Lamilla's 2020 Challenge

GOALS

- read four classics, preferably not rereads
- read at least one military memoir
DONE read at least one sciency non-fiction
- reduce my audiobooks TBR by 10 titles

Goodreads challenge: read 32 books

Trackers
Years:
before WWII (0):
second part of XX century (0):
XXI century (9): 2016(3), 2017(2), 2009, 2015, 2001, 2018 (2), 2011
new releases, 2019-2020 (3): 2019 (4)
XIX century and earlier (0):

Genres:
memoir (1), pop science (2), sci-fi (2), urban fantasy (2), historical fiction(2), contemporary (1), thriller (2), classics (0), self-help (1), history of science (1), history (1)

Languages:
RU (1), EN (14), DE (0), FI (0)

Stars:
5-stars (2), 4-stars (6), 3-stars (4), 2-stars (2), 1-star (1)

IN PROGRESS:
The Familiars by Stacey Halls. English

audiobooks:
-

READ
https://www.goodreads.com/user_challenges/19329509
https://www.goodreads.com/user/year_in_books/2020/11249259

Total:
August (1):
15. 5-stars Илья Репин. «Иван Грозный и сын его Иван 16 ноября 1581 года» by Галина Чурак (2019). Russian, non-fiction (history)

July (1):
14. 4-stars The Test by Sylvain Neuvel (2019). English, sci-fi

June (0):

May (1):
13. 4-stars Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse #1) by James S.A. Corey (2011). English, sci-fi

April (4):
12. 3-stars The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker (2018). English, historical fiction
11. 1-star Normal People by Sally Rooney (2018). English, contemporary
10. 3-stars Blood Sisters by Jane Corry (2017). English, thriller
9. 4-stars Precious Cargo by Craig Davidson (2016). English, memoir

March (3):
8. 5-starts Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris (2001). English, historical fiction
7. 2-stars The Last by Hanna Jameson (2019). English, sci-fi
6. 3-stars This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity #1) by V.E. Schwab (2016). English, young adult fantasy

February (1):
5. 4-stars A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic #1) by V.E. Schwab (2015). English, fantasy

January (4):
4. 4-stars The Day We Found the Universe by Marcia Bartusiak, narrated by Erik Synnestvedt (2009). English, non-fiction, history of science
3. 2-stars The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by Margareta Magnusson, narrated by Juliet Stevenson (2017). English, non-fiction, memoir, self-help
2. 4-stars Something Deeply Hidden: Quantum Worlds and the Emergence of Spacetime by Sean Carroll, narrated by the author (2019). English, non-fiction, pop science
1. 3-stars Now: The Physics of Time by Richard A. Muller, narrated by Christopher Grove (2016). English, non-fiction, pop science

GOALS-2:

Reduce my audiobooks TBR by 10 titles: 2/10 (20%)

Progress:
2. The Day We Found the Universe by Marcia Bartusiak
1. The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by Margareta Magnusson

List of TBR audiobooks

2019
Im Westen nichts Neues By: Erich Maria Remarque Narrated by: August Diehl - classics, war
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald - classics
The Essential Chomsky by Noam Chomsky - non-fiction, language
IN PROGRESS Black Diamonds by Catherine Bailey - memoir
What It Is Like To Go To War by Karl Marlantes - memoir, war, military, fav. author
Brothers in Arms by Geraint Jones - memoir, military
Throne of Glass By: Sarah J. Maas Narrated by: Elizabeth Evans - fantasy, young adult
The Power of Moments By: Chip Heath, Dan Heath Narrated by: Jeremy Bobb - non-fiction
DONE The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by Margareta Magnusson - non-fiction
The Korean War by Max Hastings - history, war

2018
The Magicians by Lev Grossman Narrated by: Mark Bramhall - fantasy
Furyborn by: Claire Legrand Narrated by: Fiona Hardingham - fantasy
All the Ever Afters By: Danielle Teller Narrated by: Jane Copland - fiction
Senlin Ascends By: Josiah Bancroft Narrated by: John Banks - sci-fi
Perception By: Terri Fleming Narrated by: Lucy Scott - chick-lit
Jugend ohne Gott By: Ödön von Horváth Narrated by: Till Firit - classics, in German
Pines By: Blake Crouch Narrated by: Paul Michael Garcia - thriller
Anything for Her By: G.J. Minett Narrated by: Joe Jameson - thriller
The Establishment And How They Get Away With It By: Owen Jones Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble - non-fiction, politics
Kind aller Länder By: Irmgard Keun Narrated by: Jodie Ahlborn - classics, in German
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet By: Becky Chambers Narrated by: Patricia Rodriguez - sci-fi
Feuer und Stein By: Diana Gabaldon Narrated by: Birgitta Assheuer - historical fiction, time-travel, in German
Touch By: Claire North Narrated by: Peter Kenny - sci-fi

2017
How to Be a Tudor by Ruth Goodman - non-fiction, history
DONE The Day We Found the Universe by Marcia Bartusiak - non-fiction, history of science
The Honor Was Mine by Elizabeth Heaney - memoir, military
Battle for the Falklands by Max Hastings - history, war

2016
Redshirts by John Scalzi - sci-fi
Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare - fantasy
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley - sci-fi, classics
The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk
Lock In By: John Scalzi Narrated by: Wil Wheaton - sci-fi
Ein Mann namens Ove By: Fredrik Backman Narrated by: Heikko Deutschmann - fiction, in German

2015
Flash Boys by Michael Lewis - memoir
The Girl on the Landing By: Paul Torday Narrated by: David Monteath, Clare Wille - fiction
The Forsyte Saga: The Man of Property By: John Galsworthy Narrated by: Neil Hunt - classics
Jennifer Government By: Max Barry Narrated by: Michael Kramer - sci-fi, fav. author
Backlash By: Sally Spencer Narrated by: Penelope Freeman - thriller
Friday Nights By: Joanna Trollope Narrated by: Lesley Sharp - chick-lit

2014
Twelve Years a Slave By: Solomon Northup Narrated by: Tommie Earl Jenkins - memoir
World War Z By: Max Brooks - sci-fi
Wallflower at the Orgy By: Nora Ephron Narrated by: Kathe Mazur - memoir
The New York Trilogy By: Paul Auster Narrated by: Joe Barrett - fiction

Statistics from 2019 (current state :D)

I had a good reading year: 15 books (68%) are either 4 or 5 stars.
I read only 22 books out of planned 41, the main reason - really bad reading summer.

I was reading the books mostly from the last decade: 17 books (77%) are from 2010-2019 period. I have read only three books published in 50-s and 60-s and none that were published before WWII.

Most of the books I read were in English (18), and I manage to read two books in Russian and one for German and Dutch each.

Regarding genres, sci-fi/fantasy are in the lead as usual. Happy to see that I continued to read more memoirs and nonfiction.

https://www.goodreads.com/user/year_in_books/2019/11249259

My highest rated books were
- children's book in Dutch
- history book on Mary Queen of Scots (devoured it after watching the movie last winter)
- first book in an urban fantasy series
- contemporary book on devastating effects of unrequited love
- political commentary on Brexit referendum

My favorite book of the year is WWII historical fiction about SMERSH work - brilliant!

I was mostly reading new for me authors and haven't read anything by my favorite authors this year.

GOALS-3:

February: tba

January: book-buying ban!!!

January goals:

book-buying ban - that would be hard
finish 3 books I started in 2019 (Im Westen Nichts Neues, Now) and military memoir I started today
stay current on my post (have parcels ready to travel, and also some notes from the post office)
stay within budget for post costs

I finished four books in two weeks, that's nice! Also, made a dent in audio TBR pile - two out of planned for the year 10.

>6 Amaryllys: Me, too! Good progress for both of us! :D

>6 Amaryllys: Nice accomplishment!

I haven't done much reading lately.

Goals for February:

* Finish a military memoir I started in January
* continue my progress toward SIY#51 goal (1 memoir and 1 classics left)
* continue reducing my audible TBR

I am reading A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic #1) by V.E. Schwab. Amazing story

March goals:

- book-buying ban (I'm doing great so far!)
- stay current on my post (need some improvement there)
- continue tackling my audible TBR
- finish SIY #51

>10 Amaryllys: I loved A Darker Shade of Magic when I'd read it a couple of years ago. The only reason I haven't read the next book yet is that I have too many other fantasy series on the go.

For SIY I have 1 classics (not a reread) and 1 memoir left

For memoir I'm listening to Brothers in Arms: Real War. True Friends. Unlikely Heroes by Geraint Jones, narrated by the author
For classics I have a choice between Little Women and Great Gatsby, both on audio

My first book of the month is another one by Schwab, This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity #1)

I am behind on my post, need to get to the post office ASAP...

I'm struggling with my post. Got to the post office today, and the line was so long, I just went back home

On the more positive note - finished two books this month and loving the one I am currently reading

some progress: sent everything apart from the chick-lit/chocolate sweeps (book is ready, but I ate the chocolate in a moment of weakness... )

What I need to send:
* chick-lit & chocolate sweeps (behind)
* fav 2018 RR (just received, need to read first)
* April birthday group parcel (ready to go)
+ I signed up for several sweeps that will be closed this month

Up to date on my post at the moment

I am not enjoying Brave New World :-(

Anyone have a classics that they could recommend and that is possible to finish in the remaining 3 weeks?

>19 Amaryllys: I really loved Silk by Alessandro Baricco and it is very short--only about 100 pages as I recall. And if you want something fun The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a hoot and also not very long.

Post offices here stopped receiving mail from people, so I am up to date on my post for some time at least XD

>19 Amaryllys: If I remember correctly, you do like science fiction, right? Have you read any of H.G. Wells's books or Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson? These are all fairly quick reads.

>20 gypsysmom: >22 mathgirl40: Thank you for the suggestions!

April goals:
finish 3 books
get current on my post when the post offices are functioning again

Good luck with your April goals. Post offices still seem to be running here in Canada, but I'm not sure they will stay that way.

Thank you!

Finished my first book of the month (could have been the memoir for SIY#51, but alas XD)

I got 3 fav.RR books at once %)

I got my first 1-star. It's been a while!

I'm going to participate in Dewey's 24 hour Read-a-Thon this year (starting Saturday 3PM my time)

books I'm thinking of reading for it:
The Silence of The Girls
Leviathan wakes
Im Westen Nichts Neues
Silber 3
+ some manga/middle grade

So, Dewey's went well: Finished The Silence of the Girls, got into Leviathan wakes. Also, read 4 books this month - back to my usual game :)

May goals:
- book-buying ban (I'm doing great so far!)
- stay current on my post (considering the post offices accept mail again)
- continue tackling my audible TBR
- contribute to SIY #52

Will you be continuing the Expanse series? It is one of my favourite sci-fi series (both the books and the TV adaptation) and I am eagerly awaiting the 9th and final book which is expected to be released later this year.

>31 mathgirl40: nine books! That's intense. I'm still in the middle of the first book, let's see how it's going

Almost done with the Leviathan wakes.
I'm struggling with my classics goal. Watching Emma (2020) now - unfortunately reading the book won't count, since I already read it some time ago. I liked Little Women (2019), but as a book it would be too depressing for me now

What I need to send:
fav 2018 RR - packed, mail is not accepted
Borne - TBR, mail is not accepted
Leviathan wakes - packed
non-fiction sweeps - mail is not accepted
fav 2019 RR - TBR
Babyville - mail is not accepted

Sent 2 wishlist tags and I ring. Need to pack T&M sweeps and read the next book in fav RR - and I'm clean for mail (considering the restrictions)

>35 Amaryllys: Nice that you're succeeding in clearing your mail. I'm on the other end, expecting some BC mail (including a couple that have passed through your hands, I believe) to come my way! Post is still a little erratic here in Canada.

I'm still struggling with my classics goal. I have several books (and audiobooks) available, and still no luck...
On the other note, post got back to normal (and tariffs are up again :( ), so I have to pile a send this week...

June goals:
stay current on post
participate in June readathon with the decent reading time

>38 Amaryllys: Good luck with your goals! Which readathon are you doing? Is it the monthly BookCrossing one, or another one?