Athena's Reading List 2021

[Hayley]

On 02/06/2021 at 9:47 AM, Athena said:

From what I know, as a non-Brit Dutch person living in the Netherlands, it is/was something started in the 2000's somewhere to help non-readers get into reading. Every year they asked several authors to write a novella / short story, which would be published and available to buy in certain English book shops for £1 during a limited period

I've honestly never heard of them before! It sounds like a great idea!

 

On 02/06/2021 at 9:47 AM, Athena said:

though they are not always easy to find from the Netherlands

If there's any you're finding it hard to get let me know and I'll see if I can find it here  

[Athena]

12 hours ago, Hayley said:

If there's any you're finding it hard to get let me know and I'll see if I can find it here  

 

Aww thank you, that is very nice of you !

[Athena]

Books read in May 2021

 

71. Angela Hartlin - Forever Marked
72. E. J. Copperman - Mysterious Detective 2: Edited Out
73. Dana Simpson - Phoebe and her Unicorn 3: Unicorn vs. Goblins
74. Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed - When Stars Are Scattered
75. Robin Hobb - The Farseer Trilogy 2: Royal Assassin
76. Sheila M. Averbuch - Friend Me
77. Talia Hibbert - The Brown Sisters 2: Take a Hint, Dani Brown
78. Guus Kuijer (ill. Mance Post) - Madelief 1: Met de poppen gooien (From: Het grote boek van Madelief) (re-read)
79. Guus Kuijer (ill. Mance Post) - Madelief 2: Grote mensen daar kan je beter soep van koken (From: Het grote boek van Madelief) (re-read)
80. Guus Kuijer (ill. Mance Post) - Madelief 3: Op je kop in de prullenbak (From: Het grote boek van Madelief) (re-read)
81. Guus Kuijer (ill. Mance Post) - Madelief 4: Krassen in het tafelblad (From: Het grote boek van Madelief) (re-read)
82. Guus Kuijer (ill. Mance Post) - Madelief 5: Een hoofd vol macaroni (From: Het grote boek van Madelief) (re-read)
83. Kay Kerr - Please Don't Hug Me
84. Gillian Cross - The Demon Headmaster 2: The Demon Headmaster and the Prime Minister's Brain
85. Sonja K. Solter - When You Know What I Know
86. Lucy Cuthew - Blood Moon
87. Tommie Niessen - Tommie in gesprek
88. Gina Sheridan - I Work at a Public Library
89. Jaap Bartelds - Het ABC van de Nederlandse gezelligheid
90. Cornelia Funke - Inkheart 2: Inkspell (Tintenblut)
91. Ann M. Martin - De Babysittersclub 55: Jessie en de grote zwemwedstrijd (re-read)
92. Mario Giordano - Heb jij dat ook? (1000 Gefühle für die es keinen Namen gibt)
93. Jordan Reid and Erin Williams - Het grote maak-je-niet-drukboek (The Big Activity Book for Anxious People)
94. Jordan Reid and Erin Williams - Het grote doeboek voor digitale detox (The Big Activity Book for Digital Detox)
95. Jeroen de Leijer and Marjolein Schalk - Niemand de deur uit!
96. Séverine Clochard, Cécile Hudrisier and Audrey Gessat - For Girls Only: Alles wat coole meiden moeten weten! (Vives les Filles!)
97. Angie Manfredi & Others - The (Other) F Word

 

Least favourite book(s) I read this month:

Jeroen de Leijer and Marjolein Schalk - Niemand de deur uit!

Séverine Clochard, Cécile Hudrisier and Audrey Gessat - For Girls Only: Alles wat coole meiden moeten weten! (Vives les Filles!)

Mario Giordano - Heb jij dat ook? (1000 Gefühle für die es keinen Namen gibt)

 

Best book(s) I read this month:

Kay Kerr - Please Don't Hug Me

Robin Hobb - The Farseer Trilogy 2: Royal Assassin

Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed - When Stars Are Scattered

Talia Hibbert - The Brown Sisters 2: Take a Hint, Dani Brown

Lucy Cuthew - Blood Moon

[muggle not]

Robin Hobb looks interesting. I may put The Farseer Trilogy on my TBR list.

[Athena]

On 12/07/2021 at 4:02 PM, muggle not said:

Robin Hobb looks interesting. I may put The Farseer Trilogy on my TBR list.

 

Hi Muggle Not! Sorry for the late reply. If you do, I hope you enjoy it . She has written The Realm of the Elderlings, The Farseer trilogy is the first series within that series (but you can totally just read the trilogy and be done). I haven't continued yet, the next one to read would be Ship of Magic, it's on my TBR.

[Athena]

Oh wow.. I thought I had done the June list , I came here to do the July one. But I hadn't even done the June one!

 

I got in a reading slump in June, after attempting to read War & Peace during the first week or so of June. The first 7 books on the list (98-104) I read during the first week-ish of June and included some re-reads, some were read during the June read-a-thon I think. I read half of book nr 105 at the end of May, then picked it back up about 2 weeks into June and read the second half while I was waiting for Windows to install (and do updates) on my new computer. Books nr 106 and 107 took me all month to read (though in the case of book 107, that was how it was planned, I read it together with a friend and since it's a long book, we planned to take the whole month to read it, a chapter per day, it has 30 chapters).

 

Books read in June 2021

 

98. Gengoroh Tagame - My Brother's Husband 1: Volume 1 (re-read)
99. Gengoroh Tagame - My Brother's Husband 2: Volume 2 (re-read)
100. Kevin Panetta and Savanna Ganucheau - Bloom (re-read)
101. Robert Thorogood - Death in Paradise 1: A Meditation on Murder (re-read)
102. Mirjam Mous (ill. Rick de Haas) - Mees Kees 2: Op de kast
103. Dana Simpson - Phoebe and her Unicorn 4: Razzle Dazzle Unicorn
104. Mamoru Hosoda, Iqura Sugimuto, Yoshiyuki Sadamoto - Summer Wars
105. Amy Spalding - The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles)
106. Robin Hobb - The Farseer Trilogy 3: Assassin's Quest
107. Ken Follett - Kingsbridge 3: A Column of Fire

 

Least favourite book(s) I read this month:

Leo Tolstoy - War & Peace / Oorlog & Vrede (DNF, abandoned)

 

Best book(s) I read this month (excluding re-reads!):

Ken Follett - Kingsbridge 3: A Column of Fire

Robin Hobb - The Farseer Trilogy 3: Assassin's Quest (a bit slow in the middle, but it could have been my reading slump)

 

I'll go make the July list now.

 

 

[Athena]

Books read in July 2021

 

108. Jacques Vriens (ill. Annet Schaap) - Het geheime weekboek van groep 8
109. Mirjam Oldenhave (ill. Yvonne Jagtenberg) - Een vriendin met vuisten
110. Marjane Satrapi - Persepolis 1-2: Persepolis
111. Art Spiegelman - Maus 1-2: The Complete Maus
112. Halfdan Pisket - Danish trilogy 1: Deserteur (Desertør)
113. Halfdan Pisket - Danish trilogy 2: Kakkerlak (Kakerlak)
114. Halfdan Pisket - Danish trilogy 3: Staatsburger (Dansker)
115. Robert Thorogood - Death in Paradise 2: The Killing of Polly Carter (re-read)
116. Kathelijn Hulshof - Gevalletje Borderline
117. Crystal Maldonado - Fat Chance, Charlie Vega
118. Tommie Niessen and Loes Wouterson - Kastanjehove
119. Diane Chamberlain - The Stolen Marriage
120. Michael Grant - Monster 1: Monster
121. Bas Haring - Waarom cola duurder is dan melk
122. Abdi Nazemian - Like a Love Story
123. Meg Grehan - The Space Between
124. Colin Furze - Dit boek is niet veilig! (This Book isn't Safe!)
125. Bas van Teylingen - Help! Mijn kind zit op YouTube
126. Cornelia Funke - Inkheart 3: Inkdeath (Tintentod)
127. Auteur 404 - Anti-Fame
128. Loes den Hollander - Toen ik dood was
129. Beth O'Leary - The Switch

 

Least favourite book(s) I read this month:

Michael Grant - Monster 1: Monster

Meg Grehan - The Space Between

Loes den Hollander - Toen ik dood was

 

Best book(s) I read this month (excluding re-reads!):

Tommie Niessen and Loes Wouterson - Kastanjehove

Beth O'Leary - The Switch

Marjane Satrapi - Persepolis 1-2: Persepolis

Art Spiegelman - Maus 1-2: The Complete Maus

[muggle not]

On 6/12/2021 at 1:36 AM, Athena said:

Books read in May 2021

 

 

Best book(s) I read this month:

Kay Kerr - Please Don't Hug Me

Robin Hobb - The Farseer Trilogy 2: Royal Assassin

Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed - When Stars Are Scattered

Talia Hibbert - The Brown Sisters 2: Take a Hint, Dani Brown

Lucy Cuthew - Blood Moon

I am 28% into Book #1, Assassins Apprentice, of the Farseer Trilogy and am loving the book. Well written and great story.

[Athena]

On 11/10/2021 at 2:31 PM, muggle not said:

I am 28% into Book #1, Assassins Apprentice, of the Farseer Trilogy and am loving the book. Well written and great story.

 

I'm so glad you are liking it so far !

 

I hope you and your family are doing okay, Muggle!

[muggle not]

I finished the Assassin's Apprentice and thoroughly enjoyed the book. I will definitely read the remainder of the Trilogy.

 

We are doing ok and hope that you also are doing fine.

[Athena]

On 10/17/2021 at 11:47 PM, muggle not said:

I finished the Assassin's Apprentice and thoroughly enjoyed the book. I will definitely read the remainder of the Trilogy.

 

We are doing ok and hope that you also are doing fine.

 

I am doing okay too, thanks !

[Athena]

Books read in August 2021

 

130. Charlotte Amelia Poe - How to Be Autistic
131. Tobly McSmith - Stay Gold
132. Jeff Kinney - Diary of a Wimpy Kid 5: The Ugly Truth (re-read)
133. Rachel Renée Russell - Dork Diaries 2: Party Time (Tales-From-a-Not-So-Popular Party Girl) (re-read)
134. Liz Pichon - Tom Gates 4.5: Best Book Day Ever! (So Far) (re-read)
135. Liz Pichon - Tom Gates 5: Tom Gates is Absolutely Fantastic (at Some Things)
136. Talia Hibbert - Brown Sisters 3: Act Your Age, Eve Brown
137. Lincoln Peirce - Big Nate 3: On a Roll
138. Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton - Treehouse 4: The 52-Storey Treehouse (re-read)
139. Dav Pilkey - Captain Underpants 3: Captain Underpants And The Invasion Of The Incredibly Naughty Cafeteria Ladies From Outer Space (and the Subsequent Assault of the Equally Evil Lunchroom Zombie Nerds)
140. Dav Pilkey (col. Jose Garibaldi) - Dog Man 2: Dog Man Unleashed
141. Robert Thorogood - Death in Paradise 3: Death Knocks Twice (re-read)
142. Gloria Chao - Rent A Boyfriend
143. A. S. King - Switch
144. Marie Lotte Hagen and Nydia van Voorthuizen - Yes, Baby 2: Queer Baby
145. Colin Kraan and Kevin Kraan - No Limit
146. Jac Linders - Het verdriet van Lars en Lotte
147. Marieke Lucas Rijneveld - De avond is ongemak
148. Esther Thole - Makers van leven
149. Marieke Nijkamp - Even If We Break

 

Least favourite book(s) I read this month:

None! (that I recall)

 

Best book(s) I read this month (excluding re-reads!):

Talia Hibbert - Brown Sisters 3: Act Your Age, Eve Brown

 

 

[Athena]

Books read in September 2021

 

150. Robert Thorogood - Death in Paradise 4: Murder in the Caribbean (re-read)
151. Angeline Boulley - Firekeeper's Daughter
152. Liane Moriarty - Three Wishes
153. Elle McNicoll - A Kind of Spark
154. Dana Simpson - Phoebe and Her Unicorn 5: Unicorn Crossing
155. Ann M. Martin and Gabriela Epstein (col. Braden Lamb) - The Baby-sitters Club Graphic Novels 9: Claudia and the New Girl
156. Megan Wagner Lloyd and Michelle Mee Nutter - Allergic
157. Rachael Smith - Quarantine Comix
158. Catana Chetwynd - In Love & Pajamas
159. Alessandra Olanow - I Used to Have a Plan
160. Rachel Lindsay - Rx
161. Shira Spector - Red Rock Baby Candy
162. Meichi Ng - Barely Functional Adult
163. Julie Murphy - Dumplin' 1: Dumplin'
164. Julie Murphy - Dumplin' 2 : Puddin'
165. Jennifer Mathieu - Moxie
166. Julie Murphy - Dumplin' 3: Pumpkin
167. Ken Follett - Kingsbridge 4/0: The Evening and the Morning

 

Least favourite book(s) I read this month:

None.

 

Best book(s) I read this month (excluding re-reads!):

Elle McNicoll - A Kind of Spark

Angeline Boulley - Firekeeper's Daughter

Ken Follett - Kingsbridge 4/0: The Evening and the Morning

Megan Wagner Lloyd and Michelle Mee Nutter - Allergic

[Athena]

Well.. somehow this thread got away from me this year and I didn't update it much .

 

So.. here goes since I apparently haven't posted in here since October.

 

Books read in October 2021

 

168. Susan Hatler - Kissed by the Bay 7: Forever in a Kiss
169. Robert Thorogood - The Marlow Murder Club 1: The Marlow Murder Club
170. Gabrielle Jackson - Pain and Prejudice
171. Sarah Anderson - Aix Marks The Spot
172. Dr. Camilla Pang - Explaining Humans
173. Dave Goldstein - Bijna Vergeten
174. Jacques Vriens (ill. Annet Schaap) - Die rotschool met die fijne klas (re-read)
175. A. C. Baantjer - Baantjer 28: De Cock en het lijk op retour
176. Carry Slee - #laatste vlog
177. Enne Koens - Ik ben Vincent en ik ben niet bang
178. Mirjam Oldenhave (ill. Rick de Haas) - Mees Kees 3: De rekenrap
179. Iris Boter - Online!
180. Caja Cazemier - Offline
181. Anna Whateley - Peta Lyre's Rating Normal
182. Iris ter Haar - Een steekje los

183. Anna Woltz - Onweer (from: Onweer & Tien dagen in een gestolen auto) (Library)
184. Anna Woltz - Tien dagen in een gestolen auto (from: Onweer & Tien dagen in een gestolen auto) (Library)
185. Bianca Toeps and Esther Walraven (ill. Roozeboos) - Ik ben autastisch! (Library)
186. Colette de Bruin - Geef me de 5 1: Geef me de 5 (Library)
187. Marjon Kuipers and Saskia Buma - Minder stress, minder autisme: Plan C (Library)

 

Favourites this month:

Dr. Camilla Pang - Explaining Humans

Gabrielle Jackson - Pain and Prejudice

Anna Whateley - Peta Lyre's Rating Normal

Iris ter Haar - Een steekje los
Sarah Anderson - Aix Marks The Spot

Bianca Toeps and Esther Walraven (ill. Roozeboos) - Ik ben autastisch!

 

Least favourites:

Colette de Bruin - Geef me de 5 1: Geef me de 5

 

[Athena]

Books read in November 2021

 

188. Pavel Šrut (ill. Galina Malíková) - De Sokkenvreters (Lichožrouti 1: Lichožrouti) (Library)
189. Will Eagle - Lees dit als je beroemd wilt worden op YouTube (Read This If You Want To Be YouTube Famous) (Library)
190. Anna Kemp (ill. Alex T. Smith) - Fantastische Frankie en de Hersenslurpmachine (Fantastic Frankie and the Brain-Drain Machine) (Library)
191. Patrick Boyle (ill. Antoine Corbineau) - Queer Icons: LHBTI-iconen van A tot Z (Queer Icons From Gay to Z) (Library)
192. Timo Parvela, Bjørn Sortland and Pasi Pitkänen - Kepler 62 3: De reis (Kepler62 3: Matka) (Library)
193. Timo Parvela, Bjørn Sortland and Pasi Pitkänen - Kepler 62 4: Pioniers (Kepler62 4: Pionerer) (Library)
194. Timo Parvela, Bjørn Sortland and Pasi Pitkänen - Kepler 62 5: Het virus (Kepler62 5: Virus) (Library)
195. Timo Parvela, Bjørn Sortland and Pasi Pitkänen - Kepler 62 6: Het geheim (Kepler62 6: Hemmeligheten) (Library)
196. Alice Pantermüller and Daniela Kohl - De vrolijke avonturen van Tina Talent 2: De ster van het toneel (Linni von Links 2: Ein Star im Himbeer-Sahne-Himmel) (Library)
197. Sir Steve Stevenson (Mario Pasqualotto) (ill. Stefano Turconi) - Agatha Mistery 2: De Parel van Bengalen (La Perla del Bengala) (Library)
198. Sir Steve Stevenson (Mario Pasqualotto) (ill. Stefano Turconi) - Agatha Mistery 3: Het zwaard van de Schotse koning (La spada del Re di Scozia) (Library)
199. Obert Skye - Het schepsel uit mijn kast 3: Pinocula (The Creature From my Closet 3: Pinocula) (Library)
200. Luc Embrechts and Rocío del Moral - RASCAL 1: De Bengaalse tijger (Library)
201. Luc Embrechts and Eric Bouwens - Uitvinderszootje 3: Operatie Groen (Library)
202. John Martin and Scott Seegert - De Melkweg School 1: De Melkweg School (Sci-fi Junior High 1: Sci-fi Junior High) (Library)
203. Greta Thunberg, Malena Ernman, Beata Ernman and Svante Thunberg - Ons huis staat in brand (Scener ur hjärtat) (Library)
204. Joanne Fluke - Hannah Swensen 1: Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder
205. Kelly Yang - Parachutes
206. Joanne Fluke - Hannah Swensen 1.5: Candy for Christmas
207. Martha Wells - Murderbot Diaries 1: All Systems Red
208. Martha Wells - Murderbot Diaries 2: Artificial Condition
209. Sabina Khan - The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali
210. Martha Wells - Murderbot Diaries 0.5: Compulsory
211. Martha Wells - Murderbot Diaries 3: Rogue Protocol
212. Bas van Lier (ill. Irene Goede) - Spreken we in Europa straks allemaal Europees? En andere vragen van kinderen aan de Europese Unie
213. Herman Pleij (ill. Irene Goede) - Zwemmen er haaien in de slotgracht? En andere vragen van kinderen aan het Muiderslot
214. Christa Carbo (ill. Irene Goede) - Krijgt de politie ook wel eens een bon? En andere vragen van kinderen aan de politie
215. Bas van Lier (ill. Eva Klose) - Blijven mensen altijd bestaan? En andere vragen van kinderen aan NEMO over leven
216. Bas van Lier (ill. Irene Goede) - Hoeveel papier gaat er in een boom?
217. Bas van Lier (ill. Irene Goede) - Hoe word ik snel rijk?
218. Jet van Vuuren - Eindfeest
219. Khaled Hosseini - And the Mountains Echoed
220. George M. Johnson - All Boys Aren't Blue

 

Favourites this month:

Martha Wells - Murderbot Diaries 1-3

Kelly Yang - Parachutes

George M. Johnson - All Boys Aren't Blue

Joanne Fluke - Hannah Swensen 1: Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder

Jet van Vuuren - Eindfeest

Sabina Khan - The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali

Pavel Šrut (ill. Galina Malíková) - De Sokkenvreters (Lichožrouti 1: Lichožrouti) 

Luc Embrechts and Rocío del Moral - RASCAL 1: De Bengaalse tijger

John Martin and Scott Seegert - De Melkweg School 1: De Melkweg School (Sci-fi Junior High 1: Sci-fi Junior High)

(Timo Parvela, Bjørn Sortland and Pasi Pitkänen - Kepler series (esp. books 4 and 5; I read books 1 and 2 in 2019)

 

Least favourites:

Khaled Hosseini - And the Mountains Echoed

[Athena]

Books read in December 2021

 

221. Joanne Fluke - Hannah Swensen 2: Strawberry Shortcake Murder
222. Jodi Picoult - The Book of Two Ways
223. Matt Haig (ill. Chris Mould) - Christmas 2: The Girl Who Saved Christmas
224. Camryn Garrett - Off the Record
225. Michael Fry and Bradley Jackson - The Naughty List
226. Tom Fletcher (ill. Shane Devries) - The Christmasaurus 2: The Christmasaurus and the Winter Witch
227. Louise Bagshawe - Sparkles
228. Matt Haig (ill. Chris Mould) - Christmas 3: Father Christmas and Me
229. Sarah Kurchak - I Overcame My Autism And All I Got Was This Lousy Anxiety Disorder
230. Molly Knox Ostertag - The Witch Boy 1: The Witch Boy (re-read)
231. Molly Knox Ostertag - The Witch Boy 2: The Hidden Witch (re-read)
232. Molly Knox Ostertag (col. Maarta Laiho) - The Witch Boy 3: The Midwinter Witch
233. Alice Oseman - Heartstopper 1: Volume 1 (re-read)
234. Alice Oseman - Heartstopper 2: Volume 2 (re-read)
235. Alice Oseman - Heartstopper 3: Volume 3 (re-read)
236. Alice Oseman - Heartstopper 4: Volume 4
237. Dana Simpson - Phoebe and her Unicorn 6: Phoebe and her Unicorn in The Magic Storm
238. Dav Pilkey - Dog Man 3: A Tale of Two Kitties
239. Ben Miller (ill. Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini) - The Night I Met Father Christmas
240. Rutger Bregman - De meeste mensen deugen (borrowed from my parents)

 

 

Favourites this month:

Sarah Kurchak - I Overcame My Autism And All I Got Was This Lousy Anxiety Disorder

Tom Fletcher (ill. Shane Devries) - The Christmasaurus 2: The Christmasaurus and the Winter Witch

Camryn Garrett - Off the Record

Matt Haig (ill. Chris Mould) - Christmas 2: The Girl Who Saved Christmas

Jodi Picoult - The Book of Two Ways

Joanne Fluke - Hannah Swensen 2: Strawberry Shortcake Murder

Molly Knox Ostertag - The Witch Boy 1: The Witch Boy (re-read) 

Molly Knox Ostertag - The Witch Boy 2: The Hidden Witch (re-read)
Molly Knox Ostertag (col. Maarta Laiho) - The Witch Boy 3: The Midwinter Witch
Alice Oseman - Heartstopper 1: Volume 1 (re-read)
Alice Oseman - Heartstopper 2: Volume 2 (re-read)
Alice Oseman - Heartstopper 3: Volume 3 (re-read)
Alice Oseman - Heartstopper 4: Volume 4

 

Least favourites:

Ben Miller (ill. Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini) - The Night I Met Father Christmas

 

[Athena]

A few bookish highlights of 2021

 

Going to the library and loaning books

I'm really glad I got to do this once, in October 2021, for the first time since 2019, and I had really missed it. It was really nice to be in the library again and see all the books, and borrow some and read them. Then cases (in my country) went up again and I'm staying away for a while, for my own safety and others' (like I did in 2020 and until that October in 2021). The library hasn't done any library sales since autumn 2019 and I miss them, too.

 

Going to two second-hand book markets

Events were starting up again in the summer and in autumn I felt safe enough to go to a second-hand book market at a nearby town. A week later, it turned out there was another second-hand book market at another town nearby, which I got to go to as well. And then cases rose, lockdown hit and all events are cancelled. I hadn't been to a second-hand book event/buying since January 2020 and I had such tremendous fun. I'll be staying away for a while for safety reasons, that is when events are allowed again in the first place, which might be a while anyway. But even when they are allowed, I have to see that cases are low and people are sticking to rules etc, before I'll go. Anyway, so these two second-hand book markets are some of my bookish highlights this year.