Joy’s 2022 Category Challenge

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Joy’s 2022 Category Challenge

1jlshall
Bearbeitet: Dez. 23, 2021, 7:19 pm

Well, here we go again! Hi, everyone. I’m Joy (“jlshall” here at LibraryThing) and I am addicted to the category challenge. This will be number 11 for me, and even though I use it more as a tracking and organizing mechanism than a reading challenge, I still love it.

I had intended to wait until closer to the end of December before posting my plans for next year’s Category Challenge. But I’m just really ready for some fresh beginnings, aren’t you? I might do some final tweaking, but I think I’ve got a basic set-up in mind.

My husband has some medical stuff coming up in the new year, and I’ll be concentrating on that during most of January. So for my 2022 challenge I’m trying to streamline things a bit, do some trimming and condensing. Simplify.

No theme this time, and just four major categories:

• Mysteries (“crime fiction” of all kinds) ... goal: (at least) 20 books
• Other Fiction ... goal: 10 books
• Nonfiction ... goal: 10 books
• Children’s literature (probably including some young adult lit) ... goal: 10 books

The listed goals are very changeable. My overall goal for a year of reading is generally 50 books, and this would give me my 50.

I also plan to do BingoDOG and AlphaKIT again — I’ve really come to depend on those two for organizing my reading life. And I enjoyed RandomCAT this year, so I might try RandomKIT in 2022. I played around with a few of the other CATs and KITs in 2021, but had trouble keeping up with them all, so for next year I’m just sticking with the ones I’m pretty sure about.

And … I guess that’s the plan. For now, anyway.

(Originally posted 12/23/2021)

2jlshall
Bearbeitet: Dez. 23, 2021, 7:22 pm

Reserved for lists, notes, etc.

3jlshall
Bearbeitet: Dez. 15, 2022, 6:23 pm

Category #1: Mysteries & Crime Fiction



I've always read more of this genre than any other, so I shouldn't have any trouble here.

Books Read:
1. Homicide Trinity (Nero Wolfe #36), by Rex Stout (1962) ✭✭✭✭
2. The Stately Home Murder (Inspector Sloan #3), by Catherine Aird (1969) ✭✭✭½
3. The Hidden (DS Joanna Harper #2), by Melanie Golding (2021) ✭✭✭✭
4. The Christie Affair, by Nina de Gramont (2022) ✭✭
5. The Case of the Silent Partner (Perry Mason #17), by Erle Stanley Gardner (1940) ✭✭✭½
6. City of the Dead (Alex Delaware #37), by Jonathan Kellerman (2022) ✭✭✭½
7. The Moving Target (Lew Archer #1), by Ross Macdonald (1949) ✭✭✭✭
8. Black Orchids (Nero Wolfe #9), by Rex Stout (1942) ✭✭✭✭
9. The Marlow Murder Club, by Robert Thorogood (2021/2022) ✭✭✭✭
10. Death by Beach Read (Lighthouse Library Mystery #9), by Eva Gates (2022) ✭✭✭✭
11. Chrysalis (Jeremy Logan #6), by Lincoln Child (2022) ✭✭½
12. Stay Awake, by Megan Goldin (2022) ✭✭✭
13. Back to the Garden, by Laurie R. King (2022) ✭✭✭✭½
14. Late Harvest Havoc (Winemaker Detective Series #10), by Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen; trans. by Sally Pane (2005) ✭✭✭½
15. The Final Equinox (Theo Cray & Jessica Blackwood), by Andrew Mayne (2022) ✭✭✭
16. Night at the Vulcan (Inspector Roderick Alleyn #16), by Ngaio Marsh (1951) ✭✭✭½
17. Gambit (Nero Wolfe #37), by Rex Stout (1962) ✭✭✭✭
18. The Chalmers Case (Markham Sisters #3), by Dianna Xarissa ✭✭✭
19.
20.

........

(The image for this category is a Sidney Paget illustration for “The Adventure of the Abbey Grange” by Arthur Conan Doyle)

4jlshall
Bearbeitet: Dez. 11, 2022, 3:56 pm

Category #2: Other Fiction



Books Read:
1. How to Live with a Calculating Cat, illus by Eric Gurney, text by William Nettleton (1962; Humor) ✭✭✭½
2. The Children on the Hill, by Jennifer McMahon (2022; Horror) ✭✭✭✭½
3. The Fashion Orphans, by Randy Susan Meyers and M.J. Rose (2022; Women's Fiction) ✭✭✭
4. Small Angels, by Lauren Owen (2022; Horror) ✭✭✭
5. The Omega Factor, by Steve Berry (2022; Adventure Thriller) ✭✭✭✭
6. The Shadow Over Innsmouth, by H.P. Lovecraft (1936; Horror) ✭✭✭
7. The Wanderer in Unknown Realms, by John Connolly (2013; Horror) ✭✭✭½
8. The Cabinet of Dr. Leng (Pendergast #21), by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child (2023; Sci-Fi Thriller) ✭✭✭
9. Terminal Freeze (Jeremy Logan #2), by Lincoln Child (2008; Sci-Fi Thriller) ✭✭✭✭
10.

........

(The above image is an Aubrey Beardsley illustration for the 1893 edition of "Le Morte D’Arthur" by Sir Thomas Malory)

5jlshall
Bearbeitet: Dez. 21, 2023, 4:30 pm

Category #3: Nonfiction



I'd like to read more nonfiction than I have in recent years. Ten books might be more than I can manage, but it's a good target.

Books Read:
1. The Pattern in the Carpet: A Personal History with Jigsaws, by Margaret Drabble (2009; Memoir) ✭✭✭✭½
2. When You Are Engulfed in Flames, by David Sedaris (2008; Humor; Personal Essays; didn't actually finish this one, so it'll be on hold for a future date)
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

6jlshall
Bearbeitet: Dez. 20, 2022, 5:50 pm

Category #4: Children's Lit & Young Adult



Books Read:
1. Skippyjon Jones, by Judy Schachner (illus. by author) ✭✭✭✭
2. Blueberries for Sal, by Robert McCloskey (illus. by author) ✭✭✭✭
3. The Barnabus Project, by Terry, Eric and Devin Fan (illus. by authors) ✭✭✭✭
4. The Night Gardener, by Terry and Eric Fan (illus. by authors) ✭✭✭✭
5. The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night, by Peter Spier (illus. by author) ✭✭✭✭
6. Bright April, by Marguerite de Angeli (illus. by author) ✭✭✭✭½
7. Amelia Bedelia, by Peggy Parish; illus. by Fritz Siebel ✭✭✭✭
8. Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, by Lewis Carroll (illus. by Sir John Tenniel); this was a re-read ✭✭✭✭✭
9. Mrs Armitage on Wheels, by Quentin Blake (illus. by author) ✭✭✭✭
10. Many Moons, by James Thurber; illus. by Louis Slobodkin ✭✭✭✭½
11. Afternoon of the Elves, by Janet Taylor Lisle ✭✭✭✭
12. J.R. Silver Writes Her World, by Melissa Dassori (illus. by Chelen Aecija) ✭✭✭✭
13. James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl; illus. by Quentin Blake ✭✭✭
14. The Headless Cupid (Stanley Family #1), by Zilpha Keatley Snyder; illus. by Alton Raible ✭✭✭✭

7jlshall
Bearbeitet: Dez. 20, 2022, 6:03 pm

AlphaKIT



Of all the CATs and KITs I’ve tried, I think this is my favorite. I love the way AlphaKIT helps me figure out what to read every month.

The Wiki for the 2022 AlphaKIT is HERE.

Letters for 2022:

JANUARY: R H ... January Thread
Homicide Trinity (Nero Wolfe #36), by Rex Stout (1962)
The Stately Home Murder (Inspector Sloan #3), by Catherine Aird (1969)

FEBRUARY: A B ... February Thread
Bright April, by Marguerite de Angeli (1946)
The Barnabus Project, by Terry, Eric and Devin Fan (2020)
Blueberries for Sal, by Robert McCloskey (1948)

MARCH: P S ... March Thread
The Case of the Silent Partner (Perry Mason #17), by Erle Stanley Gardner (1940)

APRIL: L J ... April Thread
City of the Dead (Alex Delaware #37), by Jonathan Kellerman (2022)
Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, by Lewis Carroll (1871; a re-read)
The Children on the Hill, by Jennifer McMahon (2022)

MAY: O D ... May Thread
The Fashion Orphans, by Randy Susan Meyers and M.J. Rose (2022)
The Pattern in the Carpet: A Personal History with Jigsaws, by Margaret Drabble (2009)

JUNE: Q C ... June Thread
The Marlow Murder Club (Marlow Murder Club #1), by Robert Thorogood (2021/2022)
Mrs Armitage on Wheels, by Quentin Blake; illus. by author (1987)

JULY: E T ... July Thread
Afternoon of the Elves, by Janet Taylor Lisle (1989)
Death by Beach Read (Lighthouse Library Mystery #9), by Eva Gates (2022)

AUGUST: M F ... August Thread
Many Moons, by James Thurber; illus. by Louis Slobodkin (1943)
The Omega Factor, by Steve Berry (2022)

SEPTEMBER: K I ... September Thread
Back to the Garden, by Laurie R. King (2022)
The Shadow Over Innsmouth, by H.P. Lovecraft (1936)

OCTOBER: V N ... October Thread
Night at the Vulcan (Roderick Alleyn #16), by Ngaio Marsh (1951)

NOVEMBER: G U ... November Thread
The Wanderer in Unknown Realms, by John Connolly (2013)
Gambit (Nero Wolfe #37), by Rex Stout (1962)

DECEMBER: Y W ... December Thread
When You Are Engulfed in Flames, by David Sedaris (2008)

YEARLONG: X Z ... Yearlong Thread
The Chalmers Case (Markham Sisters #3), by Diana Xarissa (2015)
The Headless Cupid, by Zilpha Keatley Snyder (1971)

8jlshall
Bearbeitet: Dez. 15, 2022, 12:34 pm

BingoDOG



The 2022 categories:

✓ 1. An Award Winning book: Many Moons, by James Thurber; illus. by Louis Slobodkin (Caldecott Medal, 1944)
✓ 2. Published in a year ending 2: Homicide Trinity, by Rex Stout (pub. 1962)
__3. A modern retelling of an older story - Generally I don't enjoy "retellings" so this will be difficult
✓ 4. A book you'd love to see as a movie: The Marlow Murder Club, by Robert Thorogood
✓ 5. A book that features a dog: Howliday Inn, by James Howe
✓ 6. The title contains the letter Z: Terminal Freeze, by Lincoln Child
__7. Published the year you joined LT (2008):
✓ 8. A book by a favorite author: Black Orchids, by Rex Stout
✓ 9. A long book (long for you): The Omega Factor, by Steve Berry
__10. A book you received as a gift
✓ 11. The title contains a month: Bright April, by Marguerite de Angeli
✓ 12. A weather word in the title: The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night, by Peter Spier
✓ 13. Read a CAT: The Moving Target, by Ross Macdonald (April MysteryKIT: Noir and Hard-Boiled)
✓ 14. Contains travel or a journey: James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl
✓ 15. A book about sisters or brothers: The Fashion Orphans, by Randy Susan Meyers & M.J. Rose
__16. A book club read (real or online) - I don't belong to any book clubs, so I might have to skip this one
✓ 17. A book with flowers on the cover: The Case of the Silent Partner, by Erle Stanley Gardner
✓ 18. A book in translation: Late Harvest Havoc, by Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen; trans. from French by Sally Pane
✓ 19. A work of non-fiction: The Pattern in the Carpet: A Personal History with Jigsaws, by Margaret Drabble
✓ 20. A book where a character shares a name of a friend: The Night Gardener, by Terry and Eric Fan
✓ 21. A book set in a capital city: Night at the Vulcan, by Ngaio Marsh (set in London)
✓ 22. A children's or YA book: J.R. Silver Writes Her World, by Melissa Dassori; illus by Chelen Aecija
✓ 23. A book set in a country other than the one you live in: The Stately Home Murder, by Catherine Aird
✓ 24. A book by an LGBTQ+ author: The Children on the Hill, by Jennifer McMahon
✓ 25. A book with silver or gold on the cover: The Christie Affair, by Nina de Gramont

Link to: 2022 BingoDOG Planning Thread.
Link to: 2022 BingoDOG wiki.

9jlshall
Bearbeitet: Dez. 11, 2022, 12:14 pm

RandomKIT



I might have to drop in and out of this one, but I’m giving it a try.

The 2022 RandomKIT Wiki is HERE

JANUARY: Home Sweet Home ... January Thread
The Stately Home Murder (Inspector Sloan #3), by Catherine Aird

FEBRUARY: Read a "Cat" ... February Thread
How to Live with a Calculating Cat, by Eric Gurney (illus.) and William Nettleton (text)

MARCH: Hobby Love ... March Thread


APRIL: April Showers ... April Thread
Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, by Lewis Carroll; illus. by John Tenniel (this was a re-read)

MAY: May Flowers ... May Thread
Black Orchids (Nero Wolfe #9), by Rex Stout

JUNE: Cookin' the Books ... June Thread


JULY: Dog Days of Summer ... July Thread
Howliday Inn (Bunnicula #2), by James Howe; illus. by Lynn Munsinger

AUGUST: Canada! ... August Thread


SEPTEMBER: A Time to Harvest ... September Thread
Late Harvest Havoc (Winemaker Detective #10), by Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen

OCTOBER: What's in a Name? ... October Thread
James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl; illus. by Quentin Blake

NOVEMBER: City ... November Thread
The Shadow over Innsmouth, by H.P. Lovecraft

DECEMBER: Christmas Sweets ... December Thread

10jlshall
Bearbeitet: Dez. 23, 2021, 7:55 pm

Reserved for Miscellaneous Stuff



...or in case I need to add one more category down the line.

11jlshall
Bearbeitet: Dez. 23, 2021, 7:56 pm

Reserved for even more miscellaneous stuff....

Actually, I added this by mistake.

12jlshall
Bearbeitet: Dez. 23, 2021, 7:52 pm

And … I think that’s it. Now I just need to finish up my 2021 reads, and then I can get going on a shiny new challenge.

I want to say a big thank you to all the challenge organizers and hosts of all the CATs, KITs, etc. And another thanks to all the other challenge participants for the inspiration, recommendations, encouragement, etc.

And Happy Reading in 2022!

13MissBrangwen
Dez. 24, 2021, 3:47 am

Beautiful pictures!

Best wishes for you and your husband, and of course happy reading!

14rabbitprincess
Dez. 24, 2021, 3:03 pm

Welcome back! I hope all goes well for your husband and that you have a great reading year!

15DeltaQueen50
Dez. 25, 2021, 2:21 pm

Enjoy your 2022 reading challenges!

16hailelib
Dez. 25, 2021, 7:33 pm

Good luck on your challenges.

17thornton37814
Dez. 31, 2021, 9:30 pm

Good luck on your 2022 challenges!

18MissWatson
Jan. 4, 2022, 8:15 am

Love the pictures! Happy reading in 2022!

19beebeereads
Jan. 10, 2022, 11:32 am

>1 jlshall: Well its nice to see someone else in my 50/yr book range! Last year I read 60, but I set my goal to 50 every year. That is very doable for me and I don't like chasing a goal. I'll look forward to seeing your progress and best wishes to your hubby.

20jlshall
Jan. 21, 2022, 9:32 pm

>13 MissBrangwen:, >14 rabbitprincess:, >15 DeltaQueen50:, >16 hailelib:, >17 thornton37814:, >18 MissWatson:, >19 beebeereads: Thanks, everyone, for the encouraging words!

I started out well, but got side-tracked by my hubby's surgery this month. Now that he seems to be on the mend, I'm hoping to be a little more active around here and I'll be stopping by to see what you're all reading. Hope everyone has a great year of bookish activities!

21Tess_W
Jan. 22, 2022, 7:16 pm

Good luck with your 2022 reading and with your husband's recovery.

22jlshall
Feb. 1, 2022, 1:21 am

>21 Tess_W: Thank you! And I hope you have good luck with your reading this year, too.

23jlshall
Bearbeitet: Mai 3, 2022, 10:18 pm

JANUARY Reads

.

1. Homicide Trinity (Nero Wolfe #36), by Rex Stout
2. The Stately Home Murder (Inspector Sloan #3), by Catherine Aird

24jlshall
Bearbeitet: Apr. 9, 2022, 6:14 pm

FEBRUARY Reads

........

1. The Hidden (DS Joanna Harper #2), by Melanie Golding
2. How to Live with a Calculating Cat, by Eric Gurney (illus.) and William Nettleton (text)
3. The Barnabus Project, by Terry, Eric and Devin Fan (illus. by authors)
4. Blueberries for Sal, by Robert McCloskey (illus. by author)
5. Bright April, by Marguerite de Angeli (illus. by author)
6. The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night, by Peter Spier (illus. by author)
7. The Night Gardener, by Terry and Eric Fan (illus. by authors)
8. Skippyjon Jones, by Judy Schachner (illus. by author)

25jlshall
Bearbeitet: Apr. 9, 2022, 12:02 pm

MARCH Reads

..

1. The Christie Affair, by Nina de Gramont
2. The Case of the Silent Partner (Perry Mason #17), by Erle Stanley Gardner

On hold:
The Moving Target (Lew Archer #1), by Ross Macdonald (hope to finish this one in April)

26rabbitprincess
Mrz. 5, 2022, 1:34 pm

>25 jlshall: I just read The Moving Target last month! I'll probably start The Wycherly Woman tonight; I've been reading the series out of order and this is the second-last novel I have to read.

27jlshall
Bearbeitet: Apr. 30, 2022, 7:57 pm

APRIL Reads

....

1. Amelia Bedelia (Amelia Bedelia #1), by Peggy Parish; illus by Fritz Siebel
2. The Children on the Hill, by Jennifer McMahon
3. City of the Dead (Alex Delaware #37), by Jonathan Kellerman
4. The Moving Target (Lew Archer #1), by Ross Macdonald
5. Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, by Lewis Carroll (this was a re-read)

28mysterymax
Apr. 10, 2022, 10:23 am

29jlshall
Apr. 17, 2022, 9:48 pm

>26 rabbitprincess: >28 mysterymax: I had to put it aside for a while, but I'm hoping to finish it up next week. I think I've seen a couple of film versions of the book, so I sort of know what to expect. So far, I'm enjoying it a lot.

30jlshall
Bearbeitet: Aug. 2, 2022, 1:32 am

MAY Reads

..

1. The Fashion Orphans, by Randy Susan Meyers and M.J. Rose
2. Black Orchids (Nero Wolfe #9), by Rex Stout
3. The Pattern in the Carpet: A Personal History with Jigsaws, by Margaret Drabble

31jlshall
Bearbeitet: Jul. 21, 2022, 7:08 pm

JUNE Reads

.

1. The Marlow Murder Club (Marlow Murder Club #1), by Robert Thorogood
2. Mrs Armitage on Wheels, by Quentin Blake (illus. by author)

32jlshall
Bearbeitet: Aug. 7, 2022, 7:52 pm

JULY Reads

...

1. Death by Beach Read (Lighthouse Library Mystery #9), by Eva Gates
2. Chrysalis (Jeremy Logan #6), by Lincoln Child
3. Afternoon of the Elves, by Janet Taylor Lisle
4. Howliday Inn (Bunnicula #2), by James Howe; illus. by Lynn Munsinger

33jlshall
Bearbeitet: Okt. 16, 2022, 10:37 pm

AUGUST Reads

...

1. Many Moons, by James Thurber; illus. by Louis Slobodkin
2. J.R. Silver Writes Her World, by Melissa Dassori; illus. by Chelen Aecija
3. The Omega Factor, by Steve Berry
4. Small Angels, by Lauren Owen

34jlshall
Bearbeitet: Nov. 28, 2022, 11:02 pm

SEPTEMBER Reads

...

1. Stay Awake, by Megan Goldin
2. Late Harvest Havoc (Winemaker Detective #10), by Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen
3. Back to the Garden, by Laurie R. King
4. The Shadow Over Innsmouth, by H.P. Lovecraft (finished in Nov)

35jlshall
Bearbeitet: Nov. 2, 2022, 11:53 pm

OCTOBER Reads

..

1. The Final Equinox (Theo Cray & Jessica Blackwood #2), by Andrew Mayne
2. Night at the Vulcan (Inspector Roderick Alleyn #16), by Ngaio Marsh
3. James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl; illus. by Quentin Blake

36jlshall
Bearbeitet: Dez. 2, 2022, 10:06 pm

NOVEMBER Reads

..

1. The Cabinet of Dr. Leng (Aloysius Pendergast #21), by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (reading now)
2. The Wanderer in Unknown Realms, by John Connolly
3. Gambit (Nero Wolfe #37), by Rex Stout

37jlshall
Bearbeitet: Nov. 15, 2022, 7:49 pm

A little planning for November reading. As usual, here at the end of the year, I'm trying to fit in some books I really intended to read earlier. And the 2023 Category Challenge has already started up (it's in full swing, over at https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/23825/2023-Category-Challenge). That's definitely got my attention. But I'm just trying to concentrate on finishing 2022 before I get too caught up in the new reading year around the corner.

For the most part, I'm also trying to read books I already have in my library.

Possible Reads for NOV AlphaKIT (letters are G & U):

The Children of Green Knowe, by Lucy M. Boston
Gambit (Nero Wolfe #37), by Rex Stout
The Golden Child, by Penelope Fitzgerald
Sights Unseen, by Kaye Gibbons (I enjoyed Ellen Foster, by Gibbons, and have always wanted to read some of her other work)
Unnatural Death (Lord Peter Wimsey #3), by Dorothy L. Sayers (I think this would be a reread)
Used and Rare: Travels in the Book World, by Lawrence & Nancy Goldstone (I don't own a copy of this one and it seems to be hard to find in good condition at a reasonable price)
The Wanderer in Unknown Realms, by John Connolly
The Woman Who Fell from Grace (Stewart Hoag Mysteries #3), by David Handler

Possible Reads for NOV RandomKIT (theme is City):

The City and the Stars, by Arthur C. Clarke
City of Endless Night (Pendergast #17), by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child (I've been jumping around in the series, and missed this one)
City of Glass (New York Trilogy #1), by Paul Auster
City of God, by E.L. Doctorow
City of the Mind, by Penelope Lively
London Bridge Is Falling Down (Bryant & May: Peculiar Crimes Unit #18), by Christopher Fowler
The Magic City, by E. Nesbit
To Perish in Penzance (Dorothy Martin #7), by Jeanne M. Dams

38jlshall
Bearbeitet: Dez. 20, 2022, 6:07 pm

DECEMBER Reads

...

1. Terminal Freeze (Jeremy Logan #2), by Lincoln Child
2. The Chalmers Case (Markham Sisters #3), by Diana Xarissa
3. The Headless Cupid (Stanley Family #1), by Zilpha Keatley Snyder; illus. by Alton Raible
4. When You Are Engulfed in Flames, by David Sedaris

Possibilities:
The Cloisters, by Katy Hays
The Nightmare Man, by J.H. Markert