2025 Reading Challenge discussion
ARCHIVE 2016
>
Stephanie (R.A.)- Attempting the Unlikely
message 1:
by
Stephanie
(new)
Dec 02, 2015 12:48PM
I will be trying to keep track of all of my challenges here. I have a ton of both personal goals and actual challenges, so it will be interesting to see whether I can do it or not, but I am excited to try!
reply
|
flag
I am aiming to read at least 52 books (one per week) in 2016 year, but will probably tick a bit higher just because of the attempts I am making at all of these crazy lists and challenges. Thus far, in my to read this year shelf there are 125 books. We will see how it goes.2016 Book Statistics
I saw this on Cassandra's page and thought it was really cool. I like keeping track of things anyway and this gives me more data to mine if I want to become a more well-read individual.
Genre/Type
Biography/Memoir: 6
Other Nonfiction: 3
Classics: 10
Fantasy: 17
Graphic Novel: 2
Historical Fiction: 8
Horror: 2
General Fiction: 15
Mystery: 11
Science Fiction: 8
Poetry:
Length
Short (<250 pages): 19
Medium (250-500 pages): 53
Long (501-800 pages): 8
Very Long (>800 pages): 2
Target Audience Age
Middle Grade: 5
Young Adult: 15
Adult: 62
Author Gender
Female: 41
Male: 41
New to Me or Repeat Author?
New to Me: 68
Repeat: 14
Series or Standalone Book?
Series: 28
Standalone: 54
Owned or Borrowed?
Owned Book: 8
Owned eBook: 34
Audiobook:
Library: 40
Decade Published
2010's: 32
2000's: 14
1990's: 13
1980's: 6
1970's: 1
1960's: 2
1950's: 4
1940's: 1
1930's: 2
1920's: 2
1910's: 2
1900's:
Pre-1900's: 3
Total Books: 82
2016 Challenge Overview
Lifetime Challenges
Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die
►Up to 2015- 37
► 2016- 11
Yearly Challenges
►I-Spy Book Challenge- 13/25
►Every Year Book Challenge- 24/33
►Random Books Challenge- 8/25
►The Pop Sugar Challenge- 29/40
►From Fiction to Reality- 4/10
►Let's Turn Pages- 29,605
►USA Road Trip- 22/52
►A - Z Titles- 24/26
►A - Z Authors- 21/26
►A -Z Characters- 26/26
►The Sorting Hat- 12/16
►Home School- 4/7
►Read Women- 40
►Listopia- 17/25
►Book Riot's Read Harder- 13/24
►Recommended by Reading Challengers- 9/10
►Countries Visited- United States, England, Scotland, France, Germany, Spain, Poland, Yugoslavia, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Egypt
Quarterly Challenges
1st Quarter
►Past Book of the Month- 5/5 ✔
►Boxed Sets- 15/15 ✔
2nd Quarter
►Book Awards- 5/5 ✔
►Cleaning Out Your Shelves- 15/15✔
4th Quarter
► Race to the Finish- 3/52
Special Challenges
►10,000- 3/6
► 2016 Summer Olympics-
Monthly Challenges
January
►
►E
►Marathon Challenge (2016 Challenges)- 4,146/4,000 pages✔
►Tea Time (NBRC)- 9/9 ✔
Total Monthly Books: 12
February
►
►
►Times Gone By- 5/5✔
Total Monthly Books: 9
March
►
►
►Read for Courage- 7/5 ✔
►Marvelous March- 8/8 ✔
Total Monthly Books: 13
April
►
►
► Spring Cleaning for the Soul- 4/4✔
►Egg Hunt- 3/7
Total Monthly Books: 6
May
►F
►
►Marathon: 9/10
►Major League Baseball:
Total Monthly Books: 9
June
►SU
►
►Villains- 4/5
►Get Royal- 4/9
Total Monthly Books: 7
July
►
►L
►The Fellowship of the Ring- 5/5 ✔
►The Leadership Challenge- 4/3 ✔
Total Monthly Books: 6
August
►
►
►Signs You've Found Your New Book Friend- 5/5
Total Monthly Books: 6
September
►
►
► Your Book Reflection- 5/5 ✔
Total Monthly Books: 12
October
►H
►S
►The Ten Candy Challenge- 1/5
►Halloween Challenge- 0/5
Total Monthly Books: 2/21
November
►BIRTHDAY
►FAMILY
Total Monthly Books:
December
►SNOWMAN
►HOLIDAYS
Total Monthly Books:
Official Yearly Challenge #1: I-Spy Book Challenge1. Bad Men
2. Two Lives
3.
4. A Brief History of Time
5.
6.
7.
8. A World of Love
9. The Mirror of Her Dreams
10. The Suicide Club
11.
12. The Crocodile Bird
13.
14. A God in Ruins
15.
16.
17. The Lost Wife
18. A Quiet Storm
19. One Salt Sea
20.
21. Gathering Blue
22.
23.
24.
25.
Total: 13/25
(Message 67 on Challenge Board)
Official Yearly Challenge #2- The Every Year Book Challenge1. 1984- The Only Problem
2. 1985-
3. 1986- The Mirror of Her Dreams
4. 1987- A Brief History of Time
5. 1988-
6. 1989-
7. 1990-
8. 1991-
9. 1992-
10. 1993-
11. 1994-
12. 1995-
13. 1996- Fight Club
14. 1997-
15. 1998-
16. 1999-
17. 2000- The Sleeping Giant of Goll
18. 2001-
19. 2002-
20. 2003- Bad Men
21. 2004-
22. 2005- The Poisonwood Bible
23. 2006-
24. 2007- Fair Play
25. 2008-
26. 2009-
27. 2010-
28. 2011-
29. 2012-
30. 2013-
31. 2014-
32. 2015-
33. 2016- A Torch Against the Night
Total: 24/33
You will notice that there are some doubles concerning my other challenges. That is intentional. I have set myself some personal challenges based on yearly challenges for last year, therefore, I am going to need all the doubling I can get. :) Still, I look forward to reading more in 2016!
(Message 24 on Challenge Board)
Personal Challenge #1/Official Challenge #7- Random Books1.
2. Locke & Key, Vol. 3: Crown of Shadows
3. A Red-Rose Chain
4. Cat's Cradle
5. The Loved One
6. The Year of the Locust
7.
8. Earth calling Taylor
9. Literary Occasions: Essays
10.
11. A Severed Head
12. Fair Play
13. The Only Problem
14.
15. The Christians and the Fall of Rome
16. The Price of Power: Kissinger in the Nixon White House
17.
18. The Glass Menagerie
19.
20.
21. The Sleeping Giant of Goll
22. The House on the Lagoon
23. Last Days in Hunting Camp
24.
25. Her
8/25
The idea behind this was just to mix it up a bit. I didn't want to be too overly predictable with the books I chose to read. So, I went to a random number generator, input numbers from 1 to however many books were on my list at the time, and found the corresponding books. The above lists were made with this first list in mind, in an attempt to keep my reading choices varied.
Amongst these three lists alone I will read 68 separate books if I can finish them. Not to mention there are several series books in there and the way I am I will want to read everything up to that 9th Seanan McGuire book. I just hope I am up to the task. Anything beyond these books will just have to be reserved for when these books are finished.
(Message 10 on Challenge Board)
Sounds like you have your year organized. Word to the wise, be prepared to make changes. I started last year thinking I would only read books already on my list, and instead I would say I went 50% planned/50% introduced. This group can really get you excited about some new books!
Kadijah Michelle wrote: "Sounds like you have your year organized. Word to the wise, be prepared to make changes. I started last year thinking I would only read books already on my list, and instead I would say I went 50% ..."The only constant in life is change. :) (I read that somewhere).
I am down to make changes as the year progresses, but it makes me feel better to know I have an idea of what I should be looking towards. I am a planner in the extreme, whether that is a good thing or a bad thing, is yet to be determined, I think.
I like the idea of joining in on the book of the month sort of deal too(yay for internet book clubs!) so that will change things already. I would just include them but they aren't announced until each new month rolls around, and even then I don't know if I will be able to check them out from my library. Actually, some of the books on my list are in the same boat.
Mostly, I have been a member of this site for so long but I never realized the extent that you could participate until October. It seems silly now when I think about it. So, I guess I am trying to make up for lost time.
So this challenge is floating around. I thought I would give it a shot since, you know, I'm insane.Official Challenge #3- The Pop Sugar Challenge
1. A book based on a fairy tale -
2. A National Book Award winner -
3. A YA bestseller -
4. A book you haven't read since high school - The Diary of a Young Girl
5. A book set in your home state -
6. A book translated to English -
7. A romance set in the future -
8. A book set in Europe -
9. A book that's under 150 pages -
10. A New York Times bestseller -
11. A book that's becoming a movie this year - Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
12. A book recommended by someone you just met - Rise of an Oligarch
13. A self-improvement book -
14. A book you can finish in a day -
15. A book written by a celebrity -
16. A political memoir -
17. A book at least 100 years older than you - The Time Machine
18. A book that's more than 600 pages - Gone with the Wind
19. A book from Oprah's Book Club -
20. A science-fiction novel -
21. A book recommended by a family member -
22. A graphic novel -
23. A book that is published in 2016 - A Torch Against the Night
24. A book with a protagonist that has your occupation -
25. A book that takes place during summer -
26. A book and its prequel - Wide Sargasso Sea, considered a prequel to Jane Eyre
27. A murder mystery -
28. A book written by a comedian -
29. A dystopian novel -
30. A book with a blue cover - Fair Play
31. A book of poetry - The Divine Comedy
32. The first book you see in a bookstore- The Japanese Lover
33. A classic from the 20th century -
34. A book from the library -
35. An autobiography -
36. A book about a road trip -
37. A book about a culture you're unfamiliar with -
38. A satirical book - The Loved One
39. A book that takes place on an island -
40. A book that's guaranteed to bring you joy -
Total Books: 29/40
(Message 61 on Challenge Board)
Stephanie (R-A) wrote: "Kadijah Michelle wrote: "Sounds like you have your year organized. Word to the wise, be prepared to make changes. I started last year thinking I would only read books already on my list, and instea..."I hear you. I think I was that way about a year ago too, now I'm way involved in this group.
P.S. I love the PopSugar Challenge the best!
Kadijah Michelle wrote: "Stephanie (R-A) wrote: "Kadijah Michelle wrote: "Sounds like you have your year organized. Word to the wise, be prepared to make changes. I started last year thinking I would only read books alread..."A lot of the Pop Sugar Challenge categories were the most difficult for me to come up with. However, the broadness of all the categories really appealed to me. The author with the same initials thing, for instance- which initials? I have four S.A.R.A, so I sort of picked and chose based off of what was going to be the most convenient for me. Salman Rushdie was already on my To-Read shelf, so boom. It took a long time though. I kept having to go back and edit.
When I have a better idea of all the challenges I am participating in I will transcribe the master list into my book journal (I keep a handwritten one on top of all the reviews, etc on this site, I am hard core journaler/writer and I just can't help myself).
I feel like Good Reads is my new Facebook. I could literally spend hours on this site. Sigh. Oh well :) At least I am having fun!
Official Yearly Challenge #4- From Fiction to Reality1. Nonfiction: The Price of Power: Kissinger in the Nixon White House
Fiction: Crooked
2. Nonfiction: A Brief History of Time
Fiction:
3. Nonfiction: The Christians and the Fall of Rome
Fiction: Roma
4. Nonfiction:
Fiction: Words in the Dust
5. Nonfiction:
Fiction:
(10 books total, 5 fiction/5 non-fiction)
Total Books Read: 4/10
(Message 51 on Challenge Board)
Personal Challenge #2- Read WomenThis is the place where I will keep track of all the female authors that I read throughout 2016. As a woman, I feel like it is important to read books by women, old and new. This seems like the perfect place to keep track of something like that.
1. Lynda Rutledge- Faith Bass Darling's Last Garage Sale
2. V. E. Schwab- A Darker Shade of Magic, A Gathering of Shadows
3. Kristin Hannah- The Nightingale
4. Frances Hardinge- The Lie Tree
5. Marissa Meyer- Winter
6. Marilynne Robinson- Gilead
7. Kim Harrison- The Undead Pool,The Witch With No Name
8. Stacy Schiff- The Witches: Salem, 1692
9. Deborah Harkness- A Discovery of Witches
10. Pearl S. Buck- The Good Earth
11. Donna Tartt- The Goldfinch
12. Gail Levine Carson- Ella Enchanted
13. Virginia Woolf- A Room of One's Own
14. Sylvia Plath- The Bell Jar
15. Margaret Atwood- The Handmaid's Tale
16. Kathryn Stockett- The Help
17. Betty Smith- A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
18. Louisa May Alcott- Little Women
19. Agatha Christie- Murder on the Orient Express
20. Rachel Caine- Ink and Bone
21. Malala Yousafzai- I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
22. Laurie Halse Anderson- Speak
23. Tahereh Mafi- Shatter Me
24. Alice Walker- The Color Purple
25. Emma Donoghue- Room
26. Seanan McGuire- Rosemary and Rue, A Local Habitation, An Artificial Night
27. Charlotte Bronte- Jane Eyre
28. Diana Gabaldon- Outlander
29. Nancy Horan- Loving Frank
30. Juliet Marillier- Daughter of the Forest
31. Paula Hawkins- The Girl on the Train
32. Kara Cooney- The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt
33. Gillian Flynn- Gone Girl
34. Sue Grafton- R is for Ricochet
35. Libba Bray- The Diviners
36. Kathryn Harrison- Joan of Arc: A Life Transfigured
37. Melanie Benjamin- Alice I Have Been
38. Marissa Burt- A Sliver of Stardust
39. Felicia Day- You're Never Weird on the Internet
40. Amy Tan- The Joy Luck Club
Stephanie (R-A) wrote: "Personal Challenge #2- Read WomenThis is the place where I will keep track of all the female authors that I read throughout 2016. As a woman, I feel like it is important to read books by women, o..."
I really like this idea! Sorry, I'm just creeping on people's personal challenges, lol.
Alex wrote: "Stephanie (R-A) wrote: "Personal Challenge #2- Read WomenThis is the place where I will keep track of all the female authors that I read throughout 2016. As a woman, I feel like it is important t..."
No problem. I wouldn't be using a website to keep track of all of this stuff if I cared about other people reading what what I was attempting for 2016 :) Honestly, it makes me feel a little bit more important than I actually am. :)
Official Yearly Challenge # 5- Around the World in Books This is one I haven't signed up for yet, but the idea of keeping track of where the authors are from that I read is really interesting to me, and later on in the year I might officially join if I feel like I can gather enough of a sampling to contribute.
So this is really just something to keep track of for now.
United States
California- Andy Weir, Bret Easton Ellis
Georgia- Margaret Mitchell
Idaho- Marilynne Robinson
Michigan- Kim Harrison
New York- Betty Smith
Pennsylvania- Stewart O'Nan
Texas- Lynda Rutledge
Washington- Marissa Meyer
The Caribbean
Dominca, West Indies- Jean Rhys
England
Kent- Frances Hardinge
The Middle East
Russia
Moscow- Victor Pelevin
Personal Challenge #3- Traveling through BooksThis is where I will keep track of the different places I visit while I read. I am not necessarily going to be aiming for a number, but if say by the time I have fulfilled all my other challenges (should such a thing occur) and I have visited 45 places around the world, I might aim for 50 if I have enough time. So again, just keeping track, but hoping for a round number. :)
The United States
Alabama
1. Tuskegee- Invisible Man
Alaska
Arizona
1. Phoenix- The Red Pyramid
Arkansas
California
1. Los Angeles- The Black Dahlia
2. San Francisco- The Man in the High Castle
3. Fremont- A Local Habitation
4. Santa Teresa- R is for Ricochet
Colorado
1. Denver- On the Road
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
1. Rural Georgia- The Color Purple
2. Savannah- Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil: A Savannah Story
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
1. Oak Park/Chicago- Loving Frank
Indiana
Iowa
1. Gilead- Gilead
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
1. Cold Mountain- The Green Mile
Maine
1. Bangor (Republic of Gilead)- The Handmaid's Tale
Maryland
1. Baltimore and surrounding rural areas- Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
Massachusetts
1. Salem- The Witches: Salem, 1692
2. Boston- The Bell Jar
3. Concord- Little Women
4. West Newton- Tuesdays with Morrie
5. Lovecraft- Locke & Key, Vol. 1: Welcome to Lovecraft
Michigan
1. Detroit- Middlesex
Minnesota
Mississippi
1. Jackson- The Help
Missouri
1. Carthage, Hannibal- Gone Girl
Montana
Nebraska
New Hampshire
New Jersey
1. Atlantic City- You're Never Weird on the Internet
New Mexico
New York
1. Hamptons- A World Away
2. Brooklyn- A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
3. Syracuse- Speak
4. Manhattan and Harlem- The Diviners
5. Battery Park- The Child Thief
Nevada
1. Las Vegas- The Goldfinch
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
1. Cincinnati- The Undead Pool
Oklahoma
Oregon
1. The Nightingale- Finished 1/15/2016
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Texas
1. Bass, Texas- Faith Bass Darling's Last Garage Sale- Finished 1/2/2016
2. El Paso, Texas- Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
Tennessee
Utah
Vermont
Virgina
1. Sterling- Zombie Spaceship Wasteland
Washington
1. Seattle- Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Total: 22/50
(Around the World in 80 Days- 2016 USA Road Trip Challenge)
Central America
Costa Rica
1. Bahia Anasco- Jurassic Park
South America
Europe
England
1. London- A Darker Shade of Magic- Finished 1/5/2016
2. Countryside- Crome Yellow- Finished 1/10/2016
3. Vane- The Lie Tree- Finished 1/17/2016
4. Oxford-A Discovery of Witches
5. Oxbridge/London- A Room of One's Own
6. Rural North Central England- Jane Eyre
7. Ashbury, Witney and London- The Girl on the Train
8. Ancient Brittany- The Buried Giant
Scotland
1. The Highlands- Outlander
France
1. Carriveau- The Nightingale- Finished 1/15/2016
Germany
1. Molching- The Book Thief
Spain
1. Barcelona- The Shadow of the Wind
Poland
1. Cracow- Schindler's Ark- Finished 2/25/2016
Yugoslavia
1. Vincovci- Murder on the Orient Express
Russia
1. Moscow- Omon Ra- Finished 1/30/2016
The Middle East
Pakistan
1. Swat Valley- I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
Afghanistan
1. Kabul- The Kite Runner
Africa
Egypt
1. Thebes- The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt
Asia
China
1. The Good Earth- Finished 2/29/2016
2. The Joy Luck Club- Finished 10/4/2016
Moon
1. Winter- Finished 1/24/2016
Mars
1. The Martian
2. A Princess of Mars
I hope I'm not messing up your list with my post...Love your challenges and the reasoning behind them, I love they are so varied, good luck!
Kiwi wrote: "I hope I'm not messing up your list with my post...Love your challenges and the reasoning behind them, I love they are so varied, good luck!"No worries :) I like to talk to people. I tend to bold my titles and will check off books via the posts I have written (the editing function is awesome). I keep hard copies at home in my book journal, so I have lists a plenty.
I am just in the process of trying to figure out what is reasonable to do in one year. This will be my first year attempting any reading challenge, and I am someone who needs to obsessively plan just about everything. It's not always a good thing to need to do it for me personally as it takes time, but if it is helping people figure out what they might be interested in looking for this year then all the better.
I will be keeping track of monthly things as I come across them and want to participate, but chances are I will be incorporating a lot of what I have already planned. My goal is 52 books for the year, but I will probably double that. However, I would rather set a lower goal initially and then make it higher if I blow through it.
Stephanie (R-A) wrote: "Kadijah Michelle wrote: "Stephanie (R-A) wrote: "Kadijah Michelle wrote: "Sounds like you have your year organized. Word to the wise, be prepared to make changes. I started last year thinking I wou..."Goodreads is my Facebook too! I just love meeting all of the people on here that share my love of reading without all of the drama of well, life. Not that having things going on in life aren't important, but I really enjoy escaping into this world.
Haha, totally understand, I'm a planner myself :DI have the same strategy, to keep the planned number of reads lower that what I expect to read in a year, so that anything over that is a bonus.
2016 will be my third year at reading challenges, I learned to exercise restraint before joining too many early on :)
Kadijah Michelle wrote: "Stephanie (R-A) wrote: "Kadijah Michelle wrote: "Stephanie (R-A) wrote: "Kadijah Michelle wrote: "Sounds like you have your year organized. Word to the wise, be prepared to make changes. I started ..."Yeah. I still like to see the baby pictures and stuff, but I think books are more interesting. You get a better sense for who someone really is the way they look at books or review them. Also, I find out about books I never would have known about if I hadn't been on this site. Although it tends to suck hours away from actual life, but...you know, some sacrifices must be made :)
Kiwi wrote: "Haha, totally understand, I'm a planner myself :DI have the same strategy, to keep the planned number of reads lower that what I expect to read in a year, so that anything over that is a bonus.
2..."
I am not sure I am exercising restraint, but this is the first year for me, so I will see how it works out. Lessons learned and all of that. I did make a tiny 2015 goal in October of 24 books that I am 3 books away from making. If I can hit that goal, I am fairly confident that I haven't overwhelmed myself for 2016 (as of now).
Personal Challenge #4- Home SchoolThe idea behind this is that you can educate yourself at home. This is not necessarily something to keep in mind for a single year, but over the years. See how many "degrees" I can attain without paying for extra education.
These categories and the formulas were lifted from the NBRC Reading University Challenge page. I am sure there are subcategories that are not written that can apply. The whole idea is to keep track of any "degrees" I might be earning.
Degree Progression:
Associates Degree: (7 books in all)
► Read 1 book from each core subject (7 books)
Bachelors Degree: (20 books in all)
► Choose a Major (read 10 books from any 1 subject)
► Choose a Minor (read 3 books from any 1 subject, not the same as your major)
After completing your Bachelor's Degree, you may decide you want to Master a specific topic...
Masters Degree: (35 books in all)
► Choose 1 core subject to master - read 3 books from each subcategory, read 3 books mixed and matched (any subcategory from that core group) (15 books)
♦ Note: Can choose the same or a different category from your bachelors degree
PHD: (45 books in all)
► Choose 1 subcategory from your Masters and read 10 books from that subcategory.
Core Subjects: Science, Literature, History, Social Science, Art, Language, Athletics
Subcategories:
Science: science fiction, earth science, life science, applied science
Literature: american novel, european novel, world novel, graphic novel
History: alternate history, american history, european history, world history
Social Science: anthropology, psychology, education, political science
Art: fine arts, visual arts, music, art history
Language: indo-european, sino-tibetan, niger-congo, austronesian
Athletics: baseball, olympics, cricket, sports history
In Depth Sub Category List:
Science:
Science Fiction - Science Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal or Dystopian genre
Earth Science - fiction or non-fiction book about climate change, a natural disaster, or located primarily on/in the ocean or underground
Life Science - fiction or nonfiction book about an animal(s) or plant(s)
Applied Science - fiction or non-fiction book about a medical condition/epidemic/breakthrough or where a main character is a doctor or nurse
Literature:
American Novel - literature genre set in North America or by a North American author(s)
European Novel - literature genre set in Europe or by a European author(s)
World Novel - literature genre set outside of North America and Europe or by an author from outside of North America and Europe
Graphic Novel/Manga - graphic novel or manga genre & at least 200 pages in length
History:
(A historical book is defined as the book's timeline occurring at least 30 years prior to the publication date)
Alternate History - alternative history genre
American History - fiction or non-fiction historical book set in North America
European history - fiction or non-fiction historical book set in Europe
World history - fiction or non-fiction historical book set outside of North American and Europe
Social Science:
Anthropology - fiction or non-fiction book set in a culture or country different from yours (state your culture or country of origin)
Psychology - fiction or non-fiction book about psychology, psychological disorders, a psychiatrist, or where the main character has a mental disorder
Education - fiction or non-fiction book about education, an educator (school administration or teacher), or set in a school
Political Science - fiction or non-fiction book about a political movement, politician, or set in a "great power" state (UK, China, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, or US)
Art:
Fine Arts - fiction or non-fiction book where a fine art piece(s) or a fine artist(s) plays a major role in the plot (if not obvious state how); fine art is defined here as painting, drawing, comics, photography, and sculpture
Visual Arts - fiction or non-fiction book where a visual art piece(s) or a visual artist(s) plays a major role in the plot (if not obvious state how); visual art is defined here as dance, theater, and film
Music - fiction or non-fiction book where a musical piece(s) or a musician plays a major role in the plot (if not obvious state how)
Art History - fiction or non-fiction book set in ancient Greece or Rome
Language:
Indo-European - fiction or non-fiction book set in Spain, Russia or India
Sino-Tibetan - fiction or non-fiction book set in China or Japan
Niger-Congo - fiction or non-fiction book set in Africa
Austronesian - fiction or non-fiction book set in Australia or south east Asia
Athletics:
Baseball - fiction or non-fiction book about baseball or baseball player
Olympics - fiction or non-fiction book about the olympics, an olympian or any olympic sport (other than baseball or cricket)
Cricket - fiction or non-fiction book about cricket or set in an International Cricket Council (ICC) full member country (Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West India, or Zimbabwe)
Sports History - fiction or non-fiction historical book about any sport (hide spoiler)]
Associate's Degree
1. Science- A Brief History of Time
2. Literature-
3. History-
4. Social Science- The Feminine Mystique
5. Art-
6. Language-
►Russian smattered throughout
7. Athletics- Concussion
Total Books Read: 4/7
Official Yearly Challenge #6- Let's Turn Pages The idea behind this is to keep track of all the pages I read during the year. So as I read a book, I will add it and include the number of pages that are in the book and add up the total as I go.
Initially this was for my own interest, but now that it has been made official, I have made a goal of 25,000 pages. We will see what happens.
Just because I have been reading in 2015, I will include that total as well and compare the two. Simply for my own enjoyment.
2015
390 pages
452 pages
550 pages
220 pages
656 pages
465 pages
503 pages
563 pages
387 pages
376 pages
370 pages
212 pages
528 pages
352 pages
416 pages
458 pages
446 pages
530 pages
342 pages
339 pages
640 pages
231 pages
328 pages
196 pages
393 pages
700 pagesTotal Pages Read: 11,043 pages
I made it to 10,000+!
2016
307 pages
398 pages
215 pages
174 pages
440 pages
414 pages
352 pages
824 pages
247 pages
435 pages
154 pages
186 pages
212 pages
414 pages
441 pages
358 pages
417 pages
579 pages
429 pages
259 pages
357 pages
514 pages
771 pages
232 pages
250 pages
445 pages
97 pages
288 pages
311 pages
451 pages
496 pages
489 pages
213 pages
322 pages
351 pages
313 pages
290 pages
399 pages
198 pages
338 pages
552 pages
572 pages
244 pages
321 pages
359 pages
487 pages
346 pages
310 pages
377 pages
524 pages
850 pages
377 pages
554 pages
465 pages
323 pages
388 pages
298 pages
317 pages
419 pages
177 pages
156 pages
514 pages
352 pages
578 pages
315 pages
399 pages
529 pages
382 pages
392 pages
371 pages
192 pages
156 pages
25 pages
479 pages
384 pages
104 pages
288 pages
260 pages
354 pages
192 pages
288 pages
352 pagesTotal Pages Read: 29,605 pages
(Message 26 on Challenge Board)
Personal Challenge #5- A - Z Challenge I saw this on Kadijah's corner and couldn't help myself. She had a book category and an author category. The idea is just to try to read books/authors that involve every letter of the alphabet. Sounds like fun to me! At the very least I will keep track of it as the year progresses.
Books
A- I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban ✔ Finished 4/10/2016
B- The Black Dahlia ✔ Finished 2/14/2016
C- The Man in the High Castle ✔ Finished 2/26/2016
D- A Darker Shade of Magic ✔ Finished 1/5/2016
E- The Good Earth ✔ Finished 2/29/2016
F- Faith Bass Darling's Last Garage Sale ✔ Finished 1/2/2016
G- Gilead ✔ Finished 1/27/2016
H- The Handmaid's Tale ✔ Finished 3/17/2016
I- I, Robot✔ Finished 1/7/2016
J- The Bell Jar ✔ Finished 3/14/2016
K- The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt ✔ Finished 7/14/2016
L- The Lie Tree✔ Finished 1/17/2016
M- The Martian✔ Finished 1/29/2016
N- The Nightingale✔ Finished 1/15/2016
O- Omon Ra✔ Finished 1/30/2016
P- A Princess of Mars ✔ Finished 1/31/2016
Q-
R- The Red Pyramid ✔ Finished 3/1/2016
S- Schindler's Ark ✔ Finished 2/25/2016
T- A Tree Grows in Brooklyn ✔ Finished 3/22/2016
U-The Undead Pool✔ Finished 2/7/2016
V- Locke & Key, Vol. 1: Welcome to Lovecraft ✔ Finished 9/11/2016
W- A World Away✔ Finished 1/22/2016
X-
Y- Chrome Yellow ✔ Finished 1/10/2016
Z- Zombie Spaceship Wasteland ✔ Finished 9/30/2016
24/26
Authors
A- Isaac Asimov ✔ Finished 1/7/2016
B- Edgar Rice Burroughs ✔ Finished 1/31/2016
C- Stephen Chbosky ✔ Finished 3/27/2016
D- Philip K. Dick ✔ Finished 2/26/2016
E- James Ellroy ✔ Finished 2/14/2016
F- Jamie Ford ✔ Finished 4/11/2016
G- Neil Gaiman ✔ Finished 3/10/2016
H- Kristin Hannah✔ Finished 1/15/2016
I- Kazuo Ishiguro ✔ Finished 7/17/2016
J-
K- Thomas Kinneally ✔ Finished 2/25/2016
L- Gail Carson Levine ✔ Finished 3/7/2016
M- Marissa Meyer✔ Finished 1/24/2016
N-
O- Stewart O'Nan ✔ Finished 1/22/2016
P- Victor Pelevin ✔ Finished 1/30/2016
Q-
R- Lynda Rutledge ✔ Finished 1/2/2016
S- V. E. Schwab ✔ Finished 1/5/2016
T- Donna Tartt ✔ Finished 3/6/2016
U-
V-
W- Andy Weir ✔ Finished 1/29/2016
X- Aldous Huxley✔ Finished 1/10/2016
Y- Malala Yousafzai ✔ Finished 4/10/2016
Z- Markus Zusak ✔ Finished 5/7/2016
21/26
Characters (Yearly Challenge- Message #27)✔
A- John Ames ✔ Finished 1/27/2016
B- Bleichart ✔ Finished 2/14/2016
C- Susan Calvin ✔ Finished 1/7/2016
D- Denis ✔ Finished 1/10/2016
E- Emilie Schindler ✔ Finished 2/25/2016
F- Faith Bass Darling ✔ Finished 1/2/2016
G- Esther Greenwood ✔ Finished 1/31/2016
H- Henry Lee ✔ Finished 4/11/2016
I- Ivy Tamwood (The Witch with No Name) ✔ Finished 2/8/2016
J- Jay Langer (A World Away) ✔ Finished 1/22/2016
K- Kell (A Darker Shade of Magic) ✔ Finished 1/5/2016
L- Levana (Winter)✔ Finished 1/24/2016
M- Matthew Clairmont (A Discovery of Witches) ✔ Finished 2/23/2016
N- Francie Nolan (A Tree Grows in Brooklyn) ✔ Finished 3/22/2016
O- Omon (Omon-Ra) ✔ Finished 1/30/2016
P- Poirot (Murder on the Orient Express) ✔ Finished 3/31/2016
Q- Dante Quintano (Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe) ✔ Finished 5/21/2016
R- Rachel Morgan (Hollow Series) ✔ Finished 2/7/2016
S- Faith Sunderly (The Lie Tree) ✔ Finished 1/17/2016
T- Tars Tarkas (A Princess of Mars) ✔ Finished 1/31/2016
U- Useramen (The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt) ✔ Finished 7/14/2016
V- Vianne (The Nightingale)- ✔ Finished 1/15/2016
W- Mark Watney (The Martian)- ✔ Finished 1/29/2016
X- Julian Carax ✔ Finished 5/26/2016
Y- Malala Yousafzai ✔ Finished 4/10/2016
Z- Jimmy Zizmo- ✔ Finished 8/25/2016
26/26
2016 Master List1. Tony Abbott's The Sleeping Giant of Goll (Library)
2.
3.
4.
5. Kate Atkinson's A God in Ruins (Library)
6.
7.
8. Paul Auster's The New York Trilogy (Own)
9. Tash Aw's Map of the Invisible World($10-Nook Book)
10.
11.
12. Elizabeth Bowen's A World of Love (Paperback- $14)
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20. Octavia E. Butler's Parable of the Sower (Library E-Book)
21.
22.
23.
24.
25. John Connolly's Bad Men (Nook Book- $8)
26.
27.
28. Dante's The Divine Comedy (Own)
29.
30.
31. Stephen R. Donaldson's The Mirror of Her Dreams (Library E-Book)
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40. Rosario Ferre's The House on the Lagoon (Nook Book- $15)
41.
42.
43. Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl (Own)- February
44. Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique (Nook Book- $11)
45.
46.
47.
48.
49. Edward Gibbon's The Christians and the Fall of Rome (Own)
50.
51.
52. Rachel Howzell Hall's A Quiet Storm (Paperback-$17)
53.
54.
55.
56.
57.
58.
59. Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time (Own)
60.
61. Terry Hayes's The Year of the Locust (Library)
62. Seymour M. Hersh's The Price of Power: Kissinger in the Nixon White House (Nook Book- $16)
63.
64. Joe Hill's Locke & Key, Vol. 2: Head Games (Nook Book- $11)
65. Joe Hill's Locke & Key, Vol. 3: Crown of Shadows (Nook Book- $11)
66.
67.
68.
69.
70. Eowyn Ivey's Last Days in Hunting Camp (?)
71. Tove Jansson's Fair Play (Nook Book- $10.50)
72.
73.
74.
75. Barbara Kingslover's The Poisonwood Bible (Own)
76. Nik Krasno's Rise of an Oligarch (Paperback- $12)
77. Harriet Lane's Her (Nook Book- $10.00)
78. Jeanne Marie Laska's Concussion (Nook Book- $12.00)
79.
80. Lois Lowry's The Giver (Own)
81. Lois Lowry's Gathering Blue (Library)
82.
83. Gregory Maguire's A Lion Among Men (Own)
84.
85.
86.
87.
88.
89. Seanan McGuire's Late Eclipses (Own)
90. Seanan McGuire's One Salt Sea (Library E-Book)
91. Seanan McGuire's Ashes of Honor (Library E-Book)
92. Seanan McGuire's Chimes at Midnight (Library E-Book)
93. Seanan McGuire's The Winter Long (Nook Book- $8.00)
94. Seanan McGuire's A Red-Rose Chain (Nook Book- $8.00)
95.
96. David Mitchell's Earth calling Tylor (? Really can't find this anywhere, might not be able to read it)
97. Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind (Own)- February
98. Iris Murdoch's A Severed Head (Own)
99. V.S. Naipul's Literary Occasions: Essays (?)
100.
101. Naomi Novik's Uprooted(Own)
102.
103. Chuck Palahniuk's Fight Club (Own)
104.
105.
106. Julia Powell's Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen: How One Girl Risked Her Marriage, Her Job, and Her Sanity to Master the Art of Living (Library)
107. Trent Reedy's Words in the Dust (Library E-Book)
108. Ruth Rendell's The Crocodile Bird (Nook Book- $7.50)
109 Jean Rhys's Wide Sargasso Sea (Own)
110. Alyson's Richman's The Lost Wife (Library)
111.
112.
113. J.K. Rowling's Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Library)
114.
115.
116. Steven Saylor's Roma (Nook Book- $10.00)
117.
118.
119.
120.
121. Muriel Spark's The Only Problem (Nook Book- $9.50)
122. Robert Louis Stevenson's The Suicide Club (Own)
123.
124. Rosemary Sutcliff's The Eagle of the Ninth (Own)
125. Sabaa Tahir's A Torch Against the Night (Nook Book- $11.00)
126.
127.
128. Seth Vikram's Two Lives (Paperback- $12.00)
129. Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle (Own)
130.
131. Evelyn Waugh's The Loved One (Nook Book- $10.00)
132.
133. H.G. Wells's The Island of Dr. Moreau (Own)
134. H.G. Wells's The Time Machine (Own)
135. Tennessee Williams's The Glass Menagerie (Library)
136.
137.
138.
139.
Total Read: 82/139
January Challenges
Personal Challenges
R-
E-
S-
O-
L-
U- The Undead Pool
T- A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
I-
O-
N-
♕ Group Word:
E- American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
X-
T- A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
R-
E-
M-
E- The Gods of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
S-
Official Challenges
♕Marathon Challenge- Completed!
Let's start the New Year off running! How many of us have a New Year's Resolution to read more books? How many of us set goals higher that we did last year? How many of us want to read that super long Penguin Classic that has been sitting on our book shelf, or spend long winter days on the couch with a pile of graphic novels? Let's start this New Year with a marathon of reading!
With long school breaks and snow days coming, pick a pile of books you feel you could snuggle up with. A nice long over 500 page book, a group of books under 100 pages, that book that has been on your TBR waiting to be read all day, or anything else you choose for yourself.
This is not a sprint, but a way to spend January in the pages! Pick the number of pages or books you would like to read in January and post them. The goal is to get the New Year started fast! Who would have thought, with the snow coming, that you could do a marathon in January?
1. Faith Bass Darling's Last Garage Sale✔- Finished 1/2/2016
2. A Darker Shade of Magic✔- Finished 1/5/2016
3. I, Robot✔- Finished 1/7/2016 (16 Scholastic Points)
4. Crome Yellow✔ Finished 1/10/2016
5. The Nightingale✔ Finished 1/15/2016
6. The Lie Tree ✔ Finished 1/17/2016
7. A World Away ✔ Finished 1/22/2016
8. Winter ✔ Finished 1/24/2016 (45 Scholastic Points)
9. Gilead ✔ Finished 1/27/2016
10. The Martian ✔ Finished 1/29/2016
11. Omon Ra ✔ Finished 1/30/2016
12. A Princess of Mars ✔- Finished 1/31/2016
Goal: 4,000 pages
Actual: 4,146 pages
(61 Scholastic Points- from the books that counted)
(Challenge Message #18)
♕Tea Time (NBRC)- Completed!
Rules
Read a book for each of the steps below. Then if you like, have another cuppa and read some more. You may read the steps in order or out of order or skip steps, it's up to you.
Step 1 - Boil the water
►Read books that are a bit "steamy", set in a hot climate or make you feel warm inside.
►Or books where the author's name or title begins with B, O, I or L.
Step 2 - Choose your tea
Read books with a color on the cover to match the type of tea you choose.
►Black - black tea
►Green - green tea
►White - white tea
►Brown - oolong tea
►Red - rooibos tea
►Orange - herbal tea
Step 3 - Steep the Tea
Read books with page counts to indicate how strong you like your tea
►Weak - under 150 pages
►Medium - 151 to 300 pages
►Strong - 301 pages or more
Step 4 - Sweet
Read books to indicate how sweet you like your tea
►No sugar - Stand alone novel
►One spoonful - Book one in a series
►Two spoonfuls - Book two in a series
►Honey - Book three in a series
►Artificial sweetener - Book four in a series
Step 5 - Black or White
Read books to indicate what else to add to your tea:
►No milk - General Fiction genre
►Just a dash - Romance/Chick Lit genre book
►Lots of milk - Young Adult/New adult genre book
►Cream - Fantasy/Sci fi genre book
►Soy milk - Mystery/Thriller genre book
►Lemon - Non-Fiction genre book
Levels
►Have a cuppa - 1 to 5 books
►Tea for two - 6 to 10 books ✿
► Tea party - 11 or more books
My Tea Preferences:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
(Haven't officially signed up for this one, either. Just looks like fun. If it looks like I will make it. Towards the middle of January I will post officially).
Book Club Reads
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7. African Tales: Folklore of the Central African Republic- Around the World in 80 Days (Africa)
8.
✿- Plan on Reading
Summary
★☆☆☆☆- 0
★★☆☆☆- 2
★★★☆☆- 5
★★★★☆- 3
★★★★★- 2
Most Favorite - "The Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah
Least Favorite - "A World Away" by Stewart O'Nan
Total Books Read in January: 12/17
February ChallengesG-
R- The Red Pyramid
O- Zombie Spaceship Wasteland by Patton Oswalt
U-
N-
D-
H-
O- A Room of One's Own
G-
Group Word:
H-
I- The Island of Dr. Moreau
S-
T-
O- Zombie Spaceship Wasteland by Patton Oswalt
R- The Red Pyramid
Y- The Diary of a Young Girl
Times Gone By (Completed)
February's theme is History, and for this months challenge we would like you to explore times gone by:
1. Read a book that takes place at beginning of the world (about 4.500,000,000 years ago).
2. Read a book that takes place during the time of the dinosaurs (about 250,000,000 to 65,000,000 years ago).
3. Read a book that takes place during the time after homo sapiens existed but B.C.E. (Before Common Era) (about 1,500,000 years ago to 0 A.D).
4. Read a book that takes place between supposed time of Jesus (start of Christianity) and the supposed time of Muhammad (start of Islam). This does not have to be religious, just in that time era (about 0 A.D. to 700 A.D).
5. Read a book that takes place during the Dark or Middle Ages (about 700 A.D. to 1500 A.D).
6. Read a book that takes place during rise of colonization around the world (about 1500 A.D. to 1900 A.D).
7. Read any book that takes place in the Far East before Communism (up to about 1950 A.D).
8. Read a book that takes place during the times of the World Wars (1914 to 1945).
9. Read a book that takes place during the time of the Cold War until the turn of the century 1945 to 2000.
10. Read a book that shows a potential alternate history for any time period.
These books can be works of any genre, fiction or nonfiction. Feel free to interpret these time periods any way you would like, just please enjoy the history of it all.
(I am leading this one, so I better finish it)
Total Books: 5/5
(60 Scholastic Points from the Books that Qualified)
Book Club Reads
1.
2. Luckiest Girl Alive - NBRC (2/2)
3. All the Bright Places - NBRC (2/12)
4.
5. The Bell Jar- Around the World in 80 Days ✿ (March)
6. Guantánamo Diary- Around the World in 80 Days
7. My Lord John: A Tale of Intrigue, Honor and the Rise of a King- Around the World in 80 Days
8. Travels in Mauritania- Around the World in 80 Days
9.
✿- Plan on Reading
Summary
★☆☆☆☆- 0
★★☆☆☆- 0
★★★☆☆- 3
★★★★☆- 5
★★★★★- 1
Most Favorite- "Schindler's Ark" by Thomas Kenneally
Least Favorite- "The Witches: Salem, 1692"
Total Books Read in February: 9/14
March ChallengesL-
E-
P-
R-
E-
C-
H-
A-
U-Uprooted
N-
C-
O-
U- Uprooted
R-
A-
G-
E-
Read for Courage
Duration: March 1, 2016 to March 31, 2016
For this challenge, we would like you to read books that you define as courageous because what is brave to one person can be different to another.
We would like to give you some suggestions:
1. Look for books that are memoirs/autobiographies/biographies.
2. Books of historical fiction during times of war or political unrest.
3. Books that explore difficult topics where the protagonist must do something courageous.
It is up to you, all we ask is that you justify your selection.
So, for this challenge, please pick the number of books you like to read and let the challenge leader know.
My Books:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
(Original Topic Message #6)
Marvelous March (Completed!)
March has many wonderful and zany holidays. Let’s celebrate by reading through the holidays. Thank you, Stacie, for this challenge idea!
Levels:
Daring Daffodil: 1 - 4 books
Bluestocking: 5 - 8 books
Luck of the Irish: 8+ books
Tasks
◄ March is Irish American Month. Read a book that takes place in Ireland, or was written by an Irish author.
◄ March is Women’s History Month. Read a book by a new to young female author, or a book with a strong female lead.
◄ March is said to come in like a lion and go out like a lamb. Read a book that starts out strong and wimps out to the end, or read a book featuring animals.
◄ The flower of March is the daffodil. Read a book that has a predominately yellow or white cover, or where the first letter of the title can be found in DAFFODIL.
◄ March was named for Mars, the Roman god of war. Read a book set in space, a book about war, or a book with a red cover.
◄ March: to walk in a military manner with a regular measured tread. Read a book where a character is very determined with moving towards their goal or a book with a character in the military.
◄ March splits Pisces and Aries for zodiac signs. Read a book with water or fire on the cover, the final book in a series, or the first book in a series.
◄ March Madness is the college basketball tournament performed each Spring in the US. Read a book featuring a sports team or someone who plays a sport.
◄ March 2nd is Old Stuff Day. This is a day to try something new, break out of your routine, make a change! Read a book from a new genre or author. Break out of your reading rut!
◄ March 9th is Panic Day. Rather than freak out, read a book that calms you down! Alternatively, read a book that raises your blood pressure and makes you uncomfortable.
◄ March 12th is Girl Scout Day. Read a book with cookies in the title or on the cover, or read a book about a group of girls or a where a character does community service.
◄ March 14th is Pi Day, a day that celebrates Pi, the number that never ends. It’s often abbreviated to 3.14. It’s also Albert Einstein’s birthday. Read a book with an average rating of 3.14 or higher, a book that was published in March of 2014 or a book featuring a mathematician or bakery.
◄ March 17th is Saint Patrick’s Day. Read a book written by an author named Patrick (first or last name) or with Patrick as the main character (Pat is acceptable). Alternatively, read a book where the main cover color is green or has alcohol on it.
◄ March 20th is the first day of Spring in the United States. Spring represents ideas of rebirth, rejuvenation, renewal, resurrection and regrowth. Read a book where the main character undergoes a transformation of some kind or gives birth to something (a person, a new idea, a business).
◄ March 29th is National Smoke and Mirrors Day. Read a book where something isn’t as it seems or where the main character is hiding something.
Books Finished: 8/8
Book Club Reads
1. I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban- 2016 Challenges ✿
2.
3. Ink and Bone- NBRC (12th) ✿
4. A Gathering of Shadows- NBRC (22nd) ✿
5.
6. Katherine- Around the World in 80 Days
7. The Moor's Account- Around the World in 80 Days
8. Monique and the Mango Rains: Two Years with a Midwife in Mali- Around the World in 80 Days
9.
✿- Plan on Reading
Q- Applies to Quarterly Reading Challenge (Must Finish)
Summary
★☆☆☆☆- 0
★★☆☆☆- 0
★★★☆☆- 5
★★★★☆- 6
★★★★★- 2
Most Favorite- The Help
Least Favorite- Little Women
Total Books Read in March: 13/17
April ChallengesS-
H-
O- Zombie Spaceship Wasteland by Patton Oswalt
W- Wide Sargasso Sea
E- Jane Eyre
R- Rosemary and Rue
S-
Group Word:
S-
P-
R- Rosemary and Rue
I-
N- The New York Trilogy
G- A God in Ruins
C-
L- A Local Habitation
E- Jane Eyre
A-
N- The Eagle of the Ninth
I- Invisible Man
N- You're Never Weird on the Internet
G- A Gathering of Shadows
Spring Cleaning for the Soul
Duration: April 1, 2016 to April 30, 2016
During spring time so many of us set out to clean our houses from top to bottom, but wouldn’t it be nice to also declutter our lives as well?
For April, instead of the usual challenge to read books specific to the theme, we thought we would look inward instead of out. Let’s read some books that clean up our souls and minds.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Read a self-improvement book you've been meaning to get to for a while.
- Read a book that inspires you, spiritually or emotionally.
- Read a book by someone you find heroic or inspiring.
- Read a book where the character grows and changes to the point that their lives are better for it.
You decide the number of books to read, and when you post your progress let us know how each book touched you.
This challenge is based on an idea from Stephanie (R/A) and she will be leading this challenge. Thank you Stephanie (R/A).
1. I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban (Finished 4/10/2016)
2. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet (Finished 4/11/2016)
3. Speak (Finished 4/21/2016)
4. Shatter Me (Finished 4/22/2016)
Total: 4/4
(Since I am leading this one, I have to finish it).
Easter Egg Hunt
Duration: April 1st - April 30th
Rainbow Chaser: Complete any one option
Dream Catcher: Complete two options
Master Hunter: Complete the three options
Option #1: Fill Your Basket
- Read a book with a cover from each of the following colors: yellow, orange, red, green, blue, purple and pink. As a bonus, you can choose your own colorful cover books.
Red-
Orange- Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Yellow-
Green-
Blue- Ink and Bone
Purple-
Pink- I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
Option #2: Embrace Your Inner Child
- Read a book that has a surprise twist
- Read a book that feels like a guilty pleasure
- Read a book in which the main character has a child's dream profession (firefighter, policeman, nurse, teacher, doctor, etc)
- Read a book that where the main character has a pet or is taking care of someone's pet
- Read a book where a party is thrown
- Reda a book about books
- Read a book where the main character rides a bicycle
Option #3: Find the Pattern
- Read a book which cover or title contains each of the following patterns: flowers, stripes, swirls, polka dots, waves, circles & stars.
Option #4: Spell The Egg
- Read one (or more) words from the options above using the Spell-it-Out Rules(*)
(Looks interesting, not sure if I am going to do it for sure, but it is a good thing to keep in mind this month, as this is the month that Easter should be).
Book Club Reads
1.
2.
3. Armada- NBRC (12th)
4. Salt to the Sea- NBRC (22nd)
5.
6. All Creatures Great and Small- Around the World in 80 Days
7. The Last Will & Testament of Senhor da Silva Araújo- Around the World in 80 Days
8. The New York Trilogy- Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die ✿
Summary
★☆☆☆☆- 0
★★☆☆☆- 0
★★★☆☆- 1
★★★★☆- 4
★★★★★- 1
Most Favorite- Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Least Favorite- American Psycho
Total Books Read This Month: 6/17
✿- Plan On Reading
May ChallengesF- Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things
L-
0-
W-
E- Jane Eyre
R-
S-
Group Word:
C-
E- Jane Eyre
L-
E- The Eagle of the Ninth
B-
R-
A-
T- The New York Trilogy
I-
O-
N- Orphan Number 8
S-
Marathon May Style:
Duration: May 1 - May 31, 2016
Want to continue with your spring cleaning? How about another opportunity to clear more of those shelves? How many of us would really like less books to dust (or would just like to dust off some books that have been sitting there way too long) ? So as requested, we are bringing along another marathon challenge.
Here’s how it works: How many of us want to read that super long Penguin Classic that has been sitting on our book shelf, or spend long rainy days on the couch with a pile of graphic novels? Let's spend some of this spring with a marathon of reading!
With national holidays and longer days coming, pick a pile of books you feel you could read while the sun is still up. A nice long over 500 page book, a group of books under 100 pages, that book that has been on your TBR waiting to be read all day, or anything else you choose. Just give yourself over to reading!
This is not a sprint, but a way to spend May in the pages! Pick the number of pages or books you would like to read in May and post them below. The goal is to get those shelves cleaned up fast! Who would have thought cleaning could be so fun, and that you could do a marathon in the pages of a book?
1. The Book Thief
2. Invisible Man
3. The Color Purple
4. Room
5. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
6. The Shadow of the Wind
7. Rosemary and Rue
8. On the Road
9. A Local Habitation
Books Finished: 9/10
Major League Baseball
The baseball season typically runs from early April to late September, followed by the postseason (World Series) in October.
Levels:
Rookie: 1-5 books
Starting Pitcher: 6-11
Catcher: 12-18
Shortstop: 19-24
MVP: 25+ books
Select one or more of the following options:
1) Spell out the name of your favorite baseball team, or the one you predict will make it to the World Series.
M-
A-
R-
I-
N- The New York Trilogy
E- The Eagle of the Ninth or Jane Eyre
R-
S-
2) Read books with titles, covers, or themes based on team names.
3) Spell out a favorite player's name
Z-
U-
N- The New York Trilogy
I-
N- Orphan Number 8
O-
4) Play the 1st - 9th innings by reading series books that correspond with the inning
5) Playoffs- Using the Number Generator, generate the number of points the opposing team has. Read that number of books, plus one.
6) Spell out any term or phrase used in baseball
7) Home run! Finish a four-book series.
Total Books Read: 7/10
Book Club Reads
1. Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things- 2016 Challenges ✿
2. Orphan Number 8- NBRC ✿
3.
4.
5. Annie John- Around the World in 80 Days
6. Their Promised Land: My Grandparents in Love and War- Around the World in 80 Days
7. Death in Bordeaux- Around the World in 80 Days
8.
Summary
★☆☆☆☆- 1
★★☆☆☆- 0
★★★☆☆- 2
★★★★☆- 5
★★★★★- 1
Most Favorite- Invisible Man
Least Favorite- On the Road
Total Books Read This Month: 9/14
✿- Plan on Reading
June ChallengesS- A Gathering of Shadows
U- Uprooted
M-
M-
E-
R- The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt
Group Word:
P-
R- The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt
I- The Island of Dr. Moreau
D- Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
E-
The Villains Challenge- Bwahaha!
Duration June 1, 2016 to June 30, 2016
Sticking with this month’s theme of Pride, let us look at some of the most prideful characters in the books we read, the Villains. They are often the antagonist in the story, but can also at times be the protagonist as well (think Patrick Bateman in American Psycho). Either way, let us look at the sins these characters can commit...
1. Read a book where the villain is a vicious liar and/or manipulator.
The Girl on the Train- Telling who the villain is would give it away, but they are definitely a liar/manipulator
2. Read a book where the villain is someone who is so lazy and useless (possibly a drunkard or an addict), that he/she is a burden to others.
The Green Mile- Percy Wetmore is full of himself and uses his government connections to bully the other guards, but when it comes time to act always seems to freeze up
3. Read a book where the villain is insanely jealous and does not control his/her actions.
4. Read a book where the villain is habitual adulterer or cheater.
5. Read a book where the villain is so greedy that people do not matter.
Daughter of the Forest- Oonaugh marries Lord Colum and puts a spell on all his children to maintain her power
6. Read a book where the villain is a master thief.
7. Read a book where the villain is an abusive parent/spouse/other loved one (either dead or alive).
8. Read a book where the villain is a murderer.
9. Read a book where the villain is a sex offender.
Outlander- Black Jack is a rapist
Total Books Read: 4/5
Get Royal
Duration: June 1 to June 30
The British Queen’s Official Birthday is the selected day on which the birthday of the monarch of the Commonwealth realms (currently Queen Elizabeth II) is officially celebrated in those countries. The date varies as adopted by each Commonwealth country (view spoiler), but is generally around the end of May to the start of June.
As our mod Karen lives in Australia where it is celebrated on the second Monday in June each year, we have designed this challenge for June 2014!
Option One: Read books which have covers with a Queen, Union Jack, or other Royal theme on the cover or in the title
Option Two: Read books which are about members of a Royal family- Remember to check listopia for ideas:
Option Three: Read books which are based in the UK or a Commonwealth Country- Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Papua New Guinea, St Christopher and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Tuvalu, Barbados, Grenada, Solomon Islands, St Lucia and The Bahamas. Remember to check listopia for ideas.
Option Four - Spell-It-Out: Select a royal word or name of a royal of your choice, and then spell out the word(s) using the first letter in the book’s title, the first letter in the author’s first or last name, or the first letter of a character’s first, last, or nick-name. As always, if the first letter of a title starts with ‘A’, ‘An’, ‘The’, etc., you may use the first letter of the second word in the title to spell out your chosen word.
E-
L-
I- The Island of Dr. Moreau
Z- The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
A- Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
B- The Buried Giant
E-
T-
H- The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt
Levels of Play:
Aristocratic: 1-2 books
Blue-blooded: 3-5 books
Noble: 5-8 books
Imperial: 9-10 books
Total Completed- 4/9
Book Club Reads
1.
2.
3. Rebel of the Sands- NBRC (12th)
4. Sharp Objects- NBRC (22nd) ✿
5. East of the West: A Country in Stories- Around the World in 80 Books
6. The Devil's Pool and Other Stories- Around the World in 80 Books
7. Mansfield Park- Around the World in 80 Books ✿
8. After the Quake- Boxall's 1001 Books to Read Before You Die
Local Book Club Books
1.
2.
Summary
★☆☆☆☆- 0
★★☆☆☆- 0
★★★☆☆- 4
★★★★☆- 3
★★★★★- 0
Most Favorite- Daughter of the Forest
Least Favorite- Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil: A Savannah Story
Total Books Read This Month: 7/16
✿- Plan on Reading
July ChallengesF-
R- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling
E-
E- The Eagle of the Ninth
D-
O- Zombie Spaceship Wasteland by Patton Oswalt
M- Middlesex
Group Word:
L- Locke & Key, Vol. 1: Welcome to Lovecraft
E-
A-
D-
E- The Eagle of the Ninth
R- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling
S-
FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING
Duration: July 1 - July 31, 2016
During the month of July, we will be reading The Fellowship of the Ring together for our group read. For this challenge, we will read books inspired by the characters in the Fellowship.
Frodo Baggins is the ringbearer. Read a book where the main character carries on a family tradition or where the main character struggles against a great evil.
Locke & Key, Vol. 1: Welcome to Lovecraft
Samwise Gamgee constantly demonstrates his loyalty to Frodo and the quest. Read a book where loyalty is a key value.
Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck loves boats, maps, and exploration. Read a book where the main character is anxious to go on an adventure or where they regularly use a nickname.
Peregrin "Pippin" Took is from one of the most powerful hobbit families and his name means "traveler in strange countries." Read a book where the main character is part of a famous or noble family, or read a book where traveling is a major focus.
Aragorn Elessar was orphaned as a child and fostered by the elves, learning the strength and wisdom of the elves. Read a book where the main character is orphaned or fostered, or read a book where the main character shares Aragorn's strength.
Boromir of Gondor is a mighty warrior intent on protecting his people. Read a book where protection is a major motivation of the main character.
Gimli, son of Glóin is a dwarf with a fierce personality and fighting style. He quarrels with Legolas throughout the book because of the longstanding feud between their races. Read a book where one of the main characters struggles with an inherent prejudice or where the main character matches Gimli's fierceness.
Legolas Greenleaf is an elf and a very sharp-sighted archer. His name "Legolas" literally means Greenleaf. Read a book where the main character is very skilled or where the main character has a name with a literal meaning.
Gandalf the Grey is an extremely powerful wizard. Read a book with a strong magic user.
Total Read: 5/5
The Leadership Challenge
Duration July 1, 2016 to July 31, 2016
All great leaders are great readers, and many have even been great writers! So to honor all of the great leaders past and present, we are presenting this challenge to celebrate their leadership. Here is a challenge based on a list found on Forbes.com of what qualities it takes to make a great leader:
1. Great leaders are people that are honest and ethical in their behavior. Read a book where a character shows a great deal of honesty and integrity.
2. They delegate and trust the people working below them. Read a book where the characters share the work that needs to be done.
3. Great leaders understand the importance of communication. Read a book where lack of communication causes a major twist in the plot.
4. They understand the difference between confidence and arrogance. Read a book where the main character learns the difference between being arrogant and having confidence.
5. Great leaders are committed to the task at hand. Read a book that has characters dedicated to completing a task.
6. They have a positive attitude. Read a book that is overall pleasant.
7. Leaders bring creativity to the table. Read a book that where a character shows great creativity to solve a problem.
8. Great leaders have an intuition and are willing to take risks. Read a book where the characters take a large risk.
9. They inspire those around them to do the same. Read a book that is inspiring.
10. And finally, they are able to approach everyone, no matter what background, so that everyone can come together to reach a common goal. Read a book that is about different cultures or types of people coming together to work towards a common goal.
Read books about leaders past or present, autobiographical or historical, non-fiction or even fictional that reference these traits.
Total Read: 3/3
Book Club Reads
1.
2. Looking for Alaska (2nd)- NBRC ✿
3. At the Water's Edge (12th)- NBRC ✿
4. Sorcerer to the Crown (22nd)- NBRC ✿
5. Suite Française- Around the World in 80 Books
6. Heidi- Around the World in 80 Books ✿
7. Shakespeare's Wife- Around the world in 80 Books ✿
8. Breakfast of Champions- Boxall's 1001 Books to Read Before You Die ✿
Summary
★☆☆☆☆- 0
★★☆☆☆- 0
★★★☆☆- 0
★★★★☆- 5
★★★★★- 1
Most Favorite- The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt
Least Favorite- The Buried Giant
✿- Plan on Reading
Total Books Read This Month: 6/17
August ChallengesC-
O- Zombie Spaceship Wasteland by Patton Oswalt
N- You're Never Weird on the Internet
C- The Christians and the Fall of Rome
E-
R-
T-
Group Word:
F-
R-
I- The Island of Dr. Moreau
E-
N- You're Never Weird on the Internet
D-
S- Wide Sargasso Sea
H-
I- Alice I Have Been
P-
Signs You’ve Found Your New Book Friend:
Duration August 1, 2016 - August 31, 2016 (Completed)
Using a list I found on Buzzfeed, I have created a challenge that will help you connect with new friends in the 2016 Reading Challenge Group based on the books you read in each category! The plan is to see who will be compatible, or even read the same books to meet each challenge.
1. Good friends speak a special dialect that is only understood between themselves...so do book lovers! We all have that special genre that creates that special speech pattern that only other lovers of that genre can understand. Choose a book from your favorite genre and see who else in the group loves that genre too.
(Sci-Fi)-
2. Good friends can call each other at anytime of the day or the night...just the same way a good book is. Re-read one of your favorite books that is always on your shelf ready to read and see who loves the same book.
3. Good friends love all your statuses and will give you the highest approval ratings...just the as we do with our favorite books. Find a book that is highly rated by other members of the group (See our Recommended by 2016 Reading Challengers Listopia).
4. Good friends share the same guilty pleasures...just like there are some books you can't help reading. Find a book you are reading just for the fun of it, and not because it is a great literary masterpiece, and see who shares your guilty pleasure.
5. Good friends will know each other’s wardrobes libraries inside and out...just like they will know each other's libraries. To find a book for this task, you must ask someone from this group to recommend a book to you that they own.
6. Good friends are also friends with all the other people close in your life...just the same way we do when we love a book, we read everything written by the same author. Read a book written by a favorite author and see who else loves that same author.
7. Good friends can discuss any topic freely including money, sex, religion, and family...just the same way a book can be written on any subject. Read a non-fiction on any subject that interests you and see who also shares your same interest.
8. Finally, good friends share wonderful memories...just like when we read a truly wonderful book. Read any book you have been longing to read and recommend it to another member of the group so that you can create a lasting memory together.
Total Books Read: 5/5
Book Club Reads
1.
2. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda- NBRC
3. The Watchmaker of Filigree Street- NBRC ✿
4. A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald- NBRC
5. The Kitchen House- NBRC
6. Amsterdam- Around the World in 80 Days
7. High Tide- Around the World in 80 Days
8. The Resistance Man- Around the World in 80 Days
9.
10. The Underground Railroad- Oprah's Book Club ✿
✿- Plan on Reading
Summary
★☆☆☆☆- 0
★★☆☆☆- 0
★★★☆☆- 2
★★★★☆- 3
★★★★★- 1
Most Favorite- "Middlesex"
Least Favorite- "R is for Ricochet"
Total Books Read This Month: 6/14
September ChallengesS-
C-
H- The House on the Lagoon or
O-
O- Rise of an Oligarch
L-
Group Word:
R-
E-
F- The House on the Lagoon by Rosario Ferre or The Feminine Mystique
L- The Joy Luck Club or
E- Literary Occasions: Essays
C-
T-
I-
O-
N-
S-
Your Book Reflection Challenge
Duration September 1. 2016 to September 30, 2016
Many times the books we like to read are reflections of ourselves, so for the challenge:
1. Read a book with a character that has the same first name as you.
2. Read a book that was written the same year you were born.
3. Read a book set in the same place where you grew up.
4. Read a book set in the same place where you live now.
5. Read a book with a character that has the same occupation as you.
6. Read a book with a character that is the same age as you are right now.
7. Read a book with a character that has the same hair and eye color that you have.
8. Read a book with a character that has the same hobbies that you have.
Extra Credit:
9. Read a book with a character that shares the same relationship dynamic with his/her parents that you do.
10. Read a book with a character that has the same number of children that you have.
Total Read: 5/5
Book Club Reads
1.
2. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child- NBRC ✿
3. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms- NBRC ✿
4. My Lady Jane- NBRC
5. Fire in the Blood- Around the World in 80 Books
6. The Sirens of Baghdad- Around the World in 80 Books
7. My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece- Around the World in 80 Books
8. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd- Boxall's 1001 Books to Read Before You Die ✿
9. Love Warrior: A Memoir- Oprah's Book Club
Summary
★☆☆☆☆- 0
★★☆☆☆- 0
★★★☆☆- 5
★★★★☆- 5
★★★★★- 2
Most Favorite- "The Child Thief"
Least Favorite- "Zombie Spaceship Wasteland"
Total Books Read This Month: 12/17
✿- Plan on Reading
October ChallengesH- Last Days in Hunting Camp or A Severed Head or The House on the Lagoon
A- A Lion Among Men or
U- Uprooted
N- The Price of Power: Kissinger in the Nixon White House
T- A Torch Against the Night
E- Late Eclipses
D- Words in the Dust
Group Word:
S- Parable of the Sower or A Quiet Storm
C- Fight Club or Concussion or Cat's Cradle or Crooked or
A- A Lion Among Men or
R- The Christians and the Fall of Rome or Roma
E- Late Eclipses
The 10 Candy Challenge
Duration October 1, 2016 to October 31, 2016
Based on the Top 10 best selling candies for Halloween comes the delicious challenge...
1. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups - creamy chocolate and salty peanut butter makes the perfect combination. Read a book where two very different characters work together to make the perfect plot.
2. M&M’s - chocolate covered in yummy candy coating probably filled with wonderful nuts. Read a book where a character goes a little bit nuts but things work out well.
3. Snickers - nougat, caramel, and peanuts coated with chocolate gives this candy bar a funny name. Read a humorous book sure to make you laugh.
4. Hershey’s Chocolate Bar - the classic milk chocolate bar. Read a classic novel that is sure to delight you.
Cat's Cradle
5. Kit Kat - a chocolate covered wafer biscuit bar that is know for giving you a break. Read a book that is a quick and snappy read that is great for to read when you have a few minutes break in your day.
Last Days in Hunting Camp
6. Twix - butter cookie, caramel, and coated with chocolate that also comes in many different versions and is popular all around the world. Read a book that is so popular it has been translated into many different languages.
7. 3 Musketeers - a fluffy nougat filled chocolate bar that can have so many different flavors. Read a book of short stories filled with many different plot lines.
8. Hershey’s Cookies and Cream - the name of the candy bar says it all and while the candy bar is less than 25 years old, it’s already a top 10 hit! Read a book was written in the last few years and is on the New York Times Best Sellers List.
A Torch Against the Night
9. Milky Way - chocolate malt nougat topped with caramel makes this candy bar out of this world. Read a book that is about outer space and traveling through the stars.
10. Almond Joy - coconut based center topped with an almond or two coated in dark chocolate and it’s mysterious how it all works but it does. Read a book mystery made up different parts that make a satisfying whole.
Late Eclipses
Total Read: 1/5
Halloween Challenge
Duration: October 1st 2016 - October 31st 2016
Hello and welcome to our (Lovers of YA) first monthly reading challenge. For this challenge you will be given 18 different categories in which to choose from, keep in mind that you do not have to do all 18 You can do as many as you wish.
Rules
- This reading challenge will take place in the month of October.
- You may include books of any format including traditional books, eBooks, or audiobooks.
- You may re-read books.
- Audiobooks, and short stories are fine
- There is no page minimum or page maximum.
- Books may count towards other reading challenges.
Here are your categories:
1. Read a book with Black or Orange on the cover.
A Lion Among Men
2. Read a book that takes place somewhere creepy like a cemetery, a dark forest, a haunted house, an abandoned amusement park, an old castle . . .
3. Read a book that has witches, warlocks, vampires, werewolves, zombie, ghosts, or a character who has special abilities.
Uprooted
4. Read a book related to Halloween, costumes, candy, tricks, or treats.
5. Read a horror novel
6. Read a book with a character that is a trickster
Crooked
7. Read a book that has candy on the cover
8. Read a mystery/thriller book
Late Eclipses
9. Read classic horror books
The Shining
10. Read a book about something that scares you - urban legends, ghost stories, spiders, spider webs, murders, even elevators or planes, is all about your fears.
11. Read either a poem or short story by Edgar Allen Poe
12. Read a gothic romance book
13. Read a book that takes place in a haunted location
14. Read a non-fiction book about the supernatural
15. Read a book that has a mask on the cover
Daughter of Smoke & Bone
16. Read a book which has a pumpkin or skeleton on the cover
17. Read a book with a black cat on the cover
18. Read a book that Features or Relating to Superstitions
Total Read: 0/5
Book Club Reads
1. The Shining- Challenges ✿
2.
3. The Muse- NBRC
4. The Darkest Part of the Forest- NBRC
5. The Silent Land- Around the World in 80 Books
6. In the Shadow of the Banyan- Around the World in 80 Books
7.
8. Les Misérables- Boxall's 1001 Books to Read Before You Die ✿
9. - Oprah's Book Club
10. The Darkest Part of the Forest- Lovers of YA
11. Daughter of Smoke & Bone- Lovers of YA ✿
Total Books Read This Month: 2/21
✿- Plan on Reading
November ChallengesB- A Brief History of Time or The Poisonwood Bible or The Crocodile Bird
I- The Island of Dr. Moreau
R- A God in Ruins
T- The New York Trilogy
H- Ashes of Honor or Locke & Key, Vol. 2: Head Games
D- The Mirror of Her Dreams
A- Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen: How One Girl Risked Her Marriage, Her Job, and Her Sanity to Master the Art of Living
Y- The Diary of a Young Girl
Group Word:
F- Fair Play or Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
A- Ashes of Honor
M- One Salt Sea by Seanan McGuire or The Feminine Mystique
I- The Island of Dr. Moreau
L- Two Lives
Y- The Diary of a Young Girl
Book Club Reads
1. - Challenges
2. - NBRC
3. - NBRC
4. - NBRC
5. Storm of Steel- Around the World in 80 Books
6. Jamilia- Around the World in 80 Books
7. The Queen and I- Around the World in 80 Books
8. - Boxall's 1001 Books to Read Before You Die
9. - Oprah's Book Club
10. -Young Adults
11. - Young Adults
Total Books Read This Month: 0/15
December ChallengesS- Locke & Key, Vol. 3: Crown of Shadows or The Suicide Club
N- Literary Occasions: Essays by V.S. Naipul
O- The Only Problem
W- Gone with the Wind or The Winter Long or The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
M- Bad Men or The Time Machine or Chimes at Midnight or A Red-Rose Chain by Seanan McGuire
A- The Sleeping Giant of Goll by Tony Abbot
N- The Eagle of the Ninth
Group Word:
H- Her
O- Rise of an Oligarch
L- A World of Love or The Giver, Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
I- Map of the Invisible World
D- The Divine Comedy
A- The Sleeping Giant of Goll by Tony Abbot
Y- The Year of the Locust
S- Wide Sargasso Sea
Book Club Reads
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Total Books Read This Month: 0/20
Personal Yearly Challenge #6- The Sorting Hat(From NBRC)
What would happen if you put on the sorting hat?
The Sorting Process...
1. Pick you favorite house and its rival (or all the houses for the hard level).
2. Read a book that fits each characteristic (8 books in total for the easy level; 16 for difficult)
3. Keep track of all your star ratings for each book (be sure to include them each time you update this challenge)
4. At the end of the challenge calculate the overall average rating for each house based on the books you have read.
5. The house with the highest average rating is the house that you belong in!
Levels
Easy - Choose your favorite house and its rival. Read 8 books.
Hard - Choose all four houses and read 16 books.
Rivals are...
Gryffindor vs. Slytherin
Hufflepuff vs. Ravenclaw
Gryffindor
➲ Gryffindor's emblematic animal is the lion: Read a book about a lion (or a shape shifter who turns into a lion).
➲ Gryffindor's emblematic colors are scarlet and gold: Read a book that has a predominately scarlet or gold cover.
➲ "Nearly Headless Nick" is the house ghost of Gryffindor: Read a book featuring ghosts or read a book in which someone was decapitated or beheaded. Yikes!
➲ Members of Gryffindor are described as courageous, chivalrous, and brave to the point of recklessness (sometimes) : Read a book in which the protagonist portrays one of these qualities consistently throughout the book.
Slytherin
➲ Slytherin's emblematic animal is the snake: Read a book which features a snake on the cover or in the story.
➲ Slytherin's emblematic colors are green and silver: Read a book that has a predominately green or silver cover.
➲ The Bloody Baron is the house ghost of Slytherin: Read a book in which a suicide or murder takes place. You can also read a book where the protagonist loves someone who does not love them back.
➲ Members of Slytherin are described as cunning and shrewd: Read a book in which the protagonist portrays one of these qualities consistently throughout the book. Or read a book in which the protagonist irked you.
Hufflepuff
➲ Helga Hufflepuff, the founder of Hufflepuff, was a witch during medieval times: Read a book that is set in a medieval time period (between 5th to the 15th century)
➲ Hufflepuff's emblematic colors are yellow and black: Read a book that has a predominately yellow or black cover.
➲ Fat Friar, the house ghost of Hufflepuff, dedicated his life to religion: Read a book about someone who is extremely religious.
➲ Members of Hufflepuff are described as hard working, patient, and loyal: Read a book in which the protagonist portrays one of these qualities consistently throughout the book.
Ravenclaw
➲ Ravenclaw's emblematic animal is the eagle: Read a book which features an eagle on the cover or in the story. You can also read a book about someone who can shape shift into a bird of any type.
➲ Ravenclaw's emblematic colors are blue and bronze: Read a book that has a predominately blue or bronze cover.
➲ Rowena Ravenclaw, the founder of Ravenclaw, was Scottish: Read a book that takes place in Scotland.
➲ Members of Ravenclaw are described as intelligent, witty, and wise: Read a book in which the protagonist is scholarly, bookish, all knowing, etc...
My Books
Gryffindor
1. A Lion Among Men
2.
3.
4.
Slytherin
1.
2. Crooked
3.
4.
Hufflepuff (Avg. Stars 3.75)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Ravenclaw
1. The Eagle of the Ninth
2.
3.
4.
My Hogwart's House
?
(Message 301 on Challenge Board)
I like your monthly challenges. Where did the words come from? Another group or from you?
Kadijah Michelle wrote: "I like your monthly challenges. Where did the words come from? Another group or from you?"Those particular words came from me. I was inspired by another group who's yearly goal was to pick 26 spices from A to Z and spell them all out using books/authors' names. That seemed like too many books for me- Anise, Basil, Chamomille, etc. but I figured I could pick a word that was appropriate for each month as it applied to my life and it would help me tackle my book list in the process. It also allows for random books I choose throughout the year to be helpful.
For instance, my birthday is in November, so that's the word I chose to spell. I tried to vary the word length, but I probably have an average word length of around 7 or 8. Earlier in the year more, summer less...mostly to suit my life and having young children.
But to answer the question, they were my words :)
Stephanie (R-A) wrote: "So this challenge is floating around. I thought I would give it a shot since, you know, I'm insane.Official Challenge #3- The Pop Sugar Challenge
1. A book based on a fairy tale - [book:Winter|..."
Stephanie, thanks so much for posting your lists! We had a number of the same books on our lists (not surprising, I guess) and I have picked up a few new ones from your lists -- though not necessarily for the same challenges. One of my favorite things about the challenges is seeing what other people are reading because it pushes me to try new things.
Cheri wrote: "Stephanie (R-A) wrote: "So this challenge is floating around. I thought I would give it a shot since, you know, I'm insane.Official Challenge #3- The Pop Sugar Challenge
1. A book based on a fa..."
That is exactly why I love the Good Reads so much, Cheri! I get exposed to books I never would have heard of otherwise. Plus, if other people are willing to do a list it makes me more likely to want to do it, too. It's like having a book club at the tips of my fingers :)
Although, in all honesty I am afraid I have bitten off more than I can chew for 2016. Even if I can't make it to all of them, I know they will have helped me read more overall, so it's really a win-win.
Official Yearly Challenge #8- The Listopia ChallengeList One: Rory's Book Club
1. The Diary of a Young Girl
8.
10.
11.
16.
35.
43.
62. Gone with the Wind- February
157.
166. A Quiet Storm
7/10
List Two: Best Books of the 20th Century
8. The Diary of a Young Girl
16. Gone with the Wind- February
17.
19. The Giver
28.
38.
47.
48. The Poisonwood Bible
85.
98. Cat's Cradle
5/10
List Three: Best Feminist Books
1.
3.
4.
5.
7.
16.
23. Gone with the Wind- February
25.
47.
62. Wide Sargasso Sea
8/10
List Four: Books That Everyone Should Read Once
12.
16.
17.
21. The Giver
24.
28. Gone with the Wind
45.
65.
80.
96. The Poisonwood Bible
7/10
Total Books: 17/25
(Challenge Message 39)
Official Yearly Challenge #9- Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge1. Read horror book -
2. Read a nonfiction book about science - A Brief History of Time
3. Read a collection of essays - Literary Occasions: Essays
4. Read a book out loud to someone else
5. Read a middle grade novel -
6. Read a biography -
7. Read a dystopian or post-apocalyptic novel -
8. Read a book originally published in the decade you were born - The Only Problem
9. Audiobook that has won an Audie Award-
10. Book over 500 pages -
11. Book under 100 pages -
12. Book by or about a person that identifies as transgender-
13. Book set in the Middle East -
14. Book by an author from Southeast Asia - Map of the Invisible World
15. Historical fiction set before 1900 -
16. First book in a series by a person of color - Parable of the Sower
17. Non-superhero comic that debuted in the last three years-
18. Book that was adapted into a movie, then watch the movie. Debate which is better -
19. Nonfiction book about feminism or dealing with feminist themes - The Feminine Mystique
20. Book about religion (fiction or nonfiction)-
21. Book about politics in your country or another (fiction or nonfiction)-
22. Food memoir- Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen: How One Girl Risked Her Marriage, Her Job, and Her Sanity to Master the Art of Living
23. A play - The Glass Menagerie
24. Book with a main character that has a mental illness.-
Total Finished: 13/24
(Challenge Message 31)
Official Yearly Challenge #10- Goodreads Choice AwardsI have not officially signed up for this challenge, but it is definitely something to keep in mind, just because this year I only knew about maybe two or three books out of all that were involved.
The Categories:
Fiction
Mystery & Thriller
Historical Fiction
Fantasy
Romance
Science Fiction
Horror
Humor
Nonfiction
Memoir & Autobiography
History & Biography
Science & Technology
Food & Cookbooks
Graphic Novels & Comics
Poetry
Debut Goodreads Author
Young Adult Fiction
Young Adult Fantasy
Middle Grade & Children's
Picture Books
I saw on the challenge post by Bella that you look for books with a ranking of 3.8 or higher on Popular Books
Stephanie (R-A) wrote: "Kadijah Michelle wrote: "I like your monthly challenges. Where did the words come from? Another group or from you?"Those particular words came from me. I was inspired by another group who's yearl..."
I love it. I want to use it for our monthly themes. Like January is extremes.
E
X
T
R
E
M The Martian
E
S
I will be sharing this with the other Mods.
Kadijah Michelle wrote: "Stephanie (R-A) wrote: "Kadijah Michelle wrote: "I like your monthly challenges. Where did the words come from? Another group or from you?"Those particular words came from me. I was inspired by a..."
Awesome! I think it's a great idea! I might try to participate in that as well, even if I don't participate in the official challenge (might double up books that apply) February would be History, then, and so on? Really cool. Just a side note, for X, you might allow names that have X in them because it is very difficult to find words that start with X.
I like spelling words with titles/author names. There is another challenge that is on the NBRC board where it is "all about you" (or something like that), where they spell out their name, birth month and read a book with their age in the title (I think) that really interests me. I might keep it in mind for 2017, as my challenges are pretty ambitious as it is.
Mostly, I am just completely flattered that you liked it that much. You, pretty much, made my day :)
Official Yearly Challenge #11- Recommended Reading by ChallengersDon't worry. This one doesn't add anymore books to the list :)
2.
4.
20.
26.
32.
33.
41.
70. Gone with the Wind
76.
114.
Also,
Books Read: 9/10
(Challenge Message #57)
Stephanie (R-A) wrote: "Personal Yearly Challenge #6- The Sorting Hat(From NBRC)
What would happen if you put on the sorting hat?
The Sorting Process...
1. Pick you favorite house and its rival (or all the houses for t..."
I love this one...partially because I'm re-reading the Harry Potter Series. Stealing for my own personal challenge :) Thanks for posting it!
2025 Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
Atonement (other topics)Atonement (other topics)
The Joy Luck Club (other topics)
The Joy Luck Club (other topics)
The Joy Luck Club (other topics)
More...
