Conny's Challenge

[Conny]

This is my current list. Most entries are from my existing TBR pile, as I want to avoid buying more new books than necessary (= favorite authors) this year.
Books are in English and German. For your information (and occasionally, amusement^^) I've added back-translations of the German titles so you know which books I am talking about :)

Pledge changed to 40 books due to massive time issues
Finished 29 November 2018

The 2018 List: 40 pledged books

√ 1. A book with the letters A, T & Y in the title
The Masked City
√ 2. A book from the first 10 books added to your To Be Read list
The Last Dragonslayer
√ 3. A book from the 2017 Goodreads Choice Awards
Final Girls
√ 4. 4 books linked by the 4 elements: Book #1 Earth (in title, cover, content, setting, author...)
The Catacombs
√ 5. A book about or inspired by real events
Tannöd ("Tannöd" being the proper name of The Murder Farm)
√ 6. A book originally written in a language other than English
Ich Töte (I Kill; originally written in Italian)
√ 8. An "own voices" book
Im Jahr des Affen
√ 9. A book with a body part in the title (heart, bones, teeth, skin, blood, etc)
The Eye of Zoltar
√ 10. An author's debut book (their first book to be published)
Identifiziert ("Identified"; not published in English)
√ 12. A book set in Africa or South America
Die Erben der Schwarzen Flagge ("Heirs of the Black Flag"; not published in English)
√ 13. A book with a plot centered around a secret (forbidden love, spies, secret societies, etc)
Auf tödlichen Sohlen (roughly: "Deadly Soft-Footed"; not published in English)
√ 14. 4 books linked by the 4 elements: Book #2 Fire
Here Be Dragons
√ 16. A narrative nonfiction
Dienstags bei Morrie: Die Lehre eines Lebens (Tuesdays with Morrie; literally: "Tuesdays at Morrie's: The Lesson of a Life Lived)
√ 17. A book you expect to make you laugh
Kasperle auf Burg Himmelhoch ("Kasperle at Sky-High Castle"; not published in English; children's book)
√ 18. A book with a location in the title
Die Frau im Orient-Express (The Woman on the Orient Express)
√ 20. A book rated 5 stars by at least one of your friends
Night Shift
√ 21. A book written in first person perspective
The Song of the Quarkbeast
√ 22. A book you have high expectations or hope for
Wolkenschloss ("Cloud Castle"; not published in English)
√ 23. A medical or legal thriller
Labor des Teufels (Marker; literally, "Devil's Laboratory")
√ 24. A book with a map
Die achte Karte (Sepulchre; literally, "The Eighth Card")
√ 26. A book with a text only cover
Kalte Asche (Written in Bone; literally "Cold Ashes")
√ 28. 4 books linked by the 4 elements: Book #3 Water
Am Ufer des Styx ("On the Banks of the River Styx"; not published in English)
√ 29. A book with a "Clue" weapon on the cover or title
Drei Zimmer, Leiche, Bad (Three Bedrooms, One Corpse; the German edition features a look down the cylinder of a revolver)
√ 30. A short book
Der lautlose Schrei ("The Silent Scream", not published in English)
√ 32. An alternate history book
The Mirage
√ 33. A book connected (title, cover, content) to a word "born" in the same year as you
The Lost World (T. rex, the word is T. rex!)
√ 34. A suggestion from the AtY 2018 polls, that didn't win but was polarizing or a close-call
A book related to music (on the cover, in the title, or the subject): Schlusstakt ("Final Bar" or "Closing Chord"; not published in English)
√ 35. A book featuring a murder
The Cutting Edge
√ 36. A book published in the last 3 years (2016, 2017, 2018) by an author you haven't read before
The Dead House
√ 39. A book with a form of punctuation in the title
CyberWorld 2.0: House of Nightmares (not published in English)
√ 41. A book by an author with the same first and last initials
Der Hammer des Thor (The Hammer of Thor)
√ 42. A book that takes place on, in, or underwater
Die Überfahrt (Blood Cruise; literally, "The Passage" (as in "ferry passage"))
√ 43. A book with a title that is a whole sentence
Und am Morgen waren sie tot ("And in the Morning They Were Dead", not published in English)
√ 44. A ghost story
The House of Lost Souls
√ 46. 4 books linked by the 4 elements: Book #4 Air
Clouds of Witness
√ 47. A book where the main character (or author) is of a different ethnic origin, religion, or sexual identity than your own
Affliction (both the author and the main chracter identify as polyamorous and heteroflexible, plus the main character is of Mexican (and, ironically, German) descent)
48. A book related to one of the 7 deadly sins (pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, sloth)
Shutter Man
√ 50. A book with a warm atmosphere (centered on family, friendship, love or summer)
Towering
√ 51. An award-winning short story or short story collection
Just After Sunset
√ 52. A book published in 2018
Mein Herz in zwei Welten (Still Me; literally "My Heart in Two Worlds")

2018: The Backup List

√ 7. A gothic novel
Gasthaus Jamaica (Jamaica Inn)
11. A literary fiction
The Goldfinch or Until I Find You
15. A book with an unique format/writing structure
Der Wolkenatlas (Cloud Atlas)
√ 19. A book nominated for the Edgar Award or by a Grand master author
Cop Town
25. A book with an antagonist/villain point of view
Hexenstunde (The Witching Hour)
√ 27. A book about surviving a hardship (war, famine, major disasters, serious illness, etc)
The Ship of Brides
√ 31. A book set in a country you'd like to visit but have never been to
Feuernacht (Someone to Watch Over Me; literally, "Night of Fire")
37. A Women's Prize for Fiction winner or nominee
Station Eleven
38. A science book or a science fiction book
Alien Job - Die Trilogie ("Alien Job: The Trilogy", not published in English)
40. A book from Amazon's 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime list
Great Expectations
45. A book that intimidates/scares you
Menschenhafen (Harbor; literally, "Human Harbor")
currently reading 49. A book from one of the Goodreads Best Books of the Month lists
The Universe Versus Alex Woods

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK 3 (1/15–1/21)

A short book (prompt #30)
Der lautlose Schrei

A book with a plot centered around a secret (prompt #13)
Auf tödlichen Sohlen

A book about or inspired by real events (prompt #5)
Tannöd

PROGRESS: 3/48

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK 4 (1/22–1/28)

A book from the first 10 books added to your To Be Read list (prompt #2)
The Last Dragonslayer

PROGRESS: 4/48

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK 5 (1/29–2/4)

A book written in first person perspective (prompt #21)
The Song of the Quarkbeast

A book with a body part in the title (prompt #9)
The Eye of Zoltar currently reading

PROGRESS: 5/48

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK 6 (2/5–2/11)

A book with the letters A, T and Y in the title (prompt #1)
The Masked City started reading

PROGRESS: 6/48

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK 7 (2/12–2/18)

A book with the letters A, T and Y in the title (prompt #1)
The Masked City

PROGRESS: 7/48

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK 8 (2/19–2/25)

No eligible books read this week

PROGRESS: 7/48

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK 9 (2/26–3/4)

An alternate history book (prompt #32)
The Mirage

PROGRESS: 8/48

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK 10 (3/5–3/11)

A book connected (title, cover, content) to a word "born" in the same year as you (prompt #33)
Vergessene Welt (The Lost World)

PROGRESS: 9/48

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK 11 (3/12–3/18)

No eligible books read this week

PROGRESS: 9/48

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK 12 (3/19–3/25)

A book you expect to make you laugh (prompt #17)
Kasperle auf Burg Himmelhoch

A book you have high expectations or hopes for (prompt #22)
Wolkenschloss

A suggestion from the AtY 2018 polls, that didn't win but was polarizing or a close-call (prompt #34)
A book related to music (on the cover, in the title, or the subject):
Schlusstakt

PROGRESS: 12/48

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK 13 (3/26–4/1)

A book with a title that is a whole sentence (prompt #43)
Und am Morgen waren sie tot

PROGRESS: 13/48

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK 14 (4/2–4/8)

A book by an author with the same first and last initials (prompt #41)
The Hammer of Thor (Rick Riordan)

PROGRESS 14/48

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK 15 (4/9–4/15)

A medical or legal thriller (prompt #23)
Labor des Teufels (Marker)

currently reading
4 books linked by the 4 elements: Book #4 Air (prompt #46)
Clouds of Witness

PROGRESS 15/48

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK 16 (4/16–4/22)

4 books linked by the 4 elements: Book #4 Air (prompt #46)
Clouds of Witness

A book featuring a murder (prompt #35)
The Cutting Edge

PROGRESS 17/48

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK 17 (4/23–4/29)

A book published in 2018 (prompt #52)
Mein Herz in zwei Welten

A book with a map (prompt #24)
Die achte Karte (Sepulchre; literally, "The Eighth Card")

PROGRESS 19/49

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK 18 (4/30–5/6)

4 books linked by the 4 elements: Book #2 Fire (prompt #14)
Here Be Dragons

PROGRESS 20/49

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK 19 (5/7–5/13)

A book where the main character (or author) is of a different ethnic origin, religion, or sexual identity than your own (prompt #47)
Affliction

PROGRESS: 21/49

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK 20 (5/14–5/20)

A book originally written in a language other than English (prompt #6)
Ich Töte

PROGRESS: 22/49

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK 21 (5/21–5/27)

started reading
An award-winning short story or short story collection (prompt #51)
Just After Sunset

PROGRESS: 22/49

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK 22 (5/28–6/3)

An award-winning short story or short story collection (prompt #51)
Just After Sunset
(won the Bram Stoker Award for Best Fiction Collection (2008) and the ALA Alex Award (2009))

A book with a warm atmosphere
Towering

PROGRESS: 24/49

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK 23 (6/4–6/10)

4 books linked by the 4 elements: Book #1 Earth (in title, cover, content, setting, author...) (prompt #4)
The Catacombs

PROGRESS: 25/49

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK 24 (6/11–6/17)

4 books linked by the 4 elements: Book #3 Water (in title, cover, content, setting, author...) (prompt #28)
Am Ufer des Styx

PROGRESS: 26/49

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK 25 (6/18–6/24)

A book published in the last 3 years (2016, 2017, 2018) by an author you haven't read before (prompt #36)
The Dead House

PROGRESS: 27/49

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK 28 (7/9–7/15)

A book with a text only cover (prompt #26)
Kalte Asche

PROGRESS: 28/52
(yes, I did manage to fill all categories now)

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK 29 (7/16–7/22)

A book from the 2017 Goodreads Choice Awards (prompt #3)
Final Girls

PROGRESS: 29/52

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK 30 (7/23–7/29)

An "own voices" book (prompt #8)
Im Jahr des Affen

PROGRESS: 30/52

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK #32 (8/6–8/12)

An author's debut book (prompt #10)
Identifiziert

A narrative nonfiction (prompt #16)
Dienstags bei Morrie

PROGRESS: 32/52

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK #33 (8/13–8/19)

A book with a location in the title (prompt #18)
Die Frau im Orient-Express
PROGRESS: 33/52

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK #34 (8/20–8/26)

A book set in Africa or South America (prompt #12)
Die Erben der Schwarzen Flagge

PROGRESS: 34/52

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK #35 (8/27–9/2)

started reading
A ghost story (prompt #44)
The House of Lost Souls

PROGRESS: 34/52

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK #36 (9/3–9/9)

A ghost story (prompt #44)
The House of Lost Souls

A book with a form of punctuation in the title (prompt #39)
CyberWorld 2.0: House of Nightmares

PROGRESS: 36/52

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK #37 (9/10--9/16)

A book rated 5 stars by at least one of your friends (prompt #20)
Night Shift

PROGRESS: 37/52

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK #38 (9/17–9/23)

A book with a "Clue" weapon on the cover or title (prompt #29)
Drei Zimmer, Leiche, Bad

PROGRESS: 38/52

[Conny]

I have run into a bit of a problem with my reading in the past few weeks and am therefore giving the PopSugar Challenge priority at the moment. I will return to the ATY challenge when I've finished the PS challenge and see how far I manage to get until the end of the year, but for now this one is on ice.

[Conny]

Update: I am two books (well, three; I only started one this morning) away from finishing the PopSugar challenge, and I have 15 books left on this one. I expect to return to the ATY challenge some time next week, and then ... roughly seven and a half weeks left for 15 books; it should be doable if I manage an average of two books a week, which usually isn't a problem, except I've already gotten most of the quick-and-easy reads out of the way :D
For next year, I don't think I will participate in both challenges at once, but perhaps I will pledge some of this one once PS is finished and work my way through it in packages of ten or so ... I'll figure something out. For now, I'll see you guys here next week when I start blazing through the categories and catching up on my reading!

[Conny]

I am not saying this lightly ... but I have decided not to finish this challenge :( I have changed my pledge from 52 to 40 books to get rid of the "You're XX books behind schedule" badge, and I will continue to read books from the list until the end of the year, but I have an additional ten borrowed books (short ones, sure, but still, ten is ten) that I need to return by the end of December, and none of these fit into any of the remaining categories.
I will return here when I take up this challenge again, at the very least to read two more books to complete the pledge, and then see how far I get by New Year's.

[Hilde]

40 completed topics is still a great accomplishment!! 🤩
Good luck with the rest of your reading year!

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK #47 (11/19–11/25)

A book related to one of the seven deadly sins
Shutter Man

PROGRESS: 38/40; on the 39th

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK #48 (11/26–12/2)

A book related to one of the seven deadly sins
Shutter Man

A book set in, on, or underwater
Die Überfahrt

PROGRESS: 40/40

INTERIM GOAL REACHED

[Conny]

OK, so I've gotten the borrowed books out of the way, and now let's see how far I will still get with my backup until Christmas or so^^

CALENDAR WEEK #50 (12/10–12/16)

A book set in a country you'd like to visit but have never been to
Feuernacht

A book about surviving a hardship
The Ship of Brides

A gothic novel
Gasthaus Jamaica


PROGRESS: 42/52; on the 43rd

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK #51 (12/17–12/23)

A gothic novel
Gasthaus Jamaica

A book nominated for the Edgar Award or by a Grand master author
Cop Town

PROGRESS: 43/52; on the 44th

[Conny]

CALENDAR WEEK #52 (12/24–12/30)

A book nominated for the Edgar Award or by a Grand Master author
Cop Town

A book from one of the Goodreads Best Books of the Month lists
The Universe Versus Alex Woods

PROGRESS: 44/52; on the 45th