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2024 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (Hosted by Yours Truly)

2024 Challenge Sign-Up Post

January Reviews Link-Up

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March Reviews Link-Up

April Reviews Link-Up

May Reviews Link-Up

June Reviews Link-Up

July Reviews Link-Up

August Reviews Link-Up

September Reviews Link-Up

October Reviews Link-Up

November Reviews Link-Up

December Reviews Link-Up

My Progress:


9 / 30 books. 30% done!

2024 Literary Escapes Challenge

- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California (3)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho (2)
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland
- Massachusetts (1)
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York (1)
- North Carolina (1)
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (1)
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia (1)
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.*

International:
- Australia (1)
- Canada (1)
- England (5)
- France (1)
- Ireland (1)
- Scotland (1)
- The Netherlands (1)

My Progress:


12 / 51 states. 24% done!

2024 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

My Progress:


10 / 50 words. 20% done!

2024 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge


15 / 50 books. 30% done!

Booklist Queen's 2024 Reading Challenge

My Progress:


32 / 50 books. 64% done!

2024 52 Club Reading Challenge

My Progress:


27 / 52 books. 52% done!

2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge

My Progress:


21 / 40 books. 53% done!

2024 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge


13 / 40 books. 33% done!

2024 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge

My Progress:


5 / 25 books. 20% done!

2024 Medical Examiner's Mystery Reading Challenge

2024 Mystery Marathon Reading Challenge

My Progress


17 / 26.2 miles. 65% done!

Mount TBR Reading Challenge

My Progress


15 / 100 books. 15% done!

2024 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge

My Progress:


34 / 104 books. 33% done!

Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge

My Progress


31 / 52 books. 60% done!

Disney Animated Movies Reading Challenge

My Progress


32 / 165 books. 19% done!
Monday, May 01, 2023

The Bookish Books Reading Challenge: May Book Ideas and Linkup for Reviews


Happy May Day! I don't know how April went for you, but for me it was a busy month and it rushed by in a bit of a blur. My third child graduates from high school in a few weeks, which will make May busy as well. Also hot. We haven't hit 100 degrees yet, thank goodness; we've come close, though. Ugh. It's already way too warm to read by the pool. Ours doesn't have much shade so I'll be enjoying my books inside my air conditioned house, under a whirling fan, until further notice (probably around December). 


I did manage to read one bookish book in April. Book Lovers by Emily Henry has been getting all kinds of buzz ever since it came out. Contemporary romance really isn't my genre, but I wanted to see what all the hype was about. Book Lovers is a fun, enemies-to-lovers story with lots of playful banter, humorous scenes, and an entertaining plot (although it did seem overly long at times). I listened to the book on audio, with Julia Whelan narrating. She did a great job bringing the characters to life. Overall, it was an enjoyable listen. I just wish it would have been more of a closed-door, PG-13 kind of romance. 

I've yet to read the majority of the books I've listed in these monthly posts as potential reads for The Bookish Books Reading Challenge. Still, here are a few that have caught my eye recently that I could, potentially, get to this month. We'll see how it goes.

I mentioned these two in my recent book haul posts:


Shaun Bythell is the owner of the largest second-hand bookshop in Scotland and his books are supposed to be insightful and hilarious. I can't wait to dig in.


The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson is my book club's pick for May. I've already read it, but it's been a few years, so I'm going to re-read it and then move on to The Book Woman's Daughter. I've heard the sequel is just as good as the first book, which is always reassuring.


I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can score an e-ARC of Last Word to the Wise by Ann Claire. It's the second installment in a fun cozy mystery series set in a mystery-themed bookstore that is accessible only by (or, at least, most conveniently by) gondola. I enjoyed the first book in the series and am excited to see what happens in the second. Hopefully, the Edelweiss gods will grant my pending request...

Have you read any of these? What did you think? Which bookish books are you planning to read this month?

For those of you who are participating in the Bookish Books Reading Challenge, here's the Mr. Linky to use for linking up May reviews. If you've not yet signed up for the challenge, what are you waiting for? Join us in this low-key challenge that celebrates a genre we all love: books about books. It will be fun, I promise!


11 comments:

  1. I loved Book Lovers. I don’t find Shaun Bythell’s later books particularly good, but I hope you enjoy it

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, really? Which one of Bythell's is your favorite? I'd never heard of him until I saw his book at the store and grabbed it!

      Delete
  2. Confessions of a Bookseller is a fun and 'funny' read, would love to go Wigtown in Scotland. Not sure which bookish books I'll read in May, possibly one of the BLCC murder mysteries. Sorry it's already so hot there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll be in the U.K. in March. I'll have to check the map and see if Wigtown is anywhere close to the places I'll be visiting. I love checking out bookstores while on vacation!

      Delete
  3. I didn't read any bookish books in April, alas. Hoping that changes in May.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I only read one in April and May isn't looking good so far. Ha ha. I just DNF'd a bookish book because it was overwritten and boring. We'll see how May pans out.

      Delete
  4. Last Word to the Wise sounds really cute. I hope you get approved for it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I haven't gotten approved yet, darn it! I'm keeping my fingers crossed. The series is really fun so far and I definitely want to see what happens next.

      Delete
  5. I forgot I had wanted to participate in this challenge, Susan. In April, I read The Beach Reads Bookshop and in May, I am presently reading The Seaside Library, but there doesn't seem to much Library in it. Last Word to the Wise sounds really good. I'm going to see if my library has the first one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You can join in anytime, Carla! Since the challenge just for fun, it's up to you whether a book "counts" or not. That's weird, though, if a book with "library" in the title doesn't have much library in it!

      I really enjoyed DEAD AND GONDOLA. The setting is just super fun.

      Delete
  6. I loved Book Lovers too! I read it last year, though. I wasn't sure if I should link my review up for Lonely Hearts Book Club to the April or May link up since I finished the book in April but posted my review in May, lol. I have one to link up for June as well. I think I'll make my goal and then some this year! :)

    ReplyDelete

Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.

P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!

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End of Story by A.J. Finn

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<i>Listening</i>
My Contrary Mary by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows



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