Stacey's 2016 Super Birdbrained Challenge

[Stacey]

The 2016 List

✔ = read
★☆☆☆☆ = ratings

✔1. A book you meant to read in 2015, but didn't - All the Light We Cannot See ★★★★★
✔2. A book set in a different continent - Moon Tiger ★★★★★
✔3. A book from the Goodreads Choice Awards 2015 (winner or nominated) - A Little Life ★★★
✔4. A book by an author you discovered in 2015 - A Tale of Two Cities ★★★★
✔5. A book with a title beginning with the 1st letter of your name - Sputnik Sweetheart ★★★★
✔6. The highest rated on your TBR - An Eye on the Sparrow: The Bird Lover's Bible ★★★★
✔7. A book about books - The Book of Speculation ★★★★
✔8. A classic book with less than 200 pages - The Awakening ★★★
✔9. A book that was mentioned in another book - Fahrenheit 451 ★★★★
✔10. A book by an author you feel you should have read by now -11/22/63★★★★★
✔11. A book from the Rory Gilmore challenge - I'm with the Band: Confessions of a Groupie ★★★★★
✔12. A childhood classic - The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh ★★★★★
✔13. Reader’s Choice - The Story of the Lost Child ★★★★★
✔14. A book with one of the five W’s -or H in the title (Who/What/Where/When/Why/How) - Why Sinatra Matters ★★★
✔15. A book set in the past (more than 100 years ago) - The Scarlet Letter ★★★★★
✔16. A book from the top 100 mystery novels - Dracula ★★★★★
✔17. A book with a beautiful cover - ★★★★★
✔18. A book on a summer/beach reading list - All the Old Knives ★★★★
✔19. A non-fiction book - Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania ★★★★
✔20. A book with a first name in the title - Felicia's Journey★★★★★
✔21. A book from the Goodreads Recommendations page - Under the Volcano ★★★★★
✔22. The first book in a new to you series - Annihilation ★★★★
✔23. The next book in a series you are reading - The Terra-Cotta Dog ★★★
✔24. A "between the numbers" book of a series (0.5, 1,5, 2.5, etc.) - No thanks. This is my WILDCARD - Dietrich & Riefenstahl: Hollywood, Berlin and a Century in Two Lives ★★★★
✔25. A book whose main character is in a profession that interests you - Out of Africa★★★★★
✔26. A book everyone is talking about - The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace: A Brilliant Young Man Who Left Newark for the Ivy League ★★★★
✔27. A book with a beautiful title (in your own opinion) - A Fall of Marigolds ★★★
✔28. A biography, autobiography, or memoir - The Splendid Things We Planned: A Family Portrait ★★★★
✔29. A book by an author who writes under more than one name - The Cuckoo's Calling ★★★★
✔30. A fairytale from a culture other than your own - Tales of a Korean Grandmother: 32 Traditional Tales from Korea ★★
✔31. A work of young adult fiction - Lies We Tell Ourselves ★★★★★
✔32. A historical fiction book - The Nightingale ★★★★
✔33. The 16th book on your TBR - True ★★★★
✔34. A book about mental illness - Requiem for a Dream ★★★★★
✔35. An award winning book - H is for Hawk ★★★★★
✔36. An identity book - a book about a different culture, religion or sexual orientation - Chelsea Girls: A Novel ★★
✔37. A book that you've seen the movie of but haven't read - The Postman Always Rings Twice ★★★★★
✔38. A book about an anti hero - Post Office ★★★★★
✔39. A previous suggestion that did not make it into the list (a subject that is taboo) - Tampa ★★★★
✔40. A novella from your favorite genre - First Love ★★★★★
✔41. A book about a major world event (fiction or non-fiction) - One Year After: A Novel ★★
✔42. A top 100 fantasy novel - The Hobbit ★★★★★
✔43. A book about a thing that goes bump in the night - Weaveworld ★★★★
✔44. A book you're embarrassed to read in public - I Love Dick ★★★
✔45. A book related to a hobby or passion you have - Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life ★★★★
✔46. A crime story - People Who Eat Darkness: The Fate of Lucie Blackman ★★★★
✔47. A book with a type of food/drink in the title - The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street ★★★
✔48. A dystopia - Gold Fame Citrus★★★
✔49. A book with a great opening line - Wittgenstein's Mistress ★★★★
✔50. A book originally written in a language other than English - The Cold Song ★★★
✔51. A short story from a well-known author - The Swimmer ★★★★
✔52. A book published in 2016 - In Other Words ★★★★★

[Maple]

What a great list!

[Stacey]

Thanks, Manda. I'm ashamed I haven't read some of these titles sooner.

[Maple]

That's okay. I think we all have those lists that we wish we would have got to sooner. Later is always better than never :)

[Sara]

Great List! I was stumped on what to read on week 44 and I think I am going to steal your idea if you don't mind!

[Stacey]

Sure, Sara. That book immediately came to mind for the topic! Very fitting, right? Lol

[Jody]

Manda wrote: "That's okay. I think we all have those lists that we wish we would have got to sooner. Later is always better than never :)"

Definitely! Every time I look at those lists of books that everyone "should" read, I see so many that make me think "How on earth have I not read that yet?!". I have managed to knock quite a few off this year, and have a lot on my list for next year too.

[Stacey]

Yes, I'm chipping away at those "must reads". Sometimes we're just not ready for them - until we are older.

[L]

Ha ha ha! Why have I not come across "I Love Dick" before?! Going to look into that!

I am also reading the Hobbit in the fantasy category although it could just as easily fit in my "authors I feel I should have read but never have" category.

[Stacey]

Besides the hilarity of the title, "Dick" sounds like a good story. And it got good reviews.

[Jody]

No wonder that's one you'd be embarrassed to read in public! I have to admit, I snorted a little bit when I read that on your list. :D

[Stacey]

Yeah, I thought it totally fit the category, but it had already been on my TBR list. I saw the book while browsing B&N store. Hope my kid doesn't see it. I'll have to keep it face down when reading - about a year from now!

[Pam]

Great list! I'm adding your #45 to my list. Weaveworld is fantastic! I never see anything about it but it's one of my favorite books.

[Stacey]

I really enjoy Clive Barker's crazy/eerie books, Pam. A friend of mine recommended him and I loved both The Great and Secret Show and Imagica. They're not your everyday horror novels! I figured Weaveworld would be perfect for this one. Thanks for the tip!

[Marina]

We are starting the year with the same book. I won a copy of "All the light we cannot see" earlier this year, but I still haven't read it. And even though I'm a "jumper" I'm planning on reading it in january!

We have some other books in common (Dracula, A little life, The Scarlett letter) and I've also chosen Stephen King as the "book by an author I should have read by now." I haven't decided which book, but I'm impressed by your choice. 11/22/63 is quite a doorstop!

[Pam]

11/22/63 is really good, especially if you have interest in the JFK assassination conspiracies. The best Stephen King books, in my opinion, are The Stand, It, and the Green Mile. They are all worth reading!

[Ed]

Good list..I borrowed some as possibles for my list.

[EllenZReads]

All The Light We Cannot See and The Nightingale are both really beautiful books...you might want to have kleenex handy if you are a crier like me, though. :)
11/22/63 is one of my favorite Stephen King books, and The Cuckoo's Calling is a great first book in a series. Enjoy!

[Stacey]

Ed wrote: "Good list..I borrowed some as possibles for my list."

Glad to hear...hope they are enjoyable to you!

[Stacey]

Ellen wrote: "All The Light We Cannot See and The Nightingale are both really beautiful books...you might want to have kleenex handy if you are a crier like me, though. :)
11/22/63 is one of my favorite Stephen ..."

Thanks, Ellen. I'm looking forward to both. My cousin told me The Nightingale was one of her favorite books ever. I'm not the biggest fan of Stephen King's horror fiction, but the JFK assassination conspiracy theme is intriguing. It sure is a doorstopper, though, but it's been on my list for a very long time!

[Stacey]

Marina wrote: "We are starting the year with the same book. I won a copy of "All the light we cannot see" earlier this year, but I still haven't read it. And even though I'm a "jumper" I'm planning on reading it ..."

Yay! Good luck with your choices, too. Yes, I am realizing that I've selected rather large books - I just hope I can get through them. Too many tomes is way too much! Can't wait to hear your views on All the Light.... I am a jumper, too - I don't plan to read these in strict weekly order - I'll take 'em on as they strike my fancy :)

[Jody]

The Hobbit is actually quite a small book - I have no idea how they made three movies about it! I found it pretty easy to read, but struggled with reading LotR (I'm having my second go now, on audiobook).

[Marina]

Stacey wrote: "Yay! Good luck with your choices, too. Yes, I am realizing that I've selected rather large books - I just hope I can get through them. Too many tomes is way too much! Can't wait to hear your views on All the Light.... I am a jumper, too - I don't plan to read these in strict weekly order - I'll take 'em on as they strike my fancy :) "

You too! I read The Nightingale a month ago, and it's definitely one of my favorite books this year. I hope you enjoy it just as much :)

[Marina]

Jody wrote: "The Hobbit is actually quite a small book - I have no idea how they made three movies about it! I found it pretty easy to read, but struggled with reading LotR (I'm having my second go now, on audi..."

It's exactly the same with me. I hadn't read The Hobbit or LOTR before, but decided to give them a try this year. I'm glad I read The Hobbit first... It was easy and to my surprise I really liked it. However, I don't understand how they could make such a fairly short book into three movies.
I read The Fellowship of the Ring after reading The Hobbit, and I enjoyed it. Then I started reading The Two Towers, but I already struggled after the first chapters. I haven't given up, but I've taken a break from Tolkien :)

Hopefully you'll enjoy The Hobbit, Stacey!

[Maple]

I just finished Annihilation last night. I hope you like creepy and weird (think H.P. Lovecraft). It's a great book, but wow. My mind is still trying to wrap around everything that happened. Wow.

[Stacey]

I do like creepy and weird! Sounds fun - and are there science facts along the way? Love that. Glad I picked it for my 'first in a series' - I might want to read all three. Do you intend to read the other two?

[Maple]

Stacey wrote: "I do like creepy and weird! Sounds fun - and are there science facts along the way? Love that. Glad I picked it for my 'first in a series' - I might want to read all three. Do you intend to read th..."

Very much so, especially from the Biologist as she explores the area and talks about her past.

[Stacey]

Stacey wrote: "Besides the hilarity of the title, "Dick" sounds like a good story. And it got good reviews."

By the way, did you know it was made into a TV movie starring Kevin Bacon and Kathryn Hahn? As soon as I finish reading it, I'm going watch it - on Amazon: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5478730/