Kester's 52 books in 52 weeks/ Popsugar Reading Challenge

[Kester]

Hi! I am currently doing a book challenge of 52 books in 52 weeks. I am doing this along with the Popsugar Reading Challenge. I am on the 17th book of my year, "These Gentle Wounds" by Helene Dunbar, and I really want some suggestions for my book list for the Popsugar challenge. I also want to explore different genres and topics, for I usually read either fiction, humor, memoir, and contemporary. Any suggestions? Thanks!

[Cassandra]

Good luck with your challenges! Are there any popsugar categories in particular that you'd like recommendations for?

If you haven't seen it yet, we do have an official topic for the popsugar challenge as well.

[Kester]

Yes please. I'm having trouble with finding (or locating a copy to buy) books for

a book based off a fairy tale
a National Book Award winner
a book translated into English
a book recommended by someone you met (any recommendations?)
a political memoir
a book that's more than 600 pages
a graphic novel
a book published in 2916
a book and its prequel
a murder mystery
a book of poetry

[Cassandra]

Let's see what I can come up with!

Books based off of fairy tales
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West - probably my favorite book for this category, but is rather dark and isn't very much like the musical
The Princess Bride - funny romp through medieval fairy tale land, very closely follows the movie if you're familiar with it, lots of quotable lines
Cinder - futuristic cinderella retelling (Cinder is a cyborg) with some fantasy elements

National Book Award
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian - very funny and poignant, about one boy's struggle to reconcile his life on and off the reservation. I highly recommend this one!
Holes - one of my favorite books when I was younger
Between the World and Me - very serious, a black man's letter to his son about racial issues in America, also very timely

Translated into English
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - locked-door murder mystery, also fairly dark (would count for murder mystery category too)
Never Let Me Go - boarding school with more than meets the eye
The Shadow of the Wind - haven't read this one, but I've heard nothing but good things

Recommended by Someone
Ready Player One - I recommend this to everyone, it's fantastic
The Night Circus - magic (as in stage magic) and a beautiful, haunting circus

Political Memoir
No personal recommendations here, but you have a couple books by Ben Carson and Stephen Colbert on your to-read list that would count

600+ Pages
The Name of the Wind - fantasy book that everyone seems to love, including me
The Goldfinch - long, but good contemporary book

Graphic Novel
Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened - very quick and hilarious read, also on your to-read list

I haven't read any books published in 2016 yet. :(

Book and Prequel
Check series you're interested in and look for Goodreads to say (Series Name, 0.5) or something like that - the fraction signals a prequel
You have The Jakarta Plot and The Jakarta Pandemic on your to-read list
Recently I read Vicious which has a super short prequel short story

Murder Mystery
I like Lee Child a lot. His Jack Reacher books are basically all murder mysteries.

Poetry, I'm at a bit of a loss for.

Hope that helps! Feel free to post this list in the topic I linked above too.

[Kester]

Thank you very much! I will try to read those books!

I will soon post the books I have already here.

[Cassandra]

You certainly don't need to read them, I just tried to provide some options to check out. If they don't sound interesting, other people may have some suggestions as well. I read a lot of science fiction and fantasy, so a lot of my favorite books bend that way.

[Kester]

Oh okay. I have actually heard of many of those books you have recommended, so I was actually interested in reading some of them. I'm actually more of either a young adult/ humor/ historical person but I also like science fiction from time to time.

[Kester]

Oh, and by the way, I have two questions: 1) I am a high schooler, so for "a book you haven't read since high school" would be one I haven't read since middle school or one I'm going to read in my English class? 2) I was given a free Engineering career reference book ("Is There An Engineer Inside You?" by Celeste Baine) from a summer camp and someone said they read already read it because they were given that same book when they went to the camp in years before. I don't exactly remember if he said it was good or if he recommended it, but I feel like he did. Still, I'm really unsure. Does that mean it would still count for "A book recommended by someone you just met" because I did just meet them at camp?

[Cassandra]

For #1, you could go either way on that. If there's a book you read when you were younger that you want to revisit, that would be perfect for the prompt. If you can't think of one, though, then anything you read in high school is fine.

For #2, I think that would count for sure!

We're pretty flexible on what counts for our challenges. It's not about the rules, but more about you reading more and having fun. :)

[Kester]

I have completed 16/52 books this year and 13/40 Popsugar Challenges (I use numbers for Popsugar).

1. Straight Flush: The True Story of Six College Friends Who Dealt Their Way to a Billion-Dollar Online Poker Empire--and How It All Came Crashing Down . . . by Ben Mezrich
Review: 3.5/5 stars- Interesting but predictable… Not the best book I've read, but I enjoyed it.
Finished: 1/4/16
2. Life Hacks by Keith Bradford
Review: 4.5/5 stars- Enjoyable and resourceful. For a teen, half of them will not be used.
Finished: 1/4/16
Popsugar: #14
3. All My Life: A Memoir by Susan Lucci with Laura Morton
Review: 4/5 stars- Loved it. Sentimental. Formulaic and structured ordinarily.
Finished: 1/12/16
Popsugar: #35
4. Bossypants by Tina Fey
Review: 5/5 stars- AMAZING!!!! Tina Fey is a BOSSYPANTS!
Finished: 1/17/16
Popsugar: #40
5.Yes Please by Amy Poehler
Review: 5/5 stars- I love Amy Poehler! Funny and witty! Makes me want to do improv now!
Finished: 1/23/16
Popsugar: #28
6. I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend by Martin Short
Review: 5/5 stars- Rounding out the humor memoirs, Martin Short writes one of the best comedy memoirs!
Finished: 1/31/16
Popsugar: #15
7. Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich
Review: 4/5 stars- Funny and enjoyable. Not one of the best of Evanovich's.
Finished: 2/4/16
8. Wicked Charms by Janet Evanovich and Phoef Sutton
Review: 4/5 stars- Funny and crazy! Best out of the "Lizzy and Diesel" series.
Finished: 2/7/16
Popsugar: #25
9. One for the Money by Janet Evanovich
Review: 4.5/5 stars- I love this book! Super hilarious! Made me really laugh!
Finished: 2/11/16
10. Hot Six by Janet Evanovich
Review: 5/5 stars- This series is getting better and better!
Finished: 2/18/16
Popsugar: #30
11. Is There an Engineer Inside You?: A Comprehensive Guide to Career Decisions in Engineering by Celeste Baine
Review: 4.5/5 stars- Very informative. Few scattered grammatical errors.
Finished: 2/25/16
Popsugar: #12
12. First Among Sequels by Jasper Fforde
Review: 5/5 stars- This is an amazing book! Thursday and the Book World are super interesting!Madeleine L'Engle
Finished: 3/2/16
Popsugar: #20
13. One of Our Thursdays Is Missing by Jasper Fforde
Review: 4.5/5 stars- A little confusing, but still great.
Finished: 3/6/16
Popsugar: #39
14. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Review: 4.5/5 stars- Super interesting. Slow start. Gets better at the middle. Wonderful piece!
Finished: 3/9/16
Popsugar: #33
15. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
Review: 6/5 stars- Best book I have read in my entire life!!! I could not put it down! Ruta Sepetys created the most beautiful yet spine-chilling novel in literary history!
Finished: 3/12/16
Popsugar: #37
16. Mosquitoland by David Arnold
Review: 4.5/5 stars- Really sentimental. Although the unreliable narrator made the story sometimes confusing, Mim was a wonderful character, and her adventure was spectacular!
Finished: 3/15/16
Popsugar: #36

[Kester]

17. These Gentle Wounds by Helene Dunbar
Review: 4.5/5 stars- This book is wonderful! It is really spine-chilling, and it is very unique! The backstory unfolds as the story moves on, which made me even more interested! I have not read many books on PTSD or child abuse, but this book has developed those central ideas really well. I didn't get into the book as much because of my schedule this last week, but I know if I were to read this again, I would definitely enjoy it! There are so many secrets hidden by the characters, and it was fun to unravel them! Amazing!
Finished: 3/21/16
Popsugar: #24- A book with a protagonist who shares your occupation

[Kester]

18. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Review: 6/5 stars- This book is super amazing! I cannot express in words how much I have enjoyed this book. This book is super unique with the narrator, the irony, the foreshadowing, the figurative language, and the ending (NO SPOILERS here!)! I would read this again and again! I love it!
Finished: 3/28/2016
Popsugar: #21- A book recommended by a family member

[Kester]

19. The Rapture of Canaan, by Sheri Reynolds
Rating: 4/5 stars- Left me confused at some places; ending was too predictable. Enjoyed it nevertheless.
Finished: 4/2/16
Popsugar: #19- A book from Oprah's Book Club

[Kester]

Hit the 20 mark!
20. City of Thieves by David Benioff
Rating: 3/5 stars- Confused me a lot. Too much graphic (not war-time graphic) and adult stuff in it. Could do without the Prologue. I didn't get into it as much as I hoped for. I had high hopes, but it did not meet my expectations.
Finished: 4/7/2016
Popsugar: #8- A book set in Europe

[Brooke]

Kester wrote: "Hit the 20 mark!
20. City of Thieves by David Benioff
Rating: 3/5 stars- Confused me a lot. Too much graphic (not war-time graphic) and adult stuff in it. Could do wi..."
Congratulations on 20 mark!

[Kester]

Thanks Heidi!

[Kester]

21. Lincoln's Grave Robbers, by Steve Sheinkin
Review: 4.5/5 stars- Thrilling and fun! History is awesome! This was a quick read.
Finished: 4/10/16

[Kester]

22. The Firm, by John Grisham
Review: 4.75 out of 5 stars- Thrilling! Amazing! It captivated me from the beginning! Especially the end. I don't know how he could've pulled it off.
Date Finished: 4/23/16
Popsugar: #5- A book set in your home state (TN)

[Kester]

I didn't think of this, but does One for the Money, by Janet Evanovich count as a New York Times Bestseller for #10?

[Kester]

23. Typee, by Herman Melville
Finished: 4/30/16
Review: 3.5 stars out of 5- Had high expectations for this book since my librarian strongly recommended it to me, but was disappointed. It was confusing and didn't have as much action as I expected. Typee does not compare to 80 Days Around the World, by Jules Verne in my opinion.
Popsugar: #34- A book from the library

[Kester]

24. Invisible Monsters, by Joshua McCune
Finished: 5/4/16
Review: I won this book in a giveaway conducted by the author. In no way is this review affected by that.
4/5 stars- Strong beginning and ending. The middle got confusing at bits. The dragon and the human names got confusing, also, since it took me a while for some of them to figure out who's who. I did not read the original book, so reading this one has affected my comprehension a little bit, but nevertheless the book was enjoyable.
Popsugar: #29- A dystopian book

[Kester]

25. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
Finished: 5/17/16
9/10 stars- I am not a romance reader, yet I definitely enjoyed this book! This is one of the only books that has ever made me cry. It has both humor and sorrow incorporated into the storyline, and I became more engaged closer to the ending. I think if I could read this again in one sitting, I could enjoy it much better, but I still did nevertheless! I honestly was going to rate this 8 stars until the ending, but the ending changes your entire perception. It really does, and I wish I can spoil it, but I'm not going to do that. "Me Before You" is book even non-romance readers can enjoy, and I'm excited for the movie coming out in June!
Popsugar- #11- a book that's becoming a movie this year

[Kester]

I'm halfway through my reading goal!!! Woo too!

26. Success For Teens: Real Teens Talk About Using The Slight Edge by the Editors of the SUCCESS Foundation
Finished: 5/20/16
8/10 stars- Short but satisfying read. This would be a 9 or 10 star if it had changed my life, but it didn't. I did get one lesson, though, which I am going to use in my relationship with God: Destroy bad habits at the root of the problem. This book did exceed my expectations by not being actually boring! It was actually engaging, especially the testimonies from other teenagers.
Popsugar- #13- a self-improvement book

[Kester]

27. My Senior Year of Awesome by Jennifer DiGiovanni

Finished: 5/23/16

Rating: 10/10 stars

My Senior Year of Awesome is about a girl who gets voted "Most Likely to Get Married" with the school nerd/genius Andy. Sadie, along with her best friend Jana, attempts to do 10 Awesome Achievements for their blank list before they graduate high school.

DISCLAIMER: I got a free signed copy of this book from Jennifer DiGiovanni herself. In no way will that affect my review.

Honestly, this book was surprised me. I'm going to admit, I enjoyed reading this more than Me Before You. I am not a romance reader; in fact, the main premise, the awesome high school achievements list, is what, I think, interested me. I think the trying to avoid Andy scenario made it seem more funny.

Anyway, I really enjoyed this book. It wasn't until this weekend until I devoured it up. Although I did expect the achievements to be more "awesome" (maybe a large high school prank?), it was funny nevertheless. I was shocked, though, about the secrets hidden in the book, even with the foreshadowing you will see. Plus, Andy and Sadie's relationship takes many twists and turns. Oh, and the author mentioned both Snapchat and Instagram! She's got the high school life spot on!

Pros:
Humor- It was hilarious!
Authenticity- Snapchat and Instagram mentioned in the same book!
Round Characters- Each character may seem like a stereotype, but they do have other personality traits.
Surprises- No spoilers here!

Cons:
Grammar Errors: I did see a few, but it was okay to me.

Recommendation: This book needs to be publicized more! This series has a ton of potential!

[Kester]

28. "Sky Jumpers" by Peggy Eddleman

[Kester]

29. "All the Bright Places" by Jennifer Niven
See this review at www.lilbooklovers.wordpress.com

[Kester]

30. Naked and Far from Home, by J.P. Grider

[Kester]

Sorry it's been a while since I've posted! I've been so busy!

Here's my COMPLETED list of 2016 books! Please click the link here and check out my blog, too! (It's under Kester, with 63 books!)

https://lilbooklovers.wordpress.com/b...