Around the Year in 52 Books discussion
Progress Posts 2016
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4: A book by an author you discovered in 2015

What are you reading this week?
--Foundation. 3 stars. Book discussion here.
Who is the author?
--Isaac Asimov. Last year I read his The Caves of Steel which I gave 4 stars to. Foundation wasn't as enjoyable for me so I gave it 3 stars.
Is there another author you could have chosen for this week?
--Yes! Haruki Murakami (Norwegian Wood), Michael Chabon (Mysteries of Pittsburgh), and Rainbow Rowell (Eleanor and Park). I originally put in Murakami for this week, but now he's my second choice if ever I have time to double up on some weeks. I couldn't fit Chabon in this year, but I have two possible weeks where Rowell is there.

Dawn
- Who is the author?
Octavia E. Butler. Last year I read Kindred, which I really enjoyed.
- Is there another author you could have chosen for this week?
I suppose I could have gone with Joe Hill (NOS4A2) or Mira Grant (The Newsflesh Trilogy), but Butler was really the only author I considered for this week.

- Who is the author? Rebecca Zanetti. Last year I read the Maverick Montana Series and really liked it.
- Is there another author you could have chosen for this week? I could have gone with Mary Calmes as I read and LOVED All Kinds of Tied Down. However, Rebecca Zanetti really was the first name that popped into my head so I went with her and was not disappointed!

I read The Secrets of the Tides last year and absolutely adored it.
I was torn between reading this book or Heather Gudenkauf's These Things Hidden.

- Who is the author? Barbara Brown Taylor. I read two books by Brown Taylor in 2015, but this is by far the best. She is a former Episcopal priest and now a college professor. She writes about spiritual disciplines in an honest way. Some of the topics are Sabbath, Incarnation, Benediction. This challenged and inspired me.
- Is there another author you could have chosen for this week?
I might have chosen Madeline L'Engle. I plan to read one of her books this month, as well.

The other authors I thought of for this week were Gayle Forman, Ruth Reichl and Melanie Benjamin. Luckily I found a way to fit them all in for other weeks.


- What are you reading this week?
"The Heart Goes Last"
- Who is the author?
I fell in love with Margaret Atwood last year, after reading the Oryx and Crake series, and couldn't wait to read another. It was a very easy, quick read for those that like sci-fi/fantasy I recommend highly.
- Is there another author you could have chosen for this week?
I could have leo read another Diana Gabaldon novel quite easily.

I probably could have chosen another author, but she is certainly the first who came to mind.


I am currently reading Lost Lake. Last year I read First Frost and The Girl Who Chased the Moon and thoroughly enjoyed them both. I liked the flow, the easy reading and the storylines.
- Who is the author?
Sarah Addison Allen. She has published six fiction novels, which are a blend of magical realism and romance. But nothing overly 'mushy'.
- Is there another author you could have chosen for this week?
I could have chosen Liane Moriarty since I enjoyed her also, but I was able to pick one of her other books for another week in this challenge.

The Unfortunates
- Who is the author? Sophie McManus- saw the book in my college alumni magazine and thought the cover looked cool
- Is there another author you could have chosen for this week?
So many! I mostly chose this book by which book I had on loan came through for the week. I actually got two books, so will also be reading The Diver's Clothes Lie Empty but not on the weekly schedule.
edited: change to plans. Could not get into the Unfortunates so the Divers Clothes is my book instead. It sounds really interesting...

Crossed by Ally Condie

Who is the author?
Ally Condie is the author who wrote the Matched series. I read Matched for the 2015 challenge (a book with a love triangle). I am learning that I am not a huge fan of most modern YA novels. *excuse the rant* They seem overly formulated and scripted, nascially each new book seems to be a new take on a previous YA novel. For me they lack originality and depth. That is how I felt after finishing Matched this past summer. I am reading Crossed because as much as I rolled my eyes at the first book, with its obvious plot twists, , I am curious where Condie takes the series. Matched wasn't my favorite, but I can see potential in the series, and I want to give her another chance. Who knows, what I was missing in Matched may be present in Crossed. We'll see.
Is there another author you could have chosen for this week?
Condie is really the only one from last year that stands out. Anyone else I was curious about I've already read other things by them.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
I know - I am really late to the Harry Potter party. I resisted them for a long time because I dislike bandwagon jumping. In October, my daughter finally convinced me, and I now only have the seventh book to go.
- Who is the author?
J.K. Rowling
- Is there another author you could have chosen for this week?
Geraldine Brooks
Morgan Llywelyn

- Who is the author? Sara Alexi
- Is there another author you could have chosen for this week? Louise Penny, Charles Finch, Ernest Hebert, Willa Cather. I have already finished this book.

Anne of Avonlea I realize this is a very old series of books, but I had never read them. Last year I listed to Anne of Green Gables on audiobook and was charmed by Anne so wanted to continue on with the series. I will listen to this one on audiobook as well.
Who is the author?
L.M. Montgomery
Is there another author you could have chosen for this week?
Yes, I had originally chosen A Storm of Swords, by George R.R. Martin, but ended up switching that to week 6 (highest rated of TBR).

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
I know - I am really late to the Harry Potter party. I resisted them for a long time because I dislike bandwagon ju..."
I was exactly the same way, Joy! I resisted & resisted, but then I gave in & finished the series last year. I think it's worth the hype.

This week I am reading (ok...already finished it - I'm behind on my posts!) The Graveyard Book
* Who is the author?
Neil Gaiman
* Is there another author you could have chosen for this week?
I read my first Isaac Asimov last year (I, Robot - LOVED it) and am intending to read Foundation.
I read my first Kazoo Ishiguro as well (The Remains of the Day) and have Never Let Me Go on my challenge this year.

- Who is the author? - Donna Tartt
- Is there another author you could have chosen for this week? - Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

I could have read Armada, but I am going to read it for a book that starts with the first letter of your name.

Who is the author? Shirley Jackson
Is there another author you could have chosen for this week? Yes! Haruki Murakami, Margaret Atwood, Kurt Vonnegut, Charles Dickens & Agatha Christie were all authors that I read for the first time last year & fell in love with.

Who is the author? Kara Tippetts
Is there another author you could have chosen for this week? Yes, I really wanted to read Belinda Alexandra because I loved her book White Gardenia, but I couldn't find her in my library, Scribd, or my family's used bookstore. I'm trying to do this year without buying any new books, and this book came through on NetGalley. I loved Just Show Up: The Dance of Walking through Suffering Together, which I read last year, so I'm looking forward to this week's reading.

- Who is the author? Kate Morton
- Is there another author you could have chosen for this week? Oh yes. Patrick Rothfuss Liane Moriarty Jennifer Chiaverini to name a few.

- Who is the author? Christopher Moore
- Is there another author you could have chosen for this week? Yes, Liane MoriartyJennifer Crusie I read a lot of new authors last year, but these were some of my favorites that have other books published that I could have read.

What are you reading this week?
The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley
Who is the author?
Shaun David Hutchinson
Is there another author you could have chosen for this week?
Oh plenty, but Shaun David Hutchinson has stood out to me as an author that could potentially be one of my favourites for the rest of my life.

- Who is the author? George R. R. Martin
- Is there another author you could have chosen for this week? Jerome K. Jerome or Robin Hobb


That Touch of Magic
- Who is the author? Lucy March - Found her because of her podcast Storywonk
- Is there another author you could have chosen for this week? I am sure there was but I knew I wanted to read her second book so I stuff with this one :)

Go Set a Watchman
- Who is the author?
Harper Lee - Didn't actually get round to reading 'To Kill a Mockingbird' until last year.
- Is there another author you could have chosen for this week?
So many, but I was torn between Libba Bray and Leah Raeder too.

What Alice Forgot
- Who is the author?
Liane Moriarty
- Is there another author you could have chosen for this week?
I found many new authors last year: at least 4 that I plan to read again (Kate Atkinson, Georges Bernanos, Helen Bryan, Bartle Bull) and that's just the A's and B's!! Liane was the over all winner, though, as I read three of her books last year and plan to read two more.

- Who is the author? Paula Brackston, I read The Winter Witch
- Is there another author you could have chosen for this week? Nadia Hashimi, Victoria Aveyard, Magda Szabó


Who is the author?
Lisa Genova Read Still Alice last year and loved it so thought I would try another one of Lisa's books
Is there another author you could have chosen for this week? A couple; a book by Kristin Hannah or Diane Chamberlain would be my top two . I chose Inside the O'Briens mainly because it became available from the library

State of Wonder

Who is the author?
Ann Patchett - I read Bel Canto at the end of last year and loved it.
Is there another author you could have chosen for this week?
P.G. Wodehouse perhaps; in 2015 I seemed to read a lot of books by authors I had read before.

The Edge of Dark

Who is the author?
Pamela Hartshorne - she has written 3 novels which timeshift between York (England) in Tudor times and the present day. In 2015 i read The Memory of Midnight which i found to be really atmospheric; and having found this one on my Kindle I thought i'd go for it for week #4.
Is there another author you could have chosen for this week?
Yes, I could have chosen Robert Galbraith, as I read The Cuckoo's Calling; or Diane Chamberlain (Necessary Lies. I have also discovered a couple of other new authors in 2015, but they so far only have one book each - Paula Hawkins (The Girl on the Train) and Clare Mackintosh (I Let You Go).

Who is the author? Diane Chamberlain I read the silent sister by her last year and quite enjoyed it.
Is there another author you could have chosen for this week?
Diane chamberlain is one that stuck out for me and I wanted to try something else by her.

Who is the author? Oscar Wilde
Is there another author you could have chosen for this week?
Yes. JoJo Moyes, Kristin Hannah, Kate Atkinson, Lucy Knisley and more. I'm reading these authors during other weeks of the challenge.



Who is the author?
Lisa Genova Read Still Alice last year and loved it so thought I would try another one o..."
If you have not read Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain, please do. It was my number 1 favorite book of 2015.

Who is the author? Gail Bowen
Is there another author you could have chosen for this week? Sarah J. Maas or Neil Gaiman or Nicholas Sparks

Days of Blood & Starlight
Who is the author?
Laini Taylor
Is there another author you could have chosen for this week?
Patrick Ness, Richelle Mead, Mindy McGinnis, Cat Winters, or Ellen Hopkins. I'm sure I'll be able to fit them in somewhere else this year, though.

More Than This
- Who is the author?
Patrick Ness, one of my 2016 author crushes :)
- Is there another author you could have chosen for this week?
Probably Michael J. Sullivan, as I've 2 of his books left. There are several authors I want also to discover more, like Rainbow Rowell and Liane Moriarty.


- Who is the author? Liza Palmer
- Is there another author you could have chosen for this week?
There were a few books I had added to my hold list at the library and this was the first one that came available.
There is one that I know will try to fit in somewhere -


Other authors I could have read are Matthew Quick and Neil Gaiman

I'm reading Ten Thousand Saints.
- Who is the author?
Eleanor Henderson. I'm stretching the topic a bit. I have never read anything by her before, but "discovered" last year that she is an author when mutual friends shared that her book was being turned into a movie. Two years ahead of me in school, she was friends with a neighbor I revered. She seemed like the coolest girl in the world.
- Is there another author you could have chosen for this week?
I struggled with this week. I thought about reading East of Eden because I enjoyed The Grapes of Wrath last year, but I've known about Steinbeck forever. I discovered Jeannette Walls last year, but read everything she's written in one fell swoop. I would have loved to have read more Maria Semple, Chris Cleave, or Ronald H. Balson, but didn't order them from the library in time and too recently bought as-yet-unread books to buy any more now.

Sharp Objects
- Who is the author?
Gillian Flynn
- Is there another author you could have chosen for this week?
There were a couple actually like Paulo Coelho, Addison Moore, and Blake Crouch.

I also discovered Patricia Hightower in 2015 and plan to read more of her books this year.



- Who is the author? Kay Hooper
- Is there another author you could have chosen for this week? I chose this author because I really liked a book that I read in 2015 and I liked her writing style. I liked this book also so will continue to read her writings and would recommend this book to anyone that like mystery with a touch of paranormal.

This was a tough choice between her and Margaret Atwood, from whom I read and loved The Handmaid's Tale. This is a book I really wanted to read and I have already planned Oryx and Crake for the dystopia week. I will end up reading a lot more Atwood down the line since she has more books and writes in more varied genres.
I did not consider others although I did discover several authors I liked, but their other works were less known or appealing to me. Or, in the case of Rainbow Rowell, I have ended up reading most of them already...

I also discovered Patricia Hightower in 2015 and plan to read more of her books..."
The Husband's Secret is pretty amazing too. I also picked What Alice Forgot for week 4...


Who is the author?
Lisa Genova Read Still Alice last year and loved it so thought I would try..."
Thanks for mentioning that book. I have read Necessary Lies and that was what got me hooked on Diane Chamberlain. I then read the Good Father after and loved that one too
Books mentioned in this topic
One Summer: America, 1927 (other topics)The Dark Forest (other topics)
A Gathering of Shadows (other topics)
Catch-22 (other topics)
A Tale of Two Cities (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Bill Bryson (other topics)Liu Cixin (other topics)
Colleen Hoover (other topics)
Charlie N. Holmberg (other topics)
Rainbow Rowell (other topics)
More...
For those reading in order: January 22- January 28, 2016.
Suggestions for this week: /topic/show/...
To discuss the book, don't forget to add it in the A-Z folders or join the existing discussion.
Progress Post:
- What are you reading this week?
- Who is the author?
- Is there another author you could have chosen for this week?