January 2024 Recap: Focus and Fasting

Well hello there, 2024. It’s amazing how slow January feels, but how fast it’s actually over. It’s always a strange month for me, because work is busy and no vacation days are approved, and every year my church has been participating in New Covenant Association of Ministries’ 40 days of prayer and fasting, during which we have a nightly livestream of encouragement and prayer. So my days are busy, and my nights are busy, and I’m making a concerted effort to cut out distractions and focus on God, so during the times that I’d normally spend scrolling social media and watching TV or YouTube, I’m pushing myself to do productive things and/or pray. 

The food part of fasting has been the least important and least difficult for me – I stepped down and quit caffeine, and gave up sugar and dairy and red meat (and eventually all meat, and bread). I do pretty well without caffeine, considering how much I really love coffee. I’m not trying to give it up permanently, so no need to recommend decaf. No desire to go there. *wink* I’ve been drinking an enormous amount of herbal tea the last few weeks, and decided it was time to get myself an electric kettle.

So for books! That’s why at least some of you are here, right? In the month of January, I completed 6 books – a good start to the year, even if a couple of them were under 200 pages. As we got deeper into our 40 days of fasting, I made the decision to switch to reading books that would keep my focus on God for the remainder of the fast, and not be a distraction.

After reading five – count ’em – five new books by Brandon Sanderson last year, I decided he’d be a good one for challenge prompt #2, Read a book by an author you’ve previously read. Ha. So I started off the year with yet another one, released in November. Defiant is the final installment in his Skyward young adult sci-fi series, and it was absolutely a satisfying conclusion. The main character, Spensa, has a very amusing narrative voice, and the cast of side characters (including a mushroom-loving AI and a 15 centimeter tall furry ninja alien) provide even more entertainment, but the story was tense and action-filled, and the stakes were high.

Spensa went through a lot of introspection and emotional growth in this story, and there were times the story brought me to tears. I know there’s a collection of three novellas associated with this series that I haven’t read yet, which I’m looking forward to picking up. I’ve enjoyed this sci-fi world and the humor and heart Sanderson put into it. [4.25 stars]

After that, I made a start on my pile of physical books on the nightstand (seriously, it’s huge) and picked up Collages by Anais Nin for prompt #8, Read a book that’s been on your “shelf” for over a year. This one was recommended by my sister-in-law a few years back, and I can see why she thought I’d enjoy it. It’s a weird little collection of stories, full of luscious language and gorgeous imagery. The stories center on a few different characters who are all connected to the central character in the tale, and form something of a collage themselves (also one of the stories is about an artist who creates collages).

The pace was a little on the slow side but I was entranced by the writing. One paragraph for example: “The rocks were continually filled with surprises from shipwrecks, and the nights with sounds which the regular rhythm of the sea orchestrated. The wind flung itself between the rocks, dishevelled, wrestled with the waves, until one of them expired. The sky put on its own evanescent spectacles, a pivoting stage, fugitive curtains, decors for ballets, floating icebergs, unrolled bolts of chiffon, gold and pearl necklaces, marabous of oyster white, scarves of Indian saris, flying feathers, shorn lambs, geometric architecture in snows and cotton. His theater was the clouds, where no spectacle repeated itself.” [3.75 stars]

My next choice was a re-read for prompt #5, Reread a book you have recommended to someone else. I am constantly pushing Fonda Lee’s Green Bone Saga on my fantasy reading friends (most recently this month in the alliance chat for a phone game I play). I finished the final installment in the trilogy last month, and immediately wanted to start over at the beginning, since it had been over two years since I read the first novel. Jade City is an excellent introduction to the world of Kekon, an Asian-inspired island which is the only source of a fictional precious stone called bioenergetic jade.

Jade is precious because it interacts with human physiology in a way that produces enhanced physical and mental powers – but it is dangerous to anyone who does not have a genetic profile that allows them to tolerate and harness the energy, and who has not gone through extensive training to allow them to use it safely. The worldbuilding and culture is intriguing, and the magic system is heavily influenced by martial arts. I remember being fascinated by the interactions of the protagonist Kaul family, and this time through I could understand even more the choices each person made and how they led to the inevitable end. Bonus, after having watched two seasons of the The Wheel of Time on Prime Video, I now have a mental picture of the eldest Kaul brother, Lan, as Daniel Henney. [5 stars]

Next up, I picked up my choice for prompt # 10, Read a book from the Los Angeles Public Library’s staff recommendations – The City We Became by N.K. Jemisen. I’ve read the first in Jemisen’s Broken Earth trilogy and thoroughly enjoyed it – so I’d been intrigued by her new The Great Cities duology. The concept is fascinating – what if, over time, the collective identity of the inhabitants of great cities caused the city itself to gain sentience and a life of its own? In this first installment, we witness the birth of New York City in this metaphysical sense, as 6 avatars (one for the city as a whole, and five for each of its boroughs) are awakened as embodiments of the city. 

And of course, it wouldn’t be a story without conflict, supplied by a trans-dimensional force that has been opposing the birth of cities across the centuries – because each city’s birth causes the collapse and destruction of dozens of parallel dimensions. Or maybe it’s something darker and more disturbing at the heart of the enemy’s motivation… Like I said, the concept was fantastic, but there was something lacking for me. Maybe it’s just that I’m not as big of a fan of New York City as the author is – I’d be intrigued to see the birth of another city, but as I understand it, the sequel picks up where this novel ends, with a continuation of New York City’s battle against the enemy that threatens not only itself, but our entire plane of existence. Your mileage may vary. [3.5 stars]

Nearing the end of January, I picked up a book recommended for my church’s leadership team – You Have Not Many Fathers by Dr. Mark Hanby is out of print but very relevant to those in positions of church leadership and ministry. The book focuses on the Biblical pattern for relationships in ministry, a father/son bond that provides care and accountability lacking in the loose organizational oversight – or complete lack of oversight – that so many ministries labor under. Dr. Hanby takes us back to the forefathers of the Hebrew nation, as well as the founding fathers of the Christian church, to discover the pattern of generational blessing and inheritance.

This was a really insightful read, and as a bonus, one little nugget has already helped me look at the scriptures in a different way: ”We today tend to gingerly skip over all the lists of ‘begats’ in the Scriptures. All those details of the generations of Adam, Noah, Shem, Terah, Jacob, and the 12 tribes of Israel, we sometimes feel are not essential. Although these genealogical lists may seem irrelevant to us, it is imperative we understand that the very presence of these large lists, repeated over and over in our Bibles, indicates an enormous generational interest in the heart of God.” The day after I read that paragraph, I found myself facing another long genealogy in Ezra chapter 7 – and immediately took note of where it was leading, back to Aaron, the high priest, and that added to my understanding of the chapter. I chose this as my selection for prompt #54 – Read a non-fiction book. [4 stars]

I finished up the month with a short one, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller. This is another recommendation from my mom – I’ve been trying to go through the books she recommends for her one-on-one discipleship students for the last few years, as everything she’s recommended has been insightful and worthwhile. I really enjoyed the detailed look at a Psalm that I’ve had memorized since childhood, from the perspective of someone who has actually been a shepherd. 

The inside knowledge gives a richer understanding of the metaphors in the passage, and really provides understanding of the amount of work, observation and detailed care it takes to be a “good Shepherd”, as Christ is described. And as it was first published in 1970, it worked perfectly for challenge prompt #35, Read a book that was published before you were born. [4.5 stars]

Aside from reading, I haven’t been watching TV so I’ve been listening to a lot of Spotify. My go-to playlists are the ones I made with all the songs my team has done for praise and worship at our church for the year – I have 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 if you’re interested.

The best photos of January are in a gallery below, including three nail art looks for the month, my herbal tea stash, and Fred’s new “cardboard kitty condo” – since she’s determined to jump into every box that comes in the house I saved a bunch of them and taped them together in interesting ways with holes cut between them (inspiration from Linz, who made one for her kitten Nebula – who is essentially the same as my cat).

And here is where I solicit comments from you! What have you been reading this year? Did you set a reading goal for the year? Do you like herbal tea? (Recommendations accepted, what’s your favorite?) And what are you looking forward to for February? Talk to me, people!

The Linzthebookworm/Logophile 2024 Reading Challenge

Level 1: Book of the Month Club [4/12 complete]
1. Read a book you got for free
2. Read a book by an author you’ve previously read – Defiant – Brandon Sanderson
3. Read a book that is under 400 pages
4. Read a book published in 2014 (10 years ago)
5. Reread a book you have recommended to someone else – Jade City (reread) – Fonda Lee
6. Read a retelling of a fairy tale or a classic novel
7. Read a book that is a comedy or satire
8. Read a book that’s been on your “shelf” for over a year – Collages – Anais Nin
9. Read a book with a color in the title
10. Read a book from the Los Angeles Public Library’s staff recommendations –The City We Became – N.K. Jemisen
11. Read a caper story (heist, thievery, etc.)
12. Free Space – Pick any book!

Level 2: Casual Reader Club [0/12 complete]
13. Read book 1 of a Duology
14. Read book 2 of a Duology
15. Read a book about faeries
16. Read a book you meant to read for last year’s challenge
17. Read a book with three or more colors on the cover
18. Read a book by an author who shares a first or last name with a family member
19. Read a book published by Simon & Schuster or one of its imprints
20. Read a book with the word “Dark” in the title
21. Read a book published in 2004 (20 years ago)
22. Read a book with a Gothic theme
23. Read a book on a banned book list
24. Free Space – Pick any book!

Level 3: Dedicated Reader Club [1/12 complete]
25. Read an Enemies to Lovers story
26. Read a Lovers to Enemies (or Friends to Enemies) story
27. Read a book that starts with the letter “S”
28. Read a book from Refinery29’s “The Ultimate Book Bucket List: The 75 Best Books Of All Time”
29. Read a book with a grey cover
30. Read a book by an author you think has an interesting name
31. Read a Historical Fiction novel
32. Read a book with the name of a place in the title
33. Read a book about a veterinarian (or someone who works with animals)
34. Read the first book in a series you’ve wanted to start
35. Read a book that was published before you were born – A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 – W. Phillip Keller
36. Free Space – Pick any book!

Level 4: Speed Reader Club [0/12 complete]
37. A book by Eleanor Hibbert under any of her pseudonyms
38. Read a Memoir
39. Read a book that is referenced in a film or TV show
40. Read a book with a skull on the cover
41. Read a book with the word “Truth” in the title
42. Read a book that involves gamer/fandom/geek culture
43. Read a book with a Scientist as the main character
44. Read a book that takes place in a cold climate
45. Read a book that has double letters in the title
46. Read a book by two or more authors
47. Read a book involving or inspired by Egyptian mythology
48. Free Space – Pick any book!

Level 5: Overachiever Club [1/12 complete]
49. Read a book with a Unicorn in it
50. Read a book that takes place during the 18th century (1701-1800)
51. Read a book by Jonathan Coe
52. Read a book with over 700 pages
53. A book with a title that has 5 words
54. Read a non-fiction book – You Have Not Many Fathers – Dr. Mark Hanby
55. Read a book with a picture of food or drink on the cover
56. Read a book by an author with Fred in their name
57. Read a book that takes place in South America
58. Read a book you previously started but left unfinished
59. Rickrolled! Read a book with one (or more) of the following words in the title: Never Going To Give You Up
60. Free Space – Pick any book!

[2024 Reading Challenge] #5 checked off!

See the 2024 Reading Challenge to play along!

December 2023 Recap: Challenge accepted – and Completed!

It is finished! That’s a wrap for 2023, and for the first time ever, I’ve completed our annual reading challenge. Let the fireworks at midnight ring out in celebration!

In the month of December, I completed 6 books – although one of them had been slowly but surely inching along in progress since the first of January, it was still the highest page count of any month this year at 3,154 pages read. The stats can wait, though – if you want a look at the specific books I read this month, read on.

First up in December, I finished Ten Arrows of Iron, the second in Sam Sykes’ Grave of Empires series. Sam being an Arizona native (like his mother, Diana Gabaldon) makes this a great choice for prompt #5, Read a book that was written by an author from your home state. I read the first in this trilogy back in January, and finally got around to the second novel. This installment was hectic, full of surprises, and even quite emotional in parts. I think I liked the first book a touch better, but it was a solid, if dark, adventure. [4.25 stars]

And then I did something I don’t often get to do – I finished the trilogy in the same year I started it. Three Axes to Fall by Sam Sykes was a great ending to the series, revealing some missing pieces to the main character’s back story, and details of how her infamous weapon came to be. Sal the Cacophony was a wonderfully complex character to follow through this trilogy, and one of the reasons I chose to read it this year was to fit our challenge prompt #50, Read a book where the main character is a villain or anti-hero. Sal is a notorious outlaw with an axe to grind and capable of leaving great destruction in her wake, but also inspires loyalty in surprising ways.

I met the author at Phoenix ComiCon years back, and he was a very entertaining human being – the sense of humor shows through in his writing, to be sure. There were passages that had me laughing out loud at the imagery, but also scenes where tears were running down my face. [4.25 stars]

I followed that by finishing another trilogy that I started this year – I started Robin Hobb’s Liveship Traders trilogy in February with prompt #16, followed with the second book in July at #24, and completed the set with Ship of Destiny to fulfill my final free space #60. This trilogy captured my imagination from the start – the concept of the liveships was so interesting, and I loved the way we learned more of the lore along the way – sea serpents, the Trader communities, pirates and lost civilizations and dragons (oh my)… 

The first third or so of this installment took a bit of time to hook me, but the pace picked up considerably as the different groups we had been following came together for an exciting climax. I read the final 60% in one sitting (and stayed up until 4:30 AM to do it). [4.75 stars]

Another third installment of a trilogy followed – I read the first two books in Fonda Lee’s Green Bone Saga over the past two years, so the earlier books were a little fuzzy in my head, but Jade Legacy was a fantastic finale. As I recall the first two books, they followed the protagonist Kaul family through a relatively short period of time, and some specific major events. Jade Legacy took a longer view, setting up changes in the clan’s fortunes and leadership over the course of several years. There was family drama, and political maneuvering, serious action and emotional devastation. 

I plan to re-read the series before long, and highly recommend it for fantasy lovers who want a twist on the usual medieval European inspired setting. This one was my choice for challenge prompt #42, A book set in Asia or an Asian-inspired culture. [5 stars]

Next to last, I finished a daily devotional that I have been reading since the first of January – Savor: Living Abundantly Where You Are, As You Are by Shauna Niequist was my choice for prompt #34, Read a fiction or nonfiction book that motivates you to be a better version of yourself. The daily readings include a verse of scripture, and then thoughts and stories by the author about mindful living, enjoying the little moments, and forming meaningful connections with family and friends. There were several selections about marriage and motherhood that weren’t too applicable to my current life, but overall many beautifully written essays (and delicious recipes) that reminded me that life is meant to be experienced, not just endured. [4 stars]

And as 2023 wound to a close, I finished the final remaining prompt from our challenge – #13, Read a book by Mary Faulkner (or one of her aliases). This prompt caused all manner of consternation after we discovered that basically every book by this prolific author of 904 books was out of print. I did manage to find a few titles under her pen name Mary Faulkner on Amazon Kindle, but we changed the prompt on the official challenge to include any author from the Owlcation list of the 21 most prolific authors of all time where we found her in the first place… or to include several of the specific authors we’d named on previous challenges….

However, I decided to be a stickler and instead of reading yet another new Brandon Sanderson novel that was released in November, I picked up The Involuntary Chaperon, by Margaret Cameron (aka Mary Faulkner/Kathleen Lindsay). This was a pretty light read – formatted as a series of letters from a middle-aged widow to her closest friend, telling the story of a hastily arranged excursion to South America at the insistence of another close friend to chaperon her 17-year-old daughter with her bachelor uncle in an effort to whisk the girl away from what her parents considered an unsuitable love match. The descriptions of the South American coastal towns and the scenery were enchanting, and the letters were written with a humorous conversational tone – plus there was a touch of unexpected romance. Aside from the casual racism that one would expect from a book published in 1909, I thoroughly enjoyed it. [3.5 stars]

Other things I enjoyed in December: I’ve continued my first watch of Veronica Mars with a few episodes of Season 2, and rewatched Iron Man 3 with my favorite reaction channel. I was pretty much obsessed with the new Pentatonix live recording of their cover of Seal’s Kiss From A Rose – those 5 individuals are insanely talented and just getting better all the time. Their updated recording of O Holy Night is also highly worth a listen, if you aren’t burned out on Christmas music.

And of course the weather cooperated this year so I made my annual Christmas visit to my mom’s, which was full of yummy home cooked food, lots of coffee, and cheesy Christmas movies. I got to see the Hallmark Christmas movie that was basically written in response to a particular scene in Ted Lasso where he kind of made fun of the genre, and it was actually very cute. I helped organize Mom’s paperback library (at least the part of it she’s not actively lending out to other people), and got to meet up with a close friend and his wife for lunch (Hi Pablo!). The best photos of the month, along with my 4 nail art looks, are below.

But for now, 2024 awaits – and along with it, a little surprise in the planning stages with Linzthebookworm. Stay tuned for more on that, but first, I will try a redux of the End of Year book survey post I did for 2022, because why not? 

Before I close out – if you’re reading this far, please leave me a comment and let me know what your favorite prompts are from this year or previous years. Linz and I would love to know what types of reading challenge prompts are fun for you all. And by all means, tell me about what you’ve been reading, or watching, or doing. Have you heard Pentatonix? What was the best TV show you watched this year? And what are you looking forward to in the new year?

Have a happy one, my friends!

The Linzthebookworm/Logophile 2023 Reading Challenge

Level 1: Book of the Month Club [COMPLETED]
1. Read a book recommended to you on social media or by a friend – Recursion – Blake Crouch
2. Read a book under 300 pages – The Courts of Chaos – Roger Zelazny
3. Read a book with a female main character – Tress of the Emerald Sea – Brandon Sanderson
4. Read a book by an author whose name is Samantha, Sam, or a variant – Seven Blades in Black – Sam Sykes
5. Read a book that was written by an author from your home state – Ten Arrows of Iron – Sam Sykes
6. Read a book you meant to read for last year’s challenge – Have We Met? – Camille Baker
7. Read a book with a basic shape on the cover (examples: circle, square, heart, star, diamond) – Call It What You Want – Brigid Kemmerer
8. Read a book you got from Project Gutenberg, a library, or another nonprofit source – The Blue Castle – L.M. Montgomery
9. Read a book about a hobby you enjoy or want to pick up (fiction or nonfiction) – The Bullet Journal Method – Ryder Carroll
10. Read a book that starts with the first letter of your name – Daughters of the Lake – Wendy Webb
11. Read the next book in a series you haven’t read in a while – The Lost Metal – Brandon Sanderson
12. Free Space – Pick any book! – The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England – Brandon Sanderson

Level 2: Casual Reader Club [COMPLETED]
13. Read a book by Mary Faulkner (or one of her aliases) – The Involuntary Chaperon – Margaret Cameron
14. Read a book of short stories or a novella – Ford County: Stories – John Grisham
15. Read a book that involves a lot of traveling – Swan Song – Robert R. McCammon
16. Read a book published in 1998 (25 years ago) – Ship of Magic – Robin Hobb
17. Read a book with a yellow cover – The Likely Resolutions of Oliver Clock – Jane Riley
18. Reread a book you have recommended to someone else – The Imperfect Disciple – Jared C. Wilson
19. Read a book by Dean Koontz – Intensity – Dean Koontz
20. Read a book with a one-word title – Slayer – Kiersten White
21. Read book 1 in a trilogy – The Armored Saint – Myke Cole
22. Read book 2 in a trilogy – A Heart so Fierce and Broken – Brigid Kemmerer
23. Read book 3 in a trilogy – Red Country – Joe Abercrombie
24. Free Space – Pick any book! – Mad Ship – Robin Hobb

Level 3: Dedicated Reader Club [COMPLETED]
25. Read a book that takes place somewhere you’d like to live – Revenge of the Nymph: The Faeries Vol.2 – Ramon Terrell
26. Read a book recommended by whatshouldireadnext.com – The Lion of Senet – Jennifer Fallon
27. Read a book by an author who shares a first or last name with one of your friends – The New York Trilogy – Paul Auster
28. Read a book with a neon-colored cover – Exiles – Ashley and Leslie Saunders
29. Read a book that has under 1,000 reviews or ratings on a website or app – Joshua: Man of Fearless Faith – W. Phillip Keller
30. Read a middle grade book (8-12 age range) – Howl’s Moving Castle – Diana Wynne Jones
31. Read a book with the word “Time” in the title – The Last Time I Lied – Riley Sager
32. Read a book about a famous criminal(s) – Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde – Jeff Guinn
33. Read a movie novelization book (movie to book, instead of book to movie) – The Phantom Menace: Star Wars: Episode I – Terry Brooks
34. Read a fiction or nonfiction book that motivates you to be a better version of yourself – Savor: Living Abundantly Where You Are, As You Are – Shauna Niequist
35. Read a self-published book – Duel of Fire – Jordan Rivet
36. Free Space – Pick any book! – Yumi and the Nightmare Painter – Brandon Sanderson

Level 4: Speed Reader Club [COMPLETED]
37. Read a book that is over 600 pages – The Stone of Farewell – Tad Williams
38. Read a book from ListChallenge’s Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge – The Art of War – Sun Tzu
39. A book by an author named David/Dave – Pawn of Prophecy – David Eddings
40. Read a “Dark Academia” novel – The Secret History – Donna Tartt
41. Read a book with a title that starts with the letter V – Vanishing Acts – Jodi Picoult
42. A book set in Asia or an Asian-inspired culture – Jade Legacy – Fonda Lee
43. Read a book with a cat on the cover – The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern – Lilian Jackson Braun
44. Read a folklore book or book based on folklore – American Gods – Neil Gaiman
45. Read a book where the main character is a dancer – Someone Else’s Life – Lyn Liao Butler
46. Read a book by a new author – Dead Man’s Hand – James J. Butcher
47. Read a book that involves a conspiracy – The Rescue – Steven Konkoly
48. Free Space – Pick any book! – The Sunlit Man – Brandon Sanderson

Level 5: Overachiever Club [COMPLETED]
49. Read one of the New York Public Library’s Best Books of 2022 (any category) – Ordinary Monsters – J.M. Miro
50. Read a book where the main character is a villain or anti-hero – Three Axes to Fall – Sam Sykes
51. Read a book that has a title that is punny and/or alliterative – Murder’s No Votive Confidence – Christin Brecher
52. Read a “found family” story – The House in the Cerulean Sea – T.J. Klune
53. Read a book that has a letter Q in the title – The Queens of Innis Lear – Tessa Gratton
54. Read a book that has an illustrated cover – Naomi and Her Daughters – Walter Wangerin, Jr.
55. Read a book that takes place in at least two different decades – The Alice Network – Kate Quinn
56. Read a book about an entrepreneur (real or fictional) – Family Money – Chad Zunker
57. Read a book that takes place in Alaska – Northern Lights – Nora Roberts
58. Read a book with the word “Justice” in the title – The Justice of Kings – Richard Swan
59. Read a book involving dinosaurs – The Dinosaur Lords – Victor Milan
60. Free Space – Pick any book! – Ship of Destiny – Robin Hobb

[2023 Reading Challenge] #42 checked off (and Level 4 complete)!

See the 2023 Reading Challenge to play along!

December 2022 Recap: Home Alone for the Holidays

And with that, 2022 comes to a close – I’m rather impressed with my lack of procrastination when it comes to the blog (although there was plenty in other areas of my life). This monthly recap will also serve as the year end challenge wrap-up, since after my big mid-year catch up post I managed to stay on top of the monthly posts.

Shall we start with the reading? In the month of December I finished 4 books, ending the year with a total of 53 – which definitely exceeded my annual goal of 48. I didn’t manage to complete the entire challenge – yet again – but I finished the first 3 levels, came mighty close to finishing the 4th, and took a big bite out of Level 5, so I’d consider it a pretty big win, all told.

First up in December, I read the second in Fonda Lee’s Green Bone Saga, Jade War. This Asian-inspired fantasy series is heavy on the politics and family drama, and I’m thoroughly enjoying it. The premise of the magic system is that the mineral jade unlocks certain physical, mental and mystical powers in most humans – although only those with the right genetic makeup and intensive training can use it safely long term. Real jade is only available on the island of Kekon, whose natives have developed the right combination of genetic tolerance and sensitivity to make use of it, and have developed their culture around it.

The culture is so interesting – it’s a refreshing change to find a fantasy world that isn’t a variation of medieval Europe – and the writing is engaging. And since the main setting is the capital city of Kekon, this book was the perfect choice for challenge prompt #32, Read a book that takes place on an island. I plan to finish the trilogy this coming year – however I have to squeeze it into the challenge. [5 stars]

My second read was The Wisdom of Father Brown by G.K. Chesterton. The Father Brown stories were recommended by my sister-in-law a good while back, and I’ve read one collection already. They are fun little mystery short stories, solved by an observant priest with a healthy dose of common sense. A couple of the individual stories are a bit problematic to modern sensibilities, but overall I had a great time with this collection, and it was a perfect choice for challenge #41, Read a book with the word Wisdom in the title. [3.5 stars]

Next, I burned through this touching romance in two evenings – Five Winters by Kitty Johnson is the story of a woman with an unrequited crush on her best friend’s older brother, and her journey over the course of five consecutive Christmas seasons to find the life she wants. There were scenes that brought me to tears, and scenes that made me laugh, and throughout it all was a strong thread of friendships so close that they are family. Definitely a heartwarming choice for prompt #39, Read a book that takes place around your favorite holiday. [3.75 stars]

I finished 2022 with Daniel O’Malley’s The Rook, which at 512 pages made a great option for prompt #37, Read a book over 500 pages. I don’t remember how I came across this book – I had to have seen a recommendation in a YouTube video or a book blog or something, but I didn’t make a note of it when I added it to my TBR. I had such a great time reading this book – I recommended it to my sister-in-law, since it definitely has vibes of Charles Stross’ The Laundry Files that she’d recommended to me, with a dash of Dollhouse for good measure. And it’s funny.

The opening page hooked me – it begins with a letter addressed to “Dear You,” which continues with “The body you’re wearing used to be mine.” What follows is a wild and quirky ride of spy fiction, conspiracy, supernatural powers, crazy paranormal happenings, and the main character with amnesia learning about who they are – or were – and developing an identity of their own. [4.5 stars]

Other than reading, I watched a few movies – mostly during my 11-day Christmas Staycation. My trip to visit my mom for the holiday had to be cancelled on account of snowpocalypse, seeing as how the impending high winds and dangerous wind chill would have made travel iffy if not outright impossible. Since Mom and I usually marathon Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas movies, I unironically enjoyed some sappy holiday offerings on Netflix starring 2000’s icons (Lindsay Lohan’s Falling For Christmas and Freddie Prinze, Jr.’s Christmas With You), as well as The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special which was hilarious and heartwarming in equal measure. My favorite film offering of the month, however, was Glass Onion (Knives Out 2), which was a highly entertaining, well crafted mystery, and Janelle Monae just slayed her every scene. I also started watching Fringe, but haven’t gotten very far into it yet. I was a huge X-Files fan in the 90’s so this show has nostalgic vibes for me.

After a couple of months off, I returned to doing nail art again for the holidays…

Otherwise, I was amused by my eclectic Spotify Wrapped playlist, made a delicious batch of Pumpkin Oatmeal cookies, picked up a second MoviePalette representation of another of my favorite Buffy episodes (currently contemplating which episode I want to finish the set of 3), and visited the Desert Botanical Gardens Las Luminarias again with my friend Judy, per our yearly tradition. Best photos of December below.

So that was my December, and with that we are wrapped up with the 2022 reading challenge – full State of the Challenge report is below. Come talk to me in the comments! Did you play along with me this year? What was your favorite prompt on this year’s challenge list? How about the most unexpected book you read this year? Any tasty holiday treats? What are you looking forward to most in 2023? I’m looking forward to hearing from you! (Yes, you. You know who you are. Stop pretending I’m talking to someone else.)

The Linzthebookworm/Logophile 2022 Reading Challenge

Level 1: Book of the Month Club [12/12 complete]
1. Read a book that cost less than $5 – The Paid Bridesmaid – Sariah Wilson
2. Read a book that is under 350 pages – Sign of the Unicorn – Roger Zelazny
3. Read a book that was recommended to you – On the Fence – Kasie West
4. Read a newly published book (within the past year) – Cytonic – Brandon Sanderson
5. Read a book that has a type of plant or flower in the title – These Tangled Vines – Julianne Maclean
6. Read a book because of the cover – Shatter Me – Tahereh Mafi
7. Read a book about a mythical creature – Blood Trade – Faith Hunter
8. Read a book that takes place in the future – Leviathan Falls – James S.A. Corey
9. Read a book by an author that’s new to you – Every Heart a Doorway – Seanan McGuire
10. Read a book from NPR’s top 50 Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books of the past decade – The Martian – Andy Weir
11. A book by an author whose first or last name has 5 letters – Mystic Dragon – Jason Denzel
12. Free Space – Pick any book! – The Hating Game – Sally Thorne

Level 2: Casual Reader Club [12/12 complete]
13. Read a book published 5 years ago – Turtles All the Way Down – John Green
14. Read a Speculative Fiction – Scythe – Neal Shusterman
15. Read the first book in a duology – King of Scars – Leigh Bardugo
16. Read the second book in a duology – Rule of Wolves – Leigh Bardugo
17. A book that was published when you were 5 years old – The Hand of Oberon – Roger Zelazny
18. Read a book by an author named Alex, Alexander, Alexandra (or variant) – The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency – Alexander McCall Smith
19. Read a book about Zombies – The Year of Eating Dangerously – K. Bennett
20. Read a book with a black cover – I’ve Got Your Number – Sophie Kinsella
21. Read a book from AbeBooks.com’s list of 100 (fiction) books to read in a lifetime – The Book Thief – Markus Zusak
22. Read a book with the word City in the title – City of Girls – Elizabeth Gilbert
23. Read a book about a musician (non-fiction or fiction) – Perfect Harmony – Nora Roberts
24. Free Space – Pick any book! – Tricky Twenty-Two – Janet Evanovich

Level 3: Dedicated Reader Club [12/12 complete]
25. A book with a title that has 5 letters – Haven – A.R. Ivanovich
26. Read a book published by Macmillan (or subsidiary) – The Ruin of Kings – Jenn Lyons
27. Read a book with a title that doesn’t start with an article (A, An, The) – Raven Cursed – Faith Hunter
28. Read a book you recently acquired – Black Arts – Faith Hunter
29. Read a book that’s been on your TBR for over a year– The Dragon’s Path – Daniel Abraham
30. Read a Revenge Story – The Rage of Dragons – Evan Winter
31. Read a book by Philippa Gregory – The Lady of the Rivers – Philippa Gregory
32. Read a book that takes place on an island – Jade War – Fonda Lee
33. Read a book that does not have a person (or people) on the cover – Dark Matter – Blake Crouch
34. A book that you intended to read on last year’s challenge – A Prayer for Owen Meany – John Irving
35. Read a Psychological Thriller – The Shadow Box – Luanne Rice
36. Free Space – Pick any book! – Turbo Twenty-Three – Janet Evanovich

Level 4: Speed Reader Club [10/12 complete]
37. Read a book over 500 pages – The Rook – Daniel O’Malley
38. Read a book that starts with the letter Z (or has Z in the title) – Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating – Christina Lauren
39. Read a book that takes place around your favorite holiday – Five Winters – Kitty Johnson
40. A book with 5 objects on the cover – Pawn’s Gambit – Rob J. Hayes
41. Read a book with the word Wisdom in the title – The Wisdom of Father Brown – G.K. Chesterton
42. Read a Dystopian Fiction – The Circle – Dave Eggers
43. Read a book by an author with the same name as one of your parents (Biological, Step, Adopted) – The Light of Eidon – Karen Hancock
44. Read a book that a movie/show you’ve watched is based on but have yet to read (example: Watched The Hobbit, but never read the Hobbit) – Fight Club – Chuck Palahniuk
45. Read a book about a Saint (non-Fiction or Fiction)
46. Read any book from the Men’s Health most popular book list – The Girl on the Train – Paula Hawkins
47. Read a book published in a year that was important to you
48. Free Space – Pick any book! – Hardcore Twenty-Four – Janet Evanovich

Level 5: Overachiever Club [7/12 complete]
49. Read the 5th book in a series or an author’s 5th novel – Death’s Rival – Faith Hunter
50. Read a True Crime book – If You Tell – Gregg Olsen
51. Read a book by Georges Simenon (or one of his Pen Names)
52. A book with the number 5 in the title – Look Alive Twenty-Five – Janet Evanovich
53. Read a book that takes place in Russia – A Train to Moscow – Elena Gorokhova
54. Read a book by an author using initials as part of their name – A Dream So Dark – L.L. McKinney
55. Read a book that has a title in the form of a question
56. Read a banned book from this banned book list – Thirteen Reasons Why – Jay Asher
57. A book with at least 5 prominent characters
58. Read a book that Linz read previously (see book review archive here) – Deadheading – Paul Cristo
59. Read a book that Tress read previously (see reading category archive here)
60. Free Space – Pick any book!

[2022 Reading Challenge] #32 checked off (and Level 3 complete)!

See the 2022 Reading Challenge here to play along!

[2021 Reading Challenge] #27 checked off!

See the 2021 Reading Challenge here to play along!