Well hello there, human beings and random internet trolling bots! Welcome to 2023, and the start of a new challenge!
It’s been a decent start to the year reading-wise, with 5 books finished and a 6th nearly done… That said, I’ve got nothing on Linz, who started her 2023 with a solid 10 books (see her roundup post here if you’re curious).
My first book completed in January was Have We Met? by Camille Baker, which I had originally picked up intending to read it for 2022’s challenge (#55, Read a book that has a title in the form of a question). Which of course made it a great choice for this year’s prompt #6, Read a book you meant to read for last year’s challenge. This is a contemporary romance with a heavy dash of magical realism that… honestly didn’t do much for me.
There was also a significant effort to be inclusive that at times felt almost like the author was trying a little too hard to involve diversity. The story was a bit predictable, but I did like the focus put on the main character’s family and friendships, and trying to find a new career and start over in a new place after losing her best friend. [3 stars]
My next read was The Courts of Chaos by Roger Zelazny, book #5 in The Chronicles of Amber, which feels equal parts sci-fi and fantasy. This series so far has been made up of short books that tell a small chunk of what is clearly a longer story, and while this portion of the story has been wrapped up, it’s clearly setting up for the next story arc, so it feels somewhat incomplete. This volume was 189 pages, so it was a quick read, and made a great choice for prompt #2, Read a book under 300 pages. I am enjoying the series so far, but I am so used to 500 to 1000 page epic fantasy tomes that this feels a little too short to really dig in to. [3.75 stars]
The third January read was The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery, which I downloaded from Project Gutenberg specifically for prompt #8. Read a book you got from Project Gutenberg, a library, or another nonprofit source. I really enjoyed this sweet, funny romance set in early 1900’s Canada. The main character is a desperately unhappy woman, consigned to being an unattractive old maid at the age of 29, overlooked and taken for granted by her upper crust family… and then a letter changes her life in the most unexpected way. [4 stars]
Up next, I read The Lost Metal by Brandon Sanderson – the 4th book in his Mistborn Era 2 series and 7th in his overall Mistborn series… I read the previous entry in 2018, which meant this perfectly fit prompt #11, Read the next book in a series you haven’t read in a while. This novel wraps up the steampunk era of the Mistborn saga, setting up for Sanderson’s next time jump intended to show the planet of Scadrial and its magic system and technology around the equivalent of our world’s 1980’s.
I have to admit I’m a touch more excited about seeing what things look like in the next era than I was about this one, but it was definitely a good story, and made several call backs to the first book in Era 2 that made me want to go back and re-read with the knowledge of what was going on behind the scenes. This one was heavy on lore and connections to Sanderson’s broader Cosmere, and wrapping up some character arcs in a way that felt emotional and a bit cathartic. [4.25 stars]
Book #5 for January was Seven Blades in Black by Sam Sykes – neatly fulfilling challenge prompt #4, Read a book by an author whose name is Samantha, Sam, or a variant. I met Sam at Phoenix ComiCon in 2014, and had the privilege of hearing him on several fantasy literature panels that weekend. Aside from being the son of a talented author, Sam himself was one of the most entertaining human beings I’ve had the opportunity to witness, and he writes pretty much like he talks, which made this novel very fun to read.
As I’ve mentioned many times, I am a sucker for non-linear storytelling, and this one is a series of flashbacks (and at times flashbacks within flashbacks) as a notorious outlaw tells her story to an officer of the law for the Revolutionary government. None of the characters is particularly likeable (and this one would have worked well for prompt #50, as well as #5 since he’s an Arizona native) but the main character’s backstory is heartbreaking and her narrative voice is at times hilarious. There were some unexpected revelations, and I’m definitely keen to pick up the other two books in this trilogy soon. [4.5 stars]
Aside from reading, my month of January has been interesting. My church is in the middle of a 40-day fast, so I’ve been eating healthier and haven’t been watching TV. I’ve even managed to go without coffee for the past 2 weeks, which, if you know me at all, you know is a miracle. The first 3 weeks I cut out sweets, snacks, fast food, dairy, red meat, and added more veggies in. I haven’t had cheese since January 1st and that is highly unusual for me. Then for the last part of the fast, I’m doing the Daniel Fast, which… y’all. I learned how to prepare tofu. Go me. I’ve gotten in a good routine with green smoothies, and my freezer is stocked with more frozen vegetables than I purchased all of last year.
All the not watching TV (or YouTube, or Patreon) has made time for accomplishing things around the house – the highlights this month were putting together a new little computer desk to get my personal desktop off my dining room table, and decluttering and organizing 30 years of accumulated jewelry. For all that, though, I still haven’t managed to finish setting my goals for the year. We’ll get there eventually!
Random photos from the month, including the 3 manicures I did, below:
So here we are again at the point where I beg you to keep me company in the comments! What have you been reading this month? (Or if you’re like Linz and have read far too many books to list, what was your favorite?) Did you set any New Year’s resolutions or goals that you’re excited about? Do you like tofu? What’s your favorite smoothie recipe? The State of the Challenge report is down below, as always!
The Linzthebookworm/Logophile 2023 Reading Challenge
Level 1: Book of the Month Club [5/12 complete]
1. Read a book recommended to you on social media or by a friend
2. Read a book under 300 pages – The Courts of Chaos – Roger Zelazny
3. Read a book with a female main character
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
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)
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)
10. Read a book that starts with the first letter of your name
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!
Level 2: Casual Reader Club [0/12 complete]
13. Read a book by Mary Faulkner (or one of her aliases)
14. Read a book of short stories or a novella
15. Read a book that involves a lot of traveling
16. Read a book published in 1998 (25 years ago)
17. Read a book with a yellow cover
18. Reread a book you have recommended to someone else
19. Read a book by Dean Koontz
20. Read a book with a one-word title
21. Read book 1 in a trilogy
22. Read book 2 in a trilogy
23. Read book 3 in a trilogy
24. Free Space – Pick any book!
Level 3: Dedicated Reader Club [0/12 complete]
25. Read a book that takes place somewhere you’d like to live
26. Read a book recommended by whatshouldireadnext.com
27. Read a book by an author who shares a first or last name with one of your friends
28. Read a book with a neon-colored cover
29. Read a book that has under 1,000 reviews or ratings on a website or app
30. Read a middle grade book (8-12 age range)
31. Read a book with the word “Time” in the title
32. Read a book about a famous criminal(s)
33. Read a movie novelization book (movie to book, instead of book to movie)
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
36. Free Space – Pick any book!
Level 4: Speed Reader Club [0/12 complete]
37. Read a book that is over 600 pages
38. Read a book from ListChallenge’s Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge
39. A book by an author named David/Dave
40. Read a “Dark Academia” novel
41. Read a book with a title that starts with the letter V
42. A book set in Asia or an Asian-inspired culture
43. Read a book with a cat on the cover
44. Read a folklore book or book based on folklore
45. Read a book where the main character is a dancer
46. Read a book by a new author
47. Read a book that involves a conspiracy
48. Free Space – Pick any book!
Level 5: Overachiever Club [0/12 complete]
49. Read one of the New York Public Library’s Best Books of 2022 (any category)
50. Read a book where the main character is a villain or anti-hero
51. Read a book that has a title that is punny and/or alliterative
52. Read a “found family” story
53. Read a book that has a letter Q in the title
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
56. Read a book about an entrepreneur (real or fictional)
57. Read a book that takes place in Alaska
58. Read a book with the word “Justice” in the title
59. Read a book involving dinosaurs
60. Free Space – Pick any book!
The Logophile 