Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

Two heads are better than one, right? This week, we are reading books that are collaborations. You can read an anthology of works by multiple authors, a book written by two or more authors, or go a different route and use collaborations between authors and illustrators, authors and translators, authors and audiobook narrators, or even two authors writing under one pen name.

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Suggestions:
23 YA Books with Multiple Authors
BookRiot's Books with Two Authors
Must Read Translated Works from the Last 5 Years
Best Translated Book Award Winners
30 Best Audiobooks
10 Audiobooks Narrated by a Full Cast
7 Great Illustrated Novels
Best YA Graphic Novels
Listopia: Popular Multiple Authors Books
Listopia: Popular Short Story Anthologies
Listopia: Popular Adult Graphic Novels
Listopia: Popular YA Graphic Novels

ATY Group Listopia

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Optional Questions:
1. What are you reading for this category?
2. What type of collaboration is it?
3. Do you think having multiple people collaborate on a book makes it more interesting?

I am going to read Blue Monday for this one.

I think I'm going to do The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub. If that falls through (or I don't jibe with the book), I'll probably do a Wil Wheaton-narrated John Scalzi book.

A couple of other fun options for mystery fans:

Faceoff, which is a series of story collaborated on by mystery-crime authors. And if that isn't enough collaboration for you, the authors' famous characters also team up in the stories.

The Floating Admiral by Detection Club. The book was written by members of the aforementioned Detection Club including Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, GK Chesterton, and several others. They each contributed a chapter to the book, and each offered their own solution to the mystery. (Now that I'm typing this out, I think I might've just talked myself into doing that as my option for the prompt!)

So, looking at my physical/Kindle shelves, I can nix two-author options completely. I've struggled with that sort of prompt in the past. But I do have a lot of writing collections and translated works (though a lot of them don't list the translator), so my options are...

#MeToo: Essays About How and Why This Happened, What It Means and How to Make Sure it Never Happens
All This I Will Give to You
Amazonian: The Penguin Book of Women's New Travel Writing
I'm Not Scared
New Writing 13
Snacks After Swimming: A Pool of the Best New Creative Writing Talent in Scotland
The Murmur of Bees

I'll either read a short-story anthology or Leviathan Wakes by James Corey for this one.

I have several short story collections (mostly SF) to consider. I also have Zeke and Ned by Larry McMurtry and Dianna Ossana. It's been on my book shelve for several years. It seems like an interesting collaboration. Like Angie, I'm also considering The Talisman by King and Straub, which I've been meaning to read for several decades.

I just finished The Deep and I had to come over here to recommend it for this prompt. It's a novella based on the idea that the pregnant women cast overboard by slave traders (true fact) gave birth to mermaid-like creatures. It's really well done, and it's also *perfect* for this prompt in particular. It was written in collaboration with the three members of the experimental rap group "clipping." whose song is the basis of the story. One of those members is Daveed Diggs who played Lafayette/Jefferson in Hamilton.

I am going to read one of the Lady Janies either #2 or #3.
My Plain Jane
My Calamity Jane

Doing one of the Unfettered series, if I can get it.

If anyone wanted to try a very funny, modern Irish book, I'd highly recommend Oh My God, What a Complete Aisling by Emer McLysaght & Sarah Breen

If you like historical fiction, I highly recommend checking out the collaborations between Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White. The Forgotten Room was my favorite, but The Glass Ocean was also good, and they have another book coming out next year together (All the Ways We Said Goodbye).

I'm going to be delayed on this one- the women who wrote The Royal We are releasing a sequel this summer. YAY!

I'd like to recommend Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, which is a short, fun and informative read and is the result of the collaboration among three people: two authors (a journalist and a lawyer) and an illustrator.

1. What are you reading for this category?
Sweet Filthy Boy by Christina Lauren

2. What type of collaboration is it?
Two authors writing with a pen name.

3. Do you think having multiple people collaborate on a book makes it more interesting? Yes, when the book is told in different point of views.

I read a translation for this. Ball Lightning by Liu Cixin, translated by Joel Martinsen. And it was great! Highly recommend it if you like sciency science fiction.

1. What are you reading for this category?
InterWorld by Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves
2. What type of collaboration is it?
The two people who wrote this book had originally hoped to have their idea be made into a TV series. When that didn't take off they ended up writing this book instead.
3. Do you think having multiple people collaborate on a book makes it more interesting?
It can, not always.

What are you reading for this category?
Just finished The Sawbones Book: The Hilarious, Horrifying Road to Modern Medicine

2. What type of collaboration is it?
Two authors and an illustrator

3. Do you think having multiple people collaborate on a book makes it more interesting?
Yes, this one was set up like a podcast commentary back and forth. It was fun.

1. What are you reading for this category?
The Monster Hunter Files

2. What type of collaboration is it?
It's a short story collection by various authors in the sci-fi/horror genre.

3. Do you think having multiple people collaborate on a book makes it more interesting?
It depends. Sometimes it works , sometimes it's a flaming mess. This one worked well.

1. What are you reading for this category?
The Girl Who Smiled Beads: A Story of War and What Comes After by Clemantine Wamariya and Elizabeth Weil

2. What type of collaboration is it?
They are listed as co-authors on the book cover and in the credits, although it is Clemantine's memoir

3. Do you think having multiple people collaborate on a book makes it more interesting? Not necessarily, but there are times when collaboration is needed.

I am reading Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman!

Pamela wrote: "I'm going to be delayed on this one- the women who wrote The Royal We are releasing a sequel this summer. YAY!"

Ok wait I'm so excited about this! I listened to The Royal We last week, and I was coming here to say that it would work for this prompt, so I'm really excited to hear that there will be a sequel!!!

What are you reading for this category?
Kill Me if You Can, by James Patterson and Marshall Karp



What type of collaboration is it?
A co-author arrangement

Do you think having multiple people collaborate on a book makes it more interesting?
It depends - sometimes it’s really obvious that two different people have worked on the book.

1. What are you reading for this category?
1 the Road by Ross Goodwin

2. What type of collaboration is it?
There is a lot of collaboration in this book. Technically written by an artificial intelligence machine, there are two introductions by two different people (one of them the writer of the writer, that is, the person who wrote the AI program), and the French translation of the introductions appears in the book alongside the English text. There are also photos and other artwork. Whew!

3. Do you think having multiple people collaborate on a book makes it more interesting?
Not necessarily, but it certainly can.

I was definitely going to use James S.A. Corey for this one (they are a writing pair), but then Tightrope: Americans Reaching for Hope by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn came up on a Book of the Month, and I don't know if they will get the next Expanse book out this year, so I changed it up!

I read "Educated" by Tara Westover for this prompt. Although it is technically only 1 author, it is a memoir and the author mentions several times in the book that she consulted with her siblings as to their memories of events.

Taylor wrote: "I am reading Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman!"

Such a good book. I wish you many laughs!

1. What are you reading for this category?
Private

2. What type of collaboration is it?
There are two authors credited. I suspect Paetro did most of the writing with input from Patterson.

3. Do you think having multiple people collaborate on a book makes it more interesting? It can, but only when done well. When done badly it can seem disjointed.

Emma wrote: "I was definitely going to use James S.A. Corey for this one (they are a writing pair), but then Tightrope: Americans Reaching for Hope by [author:Nicholas D. Kristo..."

I started The Expanse series by Corey, so Leviathan Wakes fit this slot for me. I’m finding that the entire series may have appropriate prompts:

Caliban’s War (4 horsemen)
Abaddon’s Gate (400-600 words)
Cibola Burn (transportation on cover)
Nemesis Games (read in a day)
Babylon’s Ashes (not sure yet where it will fit)
Persepolis Rising (no ATY in title)
Tiamat’s Wrath (not sure yet)
Last book if it is released this year (hope it fits something)

I was stuck somewhere without a book and discovered that from Kindle I have A Moment on the Edge: 100 Years of Crime Stories by Women. There are about 25 stories and it is really fascinating to see how they reflect the eras, including times when most mystery/detective stories were being written by men. There is also an introduction to each story about the author and the times she wrote in.

1. What are you reading for this category?
I've just finished The Boy In The Suitcase, a mystery set in Lithuania and Denmark, once I got into it I couldn't put it down.
2. What type of collaboration is it?
Two authors Lene Kaaberbøl and Agnete Friis - they've written four books together in this series about a Red Cross nurse Nina Borg
3. Do you think having multiple people collaborate on a book makes it more interesting? It depends on how it's done, with this one I couldn't tell which author wrote which part, but it's translated from the Danish. I also enjoy collections of short stories.

Taylor wrote: "I am reading Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman!"


I'm using this for my horsemen of the Apocalypse, it's on hold at the library for me. I really enjoyed the recent BBC TY adaptation.

1. What are you reading for this category? by Janet Evanovich and Charlotte Hughes
2. What type of collaboration is it? co-authors
3. Do you think having multiple people collaborate on a book makes it more interesting? not necessarily

1. What are you reading for this category? You Are Not Alone
2. What type of collaboration is it? Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen are the co-authors
3. Do you think having multiple people collaborate on a book makes it more interesting? I think I do, I haven't really thought about it but I enjoy these 2 together and can see where working with someone you clicked with could lead to some great ideas.

Samantha wrote: "1. What are you reading for this category? You Are Not Alone
2. What type of collaboration is it? Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen are the co-authors
3. Do you think having multi..."

I’m also reading You Are Not Alone.

I enjoy reading a book with co-authors when the story contains different prospectives.

1. What are you reading for this category? Diary of a Witchcraft Shop by Trevor Jones and Liz Williams
2. What type of collaboration is it? Jointly written memoir from a couple who run several witchcraft shops in Glastonbury
3. Do you think having multiple people collaborate on a book makes it more interesting?
It can, especially if they bring in different perspectives. I didn't get that as much from this book - most of the entries read like they were written by Liz Williams (based on references to her druidic life and to Trevor and her former partner), and it is only a few entries that can be clearly identified as Trevor's (based on references to Liz).

This would also work for prompt #44 - a book about witches. Trevor is a witch, as are many of the customers and friends mentioned.

I read
Good Omens 10/03/2020

It is written by two authors

I am not a fan of either author but I enjoyed this, perhaps that is down to the collaboration

1. What are you reading for this category? I have read White Fire by Douglas Preston. I also have The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin

2. What type of collaboration is it? for White Fire it was written by two authors. For Three Body Problem it is written by author the translated.

3. Do you think having multiple people collaborate on a book makes it more interesting? I honestly didn't notice the difference in the writing to know who wrote which part.

1. I am reading Educated by Westover for this prompt.

2. Even though technically it is one person's memoir, at various moments in the book she writes asides stating that she conferred with her brothers about how they remembered certain incidents. At least once she tells a story that happened to a brother when she wasn't present and he told her about it later.

3. It depends. In this case it caused me to challenge the veracity of the author.

I

I had a long anthology in mind that I mentioned above but just realized I also have #NeverAgain: A New Generation Draws the Line by David and Lauren Hogg, which is quite short. I so admire those young people from Parkland.

I tried reading Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman for this, but I couldn't really get into it. So I decided to read Clean Sweep by Ilona Andrews instead. I'm enjoying it so much more.

Ilona Andrews is the pseudonym for a husband and wife author couple. I love their work! Urban fantasy with my kind of humor. 💕

1. What are you reading for this category?
I read Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

2. What type of collaboration is it?
It is a book written from two perspectives by two different authors, with each author writing a certain perspective

3. Do you think having multiple people collaborate on a book makes it more interesting?
I haven't read many collaborations but I suppose it can do. I enjoyed the premise of this book, but unfortunately the execution was poor

So the thing is I made the choice (mistake??) of using Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan for this prompt. Has anyone else read this and just kept thinking that NO ONE IN THE WORLD TALKS LIKE THIS!!!!!!!! I'm annoyed. 50% through and hopefully will be done tonight. I have no clue who wrote what here. Someone should have toned it down though.

What are you reading for this category? The Way of All Flesh by Ambrose Parry
What type of collaboration is it? Ambrose Parry is the pen name of husband and wife duo Christopher Brookmyre and Dr Marisa Haetzman.
Do you think having multiple people collaborate on a book makes it more interesting? I think it depends. Here is certainly did, as it's obvious what they both brought to the book. But I suppose it's just as likely to be a case of too many cooks. I read a book for a similar prompt in PS in 2018, and it was dire (The Hand That Feeds You, if you want to avoid it).

I heard about this book through The BBC's Big Scottish Book Club (well worth a watch, btw), where the authors were talking about it and how it came about. I've read one of Brookmyre's books, and so knew this was probably going to be a decent read, but it was the setting of Edinburgh in the 1840's and the topic of obstetrics and midwifery that really sparked my interest.

And wow, this book delivered. Edinburgh is dark, dangerous and atmospheric as our protagonist Will Raven attends some gruesomely brutal births as the assistant to the city's leading obstetrician. Raven is strangely (but enjoyably) feminist given the times and housemaid Sarah, his companion in solving the mystery of a dangerous abortionist operating in the city, is a brilliantly fleshed out character that you can't help but root for. I'm glad she had such a large role, as Raven himself is not a particularly likeable character, but given his age and backstory he does become more understandable.

This isn't a book for the squeamish, but I found the medical history and the commentary on the conditions into which pregnancy forced women (particularly poor women) fascinating. So much so that the mystery almost came second. But I enjoyed that element too, and the book got very exciting as it closed in around the suspects.

I'm not usually one for series, but I'll be adding the next book in this one to my TBR...as well as a few more Brookmyre titles.

So I'm using Poetry Magazine April 2019 here. It feels a little like cheating, but I'm doing the BookRiot Read Harder challenge too and I just needed to count something for this prompt and move on. It was 94 pages long, and had some very good poetry in it. I chose this particular issue sort of from random (their back issues are free to read on their website so I just clicked on a cover I liked) and part of it had a Muslim poets theme which was cool.

A book combining spirituality and quilting, put together by two Ohio women. I read a few pages every night before bed. It was lovely to read in this way.

Ana A wrote: "So I decided to read Clean Sweep by Ilona Andrews instead. I'm enjoying it so much more.

Ilona Andrews is the pseudonym for a husband and wife author couple. I love their work! Urban fantasy with my kind of humor. 💕 "

I really liked Clean Sweep so I went with Sweep in Peace. Apparently how they write is upload a chapter at a time to their website and people can help vote on how they want the story to progress. I personally could never participate in that because the lag time would drive me crazy, but you do you boo.


Speaking of lag times...I enjoyed it so much and was so into the vibe (super cheesy light hearted sci-fi and fantasy violence) that I may have finished the third and fourth ones yesterday as well. I finally went to bed about 2.30. Thankfully my work's remote servers are being maxed out so I'm not expected to be all that productive this morning.

i read The 19th Christmas by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro. I suspect this is a case where Maxine is writing the book based upon Patterson's outline. This is what is the norm with his books to keep up the pace on releases. Not sure whether I like it or not, although these stories seem truer to the original product than some of the new Stone Barrington books by Stuart Woods

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

https://titlesurfingwithtraci.blogspo...

My Dear Hamilton:A Novel of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton by Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie. I really liked it. I gave it 4 stars.

I read Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan. It's about two characters, both called Will Grayson, and each author wrote the chapters for one Will Grayson.

I quite like this idea, I think the only other time I've read a book done like this was What If It's Us, which David Levithan co-wrote with Becky Albertalli (and which I thought was a lot better).

I read Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch