Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

52 & ANNIVERSARY TOPICS OF THE 2025 ATY READING CHALLENGE

Progress: 52 Topics - 51 of 52
Anniversary List - 8 of 10

✅1. A book with a cover that has an image of something that starts with A, T, or Y
✅2. A prompt suggestion for this year that did not make the list
✅3. A book connected to something mentioned in the Do Re Mi song
✅4. A book set underground, under sea or in an underworld
✅5. A book with a weird or intriguing title

✅6. A book with a serpentine element on the cover
✅7. A book by an author that uses 3 names
✅8. A collection of short stories or novellas, essays, poetry, or a mix of various brief writings
✅9. A book that has been long-listed for the Tournament of Books in any year

✅10. A book about witches, goddesses or nuns
✅11. A book set in a fictional location
12. A book by an Irish author
✅13. A book involving a "group" with at least 4 members that's not a family
✅14. A science fiction or fantasy novel written by a woman

✅15. A book of secrets, lies, or deception
✅16. A book that fits a prompt from the 2016 ATY list
✅17. A history or historical fiction book set prior to 1925
✅18. A book set primarily in nature

✅19. A book with a cover that has a building or cityscape
✅20. A book with an animal, vegetable (plant), or mineral in the title
✅21. A book connected in some way to any collective noun for animals
✅22. A translated novel from Asia

✅23. A book that involves art, music, dancing or acting
✅24. A book with a main character who is a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, or a criminal
✅25. A book with waves on the cover
✅26. A book by an author with a common noun in their name
✅27. A book set in the winter

✅28. Two books with a pair of opposites in their titles: Book 1
✅29. Two books with a pair of opposites in their titles: Book 2
✅30. A monster book
✅31. A book with a coastal setting

✅32. A mystery or true crime book
✅33. A book by an author you enjoyed but haven't gotten around to reading again for some time
✅34. A book title that could be a country song
✅35. A book from the NPR “Books We Love” lists

✅36. A book with a common household object on the cover
✅37. A book featuring adult friendships
✅38. Two books with a connection from different genres: Book 1
✅39. Two books with a connection from different genres: Book 2
✅40. A book you'd consider a comfort read

✅41. A book that involves digging up the past
✅42. A book set in a manor, mansion, or estate
✅43. A book whose title has ten or fewer letters
✅44. A haunting book

✅45. A book by an author whose publishing career spans at least ten years
✅46. A book related to one of the traditional full moon names
✅47. A book relating to fire
✅48. A book with a character dealing with death

✅49. A book that deals with time travel, alternate universes, or alternate timelines
✅50. A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads in 2024 or 2025
✅51. A book published in 2025
✅52. A book with a sunset vibes on the cover

This list was suggested, voted on, and chosen by ATY group members.

THE ANNIVERSARY LIST
In honor of ATY's 10 year of reading challenges, we have put together an anniversary list made up of member-chosen prompts. Each prompt comes from that year's respective list and was chosen by the members of the group.

✅2016: A book originally written in a language other than English
✅2017: A book whose title doesn't contain the letter "E"
✅2018: An author's debut book
✅2019: A book related to one of the elements on the periodic table of elements
✅2020: A book with an emotion in the title
2021: A book related to a codeword from the NATO Phonetic Alphabet
✅2022: A book that uses all five vowels in the title and/or author's name
✅2023: A book whose author has published more than 7 books
✅2024: A book that has been on your TBR for over a year
2025: A book involving a "group" with at least 4 members that's not a family

2025 5 Star Reads:

1. Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead
2. West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge
3, The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell by Robert Dugoni
4. A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham
5. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
6. An Ordinary Life by Amanda Prowse
7. Annie Bot by Sierra Greer
8. The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger
9. A Burning by Megha Majumdar
10. The Safekeep by Yael Van Der Wouden

2025 1 Star Reads:


-The Female Man by Joanna Russ (dnf)
-The Murmur of Bees by Sofía Segovia

1. A book with a cover that has an image of something that starts with A, T, or Y

Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead (Finished 1/8/2025)

My Review: ★★★★★ and ❤

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4013829536.

The cover of this book includes an airplane (A).

3. A book connected to something mentioned in the Do Re Mi song

Jabbok by Kee Sloan
★★★★

For my review of this book, please click here.

The specific prompt for this book was "do" since it is the killing of a do in early in this book that brings two primary protagonists together and begins a lifelong friendship.

Anniversary List: 2019: A book related to one of the elements on the periodic table of elements

The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements by Sam Kean
★★★

For my review, please click here.

41. A book that involves digging up the past

Old Bones by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
★★★

This novel begins the latest series by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child. Fans of the Pendergast series will recognize the titular protagonist in the Nora Kelly series as a reoccurring character in the aforementioned series and now has been spun offer into her own series. For my full review, please click here.

15. A book of secrets, lies, or deception

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
★★★

Shortly after this classic novel's 1884 publication it was banned by a number of librarians for Mark Twain's "rough" language and racial slurs. Since then it has been banned over 200 times. For my review of this classic, please click here.

There are several lies and deceptions in this classic novel, including the feigned murder of the eponymous protagonist.

16. A book that fits a prompt from the 2016 ATY list (i.e., A book with a beautiful cover.)

The Divine Dance: The Trinity and Your Transformation by Richard Rohr
★★★★

Richard Rohr, a Franciscan priest and spiritual teacher, explores Christian spirituality through the lens of the Holy Trinity. For my review, please click here.

6. A book with a serpentine element on the cover

The Hike by Drew Magary
★★★★

This unique fairy tale is darkly humorous adventure that blends elements of fantasy, surrealism, and existential exploration. The novel explores themes of survival, endurance, self-discovery, and the meaning of life itself. For my review, please click here.

5. A book with a weird or intriguing title

What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust by Alan Bradley
★★★★

This cozy mystery builds on the charm and wit of its precocious protagnist, Flavia de Luce. In the eleventh book of the eponymous series, the ever-twleve year old, young detective’s is often observed journeying through the quirky English village of Bishop’s Lacey on her beloved bicycle, Gladys, where her insatiable curiosity and sharp intellect has once again embroiled her in the investigation of another murder. For my full review, click here.

17. A history or historical fiction book set prior to 1925

Murder by Lamplight by Patrice McDonough
★★★★

his historical fiction mystery transports the reader to the fog-drenched streets and gas-lit alleys of Victorian London. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in period mysteries and intricate plot twists and red herrings. For my review, please click here.

20. A book with an animal, vegetable (plant), or mineral in the title

West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge
★★★★★ and ❤

This coming-of-age historical fiction is a poignant and adventurous tale set during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. It takes readers on a cross-country journey from NYC to San Diego, telling the story of two giraffes and the unlikely bond they form with a young man named Woodrow "Woody" Nickel, who is tasked with helping transport the animals across the country. For my complete review, please click here.

28. Two books with a pair of opposites in their titles: Book 1

The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell by Robert Dugoni
★★★★★ and ❤

This touching coming-of -age novel is a moving story from beginning to end. It is a blending of humor, heartache, friendship, and resiliency. For my complete review, please click here.

Anniversary List: 2018: An author's debut novel.

The September House by Carissa Orlando
★★★★

My current read is a haunting and surprisingly humorous debut novel that blends gothic horror with psychological suspense. Please read my current review by clicking here.

9. A book that has been long-listed for the Tournament of Books in any year. (2024)

Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe
★★★★

Generally, I don't read "chick lit" books, however, there was something about the cover art and the book title that told me to give this book a second look. Since the review was overwhelming positive, I decided to give it a chance. For my complete review, please click here.

10. A book about witches, goddesses or nuns

Blessed Water by Margot Douaihy
★★★

The novel's narrator and protagonist is Sister Holiday, the youngest member of the shrinking Sisters of the Sublime Blood, is once again confronted with a murder. Sister Holiday is a colorful character donned in gloves and scarf used to hide the tatoos which run from her neck down. She also has a gold tooth crown which was chipped during a bar fight. Her language contains religious jargon, but if often peppered with vulgarity when emotional. For my complete review, please click here.

8. A collection of short stories or novellas, essays, poetry, or a mix of various brief writings

Shadow Show: All-New Stories in Celebration of Ray Bradbury edited by Sam Weller
★★★★

My go-to genre to read when a child was almost exclusively science-fiction and fantasy. As I aged, I became more eclectic in my choices as many will affirm from my book reviews. However, there is one author whose stories and novels I have frequently returned: Ray Bradbury. For my complete review of this anthology, please click here.

13. A book involving a "group" with at least 4 members that's not a family

The Lioness by Chris Bohjalian
★★★

One of my motivations to pick up the next Chris Bohjalian novel is his ability not to repeat the same story format twice. He has the uncanny ability to tell a good story in any of several genres, whether that is historical fiction, e.g. The Sandcastle Girls, psychological suspense, e.g., The Sleepwalker, or horror, e.g., The Night Strangers. That being said, I found this novel not to be as interesting as others I have read.

18. A book set primarily in nature

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
★★★★

The story centers around 13 year old troubled Barbara, a Van Laar child, who disappears while attending camp. What makes this disappearance noteworthy is that Barbara's older brother, "Bear", was the first sibling to disappear 14 years ago when he was eight years old, which traumatized Alice, the mother who became a Van Laar through an arranged marriage. For my full review, please click
here.

19. A book with a cover that has a building or cityscape

The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James
★★★★

The Book of Cold Cases is a blend of psychological thriller, supernatural horror, and true crime obsession seamlessly weaving together the 1970s and present in its exploration of unsolved murders, a ghostly presence, and the trauma that lingers long after the crimes are committed. For my complete review, please click here.

24. A book with a main character who is a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, or a criminal

Bloodless by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
★★★★

Bloodless is the latest installment in Pendergast series, a gripping. fast-paced thriller that brings readers deeper into the mysterious world of the eccentric FBI Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast. The novel blends suspense, intricate plotting, and unique characters to deliver a satisfying experience for fans of the series. Being set in Savannah was also a draw for me since this city if a second home for me. For my complete review, please click here.

2022: A book that uses all five vowels in the title and/or author's name

Passions of the Soul by Rowan Williams
★★★

Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, brings deep, meditative reflection of the interplay between desire, emotion, and the spiritual life in this work appropriate for a Lenten study. For my full review, click here.

14. A science fiction or fantasy novel written by a woman

Stranded by A.K. DuBoff
★★★★

This space adventure is the first book in the Starship of the Ancients series, a space opera with themes of survival, intersellar intrigue, and mysterious alien technology. The story begins when a group of human explorers, aboard their starship, finds themselves stranded on a long-forgotten world, Aethos. For my complete review, please click here.

4. A book set underground, under sea or in an underworld

Only Mostly Dead by Alli Temple
★★★★

This first book in the Afterlife Incorporated series is a blend of humor, urban fantasy, and supernatural intrigue. If you are fans of Christopher Moore's work, especially his Grim Reaper books, you might enjoy this series. Ember Munro was a Toronot life coach, now dead...or almost. For my complete review, click here.

For this prompt, the underworld was the location for a part of the book.

22. A translated novel from Asia

The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami
★★★

The English translation of this novel began as a novella in 1980 when the author was a young man and a companion piece to his 1985 book, Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. It is a haunting exploration of time, memory, love, and the fragile intersection between reality and imagination. For my complete review, please click here.

49. A book that deals with time travel, alternate universes, or alternate timelines

A Darker Shade of Magic by Victoria E. Schwab
★★★★

This fantasy is a delightful young adult adventure in a world of parallel 19th century Londons, each with its respective degrees of magic and corresponding battle to either gain, keep, or forgo its power. The novel introduces us to Kell, one of a dying breed of Antari, magical beings who can travel between these worlds, and Lila Bard, a fiercely independent pickpocket with a knack for getting herself into trouble. For my complete review, please click here.

23. A book that involves art, music, dancing or acting

A Deceptive Clarity by Aaron Elkins
★★★

In the first in a new series by Aaron Elkins, A Deceptive Clarity is a blend of art history, intrigue, and murder.Although the subject was interesting, the technical discussion on art forgery did slow my reading time finding myself ploughing through "the weeds." For my complete review, please click here.

27. A book set in the winter

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
★★★★★ and ❤

This novel is an engaging blend of historical fiction and courtroom drama, centered around a strong female protagonist, set against the stark and frigid backdrop of 18th-century Maine. Drawing inspiration from real-life midwife Martha Ballard's diary, Lawhon masterfully transforms this historical artifact into an emotionally resonant narrative. For my full review, please click here.

38. Two books with a connection from different genres: Book 1

Portrait of an Unknown Woman by Daniel Silva
★★★★

In the 22nd adventure of this eponymous series, art restorer and legendary Israeli spy Gabriel Allon blends elements of international intrigue, fine art, and art forgery into a tightly woven narrative. For my complete review, click here.

29. Two books with a pair of opposites in their titles: Book 2

An Ordinary Life by Amanda Prowse
★★★★★ and ❤

This historical fiction novel is a quietly moving novel that explores the hidden depths of a woman’s life over the course of nearly a century. The novel centers on the story of Molly, a woman who seems unremarkable at first glance but whose life is filled with love, loss, sacrifice, and strength. For my complete review, please click here.

26. A book by an author with a common noun in their name

The Glassmaker by Tracy Chevalier (knight)
★★★★

This latest novel in Tracy Chevalier's oeuvre is a blend of historical fiction, art, resilence, and the complexities of human and family relationships. The protagonist of this narrative is Orsola Rosso, the eldest daughter of a glassblowing family located on Murano, a famous island in the Venetian Lagoon of Italy, primarily known for its centuries-old glassblowing industry. For my full review, please click here.

John wrote: "2022: A book that uses all five vowels in the title and/or author's name

Passions of the Soul by Rowan Williams
★★★

Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, brings de..."

you're missing the "E" here...

Kate wrote: "John wrote: "2022: A book that uses all five vowels in the title and/or author's name

Passions of the Soul by Rowan Williams
★★★

Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbu..."

Are we not allowed to consider "thE" in the title?

32. A mystery or true crime book

The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill
★★★

This literary thriller is essentially a conspiracy thriller with elements of a whodunit with suspense but only occasional surprises. For my full review, please click here.

2. A prompt suggestion for this year that did not make the list, e.g., "A book inspired by mythology, legend, folklore, or fairytale."

The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve: The Story That Created Us by Stephen Greenblatt
★★★★

This Pulitzer Prize winning author explores the cultural, religious, and philosophical influences of the Adam and Eve story throughout history. At its core, this book explores how this ancient story from the Bible shaped human concepts of sin, free will, and the nature of humanity. For my complete review, please click here.

39. Two books with a connection from different genres: Book 2

The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession by Michael Finkel
★★★

Although this narrative reads like a psychological thriller, it is based on fact. This non-fiction account centers on Stéphane Breitwieser, a Frenchman who, over nearly a decade, stole more than 300 works of art from museums and galleries across Europe during the early years of the 21st century—all total valued between $2-3 billion without the usual hallmarks of criminal enterprise like violence or fencing. For my full review, please click
here.

35. A book from the NPR “Books We Love” lists

Annie Bot by Sierra Greer
★★★★★ and ❤

The speculative fiction narrative is a thought-provoking and emotional exploration of identity, technology, artificial intelligence, and what it means to be human. As I read this novel, I found connnections with Shelley's Frankenstein, the Bible's Adam and Eve story, and Phillip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? For my complete review, please click here.

2017: A book whose title doesn't contain the letter "E"

Orlando by Virginia Woolf
★★

This literary classic blends biography, fantasy, and social critique into a story that is so often intellectual and high-brow that it was often a challenge to read. At its essence, Orlando is a meditation on identity—particularly gender identity and gender norms. For my complete review, please click here.

30. A monster book

Hungerstone by Kat Dunn
★★★

I was drawn to this novel for two reasons. The first was the cover, a manipulation of Henry Fuseli's painting, Nightmare. The second reason is that the author used Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu as inspiration for a character by the same name in this book. Carmilla, one of the earliest works of vampire literature, predated Bram Stoker's Dracula. This atmospheric novel located on the North English moors is a blending of historical fiction, gothic-horror, and psychological thriller. For my complete review, please click here.

48. A book with a character dealing with death

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict
★★★★

This historical novel that introduces readers to the life of Belle da Costa Greene, the personal librarian to J.P. Morgan, one of the wealthiest men of the Gilded Age. Set against the backdrop of New York's elite society in the early 20th century, this novel seamlessly blends fiction and history. Her life was largely obscured for years because exposure of her family secrets would have resulted in social ostracism. For my complete review, please click here.

33. A book by an author you enjoyed but haven't gotten around to reading again for some time

Another Time, Another Place by Jodi Taylor
★★★★

This 12th book in The Chronicles of St Mary's time travel series was to be my final read; however, she added two additional stories with speculation of one more. Max, time traveling historian for St. Mary's Institute, often exclaims, "Everything was absolutely fine, until it wasn't...," which often becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. For my complete review, please click here.

36. A book with a common household object on the cover (playing card, pen)

A Line to Kill by Anthony Horowitz
★★★

This cozy mystery is another twisty, darkly comedic entry into the world of his fictional detective duo—retired detective Daniel Hawthorne and the ever-reluctant, ever-sarcastic writer (and narrator) of their adventures, Anthony Horowitz. This third book in the Hawthorne and Horowitz series continues to blend metafictional elements with a classic Agatha Christie-like whodunit, one that that keeps you guessing until the very end. For my complete review, click here.

42. A book set in a manor, mansion, or estate

The House at Watch Hill by Karen Marie Moning
★★★

The Watch Hill Trilogy is the latest urban fantasy series by Karen Marie Moning. I never read any of her other series; however, the blurb about a rambling and secretive mansion halls that seem to go forever and doors that go no where attracted me. with This atmospheric and haunting, and gripping tale explores themes of family legacy, self-discovery, and love and loss. However, the reader should be warn that the first book in this series ends with a cliff-hanger necessitating one to read the other two to see what happens. For my complete review, please click here.

40. A book you'd consider a comfort read

Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong
★★★★

This time=slip novel is another installment of her charming and atmospheric A Rip Through Time series. Blending historical mystery with a time-travel twist, this third book continues to follow modern-day homicide detective Mallory Atkinson, who is still trapped in the body of Catriona Mitchell, a housemaid in 1860s Edinburgh. For my complete review, please click here.

31. A book with a coastal setting

The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry
★★★★

This evocative historical fiction mystery is both heart-wrenching and heart-warming. It occurs during two timelines, twenty years apart, in the 1940s and 1960s, in London and the English countryside. Themes explored include the weight of loss, the fragility of memory, and the bonds of friendship. For my complete review, click here.

37. A book featuring adult friendships

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn
★★★★

This dark comic novel embodies themes of friendship, loyalty, murder as morality, women power, and nostalgia. Many people possess friends from their career. For four retired female assassins in their 60s, this is the case. The novel's protagonists--Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie--who spent decades in the covert world of international espionage, working for a clandestine organization known as the Museum. Now, after years of service, they’ve earned a peaceful retirement, or so they think. The narrative quickly escalates when they find themselves marked for death by their own former employers. For my complete review, please click here.

44. A haunting book

The Three-Candle Prayer by Abe Moss
★★★

"Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” (Mark 5:9 NRSV)

This haunting and atmospheric horror novella blends together themes of grief, sacrifice, and the supernatural. The narrative follows Kit as he diligently tries to support Faith, his fiance, who is grieving the recent death of his parents due to a murder-suicide incident. For my complete review, please click here.

25. A book with waves on the cover
★★★★

The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War by Erik Larson

Erik Larson's latest work is a meticulously reasearched account of the volatile six months between Abraham Lincoln’s election and the bombardment of Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861. Through Larson's skill in storytelling, a famililar historical event reads like a political thriller. Although Erik Larson is not a historian by training, he uses primary sources to write his narrative like a historian. If history teachers would use his style of writing in teaching their classes, their classes would be popular subjects. For my complete review, click here.

34. A book title that could be a country song

The Echoes by Evie Wyld
★★★★

This multi-faceted literary fiction novel alternates between a village in rural Australia and London apartment. Most of the chapters are titled with "Before" or and "After" to indicate when Hannah is the narrator as a preteen in Austrailia and when Max, Hannah's boyfriend, is the narrator as he observes Hannah in their London apartment as young adults. Hannah left Australia to escape her past. As the novel opens, we quickly learnd that Max has been unexpectantly killed and is now a ghost. For my complete review, please click here.