Challenges 2022 - January Wrap-up

January has come to an end. Reading was a little bit stressful this month. Apart from my own challenges, I was reading a few books for the interesting Nordic FINDS challenge by AnnaBookBel. On top of that some library books, and several books for two book clubs. The very thick book by Anthony Doerr, Cloud Cuckoo Land, took some time to read as well. Here a summary of what I read this month (my reviews under the links). 

Theme this month

Nordic writers (inspired by AnnaBookBel's challenge FINDS 

January 3-9 – DENMARK – The Last Good Man by A.J. Kazinski - I read this exciting Danish, international thriller.  

January 10-16 – NORWAY – Blå (The End of the Ocean) by Maja Lunde - I read the first instalment of Maja Lunde's Climate Quartet, The History of Bees, and continued with the second one; The End of the Ocean. Fantastic stories about climate change and what might happen. 

January 17-23 – SWEDEN – Kapet av Skåne, Stormaktssveriges viktigaste triumf by Ingvar Bengtsson - still reading this one. It is a nonfiction about Sweden's attempt to gain the southern provinces in Sweden during the 17th century. They belonged to Denmark at the time. Very interesting time in the history of Sweden. Since I live in this area now, I take the opportunity to visit some of the historical places. To be continued into February.

January 24-30 – FINLAND – The American Girl by Monika Fagerholm - just started and will continue reading in February. 

January 31- February 6 – ICELAND - Salka Valka by Haldor Laxness - an Icelandic classics. Not yet started and will continue reading in February. 

My own challenge

A nonfiction from my TBR shelves chosen by a random generator - Bengtsson, Ingvar - Kapet av Skåne, Stormaktssveriges viktigaste triumf - also reading for Nordic FINDS challenge above. 

A fiction from my TBR shelves chosen by a random generator - Last Train Home by Deborah Swift. A pleasant and feel good historical, short story (e-book). 

A translated novel outside of the English- and Swedish speaking countries - Binas historia (The History of Bees) and The End of the Ocean by Maja Lunde (Norwegian) - The Last Good Man by A.J. Kazinski (Danish) - and The Radetzky March by Joseph Roth (Austrian). Due to the Nordic FINDS challenge, I managed three books from non-speaking English/Swedish countries, so all in all four books. Pleased with that outcome.

A classic tale - The Radetzky March by Joseph Roth - a wonderfully written account of a dying family and empire. 

A book from my Wish list - The Magician by Colm Tóibín - Another masterful historical fiction by Tóibín. This time about Thomas Mann. 

The Unread Shelf

January - The book you've been putting off reading -  Presidentskan (La Regenta) by Leopoldo Alas Clarín - no time to read this month. Not yet started, it is a big, thick book so might continue into the next couple of months. 

Number of books from my TBR shelves

1. The History of Bees by Maja Lunde
2. Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim
3. The End Of The Ocean by Maja Lunde
4. Last Train Home by Deborah Swift
5. Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
6. Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

I managed to read six books from my TBR shelves, so off for a good start this year. 

Into February

A few books from January will come with me into February:

Kapet av Skåne, Stormaktssveriges viktigaste triumf by Ingvar Bengtsson

The American Girl by Monika Fagerholm

Salka Valka by Haldor Laxness

Presidentskan (La Regenta) by Leopoldo Alas Clarín

February theme: 

Antiquity (Greek gods and other tales). I have a few interesting books on this theme.

• The Iliad by Homer (on my TBR)
• Antikens Religioner (The Religions of the Antiquity) by Ingvild S Gilhus and Einar Thomassen (two Norwegian authors, so will also go into my non E/S languages) (on my TBR). 
• 3 x Nathalie Haynes -The Children of Jocasta, Pandora's Jar, The Furies (still trying to find the books)
• The Song of Achilles by Madeleine Miller (ordered from the library)
• Ariadne by Jennifer Saint (ordered from the library)

Will probably not be able to read all of them, but looking forward to this theme. 

My own challenge

• a nonfiction from my TBR shelves chosen by a random generator - Stalingrad by Anthony Beevor. 

• a fiction from my TBR shelves chosen by a random generator - The History of the Siege of Lisbon (História do cerco de Lisboa) by José Saramago.

• a translated novel outside of the English- and Swedish speaking countries - Ferragus by Honoré de Balzac (e-book) 

• a classic tale - Confessions of an English Opium-Eater by Thomas De Quincey (e-book).

• a book from my Want to read list - Beyond the Thirty-Nine Steps, A Life of John Buchan by Ursula Buchan. 

        

The Unread Shelf

February: A title you couldn't resist - The Magdalene Legacy by Laurence Gardner

Well, there might be a few titles too much here. Let's see where I end up at the end of February.