2025 Reading Challenge discussion

GRATITUDE JAR
Duration: January 1 – March 31, 2022



In recognition of the “Make Every Day Count” nomination, which tied for second place in the yearly theme poll, this open prompt quarterly challenge reminds us to be grateful every day.

A Gratitude Jar is a place to store notes about the people, experiences and other things that bring us happiness, which can be taken out and read as needed during a rough patch to restore one's attitude of gratitude.

For this challenge, you will fill your imaginary Gratitude Jar by reading books with cover images or title words that represent the blessings in your life. Anything or anyone you appreciate can count, big or small.

Sample gratitude notes could include, but are definitely not limited to:
▪ People: family, friends, a memory of a loved one, a kind stranger
▪ Nature: sunrise, animals, flowers, seasons, beach, trees, waterfalls, moon
▪ Experiences: music, vacation, faith, birthdays, job, hobbies, sleeping late
▪ Comforts: home, food and drink, cozy socks, a warm blanket, good books

To join, let the challenge leader know how many books you will read to fill your virtual gratitude jar this quarter. Each book may only count for one gratitude note.

If you are new to our group and/or our group challenges, take a moment to check out the Yearly, Quarterly, Monthly Challenges - Start Here thread for more information on how our challenges are run.

Let’s make every day count by being intentionally grateful every day!

How To Participate


⚱️ To join the challenge, post a comment below with your goal.
⚱️ You may choose your books in advance, or add them as you go.
⚱️ You may join late if the challenge hasn't ended, and you may count any relevant books completed during the challenge dates.
⚱️ As you read, edit your original message, then post a comment with your progress using this format:
Update to message #xx: Books read/book goal
Example: Update to message #3: 3/30
⚱️ If you decide to leave the challenge, please don't delete your original post . Just let me know.
⚱️ For more information about how challenges work, check out this thread or ask your challenge leader.

=====
PARTICIPANTS

Thinking Thankful - Update with books read to move to next level.
Amy (Other Amy) (#13) - 0 / 1
ilovebakedgoods (Teresa) - 0 / 0 ❓ No goal stated.
Julia - 0 / 20
Lauri - 0 / 9
Misericordia - 0 / 0 ❓ No goal stated.
mussolet - 0 / 15
Nicole - 0 / 5

Reading Gratefully - Reach your goal to move to the final level.
AurorainBookland - 1 / 3
Chrissie - 3 / 5
Rachael (#49) - 4 / 20
Christene Paula - 5 / 30
Fran - 6 / 40
Kiawi - 6 / 9
Lynn - 16 / 20

Completely Grateful - Enjoy that attitude of gratitude!
Amy (#24) - 12 / 12 COMPLETE
Carmen - 48 / 48 COMPLETE
Carol - 15 / 15 COMPLETE
Claire - 8 / 8 COMPLETE
Gail - 10 / 10 COMPLETE
Janine - 6 / 6 COMPLETE
Jennifer - 50 / 50 COMPLETE
Lindsey - 27 / 27 COMPLETE
Megan - 16 / 15 COMPLETE
Mie - 6 / 6 COMPLETE
Mikaela - 4 / 4 COMPLETE
Mindy - 14 / 10 COMPLETE
Rachael (#6) - 8 / 8 COMPLETE
rika - 28 / 28 COMPLETE
Sarah - 5 / 5 COMPLETE
SarahKat - 12 / 12 COMPLETE
Sunny - 12 / 12 COMPLETE
Suzanne - 25 / 25 COMPLETE
TerryJane - 45 / 45 COMPLETE
Theresa - 10 / 6 COMPLETE

STATS
Updated on April 1 to reflect only the second and third participant levels.
Books Read: 411
Books Pledged: 479
Completion Rate: 86%

⚱️ GRATITUDE JAR - Q1 Quarterly Challenge
Duration: January 1 - March 31, 2022
Progress: 45/45 -- COMPLETE

⚱️ Surviving Savannah Savannah in title - Girl Scout and family trips to Savannah
⚱️ Every Last Fear Yarn on cover - Crochet!
⚱️ Late Migrations: A Natural History of Love and Loss Flora and fauna in cover art - Birds and plants.
⚱️ My Almost Flawless Tokyo Dream Life Dream in title - pleasant dreams
⚱️ The Girl in His Shadow Woman with medical bag on cover - Women's education rights
⚱️ Crying in H Mart Noodles on cover - Yummy noodles
⚱️ Eye for Eye Eyes on cover - Vision
⚱️ Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Chocolate in title - Sweets!
⚱️ Seriously... I'm Kidding Kidding in title - Sense of humor
⚱️ The Westing Game Game in title - Puzzles and games!
⚱️ Remember Me? Sunflower on cover - Cheerful sunflowers!
⚱️ The Soulmate Equation Soulmate in title - my husband!
⚱️ How Much of These Hills Is Gold Tigers on cover - College years as a Clemson Tiger
⚱️ Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting Memory in title - good memories
⚱️ H is for Hawk Hawk in title- birdwatching
⚱️ The Gathering Beach on cover - beach trips with family and friends.
⚱️ The Chanel Sisters Chanel in title - fashions for women
⚱️ Where the Heart Is Baby girl on cover - my three daughters
⚱️ The Guide River on cover - Riverside walks
⚱️ Extinction: A Play Play in title - Drama productions... mostly as a drama mama or audience member
⚱️ Hickory Dickory Dock Nursery rhymes in title - memories of nursery rhymes from my own childhood and my children's
⚱️ Home Home - love my rural home!
⚱️ Gwendy's Button Box Button box - memories of sorting buttons with my mom
⚱️ Of Mice and Men Rabbit on cover - bunnies in our yard
⚱️ From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler Museum on cover - homeschool days with my girls
⚱️ When the Killing's Done Island on cover - honeymoon!
⚱️ Tiny Houses Travel trailer trip around the country
⚱️ The Cellist of Sarajevo Music
⚱️ The Sirens of Mars: Searching for Life on Another World Mars in title - Astronomy events with my father
⚱️ Fan Fiction Star Trek - love ST, as well as its STNG and DST spinoffs
⚱️ Forrest Gump Loved the movie! This book, not so much.
⚱️ The Girl He Used to Know Young woman on cover - my three young adult daughters.
⚱️ The Almost Sisters From the story, I'm thankful for Southern grandmas; friendships that cross racial lines, despite how we Southerners are often portrayed; and for author Joshilyn Jackson!
⚱️ On Juneteenth Emancipation!
⚱️ The House in the Cerulean Sea Sneak Peek Sea in title - seaside vacations with family and friends
⚱️ A Whole New World Disney! - trips with my family when the kids were younger
⚱️ Faithful Faith in title - grateful to have grown up in a family of faith
⚱️ The Storm on Our Shores: One Island, Two Soldiers, and the Forgotten Battle of World War II Grateful for my late grandfather, who was a WWII veteran.
⚱️ False Alarm: How Climate Change Panic Costs Us Trillions, Hurts the Poor, and Fails to Fix the Planet Thankful for the rational idea of approaching climate change with a mind toward helping both the planet and her people, especially the poor. What a concept!
⚱️ Little Comfort Snowy cover... rare snow days home from school when I was a child,
⚱️ Such a Fun Age Fun in title. My definition of what's fun has changed over the years, but I still enjoy it!
⚱️ Jazz The title 'Jazz' reminds me of visits to a very cool Atlanta jazz club called Dante's Down the Hatch. Sadly, it is no more, the memories linger.
⚱️ An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good The cross-stitch on the cover reminds me of the first needlecraft I learned. Crewel was the first.
⚱️ Dog on It Dog in title reminds me how grateful I am for the love of pets. They bring me happiness.

I’m joining in for 15!

1. Chances - When You Get the Chance by Emma Lord - completed January 2022
2. Trees - Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo - completed January 2022
3. Freedom - Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed - completed January 2022
4. Games - These Deadly Games by Diana Urban - completed January 2022
5. Tampa Bay - Ghost Stories of Tampa Bay by Kim Cool - completed January 2022
6. Movies - How to Be a Movie Star by T. J. Klune - completed January 2022
7. Night - Night Song by Beverly Jenkins - completed January 2022
8. Dog - The Power of the Dog by Thomas Savage - completed February 2022
9. Love - Love Me, If You Dare by Alyssa Clarke - completed February 2022
10. Mercy - Mercy Street by Jennifer Haigh - completed February 2022
11. Books - The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Robinson - completed February 2022
12. Fire - Baptism of Fire by Andrzej Sapkowski, translated by David French - completed February 2022
13. Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew Sullivan - completed February 2022
14. Survival of the Thickest: Essays by Michelle Buteau - completed February 2022
15. Wind - The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, translated by Lucia Graves - completed March 2022
16. Paris - The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley - completed March 2022

16/15 - challenge completed!

Hi TerryJane, please sign me up for 6 books 📚

6/6 - COMPLETE

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

Possibilities:

📗 Cover: travel - Mightier Than the Sword
📗 Cover: good looking man - Kasper Hjulmand - Fodbolddrømmer
📗 Title: Rose - The Rose Society
📗 Title: Dreams - De som dödar drömmar sover aldrig
📗 Title: Innocent - Innocent Graves
📗 Title: Beautiful - Morality for Beautiful Girls

I am full of gratitude for libraries who encourage and make reading accessible so I am going to read the Invisible Library series by Genevieve Cogman for this challenge.

COMPLETED: 8/8

1. The Invisible Library finished 12 February, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ with review
2. The Masked City finished 17 February, ⭐⭐⭐⭐
3. The Burning Page finished 21 February, ⭐⭐⭐⭐
4. The Lost Plot finished 26 February, ⭐⭐⭐⭐ with review
5. The Mortal Word finished 3 March, ⭐⭐⭐⭐
6. The Secret Chapter finished 5 March, ⭐⭐⭐⭐
7. The Dark Archive finished 12 March, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ with review
8. The Untold Story finished 15 March, ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Hi TerryJane, I'll sign up for 12 books to start!

12/12

Completed
Rain: Song of the Forever Rains
Lord of the Rings (my favorite non-living thing ever): The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien narrated by Andy Serkis
Husband: The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty
Cats: If Cats Disappeared from the World by Genki Kawamura
Music: Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by Oliver Sacks
Children: The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood
Family: The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell
House: The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune
Elephants: The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo
Love: The Hypnotist's Love Story by Liane Moriarty
Grace: The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu
God: Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

I'm in! I don't have a count yet. I want to think about this some more.

For this challenge, you will fill your imaginary Gratitude Jar by reading books with cover images or title words that represent the blessings in your life. Anything or anyone you appreciate can count, big or small.

Sample gratitude notes could include, but are definitely not limited to:
▪ People: family, friends, a memory of a loved one, a kind stranger
▪ Nature: sunrise, animals, flowers, seasons, beach, trees, waterfalls, moon
▪ Experiences: music, vacation, faith, birthdays, job, hobbies, sleeping late
▪ Comforts: home, food and drink, cozy socks, a warm blanket, good books

I am signing up with a goal of 6 books.

Progress: 10/6

TITLE
✔My Child The Snow Child (Feb. 26)
✔Flowers Flowers for Algernon (Jan. 15)
COVER
✔Home The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae (Mar. 27)
✔Food Left Fur Dead (Mar.21))
✔Love Alaskan Rescue (Jan. 5)
✔Dogs A Spot of Trouble (Jan. 20)
✔Windows Homicide in Hardcover (Feb. 21)
✔Privacy Fences The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Feb. 13)
✔ Friendship The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Feb. 2)
✔Books Meet Me in the Margins (Mar. 12)

Hola, TerryJane!
Count me in, please!
PROGRESS: 48/48


My Gratitude Jar is filled with: the sea, flowers, rainbows, moonlit gardens, crazy things, walking on wet sand, paper, magic, cooking, Paris, chocolate, books, bookshops, witches, starry nights, happiness, the wind in the trees, sunsets, strawberries, my family, music, stars, blue skies, clean underwear, my home, my life, nights out, yarn, Saturdays, love, long walks, sisters, the ability of getting rid of...stuff, spring, coffee, butterflies, my dog, a warm blanket and my favorite armchair, the rain, animals, the country, stitching, science, colors, notebooks, crossword puzzles, road trips, the summer breeze, candles, birthdays, mysteries, Agatha Christie 😍








The Winter Sea✔
Blue Dahlia✔
Starry Night✔
The Moonlit Garden✔
My Not So Perfect Life✔
Spells and Scones✔
The Saturdays✔
Last Puzzle & Testament✔
The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris✔
Which Witch?✔
My Kind of You✔
The Paper Magician✔
Getting Rid of Bradley✔
The Wind in the Willows✔
My Family And Other Animals✔
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail✔
Shiloh✔
Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence✔
The Brightest Star in the Sky✔
La ley del amor✔
The Little Shop of Happy Ever After✔
But Beautiful: A Book about Jazz✔
The Birthday Mystery✔
The Strawberry Hearts Diner✔
Fangirl✔
All Creatures Great and Small✔
Come, Tell Me How You Live✔
The Book of Speculation✔
A Place to Call Home✔
The Road Trip✔
Crazy Little Thing Called Love✔
Girls Night Out✔
The Weird Sisters✔
Happiness for Beginners✔
Divas Don't Knit✔
Stitching Snow✔
The Gift Of Rain✔
It Happens Every Spring✔
A Hero to Come Home To✔
The Family Tree✔
Asking for Trouble✔
The Land of Mango Sunsets✔
The Golden Notebook✔
A Quiet Life in the Country✔
Summer Breeze✔
A Curious Beginning✔
You, Me, and the Colors of Life✔
El amor huele a café✔

First, a comment to TerryJane -- I had no idea my nomination (Make Every Day Count) had finished so high in the poll! It was an idea that was close to my heart and I'm touched that others also liked it.

Second -- Thank you, TerryJane, for building a Quarterly Challenge around it. I'm totally humbled by this and I love your take on the idea.

And third -- I would like to join the challenge with a goal of 15 books.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
15/15 completed

I like your categories, so I'll use them, plus I'm adding Places:
***PEOPLE***
Authors
1. Pussyfoot by Carole Nelson Douglas - finished 1/26/22 - Carole Nelson Douglas was the author of so many of my favorite books. This one is in the Midnight Louie series of mysteries, but her Irene Adler mystery series is equally wonderful, as well as several stand alone books. She died in October 2021. I am forever grateful for her presence (as an author) in my life. I wish her peace and tranquility -- wherever she is now.
2. Marshmallow by Clare Turlay Newberry - finished 2/19/22 - Newberry wrote and illustrated several really beautiful books about little animals (cats, dogs, bunnies). Some of them won Caldecott honors. If you want to read a book to a preschool age child, her books are some of the best!


***NATURE***
Animals
1. Classified as Murder by Miranda James - cats - finished 1/8/22
2. Smoky the Cowhorse by Will James - horses - finished 2/18/22
3. April's Kittens by Clare Turlay Newberry - soft fuzzy kittens - finished 1/5/22

The Great Outdoors
1. Paddle-to-the-Sea by Holling Clancy Holling - changing seasons - finished 1/18/22
2. One Morning in Maine - by Robert McCloskey - the seashore - finished 1/23/22


***EXPERIENCES***
Memories in My Life
1. A Thousand Steps by T. Jefferson Parker by T. Jefferson Parker - the art, the music, the feel of the 1960s - finished 1/31/22
2. Irene's Last Waltz by Carole Nelson Douglas - dancing - finished 3/24/22



***COMFORTS***
Toys and Playthings
1. Memoirs of Martinus Scriblerus by Alexander Pope - stuffed animal - finished 1/1/22
Things I Use in My Daily Life
1. Shawnee Alley Fire by John Douglas - my car - finished 1/7/22
2. Farm Fresh Murder by Paige Shelton - fresh fruits and vegetables - finished 2/22/22
3. A Patchwork of Clues by Sally Goldenbaum - quilts - finished 3/1/22



***PLACES***
Shops and Businesses
1. The Ghost and Mrs. McClure by Alice Kimberly - bookstores! - finished 2/2/22
2. See Also Murder by Larry D. Sweazy - libraries - finished 2/12/22

Please sign me up for 6 books.

For this challenge, you will fill your imaginary Gratitude Jar by reading books with cover images or title words that represent the blessings in your life. Anything or anyone you appreciate can count, big or small.

Please sign me up for 1 book. (I will try to make a bigger list than that, but I only want to be obligated for one.)

0/1

Build Yourself a Boat - I need to talk about this a bit, but I can't do it right now.
Where the Drowned Girls Go - This one too.
Piranesi - making quite a list, aren't I? I'll explain later!

Sign me up for 5 books

5/5-COMPLETED

✅1)Title: Brother-A Brother's Price(10/3/22)
✅2)Title: Sister-Sister(4/3/22)
✅3)Title: Parents-The Good Parents(6/3/22)
✅4)Cover: Good Looking Men- (11/1/22)
✅5)Cover: Tulip- (15/3/22)

Hi TerryJane, pls sign me up for 15 :).

GRATITUDE JAR
Duration: January 1 – March 31, 2022

A Gratitude Jar is a place to store notes about the people, experiences and other things that bring us happiness, which can be taken out and read as needed during a rough patch to restore one's attitude of gratitude.

For this challenge, you will fill your imaginary Gratitude Jar by reading books with cover images or title words that represent the blessings in your life. Anything or anyone you appreciate can count, big or small.

Sample gratitude notes could include, but are definitely not limited to:
▪ People: family, friends, a memory of a loved one, a kind stranger
▪ Nature: sunrise, animals, flowers, seasons, beach, trees, waterfalls, moon
▪ Experiences: music, vacation, faith, birthdays, job, hobbies, sleeping late
▪ Comforts: home, food and drink, cozy socks, a warm blanket, good books

Carmen wrote: "Hola, TerryJane!
Count me in, please!
PROGRESS: 0/48


My Gratitude Jar is filled with: the sea, flowers, rainbows, moonlit gardens, crazy things, walking on wet sand, paper, magic, cooking, Paris..."

Love your jar!

Hi TerryJane.

Progress: 12/12

My Jar

Thanks!

Hi TerryJane, please sign me up for 40 books. I'm excited to get started.

Hi, fellow readers. And thanks to Carol for the inspiration! (The poll results are still up, if you want to look closer. Click on Polls near the top right in your web browser.)

Just a few more days until we start this challenge! Three whole months to focus on happy thoughts... I'm thrilled to begin the year on such a positive note (pun intended)! 😏

Hi, TerryJane,

count me in (but starting gently) for 20 books. I'll probably raise that, depending how I do.
Books so far : 18

GRATITUDE JAR
Duration: January 1 – March 31, 2022

A Gratitude Jar is a place to store notes about the people, experiences and other things that bring us happiness, which can be taken out and read as needed during a rough patch to restore one's attitude of gratitude.

For this challenge, fill your imaginary Gratitude Jar by reading books with cover images or title words that represent the blessings in your life. Anything or anyone you appreciate can count, big or small.

Sample gratitude notes could include, but are definitely not limited to:
▪ People: family, friends, a memory of a loved one, a kind stranger
▪ Nature: sunrise, animals, flowers, seasons, beach, trees, waterfalls, moon
▪ Experiences: music, vacation, faith, birthdays, job, hobbies, sleeping late
▪ Comforts: home, food and drink, cozy socks, a warm blanket, good books

✔1. cover: listening to music together
(1/6)
▪ Experiences: music ▪ People: friends

2. cover & title: the beauty & wisdom of plants: Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants

▪ Nature: learning from plants, ancestral wisdom, SCIENCE!!!!
▪ Story: importance in telling stories, passing down stories & history

✔3. title: The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz (1/19)
▪ People: courage and community in the face of great adversity; also with the badness there is usually amazing goodness.

4. title & cover: Wholehearted Faith

▪ People: courage, faith, and community; challenging ourselves

✔5. title & cover: Appalachian Elegy: Poetry and Place by bell hooks (2/1)

▪ People & Experiences & Story: Elegies being prayerful and poetic memories of people and place, often put to music

✔6. title & cover: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (2/12)

▪ People & Experiences & Story: the importance of activism and LOVE (giving that in place of HATE) and empowerment; power of words, written and spoken.

✔7. title & cover: The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai (2/7)

▪ People & Nature & Experiences: mountains (from whence comes strength), song & music in general (ditto), the endurance & courage of people, the beauty and music of language

✔8. cover: Mill Town: Reckoning with What Remains by Kerri Arsenault (3/7)

▪ People: the connection of community
▪ Nature: the endeavor to help reverse ecological damage as a community (even if unsuccessful)
▪ Story: history in context of family, community, migration; the empowerment of knowledge & story & history.

✔9. cover & title: Saga, Volume 14307] by Brian K. Vaughan

▪ Story: telling stories, oral history
▪ People: importance of family, of expression individuality & self

✔10. cover: Saga, Volume 3 by Brian K. Vaughan

▪ Nature: being outdoors, climbing mountains & hiking in general

✔11. cover: Saga, Volume 5 by Brian K. Vaughan

▪ Nature: animals, especially cats!

✔12. cover: Saga, Volume 6 by Brian K. Vaughan

▪ Art: the beauty of architecture & cityscape, the hopefulness of the color blue

✔13. cover: Saga, Volume 7 by Brian K. Vaughan

▪ Experience & Art: the energy & excitement of the image

✔14. cover: Saga, Volume 8 by Brian K. Vaughan

▪ Nature: animals

✔15. cover: Saga, Volume 9 by Brian K. Vaughan

▪ People & Experience & Story: family, present-past-future; telling stories & hearing them & passing them along

✔16. cover & title: Drama: A Graphic Novel by Raina Telgemeier

▪ Experience: of performance, of memory, of enjoyment

✔17. cover & title: Bodies Are Cool by Tyler Feder

▪ People: inclusivity of body-shape, encouragement of body-pride

✔18. cover & title: Himawari House by Harmony Becker

▪ Nature: the garden, the name of the house (sunflowers) - both of these full of hope

✔19. cover: Far Sector by N.K. Jemisin

▪ Art: the meditative & soothing colors of purple swirling around green

✔20. cover & title: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

▪ Art & Nature: visual beauty of stark trees in a winter landscape
▪ Story: the empowerment of voice, of telling our stories, of speaking out, of being heard, and of hearing

21. title: I Couldn't Love You More by Esther Freud
▪ People: the encouragement of unconditional love
▪ Story: voicing that love

22. title & cover: All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley's Sack, a Black Family Keepsake by Tiya Miles

▪ Art & Nature: leaves & embroidery
▪ Story: telling them & passing them down: voicing our lives

23. title & cover: Contemplative Knitting by Julie Cicora

▪ Art: the beauty of a full knitting bowl & its diverse colors
▪ Experience: a favorite hobby, combined with contemplative meditation: peace

Julia wrote: "Hi, TerryJane,

count me in!

You're in, Julia! You can increase or decrease your goal during the quarter if you wish, but what starting goal would you like?

TerryJane wrote: "Julia wrote: "Hi, TerryJane,

count me in!

You're in, Julia! You can increase or decrease your goal during the quarter if you wish, but what starting goal would you like?"

sorry! I had to quickly save my post before leaving my desk. I'm editing my post as I write (or just after!)

Julia wrote: "sorry! I had to quickly save my post before leaving my desk. I'm editing my post as I write (or just after!)"

No worries! Thanks for the quick response. 👍

Hi! Please sign me up for 12 books!

12/12

What I am grateful for:

1. Holding Hands-- Master of His Fate
2. The Sea-- The House by the Sea
3. Family-- Death in a Family Way
4. Friends-- The Friend Zone
5. Flowers-- Still Life
6. Healthy Heart-- The Heart Keeper
7. My Children-- Those Who Save Us
8. Libraries-- The Midnight Library
9. The Night Sky-- The Ex Hex
10. The Right to Vote-- Let the People Pick the President: The Case for Abolishing the Electoral College
11. Love-- The Boy Who Loved Boxes: A Children's Book for Adults
12. Songs-- The Songbook of Benny Lament

Lauri's Spot!
Gratitude Jar Q1 Challenge
January 1 - March 31, 2022
2 / 9 books

A Gratitude Jar is a place to store notes about the people, experiences and other things that bring us happiness, which can be taken out and read as needed during a rough patch to restore one's attitude of gratitude.

For this challenge, you will fill your imaginary Gratitude Jar by reading books with cover images or title words that represent the blessings in your life. Anything or anyone you appreciate can count, big or small.

Sample gratitude notes could include, but are definitely not limited to:
▪ People: family, friends, a memory of a loved one, a kind stranger
▪ Nature: sunrise, animals, flowers, seasons, beach, trees, waterfalls, moon
▪ Experiences: music, vacation, faith, birthdays, job, hobbies, sleeping late
▪ Comforts: home, food and drink, cozy socks, a warm blanket, good books

True Love
In a Holidaze 1/2/22
A Stitch in Time
Animals / Pets - All Things Bright and Beautiful
A Really Good Book - Thunderhead
Dessert!
The Candy Cane Cupcake Killer 1/10/22

Wow! I love the idea!
Please sign me up for the GRATITUDE JAR
Duration: January 1 – March 31, 2022
Sample gratitude notes could include, but are definitely not limited to:
▪ People: family, friends, a memory of a loved one, a kind stranger
▪ Nature: sunrise, animals, flowers, seasons, beach, trees, waterfalls, moon
▪ Experiences: music, vacation, faith, birthdays, job, hobbies, sleeping late
▪ Comforts: home, food and drink, cozy socks, a warm blanket, good books
▪ Interesting and fun stuff:
set in future,
with a beautiful cover
that made me cry
that made me laugh
that's simply magical

Hi, TerryJane! Thanks for leading this challenge! Please sign me up for 8 books.

CHALLENGE COMPLETE!

1. Oogy: The Dog Only a Family Could Love because I love my rescue pup!
2. Goodbye, Paris because Paris is on my bucket list.
3. The Blind Side because I love sports.
4. The Red Hat Club because I am grateful to have lived long enough, and in good health, to be a member of one of these clubs!
5. Unthinkable: Trauma, Truth, and the Trials of American Democracy because I am grateful for leaders who can continue to lead in the face of personal tragedy
6. The Last Chapter because I am grateful for those who gave everything to protect the world from tyrants
7. The Au Pair because I a grateful for writers who can keep me guessing.
8. Gods of Jade and Shadow because I love Mexico and the legends of its people

I'm in or 5!

☘Misericordia☘ wrote: "Wow! I love the idea!
Please sign me up for the GRATITUDE JAR
Duration: January 1 – March 31, 2022
Sample gratitude notes could include, but are definitely not limited to:
▪ People: family, friend..."

Welcome to the Gratitude Jar challenge, Misericordia! How many books/notes do you want for your goal this quarter?

Hello, everybody! I wish you all a healthy and happy new year full of terrific books. 🥳💙📚💙🥳

I'm happy to have you all join in this joyful challenge. I'm excited to start the year in such a positive endeavour. 😊 I plan to update progress here at least twice a month, but possibly more often. Happy reading!

Sunny wrote: "Love your jar!..." 🤗
Thanks, Sunny!

Very sweet challenge! Sign me up for 4 please 😊 I may do more but want at least 4 as my starting point

Finished: 2022/04/18

I'd like to join this as well with a starting goal of 5 books.

Progress: 5/5

What I'm grateful for:
Nature in it's entirety, especially during spring and snow in winter.
Travelling is a great passion, and I really enjoyed my stays in Paris (and totally look forward to another).
I am eternally grateful for Books in my life and, especially, that I have stumbled upon Oscar Wilde along that journey.
My family in its entirety is my blessing, and especially my father/vater will always have a special place in my heart.
I'm eternally grateful to my parents for bringing Queen and their music into my life.

other books, not counting:

Updated msg 4

Just completed my first selection - When You Get the Chance by Emma Lord. My first 5-star read of 2022, and it was exactly what I needed! From the cover, to the theater content, to the sparkly wonder of it all, I felt delightful at the end! Great plot movement and character dialogue! A true love letter nyc, theater kids, and family - those that step up and those who step in. I received this book as a free giveaway in exchange for my honest review. Definitely worth reading! 5 stars

I’m grateful for the chances I’ve had in my life

1/15

Please count me in for at least 28 books
28/28

Sample gratitude notes could include, but are definitely not limited to:
▪ People: family, friends, a memory of a loved one, a kind stranger

People - Oh Great, Now I Can Hear Dead People! by Deborah Durbin 12/01
Family - The Family Plot by Megan Collins 05/02
Friends - Let's Be Just Friends by Camilla Isley 12/02
A memory of a loved one - In Loving Memory of Isobel by Daya Daniels 12/02
A kind stranger - The Kindness of Strangers by Julie Newman 13/02

▪ Nature: sunrise, animals, flowers, seasons, beach, trees, waterfalls, moon

Nature - Against Nature by Joris-Karl Huysmans 11/02
Sunrise - One Moment At Sunrise by Karen Aldous 09/02
Animals - Animals Behaving Badly: Boozing Bees, Cheating Chimps, Dogs with Guns, and Other Beastly True Tales by Linda Lombardi 14/02
Flowers - February Flowers by Fan Wu 11/02
Seasons - Love and the Turning Seasons: India's Poetry of Spiritual & Erotic Longing by Andrew Schelling 15/02
Beach - Meet Me at Pebble Beach by Bella Osborne 15/02
Trees - In the Cemetery of the Orange Trees by Jeff Talarigo 15/02
Waterfalls - The Waterfalls of the Moon by Anne Mather 15/02
Moon - When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore 16/02

▪ Experiences: music, vacation, faith, birthdays, job, hobbies, sleeping late

Experiences - Personal Experiences by Tracy Lee 16/02
Music - Music of the Night by Angela J. Ford 17/02
Vacation - People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry 20/02
Faith - Faith Fox by Jane Gardam 21/02
Birthdays - Birthdays of a Princess by Helga Zeiner 22/02
Job - The Palace Job by Patrick Weekes 24/02
Hobbies - Grave Robbing and Other Hobbies: A Reverse Harem Romance by Jayce Carter 24/02
Sleeping late - Sleeping Late on Judgement Day by Tad Williams 07803

▪ Comforts: home, food and drink, cozy socks, a warm blanket, good books

Comforts - Southern Comforts by JoAnn Ross 09/03
Home - Coming Home by Max Bolt 09/03
Food and Drink - Egyptian Food and Drink by Hillary Wilson11/03
Socks - Fifty Shades of Silver Hair and Socks by Phil Torcivia 11/03
A Warm Blanket - Peanuts: Happiness Is A Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown! by Charles M. Schulz 11/03
Good books - In My Good Books by V.S. Pritchett 14/03

I just discovered this group and I am in! I will set my goal as 10 books and I will add them as I go. Can't wait to start! I have lots to be grateful for.

Progress: 13/10 Challenge complete! But I'm going to keep going!

1. The Restaurant Critic's Wife - I'm grateful for restaurants so I don't always have to cook.
2. The Woods - I'm grateful for woods nearby to hike through. Love my quiet hikes!
3. Queen of Babble in the Big City - I'm grateful for the big city! It's one of my favorite places to visit.
4. S is for Silence - With three kids, I'm grateful for a moment of silence.
5. The House Husband - I'm grateful for my husband.
6. Best Friends Forever - I'm grateful for my friends.
7. Sugar - I'm grateful for all the sugary treats!
8. Hush Little Baby - I'm grateful for all three of my babies.
9. The Wildwater Walking Club - I'm grateful for my walking buddies, both when I worked from an office, and now that I work from home.
10. Heart Full of Lies - I'm grateful for all that my heart does for me every day.
11. Our House -I'm grateful for my home.
12. Girls' Night Out- I'm grateful for my girls' nights out!
13. From Notting Hill with Love... Actually - I'm grateful for love.

Please count me in for 3 books. Im grateful for so much but I cant read that many books in the time period of this Q1. So heres my top 3 things I'm grateful in the order Im getting the books from the library. Family is #1 on the real list

Books.

Dogs

Family 2 books only counting one

Lists

Updated message 24-- 1/12
Grateful for: Holding Hands (on cover)--

Update to message 35
Nature - Dawn - Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas

Quarterly Challenge

Duration: January 1 - March 31, 2022



GOAL: 27/27

My Gratitude's:

✘Family - Family Pets Title: Family

✘ Brother - Brother: A Story of Autism Cover and Title

✘ Dogs - A Rare Breed of Love: The True Story of Baby and the Mission She Inspired to Help Dogs Everywhere Cover and Title: Dogs

✘ God - Thor: God of Thunder, Volume 1: The God Butcher Title

✘ Transportation - Attaboy Cover

✘ My house - Crazy House Title and Cover

✘ Books - The Library of Lost Things Cover

✘ Garden - The Sprite and the Gardener Title

✘ The Moon - Mooncakes Cover

✘ Doctors - Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor, Vol. 1: Revolutions of TerrorTitle

✘ Coffee - Coffee Cover and Title

✘ Rain - The Rain StomperTitle

✘ Disney - Beauty and the BeastCover and Title

✘ Movies - West Side Story: The Jets, the Sharks, and the Making of a Classic Title

✘ TV shows - Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business Cover

✘ Flowers/trees - There Are Flowers in Ohio Cover and Title

✘ Concerts - Break Shot: My First 21 Years

✘ Plays - Tick, Tick... Boom!: ScreenplayCover and Title

✘ Marvel - Marvel Powers of a Girl Cover and Title

✘ Blankets - Pugs in a Blanket: A Wish Novel Cover and Title

✘ Cold Weather - Mistlefoe: A Mead Realm Tale Cover - snow = cold weather

✘ The Sun - A Raisin in the Sun Title

✘ LOVE -11 Paper Hearts Cover

✘ Animals - Miranda and Me Cover

✘ Teaching/teacher - The Last Teacher Title

✘ Children - Hollow City

✘ Holidays - [book:Marvel Holiday Spectacular 2009|283202

GRATITUDE JAR
January 1 – March 31, 2022

20/20 as of February 21!
Goal raised to 30
30/30 as of March 16!
I'll keep adding...
32/30 as of March 25

🐧1. Violets Are Blue (Alex Cross #7) by James Patterson
January 1 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Grateful for my Buddy Reader Iton!

🐧2. Four Blind Mice (Alex Cross #8) by James Patterson
January 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Grateful there were no' vampires' in this one! (There were 'vampires' in Violets Are Blue.)

🐧3. Murder on Black Swan Lane (Wrexford & Sloane #1) by Andrea Penrose
January 7 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Grateful for my Goodreads Friend who asked me to read this series with her!

🐧4. Murder at Half Moon Gate (Wrexford & Sloane #2) by Andrea Penrose
January 9 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Grateful that Wrex and Charlotte are finding each other...

🐧5. People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
January 12 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Grateful for the Goodreads member, Erica, who volunteered to lead this monthly group read discussion!

🐧6. Day of Infamy by Walter Lord
January 16 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Grateful to the fellow Popsugar group member who suggest Walter Lord books!

🐧7. I Am Not Sidney Poitier by Percival Everett
January 17 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I'm grateful to read this prior to the author event with Everett!

🐧8. The House Without A Key (Charlie Chan #1) by Earl Derr Biggers
January 20 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I am grateful to be able to obtain copies of such old books!

🐧9. The Right Attitude to Rain (Isabel Dalhousie #3) by Alexander McCall Smith
January 21 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Grateful for Smith's creation and continuation of this series with such a kind and caring protagonist!

🐧10. The Careful Use of Compliments (Isabel Dalhousie #4) by Alexander McCall Smith
January 29 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Grateful for Isabel's perseverance and also her kind-hearted and generous nature.

🐧11. The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race by Walter Isaacson
January 30 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Grateful for scientists who devote their lives to research.

🐧12. [[book:The Black Stallion Returns|123203] (Black Stallion #2) by Walter Farley
January 31 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Grateful I discovered this series even if I am old!

💘13. The Guest Cat by Takashi Hiraide
February 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Grateful for this poignant heartfelt reminiscence of a consistent feline visitor. (Makes me better appreciate my felines who allow me to hold and love on them!

💘14. Lionboy (Lionboy #1) by Zizou Corder
February 6 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Grateful for this heartwarming juvenile/YA series of a boy who can talk "cat." (I'm just jealous! LOL)

💘15. Euphoria by Lily King
February 8 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Grateful for King's historical fiction account of this relationship!

💘16. Bluebird, Bluebird (Highway 59 #1) by Attica Locke
February 12 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Grateful for this new-to-me series by one of my absolute favorite authors!

💘17. Murder at Kensington Palace (Wrexford & Sloane #3) by Andrea Penrose
February 13 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Grateful for the Buddy Readers to discuss this with!

💘18. The Big Bad Wolf (Alex Cross #9) by James Patterson
February 17 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Grateful for Patterson continuing this series!

💘19. Raybearer (Raybearer #1) by Jordan Ifueko
February 20 ⭐⭐⭐
Grateful when I had finished reading it!

💘20. Get a Life, Chloe Brown (Brown Sisters #1) by Talia Hibbert
February 21 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Grateful for Hibbert's amazing writing!

So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

💘22. Granta 148: Summer Fiction edited by Sigrid Rausing
February 21 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Grateful for such an amazing short story collection from such diverse authors!

💘23. Back Bay (Peter Fallon #1) by William Martin
February 27 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Grateful to have the opportunity to start this series from the beginning!

💘24. The Chase (Lionboy #2) by Zizou Corder
February 27 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Grateful for this mother-daughter duo author team!

✨25. I'm Fine and Neither Are You by Camille Pagán
March 6 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Grateful for the Literary Wives group to motivate me to read and enjoy this!

✨26. Murder at Queen's Landing (Wrexford & Sloane #4) by Andrea Penrose
March 9 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Still so grateful to have discovered this series. One of my absolute all-time favorites!

✨27. The Truth (Loinboy #3) by Zizou Corder
March 11 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
So grateful for the "happily ever after" totally unrealistic ending to this trilogy! I just hope my grandchildren enjoy it as much as I did!

✨28. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
March 13 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
So grateful for exquisitely skilled nonfiction writers!

✨29. The Cat Who Went to Heaven by Elizabeth Coatsworth, illustrated by Raoul Vitale
March 15 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Grateful that a book I selected mainly for the cover image turned out to be such an enjoyable Japanese fable!

✨30. Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus (Live Events #2) by Dusti Bowling
Grateful to have discovered this juvenile/YA series with a differently-abled and huorous young protagonist!
March 16 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

✨31. Son of the Black Stallion (Black Stallion #3) by Walter Farley
Grateful for yet another enjoyable installment in this thoughtful series. All about 'training' animals either with force or love, respect, and compassion.
March 17 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

✨32. Daddy-Long-Legs (Daddy-Long-Legs #1) by Jean Webster
Grateful to have discovered such a heartwarming story published 110 years ago!
March 25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Updated msg 4

Just completed Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo. This author can really land a story arc! This was everything I wanted, brought in lovely elements from the rest of the series, and kept me guessing. I loved every minute! Definitely worth reading! 5 stars

Grateful for trees (pictured on the cover)

2/15

Updated message 9. Progress: 2/6

Updated message 24-- 2/12
Grateful for the sea-- The House by the Sea

Update to message 36: Progress 1/10
Grateful for restaurants - The Restaurant Critic's Wife by Elizabeth LaBan

Update on message #33: finished 1/5.

Updated msg 4

Just completed Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed. Well-written middle grade! Doesn’t shy away from a hard subject matter but also includes the joy in life as well. Loved the characters and the descriptions of Pakistan. Definitely worth reading! 4.5 stars

Grateful for freedom

3/15

Update to Msg #40

✘ 1/7/21 Brother - Brother: A Story of Autism Cover and Title

✘ 1/7/21 Coffee - Coffee Cover and Title

4/20

▪ People
Parents, Sisters, Children, Cowboys, Doctors, Emergency Services, Pets, boyfriend, family



▪ Nature:
sunset, seascapes, mountains, the moon, sun, summer, springtime, stars



▪ Experiences:
Travelling, Holidays, country music, colour, ocean views, adventure. christmas, work


▪ Comforts:
Libraries, Books, Disney, coffee, cake, rides, hygge, cocktails.

Updated message 24-- 3/12
Grateful for Family-- Death in a Family Way