Annual Reading Challenge--2020

[KevM]

I like your taste in fiction... Have you read any Lovecraft? King?

At some point I need to make my way through your list above!

I read a lot of Lovercraft when I was younger. King, I’ve read most of his big name works but not much else.

 

[melk]

39/25 Troubles in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand

The final book in the Paradise trilogy. Things get wrapped up in St. John for the Steele family.

I liked this book, I thought it brought the series to a satisfying ending.

 

[jen7233]

Finished 28/20:

26. Travels With Charlie In Search of America by John Steinbeck. Story about this writer's travel around America with his dog, to get a sense of what is the pulse of America, was it what he thought, and then write that story. Nice little quick snippet into that era of time in 1960 with some things like Kennedy/Nixon, Ruby Bridges, kindness of random strangers, growing materialism, how times of changed, etc. Not everything as he writes it happened exactly, and not all dialogue either, some things were weaved in for narration.

27. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. Should not have read, not my type of things I want to read about, and I watched the show so I knew. I like dystopian stories, is the only reason I tried it, but no. Will skip on reading the next one.

28. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout. I saw this title on here multiple times, wasn't going to read it because the name sounded like some kind of romance novel, or some oddball American Girl story! I don't always read all the details if given on the books read here,and look at the title and a line or two But it seemed to be read quite a bit here by other posters, and so I thought, give it a try. Well, reading it I was pretty surprised, I thought it was good!

 

[luvmarypoppins]

I haven't posted in so long. I had to spend 6 days in the ICU again. I swear my mind turns to mush after they keep me in a coma overnight. I even bought a book to read but couldn't hold it well with an iv.

I have been reading mostly novellas to help my mind focus again.

17/30 Organized for Picnic Panic by Ritter Ames. - Small town Vermont friends try to solve a murder in this cozy mystery.

18/30 Alaskan Christmas Redemption by Belle Calhoune - Two friends discover their true feelings for each other during the holiday season with a happy ending.

19/30 Pancakes and Pleas by Gretchen Allen - A small town waitress and friends solve a murder in this cozy mystery.

20/30 A Midnight Clear by Trish Perry - Single girl finds love during the holiday season

 

[Allison Joy]

14/15
The Lost Gate by Orson Scott Card
A fantasy story about Danny, who comes from a family of "mages" that make the world's ghosts, fairies, trolls, warewolves, etc. Danny is first thought to be without powers, until he discovers he is a gatemage, the most powerful type of mage. Families have been ordered to kill any gatemages that are born, so Danny must escape to live in the "drowther" or non-magical world.

You're somewhat thrown into this book and forced to figure things out as you go along, but I suppose that is par for the course for fantasy/sci-fi books. It's pretty good overall.

 

[Colleen27]

#112/156 - Alone Time by Stephanie Rosenbloom

Part narrative, part sociological treatise on the benefits of traveling solo, with plenty of practical and philosophical advice for navigating the world without company, this was a really enjoyable, inspiring read. It was particularly refreshing to read a book like this written from a woman's point of view - so many of the grand adventure memoirs out there are written by men and leave me, as a female reader, feeling more "it must be nice" than "I'd like to try that someday". Rosenbloom doesn't shy away from talking about issues of safety for a woman traveling alone, but at the same time makes the case that the world is a less dangerous place than we tend to perceive it as and that the benefits of traveling alone are worth taking some well-managed risks. And her descriptions of her destinations - Paris, Istanbul and Florence - as well as of her approach to experiencing her hometown of NYC with new eyes convey a sensory impression of each place that makes the reader want to visit themselves.

#113 - Too Wilde to Wed by Eloisa James

A late-night romance e-book pick, this one was a fun read full of lively characters, though perhaps a bit implausible in the many ways the main characters flouted the conventions and social norms of the regency era in which the story is set. But I'm not looking for historical accuracy when I pick up a book like this; I'm looking for the kind of story that makes the reader smile, and this was definitely that.

#114 - Fifty Words for Rain by Asha Lemmie

I loved the first 90% of this book. The main character is heartbreaking and charming, and her journey is absolutely enthralling through all of its dramatic twists, but the ending.... It just didn't feel consistent with who the character was throughout the rest of the story, and it turned what felt like it was building up to be a story of rising above terrible origins and hardships into something rather fatalistic and dismal. It was one of those stories where you can understand the creative choices that went into choosing to end it that way but the ending was just so brutal in its repetition of the stories of her own origins.

#115 - Man's Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl

One of the most influential books of all time for good reason. This is a tough read, particularly through the first section in which Frankl relates his experiences in concentration camps during WWII and uses his own experiences to give shape to his view of human psychology and philosophy, but immensely powerful. As someone with a forward-looking orientation in life, I found the introduction to his approach to psychotherapy, with its emphasis on meaning and reactions rather than on the endless delving into the past that seems like the more conventional approach, absolutely fascinating and affirming.

 

[willowsnn3]

14/15
The Lost Gate by Orson Scott Card
A fantasy story about Danny, who comes from a family of "mages" that make the world's ghosts, fairies, trolls, warewolves, etc. Danny is first thought to be without powers, until he discovers he is a gatemage, the most powerful type of mage. Families have been ordered to kill any gatemates that are born, so Danny must escape to live in the "drowther" or non-magical world.

You're somewhat thrown into this book and forced to figure things out as you go along, but I suppose that is par for the course for fantasy/sci-fi books. It's pretty good overall.

I remember reading this one & really enjoyed it also

 

[willowsnn3]

I haven't posted in so long. I had to spend 6 days in the ICU again. I swear my mind turns to mush after they keep me in a coma overnight. I even bought a book to read but couldn't hold it well with an iv.

I have been reading mostly novellas to help my mind focus again.

17/30 Organized for Picnic Panic by Ritter Ames. - Small town Vermont friends try to solve a murder in this cozy mystery.

18/30 Alaskan Christmas Redemption by Belle Calhoune - Two friends discover their true feelings for each other during the holiday season with a happy ending.

19/30 Pancakes and Pleas by Gretchen Allen - A small town waitress and friends solve a murder in this cozy mystery.

20/30 A Midnight Clear by Trish Perry - Single girl finds love during the holiday season

Hope you are doing better now.

 

[willowsnn3]

Finished 28/20:

28. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout. I saw this title on here multiple times, wasn't going to read it because the name sounded like some kind of romance novel, or some oddball American Girl story! I don't always read all the details if given on the books read here,and look at the title and a line or two But it seemed to be read quite a bit here by other posters, and so I thought, give it a try. Well, reading it I was pretty surprised, I thought it was good!

This is me exactly! Maybe, just maybe I will break down & read this one...

 

[willowsnn3]

63/60 Agnes At The End Of The World by Kelly McWilliams
Agnes loves her home of Red Creek--its quiet, sunny mornings, its dusty roads, and its God. There, she cares tirelessly for her younger siblings and follows the town's strict laws. What she doesn't know is that Red Creek is a cult, controlled by a madman who calls himself a prophet.

Then Agnes meets Danny, an Outsider boy, and begins to question what is and isn't a sin. Her younger brother, Ezekiel, will die without the insulin she barters for once a month, even though medicine is considered outlawed. Is she a sinner for saving him? Is her sister, Beth, a sinner for dreaming of the world beyond Red Creek?

As the Prophet grows more dangerous, Agnes realizes she must escape with Ezekiel and leave everyone else, including Beth, behind. But it isn't safe Outside, either: A viral pandemic is burning through the population at a terrifying rate. As Agnes ventures forth, a mysterious connection grows between her and the Virus. But in a world where faith, miracles, and cruelty have long been indistinguishable, will Agnes be able to choose between saving her family and saving the world?

 

[Allison Joy]

63/60 Agnes At The End Of The World by Kelly McWilliams
Agnes loves her home of Red Creek--its quiet, sunny mornings, its dusty roads, and its God. There, she cares tirelessly for her younger siblings and follows the town's strict laws. What she doesn't know is that Red Creek is a cult, controlled by a madman who calls himself a prophet.

Then Agnes meets Danny, an Outsider boy, and begins to question what is and isn't a sin. Her younger brother, Ezekiel, will die without the insulin she barters for once a month, even though medicine is considered outlawed. Is she a sinner for saving him? Is her sister, Beth, a sinner for dreaming of the world beyond Red Creek?

As the Prophet grows more dangerous, Agnes realizes she must escape with Ezekiel and leave everyone else, including Beth, behind. But it isn't safe Outside, either: A viral pandemic is burning through the population at a terrifying rate. As Agnes ventures forth, a mysterious connection grows between her and the Virus. But in a world where faith, miracles, and cruelty have long been indistinguishable, will Agnes be able to choose between saving her family and saving the world?

Oh, this sounds good. Adding it to my "need to read" list. There are quite a few on there, so I'm not sure when I'll get to it, but this sounds like something right up my alley.

 

[OKW8297]

70. The Titans by John Jakes. Book 5 in the series. Set at the beginning of the Civil War. I really love this series.

 

[jen7233]

This is me exactly! Maybe, just maybe I will break down & read this one...

Ha, I'm not the only one then. I also watched the HBO Max four season episode of Olive Kitteridge this weekend since I finished the book, and was surprised to see Bill Murray in it. I hadn't looked at the cast except knowing Frances McDormand plays Olive.

I'm starting on the Still, Olive which is book two. The second one, it's a little too weird for me on one of the characters, and so far don't like it. Also don't see where Olive ties into this that well, at least so far. I hope it gets better.

 

[drwitz]

Well, it looks like I will be extending my Stephen King re-read-through into 2021 since I have taken a little bit of a detour. In keeping with my previous practice of books of a political nature, I will only post the name of the book and not a review. As always, feel free to private message me if you want my thoughts or want to share your thoughts on those titles.

61. Donald Trump v. The United States: Inside the Struggle to Stop a President by Michael S. Schmidt

62. Hoax: Donald Trump, Fox News and the Dangerous Distortion of Truth by Brian Stelter

63. The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson

This was an amazing and powerful read. The untold story of the relocation of Black and African-Americans from the South to the North as they fled the Jim Crow South, this magnum opus rights that wrong. Framed with the stories of three individuals who made the journey, but thoroughly researched (with more then 1200 oral interviews), this is a dense and thorough review. A Pulitzer Prize winner, and well-deserved. Cannot wait to read her next book (Caste is next on my list). HIGHLY recommended (and others on this thread have read it as well).

64. Caste: The Origins of our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson

This was another amazing read. Fair warning in that it does start out with a political bent but then she moves to the crux of her argument: that rather than talk about race in America, we should be looking at our troublesome history as one of caste. She compares three systems of caste: the American history of slavery and Jim Crow leading to today's situation, the case of the way Nazi Germany treated Jews, and the system of caste in India with the stratification of society including the so-called Untouchables (or Dalit). This was a powerful book and I highly recommend it.

65. Melania and Me: The Rise and Fall of my Friendship with the First Lady by Stephanie Winston Wolkoff

In keeping with my previous policy, I won't discuss or review this book here, but if you would like a candid opinion, let me know via private message.

 

[willowsnn3]

#64/60 The Unsung Hero of Birdsong by Brenda Woods
On Gabriel's twelfth birthday, he gets a new bike--and is so excited that he accidentally rides it right into the path of a car. Fortunately, a Black man named Meriwether pushes him out of the way just in time, and fixes his damaged bike. As a thank you, Gabriel gets him a job at his dad's auto shop. Gabriel's dad hires him with some hesitation, however, anticipating trouble with the other mechanic, who makes no secret of his racist opinions.
Gabriel and Meriwether become friends, and Gabriel learns that Meriwether drove a tank in the Army's all-Black 761st Tank Battalion in WWII. Meriwether is proud of his service, but has to keep it a secret because talking about it could be dangerous. Sadly, danger finds Meriwether, anyway, when his family receives a frightening threat. The South being the way it is, there's no guarantee that the police will help--and Gabriel doesn't know what will happen if Meriwether feels forced to take the law into his own hands.

I did enjoy this one. But forewarned, it is a children's book. Maybe pre teen.

 

[bobbiwoz]

37/25 Coal Miner‘s Daughter by Loretta Lynn and George Vecsey

Life story of Loretta Lynn. I had seen the movie over the summer and thought I would read the book to see if there were any more details about her early life. Really not much more than in the movie but it was a pleasant enough read. The funny thing it’s written just like she speaks. Having visited Nashville it was interesting to read about different spots like the Ryman. It was written so long ago she probably has a sequel, lol.

We were going to go to Pigeon Forge around Thanksgiving, and I like country music, so I got this to read along the way. Well, Covid changed our plans, but I read it at home. Glad I read it, never saw the movie, and yes, it was written a long time ago. The paperback library book is yellow with age and falling apart!

83/80

 

[melk]

We were going to go to Pigeon Forge around Thanksgiving, and I like country music, so I got this to read along the way. Well, Covid changed our plans, but I read it at home. Glad I read it, never saw the movie, and yes, it was written a long time ago. The paperback library book is yellow with age and falling apart!

83/80

Glad to hear you enjoyed it and I will say, if you can see the movie, watch it. It’s one of the rare cases where the movie is better than the book. You don’t get the benefit of the music by reading the book and Sissy Spacek and Tommy Lee Jones are excellent in it.

 

[KevM]

November has come to an end. With the ending of the month, comes my list of books I've read this month. I read 13 books, bringing my total for the year to 69. The books I read this month were:

57) Testosterone: An Unauthorized Biography by Katrina Karkazis & Rebecca Jordan-Young – Non-Fiction/Science. A debunking of what most people think testosterone is and an explaining of what it really is. The book looks at testosterone’s role is six areas: reproduction, aggression, risk-taking, power, sports, & parenting. 4/5.

58) A Black Women's History of the United Statesby Daina Ramey Berry & Kali N. Gross – Non-Fiction/History. Starting from the earliest Spanish exploration to today, this book focuses and emphasizes the roles that Black women have had in shaping this country. 4.5/5

59) Culture Warlords: My Journey Into the Dark Web of White Supremacy by Talia Lavin – Non-Fiction/Political Science. After repeatedly being the target of online antisemitism Lavin wanted to learn the intricacies of online white supremacist and other hate groups. 4.5/5

60) Let the People Pick the President: The Case for Abolishing the Electoral College by Jesse Wegman – Non-Fiction/Political Science. A history of the electoral college, starting with why we have it and moving to today. Followed by different ways we can move beyond it. 4.5/5

61) One Life by Megan Rapinoe & Emma Brockes – Memoir. Rapinoe’s memoir focusing on her activism. 5/5

62) Hopi Runners: Crossing the Terrain between Indian and American by Matthew Sakiestewa Gilbert – Non-Fiction/History. The book focuses on the 1880s to the 1930s, looking at the role of Hopi running in their traditional ceremonies, to Indian Residential Schools, all the way to the Olympics. 4/5

63) As Long as Grass Grows: The Indigenous Fight for Environmental Justice, from Colonization to Standing Rock by Dina Gilio-Whitaker – Non-Fiction/History/Environmentalism. The history of Indigenous’ fight for environmental justice, food & water security, and protection of scared sites. It highlights the leadership role of Indigenous women and argues that modern environmentalist needs to know this history in order to gin wisdom and inspiration for the continual fight. 4.75/5

64) Loving Sports When They Don't Love You Back: Dilemmas of the Modern Fan by Jessica Luther & Kavitha Davidson – Non-Fiction/Sports. From CTE, to abusers, to racist team names/mascots, to billionaire owners coercion local governments into spending taxpayer money on new stadiums, and beyond there are a lot of issues with sports. But there is also a lot that is good as well. This book looks at the issues and tries to see how both sports and we as fans can do better. 4.5/5

65) The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich – Young Adult/Historical Fiction. The story follows a year in the life of Omakayas and her Ojibwe community in the mid-1800s. 4/5

66) Our History Is the Future: Standing Rock Versus the Dakota Access Pipeline, and the Long Tradition of Indigenous Resistanceby Nick Estes – Non-Fiction/History. A look at Indigenous resistance throughout history, with a focus on the Oceti Sakowin. 5/5

67) When the Light of the World Was Subdued, Our Songs Came Through: A Norton Anthology of Native Nations Poetry Edited by Joy Harjo – Poetry. This poetry collection has over 150 Indigenous poets from close to 100 different nations. The poems range from the late 17thcentury to the 21st century. 4.25/5

68) This Land Is Their Land: The Wampanoag Indians, Plymouth Colony, and the Troubled History of Thanksgiving by David J. Silverman – Non-Fiction/History. The history of Plymouth colony centering the Wampanoag. A look at what the “First Thanksgiving” was and wasn’t and what came after. 4.25/5

69) The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin – Urban Fantasy. Every city has a soul. Every city also has a dark side. Luckily, every city also has its protectors. 4.25/5

 

[bobbiwoz]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it and I will say, if you can see the movie, watch it. It’s one of the rare cases where the movie is better than the book. You don’t get the benefit of the music by reading the book and Sissy Spacek and Tommy Lee Jones are excellent in it.

Good to know, thanks!

 

[willowsnn3]

We were going to go to Pigeon Forge around Thanksgiving, and I like country music, so I got this to read along the way. Well, Covid changed our plans, but I read it at home. Glad I read it, never saw the movie, and yes, it was written a long time ago. The paperback library book is yellow with age and falling apart!

83/80

Didn't read the book but I did see the movie.