My 2023 Reading Challenge Wrap Up

I have a confession to make. While I started off on the right foot with my 2023 challenges, I lost my focus early on. It is fortunate I tend to choose challenges and set goals that fit my regular reading patterns or else I might not have done so well with all of them. I am proud to say I did even better than I expected, especially in terms of reading books from my TBR shelves and wish list. 

With an overflowing TBR pile I hoped to whittle down a little more this year, I signed up for the Mount TBR Challenge hosted by My Reader's Block. I kept my goal on the lower side to allow myself room for those shiny new books I have trouble resisting as well. My goal: Pike's Peak (read 12 books I already own - prior to 2022). Final 2023 Count: 27 (Mount Blanc)

 Books Read:
The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
Shadow and Bone (#1) by Leigh Bardugo
Flunked (Fairy Tale Reform School #1) by Jen Calonita
Reader, I Married Him: Stories Inspired by Jane Eyre edited by Tracy Chevalier
Speaker of the Lost (Lark Nation #1) by Clara Coulson
Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood by Lisa Damour
Well Played (Well Met #2) by Jen DeLuca
Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style by Benjamin Dreyer 
Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Keeper of the Lost Cities (#1) by Shannon Messenger
Exile (Keeper of the Lost Cities #2) by Shannon Messenger
Everblaze (Keeper of the Lost Cities #3) by Shannon Messenger
Neverseen (Keeper of the Lost Cities #4) by Shannon Messenger
Lodestar (Keeper of the Lost Cities #5) by Shannon Messenger
Nightfall (Keeper of the Lost Cities #6) by Shannon Messenger
The Deep End (The Country Club Murders #1) by Julie Mulhern
Falling by T.J. Newman
A Perilous Undertaking (Veronica Speedwell #2) by Deanna Raybourn
Immortal in Death (#3) by J.D. Robb
Rapture in Death (#4) by J.D. Robb
The Moon Within by Aida Salazar
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries #1) by Martha Wells
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
Mrs. Morris and the Witch (Salem B&B Mystery #2) by Traci Wilton

Much like the Mount TBR Challenge, I decided to tackle The Backlist Reader Challenge hosted by The Bookwyrm's Hoard to get through some of my older TBR and wish list books.  My goal: Read 10 books from my wish list/TBR pile that have been there since 2021. Final 2023 Count: 33

Books Read:

The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
The Secret of Bow Lane (Kat Holloway #6) by Jennifer Ashley
Shadow and Bone (#1) by Leigh Bardugo
Siege and Storm (Shadow and Bone #2) by Leigh Bardugo
Ruin and Rising (Shadow and Bone #2) by Leigh Bardugo
Six of Crows (#1) by Leigh Bardugo
Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows #2) by Leigh Bardugo
Flunked (Fairy Tale Reform School #1) by Jen Calonita
Reader, I Married Him: Stories Inspired by Jane Eyre edited by Tracy Chevalier
Speaker of the Lost (Lark Nation #1) by Clara Coulson
Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood by Lisa Damour
Well Played (Well Met #2) by Jen DeLuca
Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style by Benjamin Dreyer 
Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Keeper of the Lost Cities (#1) by Shannon Messenger
Exile (Keeper of the Lost Cities #2) by Shannon Messenger
Everblaze (Keeper of the Lost Cities #3) by Shannon Messenger
Neverseen (Keeper of the Lost Cities #4) by Shannon Messenger
Lodestar (Keeper of the Lost Cities #5) by Shannon Messenger
Nightfall (Keeper of the Lost Cities #6) by Shannon Messenger
The Deep End (The Country Club Murders #1) by Julie Mulhern
Falling by T.J. Newman
A Perilous Undertaking (Veronica Speedwell #2) by Deanna Raybourn
Immortal in Death (#3) by J.D. Robb
Rapture in Death (#4) by J.D. Robb
The Moon Within by Aida Salazar
A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic #2) by V.E. Schwab
Guts (Smile #3) by Raina Telgemeier
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries #1) by Martha Wells
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
Mrs. Morris and the Witch (Salem B&B Mystery #2) by Traci Wilton

 

I seem to read more nonfiction when I take part in the Nonfiction Reading Challenge hosted by Book'd Out and, wanting to make at least a small dent in my nonfiction TBR stack, I jumped at the chance to take part this year. My goal: Nonfiction Nipper (at least 3 books). Final 2023 Count: 7 (Nonfiction Nibbler)

Books Read: 

Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style by Benjamin Dreyer 

Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson

Guts (Smile #3) by Raina Telgemeier

How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith

We Carry Their Bones: The Search for Justice at the Dozier School for Boys by Erin Kimmerle

Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood by Lisa Damour

Life Lessons from a UFO Catcher: An Autobiographical Manga, Vol. 1 by Kenny Loui and Yamawe

In an effort to get back into reading historical fiction this year, I took on the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge hosted by The Intrepid Reader. I love that this particular challenge is fairly broad in scope--any genre works as long as it qualifies as historical. My goal: Victorian Level (at least 5 books). Final 2023 Count: 10 (Renaissance Reader)

Books Read: 

The Secret of Bow Lane (Kat Holloway #6) by Jennifer Ashley
Murder at a London Finishing School (Beryl & Edwina Mystery #7) by Jessica Ellicott
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries (#1) by Heather Fawcett
A Botanist's Guide to Flowers and Fatality (Saffron Everleigh Mystery #2) by Kate Khavari
The Deep End (The Country Club Murders #1) by Julie Mulhern
The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner
A Perilous Undertaking (Veronica Speedwell #2) by Deanna Raybourn
How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith
Playing It Safe (Electra McDonnell #3) by Ashley Weaver
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

The Bookish Books Reading Challenge hosted by Bloggin' 'bout Books sounded too good to resist being that I enjoy books with bookish themes! My goal: Toe in the Door (read between 1-10 books with a bookish theme). I feel like I cheated with this one because I read six volumes of a manga series, but if ever there was a manga series focused on books (including the care and repairing of them), this one would be it. Final 2023 Count: 11 (Picking and Perusing)

Books Read: 

The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams

Exes & O's by Amy Lea

Magus of the Library, Vol. 1 by Mitsu Izumi (translated by Hiroto Hamada)

Magus of the Library, Vol. 2 by Mitsu Izumi (translated by Hiroto Hamada)

Magus of the Library, Vol. 3 by Mitsu Izumi (translated by Hiroto Hamada)

Magus of the Library, Vol. 4 by Mitsu Izumi (translated by Hiroto Hamada)

Magus of the Library, Vol. 5 by Mitsu Izumi (translated by Hiroto Hamada)

Magus of the Library, Vol. 6 by Mitsu Izumi (translated by Hiroto Hamada)

The Fatal Folio (Cambridge Bookshop #3) by Elizabeth Penney

Witch Upon a Star (Witch Way Librarian Series #4) by Angela Sanders

Murder by the Seashore (California Bookshop #1) by Samara Yew

I cannot seem to get enough of cozy mysteries these days, and so joined the Cruisin' thru the Cozies Reading Challenge hosted by Socrates' Book Reviews. My goal: Snoop (10 Cozies of my choice). Final 2023 Count: 13

Books Read:

The Secret of Bow Lane (Kat Holloway #6) by Jennifer Ashley
Death by Demo (Renovations Mystery #1) by Callie Carpenter
Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun (Finlay Donovan #3) by Elle Cosimano
Murder at a London Finishing School (Beryl & Edwina Mystery #7) by Jessica Ellicott
A Botanist's Guide to Flowers and Fatality (Saffron Everleigh Mystery #2) by Kate Khavari
The Deep End (The Country Club Murders #1) by Julie Mulhern
The Fatal Folio (Cambridge Bookshop #3) by Elizabeth Penney
A Perilous Undertaking (Veronica Speedwell #2) by Deanna Raybourn
Witch Upon a Star (Witch Way Librarian Series #4) by Angela Sanders
Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto 
The Vampire Knitting Club (#1) by Nancy Warren
Mrs. Morris and the Witch (Salem B&B Mystery #2) by Traci Wilton
Murder by the Seashore (California Bookshop #1) by Samara Yew

One of my personal goals this year was to read more poetry than I managed to read the year before, and I decided to join up with the Poetry Reading Challenge hosted by Savvy Verse & Wit again for a little extra motivation. My goal: 3 poetry books and a poem a day from A Nature Poem for Every Night of the Year by Jane McMorland Hunter. Well, I did not follow through with reading a poem a day from Hunter's anthology, but I did better with the other half of my goal. Final 2023 Count: 4 poetry collections

Find Her. Keep Her. by Renaada Williams

The Moon Within by Aida Salazar

Mom, Can I Do My Laundry at Your House?: Poems from Your Adult Child by Olivia Roberts

Flutter, Kick by Anna V.Q. Ross

I figured COYER Challenge hosted by Because Reading, Mom With A Reading Problem, and Once Upon a Chapter would be an easy reading challenge to take on, especially the first Chapter: It's a Cold Summer (January through April), in which anything goes. I never officially signed up for Chapters 2 and 3 despite my intention to. I did not set a numeric goal for this challenge. I just wanted to have fun with it. 

Books Read (Chapter 1): 

The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams

The Secret of Bow Lane (Kat Holloway #6) by Jennifer Ashley

Shadow and Bone (#1) by Leigh Bardugo

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun (Finlay Donovan #3) by Elle Cosimano

Speaker of the Lost (Lark Nation #1) by Clara Coulson

Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style by Benjamin Dreyer 

Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson

Exes & O's by Amy Lea

Guts (Smile #3) by Raina Telgemeier

Find Her. Keep Her. by Renaada Williams

The Deep End (The Country Club Murders #1) by Julie Mulhern

A Perilous Undertaking (Veronica Speedwell #2) by Deanna Raybourn

The Vampire Knitting Club (#1) by Nancy Warren

Witch Hat Atelier, Vol, 10 by Kamome Shirahama (translated by Stephen Kohler)

Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune

This past summer, I took part in the Big Book Summer Challenge hosted by Sue of Book By Book. The challenge was to read one, two or however many books I chose that were over 400 pages long between May 25th and September 4th. I did not set a numeric goal. Final 2023 Count: 5

Books Read: 

Keeper of the Lost Cities (#1) by Shannon Messenger (544 pages)

Exile (Keeper of the Lost Cities #2) by Shannon Messenger (592 pages)

Everblaze (Keeper of the Lost Cities #3) by Shannon Messenger (609 pages)

Neverseen (Keeper of the Lost Cities #4) by Shannon Messenger (672 pages)

A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic #2) by V.E. Schwab (513 pages)

And there you have it! I managed to complete all the challenges I signed up for (at least officially), even surpassing my goals for most of them. At least in terms of reading the books, even if not managing to post all the reviews. For me, that's a win. 

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© 2023, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Weekly Mews: A Quick Check In & My Bookish Mewsings

I am linking up to the Sunday Post hosted by Kim of Caffeinated Book Reviewer and The Sunday Salon (TSS) hosted by Deb Nance of Readerbuzz  where participants recap our week, talk about what we are reading, share any new books that have come our way, and whatever else we want to talk about. I am also linking It's Monday! What Are you Reading? hosted by Kathryn of Book Date where readers talk about what they have been, are and will be reading.

This past week got away from me as they often seem to do this time of year. Health issues, work and school, birthday celebrations, and last minute supply shopping for science camp. Mouse is heading off to the mountains for a few days with her class at school. I was half expecting a letter from the school saying camp was cancelled because of the snow and rain, but it is still on. Hopefully the expected inclement weather will skip her side of the mountain. Regardless, I hope she has a good time.

I finished three books this week. The first being A Perilous Undertaking by Deanna Raybourn (Berkley, 2017; 352 pgs), the second in the Veronica Speedwell historical mystery series. I adored the first book, although it took me awhile to pick up and read the second. Like the first, it was humorous in all the right moments and kept me entertained from page one. Veronica Speedwell is a lepidopterist (butterfly hunter) who was raised by aunts and is more foreword thinking than most in 1887. She's smart and resourceful and the kind of woman who speaks her mind quite readily. She works closely with Stoker, a former naval surgeon, currently a natural historian, who comes from an aristocratic family he wishes he could ignore. In the first book of the series, A Curious Beginning, the two discovered that they make a good team--including solving murders. Although reluctantly, Veronica agrees when asked to look into the brutal murder of an artist for which her lover, a well respected man of society, is set to be hanged. A Perilous Undertaking is a fitting title for this historical mystery--there are death threats, a Bohemian artist's colony, a rather racy grotto, action scenes, and even a visit or two to the palace.

I was not as drawn to the mystery in A Perilous Undertaking as I had been with the one in the first book, although it was interesting. I felt it was overshadowed by Stoker's personal conflict with his family--or perhaps it was because I was more interested in seeing where that storyline went. Regardless, I enjoyed getting to know Stoker a little better--a character I already liked--and it is evident he and Veronica have more in common family baggage wise than they first realized. I really liked how Lady Wellingtonia Beauclerk's character was tied into the novel--not to mention quite liking the character herself. Somehow I suspect this is not the last I have seen of her in the series. Overall, a strong second book in the series. I look forward to reading more.

Until coming across Nancy Warren's The Vampire Knitting Club (#1) (Ambleside Publishing, 2018; 256 pgs), I had not heard of a cozy mystery featuring vampires and was immediately intrigued. Lucy Swift has been looking forward to visiting her grandmother in Oxford for some time. She's especially in need of support after a recent break-up. Only, when she arrives, her grandmother's knitting shop, Cardinal Woolsey, is all locked up and her grandmother is no where to be found. She soon discovers that her grandmother had died. Or had she? It turns out her grandmother is now a vampire--and there are other vampires living not too far away from the shop too. Lucy's life changes even more when she discovers she has certain magical abilities of her own.

There is a lot of set up in this novel and it took awhile for the mystery part to get off the ground. Someone had tried to kill Lucy's grandmother and she must find out who before she ends up being the one killed. While the motive was quite obvious from the start, the who was less clear as there are a few suspects that could have wanted Lucy and her grandmother dead. Mystery, mixed with a bit of humor, a hint at possible romance to come, a knitting club made up of vampires, and an adorable feline familiar, this cozy paranormal mystery was just plain fun to read. I can see myself reading more. 

I also finished How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with The History Slavery Across America by Clint Smith (Little, Brown & Company, 2021; 336 pgs), which is one of those books I wish I could put in everyone's hands to read. Clint Smith's style of writing is inviting, well researched, informative, insightful, and reflective. I was not surprised to find out he is a poet as his descriptions often invoked a strong sense of the moment as he described the places he visited and his experiences in each one.

Books like this are so important, especially at a time when there are factions of people who want to erase, whitewash or minimize parts of history that make them uncomfortable. In How the Word Passed, Clint Smith takes readers on a journey to various monuments and landmarks across the United States (like the Monticello and Whitney Plantations, Angola Prison, Blandford Cemetery, Galveston Island, and New York City), as well as Gorée Island in Africa, sharing the history and role slavery has played in the United States and how it has impacted generations of people; the repercussions still being felt today. I like that the author included interviews throughout the book with people he met along the way, whether experts or just your regular tourist. He also shared records of testimonies by enslaved people.  This is a book that should make everyone feel uncomfortable, that human beings can treat other human beings this way. If anything this book stresses how important it is that we do not ignore our history, that we need to study it and reflect on it if we want to move forward and effect change. Especially the parts that make us uncomfortable.

My TBR List is hosted by the awesome Michelle  at Because Reading. It’s a fun way to choose a book from your TBR pile to read. The 1st Saturday of every month, I will list 3 books I am considering reading and let you vote for my next read during that month. My review will follow (unfortunately, not likely in the same month, but eventually--that's all I can promise). 

Thank you to everyone who voted in my March TBR List Poll this past week! From the comments, I half expected Episode Thirteen by Craig DiLouie to win, but it actually came in last with only eight (8) votes. Louise Erdrich's The Sentence got nine (9) votes; and winning with twelve (12) votes is Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune. I look forward to starting it soon! 

Thank you for voting!

I hope you have a great week! Let me know what you have been reading!

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© 2023, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

A Year in Review: 2022 (And Looking Ahead)

What a year 2022 was! My reading and blogging both took big hits because of stuff going on in my offline life.  If it were not for all the Manga my family talked me into trying, my total of books read would have been much lower. Thank you to all of you for your visits and comments this past year. It means so much to me. I am so glad to be a part of this community and to be able to connect with all of you--whether through my own blog or yours. I have enjoyed visiting with you and look forward to seeing what this year will bring us, both in books and in life. 

Some Fun Meaningless 2022 Reading Statistics:

Number Of Books Read: 80

Genres Read:

(Some of what I read falls under more than one genre. Here, I count them under the genre I most identified with the book. Also of note, my categorization of each book by sub-genre using broad definitions).

Fantasy - 23

Manga - 20 

Romance - 2

Fantasy - 10

Crime Fiction - 8

Crime Fiction/Mysteries - 14

Cozies (contemporary setting) - 9 (7 paranormal/fantasy)
Historical - 2 (1 paranormal) 

Fantasy - 2 (1 historical)

Thriller/Gothic - 1

Fiction - 9

Humor - 3

Literary/General Fiction - 3

Romance - 1

Historical - 1

Classic - 1 

Romance - 6

Fantasy/Paranormal - 2

Contemporary - 2

Historical - 1

Classic - 1

Nonfiction - 3

Memoir - 1

History - 1

Children's Health - 1

Graphic Novels - 3 (all Fantasy)

Science Fiction - 1

Horror - 1

Of the books I read, 2 were audiobook, 47 were e-books, and 31 were in print (hardcover or trade).

The longest book I read was The Count of Monte Cristo (1276 pages) and the shortest was Uncle From Another World, Vol. 1. (160 pgs)

I will be sharing my all around top ten favorite books read list tomorrow for Top Ten Tuesday, and hope you will stop in and see what they are! 

How did your reading 2022 year in reading shape up? 

2022 Goals

I did not set a lot of goals for 2022. I took a break from formal reading challenges, but let's take a look at how I did on the goals I did set for myself: 

1. Read The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas over the course of the year ~ This was a hard book to stretch out for an entire year. I finished it quite early. I can see why The Count of Monte Cristo is so popular. I thoroughly enjoyed this grand adventurous tale. 

2. Catch up on my series reading ~ (inspired by Katherine of I Wish I Lived in a Library) From the outset, this has been a perpetual goal, one that I will continue to work on in years to come. I am happy to say I feel like I did make progress, even if not as much as I might have liked. 

3. Read more from my existing TBR ~ Another perpetual challenge as I work my way through my TBR collection. I don't think there will ever be an end to this one. But I am not complaining.

4. Catch up with my review writing and stay on top of it ~ Nope. I failed utterly at this one. I have notes on all I have read and still plan to put together reviews for them, but events this year got the better of me and I was unable to keep up. 

Did you set any goals for this past year? How did you do?

★                          ★                          ★

My participation in reading challenges tends to be all over the place. Some years I go all out, other years I only take part in one or two or even none at all (like this past year). This seems to be the year I am drawn to participate in many. I blame it on those of you who posted the challenges you will be taking on! There is also the added bonus of supporting some of my fellow bloggers who are hosting these challenges. While I would love to participate in everyone's challenges, I know that isn't a realistic goal. And, truth be told, my reading plans already lean in the direction for many of these, so why not join in the challenge fun?

It has been years since I took on a TBR or Backlist Challenge. Considering how huge my TBR collection is, these two challenges will help motivate me to read more of the books I already own. 

Mount TBR Reading Challenge, hosted by My Reader's Block ~ Goal: Pike's Peak (read 12 books I already own - prior to 2022) 

The Backlist Reader Challenge, hosted by The Bookwyrm's Hoard ~ Goal: Read 10 books from my wish list or TBR pile that have been there since 2021. [Note: I consider TBR books to be books I actually own, hence the use of "wish list" above which are books I would like to read but do not own.]

I seem to read more nonfiction when I take part in Shelleyrae's Nonfiction Reading Challenge. And I really do enjoy nonfiction when I read it; not to mention I have two or three shelves of unread nonfiction I can choose from!

Nonfiction Reading Challenge, hosted by Book'd Out  ~ Goal: Nonfiction Nipper (at least 3 books)

I did not read nearly as many historical novels as I normally do this past year and I want to get back to reading them more this year. I love that this particular challenge is fairly broad in scope--any genre works as long as it qualifies as historical. 

Historical Fiction Reading Challenge, hosted by The Intrepid Reader ~ Goal: Victorian Level (at least 5 books)

How can I resist a challenge involving reading books in which one of the main themes is books? I like that the rules for this challenge are laidback and loose because I tend to be a mood reader and flexibility is a must. 

Bookish Books Reading Challenge, hosted by Bloggin' 'bout Books ~ Goal: Toe in the Door (read between 1-10 books with a bookish theme).

I cannot seem to get enough of cozy mysteries these days, and so I thought it would be fun to take part in Yvonne's cozy mystery reading challenge this year. 

Cruisin' thru the Cozies Reading Challenge, hosted by Socrates' Book Reviews ~ Goal: Snoop (10 Cozies of my choice - committing to so many books in one subgenre makes me nervous, but I'll do my best!) 

One of my personal goals this year is to read more poetry than I managed to this past year. I am looking forward to taking part in Serena's poetry challenge this year.

Poetry Reading Challenges, hosted by Savvy Verse & Wit ~ Goal: Read 3 poetry collections and a poem a day from A Nature Poem for Every Night of the Year by Jane McMorland Hunter (which I'll have to start later this month--I'm waiting on my copy to arrive in the mail)

I announced my participation in COYER last month, but I am adding it here to document all of my challenges together in one post. It's the 10th anniversary of COYER, so how could I not want to take part? I love the COYER community and look forward to joining in a year of reading fun. I will be taking part in both the challenge and community aspects of COYER. 

COYER Challenge, hosted by Because Reading, Mom With A Reading Problem, and Once Upon a Chapter.

Goal: I am not setting a numeric goal and am going to just have fun with this one.

• Chapter One: It's a Cold Summer (January through April) - Anything goes (any format, any price, no limits)
• Chapter Two: Get On Board (May through August) - It's a board game! 
• Chapter, Three: Back to the Beginning (September through December) -  Exclusively free or low cost e-books or audiobooks)

Are you participating in any reading challenges this year? Have you set any personal reading goals? 

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© 2023, Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.