Book Review: Again Again by E. Lockhart

 

Title: Again Again

Author: E. Lockhart

Genre: YA, Contemporary

About the book: If you could live your life again, what would you do differently?

After a near-fatal family catastrophe and an unexpected romantic upheaval, Adelaide Buchwald finds herself catapulted into a summer of wild possibility, during which she will fall in and out of love a thousand times--while finally confronting the secrets she keeps, her ideas about love, and the weird grandiosity of the human mind.

A raw, funny story that will surprise you over and over, Again Again gives us an indelible heroine grappling with the terrible and wonderful problem of loving other people. 

My thoughts: I requested this book from Net Galley as I really enjoyed We Were Liars, but this book was nothing like that.  It was sort of a multiple universe story as Adelaide's story was told in different scenarios depending on what/how she or someone else reacted in different situations.  It was hard to read in the beginning, but once you grasped the format it became much easier.  It sort of reminded me of myself as a teenager, when I would replay a scene in my head by how I wished it had gone. . .   

The important part of the story was Adelaide's relationship with her brother, and this almost gets lost in this format.  I wish that there had been more attention paid to that storyline and not so much on Adelaide's love life - or lack of one.  Overall, it wasn't bad and introduced me to a new format of storytelling. 

Book Review: The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham

 

Title: The Painted Veil

Author: W. Somerset Maugham

Genre: Classic, Historical Fiction

About the Book: Set in England and Hong Kong in the 1920s, The Painted Veil is the story of the beautiful, but love-starved Kitty Fane. 

 When her husband discovers her adulterous affair, he forces her to accompany him to the heart of a cholera epidemic. Stripped of the British society of her youth and the small but effective society she fought so hard to attain in Hong Kong, she is compelled by her awakening conscience to reassess her life and learn how to love. (from Goodreads)

My thoughts: Had I not listened to this book on audio, I am not sure that I would have finished it.  I am really glad that I did though as it was not what I expected.  The description above says that Kitty was love-starved, but I believe that her husband loved her very much before the affair.  She just did not love him but had married him so as not to become an old maid.  She had been too choosy when she was younger and all of her friends were married and suddenly she felt left behind.  Though her husband forced her to accompany him into the cholera epidemic, it is here that she learns to love herself, if not him.  I liked the way that the book just sort of stripped away everything that she knew and forced her to reevaluate those choices that she had made.  It was really rather heartbreaking in the end. 

Book Review: Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore

 

Title: Bringing Down the Duke 

Series: A League of Extraordinary Women #1

Author: Evie Dunmore

Genre: Romance, Historical Fiction

About the book: England, 1879. Annabelle Archer, the brilliant but destitute daughter of a country vicar, has earned herself a place among the first cohort of female students at the renowned University of Oxford. In return for her scholarship, she must support the rising women's suffrage movement. Her charge: recruit men of influence to champion their cause. Her target: Sebastian Devereux, the cold and calculating Duke of Montgomery who steers Britain's politics at the Queen's command. Her challenge: not to give in to the powerful attraction she can't deny for the man who opposes everything she stands for.

    Sebastian is appalled to find a suffragist squad has infiltrated his ducal home, but the real threat is his impossible feelings for green-eyed beauty Annabelle. He is looking for a wife of equal standing to secure the legacy he has worked so hard to rebuild, not an outspoken commoner who could never be his duchess. But he wouldn't be the greatest strategist of the Kingdom if he couldn't claim this alluring bluestocking without the promise of a ring...or could he?

    Locked in a battle with rising passion and a will matching her own, Annabelle will learn just what it takes to topple a duke.... (from Goodreads)

My thoughts: This was a fun and light read and just what I needed for February.  I am not a big romance reader when it comes to Dukes and Duchesses and 19th century England, but I did enjoy this one.  Annabelle knew the world she had been born into and tried hard to stay in her place.  Her intelligence and quick-wit didn't always allow her to keep her mouth closed when she should and rather than infuriating Sebastian he found himself intrigued by her.  While I won't run out to find the second book in the series, I can see myself picking it up when the mood strikes.  

Book Review: Dancing on Broken Glass by Ka Hancock

 

Title: Dancing on Broken Glass

Author: Ka Hancock

Genre: Romance

About the book: Lucy Houston and Mickey Chandler probably shouldn’t have fallen in love, let alone gotten married. They’re both plagued with faulty genes—he has bipolar disorder, and she has a ravaging family history of breast cancer. But when their paths cross on the night of Lucy’s twenty-first birthday, sparks fly, and there’s no denying their chemistry. 

Cautious every step of the way, they are determined to make their relationship work—and they put it all in writing.  Mickey promises to take his medication. Lucy promises not to blame him for what is beyond his control. He promises honesty. She promises patience. Like any marriage, they have good days and bad days—and some very bad days. In dealing with their unique challenges, they make the heartbreaking decision not to have children. But when Lucy shows up for a routine physical just shy of their eleventh anniversary, she gets an impossible surprise that changes everything. Everything. Suddenly, all their rules are thrown out the window, and the two of them must redefine what love really is. (From the book cover)

My Thoughts: What better than a romance book for the month of February?  This was much more than just a romance book though.  Lucy and Mickey have a very special relationship.  With his history of bipolar disorder and her family's breast cancer, it would seem like they have the odds stacked against them, but somehow they become a family.  Lucy provides Mickey with a solid place to strive towards when his bipolar wants to take control and Mickey loves Lucy like she has never been loved before. The story is told back and forth from both Mickey's and Lucy's POV.  The chapters start with journal entries that Mickey has written and then it evolves into Lucy's story.   It is a very good way to see where Mickey is at and how Lucy is reacting/handling his disorder. I liked this book very much and give it five stars.  Be sure to have kleenexes ready!

Book Review: The Enlightenment of Bees by Rachel Linden

 

Title: The Enlightenment of Bees

Author: Rachel Linden

Genre: Women's Fiction/Chick Lit

About the book: At 26, idealistic baker Mia West has her entire life planned out: a Craftsman cottage in Seattle, baking at The Butter Emporium, and the love of her life, her boyfriend Ethan, by her side.  But when Ethan breaks up with her instead of proposing on their sixth dating anniversary (with the Tiffany blue box in his pocket), Mia’s carefully planned future crumbles.

Adrift and devastated, she determines to find new meaning in her life by helping those in need. Guided by recurring dreams about honeybees that seem to be leading her toward this new path in life, Mia joins her vivacious housemate Rosie on an around-the-world humanitarian trip funded by the reclusive billionaire, Lars Lindstrom. Along with a famous grunge rock star, an Ethiopian immigrant, and an unsettlingly attractive Hawaiian urban farmer named Kai, Mia and Rosie embark on the trip of a lifetime. From the slums of Mumbai to a Hungarian border camp during the refugee crisis, Mia’s eyes are opened and her idealistic vision is challenged as she experiences the euphoria, disillusionment, and heartbreaking reality of humanitarian work abroad.

As Mia grapples with how to make a difference in an overwhelmingly difficult world, circumstances force her to choose between the life she thought she wanted and the unexpected life she has built.

My Thoughts: I did like this book, but it was not one that I could get lost in.  It felt like I was forcing myself to read it, and seemed to take longer than it should.  I liked Mia, and I don't think she gave herself enough credit in the beginning.  She did learn to stand on her own after Ethan breaks up with her, and I get it - after six years together you expect engagement and marriage to follow - so when that doesn't happen she is left not knowing which way to turn.  I didn't expect to learn so much about what the refugees went through in the Hungarian border camp, and while I realize it just touched on their issues, it was probably a realistic look at what a first-time volunteer would see and feel. It was nice to have the focus on something other than a relationship in a "chick-lit" book - though there were relationships as well.  It just didn't feel like they were the focus.  

Book Review: Pines by Blake Crouch

 

Title: Pines (Wayward Pines #1)

Author: Blake Crouch

Genre: Science Fiction/Thriller

About the book: Wayward Pines, Idaho, is quintessential small-town America--or so it seems. Secret Service agent Ethan Burke arrives in search of two missing federal agents, yet soon is facing much more than he bargained for. After a violent accident lands him in the hospital, Ethan comes to with no ID and no cell phone. The medical staff seems friendly enough but sometimes feels...off. As days pass, Ethan's investigation into his colleagues' disappearance turns up more questions than answers

Why can't he make contact with his family in the outside world? Why doesn't anyone believe he is who he says he is? And what's the purpose of the electrified fences encircling the town?  Are they keeping the residents in? Or something else out?

Each step toward the truth takes Ethan further from the world he knows until he must face a horrifying fact—he may never get out of Wayward Pines alive..... (from Goodreads)

My thoughts: While the premise of this book was right up my alley, I will admit that when I started it, I really didn't like it. The writing seemed a little disjointed and I felt like there was something missing.  However, I still liked the storyline so I kept reading.  I ended up finishing it really quickly and after reading the Afterword by the author at the end of the book it began to gel for me.  The author stated that one of his inspirations for this series was Twin Peaks.  And I thought - yes - the way it was written did give me a little bit of a Twin Peaks vibe.  That was the disjointedness - that on the surface everything seemed perfect - just don't look beneath the surface.  I then saw that this was a series on Hulu called Wayward Pines and my husband and I are now three episodes in.  I have also started the second book and am enjoying it more than the first.

January Wrap-up!

 I had a great reading month and finished 12 books this month!  It has been a long time since I have read that much in a month.  Hopefully this will develop into a good habit!

Book Review: The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

 

Title: The Great Alone

Author: Kristin Hannah

Genre: Historical Fiction

About the book: Ernt Allbright, a former POW, comes home from the Vietnam war a changed and volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes an impulsive decision: he will move his family north, to Alaska, where they will live off the grid in America’s last true frontier.

Thirteen-year-old Leni, a girl coming of age in a tumultuous time, caught in the riptide of her parents’ passionate, stormy relationship, dares to hope that a new land will lead to a better future for her family. She is desperate for a place to belong. Her mother, Cora, will do anything and go anywhere for the man she loves, even if it means following him into the unknown. 

At first, Alaska seems to be the answer to their prayers. In a wild, remote corner of the state, they find a fiercely independent community of strong men and even stronger women. The long, sunlit days and the generosity of the locals make up for the Allbrights’ lack of preparation and dwindling resources.

But as winter approaches and darkness descends on Alaska, Ernt’s fragile mental state deteriorates and the family begins to fracture. Soon the perils outside pale in comparison to threats from within. In their small cabin, covered in snow, blanketed in eighteen hours of night, Leni and her mother learn the terrible truth: they are on their own. In the wild, there is no one to save them but themselves.

In this unforgettable portrait of human frailty and resilience, Kristin Hannah reveals the indomitable character of the modern American pioneer and the spirit of a vanishing Alaska―a place of incomparable beauty and danger. The Great Alone is a daring, beautiful, stay-up-all-night story about love and loss, the fight for survival, and the wildness that lives in both man and nature. (From Goodreads)

My Thoughts: I really liked this book.  I will admit that it is my first Kristin Hannah book, though she has been on my radar for years. I listened to this book on audio and as it was going to "disappear" at midnight from Libby (someone else has it on hold) I sped up the narration so I could finish it!  This isn't something that I would normally do, but I had to see how it ended!   I believe that I will most likely re-read this in the future so I can really enjoy the story and the setting more fully.  I liked all the characters in the book, both the good and the bad, and enjoyed all the strong women that survived up in Alaska. The way the community came together as a family to support newcomers is something you don't always see, especially today.  I can't wait to read another book by Kristin Hannah in the future!

Book Review: The Highway by C.J. Box

 

Title: The Highway (The Highway Quartet #2)

Author: C.J. Box

Genre: Mystery/Crime

About the book: When two sisters set out across a remote stretch of Montana road to visit their friend, little do they know it will be the last time anyone might ever hear from them again. The girls—and their car—simply vanish. Former police investigator Cody Hoyt has just lost his job and has fallen off the wagon after a long stretch of sobriety. Convinced by his son and his former rookie partner, Cassie Dewell, he begins the drive south to the girls' last known location. As Cody makes his way to the lonely stretch of Montana highway where they went missing, Cassie discovers that Gracie and Danielle Sullivan aren't the first girls who have disappeared in this area. This majestic landscape is the hunting ground for a killer whose viciousness is outmatched only by his intelligence. And he might not be working alone. Time is running out for Gracie and Danielle… Can Cassie overcome her doubts and lack of experience and use her innate skill? Can Cody Hoyt battle his own demons and find this killer before another victim vanishes on the highway? (From Goodreads)

My thoughts:  We are currently watching The Big Sky on ABC which is based on this book - and may I say loosely based on this book.  At this point, I am not sure which one I liked better.  The book covered just a couple of days and we are in Season 2 of the series.  The story has a female protagonist, Cassie, who is a Deputy in Helena.  In the beginning of the story she is just learning the job and has been taken advantage of by the Sheriff to do some of his dirty work.  She finds her strength throughout the story and learns to trust her gut.  I hope to see more of her in the next book in the series.  There are some slimy characters in the book and I think we may see more of them as well.  I did enjoy the story and it moved at a good pace that kept me reading past my bedtime a few nights.  

Book Review: The Magnificent Ambersons by Booth Tarkington

 

Title: The Magnificent Ambersons

Author: Booth Tarkington

Genre: Classic, Historical Fiction

About the book: Winner of the Pulitzer Prize when it was first published in 1918, The Magnificent Ambersons chronicles the changing fortunes of three generations of an American dynasty. The protagonist of Booth Tarkington's great historical drama is George Amberson Minafer, the spoiled and arrogant grandson of the founder of the family's magnificence. Eclipsed by a new breed of developers, financiers, and manufacturers, this pampered scion begins his gradual descent from the midwestern aristocracy to the working class. (From Goodreads)

My thoughts: This book was hard for me to get into at first.  It is always hard with the classics as they are written at a different time and you have to be able to immerse yourself in the writing.  After a while though I had a black and white film running in my head to accompany the dialogue.  This makes me wonder whether I had seen the movie adaption at some point and don't remember it.  I digress - I did like the book and think the lessons are relevant with each generation since it was written until now - which is sort of stated towards the end of the book - how each generation is replaced and the old is forgotten by the new.  I did check the movie out from the library and hope to watch it sometime this week.

2021 Backpacking Bookworm Reading Challenge (#bbReadingChallenge2021)

 

And yet another book challenge that I read a book for - and yet forgot to post the challenge!   This one is hosted by the Backpacking Bookworm.  As you can see from above - there are different categories for each month.  While the backpacking bookworm looks like they are going to read a whole bunch of books each month based on the category - I am just going to try to do one.

January - Character with a disability - All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

February - Set in Afghanistan - The Pearl That Broke It's Shell by Nadia Hashimi

March - Celebrates Diversity

April - Teaches you Something New

May - Personified Animal

June - Epistolary or diary format

July - Indigenous Author/characters

August - Children's classic

September - Historical fiction based on true events

October - Nordic Noir

November - Learn about a new culture

December - Character on a journey

Book Review: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

 

Title: All the Light We Cannot See

Author: Anthony Doerr

Genre: Historical Fiction

This was a poignant story that was beautifully written, set in and around WWII.  When I first started reading it I was just flying through the pages.  Somehow I knew that this little German boy, Werner, and this blind French girl, Marie-Laure were going to cross paths, but I didn't know how or when. 

The reading went really fast in the beginning, and then it started to get loonnng - maybe because I wanted to see how it was all going to work out.  

The story was told back and forth from the perspective of each character and also jumped back and forth in time - alternating from when they were children, the beginning of the war, and the end of the war.  It depicts how the choices that we make, and how we should be true to what we believe, can alter our own future, as well as that of others.  And that it is never too late to do the right thing.  While the ending was realistic, it was not how I wanted it to end, but satisfying none the less. 

Book Review: Mayhem by Estelle Laure

 

Title: Mayhem

Author: Estelle Laure

Genre: YA, Magical Realism

This book is set in Santa Maria, California, a beach town, in 1987.  This is the year I was married (the first time) and actually lived in San Diego, so I could picture a beach town in the 80's very easily.  It reminded me of the warm nights spent at the beach and the sense of safety that was around back in the 80's.  

In the town of Santa Maria, however, this sense of safety is a ruse.  There is someone stealing girls off the beach at night, yet the police don't seem too concerned about it.  This is the spot that Mayhem Brayburn and her mother Roxy run to when the abuse from her stepfather finally deflects from Roxy onto Mayhem.  It is Roxy's hometown and the first place where Mayhem feels like she might belong.  

See - Mayhem (what a cool - yet psycho name!) comes from a line of women who have a history of magic tied to a secret cave off the beach.  Water from the cave gives the Brayburn's a unique ability to be able to see through people's facade to what they are really like - either good or evil.  If you are not a Brayburn and you drink the water, you will receive this ability - but it will destroy you in the long run. It isn't long before Mayhem is introduced to this water and begins to learn the history of her family through diaries and letters from her great grandmother, grandmother, aunt and Roxy. 

This was a quick read for me as I was immediately drawn into the story.  I enjoyed the back and forth between the letters from the past and what was happening to Mayhem in the present.  I could see this possible becoming a series, though it did have a satisfactory ending as is.

Thank you to Net Galley for the prepub. 

Book Review: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

 

Title: The Great Gatsby

Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald

Genre: Classic, Historical Fiction

I can finally say that I have read The Great Gatsby.  As it seems like everyone I know had to read this in school, not sure why I hadn't.  Not sure what I can say about it that hasn't already been said, argued, theorized, etc.  I found it to be tragic and sad.  To me, it was the story of innocence (Nick) who quickly began to see how jaded the world really was.  That happiness was only on the surface and once you got under the parties and the lights, real life was not all that pretty, or fair, and choices were sometimes made for you. 

I ended up getting the movie after I read the book and can say that had I not read the book I probably wouldn't have sat through the entire movie.  

It wasn't one of my favorite classics, but I am glad that I have now read it (finally!). 

Book Review: Fade into the Bright

 

Title: Fade into the Bright

Authors: Jessica Koosed Etting, Alyssa Embree Schwartz

Genre: YA, Realistic Fiction

Abby and her older sister Brooke have been raised by their mother since Abby was five.  One day their dad was there, and the next he was gone - with no explanation as to where or why.  So when the sisters receive a letter from their dad before Christmas Abby's senior year in high school, it is both a surprise and a shock.

In the letter, he tells his daughters that he has been diagnosed with Huntington's Disease, for which there is no cure, and that they have a 50% chance of having the gene.  This is Abby's story as she finds out her test result and deals with what her future might look like.  

While this wasn't a "feel good" story, it was one that made you think about the choices that you make, why you make them, and how your future might look because of them.  Abby escapes to Catalina Island to the home of an aunt she hasn't seen since her dad left them.  She stumbles into a job at a beach and becomes friends with her coworkers.  Her aunt has told her she would give her space to deal with things, but Abby tends to just ignore everything and not make any decisions at all until it is almost too late. 

2021 Pop Sugar Reading Challenge

 

Ugh, another challenge that I had in my challenge log that I didn't do a blog post on - presenting the Pop Sugar Reading Challenge.

This challenge has a list of reading prompts that bring diversity and push me out of my comfort zone.  You can get a printable list and also join their Facebook and Goodreads pages.

2021 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge

• A book that's published in 2021 - Fade Into the Bright by Jessica Koosed Etting, Alyssa Embree Schwartz
• An Afrofuturist book
• A book that has a heart, diamond, club, or spade on the cover - Make Up Break Up by Lily Menon
• A book by an author who shares your zodiac sign
• A dark academia book
• A book with a gem, mineral, or rock in the title
• A book where the main character works at your current or dream job
• A book that has won the Women's Prize For Fiction
• A book with a family tree
• A bestseller from the 1990s
• A book about forgetting
• A book you have seen on someone's bookshelf (in real life, on a Zoom call, in a TV show, etc.)
• A locked-room mystery
• A book set in a restaurant
• A book with a black-and-white cover
• A book by an Indigenous author
• A book that has the same title as a song - Dancing on Broken Glass by Ka Hancock
• A book about a subject you are passionate about
• A book that discusses body positivity
• A book found on a Black Lives Matter reading list
• A genre hybrid
• A book set mostly or entirely outdoors -  Pines by Blake Crouch
• A book with something broken on the cover
• A book by a Muslim American author - More than Just a Pretty Face by Syed M. Masood
• A book that was published anonymously
• A book with an oxymoron in the title
• A book about do-overs or fresh starts - The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
• A magical realism book - Mayhem by Estelle Laure
• A book set in multiple countries - All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
• A book set somewhere you'd like to visit in 2021
• A book by a blogger, vlogger, YouTube video creator, or other online personality
• A book whose title starts with "Q," "X," or "Z"
• A book featuring three generations (grandparent, parent, child) - The Magnificent Ambersons by Booth Tarkington
• A book about a social justice issue - Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore
• A book in a different format than what you normally read (audiobooks, ebooks, graphic novels)
• A book that has fewer than 1,000 reviews on Amazon or Goodreads - It's the End of the World as I Know It by Matthew Landis
• A book you think your best friend would like - The Pearl that Broke It's Shell by Nadia Hashimi
• A book about art or an artist
• A book everyone seems to have read but you - The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• Your favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR Reading Challenge - Again Again by E. Lockhart

Advanced

• The longest book (by pages) on your TBR list
• The shortest book (by pages) on your TBR list
• The book on your TBR list with the prettiest cover
• The book on your TBR list with the ugliest cover
• The book that's been on your TBR list for the longest amount of time
• A book from your TBR list you meant to read last year but didn't
• A book from your TBR list you associate with a favorite person, place, or thing
• A book from your TBR list chosen at random
• A DNF book from your TBR list
• A free book from your TBR list (gifted, borrowed, library)

Book Review: It's the End of the World as I Know It by Matthew Landis

 Title: It's the End of the World as I Know It

Author: Matthew Landis

Genre: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction

Derrick, or Dee, as his friends and family call him, has just started 8th grade and is sure the Apocalypse will happen before the end of the month.  So sure that he has built and stocked his own shelter. This obsession with the end of the world has come about after his mom dies on active duty.  It consumes most of his thoughts during the day and affects his relationships with his friends.  

His neighbor, Misty, is recovering from a kidney transplant and is looking at life as a new adventure every day.  Together they take on the last steps to complete the shelter before the date that Dee is sure the world is ending.  

Even though this book is dealing with a heavy subject, the author seasons it with a dose of humor.  It also is the story of friends sticking together when they know one of them is going through a bad period and not giving up on him.

Book Review: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

 Title: We Were Liars

Author: E. Lockhart

Genre: YA, Realistic Fiction

For some reason, the more I like a book, the harder it is for me to write a review for it.  I am not sure whether it is because I am afraid I will say too much and give something away - or if I feel I won't be able to give it justice.  This is one of those books. 

I know that we just started 2021, but I think this will go on the best books I read in 2021 list.  

The setting of this book is a private island off the coast of Massachusetts.  There are four houses on the island - the grandparents, and one for each of their daughters' families.  The families all come every summer and bring with them all the familial drama.  

The three oldest grandchildren and a family friend comprise the "liars".  I didn't get a clear picture as to why they were called that by the adults, but it kind of plays into the storyline.  The story really centers around the oldest granddaughter, Cady, and an event that happened on the island the summer she was 15, which has left her with amnesia.  We learn about that summer through her relationships with the other liars on the island a couple of years later.  

For me this book was heart-breaking and I wish that I could have the experience of going back and reading it again for the first time.

2021 Reading Challenges from The Book Girls' Guide

 I know, I have signed up for enough challenges, but I found two more on Facebook that I thought looked interesting.  They are the Decades Challenge and Book Voyage: Read Around the World.  These challenges come with suggested reads for each prompt, which I like as it gets me out of my comfort zone and I discover more that I enjoy.

Each month, you’ll read a book SET in a different decade, in chronological order. The book doesn’t have to be written during the decade, just take place during it.    You can find a list for each of the decades here.  

January - 1910's - The Magnificent Ambersons by Booth Tarkington

February - 1920's - The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham

                                 

March - 1930's

April - 1940's

May - 1950's

June - 1960's

July - 1970's

August - 1980's

September - 1990's

October - 2000's

November - 2010's

December - Books spanning multiple decades

The second challenge is Book Voyage: Read Around the World. The reading schedule for the year is below - along with a link for book suggestions for the first month.  When you sign up they will send you a link for a fun map that will help you track your books. 

January: Arctic & Antarctic - The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
February: Europe – West  (England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy) - The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
March: Europe – East
April: Asia – North
May: Asia – South
June: Books Set on an Island
July: Australia & New Zealand
August: Middle East
September: Africa
October: South America
November: North America
December: Books Spanning Multiple Continents

2021 Literary Feast Reading Challenge

 Ok, so I found one more reading challenge on Facebook - so why not, right?  It is called the Literary Feast Reading Challenge and the prompts are as follows:

Thought it might be fun to have some of my own reads mixed in with some group reads.

January: a book with a cover that's your favorite color

February: a book based on a myth or fairytale

(Group reading challenge! Watch for upcoming posts as we choose the book and discuss it!)

March: biography, autobiography, or memoir

April: a book from a series

(but you don't have to choose the first book or read the entire series!)

May: a cross- or dual-genre book

(Group reading challenge! We'll be digging up those sci-fi comedies or steampunk westerns special for the month of May! In fact, if we pick the steampunk western it might end up being a duel-genre.  )

June: a book by an indie or local author

(It'll be your chance to read local and support the self-publishing community!)

July: a book you never thought you'd read

August: a book you can read in a day

(Group reading challenge! Not that you have to read it in a day. But if you could... And with a short book, you could pick more than one this month!)

September: a banned book (September is Banned Book Month.)

October: a book with 300+ pages (bonus if it's 500+!)

(to make up for August's short book...  )

November: a classic

(Group reading challenge. Which classic have you always wanted to read but haven't? Or is there a classic you've been longing to read again? Or a book you wish was a classic?)

December: a book written by a celebrity

Bonus! a book set in the ancient past