Reading Challenge 2022

[drwitz]

Hey folks, as we move into the holiday weekend (and boy do I need one), the weather turns chilly and it becomes time to curl up on a sofa with a good book (or two, or three) and a cup of your favorite beverage (or two, or three).

It's also time (for me at least) to ask the question: who is going to host the Reading Challenge next year? @willowsnn3 has done such a great job this year. I would nominate you again. But does someone else want to step up? I have a very busy year the coming year (2023) with professional obligations else I would. Just queuing up my reading list for next year (and hoping to finally finish my King readthrough).

And as a holiday gift, I would like to share a poem I wrote for the holiday season. May you and yours find peace and rest...

"Rest for the Weary"
12/2001

Rush,
from the house to the job
from the bank to the day care
from the school to the
Rush

Run
Hurry, hurry through the day
Hurry, hurry get it done
Hurry, hurry need to
Run

Fast
Feed the dog, pay the bills
Feed the kids, clean the dishes
Feed the ego, feed the
Fast

Quick
See the windows and the sales,
O..p..e...n u....p m...y m...i...n....d s......e......t......s s.........a..........i............l

And
I
pause…

Breathe

Drink
in
the
holiday

Revel in the winter gift of lazy do-nothing holiday days when the winter white snow falls and time stands still and all of my cares slip from the knots in my stomach and the stress in my shoulders and the only time I care about is now and the only place I need to be is here and I have arrived…

If only I could stay here forever

But it’s…

Back,
To the office to the school,
To the store and to the bills
To the hustle and the
Back

I want to go back
To the holy day and rest.

(C) Daniel T. Barkowitz. No further publication without permission of the author.

 

[willowsnn3]

It's also time (for me at least) to ask the question: who is going to host the Reading Challenge next year? @willowsnn3 has done such a great job this year. I would nominate you again. But does someone else want to step up? I have a very busy year the coming year (2023) with professional obligations else I would. Just queuing up my reading list for next year (and hoping to finally finish my King readthrough).

Thank You!
In the famous words of Truett Cathy "My Pleasure"
I was about to come on & ask pretty much the same if someone else wanted to host the 2023 thread. It pretty much runs itself, lol.
If someone else wants to host, just put a link to the new thread here so we can find it.

 

[willowsnn3]

And as a holiday gift, I would like to share a poem I wrote for the holiday season. May you and yours find peace and rest...

"Rest for the Weary"
12/2001

I love this! Please put a copywright to it tho so no one will steal it from you.
I am not good at writing anything so my mantra every year is going around singing Merle Haggard's "If We Make It Through December"

 

[drwitz]

I love this! Please put a copywright to it tho so no one will steal it from you.
I am not good at writing anything so my mantra every year is going around singing Merle Haggard's "If We Make It Through December"

Done!

 

[melk]

33/35 The Messy Lives of Book People by Phaedra Patrick

Liv is the housekeeper for best selling, recluse author Essie Starling. Essie has a final wish that involves Liv, changing her life and relationships as secrets from the past are uncovered.

Not one of my year’s favorites but enjoyable enough.

I won’t hit my goal of 35 books this year but I came close. I’ve enjoyed reading about what everyone else has read as my “books to read” list grows longer!

 

[drwitz]

It was a busy weekend (not much else to do when you are feeling fine but quarantined with COVID - day 10 here), so I got a lot more reading done. Among the books I read, I also watched the 11/22/63 miniseries on Hulu. It was good, but -- no surprise -- I liked the book better (lol).

I also pushed so I could reach book 100 with this update.

97. The Wind Through the Keyhole by Stephen King

This is a book in the Dark Tower series but written after the series was finished. In chronological order it is book 4.5, but it really can be read as a standalone. The story is really a story within a story within a story -- our heroes are stuck inside during a freak storm (a starkblast) and Roland tells the ka-tet a story from his youth (during which he tells a story to a young boy). Trust me, it works. I loved returning to these characters and the story is well constructed. If you enjoy the series (or just want an introduction to the Gunslinger), you could do worse.

98. The Disney Revolt: The Great Labor War of Animation's Golden Age by Jake Friedman

I've read biographies of Walt where they have covered the labor strike at Disney and Walt's management of it (including his flight to South America to remove himself from the stress of the dispute) but most books have moved quickly over this period. This wonderful history dives deep into the conflict, introducing us to the real historical figures involved, providing an early history of animation, and diving into the struggle that brought the Walt Disney company to near collapse. A well-researched and fascinating read for anyone interested in Disney history.

99. Joyland by Stephen King

Wow. I love this book. And nothing I write here will do it justice. Just, please, do me a favor and read it. This short novel tells the story of a young man (college age) working at an amusement park in North Carolina in the late 1970s and his coming of age. It is memoir, murder mystery, and a treatise on living. What a beautiful novel that showcases King's stunning gift for character, memory, and emotion. I was in tears at the end. Yes, there is a little supernatural touch (with a ghost of a murdered young girl who may be appearing in a ride), but that is really beside the point. Come for the mystery, but stay (and enjoy) the beauty.

100. The Dark Man by Stephen King with illustrations by Glenn Chadbourne

Randall Flagg is King's essential villain, appearing in The Stand, The Dark Tower series, and other King work. This poem, which King wrote in college, was his first attempt at describing the Dark Man, and this short, illustrated version was the perfect way to end my 100 books (so far) for the year. "I have stridden the fuming way / of sun-hammered tracks and / smashed cinders; / I have ridden rails / and burned sterno in the gantry silence of hobo jungles: / I am the Dark Man".

Three more King books before the year ends.

101. Doctor Sleep by Stephen King

This sequel to The Shining reunites us with the story of Danny Torrence, now an adult. We see how his "gift" (his shining) has treated him through his adolescence into his adulthood, and how he has become an alcoholic just like his father. After hitting bottom, and finally finding his way out of addiction, Dan also finds himself in connection (and communication) with a much younger person with the same (or even more powerful talent), and also find himself helping her as she comes to the attention of a group of malevolent beings intent on stealing her power to feed themselves. I LOVED this book. It was classic King, and very readable and enjoyable. I appreciated "closing" the chapter on The Shining, and the callbacks and references are really wonderful. I also highly recommend this movie (and the movie does a nice job of fitting the story into the Kubrick version of the story).

102. Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King

This is a classic who-dun-it. Well, it's King, so of course it's a little different than a classic. In this case, someone drives a Mercedes into a group waiting at a job fair, and flees the scene. Years later, the retired detective who worked on the investigation is contacted by someone claiming to be the killer. Fairly quickly into the story, we -- the reader -- are introduced to the murderer, and the novel tells us the story of the inevitable rush to identify and stop the killer before he can do something even worse. This novel introduces some wonderful characters who will appear again in several books (Kermit William "Bill" Hodges, the detective; Brady Hartsfield, the villain; Jerome Robinson, a teenage wunderkind who helps Bill; and Holly Gibney - who appears later in the novel - who is a social awkward and brilliant adult). A fun and quick read.

103. Revival by Stephen King

So, they can't all be winners. I didn't love this novel (it was King, so I still enjoyed reading it though). This one tells the story of the connection between a session guitarist who is a recovering drug abuser and a lapsed reverend obsessed with harnessing the power of secret electricity. The story spans 5 decades, starting with their connection in Maine when the guitarist was a child, all the way to their final connection 50 plus years later. Lots of shades of Mary Shelley and H.P. Lovecraft here, but it just didn't wow me. If you've read this one and disagree (or agree), I would love to hear your thoughts!

Happiest of holidays to all! Back to reading another King book!

 

[willowsnn3]

 

[willowsnn3]

Three more King books before the year ends.

101. Doctor Sleep by Stephen King

This sequel to The Shining reunites us with the story of Danny Torrence, now an adult. We see how his "gift" (his shining) has treated him through his adolescence into his adulthood, and how he has become an alcoholic just like his father. After hitting bottom, and finally finding his way out of addiction, Dan also finds himself in connection (and communication) with a much younger person with the same (or even more powerful talent), and also find himself helping her as she comes to the attention of a group of malevolent beings intent on stealing her power to feed themselves. I LOVED this book. It was classic King, and very readable and enjoyable. I appreciated "closing" the chapter on The Shining, and the callbacks and references are really wonderful. I also highly recommend this movie (and the movie does a nice job of fitting the story into the Kubrick version of the story).

102. Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King

This is a classic who-dun-it. Well, it's King, so of course it's a little different than a classic. In this case, someone drives a Mercedes into a group waiting at a job fair, and flees the scene. Years later, the retired detective who worked on the investigation is contacted by someone claiming to be the killer. Fairly quickly into the story, we -- the reader -- are introduced to the murderer, and the novel tells us the story of the inevitable rush to identify and stop the killer before he can do something even worse. This novel introduces some wonderful characters who will appear again in several books (Kermit William "Bill" Hodges, the detective; Brady Hartsfield, the villain; Jerome Robinson, a teenage wunderkind who helps Bill; and Holly Gibney - who appears later in the novel - who is a social awkward and brilliant adult). A fun and quick read.

103. Revival by Stephen King

So, they can't all be winners. I didn't love this novel (it was King, so I still enjoyed reading it though). This one tells the story of the connection between a session guitarist who is a recovering drug abuser and a lapsed reverend obsessed with harnessing the power of secret electricity. The story spans 5 decades, starting with their connection in Maine when the guitarist was a child, all the way to their final connection 50 plus years later. Lots of shades of Mary Shelley and H.P. Lovecraft here, but it just didn't wow me. If you've read this one and disagree (or agree), I would love to hear your thoughts!

Happiest of holidays to all! Back to reading another King book!

Revival wasn't one of my favorites either. But I loved Mr Mercedes Trilogy. The series on Peacock was pretty good also.
Mr Mercedes kinda/sorta reminds me of David Baldacci's Memory Man/Amos Decker series (without the supernatural parts of course)

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Does anyone do reading challenges? Remember the Amish one I did this year. I belong to a lot of reading groups and I don’t know if I want to commit to something like that again. I felt pressured and it took some of the joy of reading away. Groups are already getting ready for the new year challenges.

Hopefully I will have 3 short novellas done by the end of the year.

 

[willowsnn3]

Does anyone do reading challenges? Remember the Amish one I did this year. I belong to a lot of reading groups and I don’t know if I want to commit to something like that again. I felt pressured and it took some of the joy of reading away. Groups are already getting ready for the new year challenges.

Hopefully I will have 3 short novellas done by the end of the year.

I think about it occasionally but then, nah....lol.
I kinda signed up for one on Facebook a couple years ago, can't remember the group's name but every once in awhile I look at the category list they have & think....I don't want to read anything in that category. At this point in time I pretty much only read fiction in genres that I enjoy. Rarely read non fiction unless it is really something I am interested in.

 

[KevM]

Does anyone do reading challenges? Remember the Amish one I did this year. I belong to a lot of reading groups and I don’t know if I want to commit to something like that again. I felt pressured and it took some of the joy of reading away. Groups are already getting ready for the new year challenges.

Hopefully I will have 3 short novellas done by the end of the year.

I have done a couple reading challenges over the years but I don’t stress myself out if I don’t compete them. Over the years I’ve done the 52 Book Club Challenge, the Popsugar Challenge, and Book Riot’s Read Harder Challenge. I’ve also done some personally challenges like A-Z, which I’ve done for both titles and author names. I’m going to go through what I’ve read over the last few years to see what countries I’ve read and will start to slow only make my way to covering every country. I’ve also figured out that I have read a book published from 78 of the last 123 years (1900-2023) so I am also going to work on reading a book from the 45 years I have left to cover.

 

[drwitz]

Three more King books before the year ends.

101. Doctor Sleep by Stephen King

This sequel to The Shining reunites us with the story of Danny Torrence, now an adult. We see how his "gift" (his shining) has treated him through his adolescence into his adulthood, and how he has become an alcoholic just like his father. After hitting bottom, and finally finding his way out of addiction, Dan also finds himself in connection (and communication) with a much younger person with the same (or even more powerful talent), and also find himself helping her as she comes to the attention of a group of malevolent beings intent on stealing her power to feed themselves. I LOVED this book. It was classic King, and very readable and enjoyable. I appreciated "closing" the chapter on The Shining, and the callbacks and references are really wonderful. I also highly recommend this movie (and the movie does a nice job of fitting the story into the Kubrick version of the story).

102. Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King

This is a classic who-dun-it. Well, it's King, so of course it's a little different than a classic. In this case, someone drives a Mercedes into a group waiting at a job fair, and flees the scene. Years later, the retired detective who worked on the investigation is contacted by someone claiming to be the killer. Fairly quickly into the story, we -- the reader -- are introduced to the murderer, and the novel tells us the story of the inevitable rush to identify and stop the killer before he can do something even worse. This novel introduces some wonderful characters who will appear again in several books (Kermit William "Bill" Hodges, the detective; Brady Hartsfield, the villain; Jerome Robinson, a teenage wunderkind who helps Bill; and Holly Gibney - who appears later in the novel - who is a social awkward and brilliant adult). A fun and quick read.

103. Revival by Stephen King

So, they can't all be winners. I didn't love this novel (it was King, so I still enjoyed reading it though). This one tells the story of the connection between a session guitarist who is a recovering drug abuser and a lapsed reverend obsessed with harnessing the power of secret electricity. The story spans 5 decades, starting with their connection in Maine when the guitarist was a child, all the way to their final connection 50 plus years later. Lots of shades of Mary Shelley and H.P. Lovecraft here, but it just didn't wow me. If you've read this one and disagree (or agree), I would love to hear your thoughts!

Happiest of holidays to all! Back to reading another King book!

OK folks. Here is my last (I think) update of the year (unless I do a whole heck of a lot of reading in the next two days). And @willowsnn3 I am still looking for that 2023 post so I can make my pledge for next year (and finally [?] finish my Stephen King readthrough).

104. Finders Keepers by Stephen King

The second novel in the Kermit Hodges trilogy, this is another page turner. We begin with the story of a murder of a famous author in the 1970s and we also read in parallel of the discovery of the spoils of that robbery in the 2010s. The connection to Mr. Mercedes is that the young boy who finds the "treasure" is the son of one of the victims of the tragedy that took place in the earlier novel. We don't reunite with Hodges, Robinson, and Gibney until about halfway through the novel, although once they enter, they clearly become major players in the story. Another great crime story with only a hint of the supernatural.

105. The Bazaar of Bad Dreams by Stephen King

The next collection of King's short stories, although some are really more like novellas. This collection includes Blockade Billy which I reviewed above, as well as 19 other stories and poems. Each of these stories is a beautiful (and yes, sometimes terrifying) reflection on life, humanity, love, loss and death. King is a master in this form, and it is a pleasure to be able to sit and read one of his stories from beginning to end in one sitting. Standouts include "The Dune" (with the best surprise ending ever), "Ur", and "Obits".

Now off to line up my choices for 2023!!! Happy New Year to all!

 

[Simba's Mom]

My last 2 books of 2022-

56/56-Nantucket Sisters by Nancy Thayer, 4 stars. A feel-good book about how the friendship of 2 different girls, from the opposite sides "of the tracks" intertwine.

57/56-The Codebreakers Secret by Sara Ackerman, 3 stars. Told in 2 generations, one of which was as a code breaker for the government during WWII. Set in Hawaii. I found the parts about the code breaking very interesting, but I have little interest in Hawaii and there was too much emphasis on romance. Overall, a disappointment for me, but somewhat interesting.

 

[willowsnn3]

#56/55 Shipwreck (Island #1) by Gordon Korman
6 Kids.
1 Shipwreck.
1 Desert Island.
Luke, J.J., Will, Lyssa, Charla, and Ian. They didn't want to be on the boat in the first place. They didn't want to be stuck at sea with a bunch of strangers. But when you're in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, there's no easy way out. And when a terrifying storm hits, there's no way to fully prepare. It's all about survival

Ok, so leaving my library a couple weeks ago, there was a table set up with a few "free books" on it. Not much of interest there but when I picked this one up I had some 'Lord of the Flies' vibes, lol. So I grabbed it & had pretty much forgotten about it til a couple days ago. It is a Scolastic book geared more to early teens but I really liked it. They didn't have books 2 & 3 on the table but I have put them on hold so hopefully soon I will get to finish the series. Probably next year tho.

 

[willowsnn3]

https://www.disboards.com/threads/reading-challenge-goals-for-2023.3904936/

For all who want to continue in 2023!

 

[MGMmjl]

29/30 - Hidden in Snow by Viveca Sten (Translated by Marlaine Delargy)

Description:
"The splendor of the Swedish mountains becomes the backdrop for a bone-chilling crime.

On the day Stockholm police officer Hanna Ahlander’s personal and professional lives crash, she takes refuge at her sister’s lodge in the Swedish ski resort paradise of Åre. But it’s a brief comfort. The entire village is shaken by the sudden vanishing of a local teenage girl. Hanna can’t help but investigate, and while searching for the missing person, she lands a job with the local police department. There she joins forces with Detective Inspector Daniel Lindskog, who has been tasked with finding the girl. Their only lead: a scarf in the snow.

As subzero temperatures drop even further, a treacherous blizzard sweeps toward Åre. Hanna and Daniel’s investigation is getting more desperate by the hour. Lost or abducted, either way time is running out for the missing girl. Each new clue closes in on something far more sinister than either Hanna or Daniel imagined. In this devious novel by the bestselling author of the Sandhamn Murders series, discover what it will take to solve a case when the truth can be so easily hidden in the coming storm."

This was an Amazon First Reads for November. It's the first time I've gotten one of those free books, but the premise sounded interesting, and I thought I would give it a try. I'm glad I did as I really enjoyed the mystery and the descriptions of Sweden.

With that, I will end up one book shy of my goal for 2022. I look forward to participating in the reading challenge again in 2023!

 

[goofytinkerbell]

1

 

[Shellsbutt]

Hello, updating with the last 3 books of the year

23/25- Quentins by Maeve Binchy- I was familiar with this author(Circle of Friends) when I bought this book through the donation program at the library. I did not like this story though. It took me a while to get through, it was just too tedious. The main character is a restaurant called Quentins and the story is about the different people who work there or are regulars at this place. It was just odd.

24/25-French Lessons: Adventures with Knife, Fork, and Corkscrew by Peter Mayle- This was a very amusing and highly descriptive book about some quirky food festivals that the author participates in, all in France.

25/25-The Complete Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter-I'm continuing my tradition from last year of reading a well loved children's book(Winnie the Pooh was 2021). I actually hadn't read some of these stories before, love them and all her illustrations.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

Happy New Year everybody.
#8 The Dungeon's Anarchist's Cookbook. (Dungeon Crawler Carl Book 3)
Same as other two and now I do regret reading this series. Has anybody ever read the last book in a series to see what happens? I really like writing its just alll three books were the same.And I can't keep going.)

#9 The Pupil by Me and Joan
I have to read most of the book that write several times in editing process but this one even more as it was co-written though I provided majority of writing. Really feel its my best and looking for representation as opposed to self pub route.

Not traveling to work on subways 5 days a week has really affected my reading totals this year.


Anyone is interested in reading any of my works I would gladly send kindle gift versions of any of them: “Written for You”, “Three Twigs for the Campfire”, “Cemetery Girl” or “Reigning”.
You can see them all reviewed on Goodreads (click on link to view books). If you are interested in reading any of them please message me here or at Goodreads. I would greatly appreciate the effort.

 

[KevM]

Well thanks to having a lot of leave this month an not doing a whole lot outside of the house I read 38 books in December to finish off the year with 252 books.

215) Whiteout by Dhonielle Clayton , Tiffany D. Jackson , Nic Stone , Angie Thomas , Ashley Woodfolk & Nicola Yoon – YA Contemporary/Romance/Short Stories. 4.25/5

216) Love, Loss, and What We Ate: A Memoir by Padma Lakshmi – Memoir. 3.75/5

217) A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy – Contemporary. 3,75

218) She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindien – YA Romance. 4.25/5

219) Sigh, Gone: A Misfit's Memoir of Great Books, Punk Rock, and the Fight to Fit In by Phuc Tran – Memoir. 4.5/5

220) Amazing Peace: And Other Poems by Maya Angelou – Poetry. 4/5

221) Five Tuesdays in Winter by Lily King – Contemporary/Short Stories. 3.75/5

222) If on a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino (Translated by William Weaver) – Classic/Magical Realism. 3.75/5

223) The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden – Historical Fantasy. 4.5/5

224) The Indisputable Existence of Santa Claus: The Mathematics of Christmas by Hannah Fry and Thomas Oléron Evans – Mathematics. 3/5

225) Into the Riverlands by Nghi Vo – Fantasy. 4/5

226) Girls of Fate and Fury by Natasha Ngan – YA Fantasy. 4.5/5

227) The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen – Travel/Nature. 3.5/5

228) Secret Santa by Andrew Shaffer – Horror. 3.5/5

229) Middlegame by Seanan McGuire – Fantasy. 4/5

230) The Worst Journey in the World by Apsley Cherry-Garrard – Memoir. 4/5

231) The Krampus and the Old, Dark Christmas: Roots and Rebirth of the Folkloric Devil by Al Ridenour and Sean Tejaratchi – History. 4/5

232) The Kwanzaa Brunch, A Holiday Novella by D. L. White – Contemporary/Romance. 4/5

233) Rock Crystal by Adalbert Stifter (Translated by Elizabeth Mayer & Marianne Moore – Classic. 3.5/5

234) A Treasury of African American Christmas Stories edited by Bettye Collier-Thomas – Short Stories. 4/5

235) Lucky Girl: How I Became A Horror Writer: A Krampus Story by M. Rickert – Horror. 3.25/5

236) Dickens and Christmas by Lucinda Hawksley – Biography/History. 4/5

237) Holidays Are Hell by by Kim Harrison, Lynsay Sands), Vicki Pettersson, and Marjorie M. Liu – Urban Fantasy/Anthology. 3/5

238) How to Spell Chanukah and Other Holiday Dilemmas edited by Emily Franklin – Essays. 3.25/5

239) The Return of the Light: Twelve Tales from Around the World for the Winter Solstice edited by Carolyn McVickar Edwards – Folklore. 3.5/5

240) The Children's Blizzard by David Laskin – History. 3.75/5

241) In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette by Hampton Sides – History. 4/5

242) Carving Out a Living on the Land: Lessons in Resourcefulness and Craft from an Unusual Christmas Tree Farm by Emmet Van Driesche – Nature. 3.5/5

243) Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan – Historical Fiction. 4.25/5

244) Old Christmas by Washington Irving – Classic. 3/5

245) This Year It Will Be Different: And Other Stories by Maeve Binchy – Short Stories. 3.5/5

246) Hark! The Herald Angels Scream edited by Christopher Golden – Horror/Short Stories. 3.5/5

247) Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks: A Librarian's Love Letters and Breakup Notes to the Books in Her Life by Annie Spence – Memoir/Essays. 3.5/5

248) How to Excavate a Heart by Jake Maia Arlow – YA Romance. 4.25/5

249) Amor Actually: A Holiday Romance Anthology edited by Mackenzie Walton – Romance/Short Stories. 4.5/5

250) How to Walk by Thich Nhat Hanh – Philosophy. 4/5

251) Inciting Joy: Essays by Ross Gay – Essays. 5/5

252) Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey – Health. 5/5