The Easy Challenge - 2014

[Minna]

I only have Historical Fiction left now, so I'm taking the challenge to the Hard level. :)

[Sarah-Jane]

Sally906 wrote: "Well I only have one more to read and I will have completed the challenge, maybe at the end of the year I will look to see if I have inadvertently read enough of the genre to do the 24 or 36 book c..."

Sally, firstly congratulations and secondly, I love that you read The Nargun and the Stars as your classic. I came to this book as a young adult (years ago now!) after a friend told me how much she'd loved it in her childhood. I've re-read it a few times since, continuing to be amazed at her wonderful and evocative story and how it has stayed in my mind. I hope you enjoyed it :)

[Leanne]

Books I've read so far:

Easy Challenge

Classics - Jane Eyre
Fantasy - The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Graphic Novels - The Complete Maus
Historical Fiction
Horror
Literary Fiction - The Help
Mystery - The Tiger in the Smoke
Non Fiction - The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything
Romance - Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Science Fiction - The Time Machine
Thriller
Young Adult - The Perks of Being a Wallflower

I'm going quite slowly with this one! But that's why I picked the easy challenge :p

[MK]

I'm still working on graphic novel and horror. I keep stacking up classics, fantasy, sci fi, and mystery :p. This is why I like this challenge - I try other genres. If not for this, I might keep reading just those four (lol).

One of my groups chose The Complete Maus for next month :). So, I'll get graphic novel done. And, it was pretty well recommended in this group, so it's one I was thinking of trying. I see you read that one, too, Leanne. I'm looking forward to it.

[Leanne]

yes MAUS was great MK, I think it's particularly good though if graphic novels are not something you'd usually read. I think the subject makes it a bit more accessible. Although the more I explore, the more of them I find I want to read - it's definitely not all superheroes and Manga out there! (That said, I personally love superheroes! :-D)

[MK]

It will be my first graphic novel :).

I love superheroes too! *thumbs up* heh

[Franky]

I keep putting graphic novels as the last read in the challenge. I've only read one in my life...so I love the recommendations :)

So far:

Classics: Nightmare Alley
Fantasy: Neverwhere (currently reading)
Graphic Novels:
Historical Fiction:
Horror:
Literary Fiction: All the Pretty Horses
Mystery: Murder at the Vicarage
Non Fiction: Careless People: Murder, Mayhem, and the Invention of The Great Gatsby
Romance:
Science Fiction:
Thriller: The Deep Blue Good-By
Young Adult: Steinbeck's Ghost (currently reading)

[MK]

Franky wrote: "I keep putting graphic novels as the last read in the challenge. I've only read one in my life...so I love the recommendations :)

...."

It will be my first one :).

Doing well on your challenge, Franky! *hi five*

(Neverwhere is awesome!)

[Leanne]

Hi MK/Franky,

If you're a bit stuck for what to try for graphic novels, you might want to look at this list I found: http://flavorwire.com/451552/25-essen...

Don't know if it helps but might give you some ideas if you want to consider something other than The Complete Maus. A few on here are already on my wish list, including The Complete Persepolis which is on its way to me now :)

[MK]

A group I'm in selected Maus for a Book of the Month, so they did the deciding for me :). ty, tho, Leanne!

[Leanne]

MK wrote: "A group I'm in selected Maus for a Book of the Month, so they did the deciding for me :). ty, tho, Leanne!"

You're most welcome :) - I am absolutely certain you will enjoy The Complete Maus, MK!

[MK]

Thx! I'm starting to look forward to it, actually. Now, if only I could finish my in-progress books :p

[Franky]

Leanne wrote: "Hi MK/Franky,

If you're a bit stuck for what to try for graphic novels, you might want to look at this list I found: http://flavorwire.com/451552/25-essen...

Don't know..."

Nice. Thanks for the link! Those are some great ideas for graphic novels...I've heard of some of those titles before too.

[Tory]

Franky wrote: "Tory wrote: "Q: How can I easily verify which genre a book is in?"

When you look up a book, you can see on the right side what genres it has been tagged by members."

FYI: a lot of features are not available on the GoodReads app :(

[Breanne]

Classics - The Secret Garden
Fantasy - A Game of Thrones
Graphic Novels - The Fall of Light
Historical Fiction - All the Light We Cannot See
Horror - Jenny Pox
Literary Fiction - The Museum of Extraordinary Things
Mystery - Killer Cupcakes
Non Fiction - How Not to Write a Novel: 200 Classic Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Romance - The Monk
Science Fiction - Fahrenheit 451
Thriller - Run
Young Adult - Looking for Alaska

[Liz]

Classics Bleak House
Fantasy Ship of Magic
Graphic Novels The Walking Dead, Book Two
Historical Fiction Captive Queen: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine
Horror The Face of Fear
Literary Fiction The Remains of the Day
Mystery Scarpetta
Non Fiction The Ascent of Man
Romance Shiver
Science Fiction Ender's Game
Thriller The Redbreast
Young Adult Days of Blood & Starlight


FINISHED EASY!!

[Leanne]

I'm currently reading my 6th book for this challenge, my mystery choice, The Tiger in the Smoke. Enjoying it so far - in the spirit of the challenge I wanted to pick a mystery novel by an author I'd never heard of, and Margery Allingham ticked the box - she's very good at evoking atmosphere, can't believe I've never heard of her before now!

[Karen]

Liz wrote: "Classics
Fantasy Ship of Magic
Graphic Novels The Walking Dead, Book Two
..."

I loved The Remains of the Day - did you like it? It was such a bittersweet quiet book and the title was perfect for it. I really enjoyed the movie too. I would definitely read that one again.

[Minna]

I've finished the easy challenge now, last book just completed. :)

[Brenda]

Congratulations Minna!

[Minna]

Thann you, Brenda. :)

[MK]

Minna wrote: "I've finished the easy challenge now, last book just completed. :)"

wooohooo!! ^5!

(^5 = 'high five' :D)

[MK]

Graphic Novels done - I read Maus I, and Maus II (my library didn't have the omnibus edition, The Complete Maus.

This was incredible. Really incredible.


Just Horror to go, then Easy Challenge is done!

[Franky]

Good job, MK. I need to read the horror genre as well. I might read The Terror if I have enough time, just because I bought it awhile back and its been sitting on my shelf.

[MK]

Franky wrote: "Good job, MK. I need to read the horror genre as well. I might read The Terror if I have enough time, just because I bought it awhile back and its been sitting on my shelf."

Thanks, Franky :)
I'm going to see if I can fit in a Horror in June. I think I'll definitely choose something shorter than yours though, just in case I end up terrified :p. I'd like to disturb my sleep for as few nights as possible (heh)

(I do know I'm a complete wimp, yes. :) )

[Janet]

Classics The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie 1/1/14 ***
Fantasy The Color of Magic1/9/14 ***
Graphic Novels How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You5/3/14 ***
Historical Fiction Winter Garden1/28/14 *****
Horror Frankenstein 4/30/14****
Literary Fiction The Sound and the Fury 2/10/14 ****
Mystery The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time5/2/14 ****
Non Fiction The Eighty Dollar Champion:Snowman, the Horse that Inspired a Nation2/18/14 ****
Romance I Capture the Castle2/4/14 ****
Science Fiction The War of the Worlds1/18/14 ***
Thriller Perfume: The Story of a Murderer5/18/14 ****
Young Adult A Tree Grows in Brooklyn4/15/14 *****

Completed the challenge today. Message #5 has the links to the books I have completed. Since it is only May I am going to upgrade to the hard challenge.

[MK]

Nice!, Janet! Congrats :)

[Mary, Quiet Observer]

I have hit a reading slump. Haven't touched my book for many weeks. Need to get back into the habit of reading.

[Brenda]

Oh Mary, you poor thing:( I would be devastated! I hope you can get back to it, and enjoy it too which is the main thing:)

[Liz]

Karen wrote: "Liz wrote: "Classics
Fantasy Ship of Magic
Graphic Novels The Walking Dead, Book Two
..."

I loved The Remains of the Day - did you like it? It was such a bittersweet q..."

i was expecting something along the lines of never let me go to be honest and was a bit disappointed. everyone says to watch the movie so maybe that will help

[MK]

Mary wrote: "I have hit a reading slump. Haven't touched my book for many weeks. Need to get back into the habit of reading."

Dump the book and start a new one, completely different, and likely to thoroughly engross you :).

OR, try an audiobook 're-read' of one of your favorites. Immerse yourself in a story in your ears while you do something else. Soon enough, you might be itching to have a new words book in your hands.

[Diana]

Can I sign up?

[MK]

Diana wrote: "Can I sign up?"

yep :)

Just copy and paste the tally sheet, and start reading!

[Diana]

Yeahhh :D

Easy Challenge

I've already read this

Classics - The Diary of a Young Girl 11 Jul
Fantasy - Die for Me 4 Jan
Graphic Novels - Péchés Mignons 19 Jan
Historical Fiction - Slightly Married 22 Out
Horror - Dearly, Departed 27 Jun
Literary Fiction - The Giver 2 Out
Mystery - The Shadow of the Wind 19 Abr
Non Fiction - Ética para Amador 22 Jan
Romance - The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight 17 Fev
Science Fiction - Across the Universe 26 Abr
Thriller - The Cuckoo's Calling 14 Fev
Young Adult - Frigid 17 May

[MK]

Nice! Soon you'll be moving up to the hard challenge, Diana :)

[Diana]

I hope so :)

[Leanne]

I've finished my mystery choice, The Tiger in the Smoke by Margery Allingham. I'd heard great things about this book, and Allingham is a very talented writer, but I couldn't help feeling a bit disappointed with the mystery element of the book - it was a bit slow-going and didn't really hold my attention. Very atmospheric book though!

[Chinook]

Classics
Fantasy Shadow's Edge
Graphic Novels
Historical Fiction Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress
Horror Menace
Literary Fiction The Double Hook
Mystery A Fatal Grace
Non Fiction
Romance Kilingiri
Science Fiction
Thriller
Young Adult

[Tory]

I finished Watchmen! It was awesome! I highly recommend it as a first graphic novel.

[Trillian]

So, I chose the easy version of this challenge to begin with - but maybe I'll upgrade to the hard one later, we'll see. Here are the books I've already read:

Classics The Master and Margarita
Fantasy The Final Empire
Graphic novels - (plan: Saga or Sandman)
Historical Fiction The Prague Cemetery
Horror -
Literary Fiction S.
Mystery The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line
Non Fiction Qualitative Religionsforschung
Romance - (plan: the Time Traveler's Wife)
Science Fiction Snow Crash
Thriller Dark Places
Young Adult - (plan: Cinder)

[Franky]

Made a little more progress on the challenge.

Classics : Nightmare Alley
Fantasy : Neverwhere
Graphic Novels:
Historical Fiction: Far from the Madding Crowd (currently reading)
Horror : The Dead Zone
Literary Fiction: All the Pretty Horses
Mystery : Murder at the Vicarage
Non Fiction : Careless People: Murder, Mayhem, and the Invention of The Great Gatsby
Romance: The Razor's Edge
Science Fiction: 2010: Odyssey Two
Thriller : The Deep Blue Good-By
Young Adult: Steinbeck's Ghost

[Brenda]

You're doing well Franky!

[Franky]

Brenda wrote: "You're doing well Franky!"

Thanks!

[Bev]

Bev wrote: "Easy Challenge (I'll add the titles and links to reviews as I do them. First one done!)

Classics My Antonia by Willa Cather
Fantasy: The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse by Robert Rankin..."

I've finished the Easy Challenge!

Classics My Antonia by Willa Cather
Fantasy: The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse by Robert Rankin
Graphic Novels Harlan Ellison's 7 Against Chaos by Harlan Ellison
Historical Fiction Dandy Gilver & the Proper Treatment of Bloodstains by Catriona McPherson
Horror Relic by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
Literary Fiction Sinners & the Sea by Rebecca Kanner
Mystery: Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell
Non Fiction: XCIA's Street Art Project by Hank O'Neal
Romance: Faro's Daugher by Georgette Heyer
Science Fiction: Shakespeare's Planet by Clifford D. Simak
Thriller 12.21 by Dustin Thomason
Young Adult The 7 Professors of the Far North by John Fardell

[Franky]

Great job, Bev. Congrats!

I have one more after this next book, and I'll be finished.

[Bev]

Franky wrote: "Great job, Bev. Congrats!

I have one more after this next book, and I'll be finished."

Thanks, Franky!

[Bev]

I've just got a few more and I'll have done the next level as well...

[Brenda]

Bev wrote: "Bev wrote: "Easy Challenge (I'll add the titles and links to reviews as I do them. First one done!)

Classics My Antonia by Willa Cather
Fantasy: The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse by R..."

Congrats Bev!

[Bev]

Brenda wrote: "Bev wrote: "Bev wrote: "Easy Challenge (I'll add the titles and links to reviews as I do them. First one done!)

Classics My Antonia by Willa Cather
Fantasy: The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apo..."

Thanks, Brenda!

[Tiffani]

Easy Challenge Done!
Classics: Fahrenheit 451
Fantasy: The Neverending Story
Graphic Novel: Arrow Vol. 1 by Marc Guggenheim
Historical Fiction: Wolf Hall
Horror: The Shining
Literary Fiction: The Secret History
Mystery: Wicked Autumn
Non-fiction: Detroit: An American Autopsy
Romance: Finding It
Science Fiction: Oryx and Crake
Thriller: Dare Me
Young Adult: Just One Day