Recommended By Reading Challengers - 2014

[Adriana]

Congratulations on completing your challenge Tasha!

[❦Dawn❦]

8/10



1. ✓Life of Pi by Yann Martel
2. ✓ How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran
3. ✓Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
4.✓The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
5.✓ Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
6. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
7. ✓The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
8.✓ The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
9. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
10. ✓Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

[Melissa]

Okay, I've complete 3/12 :)

1. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
2. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
3. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail



I have to say I've liked all three but Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail is definitely my favorite - excellent book!

[Chloé]

I finished How I Came to Sparkle Again another great one, another emotional one. I seem to pick only that kind. I'll need to pick a lighter one later :)

10/13 Completed

What I read so far
5★ 4★ 4★ 5★ 5★ 5★ 5★ 4★ 4★ 5★

[Candiss]

Building on message #499:

I finished book #4, Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones **** (05/29/14)

Read: 4/6

[Candiss]

Chloé wrote: "Candiss wrote: "I finished my 3rd book: Ru by Kim Thúy **** (4.5 really, 05/13/14)

Read: 3/6"

I'm happy you liked it. I really did too. I need to read Mãn. I'm ha..."

I'm sorry I missed your reply and question!

I thought the English translation was very good. Not having read it in the original language, I can't be sure of course, but it felt right. The translator did a good job with the poignancy and impact of emotions, and the tiny details of description of place and character did an excellent job of transporting me to the time and locale of each passage.

The writing often felt more like a prose poem than straight prose (which I liked very much.) This felt intentional.

You made a very good recommendation. Thanks so much. :)

[Megan]

Just completed my eighth selection - Graceling by Kristin Cashore. Loved this fantasy book so much more than I expected! The world the author created was fascinating with a unique angle. Characters were interesting and relatable, and I'm always a fan of a strong, kick-butt heroine! Some of the conclusions were a tad simplistic, but that was my only criticism. Definitely worth reading! 4.5 stars

8/10

[Lorelei]

I finished The Night Circustoday. That puts me at 4/7 for this challenge.

[Lynn]

Finished Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. What a compelling story! I've finished my challenge (15/15) but there are more books I want to read on the list ..... including Stardust which is my next read. ✼ My Full List ✼

[Adriana]

Updated everyone! You are all doing great :D

Congrats on completing your goal Lynn! I'll update you if you do end up reading more books.

[Liz]

Woohoo! Finished
Message 99

5 out of 5 books. Thanks it was fun!

[Adriana]

Yay Liz! Congrats on completing the challenge!

[Jayne]

5/12
The Fault in Our Stars.
I've just finished this book and loved it.

[Chloé]

Jayne wrote: "5/12
The Fault in Our Stars.
I've just finished this book and loved it."

I loved that book too, I need to go see the movie now that's out. I will need to bring a box of tissues instead of popcorn though.

[Aleta]

Update: 6/8

Just finished Lord of the Flies. Did not like this at all, didn't feel like his writing was all that great and thus the story didn't live up to it's potential. So only two stars from me...

[Adriana]

Chloé wrote: "Jayne wrote: "5/12
The Fault in Our Stars.
I've just finished this book and loved it."

I loved that book too, I need to go see the movie now that's out. I will need to bring a box ..."

I really need to watch it too! I'm sure I'm going to be a mess afterwards.

[Deborah]

Well I've read 4/3, plan to read more on the list so lets make it out of 7.

4/7 Done

Frankenstein Didn't like it. Not what I expected. Kudos to Hollywood:)

Eleanor & Park 4* Sweet and sad

Code Name Verity 4* That was a trip

This Song Will Save Your Life 4* as well:)

[Adriana]

@Deborah - Awesome! Glad you are deciding to up your challenge goal. I've heard that Frankenstein wasn't very much like the movie. Still, it's short and should be interesting to try. Sorry you didn't like it.

[Jayne]

Adriana wrote: "Chloé wrote: "Jayne wrote: "5/12
The Fault in Our Stars.
I've just finished this book and loved it."

I loved that book too, I need to go see the movie now that's out. I will need t..."

Given that I'm an older reader of the book and actually have an only 18 year old daughter, the only bits that made me tearful were the bits involving her mum.

[Aleta]

Update: 7/8

Just finished another one: The Princess Bride. Do not get all the hype surrounding this book, maybe it's just me being particularly picky, who knows :b

[Robyn]

Update to post #89...Completed my 3. Yeah!!!!

Right now, I'll sign up for 3. COMPLETED!!!!

Thanks!

1. Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah. Completed 1/24.
2. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein. Completed 3/16.
3. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. Completed 6/13.

[Dana]

Finished my 3rd one last night- Dark Places by Gillian Flynn, number 55 on the list. It was good- very graphic, but very gripping!

[Sherry]

UPDATED:
3 books
3/3 Completed ✔



The Book Thief by Markus Zusak [Read 3/14/2014]
The Good Father by Diane Chamberlain [Read 6/15/2014]
This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales [Read 5/14/2014]

[Jeri]

Update: I've got 6/20 now.

[Annika]

I have now read 1/8.

[Dana]

4 of 8 after finishing How I Came to Sparkle Again by Kaya McLaren

[Chloé]

I just finished A House in the Sky, it is a really good book and I definitely recommend it, but I think it should come with a disclaimer. This might not be a book everybody should read, it's not an easy book to read. If war, violence, abuse are topics that trigger intense bad feelings, make you remember some old trauma, you should proceed with care.

11/13 Completed

What I read so far
5★ 4★ 4★ 5★ 5★ 5★ 5★ 4★ 4★ 5★ 5★

[Jayne]

6/12
Divergent

This was an ok read but it hasn't made me want to read the rest o the trilogy.

[Adriana]

Jayne wrote: "Adriana wrote: "Chloé wrote: "Jayne wrote: "5/12
The Fault in Our Stars.
I've just finished this book and loved it."

I loved that book too, I need to go see the movie now that's ou..."

I watched the movie and was getting teary eyed thinking about the mother running to Hazel's room whenever she called out because it could always be an emergency...

[Adriana]

@Aleta - Oh really? It sounds pretty good to me. Maybe you'll like the movie better (:
@Robyn - Yay! Congrats on completing your challenge goal!
@Dana - Awesome hussle! You are halfway there (:
@Sherry - Congrats on completing you goal!
@Jeri - Updated you (:
@Annika - Glad you were able to read your first book for this challenge.
@Chloe - Awesome! You are almost done :D
@Jayne - I really liked Divergent when I read it. After a while the feeling kind of subsided.

[Jeri]

Update: I've got 7/20 now.

[Adriana]

@Jeri - Great job! I've updated you (:

[Aleta]

8/8 COMPLETE!! (: Yay!

I completely forgot to update this, finished The Help this month. 4 stars from me! Sure, there were stereotypes, but I didn't notice till I was finished and had time to think. It was a thoroughly entertaining page-turner :)

@Adriana - I actually saw the movie years ago and wasn't a big fan. Which is strange since I usually love that type of movie/book!

[Adriana]

YAY ALETA! Congrats on completing your challenge!

Oh well. I guess it makes sense you didn't like the book then.

[Dana]

I finished my 5th one today- Divergent by Veronica Roth. Wasn't what I was expecting but it was still really good!

[Adriana]

@Dana - Updated you and how so?

[Dana]

@Adriana- I started reading it based on expectations from the trailer for the movie. For example, when I first started it I thought Divergent was going to be its own faction. I like it a lot though once I started to understand it.

[Cosmic]

Aleta wrote: "Update: 6/8

Just finished Lord of the Flies. Did not like this at all, didn't feel like his writing was all that great and thus the story didn't live up to it's potential. So only two ..."

I really liked The Lord Of the Flies. I homeschooled my children and this made me think about the children in the choir. They live in a boarding school. They lived in competition with each other. They got fixated on killing the pig...a metaphor for war or bringing home the bacon, take your pick. In order to survive they need police force.

I think the more we depend on an institution to raise our children the more our society will accept a police state. Just my two cents. I don't think it is the only interpretation but it was meaningful to me.

[❦Dawn❦]

RECOMMENDED BY READING CHALLENGERS
Duration: January 1 - December 31, 2014

FINISHED!!!
10/10

1.✓ Life of Pi by Yann Martel
2.✓ How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran
3. ✓ Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
4.✓ The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
5.✓ Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
6.✓ Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
7. ✓ The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
8. ✓ The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
9. ✓ The Maze Runner by James Dashner
10.✓ Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

[Karena]

Completed! 10/10

Written in Red

[Aleta]

@Adriana - Thank you :D I'm really glad it helped me get some of the must-reads off my tbr list! So thanks for a great challenge :)

@Cosmic - I think you misunderstand me :) It's not the story that made me rate it really low, it's the author and his writing. Here's my review if you want to see why I disliked it so much :)

@Dawn and Karena, congrats on also completing your challenges!

[Adriana]

Dana wrote: "@Adriana- I started reading it based on expectations from the trailer for the movie. For example, when I first started it I thought Divergent was going to be its own faction. I like it a lot though..."

Oh! I understand. I really like that they did these different factions based on the extremes of people.

[Adriana]

Congrats on completing your goal Dawn and Karena!!!!

Thanks for participating Aleta (:

[Alison]

Im finally able to update. I havent read many, but I have one more book done, Divergent. So I am 5/7.

[Deborah]

5/7

I'm one of the few that did not enjoy Firefly Lane. Oh well. No book is for everyone.

[Adriana]

@Alison - Well that's alright. You still have a bunch of time and are well on your way.
@Deborah- Too bad :/

[Ari]

Finished 1 more. 5/16

The Constant Princess 6/30/14

[Dana]

Adriana wrote: "Dana wrote: "@Adriana- I started reading it based on expectations from the trailer for the movie. For example, when I first started it I thought Divergent was going to be its own faction. I like it..."

I did too- it was an interesting concept. After reading the rest of the series, I thought it was pretty good. Allegiant redeemed the series for me- Divergent and Insurgent kind of left me scratching my head a little too much with unanswered questions. But as a whole it was a fun read/series.

[Adriana]

Dana wrote: "Adriana wrote: "Dana wrote: "@Adriana- I started reading it based on expectations from the trailer for the movie. For example, when I first started it I thought Divergent was going to be its own fa..."

Good! I'm planning to read that series soon (:

[Victoria]

I'm now at 8/10 after finishing The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman - full list at message 79