Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren

Title: Twice in a Blue Moon

Author: Christina Lauren

Publisher: Gallery Books 2019

Genre: Romance

Pages: 366

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library

Sam Brandis was Tate Jones’s first: Her first love. Her first everything. Including her first heartbreak.

During a whirlwind two-week vacation abroad, Sam and Tate fell for each other in only the way that first loves do: sharing all of their hopes, dreams, and deepest secrets along the way. Sam was the first, and only, person that Tate—the long-lost daughter of one of the world’s biggest film stars—ever revealed her identity to. So when it became clear her trust was misplaced, her world shattered for good.

Fourteen years later, Tate, now an up-and-coming actress, only thinks about her first love every once in a blue moon. When she steps onto the set of her first big break, he’s the last person she expects to see. Yet here Sam is, the same charming, confident man she knew, but even more alluring than she remembered. Forced to confront the man who betrayed her, Tate must ask herself if it’s possible to do the wrong thing for the right reason… and whether “once in a lifetime” can come around twice.

I was so incredibly excited for this book after reading and loving The Unhoneymooners last year. And this one just fell completely flat for me. I wasn’t a fan of the pacing of the novel. Splitting the book in half slowed the entire story. I wanted less of Tate and Sam in London and much much more of them as adults. Related to pacing, I was not a fan of the inclusion of parts of the screen play. It really dragged me down. Beyond the pacing, I wasn’t a fan of Tate as a character. She didn’t seem to flushed out enough to be a main character. I couldn’t get beyond it. Overall I just did not enjoy this book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #1

Reading: Wither by Lauren DeStefano. It’s been on my list for years. Finally got around to reading it.

Watching: Letterkenny S8 started out slow, but has really gotten back to its roots in the last few episodes.

Listening: The Dream S2 is all about the wellness industry. Fascinating!

Making: Finishing up a project for J’s company that requires a ton of phone calls. I hate talking on the phone, but I’m doing it…

Feeling: Cold. So cold. Our house has weird cold areas that I always end up sitting in.

Planning: Working on planning some future big events.

Loving: Ending my days with a cup of hot cinnamon spice tea. So good!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Mumford & Sons "Blind Leading the Blind"

Alt Nation has been playing this new one a lot lately and I totally hear for it.

Life Right Now #1

As I look outside my window: There’s a small layer of snow on the ground and it’s going to be very cold today also. Thankfully the big winter storm isn’t going to hit our area.

Right now I am: Watching Double Indemnity. I haven’t seen the movie in years. Apparently we are on an old movie kick lately.

On my bedside table: The Hunger by Alma Katsu; Wither by Lauren DeStefano; The Art of Theft by Sherry Thomas

On my tv this week: We finished S1 of The Mandalorian and His Dark Materials. And The Good Place and Superstore came back this week. Plus we started S8 of Letterkenny.

Listening to: I’ve gotten behind on my podcasts. Trying to catch on my favorites this week.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Honey Garlic Salmon

• Tuesday - Black Bean and Chorizo Soup (Venezuela)

• Wednesday - Leftovers

• Thursday - Shrimp Pasta

• Friday - Texas Cheese Fries

• Saturday - Kielbasa Skillet

• Sunday - Orecchiette with Sausage, Sundried Tomatoes, and Broccoli

On my to do list: I need to look in MPS’s change of school process, work on my D&D character, take care of some odds and ends, work on the house timeline, and set another reminder for the exchange.

Happening this week:

• Monday - RnR Open Play; Grocery

• Tuesday - Open Gym

• Wednesday - RnR Crayons to Canvas

• Thursday - ???

• Friday -???

• Saturday - Crop Day

• Sunday - ???

What I am creating: I finished my 2019 Memory Planner yesterday so it’s on to the next project. I want to get back working on Arthur’s 2018 Project Life album. Plus I’m hoping to start working on my December Daily album from this year.

My simple pleasures: Nice hot cup of tea, snuggly socks, dark chocolate.

Looking around the house: Looks like a bomb went off in a few of the rooms. I did spend a few hours yesterday cleaning out the basement bedroom and closet. Things are all ready to be packed once the house plan is set. Next up is the other random closets in the house.

From the camera: Two boys in motion…

The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness

Title: The Book of Life (All Souls #3)

Author: Deborah Harkness

Publisher: Viking 2014

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 561

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library

After traveling through time in Shadow of Night, the second book in Deborah Harkness’s enchanting series, historian and witch Diana Bishop and vampire scientist Matthew Clairmont return to the present to face new crises and old enemies. At Matthew’s ancestral home at Sept-Tours, they reunite with the cast of characters from A Discovery of Witches—with one significant exception. But the real threat to their future has yet to be revealed, and when it is, the search for Ashmole 782 and its missing pages takes on even more urgency. In the trilogy’s final volume, Harkness deepens her themes of power and passion, family and caring, past deeds and their present consequences. In ancestral homes and university laboratories, using ancient knowledge and modern science, from the hills of the Auvergne to the palaces of Venice and beyond, the couple at last learn what the witches discovered so many centuries ago.

Finally finished this wonderful book series. I was all in Diana and Matthew’s story through time. Thankfully this volume was set in the current er and revisited all our favorite characters. I wish we could have seen more from Gallowglass and Miriam, but at least we get more Marcus and Phoebe. I loved the conclusion of the series. Benjamin was a great villain. Plus we get see the downfall of Peter Knox and Gerbert (at least partly). Overall I loved this epic story. Now I need to find another great fantasy series to read.

All Souls Trilogy:

• #1 A Discovery of Witches

• #2 Shadow of Night

• #3 The Book of Life

Next up on the TBR pile:

Winter TBR

Let's see how I did with my Fall TBR (6/10): Finally a decent showing on a seasonal TBR pile.

1. Heirs and Graces by Rhys Bowen ✓

2. The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness ✓

3. Capturing the Devil by Kerri Maniscalco ✓

4. The Witches by Stacy Schiff

5. Feed by MT Anderson ✓

6. The Lives of the Monster Dogs by Kirsten Bakis

7. Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman ✓

8. The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J Ryan Stradal ✓

9. Craft a Life You Love by Amy Tangerine

10. The Hunger by Alma Katsu

Winter TBR: Lots of books that have been on my list awhile.

1. The Art of Theft by Sherry Thomas

2. Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters

3. Friends without Benefits by Penny Reid

4. Kate Chopin by Emily Toth

5. The Lady from the Black Lagoon by Mallory O’Meara

6. The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

7. The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson

8. Well Met by Jen DeLuca

9. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

10. Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

Next up on the TBR pile:

2020 Reading Challenges

After thinking about my 2019 reading challenges, I’ve decided to go a completely different direction this coming year. In 2019, I signed up for a ton of challenges with so many reading slots. I do like variety. And I upped by Goodreads challenge number to 250. Things went well, but in November I started thinking about the amount of stress and anxiety I was putting on myself. I found that I was focusing on books to fill challenge slots as opposed to the books that I really wanted to read. Everything worked out fine, but I need to shake things up this year. So…

No more reading challenges! Okay. Not completely true. I am not going to sign up for any specific reading challenges (scif, romance, etc). I am not going to sign up for any varied reading challenges (Modern Mrs. Darcy, Popsugar, etc). I’m going back to basics and focus on mood reading and my own shelves. But I am going to have a small list of personal challenges:

2020 Reading Challenges

• Picture Books

• Goodreads Challenge

• Perpetual Books

• UnRead Shelf

• Library Books

• Ebooks

• Goodreads To Read Random

• TBR Jar Random

• Tournament of Books

• Monthly Themes

Picture Books (100) - I’m not following an outside reading challenge, but just creating my own. We are shooting for 26 books A to Z Authors, 26 book A to Z Titles, and 48 random books.

GoodReads Challenge (200) - In 2019, I started with 175 books and then quickly upped it to 200, then 215, and ended with 250 books. I sped through so many books last year. I’m going to continue making a lot of time for reading, but will be lowering my goal just a bit. For 2020, I’m hoping to read 200 books.

Perpetual Books (30) - So many books I want to get to on these lists. I’m hoping to read 30 books.

UnRead Shelf (50) - I really need to focus on my unread shelves. I’m hoping to read 50 books from the physical shelves. As of January 1st, I have 120 books sitting in the TV room to read. Any physical books that I acquire (e.g. Book of the Month selections) will be added to these shelves. Kindle and ebooks are not counted in this total. UnRead Shelf Top 10:

1. Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

2. Uprooted by Naomi Novik

3. Across the Universe by Beth Revis

4. In the Hurricane’s Eye by Nathaniel Philbrick

5. Scandalous Women of the Ton Series by Nicola Cornick

6. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomikas Adeyemi

7. The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

8. Well Met by Jen DeLuca

9. Swamplandia by Karen Russell

10. Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson

Library Books (50) - Obviously I will be continuing to utilize the local library. I’m going to set a 50 books challenge on library books.

Ebooks (50) - I have way too many ebooks sitting in Books and on my Kindle app. I really need to read some of these. I’m shooting for 50 ebooks.

Goodreads To Read Random (12) - I currently have ____ books listed on my Goodreads To Read shelf. That’s just way too many. There’s so many that I forget what’s even on there. On the last day of every month, I’m going to use a random number generator to pick a book of the list. (Obviously if the pick is part of a series, I will read the first book [or whatever number I am currently on] and not read the one picked) That’s 12 books (at least) for this challenge.

TBR Jar Random (12) - Similar to the Goodreads To Read Random challenge, I have a cute little TBR jar that I have placed book titles into. These titles can be books I run across on podcasts, bookpages, etc, from my own shelves, in ebook form, or from the perpetual lists. I’m going to random pull out a title the last day of every month.

Monthly Themes (72) - Overall I want to move back to mood reading, but I do want to include some fun themes throughout the year. I’ve gone through and picked two themes for each month of the year. For each theme, I am hoping to read three relevant books. So that’s six theme books a month for a total of 72 books for the year. Books selected for this can cross over to other challenges.

• January - Dystopian/Apocalypse Reads; Focus on a Person (fiction or nonfiction)

• February - Romance; Black History Month

• March - Women’s History Month; Mysteries

• April - Graphic Novels and Comics; New Books (published in 2019/2020)

• May - Fairy Tales; Classics

• June - Historical Fiction; Young Adult

• July - Fantasy; Set in Other Countries (England and US excluded)

• August - School Stories; Science Fiction

• September - Banned Books; Hispanic Heritage Month

• October - Spooky Reads; About a Family

• November - Nonfiction Reads; Native American Voices

• December - Holiday Themed Reads; Last Chance Reads

Here’s hoping to a more relaxed reading year in 2020!

Daybreak by Brian Ralph

Title: Daybreak

Author: Brian Ralph

Publisher: Drawn and Quarterly 2013

Genre: Comics

Pages: 160

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library

You wake up in the rubble and see a ragged, desperate one-armed man greeting you. He takes you underground to a safe space, feeds you, offers you a place to sleep, and then announces that he'll take the first watch. It's not long before the peril of the jagged landscape has located you and your newfound protector and is scratching at the door.

What transpires is a moment-to-moment struggle for survival―The Road meets Dawn of the Dead. Daybreak is seen through the eyes of a silent observer as he follows his protector and runs from the shadows of the imminent zombie threat. Brian Ralph slowly builds the tension of the zombies on the periphery, letting the threat―rather than the actual carnage―be the driving force. The postapocalyptic backdrop features tangles of rocks, lumber, I-beams, and overturned cars that are characters in and of themselves.

We watched the television series last month and I had to pick up the original material. I sped through this slim graphic novel in record time. I was fascinated by the story and couldn’t wait to see what happened to our unseen narrator and the few we meet along the way. The last page was harrowing! I loved every single cell in this book. So good.

Next up on the TBR pile:

January 2020 Life Goals

Let’s check in on December''s goals and my progress.

• Book travel hotel - Success

• Send out Christmas cards - Success

• Look into atheist family group -

• Read 10 books - Success

• Make a reading plan for January - Success

• Figure out a spring routine for Quentin -

• Take care of bills - Success

• Meal plan for January and February -

• Enjoy the season

January’s Goals:

• Read 15 books

• Close on our new house!

• Restart Quentin’s routine schedule

• Go swimming twice

• Start off our food adventure on a good note

• Get my new planner and Memory Planner started

• Clean out the basement

• Create a home vision board

Next up on the TBR list:

2019 Reading Challenge Roundup - Completed

Modern Mrs. Darcy
Goal: 12/12 Books 100%

1. Book I’ve Been Meaning to Read - How Long ‘til Black Future Month by N.K. Jemisin (4/27/19)

2. Book About a Topic that Fascinates Me - Eruption by Steve Olson (2/23/19)

3. Book in the Backlist of a Favorite Author - Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman (3/14/19)

4. Book Recommended by Someone with Great Taste - The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin (4/12/19)

5. Three Books by the Same Author - Turtles All the Way Down by John Green (4/27/19)

6. Three Books by the Same Author - Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green (8/25/19)

7. Three Books by the Same Author - Paper Towns by John Green (3/15/19)

8. Book You Choose for the Cover - Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter (6/5/19)

9. Book by an Author Who is New to You - Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi (5/6/19)

10. Book in Translation - The Strange Journey of Alice Pendelbury (5/7/19)

11. Book Outside Your (Genre) Comfort Zone - A River in Darkness by Masaji Ishikawa (3/18/19)

12. Book Published Before You Were Born - Persuasion by Jane Austen (12/23/19)

For the Love Ebooks
Goal: 30/30 Books 100%

1. And the Rest is History by Jodi Taylor (1/16/19)

2. Craven Manor by Darcy Coates (2/8/19)

3. A Beautiful Poison by Lydia Kang (2/22/19)

4. Heart-shaped Box by Joe Hill (2/20/19)

5. Growing Season by Melanie Lageschulte (3/27/19)

6. Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly (3/30/19)

7. The Magnolia Inn by Carolyn Brown (4/6/19)

8. The Winter Duchess by Jillian Eaton (4/19/19)

9. The Strange Journey of Alice Pendelbury by Marc Levy (5/7/19)

10. A Curve in the Road by Julianne MacLean (5/22/19)

11. Secrets of the Greek Revival by Eva Pohler (6/7/19)

12. Hope for the Best by Jodi Taylor (8/17/19)

13. The Tower Formerly Known as Sears by Lisa M. Lilly (10/2/19)

14. Life Among the Dead by Daniel Cotton (10/8/19)

15. The Second Deluge by Garrett P. Serviss (11/6/19)

16. When a Rogue Loves a Woman by Samantha Holt (11/12/19)

17. Waiting for a Rogue Like You by Samantha Holt (11/19/19)

18. What’s a Rogue Got to Do With It by Samantha Holt (11/19/19)

19. The Upside of Falling Down by Rebekah Crane (11/22/19)

20. A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams (11/26/19)

21. The Christmas Layover by Robert Tate Miller (11/25/19)

22. Christmas Lovebirds by Rachelle Ayala (11/29/19)

23. My Christmas Curse by Joan Gable (11/29/19)

24. Christmas with the Black Sheep by Natalie-Nicole Bates (11/29/19)

25. Unexpected Gifts by Elena Aitken (11/28/19)

26. Unexpected Endings by Elena Aitken (11/28/19)

27. Falling for Her Bachelor by Robin Bielman (12/4/19)

28. Once Upon a Royal Christmas by Robin Bielman (12/7/19)

29. A Kiss of Christmas by Jillian Eaton (12/8/19)

30. This Christmas by Jeannie Moon (12/14/19)

Monthly Motif
Goal: 12/12 Books 100%

1. January: New to You Author - Guidebook to Murder by Lynn Cahoon (1/24/19)

2. February: Cover Love - A Beautiful Poison by Lydia Kang (2/22/19)

3. March: Royalty, Kingdom, Empires, Governments - A River in Darkness by Masaji Ishikawa (3/18/19)

4. April: Crack the Case (Mystery) - Tulle Death Do Us Part by Annette Blair (4/9/19)

5. May: One Sitting Reads - The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo (5/17/19)

6. June: Diversify Your Reading - Taste of Marrow by Sarah Gailey (6/18/19)

7. July: Through the Years - The Peacock Emporium by Jojo Moyes (7/9/19)

8. August: Mode of Transportation - The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware (8/4/19)

9. September: Animal, Number, Color, Name - The Girl in Red by Christina Henry (8/27/19)

10. October: Tricks and Trades (theater, amusement park, circus, or involving magic) - Sword and Pen by Rachel Caine (10/11/19)

11. November: Seasons, Elements, and Weather - The Christmas Bride by Hope Ramsay (11/24/19)

12. December: Last Chance - 25 Days ‘til Christmas by Poppy Alexander (12/13/19)

Monthly Keyword
Goal: 12/12 Books 100%

1. January (Snow, Winter, Year, Jewel, Hat, Dance, Top, Car, Why) - A Precious Jewel by Mary Balogh (1/22/19)

2. February (Red, Love, Heart, Rose, Candy, Hope, Bottom, Walk, Who) - Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill (2/20/19)

3. March (Shamrock, Luck, Irish/Ireland, Pot, Gold, Faith, Emerald, Carry, What) - Newt’s Emerald by Garth Nix (3/19/19)

4. April (Shower, Time, Bunny/Hare, Basket, Cross, Hunt, Parade, All, Where) - Turtles All the Way Down by John Green (4/27/19)

5. May (Mother, Daisy, Memorial/Memory, You, Mountain, Day, Wind, Sky, When) - Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (5/29/19)

6. June (Dress, Father, Man, Woman, Flag, Happy, Some, Bride, How) - The Woman in Black by Susan Hill (6/26/19)

7. July (Fire, Work/s, Stream, Lake, Field, Family, Cloud, Bear, Because) - The Woman in the Lake by Nicola Cornick (9/7/19)

8. August (Sand, Swim, Hot, Ride, There, Few, Sad, Camera, They) - The Hot Zone by Richard Preston (9/17/19)

9. September (Book, Here, Back, School, Speak, Train, Leave, Paper, Them) - The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman (9/10/19)

10. October (Fall, Wolf, Ghost, Witch, Halloween, Scare, Night, Creature, He) - Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness (10/4/19)

11. November (Leave/s or Leaf, Thanks, Food, Family, Share, Dream, Live, Have, She) - The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal (11/20/19)

12. December (Star, Night, Christmas, Angel, Gift/Present, Tree, Wise, Dear, It) - Finding Christmas by Karen Schaler (12/11/19)

Random TBR Pick
Goal: 12/12 Books 100%

1. January - The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin (1/30/19)

2. February - An Argumentation of Historians by Jodi Taylor (2/27/19)

3. March - Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman (3/14/19)

4. April - Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco (4/17/19)

5. May - The Merry Spinster by Mallory Ortberg (5/27/19)

6. June - Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys (7/5/19)

7. July - Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield (7/6/19)

8. August - Ayesha at Last by Usma Jalaluddin (8/24/19)

9. September - The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman (9/10/19)

10. October - Fantasticland by Mike Bockoven (10/19/19)

11. November - The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Griesbrecht (11/15/19)

12. December - My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante (12/10/19)

Horror
Goal: 10/10 Books 100%

1. Craven Manor by Darcy Coates (2/8/19)

2. Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill (2/20/19)

3. The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay (3/8/19)

4. Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco (4/17/19)

5. Tales of Mystery and the Macabre by Elizabeth Gaskell (4/28/19)

6. Secrets of the Greek Revival by Eva Pohler (6/7/19)

7. The Woman in Black by Susan Hill (6/26/19)

8. The Girl in Red by Christina Henry (8/27/19)

9. Let the Right One In by John Lindqvist (9/2/19)

10. Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (10/30/19)

Graphic Novels
Goal: 52/52 Comics 100%

1. Saga Vol. 9 (1/15/19)

2. The Wicked + The Divine Vol. 7 (1/12/19)

3. The Wicked + The Divine Vol. 8 (5/4/19)

4. The Wicked + The Divine Vol. 9 (10/25/19)

5. Rat Queens Vol. 5 (1/13/19)

6. Rat Queens Vol. 6 (10/16/19)

7. The Walking Dead Vol. 30 (1/15/19)

8. The Walking Dead Vol. 31 (7/17/19)

9. Low Vol. 2 (1/25/19)

10. Low Vol. 3 (1/26/19)

11. Low Vol. 4 (1/26/19)

12. The Exile by Diana Gabaldon (1/12/19)

13. The Autumnlands Vol. 1 (1/25/19)

14. Lumberjanes Vol. 1 (2/2/19)

15. Lumberjanes Vol. 2 (3/4/19)

16. Lumberjanes Vol. 3 (6/12/19)

17. Lumberjanes Vol. 4 (6/12/19)

18. Lumberjanes Vol. 5 (7/20/19)

19. Lumberjanes Vol. 6 (7/25/19)

20. Lumberjanes Vol. 7 (7/26/19)

21. Lumberjanes Vol. 8 (8/13/19)

22. Damsels Vol. 1 (2/15/19)

23. Damsels Vol. 2 (2/15/19)

24. Lady Mechanika Vol. 1 (2/26/19)

25. Lady Mechanika Vol. 2 (2/26/19)

26. Lady Mechanika Vol. 3 (4/21/19)

27. Exquisite Corpse by Penelope Bagieu (2/16/19)

28. Paper Girls Vol. 5 (3/5/19)

29. Paper Girls Vol. 6 (10/12/19)

30. Road to Riverdale Vol. 1 (3/12/19)

31. Road to Riverdale Vol. 2 (3/12/19)

32. Road to Riverdale Vol. 3 (3/12/19)

33. Alex + Ada Vol. 1 (3/16/19)

34. Alex + Ada Vol. 2 (3/16/19)

35. Alex + Ada Vol. 3 (3/16/19)

36. The Beauty Vol. 1 (3/13/19)

37. The Beauty Vol. 2 (3/13/19)

38. The Beauty Vol. 3 (3/13/19)

39. The Beauty Vol. 4 (3/13/19)

40. The Beauty Vol. 5 (5/5/19)

41. Umbrella Academy Vol. 1 (4/13/19)

42. Umbrella Academy Vol. 2 (6/15/19)

43. Umbrella Academy Vol. 3 (10/9/19)

44. Heathen Vol. 1 (5/3/19)

45. Heathen Vol. 2 (10/5/19)

46. Giant Days Vol. 8 (5/4/19)

47. Coffin Hill Vol. 1 (6/16/19)

48. Coffin Hill Vol. 2 (6/20/19)

49. Coffin Hill Vol. 3 (6/22/19)

50. Gumballs (7/29/19)

51. The Mental Load (7/30/19)

52. East of West Vol. 9 (9/21/19)

Library Love
Goal: 60/60 Books 100%

1. Coffee Talk by Morton Satin (1/12/19)

2. The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen (1/19/19)

3. Winter Storms by Elin Hilderbrand (1/18/19)

4. Open House by Elizabeth Berg (1/23/19)

5. Winter Solstice by Elin Hilderbrand (1/23/19)

6. Guidebook to Murder by Lynn Cahoon (1/24/19)

7. Whiskey in a Teacup by Reese Witherspoon (1/28/19)

8. In an Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire (2/6/19)

9. Visualizing the Beatles by John Pring and Rob Thomas (2/6/19)

10. American War by Omar El Akkad (2/16/19)

11. The Hollow of Fear by Sherry Thomas (2/10/19)

12. Skirting the Grave by Annette Blair (1/30/19)

13. Code Girls by Liza Mundy (1/31/19)

14. The Greatest Love Story Ever Told by Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman (2/20/19)

15. And Then You Die of Dysentery by Lauren Reeves (3/7/19)

16. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty (3/9/19)

17. P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han (3/23/19)

18. The Library Book by Susan Orlean (4/4/19)

19. Atlas of the Unexpected by Travis Elborough (4/5/19)

20. The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin (4/12/19)

21. Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy by Anne Boyd Rioux (4/16/19)

22. The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker (4/20/19)

23. The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan (4/26/19)

24. How Long ‘til Black Future Month by N.K. Jemisin (4/27/19)

25. Escaping from Houdini by Kerry Maniscalco (5/14/19)

26. The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo (5/17/19)

27. Prince Charming by Rachel Hawkins (5/18/19)

28. Naughty in Nice by Rhys Bowen (5/23/19)

29. The Glass Ocean by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White (5/25/19)

30. A Brief History of Nebraska by Ronald Naugle (5/27/19)

31. Watching You by Lisa Jewell (5/28/19)

32. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter (6/5/19)

33. If, Then by Kate Hope Day (6/8/19)

34. Craftfulness by Rosemary Davidson and Arzu Tahsin (6/14/19)

35. Field Notes on Love by Jennifer E. Smith (6/11/19)

36. Cities by Monica L. Smith (6/13/19)

37. City of Light by Rupert Christiansen (6/19/19)

38. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren (6/23/19)

39. Zoo Nebraska by Carson Vaughan (6/27/19)

40. Perihelion Summer by Greg Egan (6/29/19)

41. Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey (6/30/19)

42. Furious Hours by Casey Cep (7/1/19)

43. The Peacock Emporium by Jojo Moyes (7/9/19)

44. The River by Peter Heller (7/10/19)

45. The Salt Line by Holly Goddard Jones (7/12/19)

46. Little Beach Street Cafe by Jenny Colgan (7/16/19)

47. The Accidental Beauty Queen by Teri Wilson (7/19/19)

48. Less by Andrew Sean Greer (7/24/19)

49. The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis (7/27/19)

50. Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes (7/28/19)

51. The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware (8/4/19)

52. Columbine by Dave Cullen (8/6/19)

53. I Miss You When I Blink by Mary Laura Philpott (8/9/19)

54. Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey (8/10/19)

55. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch (8/7/19)

56. Recursion by Black Crouch (8/16/19)

57. The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth (8/20/19)

58. Time After Time by Lisa Grunwald (8/21/19)

59. You Think It, I’ll Say It by Curtis Sittenfeld (8/23/19)

60. A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell (8/26/19)

Historical Fiction
Goal: 10/10 Books 100%

1. A Beautiful Poison by Lydia Kang (2/22/19)

2. The Light Over London by Julia Kelly (5/10/19)

3. Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton (5/15/19)

4. The Glass Ocean by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White (5/25/19)

5. The Egyptologist by Arthur Phillips (5/30/19)

6. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter (6/5/19)

7. The Alice Network by Kate Quinn (6/24/19)

8. The Huntress by Kate Quinn (6/28/19)

9. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys (7/5/19)

10. The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis (7/27/19)

Picture Books
Goal: 70/70 Books 100%

1. Title Beginning with A - Are We There Yet? by Dan Santat (March)

2. Author Beginning with A - Sir Simon by Cale Atkinson (April)

3. Illustrator Beginning with A - Octopus Escapes Again! illustrated by Laurie Ellen Angus (January)

4. Title Beginning with B - Birthday Monsters by Sandra Boynton (April)

5. Author Beginning with B - Truck Full of Ducks by Ross Burach (January)

6. Illustrator Beginning with B - Book! Book! Book! Illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke (April)

7. Title Beginning with C - Chimpanzees for Tea by Jo Empson (April)

8. Author Beginning with C - What Planet are You From, Clarice Bean? by Lauren Child (January)

9. Illustrator Beginning C - The Truth About My Unbelievable Summer illustrated by Benjamin Chaud (march)

10. Title Beginning with D - The Dinosaur Expert by Margaret McNamara (January)

11. Author Beginning with D - Dinosaur Dig! by Penny Dale (January)

12. Illustrator Beginning with D - If You Were a Times Sign illustrated by Sarah Dillard (February)

13. Title Beginning with E - Elmer and Butterfly by David McKee (January)

14. Author Beginning with E - Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert (April)

15. Illustrator Beginning with E - Do NOT Bring Your Dragon to the Library illustrated by Andy Elkerton (January)

16. Title Beginning with F - Farmer Dale’s Red Pickup Truck by Lisa Wheeler (March)

17. Author Beginning with F - Lost in the Library by Josh Funk (January)

18. Illustrator Beginning with F - My Daddy is a Pretzel illustrated by Sophie Fatus (July)

19. Title Beginning with G - Giraffe Problems by Jory John (June)

20. Author Beginning with G - Revenge of the Dinotrux by Chris Gall (April)

21. Illustrator Beginning with G - Dino-Dancing Illustrated by Barry Gott (January)

22. Title Beginning with H - How to Be a Viking by Cressida Cowell (January)

23. Author Beginning with H - Stegothesaurus by Bridget Heos (January)

24. Illustrator Beginning with H - Construction Kitties illustrated by Shari Halpern (January)

25. Title Beginning with I - I Love Cats by Sue Stainton (January)

26. Author Beginning with I - Did You Eat the Parakeet? By Mark Iacolina (April)

27. Illustrator Beginning with I - Boom Boom Go Away illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline (July)

28. Title Beginning with J - Jack and the Beanstalk by Tony Ross (January)

29. Author Beginning with J - The Hueys in None the Number by Oliver Jeffers (March)

30. Illustrator Beginning with J - Unlike Other Monsters illustrated by Colin Jack (April)

31. Title Beginning with K - Kitchen Dance by Maurie J. Manning (July)

32. Author Beginning with K - Alpha Oops! The Day Z Went First by Alethea Kontis (February)

33. Illustrator Beginning with K - Old MacDonald Had a Truck Illustrated by Eda Kaban (January)

34. Title beginning with L - Little Bear’s Big House by Benjamin Chaud (March)

35. Author Beginning with L - Will Sheep Sleep? by Hilary Leung (April)

36. Illustrator Beginning with L - There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Clover! Illustrated by Jared Lee (May)

37. Title Beginning with M - Marlo and the Dinosaurs by Christopher Browne (March)

38. Author Beginning with M - Elmer Takes Off by David McKee (January)

39. Illustrator Beginning with M - Music Is… illustrated by Amy Martin (April)

40. Title Beginning with N - Now I’m Big by Karen Katz (June)

41. Author Beginning with N - Author Beginning with N - Milky Way by Mamta Nainy (April)

42. Illustrator Beginning with N - Once Upon an ABC illustrated by Christopher Nielsen (July)

43. Title Beginning with O - Old MacDonald Had a Farm by Jane Cabrera (January)

44. Author Beginning with O - Bigfoot Does Not Like Birthday Parties by Eric Ode (April)

45. llustrator Beginning with O - If You Monster Won’t Go to Bed illustrated by Zachariah Ohora (April)

46. Title Beginning with P - Pete the Cate and the Treasure Map by James Dean (February)

47. Author Beginning with P - Dinosaur Farm by Frann Preston-Gannon (February)

48. Illustrator Beginning with P - A Winter Wonderland illustrated by Anne Passichier (February)

49. Title beginning with Q - The Quilt by Ann Jonas (June)

50. Author or Illustrator beginning with Q - My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero (July)

51. Title beginning with R - Race! By Sue Fliess (April)

52. Author beginning with R - The Subway Mouse by Barbara Reid (February)

53. Illustrator beginning with R - Hamsters on the Go! illustrated by Kass Reich (January)

54. Title beginning with S - Stanley the Mailman by William Bee (March)

55. Author beginning with S - Standroid and Dandroid Make a Mess by Michael Slack (March)

56. Illustrator beginning with S - Trucks Galore illustrated by Bob Staake (January)

57. Title beginning with T - The Three Little Pigs Count to 100 by Grace Maccarone (March)

58. Author beginning with T - Help! We Need a Title! by Herve Tullet (April)

59. Illustrator beginning with T - How the Crayons Saved the Rainbow illustrated by Feronia Parker Thomas (January)

60. Title beginning with U - Up Above and Down Below by Paloma Valdivia (April)

61. Author or illustrator beginning with U - Monster & Mouse Go Camping by Deborah Underwood (April)

62. Title beginning with V - The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (January)

63. Author or illustrator beginning with V - Max the Brave by Ed Vere (April)

64. Title beginning with W - Wanted! Ralfy Rabbit, Book Burglar by Emily MacKenzie (January)

65. Author beginning with W - Dino-Racing by Lisa Wheeler (February)

66. Illustrator beginning with W - Thelonious Mouse illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf (April)

67. Title with an X ("ex") - Max’s Dragon by Kate Banks (July)

68. Author or illustrator -- more than one author, more than one illustrator (turning x into +) - A Bunny is Funny by Harriet Ziefert and Fred Ehrlich (April)

69. Title with a Z - Zuzu’s Wishing Cake by Linda Michelin (July)

70. Author or illustrator beginning with Z - Monsters Go Night-Night by Aaron Zenz (April)

Romance
Goal: 10/10 Books 100%

1. The Ideal Wife by Mary Balogh (1/17/19)

2. The Magnolia Inn by Carolyn Brown (4/6/19)

3. Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott (4/10/19)

4. Fight or Flight by Samantha Young (4/14/19)

5. The Winter Duchess by Jillian Eaton (4/19/19)

6. The Matchmaker’s List by Sonya Lalli (5/2/19)

7. Prince Charming by Rachel Hawkins (5/18/19)

8. Field Notes on Love by Jennifer E. Smith (6/11/19)

9. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren (6/23/19)

10. Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey (6/30/19)

Women Authors
Goal: 30/30 Authors 100%

1. Mary Balogh (3/20/19)

2. Leigh Bardugo (5/17/19)

3. Elizabeth Berg (1/23/19)

4. Annette Blair (4/3/19)

5. Rhys Bowen (5/23/19)

6. Chanel Cleeton (5/15/19)

7. Jillian Eaton (4/19/19)

8. Lyndsay Faye (4/24/19)

9. Elizabeth Gaskell (4/28/19)

10. Jenny Han (2/12/19)

11. Deborah Harkness (3/29/19)

12. Rachel Hawkins (5/18/19)

13. N.K. Jemisin (1/30/19)

14. Lisa Jewell (5/28/19)

15. Martha Hall Kelly (3/30/19)

16. Melanie Lageschulte (3/27/19)

17. Sonya Lalli (5/2/19)

18. Christina Lauren (6/23/19)

19. Rachael Lippincott (4/10/19)

20. Julianne MacLean (5/22/19)

21. Tahereh Mafi (4/8/19)

22. Seanan McGuire (2/6/19)

23. Fatima Farheen Mirza (3/2/19)

24. Kate Morton (1/11/19)

25. Mallory Ortberg (5/27/19)

26. Eva Pohler (6/7/19)

27. Kate Quinn (6/28/19)

28. Diane Setterfield (3/10/19)

29. Jennifer E. Smith (6/11/19)

30. Beatriz Williams (5/25/19)

2019 Reading Challenge Roundup - Failed

Perpetual Lists
Goal: 11/30 36.7%

1. The Neverending Story by Michael Ende (FanPro)

2. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr (FanPro; Teen; 365)

3. Peony in Love by Lisa See (FanPro)

4. Let the Right One In by John Lindqvist (9/2/19)

5. Bird Box by Josh Malerman (NPR Horror)

6. The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter (NPR Horror; Lit Won)

7. White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi (NPR Horror)

8. The House with a Clock in its Walls by John Bellairs (NPR Horror)

9. The Bridgertons series by Julia Quinn (NPR Romance)

10. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins (NPR Romance; Teen; 365)

11. The Last Unicorn by Peter Beagle (NPR Scifi/Fan; Teen; Lit Won)

12. Feed by MT Anderson (11/13/19)

13. Asylum by Madeleine Roux (365)

14. A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis (365)

15. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Lit Won)

16. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han (2/12/19)

17. Paper Towns by John Green (3/15/19)

18. Newt’s Emerald by Garth Nix (3/19/19)

19. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi (4/8/19)

20. The Woman in Black by Susan Hill (6/26/19)

21. Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan (8/25/19)

22. The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo (10/29/19)

23. Songbook by Nick Hornby (11/8/19)

24. Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman (12/17/19)

25. TBD

26. TBD

27. TBD

28. TBD

29. TBD

30. TBD

Unread Shelf Project
Goal: 21/50 Books 42%

1. Zorro by Isabel Allende (1/29/19)

2. America’s Constitution by Akhil Reed Amar

3. The Lives of the Monster Dogs by Kirsten Bakis

4. Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

5. Ghostland by Colin Dickey (4/7/19)

6. Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye (4/24/19)

7. The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald

8. Drink of Me by Jacquelyn Frank

9. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

10. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

11. The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar (8/12/19)

12. Hand of Isis by Jo Graham

13. The General’s Mistress by Jo Graham

14. An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green (4/29/19)

15. Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris

16. Frida by Hayden Herrera

17. The Widow of the South by Robert Hicks

18. The Probable Future by Alice Hoffman

19. The Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffman

20. Booknotes edited by Brian Lamb (8/30/19)

21. 1776 by David McCullough

22. John Adams by David McCullough

23. The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton (1/11/19)

24. Labyrinth by Kate Mosse

25. Sepulchre by Kate Mosse

26. Eruption by Steve Olson (2/23/19)

27. In the Hurricane’s Eye by Nathaniel Philbrick

28. The Egyptologist by Arthur Phillips (5/30/19)

29. The Hangman’s Daughter by Oliver Potzsch

30. Across the Universe by Beth Revis

31. The Boundaries of Her Body by Deborah Rowland

32. Contact by Carl Sagan

33. A Great Improvisation by Stacey Schiff

34. Duchess by Susan Holloway Scott

35. Bellman and Black by Diane Setterfield (3/10/19)

36. Blood and Thunder by Hampton Sides

37. Ghostwalk by Rebecca Stott

38. Kate Chopin by Emily Toth

39. Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson

40. The Ideal Wife by Mary Balogh (1/17/19)

41. A Precious Jewel by Mary Balogh (1/22/19)

42. Dark Angel / Lord Carew’s Bride by Mary Balogh (2/24/19)

43. A Counterfeit Betrothal / The Notorious Rake by Mary Balogh (3/20/19)

44. Tales of Mystery and the Macabre by Elizabeth Gaskell (4/28/19)

45. Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (5/29/19)

46. Lock Every Door by Riley Sager (8/14/19)

47. The Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams (9/14/19)

48. The Lost Duke of Wyndham by Julia Quinn (9/20/19)

49. Mr. Cavendish, I Presume by Julia Quinn (9/25/19)

50. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson (11/23/19)

Popsugar
Goal: 35/40 Books 87.5%

1. Book becoming a movie in 2019 - Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott (4/10/19)

2. Book that makes you nostalgic - The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan (4/26/19)

3. Book written by a musician -

4. Book you think should be turned into a movie - The Matchmaker’s List by Sonya Lalli (5/2/19)

5. Book with at least one million ratings on Goodreads - The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo (10/29/19)

6. Book with a plant in the title or on the cover - Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly (3/30/19)

7. Reread of a favorite - Persuasion by Jane Austen (12/23/19)

8. Book about a hobby - The River by Peter Heller (7/10/19)

9. Book you meant to read in 2018 - Open House by Elizabeth Berg (1/23/19)

10. Book with “pop,” “sugar,” or “challenge” in the title - Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman (12/17/19)

11. Book with an item of clothing or accessory on the cover - Zorro by Isabel Allende (1/29/19)

12. Book inspired by mythology, legend, or folklore - Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield (7/6/19)

13. Book published posthumously - I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara (9/11/19)

14. Book you see someone reading on TV or in a movie - Songbook by Nick Hornby (11/8/19)

15. Retelling of a classic - Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye (4/24/19)

16. Book with a question in the title -

17. Book set on a college or university campus - The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker (4/20/19)

18. Book about someone with superpowers -

19. Book told from multiple character POVs - The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay (3/8/19)

20. Book set in space -

21. Book by two female authors - The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen (1/19/19)

22. Book with a title that contains “salty,” “sweet,” “bitter,” or “spicy” - The Salt Line by Holly Goddard Jones (7/12/19)

23. Book set in Scandinavia - Let the Right One In by John Lindqvist (9/2/19)

24. Book that takes place in a single day - They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera (9/27/19)

25. Debut novel - An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green (4/29/19)

26. Book that’s published in 2019 - The Light Over London by Julia Kelly (5/10/19)

27. Book featuring an extinct or imaginary creature - Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (10/30/19)

28. Book recommended by a celebrity you admire - The Alice Network by Kate Quinn (6/24/19)

29. Book with “love” in the title - P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han (3/23/19)

30. Book featuring an amateur detective - The Hollow of Fear by Sherry Thomas (2/10/19)

31. Book about a family - Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton (5/15/19)

32. Book written by an author from Asia, Africa, or South America -

33. Book with a zodiac sign or astrology term in the title - The Huntress by Kate Quinn (6/28/19)

34. Book that includes a wedding - A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza (3/2/19)

35. Book by an author whose first and last names start with the same letter - The Greatest Love Story Ever Told by Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman (2/20/19)

36. Ghost story - Craven Manor by Darcy Coates (2/8/19)

37. Book with a two-word title - Watching You by Lisa Jewell (5/28/19)

38. Novel based on a true story - Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys (7/5/19)

39. Book revolving around a puzzle or game - Code Girls by Liza Mundy (1/31/19)

40. Fave prompt from a past challenge - Perihelion Summer by Greg Egan (6/29/19)

Finishing the Series
Goal: 6/10 Series 60%

1. Chronicles of St. Mary’s ✓

   • #7.7 Desiccated Water (1/16/19)

   • #8 And the Rest is History (1/16/19)

   • #8.1 Markham and the Anal Probing (1/16/19)

   • #8.5 A Perfect Storm (1/16/19)

   • #8.6 Christmas Past (1/19/19)

   • #9 An Argumentation of Historians (2/27/19)

   • #9.5 Battersea Barricades (3/21/19)

   • #9.6 The Steam-Pump Jump (3/22/19)

   • #9.7 And Now for Something Completely Different (4/11/19)

   • #10 Hope for the Best (8/17/19)

2. Vintage Magic Mystery ✓

   • #4 Skirting the Grave (1/30/19)

   • #5 Cloaked in Malice (4/3/19)

   • #6 Tulle Death Do Us Part (4/9/19)

3. Her Royal Spyness

   • #5 Naughty in Nice (5/23/19)

   • #6 The Twelve Clues of Christmas (8/3/19)

   • #7 Heirs and Graces (11/27/19)

   • #8 Queen of Hearts

   • #9 Malice at the Palace

   • #10 Crowned and Dangerous

   • #11 On Her Majesty’s Frightfully Secret Service

   • #12 Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding

   • #13 Love and Death Among the Cheetahs

4. Stalking Jack the Ripper ✓

   • #2 Hunting Prince Dracula (4/17/19)

   • #3 Escaping from Houdini (5/14/19)

   • #4 Capturing the Devil (10/15/19)

5. Dark Angel

   • #1 Dark Angel (2/23/19)

   • #2 Lord Carew’s Bride (2/23/19)

   • #3 The Famous Heroine

   • #4 The Plumed Bonnet

   • #5 The Ideal Wife (1/17/19)

   • #6 A Precious Jewel (1/22/19)

   • #7 A Christmas Bride

   • #8 Christmas Beau

6. Winter ✓

   • #3 Winter Storm (1/18/19)

   • #4 Winter Solstice (1/23/19)

7. All Souls

   • #1 A Discovery of Witches (3/29/19)

   • #2 Shadow of Night (10/4/19)

   • #3 The Book of Life

8. Shatter Me

   • #1 Shatter Me (4/8/19)

   • #1.5 Destroy Me (4/8/19)

   • #2 Unravel Me

   • #2.5 Fracture Me

   • #3 Ignite Me

   • #4 Restore Me

   • #4.5 Shadow Me

   • #5 Defy Me

9. River of Teeth ✓

   • #2 Taste of Marrow (6/18/19)

   • #3 American Hippo (short story) (6/18/19)

10. Rogues of Redmere ✓

    • #2 When a Rogue Loves a Woman (11/12/19)

    • #3 Waiting for a Rogue Like You (11/19/19)

    • #4 What’s a Rogue Got to Do With It (11/19/19)

Alphabet Soup: Authors
Goal: 22/26 Authors 80.8%

1. A - Zorro by Isabel Allende (1/29/19)

2. B - A Counterfeit Betrothal / The Notorious Rake by Mary Balogh (3/20/19)

3. C - The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan (4/26/19)

4. D - If, Then by Kate Hope Day (6/8/19)

5. E - American War by Omar El Akkad (2/16/19)

6. F - My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante (12/10/19)

7. G - Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman (3/14/19)

8. H - P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han (3/23/19)

9. I - A River in Darkness by Masaji Ishikawa (3/18/19)

10. J - The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin (2/13/19)

11. K - The Light Over London by Julia Kelly (5/10/19)

12. L - The Strange Journey of Alice Pendelbury by Marc Levy (5/7/19)

13. M - Escaping from Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco (5/14/19)

14. N - Newt’s Emerald by Garth Nix (3/19/19)

15. O - Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi (5/6/19)

16. P - The Egyptologist by Arthur Phillips (5/30/19)

17. Q - The Alice Network by Kate Quinn (6/24/19)

18. R - Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (5/29/19)

19. S - Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield (3/10/19)

20. T - Hope for the Best by Jodi Taylor (8/17/19)

21. U

22. V

23. W - The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker (4/20/19)

24. X

25. Y - Fight or Flight by Samantha Young (4/14/19)

26. Z

Literary Escapes
Goal: 25/51 Books 47.1%

1. Alabama - Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber (11/5/19)

2. Alaska

3. Arizona

4. Arkansas

5. California - A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza (3/2/19)

6. Colorado - The Christmas Layover by Robert Tate Miller (11/25/19)

7. Connecticut - Cloaked in Malice by Annette Blair (4/3/19)

8. Delaware

9. District of Columbia

10. Florida - Paper Towns by John Green (3/15/19)

11. Georgia

12. Hawaii

13. Idaho

14. Illinois - Dark Matter by Blake Crouch (8/7/19)

15. Indiana - Turtles All the Way Down by John Green (4/27/19)

16. Iowa - Growing Season by Melanie Lageschulte (3/27/19)

17. Kansas

18. Kentucky - The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Ricardson (11/23/19)

19. Louisiana - Taste of Marrow by Sarah Gailey (6/18/19)

20. Maine - Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes (7/28/19)

21. Maryland

22. Massachusetts - Fight or Flight by Samantha Young (4/14/19)

23. Michigan

24. Minnesota - Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal (10/22/19)

25. Mississippi

26. Missouri

27. Montana - Once Upon a Royal Christmas by Robin Bielman (12/7/19)

28. Nebraska

29. Nevada

30. New Hampshire - The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay (3/8/19)

31. New Jersey - Hope and Other Punch Lines by Julie Buxbaum (8/22/19)

32. New Mexico

33. New York - Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey (6/30/19)

34. North Carolina

35. North Dakota

36. Ohio - Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey (8/10/19)

37. Oklahoma

38. Oregon - If, Then by Kate Hope Day (6/8/19)

39. Pennsylvania

40. Rhode Island - A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams (11/26/19)

41. South Carolina

42. South Dakota

43. Tennessee

44. Texas - The Magnolia Inn by Carolyn Brown (4/6/19)

45. Utah

46. Vermont - The Broken Girls by Simone St. James (10/18/19)

47. Virginia - The Christmas Bride by Hope Ramsay (11/24/19)

48. Washington - Finding Christmas by Karen Schaler (12/11/19)

49. West Virginia

50. Wisconsin

51. Wyoming - Falling for Her Bachelor by Robin Bielman (12/4/19)

Non-Fiction Bingo
Goal: 17/25 Books 68%

1. Made into a movie -

2. Baillie Gifford award winner - Peacemakers; 1599; Into the Silence; How to Survive a Plague

3. About feminism -

4. Religion or Spirituality - Ghostland by Colin Dickey (4/7/19)

5. Essay Collection - The Greatest Love Story Ever Told by Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman (2/20/19)

6. Self-help title - I Miss You When I Blink by Mary Laura Philpott (8/9/19)

7. Celebrity or public figure memoir - Whiskey in a Teacup by Reese Witherspoon (1/28/19)

8. Nature or the environment - Eruption by Steve Olson (2/23/19)

9. Pre-2000 Title - The Hot Zone by Richard Preston (9/17/19)

10. Food, wine, or cooking - Coffee Talk by Morton Satin (1/12/19)

11. Indigenous author -

12. True crime - The Library Book by Susan Orlean (4/4/19)

13. Free space - Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty (3/9/19)

14. Medical condition - Rabid by Bill Wasik and Monica Murphy (11/9/19)

15. Set outside of North America - City of Light by Rupert Christiansen (6/19/19)

16. Biography - Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy by Anne Boyd Rioux (4/16/19)

17. Author of color -

18. 2019 release - Cities by Monica L. Smith (6/13/19)

19. 5-star read for a friend - Columbine by Dave Cullen (8/6/19)

20. Goodreads winner - I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara (9/11/19)

21. Canadian author -

22. Science and technology - Code Girls by Liza Mundy (1/31/19)

23. Parenting or relationships -

24. Travel - Atlas of the Unexpected by Travis Elborough (4/5/19)

25. Translated -

Dancing with Fantasy and Science Fiction
Goal: 21/52 Books 40.4%

Fantasy

1. Classic Fantasy - How Long ‘til Black Future Month by N.K. Jemisin (4/27/19)

2. Magic School -

3. Necromancers -

4. PTSD -

5. Dragons -

6. Fairytale (Retelling) - Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi (5/6/19)

7. Grimdark -

8. Ghosts - The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton (1/11/19)

9. Uncommon Fantasy Creatures - Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield (7/6/19)

10. Shapshifters -

11. Gods -

12. Animal Companion -

13. Maternal Heritage - Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber (11/5/19)

14. Set in our World - The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar (8/12/19)

15. Witches - A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (3/29/19)

16. Magical Law Enforcement - Shadow of Night by Deborah Harnkess (10/4/19)

17. Thief -

18. Pirates -

19. Portal Fantasy -

20. Warrior

Science Fiction

1. On a Different Planet - Alien: Echo by Mira Grant (9/4/19)

2. Utopia - The Salt Line by Holly Goddard Jones (7/12/19)

3. Space Ship -

4. Steampunk - Sword and Pen by Rachel Caine (10/11/19)

5. Time Travel - Recursion by Blake Crouch (8/16/19)

6. Artificial Intelligence POV -

7. Proto Sci-Fi - The Second Deluge by Garrett P. Serviss (11/6/19)

8. Hive -

9. Alien - An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green (4/29/19)

10. Virtual Reality -

11. Super Powers -

12. Science - American War by Omar El Akkad (2/16/19)

13. Replicate -

14. Space Colonization -

15. Mecha -

16. Space Creatures / Beasts -

17. Teleportation -

18. Space Western -

19. The Moon -

20. Invasion -

Generic

1. Satire - Feed by M.T. Anderson (11/13/19)

2. Under 500 Pages - The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin (2/13/19)

3. Over 800 Pages -

4. Novella - Perihelion Summer by Greg Egan (6/29/19)

5. Finish a Series - The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin (4/12/19)

6. Mental Health -

7. Disability -

8. Published Before 1990 -

9. Set in Africa -

10. Library - The Merry Spinster by Mallory Ortberg (5/27/19)

11. By a Woman of Color - The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin (1/30/19)

12. One Word Title -

Mystery
Goal: 9/25 Books 36%

1. Guidebook to Murder by Lynn Cahoon (1/24/19)

2. The Hollow of Fear by Sherry Thomas (2/10/19)

3. Tulle Death Do Us Part by Annette Blair (4/9/19)

4. The Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys Bowen (8/3/19)

5. The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth (8/20/19)

6. The Woman in the Lake by Nicola Cornick (9/7/19)

7. Heirs and Graces by Rhys Bowen (11/28/19)

8. The Ruin by Dervla McTiernan (12/19/19)

9. Bewitched and Betrothed by Juliet Blackwell (12/21/19)

10. TBD

11. TBD

Creativity
Goal: 2/10 Books 20%

1. Whiskey in a Teacup by Reese Witherspoon (1/28/19)

2. Craftfulness by Rosemary Davidson and Arzu Tahsin (6/14/19)

3. TBD

4. TBD

5. TBD

6. TBD

7. TBD

8. TBD

9. TBD

10. TBD

2020 Soups and Stews from Around the World

Last year we had fun trying lots of different Grilled Cheese recipes, but realized that bread and cheese weekly got a bit old. We started kicking around new ideas back in November and pretty quickly stumbled on the Soups and Stews ideas. But then we took it a step further. So for 2020, we are going to try 52 Soups and Stews Around the World. Prepping for this has been a multi step process.

I created a spreadsheet with a list of all the countries of the world separating by seven regions. Our hope is to cycle through regions so we aren’t duplicating flavors. Once I got my spreadsheet ready, I moved on to searching for relatively authentic recipes. I did not want Americanized versions of the recipes but something that residents of the country would eat for dinner. I checked out a ton of books from the library and started searching Pinterest.

As of January 1st, I have a very long list of recipes to pick from. As we’re going to cycle through world regions, I picked out our first seven weeks’s worth of recipes and countries and pulled the recipes. We’ll be doing wrap up posts with our tried recipes and thoughts on each. Here’s hoping that we’ll find some great dishes to add to our regular rotation!

Grilled Cheese Adventures Top 10

Part of my 2019 goals is make a different Grilled Cheese recipe each week. I find grilled cheese to be so comforting, but just cheddar or Colby gets boring after awhile. So, I checked a few books out from the library and make a Pinterest Board with lots of options.

We ended up sticking with our plan for 46 different grilled cheese recipes. I think that is a very respectable showing! We ended up realizing that most of the recipes were variations on ones we had already tried, mostly with less success. I definitely front-loaded the year with those I was excited to try out. We also realized that bread and cheese every week just isn’t our jam. Oh well! It was a good idea and we did eat some good good sandwiches. Plus I now have a fancy sandwich press. Our top 10 sandwiches were will be staying in our recipe box and will make appearances throughout the next year I am sure.

1. Fancy BLT (Week 4):

2. Buffalo Chicken (Week 15):

3. Brie, Cranberry, and Prosciutto on Marble Rye (Week 3):

4. Johnny Appleseed - Granny Smith Apple, White Cheddar, and Bacon (Week 41):

5. Pizza Grilled Cheese (Week 31):

6. Apricot White Cheddar on Pumpernickel (Week 11);

7. Sun Dried Tomato Pesto and Fontina (Week 18):

8. Spinach and Feta (Week 5):

9. Apple and Gouda (Week 16):

10. Bacon Blackberry Jalapeño Swiss (Week 26):

The Scholar by Dervla McTiernan

Title: The Scholar (Cormac Reilly #2)

Author: Dervla McTiernan

Publisher: Penguin Books 2019

Genre: Crime Thriller

Pages: 384

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library

When Dr. Emma Sweeney stumbles across the victim of a hit-and-run outside Galway University early one morning, she calls her boyfriend, Detective Cormac Reilly, bringing him first to the scene of a murder that would otherwise never have been assigned to him. The dead girl is carrying an ID that will put this crime at the center of a scandal--her card identifies her as Carline Darcy, heir apparent to Darcy Therapeutics, Ireland's most successful pharmaceutical company. Darcy Therapeutics has a finger in every pie, from sponsoring university research facilities to funding political parties to philanthropy--it has even funded Emma's own ground-breaking research.

As the murder investigation twists in unexpected ways and Cormac's running of the case comes under scrutiny from the department and his colleagues, he is forced to question himself and the beliefs that he has long held as truths. Who really is Emma? And who is Carline Darcy?

The Girly Book Club selection for January. I had to read the first book in the series as I am a completionist, but it’s not necessary to understand this volume. I really liked this story of murder and corporate intrigue. I loved following the murder mystery and DS Reilly. This is not my usual type of book, but I did enjoy it. I wasn’t a huge fan of the background storyline of Emma and her involvement in the case. It seemed a bit much and I could have done without that storyline piece. I’m pretty sure that I’ll read the third book in the series when it releases.

Cormac Reilly

• #1 The Ruin

• #2 The Scholar

• #3 The Good Turn

Next up on the TBR pile:

2020 Goals and Resolutions

2018’s Resolution Message: Usually I make a whole list of goals and resolutions to focus on for the year, but honestly, I’m not feeling it this year at all. Instead of yearly goals, I’m going to try and focus on monthly and seasonal goals. I want to be more intentional with my weeks as opposed to this large, lofty goals.

2020

There are some changes coming this year and I want to go back to having some big goals/resolutions to refer back to throughout the year.

House Goals/Resolutions

• Successfully move into our new house!

• Make a list of house renovations/projects and complete at least 50%

• Create a plan to tackle the house one room at a time

Life Goals/Resolutions

• Get back into a gym schedule

• Complete our 52 Weeks of Soups and Stews Around the World (adding some permanently to Paprika)

• Create a spending budget and stick to it

• Create and stick to a new weekly routine for Quentin and Arthur

• Plan and complete a fun summer road trip!

• Plan and complete a reading retreat!

Reading Goals/Resolutions

• Read 200 books / 50,000 pages

• Decrease my physical UnRead Shelves by 50 books

• Decrease my ebook UnRead Shelves by 30 books

• Create a library/reading space in the new house

• Follow my reading whims/cravings instead of rigid reading challenges

Craft Goals/Resolutions

• Finish all currently in progress projects

• Organize a craft space in the new house

• Take stock of my supplies and use them!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Neanderthal Seeks Human by Penny Reid

Title: Neanderthal Seeks Human (Knitting in the City #1)

Author: Penny Reid

Publisher: Cipher-Naught 2013

Genre: Romance

Pages: 376

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook

There are three things you need to know about Janie Morris: 1) She is incapable of engaging in a conversation without volunteering TMTI (Too Much Trivial Information), especially when she is unnerved, 2) No one unnerves her more than Quinn Sullivan, and 3) She doesn't know how to knit.

After losing her boyfriend, apartment, and job in the same day, Janie Morris can't help wondering what new torment fate has in store.

To her utter mortification, Quinn Sullivan—aka Sir McHotpants—witnesses it all then keeps turning up like a pair of shoes you lust after but can't afford. The last thing she expects is for Quinn to make her an offer she can't refuse.

A book club friend recommended this series and I’m so glad I picked it up! This is such a fun romp with fun characters and a great premise. I found myself laughing out loud at a few of the interactions between characters. Janie was annoying at times, but a decent lead character. Quinn was much more interesting. But I was very intrigued by the rest of the knitting group. I can’t wait to read their stories!

Knitting in the City

• #1 Neanderthal Seeks Human

• #1.5 Neanderthal Marries Human

• #2 Friends Without Benefits

• #3 Love Hacked

• #4 Beauty and the Mustache

• #.475 Ninja at First Sight

• #5 Happily Ever Ninja

• #6 Dating-ish

• #7 Marriage of Inconvenience

• #8 Neanderthal Seeks Extra Yarns

Next up on the TBR pile:

2019 Wrap-up

Favorite Books of the Year (in no particular order):

1. Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin

2. All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness

3. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

4. Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield

5. Smoke Gets in You Eyes by Caitlyn Doughty

6. Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid 

7. The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman

8. Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal

9. The Wicked + The Divine comic series

10. Wilder Girls by Rory Power 

Honorable Mentions: The HM category is reserved for rereads that I really loved.

• Persuasion by Jane Austen

Total Books Read – 255 books

Total Pages Read – 69,739 pages

I averaged 5811 pages per month.  My lowest month was October with only 4505 pages.  My highest month was August with 7185 pages.  I hope to read 50,000 pages next year.

Book Rating Stats 

• 5 stars — 93 books

• 4 stars — 103 books

• 3 stars — 46 books

• 2 stars — 11 books

• 1 star — 0 books

• DNFs — 1 books

Here’s the final breakdown:

• Perpetual 11/30 36.7%

• UnRead Shelf 21/50 42%

• Library Love 60/60 100%

• Ebooks 30/30 100%

• Random TBR Pick 12/12 100%

• Picture Books 70/70 100%

• Popsugar 35/40 87.5%

• Modern Mrs. Darcy 12/12 100%

• Finishing the Series 6/10 60%

• Alphabet Soup 22/26 84.6%

• Women Authors 30/30 100%

• Monthly Keyword 12/12 100%

• Monthly Motif 12/12 100%

• Literary Escapes 25/51 49%

• Nonfiction Bingo 17/25 68%

• Graphic Novel 52/52 100%

• Dancing with Fantasy and Science Fiction 21/51 41.2%

• Horror 10/10 100%

• Mystery 9/25 36%

• Romance 10/10 100%

• Historical Fiction 10/10 100%

• Creativity 2/10 20%

Total: 12/22 challenges  54.5% done

Total: 489/639 slots 76.5% done

Next up on the TBR pile:

Christmas Bucket List Finish

Christmas time is here!!!! Bring on the festive events and activities. (18/25)

1. Make Christmas Cookies ✓

2. Watch 5 Christmas movies (3/5)

   • How the Grinch Stole Christmas

   • Christmas at Pemberley Manor

   • Pride, Prejudice and Mistletoe

3. Complete a Christmas book advent ✓

4. Make hot cocoa ✓

5. Create snow angels

6. Create paper snowflakes

7. Make an ornament

8. Buy a Christmas sweater ✓

9. Sing Christmas carols ✓

10. Build a gingerbread house (or train or whatever) ✓

11. Help Arthur write a letter to Santa ✓

12. Drive around and see the lights ✓

13. Go visit Santa ✓

14. Send out Christmas cards ✓

15. Read 10 Christmas/winter stories (13/10) ✓

    • A Christmas Bride by Hope Ramsay

    • The Christmas Layover by Robert Tate Miller

    • Unexpected Gifts by Elena Aitken

    • Unexpected Endings by Elena Aitken

    • Christmas Lovebirds by Rachelle Ayala

    • Christmas with the Black Sheep by Natalie-Nicole Bates

    • My Christmas Curse by Joan Gable

    • Santa’s on His Way

    • Once Upon a Royal Christmas by Robin Bielman

    • A Kiss of Christmas by Jillian Eaton

    • Finding Christmas by Karen Schaler

    • 25 Days ‘til Christmas by Poppy Alexander

    • This Christmas by Jeannie Moon

16. Leave out cookies for Santa ✓

17. Visit the Feztival of Trees ✓

18. Take a photo of all four boys together ✓

19. Find a new holiday album ✓ - I went with Ana Gasteyer’s Sugar & Booze and it is delightful!

20. Visit the Fantasy of Lights ✓

21. Go sledding

22. Create my December Daily base pages

23. Participate in two gift exchanges ✓

24. See live reindeer ✓

25. Find a Christmas door hanger

Next up on the TBR pile:

Winter Bucket List

And on to 2020! Let’s start the year off right with some fun and some organization!

1. Read 45 books

2. Plan and execute a fun Valentine’s Day Party

3. Buy and Complete a jigsaw puzzle

4. New house vision board

5. Eat at 5 new-to-me restaurants

6. Attend a theater performances

7. Movie Month February

8. Weekly Game Day/Night

9. Make a seasonal door hanger/wreath

10. Swim at the gym 5 times

11. Have an indoor picnic

12. Host a craft day

13. Plan a weekend getaway

14. Visit a new-to-the-boys museum

15. Spend an afternoon at a local bookstore

16. Make ice cream sundaes

17. DIY Spa Night

18. Buy fresh flowers biweekly

19. Go mini-golfing

20. Make a new dessert

Next up on the TBR pile:

December 2019 Wrap-up

December TBR Pile (17/37):

1. Book of the Month Club: One Day in December by Josie Silver

2. Book of the Month Club: Well Met by Jen DeLuca

3. Book of the Month Club: Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

4. Book of the Month Club: The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

5. Girly Book Club: The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman (I just read this one, so no reread)

6. Friend Book Club: My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante ✓

7. Ebook: Silver Bells by CJ Hunt

8. Ebook: Second Chance Christmas by Shawn Inmon

9. Ebook: Romancing the Holidays by Jolene Cazzola

10. Ebook: Falling for Her Bachelor by Robin Bielman ✓

11. Ebook: Once Upon a Royal Christmas by Robin Bielman ✓

12. Ebook: In Too Deep by Tracey Alvarez

13. Ebook: Christmas with You by Tracey Alvarez

14. Ebook: Christmas Light by Jolyse Barnett ✓

15. Ebook: A Match Made at Christmas by Patty Blount ✓

16. Ebook: A Pirate for Christmas by Anna Campbell

17. Ebook: Her Christmas Bonus by Rain Danvers

18. Ebook: A Kiss of Christmas by Jillian Eaton ✓

19. Ebook: A Kiss for Christmas by Melody Grace

20. Ebook: Home for Christmas by Daphne James Huff

21. Ebook: A Cheyenne Christmas by Caroline Lee

22. Ebook: A Cheyenne Christmas Homecoming by Caroline Lee

23. Random TBR Pick: Twenty Truths About Love by Matthew Dicks ✓

24. Popsugar (“Pop, sugar, challenge”): Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman ✓

25. Modern Mrs. Darcy: Persuasion by Jane Austen ✓ (no review as this is a reread, but it is my second favorite book of all time)

26. Finishing the Series: The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness

27. Romance: Santa’s On His Way ✓

28. Romance: Finding Christmas by Karen Schaler ✓

29. Romance: Christmas in Vermont by Anita Hughes

30. Romance: 25 Days ‘til Christmas by Poppy Alexander ✓

31. Dancing with Fantasy and Scifi: The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

32. Creativity: Craft a Life You Love by Amy Tangerine

33. Added: This Christmas by Jeannie Moon ✓

34. Added: The Ruin by Dervla McTiernan ✓

35. Added: Bewitched and Betrothed by Juliet Blackwell ✓

36. Added: The Old-Fashioned by Robert Simonson ✓

37. Added: The One by John Marrs ✓

1,000,000 Page Goal:

Monthly Total: 4790 pages
Pages Remaining: 570,433 pages

Current Read - The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness; The Scholar by Dervla McTiernan; Neanderthal Seeks Human by Penny Reid

Books I Gave Up On (0) 

Books bought/received (4) - Couldn’t resist the 2 for $10 deal at Barnes and Noble this week and the Stan Lee’s birthday sale at Summit.

• The Shadow Land by Elizabeth Kostova

• Glass Houses by Louise Penny

• Lady Mechanika Vol. 4: The Clockwork Assasin

• Lady Mechanika La Dama de la Muerte

January TBR Pile:

1. Book of the Month Club: The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

2. BOTM: Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

3. Girly Book Club: The Scholar by Dervla McTiernan

4. Friend Book Club: The Glittering Hour by Iona Grey

5. OBM Book Club: Invisible Women by Criado-Perez

6. Unread Shelf Random: Labyrinth by Kate Mosse

7. Goodreads To Read Random: Wanderers by Chuck Wendig

8. TBR Jar Random: The Jane Austen Project by Kathleen Flynn

9. Theme 1: Wool by Hugh Howey

10. Theme 1: Across the Universe by Beth Revis

11. Theme 1: Wither by Lauren DeStefano

12. Theme 2: Kate Chopin by Emily Toth

13. Theme 2: The Lady from the Black Lagoon by Mallory O’Meara

14. Theme 2: TBD

15. Carryover: The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness

16. Comics: Daybreak

17. Kindle Unlimited: Neanderthal Seeks Human by Penny Reid

18. Kindle Unlimited: Friends without Benefits by Penny Reid

19. Library: The Art of Theft by Sherry Thomas

20. Library: Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren

21. Library: The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Adams

22. Library: Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs by Caitlin Doughty

23. Library: The Toll by Cherie Priest

24. Library: The Impossible Girl by Lydia Kang

UnRead Shelf Plans

For January, the prompt is to read any unread book from my shelf. I imagine something will strike my fancy. As for the strategies, there were three tasks for this month.

1. Count your books - Currently there are 120 unread books sitting in the theater room bookshelf. I’m not counting any ebooks or the books currently residing in the attic. Figure I will focus on those books first.

2. Library and book buying ban - I’m excepting my book club books and anything I already have on hold for the library.

3. Make a Top 10 to read for 2020 - I spent some time and make my short list:

   1. Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

   2. Uprooted by Naomi Novik

   3. Across the Universe by Beth Revis

   4. In the Hurricane’s Eye by Nathaniel Philbrick

   5. Scandalous Women of the Ton Series by Nicola Cornick

   6. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomikas Adeyemi

   7. The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

   8. Well Met by Jen DeLuca

   9. Swamplandia by Karen Russell

   10. Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson

Movies watched

• Ready or Not - Love love loved this movie!

• Christmas at Pemberley Manor - So dumb, but I do like my Holiday romances. I just couldn’t get over the male lead. I kept conflating him with his not-so-nice character on UnReal.

• Hail Satan - Very interesting documentary. I am fascinated.

• 6 Underground - Terrible movie. Even Ryan Reynolds could not save it.

TV Shows watched

• Daybreak S1 - We finished this season and loved every minute of it! And oh that cliffhanger was brutal! Really hoping we get a season 2.

• American Gods S1 - Slowly making our way through this first season.

• Below Deck S1-2 - My mom keeps begging me to watch this one. Finally started after catching a few episodes at the gym.

• A Discovery of Witches S1 - Finally got around to this one! Oh so good!

• The Mandalorian S1 - Yes!

Comments - Wooo!!! What a reading year! I ended up reading 255 books in 2019. Hoping to carry some momentum into 2020.

Next up on the TBR pile: