2024 in Reading Challenges

I am procrastinating finishing my 70th book of the year so I can write about what and how I read.

For the past 10 years, I’ve been tracking my reading in earnest. I know a lot of people don’t bother with this, but I love anything that allows me to make a list and track data in a spreadsheet so I can analyze later. Since I can’t keep things simple, I added in reading challenges which I found thanks to book bloggers. The first one I attempted was an A-Z challenge for author names which I found on Feminist Texican Reads. From there, I’d add or skip throughout the year. Aside from setting a number goal on Goodreads* for the year, I’ve done the following challenges:

A-Z by author last name
A-Z by title
Books I Own
Book Riot’s Read Harder Challenge
Books from NPR’s 100 Must-Read for Kids 9-14
PopSugar Reading Challenge
What’s In A Name Challenge

I keep coming back to challenges because I like them. The planning and searching process is fun as I peruse best-of lists, blogs, and bookish groups on Facebook or Goodreads. The challenge prompts nudge me to pick up a book that’s been on my to-read list for a while or discover a new author and go outside my comfort zone. I also like trying to make the challenge my own and interpret prompts creatively.

On the other hand, it can feel like a lot. Last year I felt burned out tackling all 50 prompts of the PopSugar challenge. I was over it by the end. Reading a book just to fulfill a prompt can suck the enjoyment out of reading and I’m too stubborn to quit.

For 2024, I decided to cut back (sorta) by only doing 4 challenges:

70 books (Goodreads challenge)
A-Z by author last name
Reading Everybody Black (thanks to my friend Library Fanatic for sharing about this)
Read Latine Lit organized by Lupita Reads who has amazing bookish content

I also added some new things:

Choosing books at random by assigning each book a number and picking by random number generator. If I didn’t want to read the book, I just decided to remove it from my list. I only did this for the first half of the year as I had to be more intentional about book choices to fulfill the A-Z and Reading Everyone Black challenges.
Book club: the church I attend has a book club. I always peruse the list of books which often aligns with my interests, but never attended until this year.

A-Z by Author Challenge

Completed a couple of days ago with Helena María Viramontes’s novel Their Dogs Came with Them! I’ve done this several times now and typically have so many books on my to-read list that I only need to search for a few letters. I also have go-to authors for the hard letters like Q, U, or X.

A to Z reading challenge. Shows 26 books which are listed in blog post.

Anzaldúa, Gloria – Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza
Bell, Darrin – The Talk
Collins, Suzanne – The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
Danticat, Edwidge – Everything Inside
Erdrich, Louise – The Sentence
Figueroa, Jamie – Brother, Sister, Mother, Explorer
Gonzales, Manuel – The Miniature Wife and Other Stories
Hayes-Bautista, David – El Cinco de Mayo: An American Tradition
Irby, Samantha – Quietly Hostile
Jackson, Kwana – Knot Again
Krakauer, Jon – Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith
Lauren, Christina – The True Love Experiment
Montgomery, Candice – By Any Means Necessary
Naumberg, Carla – How to Stop Losing Your Shit with Your Kids: A Practical Guide to Becoming a Calmer, Happier Parent
Olivarez, José – Promises of Gold
Phillips, Delores – The Darkest Child
Quade, Kirstin Valdez – The Five Wounds
Ryan, Kennedy – This Could Be Us
Smith, Eric – Don’t Read the Comments
Taylor, Brandon – Filthy Animals
Umrigar, Thrity – The Space Between Us
Viramontes, Helena María – Their Dogs Came with Them
Waters, Sarah – Fingersmith
Xu, Wendy and Walker, Suzanne – Mooncakes
Yang, Kao Kalia – The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir
Zoboi, Ibi – Nigeria Jones

Goodreads Challenge

I’m almost done with my goal to read 70 books. Check our my year in books

Reading Everybody Black

This was an A-Z challenge that you could interpret in a number of ways. For instance, A could be for author first or last name, title, genre, topic, main character, setting, etc. I generally chose books that met the challenge by author name or title. For N and Y I chose by genre, noir and young adult. I had a lot of books that were already on my to-do read list and prioritized those.

I really liked this challenge and was happy to discover authors like S.A. Cosby, Imbolo Mbue, Aya de León, Rebekah Weatherspoon, and Brendan Slocumb whose books I really enjoyed. I’ve already added other books by them to my to-read list.

A: Agbaje-Williams, Ore – The Three of Us
B: Bell, Darrin – The Talk
C: Cunningham, Vinson – Great Expectations
D: Williams, Denise – The Fastest Way to Fall
E: Danticat, Edwidge – Everything Inside
F: Acevedo, Elizabeth – Family Lore
G: Guillory, Jasmine – Drunk on Love
H: Hibbert, Talia – Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute
I: Mbue, Imbolo – How Beautiful We Were
J: Craft, Jerry – New Kid
K: Jackson, Kwana – Knot Again
L: Taylor, Brandon – The Late Americans
M: Montgomery, Candice – Home and Away
N: Cosby, S. A. – Razorblade Tears [noir]
O: Butler, Octavia – Parable of the Sower
P: Phillips, Delores – The Darkest Child
Q: Irby, Samantha – Quietly Hostile
R: Ryan, Kennedy – This Could Be Us
S: Morrison, Toni – Song of Solomon
T: Taylor, Brandon – Filthy Animals
U: de León, Aya – Uptown Thief
V: Slocumb, Brendan – The Violin Conspiracy
W: Wes Moore – The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates
X: Weatherspoon, Rebekah – Xeni
Y: Montgomery, Candice – By Any Means Necessary [young adult]
Z: Zoboi, Ibi – Nigeria Jones

Read Latine Lit

The #ReadLatineLit challenge was simple: read at least one book by a Latine author per month. By this standard, I did not meet the challenge because I didn’t read any books by a Latine author in April, June and August but I made up for it in other months. Overall I read 20 books that fit the challenge. Based on my habits, this was a pretty easy challenge, but I added it because I wanted to promote Lupita Reads’ content and hope that readers will read and support literature by Latine authors.

Hayes-Bautista, David – El Cinco de Mayo: An American Tradition
Olivarez, José – Promises of Gold
Anzaldua, Gloria – Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza
Moraga, Cherríe – A Xicana Codex of Changing Consciousness: Writings, 2000-2010
Martínez, Rubén – Crossing Over: A Mexican Family on the Migrant Trail
Gonzales, Manuel – The Miniature Wife and Other Stories
González, Xóchitl – Olga Dies Dreaming
González, Xóchitl – Anita de Monte Laughs Last
Castillo, Ana Doña – Cleanwell Leaves Home: Stories
Limón, Ada – Bright Dead Things
Moreno-Garcia, Silvia – Untamed Shore
Acevedo, Elizabeth – Family Lore

St Catherine’s Book Club

I attended most months and facilitated the discussion for a book I read last year, Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. This really helped me branch out as I only had read one author before, Louise Erdrich.

Erdrich, Louise – The Sentence
McCann, Colum – Apeirogon
Moore, Wes – The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates
Krakauer, Jon – Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith
Yang, Kao Kalia – The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir
Kingsolver, Barbara – Demon Copperhead
Napolitano, Ann – Hello Beautiful
Umrigar, Thrity – The Space Between Us
McBride, James – The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store

Dígame

How do you decide what to read next? Where do you get your book recommendations? Do you do any reading challenges?

*Aside: I tried to stop using Goodreads and migrating over to StoryGraph. But old habits die hard. I know, I know.

Familia

The Coat

A few weeks ago I attended Xavi’s school production of The Tempest. He played Ariel, which he shared with two other students. This post isn’t about Xavi’s play, which I have so many feels about. How is my baby up on stage reciting Shakespeare?

Cindy giving a side hug to her son Xavi. He’s holding flowers and in his theater costume blue pants, shiny vest and a white shirt. She’s in a long multi-patterned dress and suede coat. — *My thespian!*

In getting ready for the play I decided to go a little dramatic to match my dramatic kid (his words!). I chose a new-to-me multi-patterned flowy dress. It was one of several dresses/skirts my cousin’s wife Sara let me have.

Cindy looking to the side in her suede fur-trimmed coat and multi patterned dress with lots of pinks and burgundies. She’s wearing aviators and has her hair down.

Cindy in her suede fur-trimmed coat and multi patterned dress with lots of pinks and burgundies. She’s wearing aviators and has her hair down.

It was too cold for just the dress and none of my other coats looked right. So I got out my maxi-length suede fur-trimmed coat. It matched the hippie, boho vibes.

This coat was the first item I thought of when I read Leonor’s newsletter # 261 (October, 2021)

What is the oldest item of clothing you own? My “rules” when I asked my friends was “nothing vintage, something you actually wore and could/do wear now”

Sure I have old t-shirts from my UCLA student activism days, but I wouldn’t wear them now. I keep them for sentimental value.

The coat was originally a Christmas gift from my sister. It was Lori’s first year out of high school and she had a job working at the same dealership with my dad and brother.

The coat was the kind of gift I wouldn’t buy myself because of the price or practicality – when would I need this kind of coat in LA? – but would secretly covet. As my sister, she knew me!

Cindy in her early 20s on a NYC subway platform for queens plaza. She’s in her suede fur-trimmed coat and is wearing it buttoned down with a tan bucket hat, boot-cut jeans and tan boots — *January 2003*

I wore it a few days later during my first trip to New York City. I even found a matching hat and felt cute.

Throughout my 20s, I’d wear it occasionally, but never on the regular. I wore simple pea coats and hoodies that allowed me to blend in and not bring attention to myself. It was why I often hid behind my long hair. I didn’t feel confident in my body.

Cindy sits cross-legged in a bookstore reading a poetry book in her suede fur-trimmed coat, jeans and sneakers. Her long dark brown hair falls over the book. — *Hiding behind my hair*

Last year, I pulled it out of the closet to briefly play dress up with Archie. He’d just got some new aviators and I thought he’d look cute with the coat on. I also tried it on then and it was too small.

Archie in the coat and avaiator sunglasses. Both are too big for his 7-year-old frame. — *Archie in the coat*

I briefly thought about selling it and looked up prices on eBay. But I didn’t want to do that since it was the first gift my sister got me as an adult with her own real money.

Cindy gives her sister Lori a kiss on the cheek. Lori is in a red long-sleeved shirt and Cindy is in the coat. They’re in their early-mid 20s. — *At Lori’s 21st birthday party*

I’d rather give it away to someone I knew. Instead I put it back in the closet with a goal of fitting into it again and having a worthwhile place to wear it to… like my kid’s school theater debut.

Listed

Winner, winner

As I ease back into more regular writing, I’m starting with the simple things. Lists!*

Stuff I Won in Raffles or Social Media Contests

Ordered by most recent first.

A blanket.
A $50 gift card.
A gift card to a local spa.
Airfare to LA for two, a two-night stay in a hotel, and free entry to Super Mamás event.
Gift basket for a local brewery with a beer sampler, gift card, t-shirt and beer glass.
Concert tickets for Bostich and Fussible.
Concert tickets for Café Tacvba.
More concert tickets to see Babasónicos.
A pair of running shoes.
Tickets to see Babasónicos y Los Auténticos Decadentes.

*Partly inspired by finally listening to This American Life episode 831 Lists!!!.

Familia

Los Cinco

*At my 25th birthday party with tío Johnny and tía Susana*

On October 21st tía Susana passed away in a tragic car accident in Tucson, Arizona. She died alongside her mother Chuy, brother Toño, sister Nena and brother-in-law Froylan. In one day an extended and close family lost five cherished members of their family.

My dad informed us the next day. I was shocked and saddened reading the news. My siblings were a little confused as it wasn’t clear from my dad’s words that our aunt was in the car too.

I stepped away from my desk. The day before I had just made a mini ofrenda and placed a picture of Papá Chepe and Mamá Toni. Now, I could only think of the immense loss for the larger family but also my cousin, his wife and their children. I left the office at walked up to the large chapel. I tried calling my parents, but they didn’t answer. They were probably on the phone with other family members. Eventually, I went home early. I needed the quite to think and pray.

I still can’t comprehend it. What I can comprehend is the ritual of laying someone to rest and how I find some comfort in singing alongside my dad and siblings.

When I told my dad we’d be going to LA for the services, he replied, “awesome, can use your voice.”

*With tía Susana at my 28th birthday party*

Dad sent me the worship aide (music selection) for tía Susana’s funeral earlier this week. He advised me to listen to songs on YouTube since I wouldn’t be able to rehearse ahead of time.

The first song is “Entre Tus Manos.” It made me think of tío Johnny’s funeral in 2012. Tía Sue and tío Johnny were married until his passing. As I listened and cried to the songs, I was inspired to go back and read what I’d written about his funeral. In reading that post, I realized I forgot most of the details. Of course I knew that I sang and that “Entre Tus Manos” was impactful, but I forgot that I didn’t even plan to sing because I’d been sick. Or that Lupe and Javier, two of tía Sue’s siblings had brought and played a recording of the youth choir singing back in the day with tío Johnny conducting. I found comfort in my own words. (I need to write more, but that’s another post.)

When tío Johnny died from a long illness, I was somewhat prepared. I had seen him the day before to say goodbye. Reading my post about after he died reminded me that tía Sue even got out one of his guitars so we could sing to him.

I don’t know if singing will bring any comfort, but I’ll be with family bringing our voices together. And maybe that’s what I really need.

***

The families are still raising funds through GoFundMe and other fundraisers. If you can support or share, they’d appreciate any assistance.

Cuentos, Música

Perfect songs for imperfect moments

“This song?”

“Not this song, this song is perfect.”

We were on our way home from school/work and for once we weren’t arguing over who got to choose the playlist. The previous day Xavi had asked me to play Hall & Oates’ “Maneater” after hearing the cover by The Bird and the Bee. Since he was showing interest in old school favorites, Sean and I ran with it. You mean we got to play our old school favorites? Yes.

Xavi’s phrase has stuck with me. There are so many perfect songs and songs that are perfect because they take me back to a very specific moment. I like to think of them as the songs that have altered my brain chemistry because I can’t hear them without instantly being transported 20 (or 30!) plus years to that moment.

El Noa Noa by Juan Gabriel

It’s really hard to pick one life-altering JuanGa song because his music is omnipresent. He died on the day before my second son was born and I listened to a playlist through most of my labor, at least the early part before I realized the epidural wasn’t as effective in blocking pain as it was during my first time giving birth. (Aside: that one knocked me out and I took a glorious nap in active labor.)

I don’t associate El Noa Noa with that hospital room. Instead, I’m taken to the Kern River (always known as just El Río) in the Mojave Desert. Growing up, it seemed that we’d go to the river every long weekend and were always accompanied by 4 or 5 other families, both our relatives and compadres. There was no shortage of kids. We spent all day in the river because it was too hot outside. At night I’d still feel myself being pulled by the current as I laid awake trying to get the ghost stories out of my mind. Really, whoever decided to tell the story of La Llorona as we camped beside a river was just cruel.

A calm river surrounded by a rocky bank of white rocks. in the background are leafy trees, shrubs, a mostly clear blue sky and grey mountain. A few people wade in the water.

When I hear El Noa Noa, I can still see my cousin Eric standing on a boulder dancing and singing along with El Divo de Juárez. Eric was fully dressed instead of in his swim trunks like the rest of us because he had the bad luck of stepping on some glass on our first day. We hadn’t even set-up camp when my tío and tía had to leave and take him to the ER. The cut was bad enough that he had to get stitches and couldn’t swim with the rest of us, but dancing and singing on a rock was fine.

It’s hard to know if I remember this moment so well because of how we laughed or because my tío Chuy captured it on home video. Who knows, but it’s fitting that I think about my cousin singing in a desert along to a song that’s an ode to an El Paso bar.

Teenage Cindy posing with her brother Danny. Both are dressed up and smiling at the camera.

Soul to Squeeze by the Red Hot Chili Peppers

Summer 1996 was the first summer Danny had his driver’s license. We also signed up to host a Spanish exchange student, Esteban, for a month. Esteban had come with a group of students to learn English and his peers were also hosted by families we knew from church. During the day, they had class, but afterward they had excursions around LA like the beach or Disneyland. On this afternoon, Danny drove Esteban, his friend Sergio, and me to Guitar Center in West Covina. I don’t remember the reason for the trip. We had the radio tuned to KROQ, as always. Soul to Squeeze came on and I found myself singing together with Sergio to the chorus:

Where I go, I just don't know
I got to, got to, gotta take it slow
When I find my peace of mind
I'm gonna give you some of my good time

It was just a moment but it was the first time I remember that tingle of a crush acknowledging me in a flirtatious way. Nothing came from it and it was all probably in my head. Despite that, Soul to Squeeze always takes me back to my mom’s minivan with our Spanish exchange students.

1979 by the Smashing Pumpkins

This will forever be associated with my alarm clock radio. I can’t remember the exact morning in tenth grade this happened, but I do know Billy Corgan woke me up and I was probably late.

La Bamba by Los Lobos

La Bamba is the first soundtrack I became obsessed with. My siblings and I would play it over and over. Los Lobos’ version of La Bamba ends with the traditional son jarocho style. When the jarana starts in the outro I think of standing in our living room near the clunky stereo and dancing in a circle with a silly zapateado with Adrian. Writing this now it’s funny that I recall Adrian dancing like he was circling the sombrero in El Jarabe Tapatío because he was the only one of us kids who never danced ballet folklórico.

So Fresh and So Clean by OutKast

This is the song that inspired me to rack my brain for other songs I associate with indelible moments. When I hear the opening line, “Ain’t nobody dope as me, I’m just so fresh, so clean” I’m instantly back at a house party in September 2001. I had just turned 21 and went to a party at my friends’ house. When I arrived I didn’t know anyone besides the host, Chris and Lamont (shoutout to #thatsite), and remember walking through to the back yard. That’s when I saw D walk through the sliding doors singing.

Note: I used the El Noa Noa section for my takeover of this week’s Leave it to Leonor newsletter.

Lotería Chicana

Author Archives: cindylu