Around the Year in 52 Books discussion
2019 Plans
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Sarah's double-dipping ATY
Welcome Sarah! This was my first year for both ATY and PS. I started in January so I didn't pre-plan and without too much effort I was able to find a book that worked for both challenges fairly easily much of the time and it seems the same will be the case for 2019. Best of luck!
Aaaaand it's finished (near enough!).
And we're off!WEEK 20 :: A book featuring indigenous people of a country
There There, by Tommy Orange ★★★★☆
How it fits the prompt Features a large cast of Native Americans and stories pertinent to their experience, from an own-voices author.
Yeah...I didn't start at week one. My library hold was nearly up on this one and I really wanted to read it!
This book was such a rich experience. I have never read anything from the perspective of Native Americans, and I learned so much from this book. I can see why it has go so much attention, as it strikes me as a really important piece of work. The multiple character perspectives and storylines are all individually strong, and all come together to a devastating climax. Each character is nuanced and believable, and their stories were so captivating that I'd happily read stand-alone novels on any one of them. This is a well paced and cleverly told story, with humour and heartbreak in almost perfect balance. A must-read.
WEEK 01 :: A book that was nominated for or won an award in a genre you enjoySpecial, by Bella Bathurst★★★★☆
How it fits the prompt 2003 Orange Prize winner.
This won the Orange Prize (now the Women's Prize for Fiction) back in 2003. It's been sitting in my bookcase for almost just as long. I'm not sure why I didn't get around to it until now (apart from the fact that I had at one point over 200 tbrs keeping it company...slowly chipping away at that number).
This book was as if someone took my early teenage years and acted them out on the island from Lord of the Flies. I knew girls like these, and parts of me was like these girls too. The close quarters that these girls inhabit acts as a catalyst to push the familiar bullying, mental health issues and experimentation typical of that age to much murkier depths. Bella Bathurst has a real talent for crafting characters, particularly their insecurities, jealousies, maliciousness and desperation to grow up and to be wanted. It is the characters that drive this book, although the setting of a residential school trip was such a clever way to tell the story. This was an uncomfortable read, but a compulsive one.
I always enjoy your reviews, Sarah. Thanks for taking the time :)
Aww, thank you. I always wonder if I'm being a bit extra, but I love doing it. I really like reading other people's reviews too - I trust them more than the book blurb! Plus, I have literally no memory, and I like to have a record of what I thought of a book. It helps when I'm deciding which books to cull from my shelves or recommend to friends!
WEEK 41 :: A book from the 2018 GR Choice AwardsThe Great Alone by Kristin Hannah ★★★★☆
How it fits the prompt This won the historical fiction category.
Another read out of order, but again I had this as a library hold hangover from last year and it needs to go back. Hopefully I'll be reading in order from here on out.
I had seen this book recommended by a lot of readers I respect, and so I shouldn't have been surprised at how good it was. I don't know whether it was the incredible sense of place, or the vibrant characters, or the compelling story, but this book grabbed me and didn't let go. Alaska is more than just a setting for this story, it is a character all of its own and I loved the descriptions of its harsh beauty. This is a love story to the wilderness, as well as the story of a family escaping to the frontier in a mistaken attempt to build a new life. But they can't run away from the abuse, dependency and love that shapes their lives together, and in the claustrophobic isolation of Alaskan winter their cabin becomes a powder keg. The coming of age of Leni acts as the spark which causes it all to explode, as she sees the reality of her parents' relationship and tries to shape her own life. If you don't like to see your heroine put through the wringer, or if you struggle to suspend disbelief that one person could endure so much, then I'm just warning you that a lot happens in this book. The ending is a little too tidy, but to be honest I think after all that happens both the characters and the readers deserve it! A beautiful book that will stay with me...and has inspired me to add visiting Alaska to my bucket list.
WEEK 02 :: A book with one of the 5 W's in the title (Who, What, Where, When, Why)What We Keep, by Elizabeth Berg ★★★★☆
How it fits the prompt What We Keep
This story, of a woman travelling to see the mother who walked out on the family when she was just a child, really grabbed me and I flew through it. I think what pulled me in was the relationship between Ginny and her sister Sharla in the flashback story to the summer of 1958. I found the story of their mother as she struggled to grasp the threads of herself beyond the identity of mother compelling too, but the bond between the sisters was really well explored. Rich, witty and loyal yet dotted with power struggles, jealousy and competitiveness, I fell for those little kids and was so hurt on their behalf when what happened to them played out. It's unusual to read about a mother who leaves, and I thought that was an interesting topic to explore. But it was the characters that made this book for me.
WEEK 03 :: A book where the author’s name contains A, T, and YTraveling with Pomegranates: A Mother and Daughter Journey to the Sacred Places of Greece, Turkey, and France, by Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor★★★☆☆
How it fits the prompt Ann Kidd Taylor
At 34, I am both too young to relate to Sue's stage of life and too old to do anything more than give a wry smile to the worries of Ann. I also really dislike books about what I inelegantly term as "rich people problems." Two reasons why I shouldn't have enjoyed this joint memoir of a mother and daughter over analysing their relationships and careers as they swan about historic sites in Greece and France. And maybe enjoy is the wrong word, but something kept me reading. There's no denying that both authors are talented, and in particular I found Sue to make some incredibly beautiful revelations about aging, seeing your children grow and finding your place. Ann has a more grounded voice, and I found her chapters served as a palate cleanser between her mother's richer, more introspective ones. Because Sue goes deep. At first I felt stupid reading her chapters, inadequate because I don't wander through life seeing signs and signifies in every little thing, can't link things in my life to works of art or ancient mythology. But then I thought...it must be exhausting being Sue. Because I was getting brain ache just reading about it. It was revitalising to read Ann's chapters and realise that even her own daughter wasn't on such a maddeningly overanalysed plane of thought. Not to say that Ann's experiences weren't also coloured by a slight self-absorption, but she seemed to have a bit more self awareness about that. But a person's troubles should always be taken in context, and I suppose there is the argument that these two women with very comfortable lives are no less valid in their personal concerns than someone who writes a gritty memoir about their life on the streets. I'm glad I read this book, as there were some beautiful passages - I like to think that possibly this will be a book to turn back to as I read Sue's age, to find solace in the positive and comforting words she shares about aging. The book gave me the chance to lose myself in travel of a sort that I doubt I'll be experiencing myself any time soon. And has made me realise that I really want a glass pomegranate charm...
WEEK 04 :: A book with a criminal character (i.e. assassin, pirate, thief, robber, scoundrel etc)White Oleander, by Janet Fitch★★★★★
How it fits the prompt Astrid's mother is convicted for murder.
It's a good thing that I'm not the sort of person to highlight passages in books, because most of this novel would have been underlined. I was not expecting the beauty of this book, but was fully captivated by it almost from the first page. This is a full on story - Astrid, the daughter of an intense poet who is sent to prison for murdering her lover, is dealt a series of horrific hands in the foster care system whilst trying to define herself and the relationship she was with her mother. But there isn't anything in Astrid's journey that is just shock for shock's sake, and that is what makes this such a compelling read. Astrid is formed both by her experiences and by how she survives them, and it is this coming of age that really spoke to me. It is a heartbreaking and often uncomfortable journey, but at its core there is a strength and warmth. Fitch crafts a cast of rich, multifaceted characters and weaves such vivid scenes, that even in Astrid's darkest moments this story never left me cold. I loved this book.
WEEK 05 :: A book by Shakespeare or inspired by ShakespeareNew Boy, by Tracy Chevalier ★★★★☆
How it fits the prompt Based on Othello.
Disclaimer - I have never read Othello or seen it performed. All I know of Shakespeare's play which inspired this retelling is what I read of the Schmoop summary I glanced at before I read this book.
This is a dark exploration of the cruelty of children, the injustice of racism and the senselessness of bullying. Told over the space of one fraught school day where new boy, Ghanaian "O" becomes the only black kid on the playground, this is a dramatic and face paced read. Although I didn't go to school in the 70's, I was transported back to my own school days and thought that Chevalier really captured a lot of the sensations of that age. I thought the characters were really well established, and I thought the storyline was such a clever interpretation of the classic play. The only thing I struggled with was the age of the kids. I know at age 11 there was a lot of one-day relationships and heated games of kiss-chase, but I think if the characters had even been a bit older it would have seemed more believable. But that's such a tiny quibble really, in such a clever story.
WEEK 06 :: A book with a dual timelineBefore We Were Yours, by Lisa Wingate ★★★★☆
How it fits the prompt There is the story set in the modern day, and then story from the time of the scandal in the 1930's.
This is a book that winds its gentle Southern tendrils round you, and before you know it you're dragged into something much darker. A fictionalised account of the adoption scandal in Tennessee in the 1930's - where children were removed from their parents under often dubious circumstances and kept in poor conditions until they could be sold to the highest bidder - this book really surprised me. I was worried it was going to be another poorly written misery-lit, but it is sensitive, with moments of real insight. I loved the dual timeline, and felt the story was really balanced between Rill and Avery's stories. At first I wasn't that crazy about the modern storyline, but I warmed to it when it became more about uncovering the family secret. I had never heard of the scandal on which this story is based, but I feel those who were real life victims are honoured rather than exploited in this book. The characters are well formed and the story is paced just right to keep you turning the pages without relying on sensationalism. Considering the topic, this is a warming story of strength and family love that exceeded my expectations.
WEEK 07 :: 2 books related to the same topic, genre, or theme: Book #1 Motherland: Interviews with Mothers and Daughters, by Ann McFerran ★★★☆☆
How it fits the prompt I chose the theme of motherhood, and this gathers perspectives on that topic from lots of different women.
I wont labour this review, as I'm pretty sure this book is no longer in print. But this was an interesting read which featured a range of women from different backgrounds, cultures and family units. I enjoyed how honest a lot of the participants were, even those with high profile. It was poignant to note how different motherhood is perceived and experience by almost every woman interviewed for this book, proving that there really is no "perfect mother" or right way to do it. As a mother of sons I did find that a majority of observations the interviewees made about raising daughters were not unique according to gender. I don't know if that is telling of the passage of time since this book was published, or just that most of the mothers had only daughters. As a mother who doesn't always feel like she's doing the right thing, this was a comforting read.
WEEK 08 :: 2 books related to the same topic, genre, or theme: Book #2 I Loved You All, by Paula Sharp ★★★★☆
How it fits the prompt I chose the theme of motherhood, and this is a story both of a mother, a substitute mother figure, and the lengths certain people will go to in imposing their view that all pregnant women should be forced to be mothers, whether they want to be or not.
I bought this book a long time ago, and like many others it has sat on my shelves since then - not a reflection of the book, I just get distracted by new and shiny things and my reading hasn't always been as voracious as it now is. When I bought this I was keen to read books with abortion in the plot, as I was fairly new to the debate and keen to have my two passions of reading and reproductive freedom come together. I am still very much of that mind, and I wish I'd read this back then instead of letting it languish on my bookcase.
The characters in this novel are what really sold it to me. Penny, the narrator who recalls the happenings of the summer when she was 8, is perfect. She is wild but observant, and tells the story as she saw it, but with touches of hindsight from her older perspective. Her innocence adds a level of compassion, particularly to the fanatical anti-choice Isobel, that my reading and personal opinion benefitted from. To begin with, I was wanting a more abhorrent character than Isobel, as I wanted someone I could be angry at. I also wanted a more dramatic storyline. I'm glad now that I didn't get that. The mixed feelings towards Isobel that the rest of the well-rounded cast hold mirrored my own and made this book a really rich experience. And the smaller scale of the anti-choice actions meant that this story didn't depend on sensationalism or exploitation to make its point.
Given the subjects of parental alcoholism, religious fanaticism and abortion, this novel is actually quite gentle in many ways. It strives for balance whilst making a powerful statement about self-righteousness and the danger of patriarchal involvement in the reproductive choice debate.
WEEK 09 :: A book from one of the top 5 money making genres (fantasy) The Book of Speculation, by Erika Swyler ★★★☆☆
How it fits the prompt I'm not entirely sure it did. (view spoiler) I didn't know that until I'd finished the book though, as I read it on good faith it was fantasy as tagged, so I'm still counting it for this prompt.
This is about as fantasy as I get...
This was an promising story about the history of a family tainted by tragedy from their travelling carnival past. Simon, living alone in his family's dilapidated clifftop home as it crumbles into the sea, is sent a mysterious book linked to his mother - the circus mermaid who drowned herself. He has to unravel the dark family secret in time to protect his sister from a similar fate. There was a lot to like in this story - I can't resist the lure of an old-time travelling circus, and am always fascinated by things like tarot cards. I thought it was well paced, though at points it did seem a bit slow. Although not a difficult mystery to unravel I did enjoy seeing it played out. I wasn't crazy about the characters though, something stopped me feeling very much for them. For having such interesting backgrounds and lives, they seemed a bit flat. I think that stopped the story having as much impact for me as it could have. Still, it was a decent read and good for those of us who like our fantasy a bit more real.
WEEK 10 :: A book featuring an historical figure The Tattooist of Auschwitz, by Heather Morris ★★★☆☆
How it fits the prompt This is based on the real person, Lale Sokolov, who, whilst imprisoned in Auschwitz, had the role of tattooing new prisoners with their ID number.
My rating is for the book, and not for the story behind it. I feel bad for giving such a middle-of-the-road rating, but I really didn't feel that the book lived up to the story. This is based on the real story of Lale Sokolov, the Jewish prisoner held for three years in Auschwitz-Birkenau, and the lengths he went to in order to survive and protect those he cared for in the camp whilst falling in love with a fellow prisoner.
Morris' writing is...spare. I wasn't surprised to find that this book started life as a screenplay, because honestly it didn't read much deeper than that even in novel form. I found it really lacked the emotion and atmosphere that this incredible story deserved. The writing left me feeling quite cold towards Lale, which was probably my biggest disappointment. This is very much his story and he is obviously the centre of it, but in the telling it made him come across as almost arrogant, as if he was the only person who was willing to strive and try for himself or others. But I think it only came across that way because the other characters were so underdeveloped.
This book is not all bad. The pace is really good, and there are moments which really grabbed me - such as when Lale is sent into the gas chamber to confirm the identity tattoo on one of the bodies. And nothing can detract from what it is at it's core - a survivor's account of staring into the abyss of human nature and using all his strength, courage and wit to survive, a love story against all odds, and a powerful reminder of the true evil which powers prejudice.
I can see why this has been such successful book, as this is a story that needs to be told. I just wish it had been told in a better way.
WEEK 11 :: A book related to one of the 12 Zodiac Chinese Animals (title, cover, subject) Fever Dream, by Samanta Schweblin ★★★★☆
How it fits the prompt This book won a Rooster (Tournament of Books)
This is such an unsettling book. I went into it having heard it called a horror story, which is not my typical genre. And this is a horror, but not in the ghosts and gore way. This is a much deeper kind of terror. Amanda lies in a woefully inadequate country hospital, close to death and with no doctor to hand. Her only company seems to be the son of a woman she has met whilst staying in a holiday home with her young daughter. The son his mother calls a monster, and who implores Amanda to relive the moments that brought her to her hospital bed. The undercurrent of darkness and anxiety drags you along, and I couldn't put this book down. It plays on the fears of a mother, of being unable to protect your child and what happens when the perfectly described rescue distance is breached. I'm still trying to figure out what has really happened in this story, and how I feel about it...
PS challenge? What is that?Darn. I thought you meant you were using books for more than one task. Now I'm totally feeling behind the curve! 🚣
Celeste wrote: "PS challenge? What is that?Darn. I thought you meant you were using books for more than one task. Now I'm totally feeling behind the curve! 🚣"
It's the Popsugar reading challenge, this will be my third year doing it and it was my gateway drug to reading challenges! It has a group on GR too - https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
I know that other people do use a book for more than one task, particularly for the PS challenge. My take on it is that the challenge is yours to make it how you want to - if double dipping within the challenge works for you, then go for it! At the end of the day, if you're stretching your reading and finding great books to do it with, then you've won already :)
WEEK 12 :: A book about reading, books or an author/writerI'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life, by Anne Bogel ★★★★☆
How it fits the prompt This is about books and reading and is by an author who draws from her own reading life. Pretty much hits the prompt from every angle!
I've been a fan of Anne's podcast What Should I Read Next for a couple of years now, so I was excited to read this. First up, it's a lovely wee book - no annoying dust jacket, just a beautiful cover which feels nice in your hands. And you can judge this book by its cover, because the inside is just as lovely. I enjoyed each of these essays on my favourite hobby, she has such an easy style. It's like a conversation, not a lecture. So much of the reading life she talks about resonated with me. And thanks to this book, I will never overlook the acknowledgements in a book every again! Now I'm going to look up some of her mentions on GR to add to my (also enormous) TBR...
WEEK 13 :: A book that is included on a New York Public Library Staff Picks listBad Feminist, by Roxane Gay ★★★★☆
How it fits the prompt Chosen by Nancy Aravecz in 2016
This is a really great collection of essays, essays which each have a primarily pop culture hook but which go into something so much deeper in Gay's examination of them. The pieces get stronger as the book goes on, and I found myself almost shouting in agreement with her when it came to her observations. And it didn't matter where those observations came from - I hadn't read or watched or been aware of most of the books, tv, film or people Gay discusses, but that didn't stop my enjoyment at all. I'm always open to hearing about the perspective of people of different races and ethnicities to me, and so I really enjoyed the discussions around black people in media. Particularly The Help, which I am familiar with and actually really enjoyed...until I had my eyes opened to its flaws by writers like Gay. It's reading works like this that expand my way of viewing the world and questioning the stereotypes and tropes we assume to be true, whether it comes to novels or police brutality, movies or terrorism. Gay's discussion of feminism spoke to me 100%, and I think it's important that people recognise that a feminist isn't one thing or another, that all it takes to be a feminist is to want equality. Not to dress or live or act a certain way, but just strive and desire that equality. Weaving that into all her other opinions makes this much more accessible, and makes feminism seem more relevant than the heavy feminist discourse can. I enjoyed the memoir aspects worked into the essays too, and am looking forward to reading more of her stuff.
WEEK 14 :: A book with a title, subtitle or cover relating to an astronomical termThe Lady Astronaut of Mars, by Mary Robinette Kowal ★★★★☆
How it fits the prompt You can't get closer to the stars than an astronaut.
This is a great short story. It's heartbreaking, saying so much in so little time. I'm not a sci-fi reader, but Mars and space exploration are really just the stage for this story. This core of this story is about the difficult choice between two things you love, and about facing the end of life in a relationship, of someone you love becoming old and having to chose how to say goodbye. It's sensitive and beautifully told.
WEEK 15 :: A book by an author from a Mediterranean country or set in a Mediterranean country Answer Me, by Susanna Tamaro ★★★★☆
How it fits the prompt Tamaro is Italian, and the stories are set in Italy. The book is a translated work.
This collection of stories is pretty harrowing, I don't think there is a ray of sunshine in any of them. But that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Each story hooked me in with its rich telling and I felt for each of the protagonists (or, for those around them). These stories explore the line between love and hate, betrayals by those meant to love us, of the darkness of men and the complexities of motherhood. They touched me deeply, and the sadness of them has stuck with me. Sometimes, that's just as important as stories that lift you.
Great updates. Love seeing the ratings and your thoughts about each book.
WEEK 16 :: A book told from multiple perspectives Swan Song, by Kelleigh Greenberg-Jephcott ★★★★★
How it fits the prompt Though told in "one" voice (the narrator is a we), the narrator tells the story from multiple perspectives of the people in Capote's life.
Chronicling the rise and crushing downfall of Truman Capote, this book channels the nonfiction novel style that Capote himself made famous. The story focuses on the fallout following Capote's decision to publish, as thinly veiled fiction, the secrets his high society friends have trusted him with. To me, it's a story about horrible people doing horrible things to one another, though that is coloured by my bias against rich people problems. Far from taking away from my enjoyment, the fact I disliked most of the characters - including Capote and his harem of society "swans" - actually made this book even more of a page turner. Last year I read both Capote's In Cold Blood and Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann, giving me insight into his work and the world in which he lived. But apart from recognising a few names, I knew nothing of the high-profile people who inhabited Capote's universe, and was still able to enjoy the cattiness and bitchy gossip which forms the backbone of their existence. Underneath the bad behaviour and betrayals, though - not only Truman's but the myriad affairs, deceptions and using of others - runs something deeper. There are genuine friendships based on love, high emotions fueling misplaced actions, and true hurt feelings. Greenberg-Jephcott's strength lies in creating characters who can be bitchy and vapid while at the same time complex and vulnerable in their way. That combined with the depth of detail in this book shows this to be a real labour of love. I finished that last page with a tear in my eye not only for the whole sorry way things played out for Capote and his friendships, but also because there were no more pages left.
WEEK 17 :: A speculative fiction (ie fantasy, scifi, horror, dystopia) The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories, by Angela Carter ★★★★☆
How it fits the prompt I wasn't sure what speculative fiction was until the prompt came around, but these stories fit as they are a blend of horror and fantasy.
When it comes to fairy tales, I'm very much your Grimm sort of girl. Even as a child, I felt that there was something a bit too clean and soulless in the Disney versions. So this collection of short reworkings of classic stories such as Beauty and the Beast, Red Riding Hood and Sleeping Beauty, which explore the dark and sexual underbelly of these tales, was just my taste. It was a lot more literary than I had expected, and I found Carter's prose rich and just arcane enough for the gothic vibe of these stories. But it's the female empowerment slant that she gives most of these stories that I really enjoyed, turning a lot of these well-known archetypes from morality symbols into true heroines who own their sexuality and worth. These aren't retellings just for the hell of it, they're clever reimaginings which give the women back their voices.
WEEK 18 :: A book related to one of the elements on the periodic table of elementsHow to Breathe Underwater, by Julie Orringer ★★★★★
How it fits the prompt Ok, so water itself isn't an element, but H2O is probably the best known of all the chemical formulas so it is very related.
This is probably the best short story collection I've ever read. Often with collections, even in good ones, there are some stories that don't meet the same standard as others. That isn't the case here. Every single story is strong, moving, well paced and with brilliant characters and plots. I'd be hard pushed to pick a favourite, because I was totally captivated by the melancholia and bittersweet beauty of the stories. The common thread through all of them is how Orringer so perfectly captures the pivot point in her female protagonists' lives from which nothing will be the same. From the burden of guilt of surviving a car crash in which her brother's girlfriend dies, to watching her terminally ill mother say goodbye to a lifelong unrequited love, to being harshly initiated into the world of sexuality, the girls in these stories are not spared the full force of life. But the telling is beautiful and almost gentle enough to soften the blow. I loved this collection.
WEEK 19 :: A book by an author who has more than one book on your TBR If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things, by Jon McGregor ★★★★★
How it fits the prompt This is a reread, and I have read Even the Dogs by him too. I enjoy his writing and would probably read anything else of his, but specifically I have So Many Ways to Begin and This Isn't the Sort of Thing That Happens to Someone Like You on my TBR.
I have remembered this book fondly for 13 years (how has it been that long?!), and I don't often re-read books, so I was a bit worried about revisiting this. But I'm happy to report that this has stood the test of time. Everything I said in 2006 still stands - this is a wonderful book with an amazing plot. The writing is beautiful, poetic and captures British urban life so well. The apparently unremarkable day of the inhabitants of one city street is painted so vividly, right up to a dramatic and upsetting climax. I think what I appreciated more this time around was the strength of all the individual stories, particularly that of the elderly couple in the street and the dual plotline set three years later. I appreciated the ending more than I did previously, and the fact I didn't remember how it played out meant I got to enjoy (if that is the right word) the impact of it anew.
WEEK 21 :: A book from one of the polarizing or close call votes - linked to one of your favourite songs/artistsChronicles: Volume One, by Bob Dylan ★★☆☆☆
How it fits the prompt I grew up in a house where music was always playing and my dad's hobby was to make mixtapes from his vinyls for listening to in the car. Dylan was on pretty much every one of those mixtapes, and my parents used to play Sara and tell me it was my song.
I feel bad for giving only two stars to the man who was the beloved soundtrack to my childhood. Though after learning that there is a strong case against him for plagiarism in this book, I don't feel quite so stingy. Because although I've read a whole book about him, I don't feel I know Bob Dylan any better than when I started reading. Maybe if he had been more original with his writing, I'd have seen the real Bob more closely. But actually, I think my disappointment with this book runs deeper than that. I read this expecting more of a personal memoir, but it really is a portrait of the craft of being a musician. Dylan keeps the reader at arm's length, which is understandable given his deep unease with fame and privacy invasion. He focuses on his art, and his discussion of other artists is honest and interesting, showing a true passion for folk and music. But I felt there could have been more of Dylan the person in here, even within the boundaries of keeping the private life private. Without that, the whole thing felt a bit cold and pointless to me. I still love his music though, probably more now I know how much it means to him.
Week 22 :: A book with a number in the title or on the coverLanark, by Alasdair Gray ★★★★☆
How it fits the prompt The subtitle is a life in four books
How the heck do you form an opinion on a book like this? I can't decide if it was a head-fuck or just a mess, impressive or just rambling. But I think I liked it. This tome has been buckling my bookshelf for a long time. The sheer size of the thing always turned me away from it. So why did I buy it in the first place? Probably because it's set in my city, Glasgow. And it is, kind of. The subtitle is a life in four books, and some of these books tell the story of Thaw in 1950's Glasgow, and the others tell the story of Lanark, a sort of parallel universe version of Thaw living in a parallel universe version of Glasgow known as Unthank, where a year could last a minute, a day could last 25 hours. I flew through the story of Thaw, probably because this is the more realistic portion of the novel, which appeals to me much more as a reader. I really disliked Thaw, but seeing the Glasgow of my grandparents' era on the page - trams, art school, tenements and landmarks - was what sold his story to me (and added a star to my rating). I enjoyed Lanark's story too, but as I've never been won over by sci-fi anyway I did struggle with portions of it. Though having said that, I thought the journey through the intercalendrical space was fascinating and would love to see that on screen. This book is stuffed with social and political commentary which, given it was published nearly 40 years ago, is as depressingly accurate today as it was when it was written. Some of that got a bit dry and seemed to be just an excuse for the author to make a point of how big and clever he was...as I often feel with these magnum opus works from male authors. I zoned out, but ploughed through. I think it was worth the effort. Though I'm not sure I'd do it again.
Week 23 :: 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #1 Something OldThe Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson★★☆☆☆
How it fits the prompt Published in 1886, this book isn't exactly young.
I think my opinion of this book is jaded by its classic status and that I've come to it at a time in my reading where I'm just not very excited by the works of white, straight men. Even Scottish ones. My rating is based on my personal enjoyment, but I do appreciate that this has been massively influential and has stood the test of time. It's an interesting tale, short and to the point but with some important statements to be made on the fact that no one is either good or bad, or should be made to feel they have to suppress parts of themselves. I just...was expecting a bit more, given that I have heard references to this book for probably my whole life. More horror, more shock, more impact. But it was all just a bit too stiff.
Week 28 :: A book related to something cold (i.e. theme, title, author, cover, etc.)The Smell of Other People's Houses by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock ★★★★☆
How it fits the prompt This is set in Alaska, which always makes me think of snow and ice and all things chilly. I've read two Alaskan novels this year now, and it turns out that my perception isn't quite accurate - Alaska actually has seasons! But the snow/ice/chilly stuff does make an appearance in this book, so I'm not totally wrong.
I have to be honest, it was the title that made me pick this book. I have always been really aware of the way other people's homes smell, in a way similar to the characters of this book who are aware of their outsider status. I hadn't realised that this was a YA book, and actually it doesn't read as young as some others in that category do. The issues of loss, painful family dynamics and teenage pregnancy were dealt with in a way I would expect them to be in a "grown ups" novel, but with just a little less depth, possibly. It was that depth that I did find lacking though, as there are so many complex issues that the characters face that I wanted to really feel the emotions with them, but I appreciate that would have made this book too heavy for the readers Hitchcock had in mind. I think my desire for a deeper dive says a lot about how well the characters came across, and the strength of their stories. For such an easy read there is a lot going on in this book, and I really enjoyed all the different relationships and journeys that the characters have. It all tied up a bit too cleanly for me, but I think that is again a reflection of the fact that at 35 I'm not exactly the target audience for this book, rather than a criticism of the book. Because really, I have no criticisms - this is a compelling read that trusts a YA audience with complex issues, explored with some beautiful writing through the stories of believable characters.
Week 25 :: 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #3 Something BorrowedWide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys ★★★★☆
How it fits the prompt Rhys has borrowed characters from Jane Eyre to tell this story, a prequel to the classic.
I read Jane Eyre maybe ten years ago, and loved it. I was intrigued by the woman in the attic and I'm so glad that someone decided to tell her story. I really enjoyed this imagining of it, and fully believed that this was the history which paved the way to the events in Jane Eyre. I haven't read any post-colonial stories either, so that was fascinating to me too. The bitterness and tension between the former slave owners and the emancipated slaves creates such an uneasy atmosphere for a story which is tense enough on its own. Rhys has a beautiful way with words, the descriptions of people and surroundings in this book were so vivid, but the story doesn't get lost in that, it still moves forward. I don't know how this would land with readers who haven't read Jane Eyre first though, as the ending in particular would probably be confusing without context, but it definitely makes me want to do a reread with this new perspective. And of course, to read more of Rhys' work too.
Week 29 :: A book published before 1950Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert ★★★★☆
How it fits the prompt Published originally in 1856, my copy is older than me (published in 1982)
I'll be honest, I wasn’t looking forward to reading this book. I often have trepidation going in to classics, particularly ones written by men (blame Tolstoy and Pasternak for that). The fact that this was a male author writing about a woman did not fill me with positive vibes. But actually, if we ignore the ridiculous amount of fainting and all the smelling salts being thrown about, this was not too painful a read. Emma, or Madame Bovary as she becomes, is struggling with her lot in life, and although she comes across as callous and a bit spoilt she is also quite understandable. Maybe even relatable. She ultimately wants to feel loved, to be made to feel special, and to get more out of life. When she marries a small town doctor to escape her farmer’s daughter existence, she is disappointed to find that the man she has attached herself to just can’t, or won't, provide her with any of that to the extent which she had hoped. Her ways of coping with that are questionable, naïve and selfish, but I struggled to judge her harshly, as I don’t think she set out to hurt anyone and she often suffers more than those around her. I also think that Flaubert does a good job of reserving judgement (if we ignore the dramatic end to which she comes). I really enjoyed his writing, and a lot of the side characters provided interesting ways of exploring French society of the time. On my classics scale, this lands nearer the heights of the Brontes than the lows of the Russians.
Week 30 :: A book featuring an elderly characterGhostwritten: A Novel in Nine Parts by David Mitchell ★★★★☆
How it fits the prompt One of my favourite sections is the story of an old woman who lives on a Chinese mountain.
I read Black Swan Green last year and loved it, so was keen to read more of Mitchell’s work. Though with that also comes the fear of disappointment. I didn’t need to worry – this book is great. Like short stories on performance enhancing drugs, I loved seeing the links between each and how they came together at the end. Standouts for me were the old woman on the mountain and her experiences living through turbulent times of China’s recent history, and the physicists’ story of being torn between the top-secret world of her work and her small island family life. Though all the stories were complex and fully fleshed out, in turns endearing, funny and poignant. Mitchell tells a good story, but with both this and Black Swan Green it is his structuring and approach which really grabs me, elevating what are good stories to something that little bit more special.
Week 26 :: 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #4 Something BlueAll the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr ★★★★★
How it fits the prompt The blue cover, and also the blue diamond which features heavily in the story.
A lot of WW2 stories are told about or from the perspective of persecuted Jews, but this story focuses on the lives of a French girl and a German boy. Their stories show that the cruelty of the war touches all involved - families are pulled apart, people are forced to do things that go against their morals or which put them in danger, and that there are heroes and villains on both sides of any conflict. This is a beautifully written book, and I loved how the story switched perspectives and times. Marie-Laure's experience of navigating life in occupied France as a blind girl who is left in the care of her recluse uncle when her father is captured, and Werner's story as an orphan whose poor circumstances lead to him becoming a reluctant Nazi recruit, come together in such a perfectly heartbreaking way. This book is also a love story to the power of communication, the power of words to bring people together across even the most fraught divides. The connections between the characters in this book are so powerful and so beautifully woven, that they provide a warm counterpart to the terrible situations in which the characters find themselves. I'm confused at people who think this is a magical realism story, as to me the myth that surrounds the diamond which Marie-Laure's father is tasked to conceal (not a spoiler) shows just how powerful stories can be and how desperate people can go to extreme lengths to cling to any hope. I can't tell what I loved more about this book - the writing, the structure, or the observations about human connections. They all come together to make something really special.
Week 31 :: A children’s classic you’ve never readPeter Pan, by J.M. Barrie ★★★★☆
How it fits the prompt I never read this in childhood, but I also didn't grow up Disney. My Peter Pan experience was a beautiful pop-up book that I now know stuck closer to J. M. Barrie's story than Walt's version. It was such a joy to read the story and bring the pop-up illustrations to mind as I did.
I wasn't let down by this book, which can sometimes happen with such a well-known and adapted story. This is so much better than I could have imagined. The delicious nostalgia of that childhood dichotomy - of wanting unsupervised freedom, but also craving love and security - is tinged with a darker melancholia. My only complaint was Wendy's character, she was cloying and felt really one-dimensional, but I have to make allowances for the time... Still, seeing the roots of where my childhood obsession (the film Hook) came from more than made up for that, and stopped the ending breaking my heart quite so much.
Week 32 :: A book with more than 500 pagesThe Secret History by Donna Tartt ★★★★★
How it fits the prompt My copy had 629 pages. *phew* that's a biggie for me!
I'm normally put off by big books, but this came with it's praises sung by my friend who has a track record of recommending me books that end up on my favourites list so I was interested to read it. Plus, I enjoyed The Goldfinch last year so I was willing to brave the tome. This has hallmarks of books I haven't liked in the past though - rich college kids, a heavy dose of references to the ancient classics and a touch of fantasy. Thankfully, those elements worked well in this book, and I was utterly captivated. The pages flew by, I could have kept reading this far beyond the end. This book is proof that you don't need to like or relate to characters in order to be completely consumed by their story. And what a story it is. With mysterious teachers, ancient rituals and friends with more than one face, nothing is what it seems and you have to second guess every twist and turn. All you know going in to it is that Bunny is dead, and that he was murdered. Everything else plays out, dark and rich, as you hear Richard's account. I am mind blown that this was Tartt's debut.
Week 34 :: A book with a person's name in the titleGoldie the Dollmaker, by M.B. Goffstein ★★★★★
How it fits the prompt Goldie is the dollmaker
This book was always on my shelves as a child, and it resurfaced last year. The illustrations are so simple but so charming, and that is what always captivated me as a child. But I didn't actually remember what the story was about, beyond being about a dollmaker. It's actually a really touching story about the power of art, the beauty of creating just for that one person who will love what you have made. Lovely wee book.
Week 33 :: A book you have owned for at least a year, but have not read yetArlington Park, by Rachel Cusk ★★★☆☆
How it fits the prompt This has been on my GR to-read since 2013, but I think I bought it long time before I logged it!
I am always interested in books about the motherhood experience, and now that I'm in my mid-30's I do sometimes seek out stories which speak to my point in life. This book did that...though not in an entirely comfortable way. I loved that this was made up of snapshots from a group of women who live in the same suburb. I did struggle a little to distinguish some of them though, and I did feel that there wasn't a lot of diversity in either their lifestyles or their approach to their lives. I think my favourites were Solly with her lodgers, and Juliet with her school book group, and I wished there had been more to their strands through the book. I've read a few of Cusk's books now, and I absolutely love her writing and the way she can capture and put into words a feeling or sense that was previously intangible. But I do struggle with a certain coldness to her approach, which at times verges on remoteness and detachment. This is the first of her fiction books I've read, and that coolness creates a barrier around the characters. I struggled to feel anything for most of them due to that (and the fact that I have a bit of issue with privilege problems, which this book is rammed with). I wanted more from this book, but it just never quite lost the chill for me.
Week 24 :: 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #2 Something NewThe Widows of Malabar Hill, by Sujata Massey ★★★★☆
How it fits the prompt New-to-me author, first in a series.
This mystery set in 1920's British-ruled India was a joy to read. I learned so much as Perveen Mistry, the first female lawyer in Bombay, becomes involved in the lives of three widowed wives living behind the veil of purdah, after a murder in their home. I thought the setting was fascinating, both in terms of the women in seclusion and the wider context of India at that point in history. Massey brought so much of the different religious and cultural practices and the struggles of women living in such a society, and the racial disquiet of Indians under the rule of the British. But this is far from a textbook, as the mystery and the backstory of Perveen's journey through a traditional marriage to become the woman she is were just as fascinating. Perveen is a wonderful character, with the flaws of youth mixed with the intelligence and passion that her role requires. The story wound up to a realistic and satisfying conclusion, which I often feel lacking in mysteries. I really enjoyed this, and would definitely read further books in the series (which, given I usually avoid series, is praise indeed!).
Week 35 :: A psychological thrillerSister, by Rosamund Lupton ★★★★☆
How it fits the prompt Bea's sister is thought to have been suffering postnatal psychosis at the time of her alleged suicide. But was she...?
I'm no mystery/thriller regular, but I do enjoy them when I read them. This book was no exception. The story of a woman uncovering what happened to her sister when she was discovered dead, judged to be suicide. Through intimate conversation between Bea and her deceased sister, as she makes a statement to her lawyer, we find out that not all is as it seems in a story which involves a gene therapy trial on women pregnant with babies suffering from cystic fibrosis. I thought this was a clever story which kept a good pace and focused just as much on family ties and the impact of grief as it did on the hunt for the killer. I didn't love the incredibly middle-class Bea, or the fact that her voice and that of her sister made them seem a lot older than their supposed 20-something status, but the book gripped me enough that I still enjoyed it. I enjoyed the journey Bea went on to discovering herself and questioning her ways of seeing the world as she delved deeper into her sister's life. The midwife in me could even overlook some of the quite implausible and erroneous situations involved in the maternity setting, seeing as they served the plot. The ending really had me on the edge of my seat, and although I had worked out who the villain was I still wasn't expecting quite how things turned out. That's what I want from this sort of book.
Week 47 :: A book related to foodThe Orange Girl, by Jostein Gaarder ★★★★☆
How it fits the prompt The girl in question is carrying a large bag of oranges, and oranges play a large part in the story.
This book disarmed me, I don't know what I expected going into it but I got something I hadn't anticipated. This is such a simple book - a son is given a letter written to him by his father in his final days when the boy was just a toddler, which contains the mystery of his father's first love. But the simplicity is deceptive. I had expected to read about loss and love, and there is certainly that. But this is almost a smoke screen to the core of this story, which is to ask a big question about the point of existence. Especially considering that I was initially uncomfortable with where this story was headed, given the father's obsessive tracking of a woman he'd barely met whom he'd decided was his soul mate, I'm glad I stuck with it. The themes of fairy tale and whether pleasure is worth the pain of inevitably having to lose it all transformed this from an unrealistic love story into something much deeper.
Week 36 :: A book featured on an NPR Best Books of the Year listEverything I Never Told You, by Celeste Ng ★★★★★
How it fits the prompt It was on the 2014 list
This book is quiet and subtle, but it hits you hard and explores so many issues. It really is beautiful, without being fussy or busy. For me it was how parents can try so hard, to think they're doing their best, but can be so blinkered that they don't even see who their child really is as a person. It's tough, as a parent, to not have that underlying desire to make sure your kids don't have your own faults, don't hit your own dead-ends, or to just simply want more, better, different for them. This is a story of what can happen when you become too focused in making sure they don't inherit your unhappiness, and end up causing them unhappiness anyway. This book shows the extremes of that. Of course I felt sad for Marilyn's thwarted dreams and James' lonely childhood as the victim of racism, but at times I could have climbed into the pages and slapped the pair of them. The real sadness in this book for me is how they are so blinded by their history that they don't appreciate their children - they smother Lydia, neglect Nath, and as for poor Hannah... I think these characters will stay with me for a long time, as this is such a strong character study without becoming too bogged down in minutiae. Beautiful.
Week 44 :: A book related in some way to a tv show/series or movie you enjoyed (same topic, same era, book appeared in the show/movie, etc.)The Incendiaries, by R.O. Kwon ★★★★★
How it fits the prompt I enjoyed Homeland and the look at extremist groups, and this sounded like it covered some similar ground.
I had expected a different story from the one I got from this book. Or perhaps, more accurately, the focus of this story was different from what I expected it to be. Yes, this is the story of a love-struck young man watching his girlfriend be drawn into a cult, with horrible consequences. But this book shifts the focus from a dramatic plot point to a deep examination of what draws a person to extremism. Both Will and Phoebe have been drawn into types of religious fanaticism, but whilst it was trauma that drove Will from his convictions, it is trauma which pushes Phoebe into the arms of a cult. And although Will has lost his religious compulsions, he hasn't lost his tendency toward obsession - as Phoebe pulls away from him, he clings all the tighter to her. This story touches on some deep and complex themes, but it never bashes your round the head by soliloquising on them. Kwon's writing is really beautiful, without being floral or detracting from the story - I flew through this book because it unfurled so compellingly. So whilst this wasn't the book I'd expected, I think what I read was so much better.
Week 37 :: A book set in a school or universityOn Beauty, by Zadie Smith ★★★★☆
How it fits the prompt Set in the New England college town Wellington, with a lot of the drama taking place on campus or involving faculty or students.
I pretty much missed the Zadie Smith boat. My first Smith book I read just two years ago, and I'm not sure that Swing Time was the best one to start with. On Beauty is in a completely different vein. So many of the previous GR reviews have appraised this book in a far more intelligent way than I can, so I'm not going to even try to discuss the class and racial politics (as well as the, well, politics politics) in this book, except to say that I found Smith's approach fascinating. This is a family drama - of children trying to find themselves in young adulthood and parents whose relationship is straining under the weight of the husband's infidelity - played out in the social and moral context of a university town. The retelling (or homage, I suppose) to Howards End really appealed to me, and I think that elevated this story as there were elements in it that might have tainted things for me without that. Mainly, I struggled with the intellectual college setting. It no doubt says more about my own level of intelligence, or the quality of my university experience, but I can't connect with or even believe in characters who intellectualise to nth degree in even the most common-place discussions. I failed to like a lot of the characters, which did cause me frustration when I just wanted to give quite a few of them a slap, but I didn't really find that a problem. I actually think Smith intended to create that response in the reader, as the characters themselves are so carefully crafted that there could be nothing accidental in making them so flawed. It was really only the mother, Kiki, who I warmed to. I really enjoyed her friendship with the wife of her husband's academic arch rival, and was very moved by the things Kiki faces, such as her changing body and her husband's cheating. I could have read a book just about her, but that probably reflects where I am in my life. This story isn't fast paced or action packed, but it got under my skin and I was curious as to where it would take me. I liked where it did.
Week 39 :: A book with a strong sense of place or where the author brings the location/setting to lifeUnder the Udala Trees, by Chinelo Okparanta ★★★★★
How it fits the prompt I got such a sense of Nigeria from this book, and a sense of place in terms of the homes Ijeoma lives in.
This is a really special book, combining the experience of a young gay woman, Ijeoma, with the political and religious culture of Nigeria during and following the civil war. It is beautifully told, and perfectly paced. Considering it deals with some incredibly difficult topics, such as war, violent persecution of gay people, the death of a parent and the mistreatment of children, this is not a dense or dark book. I think a lot of that is due to the voice of Ijeoma, who has insight and questions the ways of things around her, whilst not being destroyed by the negativity which surrounds her or internalising the hate and ignorance directed at gay people in her country. She is strong and brave, but without the coldness that is often given to female characters with those traits. I loved sharing her journey through childhood and into discovering herself as an adult, and couldn't put this book down. A really wonderful read that will stay with me.
Around the Year in 52 Books
Books mentioned in this topic
In Real Life (other topics)Chronicles, Volume One (other topics)
Sing, Unburied, Sing (other topics)
There There (other topics)
Swan Song (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Kelleigh Greenberg-Jephcott (other topics)Jesmyn Ward (other topics)
Tommy Orange (other topics)
Cory Doctorow (other topics)
Bob Dylan (other topics)
More...
I'm savouring the planning stage, so this list will be populated gradually.
COMPLETED - 31 December 2019
✔ 1. A book that was nominated for or won an award in a genre you enjoy :: Special, by Bella Bathurst
✔ 2. A book with one of the 5 W's in the title (Who, what, where, when, why) :: What We Keep, by Elizabeth Berg
✔ 3. A book where the author’s name contains A, T, and Y :: Traveling with Pomegranates: A Mother and Daughter Journey to the Sacred Places of Greece, Turkey, and France, by Sue Monk Kidd & Ann Kidd Taylor
✔ 4. A book with a criminal character (i.e. assassin, pirate, thief, robber, scoundrel etc) :: White Oleander, by White Oleander
✔ 5. A book by Shakespeare or inspired by Shakespeare :: New Boy, by Tracy Chevalier
✔ 6. A book with a dual timeline :: Before We Were Yours, by Lisa Wingate
✔ 7. 2 books related to the same topic, genre, or theme: Book #1 :: Motherland: Interviews with Mothers and Daughters, by Ann McFerran
✔ 8. 2 books related to the same topic, genre, or theme: Book #2 :: I Loved You All, by Paula Sharp
✔ 9. A book from one of the top 5 money making genres :: The Book of Speculation, by Erika Swyler
✔ 10. A book featuring an historical figure :: The Tattooist of Auschwitz, by Heather Morris
✔ 11. A book related to one of the 12 Zodiac Chinese Animals (title, cover, subject) :: Fever Dream, by Samanta Schweblin
✔ 12. A book about reading, books or an author/writer :: I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life, by Anne Bogel
✔ 13. A book that is included on a New York Public Library Staff Picks list :: Bad Feminist, by Roxane Gay
✔ 14. A book with a title, subtitle or cover relating to an astronomical term :: The Lady Astronaut of Mars, by Mary Robinette Kowal
✔ 15. A book by an author from a Mediterranean country or set in a Mediterranean country :: Answer Me, by Susanna Tamaro
✔ 16. A book told from multiple perspectives :: Swan Song, by Kelleigh Greenberg-Jephcott
✔ 17. A speculative fiction (ie fantasy, scifi, horror, dystopia) :: The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories, by Angela Carter
✔ 18. A book related to one of the elements on the periodic table of elements :: How to Breathe Underwater, by Julie Orringer
✔ 19. A book by an author who has more than one book on your TBR :: If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things, by Jon McGregor
✔ 20. A book featuring indigenous people of a country :: There There
✔ 21. A book from one of the polarizing or close call votes :: Chronicles, Volume One, by Bob Dylan (linked to one of your favourite songs/artists)
✔ 22. A book with a number in the title or on the cover :: Lanark, by Alasdair Gray
✔ 23. 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #1 Something Old :: Strange Case of Dr. Jekyl & Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson
✔ 24. 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #2 Something New :: The Widows of Malabar Hill, by Sujata Massey
✔ 25. 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #3 Something Borrowed :: Wide Sargasso Sea, by Jean Rhys
✔ 26. 4 books inspired by the wedding rhyme: Book #4 Something Blue :: All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr
✔ 27. A book off of the 1001 books to read before you die list :: The God of Small Things, by Arundhati Roy
✔ 28. A book related to something cold (could be theme, title, author, cover) :: The Smell of Other People's Houses, by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock
✔ 29. A book published before 1950 :: Madame Bovary, by Gustave Flaubert
✔ 30. A book featuring an elderly character :: Ghostwritten: A Novel in Nine Parts, by David Mitchell
✔ 31. A children’s classic you’ve never read :: Peter Pan, by J.M. Barrie
✔ 32. A book with more than 500 pages :: The Secret History, by Donna Tartt
✔ 33. A book you have owned for at least a year, but have not read yet :: Arlington Park, by Rachel Cusk
✔ 34. A book with a person's name in the title :: Goldie the Dollmaker, by M.B. Goffstein
✔ 35. A psychological thriller :: Sister, by Rosamund Lupton
✔ 36. A book featured on an NPR Best Books of the Year list :: Everything I Never Told You, by Celeste Ng
✔ 37. A book set in a school or university :: On Beauty, by Zadie Smith
✔ 38. A book not written in traditional novel format (poetry, essay, epistolary, graphic novel, etc) :: In Real Life, by Cory Doctorow
✔ 39. A book with a strong sense of place or where the author brings the location/setting to life :: Under the Udala Trees, by Chinelo Okparanta
✔ 40. A book you stumbled upon :: How Should a Person Be?, by Sheila Heti
✔ 41. A book from the 2018 GR Choice Awards :: The Great Alone, by Kristin Hannah
✔ 42. A book with a monster or "monstrous" character :: Watch Me Disappear, by Jill Dawson
✔ 43. A book related to STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) [fiction or nonfiction] :: Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
✔ 44. A book related in some way to a tv show/series or movie you enjoyed (same topic, same era, book appeared in the show/movie, etc.) :: The Incendiaries, by R.O. Kwon
✔ 45. A multi-generational saga :: When We Were Orphans, by Kazuo Ishiguro
✔ 46. A book with a (mostly) black cover :: Touch Not the Cat, by Mary Stewart
✔ 47. A book related to food (i.e. title, cover, plot, etc.) :: The Orange Girl, by Jostein Gaarder
✔ 48. A book that was a finalist or winner for the National Book Award for any year :: Sing, Unburied, Sing, by Jesmyn Ward
✔ 49. A book written by a Far East Asian author or set in a Far East Asian country :: Pachinko, by Min Jin Lee
✔ 50. A book that includes a journey (physical, health, or spiritual) :: Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert
✔ 51. A book published in 2019 :: The Testaments, by Margaret Atwood
✔ 52. A book with a weird or intriguing title :: Damaged Gods: Cults And Heroes Reappraised, by Julie Burchill