M. Suzanne Terry

Welcome to the first TBR of the year! In addition to my traditional reading of The Little Prince on New Year’s Day, these are the things I’m planning to read this month.

Book Clubs

In looking at my TBRs from last year, I noticed that the books that were left unread each month the most often were the ones from online book clubs when I had something else planned the night we met to discuss them (which was more often than not). So while I’m still maintaining my subscriptions to the Fantastic Strangelings and Happy Endings book clubs, and I shall remain a paid subscriber on Substack (a rarity for me) to follow Roxane Gay’s recommendations, I’m not going to list them in this section unless I’m actually planning to read and discuss them during the month in question. You’ll probably see them in other sections in later months, though, as I do eventually get around to reading them.

• Night Will Find You by Julia Heaberlin – You know how readers have certain favorite authors? Book clubs have their faves, too. The first meeting of Brenda’s book club I ever attended was when Julia Heaberlin came as the guest of honor (I can’t remember if it was when we read Playing Dead or Black-Eyed Susans). We do enjoy her mysteries.
• Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus – I may not read this one a third time (or I may…it’s so good), but clearly I am on a mission to get every book club to read and talk about it.
• The Reformatory by Tananarive Due – Our choose-your-own-adventure in Follow the Reader this month is a book released in the last year. Haunting historical fiction is one of my favorite genres to read when the weather is bleaker. To balance (and also so I can get it back to Janelle soon), I’m also reading Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood. 
• The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray –  The theme for Rise and Shine this month is mystery, so what better time to read one that needs to go back to the library soon? 

Reading Challenges

This section can be hard to organize succinctly. I thought about just listing all the books but why make it easy? Instead, since I often count the same book for different challenges, I will list the books I’m reading and then the prompts on each challenge they satisfy. 

Also, I have added another challenge because their Instagram handle is Overeducated Women With Cats (abbreviated OWC below). And also there’s Nowhere’s Book Bingo…so that’s happening. The Little Prince has already fulfilled the category of “a reread” on this one, so I’m off to a good start!

A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers

• Lowercase letters on the spine (52 Book Club)
• A book set in space (POPSUGAR)

The Menopause Manifesto by Dr. Jen Gunter

• A nonfiction book in an area you want to learn more about (OWC)

The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen

• Read a cozy fantasy book (Book Riot)
• A book you meant to read in 2023 (OWC)

One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle

• Magical realism (52 Book Club)
• A book set in a travel destination on your bucket list (POPSUGAR)

Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami

• Title starting with the letter “K” (52 Book Club)
• Read a book in translation from a country you’ve never visited (Book Riot)

Self-Care for People With ADHD by Sasha Hamdani, MD

• By a neurodivergent author (52 Book Club)

Arrangements in Blue by Amy Key

• A cover without people on it (52 Book Club)

Blackout and Whiteout by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and NIcola Yoon 

• At least 4 different POV (52 Book Club)

River Sing Me Home by Eleanor Shearer – Recommended by and borrowed from a friend at church

• Book rec from a friend (Nowhere)

Other Reads

• System Collapse by Martha Wells – YAY Murderbot! Looking forward to diving into the latest in this series.
• Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain – This seems like a good year to re-read this gem.
• The Library at the Edge of the World by Felicity Hayes-McCoy – Speaking of libraries, I should get this one back to ours soon.
• This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub – Ditto on getting it back to the library soon.

I hope your year is starting off well, and I hope you get to read a really good book this month!