A-Z Challenge

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

A-Z Challenge

Here is a pretty common and fun reading challenge. This challenge requires you to read a book that has a connection to every letter of the alphabet. You can use titles, author's first name, author's last name, or a combination of these. Also, you can read the alphabet in order or just try to use every letter. In this manner, you can make the challenge as difficult or as easy as you like.

If you are using titles and the title begins with the words "A" or "The", those words do not count. For example, "The Kitchen House" is a "K" book. All other words count as the first word in the title.

Duration can be set for anywhere up to 12 months from start date.

You may choose your books ahead of time and use strike through or bold to show when you've read your books or just add the books as you go, whichever you prefer. It is helpful to add the date read and what you rated the book after you've completed each book. Also, book links are useful. This way other people attempting the challenge may try to read the same books. If you are using author names for your challenge, please be sure to list the book and author's name for each letter.

Anyone that has already started this challenge, please feel free to copy your challenge over to a thread here, just make sure to enter a start date. If you prefer, you can start a new challenge.

This challenge is ongoing. You may begin at any time. If you complete the challenge once and want to do it again, that's great!

If you have any questions, just let me know! Happy reading!!!

Good luck!!

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Set up looks like this (Please feel free to copy and paste into your thread):

Start date:
End date:

Books completed: 0/26

A -
B -
C -
D -
E -
F -
G -
H -
I -
J -
K -
L -
M -
N -
O -
P -
Q -
R -
S -
T -
U -
V -
W -
X -
Y -
Z -

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

A few people have asked for helpful hints to find books for the difficult letters. So here goes:

1 - You can do a search in listopia for books that begin with your difficult letter. Just type, for example, "books that begin with x". There are several lists for various letters.

2 - Think of a word that begins with your difficult letter, such as "Queen" or "Quest" for Q, then type that word into the book search box. Multiple books will be listed with that word or some variety of that word. Sometimes there is nothing you can use, but other times there are some great books that pop up.

3 - Check out other people's lists! This is a great way to see what other people are reading and sometimes you can even get a review if they've already read the book.

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Reserved in case more instructions are needed! :)

[Avid Reader and Geek Girl]

Start date: 5/16/14
End date: 5/16/15
Books completed: 1/26
A -
B – Backup by Jim Butcher
C -
D -
E -
F -
G -
H -
I -
J -
K -
L -
M -
N -
O -
P -
Q -
R -
S -
T -
U -
V -
W -
X -
Y -
Z –

[Elise]

I'm going to make a new bookshelf on my Goodreads page, as soon as my current reading challenge is over. What a terrific idea. THANKS!

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Welcome to the challenge Colleen and Elise!

[Nancy from NJ]

A to Z TITLES 2014
Began January 1, 2014
17/26

A - Astor Place Vintage by Stephanie Lehmann
B - The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons
C - Celebrations by Maya Angelou
D - The Death of Santini by Pat Conroy
E - Exodus by Deborah Feldman
F
G
H
I - The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd 2/15/14
J
K - Keep Quiet by Lisa Scottoline 4/15/14
L - Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen 1/30/14
M - Murder and Marinara by Rosie Genova 3/20/14
N - Nemesis by Philip Roth
O - Once We Were Brothers by Ronald Balson 1/15/13
P - The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver 1/19/14
Q
R - Rising Sun, Falling Shadow by Daniel Kalla 3/6/14
S - Stella Bain by Anita Shreve 1/30/14
T - Tatiana and Alexander by Paullina Simons 1/25/14
U - Under the Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Horan 3/11
V
W - We Are Water by Wally Lamb 2/18/14
X
Y
Z

[Maiko]

A-Z Challenge


Start date: January 1, 2014
End date: September 22, 2014

Books completed: 26/26

A - And the Mountains Echoed (2014/01/09)
B - The Beekeeper's Apprentice (2014/02/16)
C - Commuters (2014/01/10)
D - The Difference Engine (2014/02/12)
E - The Enchantress (2014/03/22)
F - For Whom the Bell Tolls (2014/01/14)
G - The Golem and the Jinni (2014/02/13)
H - The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014/03/02)
I - I Was Vermeer: The Rise and Fall of the Twentieth Century's Greatest Forger (2014/02/02)
J - Jewels (2014/01/25)
K - The Kite Runner (2014/03/05)
L - Lucrezia Borgia: Life, Love, and Death in Renaissance Italy (2014/02/06)
M - The Mind Readers (2014/02/02)
N - The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (2014/02/22)
O - Orlando (2014/02/05)
P - Peaches for Monsieur le Curé (2014/02/28)
Q - The Queen of Bedlam (2014/09/22)
R - Red Dragon (2014/04/14)
S - Stardust (2014/05/15)
T - The Templar Legacy (2014/03/23)
U - The Unexpected Waltz (2014/09/07)
V - The Valley of Amazement (2014/09/05)
W - Winter of the World (2014/04/26)
X - XO: A Kathryn Dance Novel (2014/09/12)
Y - Yes, Chef: A Memoir (2014/06/06)
Z - Zorro (2014/06/22)

[Amanda]

Start Date: January 1,2014
End: December 31, 2014 @ 12:00am
Books completed: 19/26

A:Angel
B:Black Ice
C:Champion
D:Dangerous Voices
E:Emperor of Thorns
F:Fang
G:The Game Maker
H:The Help
I: If I Stay
J:
K:
L:Looking for Alaska
M:Max
N:Nevermore
O:The Odyssey
P:Prodigy
Q:
R:Romeo and Juliet
S:Survive
T:The Catcher in the Rye
U:
V:Vitro
W:Will Grayson, Will Grayson
X:
Y:
Z:

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Welcome to the challenge Nancy, Maiko, & Amanda!

[Nancy from NJ]

Thanks, Kristie!

[Maiko]

@Kristie

Thank you...

[Karen]

Start date: 26 May 2014
End date:

Books completed: 18/26

A - An Artificial Night
B - The Big Over Easy
C - Cracked
D - Dragonflight
E - Enemy Mine
F - Fortune's Pawn
G - Gunmetal Magic
H - Hard Magic
I - Irradiated
J -
K -
L - Lord of Light
M - Magic Slays
N -
O - The Ocean at the End of the Lane
P -
Q -
R - Rosemary and Rue
S - Six-Gun Snow White
T - Tunnel Vision
U -
V -
W - Whose Body?
X -
Y - Ysabel
Z - The Zoo Crew

[amber]

Start date: 6/01/14
End date:

Books completed: 2/26

A -
B -
C - Cleopatra 4/12/15
D -
E - Everyone Is Entitled to My Opinion 6/21/14
F -
G -
H -
I - Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey 3/11/15
J -
K -
L - Lord of the Flies 11/19/14
M -
N -
O - Orphan Train 5/5/15
P -
Q -
R -
S -
T -
U -
V -
W -
X -
Y - You Know When the Men Are Gone 7/12/14
Z -

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Welcome to the challenge, Karen & Amber! Looks like you ladies will be busy reading away with your challenges! :)

[amber]

Thank you Kristie!

[Jordan]

Start date: May 27, 2014
End date:

Books completed: 2/26

A -
B -
C - The Champion (May 27th)
D -
E -
F -
G - The Graveyard Book (began June 2nd)
H - The Highlander's Stolen Touch (May 28th)
I -
J -
K -
L -
M - Marriage of Inconvenience (May 27th)
N -
O - Out of the Picture book 1 (began May 30th)
P -
Q -
R -
S -
T -
U -
V -
W -
X -
Y - Yellow (began June 6th)
Z -

[Angel]

Great Challenge, Thanks for starting it.

Start date: January 2014
End date: December 2014
Books completed: 10/26
A -
B – Bright Forever The Bright Forever; Martin, L
C – Can You Keep a Secret?; Kinsela
D – Daughter’s Walk The Daughter's Walk; Kirkpatrick, J
E -
F -
G -
H – Husband’s Secret The Husband's Secret; Moriarty, L
I -
J -
K -
L – Language of Flowers The Language of Flowers, Diffenbaugh, V
M – Magic Hour Magic Hour; Hannah, K
N – No One lives Twice, Moffett, J
O -
P – Peach KeeperThe Peach Keeper, Allen, S
Q -
R -
S – Stuck in NeutralStuck in Neutral; Trueman, T
T -
U -
V -
W –We are All Completely Beside Ourselves; Fowler, K
X -
Y -
Z –

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Welcome to the challenge, Kat & Angel!

[Carol]

Ok... I´m gonna use my goodreads challenge for this too... but maybe i start again soon cause´ i have read a lot of books...


Start date: 01/01/14
End date: 31/12/14

Books completed: 18/26

A - The Arrangement: The Ferro Family
B - Bitch Alert!
C – Catching Fire
D - Dare You To
E - Existence
F - Forever Too Far
G - Growing Up Strong
H - Happenstance
I - If You Stay
J - Just One Song
K - Kiss and tell
L - Love Me Knots
M - Mockingjay
N - Norma Jean
O - Oram Kelly A is for Abstinence
P - Pushing the Limits
Q - Queen of the Dead
R - Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat Friend
S - Stripped
T - Talking Dirty
U - Un amor para recordar
V - Virgin Wanted
W - When Summer Ends
X -
Y -
Z -

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Welcome to the challenge, Carol!

[Avid Reader and Geek Girl]

Start date: 5/16/14
End date: 5/16/15
Books completed: 3/26
A -
B – Backup by Jim Butcher
C -
D -
E -
F -
G -
H -
I -
J -
K -
L -
M – Mean Streets by Jim Butcher
N -
O -
P -
Q -
R -
S -
T -
U -
V – Vampire Academy by Richelle Med
W -
X -
Y -
Z –

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Welcome to the challenge, Colleen!

[Harsha]

Start date: 01/01/14
End date: 12/31/14
Books completed: 20/26

A - Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
B - The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
C - Cosmos by Carl Sagan
D - Douglas Adams's So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
E -
F - Fault Lines: How Hidden Fractures Still Threaten the World Economy by Raghuram G. Rajan
G - Galahad at Blandings by P.G. Wodehouse
H -
I - India After Gandhi: The History of the World's Largest Democracy by Ramachandra Guha
J - Jerome K. Jerome's Three Men in a Boat
K - Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle
L - Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace
M - Machiavelli's The Prince
N - The Nose by Nikolai Gogol
O - The Overcoat by Nikolai Gogol
P - Penso quindi gioco by Andrea Pirlo
Q -
R - Rowling J.K's The Casual Vacancy
S - The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins
T - The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
U -
V - Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse
W - Wodehouse's A Pelican at Blandings
X -
Y -
Z - Zweig's Chess Story

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Welcome to the challenge, Harsha! Great progress! Did you back date to January 1?

[Harsha]

Kristie wrote: "Welcome to the challenge, Harsha! Great progress! Did you back date to January 1?"

Thanks.. Yeah, I was part of this challenge in another group too:) Any suggestions for Q,X and Y?

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Yes! I have a bunch, but I'm not at home. When I get back to my laptop this evening I'll post a bunch. :) In the meantime, if you're online (not on an app) you can go to listopia and do a search. They have some lists for the letters.

[Avid Reader and Geek Girl]

Start date: 5/16/14
End date: 5/16/15
Books completed: 4/26
A -
B – Backup by Jim Butcher
C -
D -
E -
F -
G -
H -
I -
J -
K -
L -
M – Mean Streets by Jim Butcher
N -
O -
P -
Q -
R -
S – Skin Games by Jim Butcher
T -
U -
V – Vampire Academy by Richelle Med
W -
X -
Y -
Z –

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Hi Harsha -

Just wanted to get back to you on the Q, X, & Y question. Listopia sometimes has some good ideas. I attached a couple links to their lists below.

Books that begin with X, Y, Z: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...

Authors starting with X: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/4...

Q is for Quality: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/4...

Below are some of my ideas that I would like to read and some that I've pulled from others. Some of the titles look similar, but the books are different. Hope one of them looks good to you!

X
XO
x0
Xoe: or Vampires, and Werewolves, and Demons, Oh My!
Xingu
Xingu: The Indians, Their Myths
Xor: The Shape of Darkness
The Xeno Solution
Xenocide
Xombies
The Xibalba Murders
Author: Xoe Xanders

Q
Queen of Babble
Quest for a Maid
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking
Quentins
Queen Lucia
Quartet In Autumn
The Queen and I
Queen of the Oddballs: And Other True Stories from a Life Unaccording to Plan
Q is for Quarry
Queen of Hearts

Y
Year Zero
You Slay Me
y1
Your Heart Belongs to MeYesterday
The Year of the Storm
Y

Another idea that sometimes works for me is to think of a word that starts with the letter that I need (such as Quest for "Q", then type it into the book search box. Then, I just check out the books that fit my need and see if there are any that I like that start with the right word. Good luck!

[Karen]

I started off thinking I would mix authors and titles, but that's too messy for my picky brain. Going with titles :)

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

lol, Karen. I'm the same way. I have to choose one or the other. :)

[Harsha]

@Kristie, Thanks a lot! This is really helpful :)

[Avid Reader and Geek Girl]

Start date: 5/16/14
End date: 5/16/15
Books completed: 5/26
A -
B – Backup by Jim Butcher
C -
D -
E -
F - Frostbite by Richelle Mead
G -
H -
I – In a Dog’s Heart by Jennifer Arnold
J -
K -
L -
M – Mean Streets by Jim Butcher
N -
O -
P -
Q -
R -
S – Skin Games by Jim Butcher
T -
U -
V – Vampire Academy by Richelle Med
W -
X -
Y -
Z –

[Maiko]

Edited message #9


21/26

Y - Yes, Chef: A Memoir (2014/06/06)

[Marion]

Start date: 01/01/2014
End date: 31/12/2014

Books completed: 21/26

A - Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
B - Benny & Shrimp by Katarina Mazetti
C - The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
D - Deadpool Classic, Vol. 1
E - Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
F - Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
G - The Giver by Lois Lowry
H - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
I - If I Stay by Gayle Forman
J - Justice League : Crise d'Identité
K - Knights of the Hill Country by Tim Tharp
L - Life in Outer Space by Melissa Keil
M - The Maze Runner by James Dashner
N - Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
O - Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
P - Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card
Q -
R - Le regard des princes à minuit by Erik L'Homme
S - The Spook's Curse by Joseph Delaney
T -
U - Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi
V - Vicious by V.E. Schwab
W - We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
X -
Y -
Z -

[Jennie]

Start date: January 1, 2014
End date:

Books completed: 20/26

A - Allegient by Veronica Roth
B - The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
C - Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks
D - Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
E - Edge of Dawn by Lara Adrian
F - A Feast of Crows by George R R Martin
G - The Good Lord Bird by James McBride
H - House at Riverton by Kate Morton
I - The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
J - The Jane Austen Marriage Manual by Kim Izzo
K -
L - The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
M - Mariana by Susanna Kearsley
N - Nefertiti by Michelle Moran
O - Ongoing Crisis Communication by W. Timothy Coombs
P - Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha by Roddy Doyle
Q -
R - The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley
S - Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
T - Thirteen Moons by Charles Frazier
U - Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
V -
W - When the Emperor was Divine by Julie Otsuka
X -
Y - The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon
Z -

[Inga]

Start date: January 1, 2014
End date:

Books completed: 9/26

A - Animal Farm by George Orwell
B - Belle Epoque by Elizabeth Ross
C - (The) Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
D -
E - (The) Easter Parade by Richard Yates
F -
G - Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
H - (The) Hundred-Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
I - I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
J -
K -
L - Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
M -
N -
O - Oh, All the Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss
P - (The) Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Q -
R - Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
S - Something Fresh by P. G. Wodehouse
T - Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome
U - Urn Burial by Kerry Greenwood
V -
W - (The) Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
X -
Y -
Z -

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Welcome to the challenge Marion, Jennie, and Inga!

[Avid Reader and Geek Girl]

Start date: 5/16/14
End date: 5/16/15
Books completed: 7/26
A -
B – Backup by Jim Butcher
C -
D -
E -
F – Frostbite by Richelle Mead
G – Green, John- The Fault in Our Stars
H -
I – In a Dog’s Heart by Jennifer Arnold
J -
K -
L -
M – Mean Streets by Jim Butcher
N -
O -
P -
Q -
R -
S – Skin Games by Jim Butcher
T -
U -
V – Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
W -
X -
Y -
Z –

[Emily]

Start date: February 2014
End date: February 2015

Books completed: 9/26

A - The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone
B - Book Thief by Markus Zusak
C - City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
D -
E -
F - A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
G - Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
H -
I -
J -
K -
L - Letters to a Young Feminist By Phyllis Chester
M - The Map of True Places by Brunonia Barry
N - Night by Elie Wiesel
O -
P - Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult
Q -
R -
S -
T - The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
U -
V -
W -
X -
Y -
Z -

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Welcome to the challenge, Emily!

[Avid Reader and Geek Girl]

Start date: 5/16/14
End date: 5/16/15
Books completed: 8/26
A -
B – Backup by Jim Butcher
C – Condie, Ally- Matched
D -
E -
F – Frostbite by Richelle Mead
G – Green, John- The Fault in Our Stars
H -
I – In a Dog’s Heart by Jennifer Arnold
J -
K -
L -
M – Mean Streets by Jim Butcher
N -
O -
P -
Q -
R -
S – Skin Games by Jim Butcher
T -
U -
V – Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
W -
X -
Y -
Z –

[Raine]

Start date: 06/19/14
End date:

Books completed: 1/26

A -
B -
C -
D -
E -
F -
G - Glass Sentence by S.E Grove (Currently Reading)
H - House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones (Currently Reading)
I -
J -
K -
L -
M -
N -
O - Of Triton by Anna Banks
P -
Q -
R -
S -
T -
U -
V -
W -
X -
Y -
Z -

[amber]

First book done!

[Maiko]

Edited message #9


22/26

Z - Zorro (2014/06/22)

[Avid Reader and Geek Girl]

Start date: 5/16/14
End date: 5/16/15
Books completed: 9/26

T – Through a Dog’s Eyes by Jennifer Arnold

[Kristie, Moderator (Retired)]

Welcome to the challenge, Raine!

[Raine]

Thank you, Kristie :)

Start date: 06/19/14
End date: 12/30/14

Books completed: 5/26

A -
B -
C -
D - (The) Distance Between Us by Kasie West
E -
F -
G - Glass Sentence by S.E Grove (Currently Reading)
H - House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones
I -
J -
K -
L - Love Story by Jennifer Echols
M -
N -
O - Of Triton by Anna Banks
P -
Q -
R - Red At Night by Katie McGarry
S -
T -
U -
V -
W -
X -
Y -
Z -

[Avid Reader and Geek Girl]

Start date: 5/16/14
End date: 5/16/15
Books completed: 10/26
A -
B – Backup by Jim Butcher
C – Condie, Ally- Matched
D – Double Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
E -
F – Frostbite by Richelle Mead
G – Green, John- The Fault in Our Stars
H -
I – In a Dog’s Heart by Jennifer Arnold
J -
K -
L -
M – Mean Streets by Jim Butcher
N -
O -
P -
Q -
R -
S – Skin Games by Jim Butcher
T – Through a Dog’s Eyes by Jennifer Arnold
U -
V – Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
W -
X -
Y -
Z –