Amy's, Nervously Made, Epic First Book Challenge

[Amy]

I gave myself a lot of options as to make changes for availability of books, personal reading desire at the moment and time constriction of that particular week.

The 2016 List

41/52 Completed

✔ 1. A book you meant to read in 2015, but didn't: Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn ★★ 03/24/2016

✔ 2. A book set in a different continent: The Girl With All the Gifts, by M.R. Carey ★★★ 07/20/2016

✔ 3. A book from the Goodreads Choice Awards 2015: The Kind Worth Killing, by Peter Swanson ★★★★ 10/16/2016

✔ 4. A book by an author you discovered in 2015: Kisscut, by Karin Slaughter ★★★★ 12/09/2016

✔ 5. A book with a title beginning with the 1st letter of your name: Absolution, by Susan Fleet ★★★ 01/11/2017

6. The highest rated on your TBR:
Dirty Proof, The Curious Case of the Missing Moolah, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

✔ 7. A book about books: The Butterfly Garden, Dot Hutchison ★★★★★ 01/03/2017

✔ 8. A classic book with less than 200 pages: A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens ★★★★ 12/27/2016

9. A book that was mentioned in another book: Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books, To Kill a Mockingbird, Catching Fire, Dracula

✔ 10. A book by an author you feel you should have read by now: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, by JK Rowling ★★★★★ 03/13/2016

✔ 11. A book from the Rory Gilmore challenge:
The Da Vinci Code: Special Illustrated Edition, by Dan Brown ★★★★★ 01/24/2017

✔ 12. A childhood classic: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis ★★★★ 10/23/16

✔ 13. Reader’s Choice: Now You See Me, S.J. Bolton ★★★★★ 11/23/16 (Read twice in eleven months! LOVE)

14. A book with one of the five W’s -or H in the title (Who/What/Where/When/Why/How):
The Spy Who Came In from the Cold, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, Where Are the Children?

15. A book set in the past (more than 100 years ago): A Game of Thrones

✔ 16. A book from the top 100 mystery novels:
And Then There Were None, by Agatha Christie ★★★★★ 03/18/2016

17. A book with a beautiful cover:

✔ 18. A book on a summer/beach reading list: Power, Obsession, Murder, Revenge, by Jackie Collins ★★★ 05/02/2016

19. A non-fiction book: Modern Romance, Marching Powder: A True Story of Friendship, Cocaine, and South America's Strangest Jail, Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything, Yes Please, Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology

20. A book with a first name in the title:
Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea,

21. A book from the Goodreads Recommendations page:

✔ 22. The first book in a new to you series:
Now You See Me, by SJ Bolton ★★★★★ 01/02/2016

✔ 23. The next book in a series you are reading: The Night Stalker, by Robert Bryndza ★★★★
12/26/2016

24. A "between the numbers" book of a series (0.5, 1,5, 2.5, etc.): If Snow Hadn't Fallen

✔ 25. A book whose main character is in a profession that interests you:
Dead Scared, by S.J. Bolton ★★★★★ 03/08/2016

✔ 26. A book everyone is talking about: Pretty Girls, by Karin Slaughter ★★★★ 03/04/2016

✔ 27. A book with a beautiful title (in your own opinion):
Still Alice, by Lisa Genova ★★★★★
01/27/2016

✔ 28. A biography, autobiography, or memoir:
Little Girl Lost, by Drew Barrymore ★★★
01/12/2016

✔ 29. A book by an author who writes under more than one name: The Cuckoo's Calling, by Robert Galbraith ★★★★ 05/25/2016

30. A fairytale from a culture other than your own:
The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty

✔ 31. A work of young adult fiction:
City of Ashes, by Cassandra Clare ★★★ 04/19/2016

✔ 32. A historical fiction book: The Help, by Kathryn Stockett ★★★★★ 12/29/2016

33. The 16th book on your TBR:

34. A book about mental illness:
Still Alice, Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things,

➜35. An award winning book:
All the Light We Cannot See, The Road, Room

36. An identity book - a book about a different culture, religion or sexual orientation:
Story of O, Exit to Eden, Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology

37. A book that you've seen the movie, but haven't read: The Fault in Our Stars, The Bourne Identity, The ShiningWorld War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, Memoirs of a Geisha

38. A book about an anti hero: Watchmen, V for Vendetta, 1984, The Godfather, The Bourne Supremacy, The Silence of the Lambs

✔ 39. A book with a day of the week in the title: Tuesday Falling, by S. Williams ★★★ 03/30/2016

✔ 40. A novella from your favorite genre: If Snow Hadn't Fallen, by S.J. Bolton ★★★★ 10/13/2016

➜41. A book about a major world event (fiction or non-fiction): I Am Pilgrim

42. A top 100 fantasy novel:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, A Game of Thrones, The Stand, I Am Legend, The Gunslinger, Outlander, Throne of Glass, City of Glass, Clockwork Angel,

✔ 43. A book about a thing that goes bump in the night:
Shadow Man, by Cody McFadyen ★★★★★ 05/10/2016

✔ 44. A book you're embarrassed to read in public:
Dangerous Kiss, by Jackie Collins ★★★★
01/21/2016

✔ 45. A book related to a hobby or passion you have: Dark Water, by Robert Bryndza ★★★★ 01/23/2017

✔ 46. A crime story: The Girl In The Ice, by Robert Bryndza ★★★★ 12/03/2016

47. A book with a type of food/drink in the title:
A Piece of Cake

48. A dystopia:
Divergent, 1984, The Maze Runner, City of Ashes

✔ 49. A book with a great opening line: Everything You Want Me to Be, by Mindy Mejia ★★★★★ 01/01/2017

50. A book originally written in a language other than English:
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Let the Right One In, Anna Karenina, The Neverending Story, Story of O, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

✔ 51. A short story from a well-known author: Dolan's Cadillac, by Stephen King ★★★★ 10/26/2016

✔ 52. A book published in 2016: His Kidnapper's Shoes, by Maggie James ★★★★★ 11/24/16

READ:




SIDE READS:

[Aglaea]

You're off to a great start! Don't be nervous about it :)

[Laura, Celestial Sphere Mod]

11/22/63 is an amazing book! It's long but I don't remember ever finding tedious as I read. Looking forward to your thoughts :)

[MJ]

Ha! I'm actually more overwhelmed than nervous! So many good books in your list!

[Amy]

Hahah @ MJ...I think you're right and overwhelmed would likely be a much better word for it. Looking forward to reading with all of you. Thanks for the tip, Laura, and the encouragement Aglaea!

[Anastasia]

I vote for Anne of Green Gables, Still Alice, Alienist and World War Z on your list. All of them are great choices.

Last year my list was filled in by looking at some of the great reads others had on their lists. I discovered new authors and series that way.

[Michelle]

Amy, you'll do great! It's gonna be an epic year and it's great that you'll be part of it! Looks like you're off to a great start.

[Noor]

I see a lot of books which I have read and which I highly recommend .. Good luck !

[Amy]

Anastasia wrote: "I vote for Anne of Green Gables, Still Alice, Alienist and World War Z on your list. All of them are great choices.

Last year my list was filled in by looking at some of the great reads others had..."

I think you're right Anastasia and will be choosing your recommendations. I already read half of Still Alice and just hadn't got to finish it yet because another book was due back at the library. I'll likely fit it in next week. I am reading out of order right now based on two books being due back. I own lots of the others so I will get back to order soon hopefully.

[Amy]

Noor wrote: "I see a lot of books which I have read and which I highly recommend .. Good luck !"

Hi Noor,

Thank you, and may I ask what some of those recommendations might be? I find them always to be the best books. Two that were recommended to me in 2015 were by far my best books of the year.

[Noor]

First of all all Harry Potter books are highly recommended .. If you like historical fiction the historian and book thief are highly recommended and in my opinion twilight series was quite tedious so I would advice you to stay away from it . To kill a mockingbird and all the light we cannot see are hauntingly beautiful.. So highly recommended. The da Vinci code is quite interesting.. Again if you are into historical fiction type of stuff. The day of the jackal has good suspense and a good ending but gets a little dragged in the middle. In the thriller category I would recommend the Bourne identity. The book is different from the movie but both are equally good. The girl with the dragon tattoo is quite unique and that's why I liked it a lot. The Maltese faction and the queen of the damned are quite typical,I was able to predict the ending halfway through the book so I won't recommend them. All of these recommendations are based on my choice . I hope you find it helpful
P.S. A fault in our stars is not about books ☺️

[Amy]

Noor wrote: "First of all all Harry Potter books are highly recommended .. If you like historical fiction the historian and book thief are highly recommended and in my opinion twilight series was quite tedious ..."

Thanks for all the tips, Noor! Yes, about the latter part...I had just googled books about books and that was on one of the lists for some reason. I just assumed it must have mentioned other books in or something. I have since removed it. I am looking to get into Harry Potter after my next book. I am waiting for it at the library and if I fall in love with the series as it seems everyone on earth had, I will purchase them all.

[Zaz]

The Fault in ou stars counts for "a book about books" as one of the main topic is a love for a special novel and the characters share books too. Plenty of bookish discussions in there ;)

[Amy]

Thank you, Zaz!

[Amy]

:o

[Amy]

Just finished these three great novels this month...



All quite different in their styles and genre's. Thriller, Mystery and Children-YA-Fiction. All excellent in their own distinction.

Because of being so behind in my years of reading, I am being blessed with lots of four and five star entries. I haven't read a three star since January. I call that a win.

Looking forward to catching up as I have fallen behind in the month of February due to travel and illness.

[Amy]

Still holding the stop spots of my year so far :)))

[Amy]

I guess I am in the minority and have fallen into the category of someone who didn't love .

Can't wait to see the movie though. May like it better when it's brought to life with actors. I have never hated a character like Amy Elliot Dunne before though. Not that I can think of off the top of my head.

[Amy]

Hit a reading slump this month and am pretty behind. Hoping to pick it up this coming month. :(

Just finished City of Ashes. Big improvement on the first book.

[Amy]

Well, you know it's a damn good book when you read it twice in eleven months. I love Lacey Flint! Now You See Me is still my fave of this year.

[Amy]

Well that just moved into the top spot like a steal in the home stretch.