Thursday 30 December 2021

Book Bingo 2021 wrap-up post

Time for my first reading challenge wrap-up post. This one is the Book Bingo 2021 challenge which has been hosted by the Unruly Reader. 

If I've counted correctly, I've ended up with six complete Bingo lines, three short of a full 'blackout' -- 22 books altogether. 

The books I read:

1,000 BOOKS TO READ BEFORE YOU DIE: Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin

ANTI-RACIST: Leaving Everything Most Loved by  Jacqueline Winspear

QUEST: Miss Benson's Beetle by Rachel Joyce 

BREEZY: Gardens of Delight by Erica James 

BLACK AUTHOR: Finding My Voice by Nadiya Hussein 

NARRATIVE NON-FICTION: The Salt Path by Raynor Winn

DIY: Breath by James Nestor 

RESTORATION: Krakatoa by Simon Winchester 

IMMIGRANT: Middlesex by Jeffrey  Eugenides

EYE CATCHING: The Villa by Rosanna Ley 

THE WHOLE PACKAGE (final Book): Off the map by Alastair Bonnett

BLURB: A Borrowing of Bones by Paula Munier

RUSSIA: Through Siberia by Accident by Dervla Murphy 

TRIUMPH: The Abominable by Dan Simmons 

NOIR: The Killer Inside Me by Jim Thompson 

DEFIANCE: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller 

RABBIT HOLE: Emma by Jane Austen

SUGAR: Twelve Days of Christmas by Debbie Macomber 

SURVIVAL: Into the Planet by Jill Heinerth 

THE EXPLORER:  The Cold Vanish by Jon Billman 

QUARANTINE: The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain 

KNOTTY: Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

So that was my first attempt at the Book Bingo challenge. I thoroughly enjoyed it, in the main because most of the categories were not simple or straightforward. A bit of thinking was required as to which books fitted well with the prompt. I enjoyed it so much that I shall be doing it again next year and can't wait to get started.


12 comments:

(Diane) Bibliophile By the Sea said...

What a great job Cath - Looking at your list you reminded me how much I loved Middlesex when I read it about 15 years ago (I'm guessing.) Your reading for 2021 was so diverse. I'm guessing challenges such as this one really helped you to try new genres. Hope 2022 is a great year for you as well.

Lark said...

So many bingos! That's awesome. And you read some really fun books for all those different categories. I do like book bingo. I just didn't do it this year because I decided to do the classics challenge instead, but maybe I'll give it a try next year. I haven't quite decided what my reading goals will be yet. :D

Cath said...

Diane: Middlesex is a book that has stuck with me all year. It wasn't perfect but something about it has stayed in my thoughts. I probably need to try mure books by the author.

I think maybe I was already reading very eclecticly before these challenges but they do keep me on my toes and willing to try new genres or weird non-fiction subjects. LOL!

Cath said...

Lark: Yes, I got more than I thought I would. Quite surprised to get that close to completing the whole thing. I plan to try to do that next year, just didn't quite have time this year.

I want to do some kind of classics challenge this year, even if I have to do it on own... aim to read six that I have on my shelves for instance. It's doable and would probably double up for the Bingo one or Book Voyage.

Vallypee said...

A fascinating list, Cath, and well done for almost completing your bingo card! You must be the most avid reader I know, and I wouldn’t even come close to this many. Happy New Year, and I’ll look forward to more of your blogs in 2022!

Sam said...

Nicely done, Cath. it's fun to see where those prompts led you during the year. Happy New Year to you all...have a great 2022!

TracyK said...

You did so well with this challenge, Cath. I cannot believe you only had 3 categories unread. Those categories look difficult to me. And I am glad you enjoyed it, which is most important.

I am planning to do the 2022 Bingo Challenge, I have looked over the categories several times and several of them really appeal. Others seem really hard for me, so I doubt I will do that well, but I would be happy to do over half of them.

Cath said...

Val: Thanks! Noooo, there are plenty of more avid readers than me. At least, plenty who read more books every year... I'm certainly avid enough though. LOL

Happy New Year to you too.

Cath said...

Sam: Thank you. Translating the prompts and making them fit what I was reading was one of the joys of this challenge. And is also why I'm doing it again. A glutton for punishment. LOL

Cath said...

Tracy: Thanks very much. Yes, I was quite surprised to find I only had three categories left unfilled. Unfortunately it was too many to have a last minute rush and finish it.

Delighted that you're going to do this one too. You'll be surprised at how even the hard categories somehow get filled. But really all that's required is to do one bingo so it's not too difficut really.

Yvonne @ Fiction Books Reviews said...

It's just a shame that you ran out of time, as I'm sure that you would have filled the 'Edwardian' and 'Classics' squares, although goodness knows what I would have been able to fill the 'UN conventional' square with!!

Good Luck with this year's selection :)

Cath said...

Yvonne: Yes, I think I would've finished it but for lack of time. I had a reread of Wind in the Willows lined up for 'Edwardian' and would've decided on something for 'Instant classic' I'm sure. 'Unconventional', I have to confess, had me stumped a bit.