Shawna's 2016 challenge: 42 books

[Shawna]

Still wrapping up 2015!

[Cassandra]

Good luck with your challenge! I hope 2016 is an awesome reading year for you.

[Shawna]

1 of 42 The Portable Veblen

[Megan]

Congrats on finishing your first book in 2016!

[Shawna]

2 of 42 In a Dark, Dark Wood

[Shawna]

3 of 42 No Man's Nightingale

[Shawna]

My review of The Portable Veblen (#1 on my list) for The Dallas Morning News, or how I got past the quirks and learned to embrace the charm.

http://bit.ly/1PILqaN

[Shawna]

4 of 42: Sunset City: A Novel

[Cassandra]

Whoa, that's super cool that you write reviews for a real publication. How did you get started doing that?

[Shawna]

Hi, Cassandra. I was on staff at The Dallas Morning News as an editor for many years. My reviewing grew out of that relationship. I've read some great authors I probably wouldn't have found otherwise and get a chance to encourage others to pick up their books. And every time one of my reviews is published, I see a little uptick in the sales of my own books. Win-win.

[Cassandra]

That's awesome!

[Shawna]

5 of 42 The Translation of Love

This book is being released April 5 – I received an advance copy. Here's my review on Goodreads.

I think there's a Goodreads giveaway running through April 5. Sign up!

[Shawna]

6 of 42 Enchanted Islands

This book is being released in May. I received an advance copy. Here's my review on Goodreads.

[Shawna]

7 of 42 As the Poppies Bloomed

[Shawna]

8 of 42 The True Tails of Baker and Taylor: The Library Cats Who Left Their Pawprints on a Small Town . . . and the World

This book publishes May 3; I received an advance copy. Here's my review on Goodreads.

[Shawna]

9 of 42 The Defense

This book is released in May. I received an advance copy.

[Shawna]

10 of 42 Blood Defense

This book will be released in May. I received an advance copy.

[Shawna]

11 of 42 Early Warning

[Shawna]

My review of Sunset City: A Novel, which was #4 on my list, for The Dallas Morning News.

[Shawna]

Here's my review of The Defense and Blood Defense (Nos. 9 and 10 on my list) for The Dallas Morning News.

[Shawna]

12 of 42: All These Perfect Strangers

[Shawna]

13 of 42: Eligible

Loved this so much. If you like Austen at all, read it!

[Shawna]

14 of 42 The Shining Girls

[Shawna]

15 of 42 Golden Age

[Shawna]

16 of 42 I Let You Go

[Shawna]

My review of All These Perfect Strangers, which was No. 12 on my list.

[Shawna]

17 of 42: The Children's Crusade

Nothing like going on vacation to get back on pace with the reading challenge! Now I'm only one book behind schedule.

[Shawna]

18 of 42: The Trouble with Lexie

This book is set for release later in June; I received an advance review copy.

[Shawna]

19 of 42: To the Bright Edge of the World

This book will be released in August; I received an early review copy. I'll link my review when it publishes.

[Shawna]

20 of 42: The Last Anniversary

[Shawna]

21 of 42: Wilde Lake

[Shawna]

22 of 42: Missing, Presumed

I'm a big fan of this one, which will be released in the U.S. on June 28. I got an early copy. You can find my review here.

[Shawna]

23 of 42: Barack Obama: The Story

[Shawna]

24 of 42: Good as Gone

Got an early review copy of this one, which will be released in August. I'll post my review when it publishes.

[Shawna]

25 of 42: Off the Grid

[Shawna]

Here's my review of Good as Gone, which was No. 24 on my list.

[Shawna]

26 of 42: The Underground Railroad

I got an early review copy of this one. Everyone's going to be reading it and talking about it – it's that good.

[Shawna]

27 of 42: American Heiress: The Wild Saga of the Kidnapping, Crimes and Trial of Patty Hearst

I followed this in the newspapers as a kid. So interesting to read Jeffrey Toobin's take on it as an adult.

[Shawna]

My review of To The Bright Edge of the World, which was No. 19 on my list.

[Kadijah Michelle]

You seem to be right on track Shawna! Great job.

[Shawna]

28 of 42: The Woman in Cabin 10

[Shawna]

29 of 42: Before the Fall

Did this one as an audiobook on a long car trip. That counts, right?

[Shawna]

No. 30 of 42: West of Sunset

[Shawna]

No. 31 of 42: A Time of Torment

[Shawna]

No. 32 of 42: A Hero of France

[Shawna]

Here's my Goodreads review of A Time of Torment, which was No. 31 on my list.

[Shawna]

No. 33 of 42: The Trespasser

So, so good.

[Shawna]

No. 34 of 42: Commonwealth

A great book for anyone who grew up in a blended family. (I'm guessing -- I didn't.)

[Shawna]

No. 35 of 42: Night School

Sometimes you just want to be distracted

[Shawna]

No. 36 of 42: The Accident

A diverting thriller if you're in the mood to be distracted. And I am.