Saturday, December 31, 2022

My Year in Reading

 Here are my Goodreads reading stats for 2022:

My Year in Books
80,461
pages read
Jamie Ghione
278
books read

You're My Little Pumpkin Pie by Natalie Marshal
Shortest Book
18
pages
Voyager by Diana Gabaldon
Longest Book
1,059
pages


Can't wait to begin again tomorrow! I'm still waiting for some challenges to post so I can sign up. I decided to skip a few I had done for the last few years. There was one I had been doing whose blog has been down for a while now.
I was only two books short of tying my 2021 total. 
My least popular book of 2022 was this one, by someone from my hometown. Another I read that also had no other reviews was this, also by someone in my home town, who was originally from New Jersey.

Staying Home for New Year's Eve

 Even before the pandemic hit, I had pretty much given up on going out on New Year's Eve. And once again, I will be staying home this year. Fear of getting sick (This happened the last time I was out at a bar on New Year's Eve; though I have since gotten flu shots) and fear of excessively large crowds are just two factors in my decision. And it has been raining in my neck of the woods. That certainly puts a damper on going out. It's hard for me just to get to the store in the rain! 

I don't feel I'm missing much by staying home. I don't even plan on watching the ball drop.

And here is some NYE humor.  Have a good one, everyone, whatever you are doing.







Friday, December 30, 2022

Feminist Reading Challenge 2023

 Doing this one again, at Instagram.




1. Read a book for #JanuaryinJapanTokyo Dreaming--Emiko Jean
2. A book by Jamaica Kincaid
3. A graphic nonfiction work: Almost American Girl--Robin Ha
4. A book by a writer from Oceania
5. Poetry by a woman of color
6. A feminist essay collection: White Women--Regina Jackson
7. About sex work
8. A book inspired by a fairytale from a country that is not your own
9. Historical fiction from a South-East Asian writer: Tomb of Sand--Geetanjali Shree 
10. About mental health
11. A queer love story: I Kissed Shara Wheeler--Casey McQuiston 
12. Fantasy by a woman of color: Parable of the Talents--Octavia E. Butler
13. A memoir by an African writer
14. By an Arab writer
15. Feminist work in translation 
16. A multi-generational family saga: Three Sisters, Three Queens--Philippa Gregory 
17. A book under 150 pages: Katherine Johnson--Tamra B. Orr 
18. A short story collection: Her Body and Other Parties--Carmen Maria Machado
19. By a disabled writer: The Pretty One--Keah Brown
20. By a Black British writer: Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head: Poems--Warsan Shire
21. About nature: The Girls of Atomic City--Denise Kiernan 
22. Published by a Black female writer before 1980
23. By a trans author / with trans rep: Meet Cute Dairy--Emery Lee

2023 Book to Movie (and TV) Reading Challenge

 

Doing this one again.

My books:

The Nerd Daily’s 2023 Reading Challenge

 Doing this one again.

  1. Recommended by the Nerd Daily:
  2. 2023 adaptation: Dear Edward--Ann Napolitano
  3. A sequel: Tokyo Dreaming--Emiko Jean
  4. Illustrated cover: Jackie & Me--Louis Bayard
  5. Debut author: The Astonishing Color of After--Emily X.R. Pan
  6. Title starts with K or N: Kiss & Tell--Adib Khorram
  7. Translated book: Tomb of Sand--Geetanjali Shree 
  8. Romance or Horror:
  9. Quoted by an author you like:
  10. Coming-of-age story: Homegoing--Yaa Gyasi
  11. Protagonist starts with S: Yerba Buena--Nina LaCour
  12. Surname could be a first name: Three Sisters, Three Queens--Philippa Gregory
  13. Standalone: Verity--Colleen Hoover
  14. Book you know nothing about: A Long Way Gone--Ishmael Beah
  15. Thrifted or gifted: The Undertaker's Assistant--Amanda Skenandore
  16. Award-winning book:
  17. Orange spine: The Gift of Asher Lev--Chaim Potok
  18. Guilty pleasure: Tell Me Lies--Jennifer Crusie
  19. Set in a small town: Tending Roses--Lisa Wingate
  20. Author you love: Beach House Reunion--Mary Alice Monroe
  21. Between 380-430 pages: The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs--Steve Brusatte
  22. Released in August 2023:
  23. 2022 release you neglected:
  24. Opposite side of the world: Lost Roses--Martha Hall Kelly
  25. Sun, moon or stars on the cover:
  26. Recommended by bookstore:
  27. Book with illustrations inside: The Green Ember--S.D. Smith
  28. Told from three perspectives: The Reunion--Meghan Quinn
  29. Sports or space:
  30. Two-word title: Queerly Beloved--Susie Dumond
  31. Silver on cover:
  32. A bilingual character: The House of Broken Angels--Luis Alberto Urrea
  33. Set in the summer: Summer on the Bluffs--Sunny Hostin
  34. From our #readwithpride series:
  35. Indie author:
  36. Chapters have titles: Seven Days in June--Tia Williams
  37. Selected by family or friend:
  38. Romantic interest starts with M: 1022 Evergreen Place--Debbie Macomber
  39. Author new to you: The Ex Talk--Rachel Lynn Solomon
  40. Dual timelines: Lost Autumn--Mary-Rose MacColl
  41. Author starting with L: Meet Cute Dairy--Emery Lee
  42. Title without "The": On Ocean Boulevard--Mary Alice Monroe
  43. Middle grade or nonfiction:
  44. Flora on cover: This is Where We Live--Janelle Brown
  45. Released in March 2023:
  46. #ownvoices author: The Black Kids--Christina Hammonds Reed
  47. Holiday that isn't Christmas:
  48. #booktok recommendation: I Kissed Shara Wheeler--Casey McQuiston
  49. Anthology: Matchup--Lee Child (ed.)
  50. Historical or fantasy:
  51. Book 15 years older than you:
  52. Features an animal:

Wednesday, December 28, 2022

Fairytale Reading Challenge

Doing this one again at Charity Rau.

This is a laid back challenge – you can read a retelling or the original fairytale. Some people also like to do the added challenge of watching a movie or tv show based on each fairytale. 







MAY: Diamonds and Toads (from Fairy Tales, Volume 1, at Project Gutenberg)


JULY:

AUG:

SEPT:

OCT:

NOV:

DEC:

Sunday, December 25, 2022

Friday, December 23, 2022

The 2023 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge

Once again doing this one, and setting my level at Fortnightly. I will then see how much further I get with the list. Click above to see  larger image of the graphic below.



Standards
A Classic
A Historical Fiction Book: The Gift of Asher Lev--Chaim Potok
A Thriller

Lost and Found
About a missing person:
About a civilization that no longer exists
About self-discovery: Dear Edward--Ann Napolitano
Book you find on your TBR list

Hobbies
About a hobby you do or would like to do
Cozy mystery with a hobby-related pun title
Memoir or biography about someone with an unusual hobby
A book from your "collection": Ellen Foster--Kaye Gibbons

Who Wrote That
Twofer: two books by the same author using different names (counts as
two books)
An author you have always wanted to read

Series or Not
Read (or re-read so you remember it) the first book in a series: Lilac Girls--Martha Hall Kelly
The second book in a series: Lost Roses--Martha Hall Kelly
Any book from a series: Sunflower Sisters--Martha Hall Kelly

Cuddly and Cute
Book by an author you'd like to hug: The Pretty One--Keah Brown
Book that makes you think of warm fires and cozy beds
Pair of slippers on the cover

Regarding the Moon
The word "tide" in the title
About a werewolf
A word in the title that rhymes with "moon" or "moony": Seven Days in June--Tia Williams

The Number Four
Book published in a year that contains a 4
Author whose first or last name is only four letters: Memoirs of an Addicted Brain--Marc Lewis

Preparing for the Robot Uprising
"Machine" or "mechanic" in the title
About rocket science: Rocket to the Moon!--Don Brown
Book with a cyborg, robot or AI character: Snow White and the Seven Robots--Stewart Ross
Steampunk book: Changeling--Molly Harper

Road Trips
Name of a street or highway in the title: On Ocean Boulevard--Mary Alice Monroe
Luggage on the front cover
Car, truck or bus on the cover: Race Forever--R.A. Montgomery

Initial Impression
Go ahead--choose a book because of its cover: The Reunion--Meghan Quinn
Author with initials in their name: The Green Ember--S.D. Smith
A book your initial reaction to is "I know I'll love this"
Book you expect will expand your initial knowledge of a subject

Weather or Not
Picture of a foggy street on the cover
"Chill" in the title
Nonfiction book about a natural disaster or weather event: Midnight in Chernobyl--Adam Higginbotham
Book set in winter: The Long Winter--Laura Ingalls Wilder [re-read]

Not As It Seems
Fiction with a real person as the protagonist: Jackie & Me--Louis Bayard
Book with an animal on the cover that is not that animal
Book title that begins with "how to" that is not a "how to" book
Book written by an author using a psedonym of the opposite gender

Taking a Flying Leap
Person jumping on the cover: Stuntboy, In the Meantime--Jason Reynolds
Book you want to dive into
Memoir or biography of a "daredevil"

Sparkles and Glitter
Gem in the title: Diamonds and Toads (from Fairy Tales, Volume 1, at Project Gutenberg)
Book whose cover makes you think of a middle school girl: Blood Like Magic--Liselle Sambury
Memoir by someone who might use glitter regularly
Gold writing on the cover

Matching
Book with a color that matches your shirt (on the day you start it)
About twins
With something on the cover that can be lit by a match: Blueprints--Barbara Delinsky

Love Them Critters
Author who has a pet listed in their bio
"Lion," "elephant," or "mouse" in the title
Book you would wrestle from the jaws of a tiger to read: Child of the Wolves--Elizabeth Hall

Shakespeare-Inspired
Romeo and Juliet--Balcony on the cover
Midsummer's Night's Dream--About fairies
Sonnets--Book of poetry: Romantic Visionary--W.B. Yeats

Bucket List
Elderly protagonist: Tomb of Sand--Geetanjali Shree 
Book you definitely want to read before you die
About a place you want to visit

Spirits
About alcoholic beverages
About ghosts
A book you hope will soothe your soul
Super cheerful person on the cover: Anna and Elsa's Hygge Life--Heather Knowles

Museums
Natural History--Book with dinosaurs in it: The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs--Steve Brusatte
Art--Well-known painting on the cover
Children's--Protagonist 12 or younger: Abby in Wonderland--Sarah Mlynowski
Maritime--About ships or sailing: Love, Lists & Fancy Ships--Sarah Grunder Ruiz 

Dinner Time!
Restaurant on the cover: Death of an Italian Chef--Lee Hollis
Book you'd skip a dinner date for
Book off a "Sizzling Summer Reads" list
Book you've been waiting to gobble up

Roots 
About going home: Homegoing--Yaa Gyasi
"Teeth" in the title
About our ancestors

The Darkness Around Us
Book that employs dark humor 
A "noir" book
Set someplace that has a "long night" during winter 
About finding hope when life is challenging: A Long Way Gone--Ishmael Beah 

Ain't That Sweet
Nonfiction book about sugar
With an adorable cover 
"Ain't" or "sweet" in the title
Set in a bakery or sweet shop: Queerly Beloved--Susie Dumond

Music
Instrument in the title 
Title that is a song name: Back in Black--Lori Foster
Musical notes on the cover
Memoir by a singer or musician: Open Book--Jessica Simpson

Wildcards
Book you can read in a day: Almost American Girl--Robin Ha
Book you wish you had written
Chess piece on the cover
Translated from a different language: The House of Broken Angels--Luis Alberto Urrea 



2023 Bingo Reading Challenge @ My Reader's Journey

 Another new one to me. I like the prompts on this one. A Harder version of the prompts is also available.

Bingo Challenge Normal Mode

First Row

Detective--Book with a mystery: Checked Out For Murder--Allison Brook

1, 2 in a series. – First OR second book in a series: Lilac Girls--Martha Hall Kelly

500+ Pages: Drums of Autumn--Diana Gabaldon

Rainbow heart: LGBT+ or BIPOC: Queerly Beloved--Susie Dumond

Novella: Ellen Foster--Kaye Gibbons

Second Row

3, 4, 5 in a series – third, OR fourth, OR fifth book in a series: Sunflower Sisters--Martha Hall Kelly

Red, Pink, Orange Cover or Spine: The Ex Talk--Rachel Lynn Solomon

3 Books: On your physical bookshelf: The Jew in the Lotus--Rodger Kamenetz

Number in the Title: Three Sisters, Three Queens--Philippa Gregory

UFO: Spaceship on the cover or with aliens.

Third Row

Black, Grey, White Cover or Spine: Open Book--Jessica Simpson

Audiotape: Audiobook or, if you don’t like audiobooks, a book in a genre you usually don’t read: Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head: Poems--Warsan Shire

Free Space: Tell Me Lies--Jennifer Crusie

Many Books: A book part of a series: Beach House Reunion--Mary Alice Monroe

A Book out of your comfort zone: The Minimalist Home--Joshua Becker

Fourth Row

Rabbit: Animal or Rabbit on the cover: The Green Ember--S.D. Smith

Green, Purple, Yellow Cover or Spine: Tokyo Dreaming--Emiko Jean

Record: A book published before you were born

I didn’t buy this one – A book from the library or an ARC: Lost Autumn--Mary-Rose MacColl 

Poetry, Nonfiction or Graphic Novel: Almost American Girl--Robin Ha

Fifth Row

A book by an author you never read before: Verity--Colleen Hoover

Knot: Book with a twist.

Reread or favorite author: The Long Winter--Laura Ingalls Wilder [re-read]

Castle: Fantasy, Romance or Castle on the cover: Changeling--Molly Harper

One Book: A standalone: This is Where We Live--Janelle Brown




23 Books in 2023 @Storygraph

I still don't use Storygraph, but saw this challenge via one of the people who signed up for my Memoir Challenge. This sounds like a good one. The original post at Storygraph is here.


  1. A book published in 2023
  2. A book with a gray cover The 23rd element on the periodic table is vanadium, a silvery-gray metal: Open Book--Jessica Simpson
  3. The third book in a seriesSunflower Sisters--Martha Hall Kelly
  4. A book by an author who shares your birthday The birthday paradox suggests that in a data sample of only 23 people, there is a 50% chance that two people will share a birthday: Drums of Autumn--Diana Gabaldon
  5.  A book that starts with the letter W W is the 23rd letter of the alphabet: White Women--Regina Jackson
  6. A book told from three perspectives or with three points of viewThe Reunion--Meghan Quinn
  7.  A book with a tricycle or other child-related object on the coverThe Minimalist Home--Joshua Becker
  8.  A book related to crime or about a crime The number 3 is written with a flat top to prevent fraud
  9. A book with a prime number in the title  23 is a prime number: Three Sisters, Three Queens--Philippa Gregory
  10.  A book that has been made into a movie 
  11. A book by William Shakespeare or a retelling Shakespeare was thought to be born on the 23rd, died on the 23rd, and Caeser was stabbed 23 times
  12. A book with a rabbit on the cover or in the title 2023 is the year of the rabbit: The Green Ember--S.D. Smith
  13.  A book containing a sport NHL legend Bob Nystrom, NBA’s Michael Jordan, and soccer superstar David Beckham all wore/wear the number 23 jersey (or so I read hahaha): Back in Black--Lori Foster
  14. A book that won the Nobel Prize In honor of John Forbes Nash, a mathematician who won the Nobel Prize and was fascinated with the number 23
  15. A book about a religion you don't practice The number 23 is a holy number in some religions: The Jew in the Lotus--Rodger Kamenetz
  16. A book written in verse or containing poetry  In an ode to the 3 little pigs, 3 blind mice, 3 bears...: For Everyone--Jason Reynolds
  17.  A book with a triangle (or pointed building/house) on the coverSecrets of the Tulip Sisters--Susan Mallery
  18. A book set in at least three different citiesLilac Girls--Martha Hall Kelly 
  19.  A book with shiny details on the cover, or a title containing a shiny synonym 
  20. A book with a title containing a word you don't know In honor of icositrigon - a 23-sided polygon: Anna and Elsa's Hygge Life--Heather Knowles
  21. A book containing Latin or that has been translated to or from Latin There are 23 letters in the classic Latin alphabet: The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs--Steve Brusatte
  22.  A book about the body, medicine, or science 23 chromosomes: A Shot to Save the World--Gregory Zuckerman
  23.  A book that makes you happy  23 is a happy number: 1022 Evergreen Place--Debbie Macomber