Around the Year in 52 Books discussion
2023 Plans
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2023 Challenge Completion
WooHoo. I just read my last book to finish Round 1! Last year it took all year to decide where to put each book. This year the planning was tight, I was healthy (focused), and everything fell into place. Round two and the rejects challenge will be more free form.https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
- 5 Star books that I read for the ATY Challenge
Still thinking about it.
- Any twists on the challenge? (ie in order, all nonfiction, all picture books, etc) -
- My most creative twist on a prompt - Shape - I needed a graphic novel for another challenge, and I found a Circle Award winner.
- The prompt I "cheated" on -#32. A book set in a Unesco City of Literature. Touch by Olaf Olafsoon, is set only partially in Reykjavík, Iceland. He also goes to London and Hiroshima. So I'll pick another one that fits 100% for round 2.
- My favorite prompts - Birds Bees and Bunnies, Science, and European authors. For Round two Tropics and Unesco cities. I even loved the cover prompts this year (which are often hard on my eyes).
- My least favorite prompt -
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (but I’m so glad I did!) - Lessons in Chemistry!
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (and I wish I hadn’t!) Stir, for the recipe term. It OK, but not what I expected.
- 5 Star books that I read for the ATY Challenge Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration Into the Wonder of Consciousness (4 stars by itself, but 5 when paired with Remarkably Bright Creatures.)
Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
When McKinsey Comes to Town: The Hidden Influence of the World's Most Powerful Consulting Firm by Walt Bogdanich
Paradise Falls: The True Story of an Environmental Catastrophe Keith O'Brian
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
Abigail by Magda Szabo
The Reading List by Sarah Nisha Adams
To Live by Yu Hua
Fall of Giants by Ken Follett
Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa (4-5)
Light Changes Everything by Nancy E Turner. (4-5)
Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future by Elizabeth Kolbert 4-5
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Why We Get Sick: The Hidden Epidemic at the Root of Most Chronic Disease―and How to Fight It by Ben Bikman 4-5
With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo 4-5
Watership Down (4-5)
Mod
I’m finished with my first round of the challenge. I’ll go through it again reading a different set of books. I’ll answer the questions after the second round. I did try to concentrate my reading this year on books about libraries or books. That was a fun twist to the challenge.
I have just finished. - 5 Star books that I read for the ATY Challenge - The Hound of the Baskervilles for the large animal prompt
- Any twists on the challenge? (ie in order, all nonfiction, all picture books, etc) - No
- My most creative twist on a prompt - I read The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules for the prompt "A book with ONE of the five "W" question words in the title". It was a "W" question word but the title was not a question.
- The prompt I "cheated" on - I don't think I did.
- My favorite prompt - "A book with an unusual or surprising title "
- My least favorite prompt - The Spice Girls prompt
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (but I’m so glad I did!) - Blood Ninja for the "A book where the cover design includes text that is not completely horizontal" prompt. I was unsure about this book and it was the first one I found with writing vertical. I really enjoyed it and not something I would normally read.
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (and I wish I hadn’t!) - Murder by the Book: The Crime That Shocked Dickens's London by Claire Harman - I read it for the "Book where books are important" prompt. I thought I would really enjoy this but I didn't.
Also Ham on Rye by Charles Bukowski which I read for the prompt "A title that contains a word often found in a recipe". I didn't think much of it either.
Definitely in again for next year :-)
5 Star books that I read for the ATY ChallengeThe War I Finally Won (The War That Saved My Life #2)
The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music
A Heart That Works
Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
Charlotte's Web
Night
Remarkably Bright Creatures
Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
They Called Us Enemy
Any twists on the challenge? (ie in order, all nonfiction, all picture books, etc)
I didn't find this group/challenge until the end of April. I was able to fulfill all but 2 of the prompts with books I'd read in the first 4 months of the year.
My most creative twist on a prompt
I think mine are all straightforward.
The prompt I "cheated" on
Again, I think my choices are all straightforward, and I consulted the Listopia lists for any I wasn't 100% sure about.
My favorite prompt
#43. A book that involves a murder - crime novels are my favorite
My least favorite prompt
#13. A book that has an object that is repeated on the cover - it wasn't particularly inspiring for me
A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (but I’m so glad I did!)
We Have Always Lived in the Castle
A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (and I wish I hadn’t!)
I can't really put any book here. Even if I don't particularly like a book I don't wish I hadn't read it. If it's so bad that I'd feel that way, I just wouldn't finish it.
My ATY tracker
Congrats everybody!! You seriously amaze me :)
I completed the challenge on 5/16/23.- 5 Star books that I read for the ATY Challenge
Babel, Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution by R.F. Kuang - 2/4/23 - 5* - My Review
The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri - 1/9/23 - 5* - My Review
Double Blind by Edward St. Aubyn - 1/16/23 - 5* - My Review
Search by Michelle Huneven - 1/9/23 - 5* - My Review
Suite Française by Irène Némirovsky - 1/11/23 - 5* - My Review (Translated from French)
The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet by David Mitchell - 3/15/23 - 5* - My Review
World's Fair by E.L. Doctorow - 2/1/23 - 5* - My Review
Victory City by Salman Rushdie - 3/14/23 - 5* - My Review (a book published in 2023)
- Any twists on the challenge? (ie in order, all nonfiction, all picture books, etc)
Tried to read books already on my TBR and mostly succeeded.
- My most creative twist on a prompt
48. A book with an unusually large version of an animal in the story - this book has a very large dragon that takes residence on a mountain - dragons are presumed to be big anyway, but this one was extra large
The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm: Eragon by Christopher Paolini - 3/19/23 - 4* - My Review
- The prompt I "cheated" on
I don't think I cheated.
- My favorite prompt
51. A book published in 2023 - I enjoy keeping up with new releases
- My least favorite prompt
43. A book that involves a murder
I very much dislike reading about murder - we have enough violence in the real world without spending my free time thinking about it.
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (but I’m so glad I did!)
38. A book with the sun, moon, or stars on the cover
Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson - 2/18/23 - 4* - My Review As I was looking for a book to fit this prompt, I came across this one, which I had almost deleted from my TBR since I had read a book by this author that I didn't care for, but glad I read it as it was a fantastic SciFi!
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (and I wish I hadn’t!
43. A book that involves a murder
Bull Mountain by Brian Panowich - 2/26/23 - 1* - My Review (I really hated it - one of those whose twists at the end that negates the entirety of what you just spent hours reading. I only finished it since I didn't want to have to read another book about a murder).
Mod
The War I Finally Won (The War That Saved My Life #2)
The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music
An interesting WWII set - Night, Maus, They Called Us Enemy, and The War I Finally Won. I did The War That Saved My Life and The War I Finally Won on audio and they were terrific!
Jazzy wrote: "Finished mine, please come have a look. https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/..."
I love your illustrations and your choices are really interesting.
LeahS wrote: "Jazzy wrote: "Finished mine, please come have a look. https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/..."
I love your illustrations and your choices ar..."
Thank you, that's so very kind x
I completed the challenge 6/18/235 Star books that I read for the ATY Challenge
Backpacking Through Bedlam
The Invisible Hour
The Golden Enclaves
The Last Lifeboat
Only Bad Options
Magic Tides
The King's Jewel
One True Loves
The No-Show
Hello Stranger
California Golden
- Any twists on the challenge? (ie in order, all nonfiction, all picture books, etc)
No
-My most creative twist on a prompt
Prompt 20 Book with a cover or title with a route of travel I chose The Last Lifeboat
- The prompt I "cheated" on -
I didn't cheat on any
- My favorite prompt
I loved the different century prompts. I love historical fiction especially different centuries.
- My least favorite prompt
a western- I don't love this genre.
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (but I’m so glad I did!)
31. A book found by inputting a favorite author on https://www.literature-map.com
Phoenix Unbound I had no idea this website existed and I really enjoyed this book. I never would have read this otherwise.
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (and I wish I hadn’t!)
9. A book nominated for an award beginning with W The Power
I love this challenge and really do enjoy all of the prompts.
I just completed the challenge!A five star read was The Overstory by Richard Powers.
My twist on (most of the challenge) was to use only books from my TBR list. I had to add a few others to complete certain prompts.
I didn't cheat on any prompt. Although I was tempted at times!
My favorite prompt was #35 and my least favorite was #31.
I might not have read Persepolis 2 if not for the Challenge, And I did enjoy it.
I would not have read The Master and Margarita (as fantasy is not my thing) and I did not enjoy it and struggled to get through it.
I enjoyed the ATY Challenge and thank all the people involved in creating and monitoring it. I look forward to seeing/doing the 2024 one.
Finished! https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
5 Star books that I read for the ATY Challenge.
I don't rate as I go along, but these have stuck in my mind:
Beneath the Lion's Gaze
The Conquest of New Spain
Razorblade Tears
White Truffles in Winter
Five Fingers
The Bridge over the Drina
The Orphanage
The House by the Lake: One House, Five Families, and a Hundred Years of German History
I'm an Old Commie!
The Hungry Tide
Katalin Street
Any twists on the challenge? (ie in order, all nonfiction, all picture books, etc)
Yes, I eventually decided to read books related to all the official countries of Europe, preferably by authors from those countries. I added a book from each continent to make up the numbers.
My most creative twist on a prompt
In order to have a book from The Vatican, I used writings by Pope Francis on the environment for the birds, bees or bunnies prompt. I also used The Violent Land, a South American novel for the Western prompt, as it had all the ingredients of a classic western.
The prompt I "cheated" on
I used the name Charles for name popular in 1923, but the author used the name Charlie.
My favourite prompt
The most useful for fitting books into were (not surprisingly): an author from continental Europe and book in translation . Other than that, I enjoyed all the multi-choice prompts.
My least favourite prompt
I wasn't looking forward to A western but I enjoyed the book I read for it, so it was fine in the end.
A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (but I’m so glad I did!)
The Bridge over the Drina
A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (and I wish I hadn’t!)
History of San Marino: Finding, Beginning of the nation, Culture and Cultural Policies. Tourism- just seemed to be a lot of internet downloads.
Finished on the 4th of July.https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Favourites in the first round:
One Day All This Will Be Yours by Adrian Tchaikovsky ✮✮✮✮✮
Artificial Condition by Martha Wells ✮✮✮✮✮
Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells ✮✮✮✮✮
Exit Strategy by Martha Wells ✮✮✮✮✮
Castle Hangnail by Ursula Vernon ✮✮✮✮✮
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree ✮✮✮✮✮
Encore in Death by J.D. Robb ✮✮✮✮✮
Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin ✮✮✮✮✮
Elena Knows by Claudia Piñeiro ✮✮✮✮✮
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman ✮✮✮✮✮
The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman ✮✮✮✮✮
An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us by Ed Yong ✮✮✮✮✮
Thud! by Terry Pratchett ✮✮✮✮✮
Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy ✮✮✮✮✮
Written in Red by Anne Bishop ✮✮✮✮✮
Favourite prompts:
14. A book with a con, deception, or fake
31. A book found by inputting a favorite author on https://www.literature-map.com
36. A book that has been translated from another language
Least favourite prompts:
10. A book related to one of the Spice Girls' "personalities"
39. A western
A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (but I’m so glad I did!)
Elena Knows by Claudia Piñeiro
Anna wrote: "Finished on the 4th of July.https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Favourites in the first round:
One Day All This Will Be Yours by Adrian Tchaikovsky ✮✮✮✮✮
..."
Good Job, Anna!
I have completed the challenge. I didn't read in order or anything special this year. I didn't keep track of ratings on my tracking page, but I enjoyed most of the books.
The book I only read because of the challenge and glad I did:
Wanderer of the Wasteland by Zane Grey.
I finished on 7th July- 5 Star books that I read for the ATY Challenge: Frangipani by Célestine Hitiura Vaite, The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa, The Vinland Sagas: The Norse Discovery of America by Unknown, The Tale of Aypi by Ak Welsapar, Song of the Sun God by Shankari Chandran, The River's Song by Suchen Christine Lim, The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai, In the Company of Men by Véronique Tadjo
- Any twists on the challenge? (ie in order, all nonfiction, all picture books, etc): I’m doing a round the world challenge so trying to fulfill the prompts with as many international reads as possible
- My most creative twist on a prompt: I read Mullumbimby for the chess prompt as the MC has horses
- The prompt I "cheated" on: I used some license with the literature map prompt
- My favorite prompt: translated
- My least favorite prompt: chess piece
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (but I’m so glad I did!): The Untold by Courtney Collins (I read a story of a female Australian bushranger for the Western prompt)
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (and I wish I hadn’t!): These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman
I just finished full challenge - 7/30/23! Went easily, quickly, almost entirely completed whatever I happened to be reading. My favorite way is with little or no planning.▪︎5 Star books that I read for the ATY Challenge
And Only to Deceive
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
The Turn of the Key
Kafka on the Shore
The Casual Vacancy
The Bells of Old Tokyo: Meditations on Time and a City
Ru
The Equivalents: The Untold Story of the Five Friends Who Started a Personal, Political, and Artistic Revolution
Dissolution
The Empire of Gold
Where the Crawdads Sing
Heat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany
Sad Cypress
Legends & Lattes
Parsnips in Love
The Cook
Hamnet
The Moving Finger
Warrior's Instinct: Cerberus Tactical K9 Team Bravo
▪︎ Any twists on the challenge? (ie in order, all nonfiction, all picture books, etc)
Must be in TBR. Minimal planning.
▪︎My most creative twist on a prompt
Interracial relationship - human with dragon shapeshifter
▪︎ The prompt I "cheated" on
Repeated object on cover - not really an object ...
▪︎ My favorite prompt
Three books, each in different century
▪︎ My least favorite prompt
Unusual or surprising title.
▪︎A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (but I’m so glad I did!)
I read from TBR so would read all eventually
▪︎ A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (and I wish I hadn’t!)
The Turn of the Screw
Theresa wrote: "I just finished full challenge - 7/30/23! Went easily, quickly, almost entirely completed whatever I happened to be reading. My favorite way is with little or no planning.▪︎5 Star books that I re..."
Congratulations!
Finished last night!5 Star books that I read for the ATY Challenge
I had 19 of these, so I'll spare you here, but some of my faves:
The House
Pinball: A Graphic History of the Silver Ball
Little Monarchs
Always Never
Chivalry
Challenge Twists
I do ATY in comics/graphic novels only!
Creative Interpretation
I read a book about a dinosaur sanctuary for "Related to Birds, Bees, or Bunnies"...Birds are related to dinosaurs!
My Favorite Prompt
Involving a Con, Deception, or Fake!
My Least Favorite Prompt
A Western or UNESCO City of Lit - hard to find comics for both!
Erin wrote: "Finished last night!5 Star books that I read for the ATY Challenge
I had 19 of these, so I'll spare you here, but some of my faves:
The House
[book:Pinball: A Graphic History of t..."
Erin - your graphic novel only version of the ATY challenge sounds very... challenging! I love your creative interpretation using dinosaurs for birds 😉
Congrats to everyone who has finished!- 5 Star books that I read for the ATY Challenge
I had 12 5 star reads:
The Verifiers
Carrie Soto Is Back
What Have We Done
Mad Honey
Gleanings: Stories from the Arc of a Scythe
Now You See Us
The Sentence
The Violin Conspiracy
Memphis
Elevation
Lessons in Chemistry
The Red Notebook
- Any twists on the challenge? (ie in order, all nonfiction, all picture books, etc) - no extra twists.
- My most creative twist on a prompt - I don't think I did anything creative.
- The prompt I "cheated" on - I don't know if it was a cheat but I read Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun for 14. A book with a con, deception, or fake. I feel like her being a fake contract killer was a big part of the first 2 books and it wasn't as prevalent in this book so felt a little like a cheat.
- My favorite prompt - 31. A book found by inputting a favorite author on https://www.literature-map.com.
- My least favorite prompt - A Western stands out because the book I choose was so bad and put me into a reading slump. I read A Dangerous Businessand I think because it was so short I figured I could power my way through it and maybe it would get better. And there were moments I liked it but mostly it was boring.
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (but I’m so glad I did!) - Remarkably Bright Creatures
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (and I wish I hadn’t!) - A Dangerous Business and Harbor Me. Harbor Me is a middle grade book and read way to young for me. It made me realize that I need to be very selective about my YA books.
I finished the challenge last night! I have never finished so early before! Now to finish my other 5 challenges.- 5 Star books that I read for the ATY Challenge:
Happy Place
Banyan Moon
Grant
All My Knotted-Up Life: A Memoir
- Any twists on the challenge? (ie in order, all nonfiction, all picture books, etc): No twists
- My most creative twist on a prompt: I don’t think I was really creative.
- The prompt I "cheated" on: The only prompt I may have cheated on is using The Choice (a book with dragons in it) for the “unusually large version of an animal” prompt.
- My favorite prompt: A-book with an unusual or surprising title
- My least favorite prompt: A western (though I did love the book I ended up using for the prompt, Half Broke Horses.
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (but I’m so glad I did!): Girls and their Horses
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (and I wish I hadn’t!): i enjoyed the books I read for the challenge. I will say there were a couple of books I started for the challenge but when I realized I was not enjoying them I switched to a different book to fill the prompt.
Mod
5 Star books that I read for the ATY Challenge
I had 19 of these, so I'll spare you here, but some of my faves:
The House
[book:Pinball: A Graphic History of t..."
Ooh interesting!
Tracy wrote: "Erin wrote: "Finished last night!"Haha it's a lot of fun! I always find things I would have never known about if not looking for hyper-specific books!
- 5 Star books that I read for the ATY Challenge. I have a few. Here are a few....And Ladies of the Club
The Winners
The Guncle
Lessons in Chemistry
Demon Copperhead
- Any twists on the challenge? (ie in order, all nonfiction, all picture books, etc). No
- My most creative twist on a prompt. None.
- My favorite prompt. #35 A western. (Full disclosure. I suggested this prompt.)
- My least favorite prompt # 12 A book connected to birds,bees,or bunnies.
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (but I’m so glad I did!) The Violin Conspiracy
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (and I wish I hadn’t!). Walden
Mod
...And Ladies of the Club
The Winners
The Guncle
[book:Lessons in Chemi..."
And Ladies of the Club is amazing in that the author wrote it in her older years. She didn't have to do research, she mostly just remembered her own youth. That was an ambitious undertaking on your part, considering the paperback is almost 1200 pages.
- 5 Star books that I read for the ATY ChallengeDemon Copperhead
The Covenant of Water
Light from Uncommon Stars
Pride and Prejudice
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna
The Violin Conspiracy
Shutter
Babel: An Arcane History
- Any twists on the challenge? (ie in order, all nonfiction, all picture books, etc)
No twists
- My most creative twist on a prompt
Maybe a little stretching, but nothing creative
- The prompt I "cheated" on
I backward engineered an author that I was already reading for another challenge on the literature map. I really didn't want to do that, it's such a cool prompt. But it was the end of the challenge and I was tired.
- My favorite prompt: So many good ones. Maybe Spice Girls' personalities.
- My least favorite prompt: Text that is not completely horizontal. Cover prompts are usually my least favorite.
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (but I’m so glad I did!): Muppets in Moscow: The Unexpected Crazy True Story of Making Sesame Street in Russia
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (and I wish I hadn’t!) The Book Eaters I might have read it anyway, but it was my least favorite book by far.
Second time around finished - the first year I've managed that!https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... (2nd entry)
5 star books
The Hemingway Book Club of Kosovo
Evia: Travels on an Undiscovered Greek Island
Milkman
The Rabbit Factor
A Theatre for Dreamers
Marriage Material
For Thy Great Pain Have Mercy on My Little Pain
Small Things Like These
Any twists on the challenge?
Yes, I followed on from reading a book by an author from each 'official' European country to reading books set in or around Europe and/or by European authors.
Creative use of prompt?
No creativity
Cheating on a prompt?
I also (again) reverse engineered Author entered on literature map
Favourite prompt?
I used book in translation because I'd read so many translated books; other than that I really liked the multi-choice prompts.
Least favourite prompt
A Western
Book I might not have read but was glad I did
The Hemingway Book Club of Kosovo
Book I might not have read and wished I hadn't
Nothing I hated.
LeahS wrote: "Second time around finished - the first year I've managed that!https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... (2nd entry)
5 star books
[book:The Hemingway Book Club of Kosovo|..."
Wow. Congratulations!
Thanks - but have to say that I'm retired, read very fast and housework -what's that....
I finished the challenge August 19th. It seems that the final 5 books took as long to get to and read as the first 47 books!- 5 Star books that I read for the ATY Challenge
A House for Mr Biswas
The Marriage of Opposites
Sea of Tranquility
Mrs. Dalloway
Embers
A Light in the Window
Mary Barton
The Plain in Flames
Instructions for a Heatwave
At the Sign of the Cat and Racket
Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance
- Any twists on the challenge? (ie in order, all nonfiction, all picture books, etc)
No twists
- My most creative twist on a prompt
None, really
- The prompt I "cheated" on
Didn't cheat
- My favorite prompt
19. A book related to the arts
- My least favorite prompt
14. A book with a con, deception or fake
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (but I’m so glad I did!)
Lessons in Chemistry was so good. I used this for: a book with a school subject in the title
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (and I wish I hadn’t!)
I probably would have read this anyway, but I read Passenger to Frankfurt by Agatha Christie for: A book with a con, deception or fake. It was her worst book, I think.
Mod
Demon Copperhead
The Covenant of Water
Light from Uncommon Stars
Pride and Prejudice
[b..."
You had some impressive books there!
I also loved Muppets in Moscow which I read last year and gave 5*.
Mod
Ha, ha, that's me too! I am sometimes amazed how other people spend so much time keeping up with all kinds of TV shows or working on their yards or houses. Then I remember that they don't read dozens/hundreds of books in a year!
Good challenge! Here are my answers:5 Star books that I read for the ATY Challenge
The Crimson Circle
High Heat
Speaking from Among the Bones
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again
They Called Us Enemy
The Canary Murder Case
The Day of the Dolphin
Lessons in Chemistry
If You Want Closure in Your Relationship, Start with Your Legs: A Guide to Understanding Men
The Zakhov Mission
A Superior Death
Deadly Stillwater
Conversations With Rabbi Small
Any twists on the challenge? (ie in order, all nonfiction, all picture books, etc)
None
My most creative twist on a prompt
Not sure this is a twist, but it was something I enjoyed doing. The eye of the Needle (prompt #39 - A Western) was written by my cousin Garland Roark AKA George Garland. I knew that he had written several novels, including 2 that were made into movies, but I never knew he wrote westerns!
The prompt I "cheated" on
Not sure if this was a cheat, but I read The Hobbit, or There and Back Again for prompt 20. The cover shows a road, which I think of as a route of travel.
My favorite prompt
52 A book with an unusual or surprising title for which I read If You Want Closure in Your Relationship, Start with Your Legs: A Guide to Understanding Men
My least favorite prompt
32 A book set in a UNESCO City of Literature. I liked the book I read, Death in Breslau, but didn't like the prompt.
A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (but I’m so glad I did!)
Lessons in Chemistry
A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (and I wish I hadn’t!)
The Autumn of the Patriarch I would have eventually read it anyway since it's on the Boxall 1001 list, but I had to force myself to finish it.
- 5 Star books that I read for the ATY Challenge:Zero Days
The Violin Conspiracy
Gone Girl
Night Film
- Any twists on the challenge? (ie in order, all nonfiction, all picture books, etc) - no
- My most creative twist on a prompt - none
- The prompt I "cheated" on - Mists of Avalon is a fantasy story set in vaguely medieval times but I used it for one of the century prompts
- My favorite prompt - spice girls
- My least favorite prompt- disability prompt
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (but I’m so glad I did!) The Violin Conspiracy
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (and I wish I hadn’t!) - Lincoln in the Bardo
Michelle wrote: "- 5 Star books that I read for the ATY Challenge:Zero Days
The Violin Conspiracy
Gone Girl
Night Film
- Any twists on the challenge..."
I agree with you on Lincoln In The Bardo and The Violin Conspiracy. Brendan Slocumb released Symphony of Secrets, and it is just as good as The Violin conspiracy and probably better.
Finished challenge on 29-Aug-2023- 5 Star books that I read for the ATY Challenge: I’m having a great reading year, but I’m still surprised at how many 5-star books I read for this challenge.
Death Comes for the Archbishop
Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American HistoryLike Water for Chocolate
Where I Come From: Stories from the Deep South
The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate: Discoveries from a Secret World
Hawaii
Stardust
The Birchbark House
Symphony of Secrets
The Postcard
- Any twists on the challenge? (ie in order, all nonfiction, all picture books, etc) This year I’m reading one book per month about Native American/Indian/Indigenous culture or reading a book by an author that fits that category. I BIO’d some of the prompts for this 2023 goal.
Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American HistoryLike Water for Chocolate
The Birchbark House
Woman of Light
- My most creative twist on a prompt - For a book related to pride, I read The Murder of Mr. Wickham. It is a Pride & Prejudice adjacent book, so it was a bit of a stretch, but there you have it.
- The prompt I "cheated" on - For a book related to a chess piece, I read Death Comes for the Archbishop. A bishop is one of the chess pieces. An Archbishop is not, but it’s close enough. It’s within the spirit of the prompt.
- My favorite prompt - A book that has been translated from another language - I love books in translation. I read Auntie Poldi and the Lost Madonna.
- My least favorite prompt - A book from the NPR “Books We Love” list - I’ve already read most of the books on this list that interest me. I read Black Cake.
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (but I’m so glad I did!) - The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate: Discoveries from a Secret World - This will be on my list of favorite books for 2023.
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (and I wish I hadn’t!) - James and the Giant Peach - There isn’t anything wrong with the book, but it’s not something I would have normally read.
Yay, I've finished. - 5 Star books that I read for the ATY Challenge
* Saved by Grace - 10. A book related to one of the Spice Girls' "personalities" (sporty)
*Dark Matter - 18. A book related to science
And a couple of other 5 star reads to date but not for the challange
- Any twists on the challenge? (ie in order, all nonfiction, all picture books, etc)
*Nope
- My most creative twist on a prompt
*I don't think I'm really creative. Just stick to the prompts as they are.
- The prompt I "cheated" on
*Maybe a stretch
- the main character in Can I Steal You for a Second? is a mechanic, so it fits for 24. A character that might be called a Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, or Spy- but the character was on a reality dating show, so her occupation was mentioned a few times but didn't play a big role in the book.
- also 32. A book set in a UNESCO City of Literature - I read Family Baggage which is set in Melbourne so fits, but the location wasn't really a focus.
- My favorite prompt
* 6. A book where books are important
- My least favorite prompt
* 48. A book with an unusually large version of an animal in the story and
* 39. A western
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (but I’m so glad I did!)
*Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow - 3. A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the 2023 list - A winner or nominee from the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards
* Book Lovers - 6. A book where books are important
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (and I wish I hadn’t!)
* Rules - 11. A book about a person/character with a disability - I could have done much better for this one.
*Crenshaw - 48. A book with an unusually large version of an animal in the story - large cat
*Tim Te Maro and the Subterranean Heartsick Blues - 40. A book with a full name in the title
- this wasn't great either, but I got it as an ARC so would have read it regardless.
I got there! I was worried at a few points this year, so I'm very proud to be finishing in September :D- 5 Star books that I read for the ATY Challenge: A fair few! (Just listing the new ones read, and no rereads I slotted in)
- Any twists on the challenge? (ie in order, all nonfiction, all picture books, etc): Not really, tbh. My brain has been pudding this year, I’m just proud to have finished!
- My most creative twist on a prompt: I’m quite proud of 46. A title that contains a word often found in a recipe, for which I read A Gentleman Never Keeps Score. You’re often supposed to “score” the top of the loaf when you make bread, so it's a fairly niche spin on the prompt..
- The prompt I "cheated" on: Kind of 39. A western, for which I read Cowboy Seeks Husband by Leta Blake. I feel it was more a reality show based romance book than a western, but it did involve a cowboy main character!
- My favorite prompt: I did like 50. A second book that fits your favorite prompt for flexibility. I also liked 11. A book about a person/character with a disability, in part because I suggested it! Also, surprisingly, 9. A book nominated for an award beginning with W - because it stretched me a little, but I found that I didn’t actually mind that!
- My least favorite prompt - Far and away 32. A book set in a UNESCO City of Literature. It was the last one I filled, and also the last one I picked out a book for because I simply could not find one I wanted to read. In the end I reread an old favourite (The Strings of Murder), but the process of getting there was quite annoying.
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (but I’m so glad I did!): Dark Rise by CS Pacat, for 49. A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads in 2022 or 2023. I’d been on the fence about it ever since it’d come out, and without this challenge I don’t think I’d ever actually have picked it up. I’m so glad I did! I mean, 75% of it isn’t that good. BUT THAT LAST 25%
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (and I wish I hadn’t!): Wildhood: The Astounding Connections between Human and Animal Adolescents for 18. A book related to science. The point at which they started explaining their incredibly simple title was the point I realised I wouldn’t get on with this book, and I was so right.
Charlsa wrote: "- Any twists on the challenge? (ie in order, all nonfiction, all picture books, etc) This year I’m reading one book per month about Native American/Indian/Indigenous culture or reading a book by an author that fits that category. I BIO’d some of the prompts for this 2023 goal."Very cool. I am doing something similar. I'm reading #20BooksByIndigenousWomen Birchbark House was also one I read this year. I really enjoyed it.
Also, it's so strange - I just read your post a few minutes ago, and about an hour ago I was holding the book Empire of the Summer Moon. I had forgotten that I had it, and I just finished the book The Comanche Empire, and I saw it on my bookshelf.
If you like mysteries, check out Marcie R. Rendon's Cash Blackbear series. The first one is called Murder on the Red River. They are set sometime during the Vietnam War (I can't remember exactly off the top of my head), but in Minnesota and North Dakota I believe. I have read the first two, and I am looking forward to the third.
I started out reading in order going week by week, then over the last 3 or 4 months life got a bit crazy for me and I started matching up titles I had already read this year with prompts; and because of trying to lessen my reading load, I opted to use Wild Cards on some; and I decided to read the books in any order so I could get finished with the challenge. I finished the last book last night. 52/52. I managed to accomplish most of what I wanted with the challenge this year. Because of taking on being a moderator in the other group I'm in, I won't be doing ATY52 in the coming year. I'm trying to keep from taking on too much and burning myself out.
Finished Yesterday!5 Star books that I read for the ATY Challenge
I'm a fairly easy 'grader' so there were quite a few. Favourite among the favourite include The Hypnotist, Other Birds, A Great Reckoning
Any twists on the challenge? (ie in order, all nonfiction, all picture books, etc) No not really. I'm doing PopSugar simultaneously and my rule for myself is no using the same book for each challenge
My most creative twist on a promptI am literally the least creative person. All were almost too straightforward interpretations
The prompt I "cheated" on. Book with a big animal maybe? I used a Newfoundland dog Murder at Haven's Rock. Also maybe novella. Not sure how long it's supposed to be. I read all four in the Broken Doll Series by Jeffery Deaver - surely one of them counted The Pain Hunter
My favorite prompt. That's hard to say. Some were so easy that they really couldn't be 'favourite'. Maybe a book where books are important. Really enjoyed my choice for that one.The Reading List
My least favorite prompt. I struggled with the Three Centuries one, because I don't read SciFi or Historical Fiction. I did go all out and read Pride and Prejudice and may finally watch the BBC miniseries too!
A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (but I’m so glad I did!)Once There Were Wolves
A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (and I wish I hadn’t!) Behind the Scenes at the Museum
Misty wrote: "Charlsa wrote: "- Any twists on the challenge? (ie in order, all nonfiction, all picture books, etc) This year I’m reading one book per month about Native American/Indian/Indigenous culture or read..."I'm just seeing your response. Ok, so.....I have The Comanche Empire sitting on my shelf for that reading goal this year. I'll probably read it in October.
Is the #20BooksByIndigenousWomen a specific list of books or authors?
I put Murder On The Red River on hold. Thanks!
Around the Year in 52 Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants (other topics)Blood Meridian, or, the Evening Redness in the West (other topics)
A Passage to India (other topics)
Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch (other topics)
Big Tree (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Patrick Rothfuss (other topics)Lee Child (other topics)
Danny Wallace (other topics)
Patrick deWitt (other topics)
Charles Dickens (other topics)
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If you're interested, feel free to answer these questions and let us know what you loved and didn't love about the challenge!
- 5 Star books that I read for the ATY Challenge
- Any twists on the challenge? (ie in order, all nonfiction, all picture books, etc)
- My most creative twist on a prompt
- The prompt I "cheated" on
- My favorite prompt
- My least favorite prompt
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (but I’m so glad I did!)
- A book I might not have read if not for the ATY Challenge (and I wish I hadn’t!)