some time then the story lost me a bit. Books are based on real people, it seems the author or publisher has had some lawsuit from family of those the books center upon regarding story authenticity.

#7-Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop by Fannie Flag. Again, thank you for mentioning this! I really enjoyed this book as a good break and in general has a feel good vibe. When I can I breeze through on here and get ideas on what might be interesting to me to read. Pure fiction. Story is set around the once thriving railroad stop town of Whistle Stop, Alabama, and the intersection of characters over the years from the 30s to present. Seems to be an extension story of some sort on Fried Green Tomatoes, never read it, but watched the movie a very long time ago. Now I suppose I'll watch it again.

#8-The Great Depression: a diary by Benjamin Roth. Nonfiction book based on journal entries of one Youngstown lawyer entered over the periods from the stock market crash of 1929 through the 40s, and some follow back notes over years he added to. His son had the journals published. The author journaled his perspective of the financial and political landscape of his time as he viewed it from the stock market crash to WWII in the Hoover and FDR years, and also impacts on his business and profession. He remarks throughout on certain stock prices he follows through the years. Enjoyed his unpopular opinion of FDR policies. He takes a look at major news events and his direct observations of his times and journals his thoughts on some topics such business, government policies, unemployment numbers, one in four on government assistance, production impositions on farming yet starving people, assassination attempt on FDR, the state representative teargassing Wall Street over imbalance of wealth, labor strikes, farmers, intimidations on foreclosures, gold hoarding, inflation, devaluation of dollar, and war production and government, etc.

 

[mgarbowski]

3/24 "In A House Of Lies" by Ian Rankin. Book #22 in the Detective John Rebus Series
I bought this in October after the Strand Bookstore announced it was in danger of closing for good. Enough other people placed orders that it seems they are surviving. I skimmed the mystery section and this police procedural set in Edinburgh, Scotland caught my attention. Previously I had never read nor even heard of the author. It was a quick moving, enjoyable read, though I've seen reviews from people who have followed the entire series that suggests it might not measure up. If you think you might be interested in Scottish police procedurals, I'd say it's worth trying something from this author, but there's no particular reason to start with this book. On the other hand, I am fairly sure I did not miss anything by not previously being familiar with the characters or the history. It seems to be the type of series where one can dip in at any point.

 

[wishiwasindisneyjen]

#8/60 The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
I believe this one has been reviewed here (or last year) so all I am going to say is I really didn't care for it & was glad when I finished it.

I finished this one this week as well. I kept thinking it would get better since people loved it so much but I just found it ok.

 

[PollyannaMom]

RE: Isaac’s Storm by Erik Larson

Thanks for the review. Since we live close to Galveston (well in the big state of Texas, 6 hours away is relatively close), I considered this book. Now it sounds like I should go back and read it.

I recommend this one as well. I read it a couple of years ago after a waitress in a restaurant we love recommended it to me. Some of the personal stories were sad, of course, but the science and history were fascinating!

 

[mini22]

4/30 Spy by Danielle Steel

 

[HiStitch626]

10/100. Behind Closed Doors. By B.A.Paris

they seemed like the perfect couple, he had an important job defending the defenseless and she was the perfect homemaker. But not everything was as it appeared. This book started sort of slow and then picked up. It got really pretty creepy at the end. It just goes to show you that you never really know what’s going on in someone else’s marriage. 3.5/5

 

[HiStitch626]

11/100. Little Fuzzy by H. Beam Piper
12/100. Fuzzy Sapiens by H. Beam Piper
13/100. Fuzzies and Other People by H. Beam Piper

This was a series of books that was actually written and published back in the early 60s. It’s about a planet that people from earth have settled and used for its resources. One of the resources they look for is small gemstones. One day one of the gemstone hunters comes across a small creature. Is this just an animal or is it actually a sentient being. The series of books focuses on that question and then how the humans and the fuzzies come to interact with each other on the planet. I found these books going through some bookcases at my parents house. I don’t think anyone had touched them in years. I found all three books just delightful and was very sad to learn that the author actually died after the second one and the third book was published posthumously. I wish he had lived to write more. 5/5

 

[HiStitch626]

14/100 A Life on our Planet. By David Attenborough

This is the companion book to the Netflix program. I just love Attenborough’s work, both his writing and his films. This book focuses on the current crises that are facing our planet and the things that we can do to change them. The book is hopeful, but also realistic. I like that one of the things he talks about is that we can all do little things and then if enough people do the little things and eventually that will lead to big things. But, he also focuses on things that governments and organizations will need to do, because individuals won’t be able to do enough on their own. 5/5

 

[mgarbowski]

4/24 "I Am Margaret" by Corinna Turner. Young adult dystopian fiction with a Catholic POV. I don't read a lot of YA fiction but I don't avoid it either. I cannot remember how I learned about this book/series. I give it 3/5 stars. I think those who are more in the target audience might appreciate it more. But to me, compared to the other YA fiction I occasionally indulge in, this came off as a little bit juvenile. I also found the world building a bit disappointing, though that is not a weakness of the writing but a result of the main character spending the entire book inside a prison of sorts. I won't say why. Though revealed and explained fairly early, part of the fun of the book is figuring out exactly what is going on. It is written first person by someone who assumes the readers are part of that world and knows many things we do not, so it actually takes a few chapters to make sense of it, and I even went back to reread some sections after it came together in my head. But because the narrator is inside this facility we don't really get a full view of the society and that's part of why I sometimes enjoy dystopian YA fiction.

Also, I dd not finish this in 1 day. I read it more or less simultaneously with my book #3 and finished one a day before the other. Took about 2 weeks to get though both of them.

 

[bobbiwoz]

13/50 Jingle All the Way by Debbie Macomber

I wanted to read this around Christmas, it’s a tradition to read her Christmas stories. It was OK, 3.5/5. Would like more imaginative stories!

 

[mom2febgirls]

5/50 - A Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee - meh

6/50 - All the Colors of the Night by Jayne Anne Krentz - I've been reading her books since the late 80s. I read her books for nostalgia mostly these days (thank you library) because the last decade has seemed phoned in :'(