2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge discussion
ARCHIVE 2017
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Jane's 2017 Reading Corner
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***PERSONAL CHALLENGES***I always enjoy this group's challenges, but I have found I've had some other goals I want to achieve, so I'll post my own challenges here:
YEARLY
Graphic Novel Challenge
DONE!
10/10
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Short Story Collections
6/6 DONE!
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Let's Turn Pages Challenge 2017and
Around the World Through Language
Finished my first book of the year! It was fairly short and sweet. I've been wanting to read it for years and was finally able to snag a copy!
French: The Vagabond by Colette - 4 stars
252 pages
To The Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey - 3 stars413 pages
This book didn't strike me as much as the Snow Child did. I don't know what it was. I think I didn't connect with the characters enough, particularly Colonel Allen Forrester. I connected more with Sophie, but with her parts I felt the descriptions of photography chemicals and setting up a camera tedious and uninteresting. It just felt like very little happened plot wise which made the book drag on and on. Now I don't always need a plot to keep me entertained. There are some amazing, skilled writers that can write character based books with virtually no plot, but again I didn't connect with the characters either. All of this being said, Ivey writes beautifully and despite my lukewarm reaction to this book, I look forward to reading more from her.
Displacement: A Travelogue by Lucy Knisley - 2.5 stars
161 pages
Apart from making me terrified to age into my 90s, this book just didn't quite hit me right in the feels, which is what I think the artist was going for.
CHALLENGES: Let's Turn Pages Challenge 2017 and Graphic Novel Challenge (personal challenge)
Today is the Last Day of the Rest of Your Life by Ulli Lust - 3.5 stars464 pages
I had trouble connecting with and liking two white, angsty teen girls choosing to be homeless and reckless with their lives while scaring the living crap out of their parents. I'm officially old I guess and I'm fine with that. However I have a deep sympathy for the girls in terms of the sexual harassment and sexual assault they put up with in Italy. It became very difficult to read hundreds of pages of Lust putting up with sexual harassment. It just reminds me of everyday existence as a woman in any part of the world. Uggghhh.
CHALLENGES: Let's Turn Pages Challenge 2017 and Graphic Novel Challenge (personal challenge)
The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware - 2.5 stars340 pages
This didn't blow me away or anything and I didn't hate it. It was okay though and I enjoyed it enough to plow through it in a few days.
CHALLENGES: Let's Turn Pages Challenge 2017
Shakespeare and Company by Sylvia Beach - 1 star178 pages
I didn't finish this book because it became to painfully boring and dry. It's mostly a book of name and book dropping. "I knew so and so and they wrote this and this. And everyone was wonderful and not shitty at all." I'm still adding the pages I read though because I suffered through so many. Haha. Sylvia Beach seems like a wonderful person who brought together writers in the 1920s in her famous book shop. She's actually one of my favourite personalities from the time period. However Beach is correct when she says she didn't have the talent for writing herself. Oh how correct you were Sylvia.
CHALLENGE: Let's Turn Pages Challenge 2017
The Garden Party and Other Stories by Katherine Mansfield - 4 stars159 pages
CHALLENGE: Let's Turn Pages Challenge 2017 and Short Story Collections (personal challenge)
Are You My Mother? by Alison Bechdel - 1 star209 pages
CHALLENGE: Let's Turn Pages Challenge and Graphic Novels Challenge (personal)
A Death in the Family by Karl Ove Knausgård - 5 stars393 pages
CHALLENGES: Let's Turn Pages Challenge 2017 and Around the World Through Language
Blue Is the Warmest Color by Julie Maroh - 4 stars156 pages
CHALLENGES: Let's Turn Pages 2017 and Graphic Novel Challenge (personal)
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson - 4 stars268 pages
CHALLENGES: Let's Turn Pages 2017
Fortune Smiles by Adam Johnson - 4 stars304 pages
The author of the Orphan Master's Son did not disappoint. The stories in this collection will definitely stick with me.
CHALLENGES: Let's Turn Pages 2017 and Short Story Collections (personal challenge)
Professional Idiot: A Memoir by Stephen Glover - 4 stars336 pages
I never thought I'd be reading a memoir from one of the Jackass guys, but I did it and I was surprisingly entertained. I think having seen Steve-o sober in interviews and such allowed me to not completely despise him for all the crappy stuff he did to people during his 20 years of addiction. It's early in the year, but I think this will probably the most random thing I'll have read this year.
CHALLENGE: Let's Turn Pages 2017
The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well by Meik Wiking - 3 stars288 pages
This book was cute and cozy. It got a little tiresome though with the author trying to convince me it's a Danish thing to like to be warm when it's cold outside and looking at fires is peaceful and calming. It's called being a human Mr. Danish man. True story.
The Pianist: The Extraordinary Story of One Man's Survival in Warsaw, 1939–45 by Wladyslaw Szpilman - 4 stars
222 pages
Juliet's Answer: One Man's Search for Love and the Elusive Cure for Heartbreak by Glenn Dixon - 3 stars
272 pages
This book could also be named "Hope After the Friend Zone." Glad buddy finally gave up his 20 year long obsession for a woman clearly not interested in him. Better late than never. I'm making fun, but honestly it was a cute book. Good, easy summer read.
CHALLENGE: Let's Turn Pages 2017
MARCH TOTAL PAGES READ:5,010/25,000 pages
The Complete Stories of Truman Capote by Truman Capote - 4.5 stars334 pages
CHALLENGE: Let's Turn Pages and Short Story Collections
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - 5 stars477 pages
I'm definitely interested in reading more of this author's work!
CHALLENGE: Let's Turn Pages
True Story, Swear to God: Chances Are by Tom Beland - 1 star176 pages
A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge by Josh Neufeld - 4 stars
193 pages
Let's Turn Pages Challenge 2017 and Graphic Novel Challenge
Pulse by Julian Barnes - 4 stars228 pages
Blindness by José Saramago - 4 stars
326 pages
'Salem's Lot by Stephen King - 2 stars
653 pages
We Don't Live Here Anymore by Andre Dubus - 2 stars213 pages
The Dorito Effect: The Surprising New Truth About Food and Flavor by Mark Schatzker - 4 stars
259 pages
CHALLENGES: Let's Turn Pages 2017
Books read in June:The Post-Office Girl by Stefan Zweig - 4 stars
257 pages
Incognegro by Mat Johnson - 4 stars
136 pages
The Color of Earth by Kim Dong Hwa - 3 stars
319 pages
The Wars by Timothy Findley - 3 stars
218 pages
Wenjack by Joseph Boyden - 4 stars
112 pages
Everything That Rises Must Converge: Stories by Flannery O'Connor - 4 stars
269 pages
Stitches by David Small - 4 stars
329 pages
Kiss and Tell: A Romantic Résumé, Ages 0 to 22 by MariNaomi - 2.5 stars
330 pages
CHALLENGES: Let's Turn Pages Challenge 2017 and Graphic Novel Challenge (personal challenge) and Short Story Collections (personal challenge)
JUNE TOTAL PAGES READ: 10,800 pages
My Lobotomy - Howard Dully - 4 stars288 pages
Special Exits - Joyce Farmer - 1 star
200 pages
You Can't Keep a Good Woman Down - Alice Walker - 4 stars
180 pages
CHALLENGES: Let's Turn Pages 2017 and Short Story Collections (personal challenge)
July:Happiness by Will Ferguson - 4 stars
339
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch - 4 stars
342
Superzelda: The Graphic Life of Zelda Fitzgerald by Tiziana Lo Porto and Daniele Marotta - 1 star
172
Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story, 1958-2009 by J. Randy Taraborrelli - 5 stars
784
Unmasked: The Final Years Of Michael Jackson by Ian Halperin - 2 stars
273
TOTAL: 13, 378/25,000 pages
August:
Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson by Joseph Vogel - 5 stars
320
Pines by Blake Crouch - 3 stars
305
Moon Walk by Michael Jackson - 3 stars
300
Crow Lake by Mary Lawson - 2 stars
324
I Can't Make This Up: Life Lessons by Kevin Hart -4 stars
378
Wayward by Blake Crouch - 4 stars
298
And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman - 5 stars
96
TOTAL: 15,399/25,000 pages
CHALLENGES: Let's Turn Pages 2017
September:The Town That Forgot How to Breathe - Kenneth J. Harvey - 480
The Last Town (Wayward Pines #3) - Blake Crouch - 280
Lincoln in the Bardo - George Saunders - 471
You Are Not Alone: Michael: Through A Brother's Eyes - Jermaine Jackson - 464
A Man Called Ove - Fredrik Backman - 337
A Walk in the Woods - Bill Bryson - 397
TOTAL: 17,828/25,000 pages
CHALLENGES: Let's Turn Pages 2017
2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
The Big Green Tent (other topics)Dark Matter (other topics)
Happiness (other topics)
Unmasked: The Final Years Of Michael Jackson (other topics)
Superzelda: The Graphic Life of Zelda Fitzgerald (other topics)
More...
Let's Turn Pages 2017
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
(message 73)
**Goal: Read 25,000 Pages**
22,818/25,000
January:
The Vagabond by Colette - 252
To the Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey - 413
Displacement: A Travelogue by Lucy Knisley - 161
Today is the Last Day of the Rest of Your Life by Ulli Lust - 464
The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware - 340
Shakespeare and Company by Sylvia Beach - 178
The Garden Party and Other Stories by Katherine Mansfield - 159
Are You My Mother? by Alison Bechdel - 209
TOTAL: 2,176 pages
February:
A Death in the Family (My Struggle #1) by Karl Ove Knausgård - 393
Life Before Man by Margaret Atwood - 291
Blue is the Warmest Color - Julie Maroh - 156
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid - Bill Bryson - 268
Gypsy Boy on the Run by Mikey Walsh - 304
TOTAL: 3,588 pages
March:
Fortune Smiles - Adam Johnson - 304
Professional Idiot: A Memoir - Stephen 'Steve-O' Glover - 336
The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well - Meik Wiking - 288
The Pianist: The Extraordinary Story of One Man's Survival in Warsaw, 1939–45 - Wladyslaw Szpilman - 222
Juliet's Answer: One Man's Search for Love and the Elusive Cure for Heartbreak - Glenn Dixon - 272
TOTAL: 5,010 pages
April:
A Personal Matter - Kenzaburō Ōe - 165
The Complete Stories - Truman Capote - 334
Americanah - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - 477
Unterzakhn - Leela Corman - 204
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis - JD Vance - 272
TOTAL: 6,462 pages
May:
True Story: Swear to God - Tom Beland - 176
A.D. New Orleans After the Deluge - Josh Neufeld - 193
Pulse - Julian Barnes - 228
Blindness - José Saramago - 326
'Salem's Lot - Stephen King - 653
We Don't Live Here Anymore - Andre Dubus - 213
The Dorito Effect: The Suprising New Truh About Food and Flavour - Mark Schatzker - 259
Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain - Portia de Rossi - 320
TOTAL: 8,830 pages
June:
The Post-Office Girl - Stefan Zweig - 257
Incognegro - Mat Johnson - 136
The Color of Earth - Kim Dong Hwa - 319
The Wars - Timothy Findley - 218
Wenjack - Joseph Boyden - 112
Everything that Rises Must Converge - Flannery O'Connor - 269
Stitches - David Small - 329
Kiss and Tell: A Romantic Resume, Ages 0 to 22 - MariNaomi - 330
TOTAL: 10,800 pages
July:
My Lobotomy - Howard Dully - 288
Special Exits - Joyce Farmer - 200
You Can't Keep A Good Woman Down - Alice Walker - 180
Happiness - Will Ferguson - 339
Dark Matter - Blake Crouch - 342
SuperZelda: The Graphic Life of Zelda Fitzgerald - Tiziana Lo Porto and Daniele Marotta - 172
Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story 1958-2009 - J. Randy Taraborrelli - 784
Unmasked: The Final Years of Michael Jackson - Ian Halperin - 273
TOTAL: 13, 378 pages
August:
Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson - Joseph Vogel - 320
Pines (Wayward Pines #1) - Blake Crouch - 305
Moon Walk - Michael Jackson - 300
Crow Lake - Mary Lawson - 324
I Can't Make This Up: Life Lessons - Kevin Hart - 378
Wayward (Wayward Pines #2) - Blake Crouch - 298
And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer - Fredrik Backman - 96
TOTAL: 15,399 pages
September:
The Town That Forgot How to Breathe - Kenneth J. Harvey - 480
The Last Town (Wayward Pines #3) - Blake Crouch - 280
Lincoln in the Bardo - George Saunders - 471
You Are Not Alone: Michael: Through A Brother's Eyes - Jermaine Jackson - 464
A Man Called Ove - Fredrik Backman - 337
A Walk in the Woods - Bill Bryson - 397
TOTAL: 17,828 pages
October:
Ghost Boy - Martin Pistorius - 274
A Monster Calls - Patrick Ness - 216
The Butterfly Plague - Timothy Findley - 374
Alice (The Chronicles of Alice #1) - Christina Henry - 291
All the Missing Girls - Megan Miranda - 384
TOTAL: 19,367 pages
November:
The Silence of Our Friends - Mark Long - 201
Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars - Kai Cheng Thom - 188
Essex County - Jeff Lemire - 512
Too Bright to Hear To Loud To See - Juliann Garey - 289
The Alienist - Caleb Carr - 599
TOTAL: 21,456 pages
December:
Girl At War - Sara Novic - 320
David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants - Malcolm Gladwell - 305
Parable of the Sower - Octavia E. Butler - 345
Dark Matter - Michelle Paver - 246
We Have Always Lived in the Castle - Shirley Jackson - 146
TOTAL: 22,818 pages
Around the World Through Language
(message 62)
9/10
1. Russian - The Big Green Tent by Lyudmila Ulitskaya
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Italian - Superzelda: The Graphic Life of Zelda Fitzgerald by Tiziana Lo Porto3.
French - The Vagabond by Colette4.
German - The Post-Office Girl5.
Spanish - The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón6.
Swedish - A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman7.
Portuguese - Blindness by José Saramago8. Polish -
The Pianist: The Extraordinary Story of One Man's Survival in Warsaw, 1939–45 by Władysław Szpilman9.
Japanese - A Personal Matter by Kenzaburō Ōe10.
Norwegian - My Struggle: Book 1 by Karl Ove KnausgårdTBR in 2017
3. How the Mind Works by Steven Pinker
4. Writing Past Dark: Envy, Fear, Distraction and Other Dilemmas in the Writer's Life by Bonnie Friedman
8. Anti-Intellectualism in American Life by Richard Hofstadter
10. The Epigenetics Revolution by Nessa Carey
11. The Varieties of Scientific Experience: A Personal View of the Search for God by Carl Sagan