Monday, December 23, 2024

Please join us for our 17th annual Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks reading adventure

 



Join us for our 17th year of our annual Read 52 books in 52 weeks reading adventure. 

The goal is easy - Read 52 Books - Or if you aren't up to 52 but want to join in, you can set your own goal.  

We don't have any set reading lists so how you get there is up to you. However, we do have a variety of challenges including weekly, monthly mini challenges, annual and perpetual challenges to entice your reading taste buds.   

2025 52 Books Bingo - 25 new categories which will take us on a exploration from the obscure to the well known.

2025 Dragon Bookology - This year we're flying around the world with fictional dragons, spelling out their names or reading the books in which they play. 

2025 A to Z and Back Again - All the way from A to Z and back again as we play with words.  


Participate in one or more of our perpetual challenges:  

Agatha Christie  -- Read her books in chronological order as listed, group by detective or collection, or randomly if you choose. Read at least three per year.

Mind Voyages - A science fiction / fantasy challenge through the decades, exploring the Hugo and Nebula winners and nominees, Philip K. Dick, and Robert Heinlein. 

Well Educated Mind --  Continue to explore the classics in 6 categories: Fiction, Autobiography, History/Politics, Drama, Poetry and Science. 

or dip into past challenges such as Brit Tripping, Dusty and Chunky, Feed Your Muse, Inspiration, Nobel Prize Winners and Sounds of Silence.


There is a little bit of something for everyone. Read widely or wildly, follow rabbit trails, read outside your comfort zone or stick with the tried and true. 

The mini and perpetual challenges are all optional, Mix them up anyway you like and follow your own path in the quest to read.  


The challenge runs January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025

Our book weeks begin on Sunday, except for week one which begins on Wednesday January 1st and runs through January 11. 

Participants may join at any time. 

All forms of books are acceptable including e-books, audio books, etc. 

Re-reads are acceptable as long as they are read after January 1, 2025

Books may overlap other challenges. 

Create an entry post linking to Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks and sign up in the link below.  

If you don't have a blog or social media account, post about your reads in the comments section of each weekly post. 

The link widget is  added to the bottom of each weekly post to link to your book reviews, and closes at the end of each book week. 


Sunday, December 22, 2024

BW52: A is for Adventure

 




“He held up a book then. “I'm going to read it to you for relax.”

“Does it have any sports in it?”

“Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Poison. True Love. 

Hate. Revenge. Giants. Hunters. 

Bad men. Good men. Beautifulest Ladies. Snakes. Spiders... 

Pain. Death. Brave men. Cowardly men. Strongest men. 

Chases. Escapes. Lies. Truths. Passion. Miracles.”

“Sounds okay,” I said and I kind of closed my eyes.”

― William Goldman, The Princess Bride


Happy Sunday! Our wild and whimsical reading quest is winding down for the year but that doesn't mean it is the end of our reading.  Reading is a never ending adventure because there is always another tale to explore that fills you with emotion, or teaches you something new, or helps you discover a different perspective, and or gives you something to ponder long after the story has ended.  Reading is as necessary as breathing, vital to our lives, minds, and imaginations. 

We've been counting down the days to Christmas with our advent calendars as well as anticipating  the annual book flood Jólabókaflóð.  However, we started a little early and our shelves and stockings are filling up.  But nevertheless, we'll spend Christmas Eve curled up on our cozy couch reading until the thought of Santa coming down the chimney drives us to our beds.  Winter also officially started on Saturday, the 21st, which means plenty of cold weather books to keep us company.  

Somebody reminded me the other day, it isn't the quantity of books we read that's important, but the quality.  With that in mind, how was your reading year?  

Tell me about any new authors discoveries you'd like to continue reading. Or ones you disliked and will never read again.  

Where did your armchair travels take you?  

Which books made you think and ponder and leave you with a big book hangover.  Or which books made you want to throw it across the room in frustration because of the characters choices.  

Share book quotes that stood out, beautiful book covers, or anything else that stood out for you. 

How do you feel about cathartic reads? The ones that hit you in all the feels? Do you avoid them or dive in, let the words wash over you and pull you into the characters lives and emotions.  

Do you annotate your books, write in the margins, engage with the book, talk back to the characters?  

Maybe it's an age thing but my reading slowed way down this year and I engaged way more that I usually do with stories. Some made me angry, others made me pause, a few made me cry.  I used to read only to be entertained, now I find myself delving into deep and dense stories.  

To that end, I'll be reading Les Miserables starting January 2025, so please join me if you haven't read it yet.


Thank you for sharing your reading adventures with me. Merry Christmas and may you have a blessed New Year! 



Sunday, December 15, 2024

BW51: Books to fill up your stockings!

 



Happy Sunday! It's time to peruse the best books lists as well as book club lists to fill up your stockings and TBR stacks because Winter is coming. The perfect time to curl up and read or figure out your reading plans for the new year.  So get out those journals and take note! 

Manning and Napier's - Our 2024 Year-End Book List

NPR's massive Books We Love 

Barnes and Noble's Best Books of the Year

Oprah's The Most Thought-Provoking Books of 2024

Vulture's The Best Books of 2024 The novels and nonfiction that offered unique robotproof perspectives.

The Complete List of Reese's Book Club Picks

Jenna Bush Hager Book Club list from the Today Show

The Best Celebrity Book Club Picks of the Year


Before you panic and think the year is almost over, please note book week 52 will run from December 22nd through December 31st.  Plenty of time to enjoy the holidays and ruminate over what you read this year and what you want to read next year.  

Happy Reading! 



Sunday, December 8, 2024

BW50: Big C, little C, what begins with C?

 



Happy Sunday!  Big C, little c, what begins with C.  Why Christmas of course and feasting. Which brings us to Brownie Day (8th), National Pastry Day (9th), National Noodle Ring Day (11th), National Gingerbread Day (12th), and Ice Cream Day (13th). This week we also celebrate International Children's Day, Christmas Card Day, Human Rights Day, National Ding a Ling Day, and Friday the 13th. Lots of things we can turn into book ideas.  

Why Christmas website provides a round up of How Christmas is celebrated around the world

Penguin has some delightful Christmas Classics that would be perfect for gifts. I've already bought a set to give to family. 

Pan MacMillian has The best books to gift for Christmas 2024

I recently added A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote to my stacks. Ann Patchett, author and owner of Parnassus books says she's never been able to read the book aloud to a group of people without crying. I also added another holiday tale - Comfort and Joy: A Christmas fable by Kristen Hannah. 

Plus I am reading Kingdom of Copper, part of the Daevabad series by our December author of the month, S. A. Chakraborty.  Be sure to check her out. 


Happy Reading!




Sunday, December 1, 2024

BW49: Countdown to Christmas!

 



Big D, little d, what begins with D. Why, December of course. Welcome to December and all the celebrations this month with Advent, St. Nicholas Day, Hanukkah, Bodhi Day, St Lucia Day,   December Solstice, Las Posadas, Festivus for the rest of us Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and ending with New Year's Eve. 

Time to pull out our Christmas books, curl up by the fire or wrap up in our favorite blankets, fill a mug full of hot goodness, and read. 







What books do you traditionally read during the month of December, for advent, for Hanukkah or Christmas or the holy days or holidays?