Tangledthread's challenge for '24

Signing up again this year to keep track of the year's reading.

I've started the year with The Berry Pickers as an audiobook and am still finishing The Bell in the Lake which is a carry over from '23.

Welcome back!

Happy reading in 2024!

Tossing a question out there to the universe:
How do you go about finding new books and authors that are outside your usual reading?

I'm finding that the world of algorithms seems to be narrowing what comes across my radar. Every recommendation or reviews that end up in my news feed are "based on what I've already read". What if I don't want to read the same authors, topics, genres over and over again?

Has anyone found a way to break out of that cycle?

>4 tangledthread: My way is very unscientific, I just take hits from other readers to find books outside my comfort zone.

>4 tangledthread: I try to follow readers of other genres in this group. I rarely look at the recommendations LT gives me.

>4 tangledthread: The challenges in this group are definitely going to break me out of my normal genres. Santa Thing, Early Reviewers, and things like the lists of prize winners and 1001 books to read before you die, or even the top 5 of the year from other people all give me inspiration.

My friends here push me to try new authors and genres. I also like to check out people's Favorites List from the previous year and also the books that are "hot" on LT.

Thanks for your suggestions Tess, Anita, Robyn, and Berly. I think the secret is to look at lists of people who are not like me and are not reading the things that I've been reading.

Perhaps it wouldn't hurt for me to stop looking for something new and work on reading some of the books that are mouldering on the shelf and in the dark corners of my kindle. ;^/

January books
* means still reading
@ means reviewed

1. The Bell in the Lake by Lars Mytting, fiction, ebook@
2. The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters, fiction, audiobook@
3. You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith, memoir, ebook@
4. The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose, fiction@
5. Roxanne by Peter Grainger, fiction, audiobook@
6. Another Girl: a Kings Lake Investigation by Peter Grainger, fiction, audiobook@
7. The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell, fiction*

February books
* means still reading
@ means reviewed

8. The Farmer's Wife by Helen Rebanks, memoir, ebook@
9. Maame by Jessica George, fiction, ebook@
10. Coventry by Helen Humphreys, ebook@
11. The Good House Ann Leary, ebook@
12. The Scent Keeper by Erica Bauermeister, fiction, audiobook@
13. Necessary Trouble by Drew Gilpin Faoust, memoir@

March books
* means still reading
@ means reviewed

14. Properties of Thirst by Marianne Wiggins, fiction, ebook, audiobook
15. The Foundling by Ann Leary, fiction, ebook@
16. The Body in Question by Jill Ciment, fiction, ebook@
17. Kantika by Elizabeth Graver, fiction, audiobook@
18. Take What You Need by Idra Novey, fiction@
19. Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame by Olivia Ford, fiction@
20. Missing Pieces by Peter Grainger, fiction, audiobook@

Hi there! Happy March. All kinds of new-to-me books here. I have only read The Marriage Portrait, by Maggie O'Farrell. : )

April books:
* means still reading
@ means reviewed

21. Long Bright River by Liz Moore, fiction audiobook@
22. The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride, fiction, ebook,@
23. Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck, fiction, ebook*
24. Followed by the Lark Helen Humphries, ebook@
25. One Way Tickets by Peter Grainger, fiction, audiobook@
26. Arcadia by Peter Grainger, fiction, audiobook @
27. The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths, fiction, audiobook
28. Last Rituals by Yrsa Sigurdardottir, fiction, audiobook @

May books:
* means still reading
@ means reviewed

29. Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths, fiction, audiobook
30. Humankind: a hopeful history by Rutger Bergman, nonfiction
31. The Hunter by Tana French, fiction, ebook@

June
32. Humankind: a Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman, nonfiction
33. The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng, fiction (a re-read)@
34. The Ruin by Dervla McTiernan, fiction, audiobook (a re-read)
35. The Wind Knows My Name by Isabelle Allende, fiction, ebook@
36. Bleeding Heart Yard by Elly Griffiths, fiction, audiobook@
37. I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger, fiction, ebook@
38. The Scholar by Dervla McTiernan, fiction, audiobook (a re-read)

July books:
* means still reading
@ means reviewed

39. Pet by Catherine Chidgey, fiction, ebook@
40. James by Percival Everett, fiction
41. Clear by Carys Davies, fiction@
42. How the Light Gets In by Joyce Maynard, fiction@
43. Twilight Territory by Andrew X Pham, fictioin, ebook
44. The Comfort of Ghosts by Jacqueline Winspear, fiction, audibook

August books:
* means still reading
@ means reviewed

45. Close to Death Anthony Horowitz, fiction, ebook & audiobook@
46. Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese, fiction, ebook & audiobook@
47. Welcome Home, Stranger by Kate Christensesn, fiction@
48. Songbirds by Christy Lefteri, fiction@

>17 tangledthread: What did you think of The Covenant of Water?

>18 kidzdoc: Hi Daryl....I thought it could be about 200 pages shorter. I liked the story of the family saga in southern India. Verghese certainly likes to write dramatic labor & delivery scenes. Central to the family's story is something called "The Condition" which turns out to be an obscure condition related to neurofibromatosis.

I popped over and added more on your thread.

September books:
* means still reading
@ means reviewed

49. Impermanence: Life and Loss on Superior's South Shore by Sue Leaf, non-fiction, ebook@
50. The Deep End by Julie Mulhern, fiction, audiobook@
51. Master Slave Husband Wife by Ilyon Woo, nonfiction@
52. The Axeman's Carnival by Catherine Chidgey, fiction, ebook@
53. Clark & Division by Naomi Hirahara, fiction, audiobook@
54. The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich, fiction@

October books:

55. How to Read a Book by Monica Wood, fiction@
56. Mina's Matchbox by Yoko Ogawa, fiction@
57. The Women by Kristin Hannay, fiction@
58. The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb, fiction, ebook@
59. The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood, fiction, audiobook@
60. My Good Bright Wolf by Sarah Moss, nonfiction (memoir) ebook@
61. Dead Lions by Mick Herron, fiction, audiobook@
62. The Engine House by Rhys Dylan, fiction, audibook@

November books:
* means still reading
@ means reviewed

63. Spirit Crossing William Kent Kreuger, fiction@
64. Playground by Richard Powers, fiction, audiobook@
65. The God of the Woods by Liz Moore, fiction@
66. Intermezzo by Sally Rooney, fiction - DNF@
67. Ruffage by Abra Berens, nonfiction@
68. The Last Word by Elly Griffiths, fiction, audiobook@

December books
* means still reading
@ means reviewed

69. Time of the Child by Niall Williams, fiction, ebook@
70. North Woods by Daniel Mason, fiction@
71. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osmun, fiction, audiobook*@
72. The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny, fiction, audiobook, ebook@
73. The Late Lord Thorpe by Peter Grainger, fiction, audiobook@
74. The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo, fiction*
75. Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan, fiction, ebook*

Here is the entire list for the year. It was fun compiling and looking back at some of the titles.

January books
* means still reading
@ means reviewed

1. The Bell in the Lake by Lars Mytting, fiction, ebook@
2. The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters, fiction, audiobook@
3. You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith, memoir, ebook@
4. The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose, fiction@
5. Roxanne by Peter Grainger, fiction, audiobook@
6. Another Girl: a Kings Lake Investigation by Peter Grainger, fiction, audiobook@
7. The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell, fiction*

February books
8. The Farmer's Wife by Helen Rebanks, memoir, ebook@
9. Maame by Jessica George, fiction, ebook@
10. Coventry by Helen Humphreys, ebook@
11. The Good House Ann Leary, ebook@
12. The Scent Keeper by Erica Bauermeister, fiction, audiobook@
13. Necessary Trouble by Drew Gilpin Faoust, memoir@

March books

14. Properties of Thirst by Marianne Wiggins, fiction, ebook, audiobook
15. The Foundling by Ann Leary, fiction, ebook@
16. The Body in Question by Jill Ciment, fiction, ebook@
17. Kantika by Elizabeth Graver, fiction, audiobook@
18. Take What You Need by Idra Novey, fiction@
19. Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame by Olivia Ford, fiction@
20. Missing Pieces by Peter Grainger, fiction, audiobook@

April books

21. Long Bright River by Liz Moore, fiction audiobook@
22. The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride, fiction, ebook,@
23. Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck, fiction, ebook DNF
24. Followed by the Lark Helen Humphries, ebook@
25. One Way Tickets by Peter Grainger, fiction, audiobook@
26. Arcadia by Peter Grainger, fiction, audiobook @
27. The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths, fiction, audiobook
28. Last Rituals by Yrsa Sigurdardottir, fiction, audiobook @

May books:

29. Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths, fiction, audiobook
30. Humankind: a hopeful history by Rutger Bergman, nonfiction
31. The Hunter by Tana French, fiction, ebook@

June
32. The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng, fiction (a re-read)@
33. The Ruin by Dervla McTiernan, fiction, audiobook (a re-read)
34. The Wind Knows My Name by Isabelle Allende, fiction, ebook@
35. Bleeding Heart Yard by Elly Griffiths, fiction, audiobook@
36. I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger, fiction, ebook@
37. The Scholar by Dervla McTiernan, fiction, audiobook (a re-read)

July books:

38. Pet by Catherine Chidgey, fiction, ebook@
39. James by Percival Everett, fiction
40. Clear by Carys Davies, fiction@
41. How the Light Gets In by Joyce Maynard, fiction@
42. Twilight Territory by Andrew X Pham, fictioin, ebook
43. The Comfort of Ghosts by Jacqueline Winspear, fiction, audibook

August books:

44. Close to Death Anthony Horowitz, fiction, ebook & audiobook@
45. Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese, fiction, ebook & audiobook@
46. Welcome Home, Stranger by Kate Christensesn, fiction@
47. Songbirds by Christy Lefteri, fiction@

September books:

48. Impermanence: Life and Loss on Superior's South Shore by Sue Leaf, non-fiction, ebook@
49. The Deep End by Julie Mulhern, fiction, audiobook@
50. Master Slave Husband Wife by Ilyon Woo, nonfiction@
51. The Axeman's Carnival by Catherine Chidgey, fiction, ebook@
52. Clark & Division by Naomi Hirahara, fiction, audiobook@
53. The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich, fiction@

October books:

54. How to Read a Book by Monica Wood, fiction@
55. Mina's Matchbox by Yoko Ogawa, fiction@
56. The Women by Kristin Hannah, fiction@
57. The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb, fiction, ebook@
58. The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood, fiction, audiobook@
59. My Good Bright Wolf by Sarah Moss, nonfiction (memoir) ebook@
60. Dead Lions by Mick Herron, fiction, audiobook@
61. The Engine House by Rhys Dylan, fiction, audibook@

November books:

62. Spirit Crossing William Kent Kreuger, fiction@
63. Playground by Richard Powers, fiction, audiobook@
64. The God of the Woods by Liz Moore, fiction@
65. Intermezzo by Sally Rooney, fiction - DNF@
66. Ruffage by Abra Berens, nonfiction@
67. The Last Word by Elly Griffiths, fiction, audiobook@

December books:

68. Time of the Child by Niall Williams, fiction, ebook@
69. North Woods by Daniel Mason, fiction@
70. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osmun, fiction, audiobook DNF@
71. The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny, fiction, audiobook, ebook@
72. The Late Lord Thorpe by Peter Grainger, fiction, audiobook@
73. The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo, fiction*
74. Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan, fiction, ebook (a re-read for Christmas)

You've had a great year of reading, tangledthread. I wish you well in 2025!