2023 Reading Challenge @ Melbourne Mama

 It looked as if this wasn't going to happen this year, but it's here now. 

MUST READ BOOKS FOR MELBOURNE MAMMA’S 2023 READING CHALLENGE

• A book with 23 letters in the title: The Undertaker's Assistant--Amanda Skenandore
• A book with water on the cover: On Ocean Boulevard--Mary Alice Monroe
• A book with a title starting with ‘The’: The Love Hypothesis--Ali Hazelwood
• A book with a three-word title: Meet Cute Dairy--Emery Lee
• A classic: Dombey and Son--Charles Dickens
• A book you keep seeing: I Kissed Shara Wheeler--Casey McQuiston
• A book set in a different time period: Night Fire--Catherine Coulter
• A book set in the city / town / state where you live: 22 Seconds--James Patterson
• A book with a number in the title: Three Sisters, Three Queens--Philippa Gregory
• A bestseller from 2003: The Da Vinci Code--Dan Brown
• A book with a green cover: Tokyo Dreaming--Emiko Jean
• A book about an inspirational person: So-Called Normal--Mark Henick

EXTRA BOOKS TO READ

• A book you can finish in one day: Almost American Girl--Robin Ha
• Re-read a favorite book: The Garden of Small Beginnings--Abbi Waxman 
• A book you borrowed from a library: Yerba Buena--Nina LaCour
• A book you bought secondhand: Death of a Blueberry Tart--Lee Hollis
• One of my favorite reads from 2022: Verity--Colleen Hoover
• A crime novel: Death of an Italian Chef--Lee Hollis

Challenge completed on August 26

#Jewityourshelf Challenge @ Instragam

 This is another I want to join, at Instagram.  It's only four categories and a bonus one.

1. By an Orthodox Jew: My Name is Asher Lev--Chaim Potok
2. Jewish iconography on the cover: The Jew in the Lotus--Rodger Kamenetz
3. Jewish Genre fiction: The Ex Talk--Rachel Lynn Solomon
4. Jewish book published in 2023: Once More With Feeling--Elissa Sussman

BONUS: National Jewish Book Award Winner: The Gift of Asher Lev--Chaim Potok

Challenge completed on July 29

Reading Challenge 2023 @The Black Experience

 Another I want to take on. It's a very good and diverse theme to read and explore:

1. Published in 2023: Maame--Jessica George
2. About a single mom: Seven Days in June--Tia Williams
3. By your favorite black author: Odd One Out--Nic Stone
4. "Blood" in the title: Blood Like Magic--Liselle Sambury
5. Got from the library: The Pretty One--Keah Brown
6. Book that will improve your life: The Path Made Clear--Oprah Winfrey
7. Historical fiction: The Black Kids--Christina Hammonds Reed
8. Written between 2000-2010: The House at Sugar Beach--Helene Cooper
9. Cozy mystery: Dead Dead Girls-Nekesa Afia
10. By a black man: The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman--Ernest J. Gaines
11. Black and white cover: Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head: Poems--Warsan Shire
12. Flower on the cover: Parable of the Talents--Octavia E. Butler
13. Graphic novel: Stuntboy, In the Meantime--Jason Reynolds
14. Written before you were born: Blues For Mister Charlie--James Baldwin
15. Non-fiction: White Women--Regina Jackson
16. Book featuring sisters: Homegoing--Yaa Gyasi
17. Interesting font on the cover: What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day--Pearl Cleage
18. Set on an island: Summer on the Bluffs--Sunny Hostin
19. Queer protagonist: All Boys Aren't Blue--George M. Johnson
20. Door on the cover: The Magic in Changing Your Stars--Leah Henderson

BONUS READING:

1. Explores the supernatural: The Deep--Rivers Solomon
2. Features a character being racially profiled: All American Boys--Jason Reynolds
3. Book of poems: Black Girl, Call Home--Jasmine Mans

 

Challenge completed on September 25

Decisions

It's something I am trying to do right now. It's been so long since I actually had an idea for a story. Meanwhile, I have begun sending my stories out again. One of them at least. I had about two rejections last year and have yet to hear from this one. I haven't sent out my memoir this year. And since I am still without ideas to write, I can't say when my next "book" will be, or what.

Trying to find blog topics for the new year has been hard as of yet. Even though it's not until April, I am already trying to come up with a topic for the A to Z Blogging this year. The A to Z blog has a new header for this year, but no info as of yet on this year's challenge. If I do it again, this will be my third time doing the A to Z.  So far my A to Z blogging themes have been the pandemic in 2021 and Forgotten TV Shows in 2022. Theme are not necessary, but many people choose to have one of the A to Z. Click above to see what the A to Z is about, if you don't already know and haven't seem my previous efforts. I have known about this challenge for years, but was hesitant to try until two years ago. Prior to that, I had seen and commented on other participants' blogs, including one that is no longer up. 

I am also deciding how many more challenges to sign up for. I know I already have a lot, but books can cross over. And some I have done in the past do not appear to be happening in 2023, so I am considering branching out to others. I cannot believe the classics one I have been doing for several years is seemingly not happening. A few I've done in the past I chose to skip this year. And I may just try blogging about books.

Rain and Friday the 13th

Yes, it's today. I've never been superstitious about this date, though in my neck of the woods we have been experiencing rain and floods that is expected to continue through next week sometime. It's been hard getting out, so I mainly have being going where I need to be. There was a break from the rain last Friday and yesterday. 

Again, I'm not superstitious about this date, but even after nearly three years, I still can't help thinking how many people did not seem to notice that the first week the pandemic was declared (in March 2020) included a Friday the 13th. 

As for now I'm trying my best to stay safe during the rain, however long it lasts.

Pro Book Nerds 2023 Reading Challenge

It looked as if this one wasn't going to happen this year, but here it is. It's another favorite so I had to do it. 

1. Greek myth retelling: Oh My Gods!--Stephanie Cooke
2. A popular YA series: The Long Winter--Laura Ingalls Wilder [re-read]
3. Book you ONLY picked for the cover: The Reunion--Meghan Quinn
4. Book with a map: Three Sisters, Three Queens--Philippa Gregory
5. Audiobook narrated by the author: Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head: Poems--Warsan Shire
6. The highest or lowest rated book on your TBR: Romantic Visionary--W.B. Yeats
7. A book with a bilingual character: The House of Broken Angels--Luis Alberto Urrea
8. A cookbook & make a recipe: No Bake Cookies, Bars & Pies
9. Read a poetry collection: Timeless Depths--Erica Varela
10. Read a friend’s FAVORITE book: Memoirs of an Addicted Brain--Marc Lewis
11. A book by an author with a pen name: The Yellow Phantom--Margaret Sutton
12. A book about found family: 1022 Evergreen Place--Debbie Macomber

Challenge completed on September 3

2023 Better World Books Reading Challenge

 I wasn't sure about signing up for anymore challenges but this one tempted me. Some of the ones I did in past years don't seem to be offered this year so I decided to try others.

January: Remarkably Bright Creatures--Shelby Van Pelt

February: A Long Way Gone--Ishmael Beah

March: Race Forever--R.A. Montgomery

April: Drums of Autumn--Diana Gabaldon

May: Josee, the Tiger and the Fish--Seiko Tanabe

June: The Best At It--Maulik Pancholy

July: Big Summer--Jennifer Weiner

August: The Start of World War II: The Flood of the German Tide--Christopher Chant

September: Tatiana--Martin Cruz Smith

October: Goosebumps: The Werewolf of Fever Swamp--R.L. Stine

November: Solito--Javier Zamora

December: Cold As Ice--Sarah Mlynowski

Challenge completed on December 2

2023 Reading Challenge @Blydyn Square Books

 Doing this one again.

1. Pronoun in the title: This is Where We Live--Janelle Brown
2. Number in the title: Three Sisters, Three Queens--Philippa Gregory
3. Author's most recent book: Once More With Feeling--Elissa Sussman
4. Geographical word (mountain, sea, etc.) in the title: Tomb of Sand--Geetanjali Shree 
5. White cover or spine: Lust & Wonder--Augusten Burroughs
6. Set in the 19th century: Night Fire--Catherine Coulter
7. Nonfiction: The Minimalist Home--Joshua Becker
8. Child as a character: Abby in Wonderland--Sarah Mlynowski
9. Verb in the title: Tending Roses--Lisa Wingate
10. One-word title: Red--Alison Cherry
11. Body or medical term in the title: Eyes of Wynter--Emmy R. Bennett
12. Set in NYC: Dear Edward--Ann Napolitano
13. Written before 1960: The Yellow Phantom--Margaret Sutton
14. Author who uses initials: The Green Ember--S.D. Smith
15. Funny book: I Need a Lifeguard Everywhere But the Pool--Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella
16. Makes you cry: Sitting Pretty--Rebekah Taussig
17. Read when you were younger: The Long Winter--Laura Ingalls Wilder 
18. Relates to your work: Memoirs of an Addicted Brain--Marc Lewis
19. Self-help/self-improvement: Anxiety Disorder--Lisa Fletcher
20. Photograph on the cover: The Pretty One--Keah Brown
21. Book in a series: Lilac Girls--Martha Hall Kelly
22. Prominent character dies: They Both Die at the End--Adam Silvera
23. Set in a seaside community/area: Beach House Reunion--Mary Alice Monroe

Challenge completed on August 6

January Bookish Bingo

The new card is here. 

My Books:

1. Anxiety Disorder--Lisa Fletcher (3 squares): Audiobook, Diet or Exercise, New Start/Start Over
2. Snow White and the Seven Robots--Stewart Ross (5 squares): E-Book, Curse or Spells, Wish, Vengeance, Unusual Mode of Transportation
3. Back in Black--Lori Foster (3 squares): Shelf Love, Physical Book, In a Series
4. This Where We Live--Janelle Brown (3 squares): Not in a Series, Meant to Read in 2022, Book Club Read
5. The Office BFFs--Jenna Fischer & Angela Kinsey (3 squares): Library book, Award-Winning, Free Space
6. Beach House Reunion--Mary Alice Monroe (2 squares): House on the Cover, Family or Chosen Family
7. Matchup--Lee Child (ed.): (3 squares): Short Stories/Anthology, Amateur Sleuth, Multiple Authors
8. Parable of the Talents--Octavia E. Butler (2 squares): Sci-Fi/Dystopia, Future Setting
9. The Ex Talk--Rachel Lynn Solomon (1 square): Free Book

25 squares completed on January 28

2023 Four Moon Reading Challenge

 I am once again doing the Four Moon Reviews challenge. This one started last year.

1. A book about/involving mental health: Memoirs of an Addicted Brain--Marc Lewis

2. A book involving magic: Blood Like Magic--Liselle Sambury

3. A book involving the road not taken (this can be a book character thinking about or reliving a what if situation OR a character who lives a life you once considered living): The Magic in Changing Your Stars--Leah Henderson

4. A book your favorite bookish social media personality loved in 2022: Once Upon a December--Amy E. Reichert

5. A book with a candy related term in the title (sweet, sugar, sour, hard, chocolate etc.): The House at Sugar Beach--Helene Cooper

6. Grab a random book you've never heard of OR don't know what its about. You can grab it from a book store, a library or your bookshelf, or literally anywhere: A Long Way Gone--Ishmael Beah 

7. 2022 Repeat Prompt!! Read a book and write a review!!: Dead Dead Girls--Nekesa Afia

8. A book with bones on the cover: Heart Bones--Colleen Hoover

9. A book with a shadow or reflection on the cover: They Both Die at the End--Adam Silvera

10. A book with a title that begins with a vowel: Orange, Volume 1--Ichigo Takano

11. A book about a controversial topic: A Shot to Save the World--Gregory Zuckerman

12. A book by a bipoc, lgbtq+, indie author: Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk--Kathleen Rooney

13. A book that has 290-300 pages: Lust & Wonder--Augusten Burroughs

14. A book that reminds you of something else, anything about the book could remind you of literally anything. Ex. A books side character reminds you of someone you know or the shade of blue on a cover reminds you of the sky. Use your imagination and have fun: Olga Dies Dreaming--Xochitl Gonzalez

15. A book with a foot on the cover: A Summer Affair--Elin Hilderbrand

16. A book you would consider trashy or a guilty pleasure: Tell Me Lies--Jennifer Crusie

17. A book that was gifted or borrowed: Timeless Depths--Erica Varela

18. A book with multiple POV: This is Where We Live--Janelle Brown

19. Pick One! A Sci-Fi or Horror book (you can pick a genre or a book that is both): The Silmarillion--J.R.R. Tolkien

20. Pick One! A Fantasy or Romance (you can pick a genre or a book that is both): Changeling--Molly Harper

21. Read two books that look alike - book 1: Winter Street--Elin Hilderbrand

22. Read two books that look alike - book 2: Dear Santa--Debbie Macomber

23. The next book in a series: Lost Roses--Martha Hall Kelly

24. A book that has a name in the title: I Kissed Shara Wheeler--Casey McQuiston

25. A book with a title or cover that has something Ocean related (ex. sea, salt, fish, wet etc.): Remarkably Bright Creatures--Shelby Van Pelt

26. 2022 Repeat Prompt!! A Retelling: Snow White and the Seven Robots--Stewart Ross

27. A book that reminds you of a song: Burn Baby Burn--Meg Medina

28. A book with your favorite trope or on your favorite topic: So-Called Normal--Mark Henick

29. A book with a cover that makes you happy: Pink Lemonade Cake Murder--Joanne Fluke

30. Read a book and recreate the cover through any art form you like: The Garden of Small Beginnings--Abbi Waxman [re-read]

Challenge completed on December 15

Foodies Read

 Doing this once again.

My Books:

1. Queerly Beloved--Susie Dumond
2. Yerba Buena--Nina LaCour
3. Death of an Italian Chef--Lee Hollis
4. Stake & Eggs--Laura Childs
5. Love, Lists & Fancy Ships--Sarah Grunder Ruiz
6. Death of a Blueberry Tart--Lee Hollis
7. Citizen Coke--Bartow J. Elmore
8. Calypso, Corpses and Cooking--Raquel V. Reyes
9. Taste: My Life Through Food--Stanley Tucci
10. Claws For Alarm--Cate Conte
11. The Story of Wine in California--M.F.K. Fisher
12. No Bake Cookies, Bars & Pies
13. Magic Candies--Heena Baek
14. Pink Lemonade Cake Murder--Joanne Fluke
15. Pizza and Taco: Dare to Be Scared--Stephen Skaskan
16. Once Upon a December--Amy E. Reichert
17. Gingerbread--Helen Oyeyemi
18. Twisted Tea Christmas--Laura Childs
19. The Twelve Dates of Christmas--Jenny Bayliss
20. Tragic Toppings--Jessica Beck

Calling challenge complete on December 29

2023 Poetry Reading Challenge

 Another favorite! Picking option 2.

Levels of Participation:

1. Sign up for the Academy of American Poets Poem-a-Day service
2. Read at least 1 book of poetry; you can find some I’ve reviewed
3. Set a personal reading goal (5 books, 10 books, etc.) and share your reviews or comments with me

My Books:

1. Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head: Poems--Warsan Shire
2. Romantic Visionary--W.B. Yeats
3. Golden Honey--Erica Varela
4. For Everyone--Jason Reynolds
5. Zen Ties--Jon J. Muth
6. Timeless Depths--Erica Varela
7. Black Girl, Call Home--Jasmine Mans
8. The Hill We Climb--Amanda Gorman
9. Limericks--Michael Palin
10. Good Morning Zoom--Lindsay Rechler
11. The Business of Fancydancing--Sherman Alexie
12. The Elf on the Shelf's Nightmare Before Christmas--Chanda A. Bell

Calling challenge completed on December 8