A Year in Review: 2024 in First Lines

 

Ready for 2025!

As usual at this time of year, I review and share my reading/blogging year with First Lines.

Simply put, we share the first line of the first post of each month and see what that overview tells us about our year. Often it can be an uncannily accurate summary.

If you haven't tried this before, give it a go this year; it's a fun exercise, and often summarizes the year quite efficiently. If you do, please share a link in the comments so we can all enjoy!


Here is my 2024 Year in First Lines: 

January: 

The Japanese Literature Challenge is running for the 17th year, created and hosted by Dolce Bellezza. (from Japanese Literature Challenge)

February: 

Ukraine has been on my mind even more as we head up to the 2 year mark of the Russian invasion. (from Ukraine - A Spring for the Thirsty)

March:

This slim tale by poet Louise Gluck is a charming read. (from Marigold & Rose)

April:

It's poetry month! (from Thread Me a Button for Poetry Month)

May:

This middle grade novel, set in British Columbia in 1926, tackles racism, history, and family connections equally well. (from The Go-Between)

June:

This month I'll be sharing many of the Ukrainian themed reads I've been examining over the last little while. (from Unbound)

July:

I picked up this short YA novel from my library recently -- I mean, just look at the cover!  (from Stitches)

August:

August brings one of my favourite reading celebrations of the year -- Women in Translation Month.  (from Women In Translation Month is Here!)

September:

This short novel has an interesting premise: Dómhildur is a midwife, who descends from a long line of midwives on her mother's side and undertakers on her father's. (from Animal Life)

October:

Dreamy and imaginative Grace Fairfax is married to Tom, she's 34 and has no children (after a lost pregnancy earlier in their marriage). (from A Note in Music)

November:

I have something very special for you today! (from Stitching Science)

December: 

It's already a week into December, and so that means that I'll have to speed up and share some of my outstanding reviews for the year! (from Heart on my Sleeve)

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So there's my reading year in a nutshell. Some challenges, more YA than usual, some poetry and classics, lots of reading in translation, a focus on Ukraine, and some inclusion of textile art & fashion. Pretty much covers my reading interests. I'm sure that I'll continue in this vein for 2025, particularly with a focus on Ukraine. There is so much great literature being translated that anyone wanting to really understand the country can read to get a better sense of what's going on now. Hoping that 2025 will bring better times.