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Books

What’s in a Name 2025 wrap-up

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I love this challenge & have done it for several years. Our host is Carolina Book Nook, & this year it took me until September to finish because I wasn’t finding a Cardinal direction book. Here are my reads:

Cardinal direction  The Winds from Further West by Alexander McCall Smith

Wanderlust  A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon by Kevin Fedarko

First & last name Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers by Deborah Heiligman

Alliteration Theft on Thursday (Lois Meade Mystery #4) by Ann Purser
Deity  Talking God (Leaphorn & Chee, #9) by Tony Hillerman

Crime I Only Read Murder (Miranda Abbott, #1) by Ian Ferguson, Will Ferguson

2024 Reading Stats

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16 non-fiction
35 new-to-me authors
103 series books
14 re-reads
66 audio-books
10 of 11 challenges completed
92 of 102 Newbery winners

You can see all my books read here.

2023: 168 books; 50,922 pages; 11 non-fiction; 27 new-to-me authors; 109 series books; 21 re-reads; 61 audio-books; 7 of 7 challenges completed; 91 of 102 Newbery winners

2022: 171 books; 55,585 pages; 15 non-fiction; 34 new-to-me authors; 115 series books; 28 re-reads; 76 audio-books; 9 of 10 challenges completed; 86 of 100 Newbery winners
2021: 194 books; 64,530 pages; 8 non-fiction; 36 new-to-me authors; 126 series books; 40 re-reads; 110 audio-books; 9 of 9 challenges completed; 83 of 99 Newbery winners
2020: 218 books; 76,990 pages; 31 non-fiction; 51 new-to-me authors; 115 series; 27 re-reads; 104 audio-books; 10 of 10 challenges completed; 82 of 98 Newbery winners
2019: 161 books; 55,269 pages; 15 non-fiction; 44 new-to-me authors; 105 series; 26 re-reads; 78 audio-books; 8 of 8 challenges completed; 81 of 97 Newbery winners
2018: 122 books: 41,700 pages; 10 non-fiction; 25 new-to-me authors; 56 series; 23 re-reads; 52 audio-books; 9 of 9 challenges completed; 77 of 96 Newbery winners
2017: 162 books; 49,126 pages; 14 non-fiction; 32 new-to-me authors; 94 series; 22 re-reads; 78 audio-books; 14 of 14 challenges completed; 75 of 95 Newbery winners
2016: 162 books; 50,718 pages; 14 non-fiction; 33 new-to-me authors; 49 series; 30 re-reads; 68 audio-books; 16 of 17 challenges completed; 73 of 94 Newbery winners
2015: 141 books; 50,971 pages; 11 non-fiction; 29 new-to-me authors; 45 series; 37 re-reads; 56 audio-books; 10 of 10 challenges completed; 71 of 93 Newbery winners
2014: 139 books; 43,972 pages; 7 non-fiction; 36 new-to-me authors; 26 series; 20 re-reads; 37 audio-books; 10 of 10 challenges completed; 70 of 92 Newbery; books set in 25 of 50 states
2013: 150 books; 47,936 pages; 7 non-fiction; 29 new-to-me authors; 25 series; 32 re-reads; 49 audio-books; 6 of 6 challenges completed; 64 of 91 Newbery; books set in 25 of 50 states
2012: 196 books; 56,851 pages; 11 non-fiction; 55 new-to-me novelists; 95 series; 25 re-reads; 25 audio-books; 6 of 6 challenges completed; 64 of 90 Newbery
2011: 132 books; 39,641 pages; 15 non-fiction; 42 new-to-me novelists; 54 series; 12 re-reads; 33 audio-books; 0 of 0 challenges completed; 59 of 89 Newbery
2010: 152 books; 46,899 pages; 3 non-fiction; 37 new-to-me novelists; 25 series; 19 re-reads; 28 audio-books; 5 of 5 challenges completed; 50 of 88 Newbery
2009: 73 books; 23,576 pages; 3 non-fiction; 31 new-to-me novelists; 36 series; 5 re-reads; 48 of 87 Newbery
2008: 79 books; 32,031 pages; 8 non-fiction; 15 new-to-me novelists; 31 series; 19 re-reads; 42 of 86 Newbery
2007: 44 books; 17,069 pages; 3 non-fiction; 8 new-to-me novelists; 15 series; 13 re-reads; 38 of 85 Newbery

2025 My Reader’s Block sign-ups

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I’ve joined this challenge for 12 years in an attempt to read down my owned books. My goal for Mount TBR this year is Mt. Vancouver: 36 books.

The Virtual Mount TBR Challenge is only for books I do not own. They may be borrowed from the library, a friend, found on a free e-book site, or anywhere else that allows me to temporarily “checkout” the book.
My goal is to repeat White Plume Mountain: Read 48 books from my Virtual TBR/Wish List/Library.

I’ve debated about Bev’s Calendar of Crime challenge every year & decided this is the year to jump in. Twelve books, one representing each month, are required for a complete challenge. To claim a book, it must fit one of the categories for the month you wish to fulfill. Unless otherwise specified, the category is fulfilled within the actual story. So I’ll be looking through my mysteries to find monthly mystery fun.

I used to do the Color Coded challenge every year & find that when I read a “colorful” title, I’m wanting to mark it down. So it seems my mind wants to do this challenge again!

The color may be named in the title, in the author’s name, or it may appear as the dominant color for the cover of the book. For “implies color” the image implying color should dominate the cover–for instance a large rainbow, a field of flowers, or the image of a painter.
Read nine books in the following categories with the color in the title/author name/on the cover:

  1. Blue
  2. Red
  3. Yellow
  4. Green
  5. Brown
  6. Black
  7. White
  8. Any other color (Purple, Orange, Silver, Pink, etc).
  9. A word/image that implies color (Rainbow, Polka-dot, Plaid, Shadow, Paint, Ink, etc).

2024 Reading Challenge wrap-up

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My goal for Mount TBR this year was Mt. Blanc: 24 books & I exceeded it by 5 books, so yay for me!

My goal was Mount Crumpit: Read 24 books from my Virtual TBR/Wish List/Library. Because I listened to audio from the library, plus checked out print books, I far exceeded my goal by climbing White Plume Mountain at 48 books. I actually got to 59, so was one short of attaining Stormness Head. Thanks to Bev for hosting both of these challenges!

The Mystillery hosts 3 challenges. The Medical Examiner Mystery got me 79 books for a total of 300 toe tags. I racked up 7 notches in The Six Shooter Mystery, which has the goal to shoot (read) six mysteries by the same target (author). I did 3 laps in the new Mystery Marathon. The Mystillery also hosts 2 seasonal games that add some fun to the year, & I completed the 2023-24 Ten Pins bowling game, plus 3 games in the 2024 AbraCadavers baseball game. Thank you to Rick for making mystery reading so fun!

I’ve done this challenge for several years & always enjoyed it. Hosted by Carolina Book Nook, the categories for this year were:

Double letters: Paddlers, Promises & Poison (Camper & Criminals, #16) by Tonya Kappes
An NFL team: Mark of the Lion (Jade del Cameron Mysteries, #1) by Suzanne Arruda
A natural disaster: Storm in the Land of Rain by Silvia Foti
A virtue: Silence for the Dead by Simone St. James
A shape: Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See
Footwear: Roller Skates by Ruth Sawyer

I’ve done this challenge off & on over the years & added it in this year for some additional fun.

JAN-“Red Carpet Reads”: Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Volume 1 (Twilight the Graphic Novel, #1) by Young Kim (Art/Adaptation), Stephenie Meyer
FEB-“Dynamic Duos”: Murder at the Mansions (High Society Lady Detective #7) by Sara Rosett (Olive & Jasper)
MAR-“Thrill Me”: Three-Inch Teeth (Joe Pickett #24) by C.J. Box
APR-“Who’s In Charge Here?”: I Was Anastasia by Ariel Lawhon
MAY-“Face Off”: The House on Biscayne Bay by Chanel Cleeton
JUN-“Comedy Club”: Dashing Through the Snowbirds (Meg Langslow Mysteries, 32) by Donna Andrews
JUL-“Creature Feature”: Horse by Geraldine Brooks
AUG-“Seasons, Elements, Weather”: Storm Warriors by Elisa Carbone
SEP-“Story of Survival”: The Cuban Heiress by Chanel Cleeton
OCT-“Wicked Good Reads”:? The Black Bird Oracle by Deborah Harkness
NOV-“An Oldie But A Goodie”: The Book of Lost Names by Kristen Harmel
DEC-“Cover Love”: The Man in Black: Stories by Elly Griffiths