Alphabet Soup Challenge (2014)

[Renee, Mistress of the Mini-Challenge]

26 Books in 2014, each beginning with a different letter of the alphabet. (Not counting articles like "a," "an" or "the") to create your own special Alphabet Soup.

For example:
A- And the Band Played on
B- Beautiful Day
C- The Call of the Wild
Etc.

You can use any books from 2014, even if used in another challenge.
You don't have to go in order, but may want to create a post with just the alphabet, then fill in books as you read them. Or create a "master list" of what you plan to read, then check them off as you finish each.

(If we get desperate, we may branch out to prominently placed letters in titles, like World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War for Z or 1Q84 for Q. But those should be extreme measures.)

[Renee, Mistress of the Mini-Challenge]

Renee's Alphabet Soup
Finished 9/7/2014


A- Attachments
B- A Briefer History of Time
C- Can You Forgive Her?
D- Dune
E- The Eustace Diamonds
F- Far from the Madding Crowd
G- Girl in Translation
H- The Husband's Secret
I- The Idiot
J- Jude the Obscure
K- Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever
L- The Lemon Orchard
M- Middlemarch
N- No Name
O- The One and Only Ivan
P- The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Q- Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking
R- Ringworld
S- Seraphina
T- Till We Have Faces
U- Uncle Tom's Cabin
V- V is for Vengeance
W- Wives and Daughters
X- Xingu (short story)
Y- The Yellow Wallpaper (short story)
Z- Z. Rex

[Melissa]

I'm in!!!

Renee's Alphabet Soup Recipe


A- Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume; READ 5/14
B- Bossypants by Tina Fey READ 4/14
C- A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole; Read 4/14
D- Defiance: The Bielski Partisans by Nechama Tec; READ 1/14
E- Edward Adrift by Craig Lancaster; READ 3/14
F- The Fault in Our Stars by John Green; READ 3/14
G- The Giver by Lois Lowry; READ 3/14
H- Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson; READ 6/14
I- The Inimitable Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse; READ 4/12
J- The Jefferson Key by Steve Berry READ 6/27/14
K- A Kiss from Maddalena by Christopher Castellani; READ 2/14
L- Looking for Alaska by John Green; READ 3/31/14
M- Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides READ 7/7/14
N- Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen; READ 2/14
O- Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot; READ 4/12
P- A Passage to India by E.M. Forster; READ 6/28/14
Q- The Quest by Nelson DeMille; READ 1/14
R- Rascal by Sterling North; READ 1/14
S- The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat by Edward Kelsey Moore; READ 4/12
T- Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck; READ 4/12
U- The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundra; READ 4/29/14
V- V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton; READ 8/31/14 This one finishes the challenge!!!
W- Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein; READ 4/12
X- Xingu by Edith Wharton, Short Story, (JULY); READ 7/25/14
Y- The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Short Story, (JULY); READ 7/25/14
Z- The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman; READ 7/24/14

[Renee, Mistress of the Mini-Challenge]

Yay!

[Melissa]

Renee wrote: "26 Books in 2014, each beginning with a different letter of the alphabet. (Not counting articles like "a," "an" or "the") to create your own special Alphabet Soup.

For example:
A- [book:And the B..."


I love these challenges! Good one Renee! Can we start with the beginning of the year or does it start with today?

[Renee, Mistress of the Mini-Challenge]

The beginning of the year. Jan. 1, 2014

Even if we backfill, some of the letters will be challenging. (For example, I've read more than 26 already this year, but am pretty sure nothing that starts with u,v,x,y, or z.)

[Melissa]

Renee wrote: "The beginning of the year. Jan. 1, 2014

Even if we backfill, some of the letters will be challenging. (For example, I've read more than 26 already this year, but am pretty sure nothing that starts..."

That will be the fun part, giving each other suggestions!

[Renee, Mistress of the Mini-Challenge]

Yep! Anybody want to buy a vowel?

[Tracey]

I've been doing this for another group and I'm almost done, so I'll just post those stats here:

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

Books completed: 25/26

Currently reading:
A - - 2/6
B - - 1/29
C - - 01/02
D - - 1/16
E -
F - - 2/28
G - - 1/22
H - - 6/22
I - - 1/23
J - - 01/09
K - - 3/2
L - - 2/22
M - - 01/05
N - -2/14
O - - 1/25
P - - 3/31
Q -
R - - 2/13
S - - 2/18
T - - 2/4
U - - 3/7
V - - 8/18
W - - 1/7
X - - 7/22
Y - - 8/4
Z - - 5/13

[Renee, Mistress of the Mini-Challenge]

Chase takes the lead!

[Melissa]

I have five left and need suggestions for X,Y, and Z.
*Help*

[Tracey]

Melissa, I'm planning on reading X-It for my X when I get there. Zoo was my Z book but it wasn't terribly exciting. It's an easy read though.

I'm equally stumped on a Y here.

[Melissa]

Chase wrote: "Melissa, I'm planning on reading X-It for my X when I get there. Zoo was my Z book but it wasn't terribly exciting. It's an easy read though.

I'm equally stumped ..."

Sandy wrote: "Renee wrote: "26 Books in 2014, each beginning with a different letter of the alphabet. (Not counting articles like "a," "an" or "the") to create your own special Alphabet Soup.

For example:
A- [..."

Sandy - Yes, You can! You just combine all the books that you have already read and the books in other challenges. The X,Y, and Z are what's going to stump me.

but....

Chase, Thanks for the suggestions, I'll look into them!
Now we hunt for Y.

[Melissa]

Sandy wrote: "Melissa wrote: "I have five left and need suggestions for X,Y, and Z.
*Help*"

How about The Yellow Wallpaper and Other Stories by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. I haven't re..."

Thanks, Sandy! Now there is a Y. Like you said, it is adding these three books somehow with the other challenges! Wow! so many books, I wonder what next year will be like. I never thought my reading year would take off like it did. All good. :)

[Kassandra]

I'm in! Here's my recipe to date:

21/26 Completed
A - An Abundance of Katherines
B - The Bear
C - Curse of the Gatekeeper
D - Dark Places
E - Eleanor & Park
F - A Field Guide to Burying Your Parents
G - The Glass Castle
H - Harry Potter: The Prequel
I - I Love Everybody
J - Jack of Diamonds
K - The Kings of Cool
L - Looking for Alaska
M - Million Dollar Arm: Sometimes to Win, You Have to Change the Game
N -
O - The Obamas
P - The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Q -
R - The Rescue
S - The Serpent of Venice
T - Treasure Island
U -
V - Voluntary Madness: My Year Lost and Found in the Loony Bin
W - Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
X -
Y - You Suck
Z -

[Melissa]

Iasa wrote: "suggestions for x,y,z,"

Iasa, that is wonderful, Thanks!

[Renee, Mistress of the Mini-Challenge]

The Zookeeper's Wife was terrific.

[Camille]

I'm in! Here is what I have so far

A- An American Bride in Kabul
B- The Bronze Horseman
C-
D- The Day of the Triffids
E- Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China
F- The 5th Wave
G- The Great Gatsby
H- Hollow City
I- Inside the Whale
J-
K-
L- The Ladies' Paradise
M- Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
N- Nanny Knows Best: The History of the British Nanny
O- The Ocean at the End of the Lane
P-
Q-
R- Ruta's Closet
S- The Summer Garden
T- Tatiana and Alexander
U-
V-
W- War and Peace
X-
Y-
Z- Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald

[Camille]

Iasa wrote: "suggestions for x,y,z,"

Thanks, Iasa!

[Melissa]

Renee wrote: "The Zookeeper's Wife was terrific."

Ok, Renee, I'll keep this one in mind as I'm still deciding.

[Melissa]

I have V,X,Y, and Z to go. Finished M this week!

[Kassandra]

Great job Melissa! I am realizing that most of my books start with the same letters for some odd reason.

[Renee, Mistress of the Mini-Challenge]

So close, Melissa!!! Can't wait til see your choices for xyz. :D

[Melissa]

Renee wrote: "So close, Melissa!!! Can't wait til see your choices for xyz. :D"

Kassandra wrote: "Great job Melissa! I am realizing that most of my books start with the same letters for some odd reason."

Thanks Kassandra and Renee!

Most of my TBR books for other challenges do not fit on the V,X, & Z, somehow I'll have to fit them in. :)

[Camille]

Renee, have you finished your challenge??

Iasa, I see you've read Snow White and Russian Red. What did you think of it?

[Renee, Mistress of the Mini-Challenge]

Not yet, Camille. I'm three letters away. E, U, and Z! You're doing really well. I'm so jealous that your W is War and Peace. That's my Holy Grail book. I'll get to it eventually! I swear!!!

[Kassandra]

I'm so jealous that you gals are almost done! All of my books seem to start with the same letters. I'm going to have to look at some of the books here for ideas.

[Renee, Mistress of the Mini-Challenge]

I think you're doing great! You're more than halfway there. I do know what you mean about books starting with the same letter, though. It makes this mini-challenge harder than it seems.

[Renee, Mistress of the Mini-Challenge]

Bookshelf Building Boyfriend=Keeper

Piles into other piles=hysterical lol of recognition.

[Kassandra]

Renee - thank you! It doesn't feel like halfway yet but I'm hoping I will figure out the more challenging letters this week.

Iasa - I agree with Renee, he's a keeper. Plus, now that you know what it takes for him to build bookshelves, you just have to break out the small pile organizational system when you're feeling a little cramped for space! I'm on the hunt for something starting with an E as well, let me know if you find anything!

[Camille]

Iasa, I've only read Snow White, but it has stayed with me ever since I read it. Must have been 10 years ago. I saw another one of her books was translated into English so I'll read it at some point.

[Melissa]

Iasa, agree with Renee that the Boyfriend is a keeper, wish you could loan him out to build bookshelves for me too! :) Yah, that was a bit of a wine.

[Renee, Mistress of the Mini-Challenge]

Hahaha! Vivid!

[Kassandra]

Ender's Game could be very interesting. The movie was fantastic but I will admit I have been a little intimidated about the book. Thanks for the suggestion, Sandy and Iasa!

[Melissa]

Iasa wrote: "Kassandra, there's always 'Ender's Game'. I went for 'The Emerald City of Oz' I'd already read all the other 'E' books I could find.

Melissa, he would probably do it for dinner. Although he eat..."


I've got two teenage boys, plus girls...so yah, I can feed an army. Hahaha Send him on over. :)

[Holly, That Geeky One]

Kassandra, the film is amazing, but it misses out a whole plot line that I think really makes the book. I wholeheartedly recommend you read it!

[Kassandra]

A whole plot line was missed in the film? Time for me to read it! (*furiously looking online for a copy*)

[Renee, Mistress of the Mini-Challenge]

Ha! And now I need to see the movie! :D

I tried reading Zoo by Hames Patterson, and it's safe to say that it will NOT be my z book. The writing was truly awful. Yet, he so popular. *shrugs*

Now looking for a new z book.

[Melissa]

Renee wrote: "Ha! And now I need to see the movie! :D

I tried reading Zoo by Hames Patterson, and it's safe to say that it will NOT be my z book. The writing was truly awful. Yet, he so popular. *shrugs*

Now l..."

Good to know Renee, just picked up The Zookeeper's Wife this week from the library, because of your recommendation. Thanks and might start it tonight since I've just finished The grass is Singing.

[Renee, Mistress of the Mini-Challenge]

*scrolling back for Sandy's Zs*

[Melissa]

What I like about these challenges is that they force me to read authors that I normally would not have tried, then I find myself gently surprised.

Renee, I'm reading The Zookeeper's Wife and only 55 pages into it...well, ENJOYING IT! Can you here me sing it. :)

[Renee, Mistress of the Mini-Challenge]

Sandy-
Thanks! I wondered why I couldn't find them here. :)

Melissa-
I'm so glad to like The Zookeeper's Wife! I actually didn't realize it was a true story until I was about a third into it. I just kept thinking it was really richly detailed. Then, mind blown!

[Tracey]

If I ever write a book someday, I'm going to make sure that I write it with a title starting with an X or Y just so that way I know at least the people doing these challenges will read my work.

[Melissa]

Renee, you were right, The Zookeeper's Wife was terrific and I can add it to the soup mix. Thanks!

[Renee, Mistress of the Mini-Challenge]

So glad you enjoyed it! I learned so much about the Polish Resistance from reading it.

[Melissa]

Renee wrote: "So glad you enjoyed it! I learned so much about the Polish Resistance from reading it."

I did not know there was a resistance, either; and also, the heart of these people to help as many Jewish people escape and to hide. Unfortunately it wasn't very many people, but yet again, I did not know Hitler wanted to exterminate the Polish People, also.

Defiance: The Bielski Partisans by Nechama Tec was a very interesting read on the largest armed rescue of Jews by Jews. This took place in Belarus, I think east of Poland (don't quote me), this was later taken over by Russia. There is another book, The Bielski Brothers by Peter Duffy, but not finding it on Goodreads. Have not read the second, so I cannot recommend as of yet.

[Renee, Mistress of the Mini-Challenge]

Ooh! I'm definitely gonna get that for my dad... And then read it! >:-)

[Melissa]

Finished Xingu by Edith Wharton and this short story raised a chuckle or two out of me. Read Renee's review on this one; she says it all. Thanks again for great taste in literature.

[Karen]

A - And the Mountains Echoed
B - Black Dog
C - A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
D - Doomsday Book
E - The Einstein Intersection
F - Fangirl
G - The Golem and the Jinni
H - Hard Magic
I - In the Shadow of the Mountains
J - Just One Day
K - Kindred
L - The Lies of Locke Lamora
M - Morning Glory
N- Nothing Personal
O - On a Red Station, Drifting
P - Parasite
Q -
R - Red Rising
S - Saga, Volume 1
T - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
U -
V -
W - Wolverine: Old Man Logan
X -
Y - Ysabel
Z - The Zoo Crew

[Renee, Mistress of the Mini-Challenge]

Hooray! Karen's here!'