2025 What’s in a Name Challenge

It's time again to sign up for the 18th annual What’s in a Name reading challenge! In years past, this challenge was hosted by Charlie at The Worm Hole. The Carolina Book Nook blog has been hosting this challenge since 2019 and is once again handling the challenge.

Rules 

1)  The challenge runs from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025. You can sign up any time, but only count books that you read between those dates.

2) Read a book in any format (hard copy, ebook, audio) with a title that fits into each category.

3) Don’t use the same book for more than one category.

4)  Creativity for matching the categories is not only allowed, it’s encouraged!

5)  You can choose your books as you go or make a list ahead of time.

5)  Sign up using the Mr Linky at the WIAN challenge post.

6)  Add a link to your book reviews for each category at the WIAN challenge page.

7)  Choose 6 books that have titles that contain:

Cardinal direction

Wanderlust

First & last name

Alliteration

Deity

Crime

End of Year Book Memes

I found both of these memes on Librarything. They both were posted approximately 9 years ago but I just found them last Christmas during a search. Just fill in the answers with books you've read this year. Here are my answers:

Meme #1

Describe yourself: Public Anchovy #1 (Mindy Quigley)

Describe how you feel: She's Running on Fumes (Dennis Hopeless)

Describe where you currently live: Happiness Falls (Angie Kim)

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: The Vintage Village Bake-Off (Jennifer Ryan)

Your favorite form of transportation:  South of Sepharad (Eric Weintraub)

Your best friend is: The Body in the Boot (Patrick Walsh)

What’s the weather like: The Blue Monsoon (Dimyanti Biswas)

You fear: The Butcher Game (Alaina Urquhart)

What is the best advice you have to give:  Two Steps Forward (Luana Erhlich)

Thought for the day: Oath and Honor (Elizabeth Cheney)

How I would like to die: Under Water (Rachel Callaghan)

My soul’s present condition: Girl in the Dark (J. M. Cannon)

Meme #2

Shortest book title? Ice (Kevin Tinto)

How many re-reads? 0

Most books read by one author this year? 6 by Luana Erhlich

Any in translation? No

How many books were borrowed from the library? 12

Name a book you’ve read this year which was recommended by a blogger?  The Wartime Book Club (Kate Thompson)

My Life in Books Meme

Shellyrae at the Book'd Out blog came up with this cool meme two years ago.  To participate all you have to do is complete the prompts using titles from the books you have read in 2024.

2024 was the year of: My Husband's Affair (Ruth Heald)

In 2024 I wanted to be: Under Water (Rachel Callaghan)

In 2024 I was: Her Every Fear (Peter Swanson)

In 2024 I gained: Japanese Dolls (Alan Scott Pate)

In 2024 I lost: The Champaign Letters (Kate MacIntosh)

In 2024 I loved: The Black Ghost (Alex Segura)

In 2024 I hated: The President's Wife (Tracey Wood)

In 2024 I learned: The Importance of Sons (Keira Morgan)

In 2024 I was surprised by: The Comfort of Ghosts (Jacqueline Winspear)

In 2024 I went to:  Salt House Place (Jamie Sohn)

In 2024 I missed out on: Three Weeks in Washington (Luana Erhlich)

 In 2024 my family were:  The Sins of Our Fathers (Jody Vorra)

In 2025

I hope (for a): A Lunar New Year Love Story (Gene Luen Yang)

My Life in 2024 Meme

Karen from the Booker Talk blog publishes a similar post every year. I first learned about it two years ago and I am going to answer her questions from last year today. There are links in the titles below that will take you to my reviews.

In high school I was: The Fox Maiden  (Robin Ha)

People might be surprised by: The Atlas Maneuver (Steve Berry}

I will never be: The Amish Wife  (Gregg Olsen)

My life post-lockdown was: Ruined (Sarah Vaughn)

My fantasy job is: Arkangel (James Rollins} 

At the end of a long day I need: Peach Tea Smash (Laura Childs)

I hate being: The Black Ghost (Alex Segura) 

I wish I had: Ice  (Kevin Tinto)

My family reunions are: A Nest of Vipers (Harini Nagendra) 

At a party you’d find me: Where the Body Was (Ed Brubaker)

I’ve never been to: Animal Pound (Tom King)

A happy day includes: A Death at a Scottish Wedding (Lucy Connelly)

Motto I live by: Capture or Kill (Vince Flynn)

On my bucket list is: Five Days in Yemen (Luana Erhlich)

In my next life, I want to have: Yellowface (R. F. Kuang)

Top Ten Books of 2024

I read 123 books in 2024! It is always hard to determine what my best ten books are for any year. This year is a little different in that I knew off the top of my head what the top ten five books were going to be. Please note that I am choosing books from among different genres for this list. The list includes mysteries, historical fiction and graphic novels. Among the genres, I read 59 mysteries, 22 historical fiction/historical mysteries, 26 graphic novels, and 10 nonfiction books. There were 6 additional books where I did not classify a genre. 5 of them were Amish fiction novels. In addition, 54 of the books that I read were new releases and 29 were written by new (to me) authors.

Now, for my top books of 2024:

10) The Champaign Letters by Kate McIntosh (historical fiction)

9)  The Phoenix Bride by Natasha Siegel (historical fiction)

8)  Agony in Amethyst by A. M. Stuart (historical mystery)

7) Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang (graphic novel)

6)  Tender by Beth Hetland (graphic novel)

5)  The Merchant's Tale by PK Adams (historical fiction)

4)  Twice on Christmas by McGarvey Black (mystery)

3). Such a Lovely Couple by Hayley Smith (psychological thriller)

2)  Under Water by Rachel Callaghan (historical mystery)

And my Number 1 book of the year is:

1)  Animal Pound by Tom King (graphic novel)

I have had a goal during the past two years to reduce the number of books that I read in a year. I think most years I have been reading over 200 books. With my recent retirement I am spending more time on my art and I have joined a senior group that offers lots of classes. I am trying to re-learn French, which I haven't studied in 50 years. I also am taking classes in art history and drawing. Also, I have begun taking more vacations and spent the month of October in Japan. In addition, I took up card making as well as collage. I have had many people ask if I was selling the cards and collages, which wasn't my intent. However, it's easy for me to create them so this will probably be a side hustle for me.  I am enjoying making art and reading in a more balanced manner than before.

Top Ten Books I Want in 2025

There are a number of books that I would love to read in 2025. Here are a few of them in no apparent order.

Top Ten Historical Fiction Books of 2024

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres. Between them and mysteries I read at least 100 books every year. This year I read 22 historical fiction novels. Note that my top ten books were not necessarily published in 2024 but come from any of the books that I read this year. Below is my list. Drum roll please.

1)  Under Water by Rachel Callaghan 

2)  Agony in Amethyst by AM Stuart 

3)  The Merchant's Tale by PK Adams 

4)  The Phoenix Bride by Natasha Siegel 

5)  The Champaign Letters by Kate McIntosh 

6)  The Map Colorist by Rebecca D'Harlingue 

7)  The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan 

8)  White Mulberry by Rosa Kwon Easton 

9)  The Secret War of Julia Child by Diana Chambers 

10) The Raven's Widow by Adrienne Dillard

Top Ten Mysteries of 2024

I have been reading mysteries ever since I learned to read. They are my favorite genre and this year I read 55 of them. Note that my top ten books were not necessarily published in 2024 but come from the books that I read this year. Here is my list:

1)  Such a Loving Couple by Hayley Smith 

2)  Agony in Amethyst by AM Stuart 

3)  Under Water by Rachel Callaghan 

4)  Twice on Christmas by McGarvey Black 

5)  The Body in the Boot by Patrick Walsh 

6)  The Blue Monsoon by Dimyanti Biswas 

7)  Girl in the Dark by JM Cannon 

8)  Peach Tea Smash by Laura Childs 

9) Death at a Scottish Christmas by Lucy Connelly 

10)  The Waitress by Emily Shiner

Top Ten New Authors in 2024

I read books from 29 new, to me, authors in 2024. Here is a list of my top ten favorites along with the title of their book that I read.

1)  Mindy Quigley, An American in Scotland 

2)  Rachel Callaghan, Under Water 

3)  Natasha Siegel, The Phoenix Bride 

4)  Kate McIntosh,  The Wartime Book Club 

5)  Angie Kim,  Happiness Falls 

6)  Kate Thompson, The Wartime Book Club 

7)  Tony Wirt,  Pike Island 

8)  Diana Chambers, The Secret War of Julia Child 

9)  Beth Hetland, Tender

10) Leslie Gould, By Evening's Light 

Top Ten Book Covers of 2024

I enjoy highlighting book covers each month and try to give some background information on the designer. It’s not always possible to obtain information on book cover designers but I make a good effort to get the information. Below are my favorite book covers for 2024 in order of importance, ie, the first cover you see is my top book cover of the year. Here we go!