KateNZ's 2018 challenge tracking

[KateNZ]

I have been so hopeless about my challenges this year. But I have promised myself that 2018 is going to be a much better balanced time - the centrepiece of which is more reading for pleasure.

So here goes...

COMPLETE Listopia - Speculative fiction that passes the Bechdel test
1. Uprooted by Naomi Novik
2. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
3. Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger
4.Doomsday Book by Connie Wills
5. Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie
6.The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin

COMPLETE - PBT Decathlon
January - tribute to Linda. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption
February: Knocking a book off the TBR - Vaclav and Lena - oldest book on my GR TBR.
March: Classics, illustrated The BFG and autobiography Going Solo
April: Randomiser pick from the ten oldest on the TBR The Cat's Table
May: One off the Man Booker shortlist in the last 10 years Wolf Hall (finished in June)
June: book representing a year in the last decade Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy
July: Buddy read - Red Clocks
August: book in monthly thread recommended by a PBT member Warlight
September: admin 5*, tagged friendship Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
October: Answering questions (complete)
(November)
(December)

COMPLETE PBT monthly tag
January - science 1.The Weather Makers: How Man Is Changing the Climate and What It Means for Life on Earth; 2. Remarkable Creatures; 3. Lab Girl
February - Asia 1. After Dark; 2. I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
March: Autobiography: Going Solo
April: Strong women The Power
May: Family drama: The Bear and the Nightingale
June: Practical Magic
July: dystopia Red Clocks [also for decathlon]
August: espionage: Warlight
September: friendship Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
October: Canadian The Heart of Valor
November: literary fiction Circe
December: geek reads Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, Fangirl

COMPLETE Nicole R's challenge - six books from other cultures
1. Japan - After Dark
2. Pakistan - I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
3. Syria - The Map of Salt and Stars
4. Spain - Marina
5. Russia - The Bear and the Nightingale
6. Egypt - The City of Brass

COMPLETE PBT top ten of 2017
At least two books off the top ten list. Choosing from:
1. The Nix - Nathan Hill
2. Beartown - Fredrik Backman
3. Lincoln in the Bardo - George Saunders
4. Exit West - Mohsin Hamid
5. Born A Crime - Trevor Noah
6. Autumn - Ali Smith
7. A Gentleman in Moscow - Amor Towles
9. Anything is Possible - Elizabeth Strout
11.The Hate You Give Angie Thomas
12.The Nightingale - Kristin Hannah
13.The Power - Naomi Alderman

Finishing off the PBT challenges that I didn't finish this year
1. High Notes: Still Alice (2009); Henrietta Lacks (2010); The Night Circus (2011).
2. Climbing the Stairs: 2 for comedy Bet Me; 3 for music The Storm Sister

COMPLETE Library challenge - 10 books from the library
I have been terrible about using our local library over the past few years, so my New Year's resolution is to use the library more
1.Black Day at the Bosphorus Café
2. Dark Witch
3. The Herald of Hell
4. After Dark
5. The Eden Legacy
6. Cocaine Blues
7. Barrayar
8. Going Solo
9. The Storm Sister
10.The Seven Sisters

[[deleted user]]

Kate, best of luck to you, especially for the Listopia challenge! That is quite a list!!

Meanwhile, I'll be busy going backwards down the stairs. ;-)

[KateNZ]

Lisa A ⛄ wrote: "Kate, best of luck to you, especially for the Listopia challenge! That is quite a list!!

Meanwhile, I'll be busy going backwards down the stairs. ;-)"

Hehehehe!

The list was irresistible.

Except for some peculiar reason last night, I kept thinking of the Bechdel test as 'the Bechamel test'. Presumably that's where a work of fiction features two named women who have a conversation with one another of more than 60 seconds about French cuisine

[[deleted user]]

Ha!! 😄

[KateNZ]

I'm doing the Popsugar challenge as well, for my sins - but I have resolved not to be slavish about it. If it looks like fun and it fits with what I want to read, then great. If not, I'll chill.

Running total: 22/40
1. A book made into a movie you've already seenUnbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption
2. True Crime
3. The next book in a series you started Traitor's Knot
4. A book involving a heist
5. Nordic noir Faceless Killers
6. A novel based on a real person Remarkable Creatures
7. A book set in a country that fascinates you Dark Witch - the country is Ireland
8. A book with a time of day in the title After Dark
9. A book about a villain or antihero
10. A book about death or grief
11. A book with a female author who uses a male pseudonym
12. A book with an LGBTQ+ protagonist Days Without End
13. A book that is also a stage play or musical
14. A book by an author of a different ethnicity than you
15. A book about feminism The Power
16. A book about mental health
17. A book you borrowed or that was given to you as a gift
18. A book by two authors Illuminae: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
19. A book about or involving a sport
20. A book by a local author Catch Me When You Fall
21. A book with your favorite color in the title Black Day at the Bosphorus Café
22. A book with alliteration in the title The Herald of Hell
23. A book about time travel Shadow of Night
24. A book with a weather element in the titleThe Weather Makers: How Man Is Changing the Climate and What It Means for Life on Earth
25. A book set at sea
26. A book with an animal in the title Wolf Hall
27. A book set on a different planet Cetaganda
28. A book with song lyrics in the title Cocaine Blues
29. A book about or set on Halloween
30. A book with characters who are twins
31. A book mentioned in another book
32. A book from a celebrity book club
33. A childhood classic you've never read The BFG
34. A book that's published in 2018 The Chalk Man
35. A past Goodreads Choice Awards winner I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
36. A book set in the decade you were born
37. A book you meant to read in 2017 but didn't get to
38. A book with an ugly cover
39. A book that involves a bookstore or library: A Discovery of Witches - the Bodleian Library in Oxford, and Matthew's library in France
40. Your favorite prompt from the 2015, 2016, or 2017 POPSUGAR Reading ChallengesUprooted - from the 2015 Challenge "a book with magic in it"

[Amy]

Might I suggest for a book by two authors, either America’s first daughter, or Last Christmas in Paris?

[KateNZ]

Amy wrote: "Might I suggest for a book by two authors, either America’s first daughter, or Last Christmas in Paris?"

Great suggestions, thanks - that's one category I'm pretty clueless about!

[[deleted user]]

Just checkin' in to see how you are doing, Kate! Looks like you are making really good progress! 😀 Kudos for attempting the Popsugar challenge, too. I hadn't even looked at the categories for 2018 until now.

I'll second Amy's suggestion for America's First Daughter....

[Amy]

There were also two authors for last Christmas in Paris. If you’re at the end of your year and you need a quickie, plus accounts for fall flurries. But I’d still hands down pick Americas first daughter.

[KateNZ]

Lisa A wrote: "Just checkin' in to see how you are doing, Kate! Looks like you are making really good progress! 😀 Kudos for attempting the Popsugar challenge, too. I hadn't even looked at the categories for 2018 ..."

Going well and enjoying myself! A few more things lined up too -
not that I'm that much of a forward planner with what books I'll decide to read. How about you?

[[deleted user]]

For 2018 I decided to just keep up with the monthly tags, a personal seasonal challenge and reading off my owned tbr book list. Besides the eventual Fall Flurry of Holidays for this year, that's about it. I had promised myself to try and keep things simple this year so my reading time didn't start to feel like a task to complete. Still there is some book planning involved, which is okay. I am one of those "list-makers," lol.

So glad to hear you are having fun, Kate! 😃 🌞 📕