Rated YA-MA discussion
Reading Challenges
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Quarter 4 2019 group challenge: Finish what you started!
Participants: - It is NEVER too late to start!!!Amy 6/6
Ashley 5/6
Diane 6/6
Jennifer 2/6
Laurel 0/6
Maree 6/6
Melanie 6/6 + Bonus #7.8 &9
Mich 1/6
![laurel [the suspected bibliophile] (laurelthereader)](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1645808644p1/7494844.jpg)
I'm in!Maybe I'll finish this challenge lol
I'm in too! This is the one I'm good at :)♦ Continuing series (6+ months).
- The Ship Beyond Time - first series book read in 2017, finished 12/9/19
♦ Goodreads TBR (6+ months)
- Pride - shelved 6/18/18, finished 10/8/19
- Heroine - shelved 6/25/18, finished 10/9/19
♦ Owned TBR (6+ months)
- The Graveyard Book - owned since 2017, finished 11/21/19
- They Both Die at the End - owned since 2018, finished 12/11/19
♦ Started and put down - need to finish (haven't read in 6+ months)
- Spencer's Mountain - set aside in December 2015
ROUND ONE (6 / 6){TBR, owned} 10/03 Graceling ****
{TBR, owned} 10/17 On the Come Up ****
{TBR} 11/02 The Selection ***
{TBR} 11/17 Refugee ***
{series} 11/25 For Magnus Chase: Hotel Valhalla, Guide to the Norse Worlds ***
{TBR} 11/30 Booked ****
ROUND TWO (3 / 6)
{TBR} 12/13 Howl's Moving Castle ***
{series} 12/18 Artemis Fowl and the Opal Deception ***
{series} 12/27 The One ***
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As always, I'm in! I am going to try to read books from the group shelf that I haven't yet read.
Some top picks (because they are available on my library app):
audio-
ebook-
Ohhhh. I hope you love Soulless, Melanie!
Ashley *Hufflepuff Kitten* wrote: "Ohhhh. I hope you love Soulless, Melanie!"I'm not really a romance reader, which is why I've been avoiding that book. But ya never know 'till you try!
Diane wrote: "Love love love Graceling!"
I know I'll like it. I just always end up shuffling it down my TBR.
Melanie wrote: "Ashley *Hufflepuff Kitten* wrote: "Ohhhh. I hope you love Soulless, Melanie!"I'm not really a romance reader, which is why I've been avoiding that book. But ya never know 'till you try!"
Me either, but that series has enough whimsy that it kept me fully entertained ;)
OK I'm doin' this
TBR for years
TBR for years
TBR since I heard it was coming out
I'm in as well♦ Books in a series for 6+ months:
♦ TBR Goodreads bookshelf for 6+ months:
♦ Physical bookshelf for 6+ months:
Finished:
Ok I should be studying for my exams but I'm going to give this challenge a go anyway. haha. Maybe after my exams I can finish it.
Welcome aboard Amy. I always should be doing something else but I guess I also need to do something for me also so here I am too. I will add all participants later when I am at the computer instead of on my phone.
Finished 1 of 6: 
4 stars~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
please count me in this one. The finish what you started challenge last year was the only reading challenge I've ever managed to complete ever lol.
♦ One (or more) of any books in a series that you've started but not continued in over 6 months
(non-YA)(I have SO MANY series that I've started but never finished ugh)
♦ One or more of the books that have been on your TBR (To Be Read) Goodreads bookshelf for 6 months or more
♦ One or more of any book that you've had in your possession for 6 months or more.
♦ Any book that you previously started, but never finished for some reason
(non-YA)
I finished book 1 {TBR, Owned}
I liked it a lot as predicted. The book definitely had more layers than I thought it would. The world-building was exceptional. It was a little too heavy on the romance, but not enough to turn me off. 4 stars, I easliy recommend it to others.
Melanie wrote: "I finished book 1 {TBR, Owned}I liked it a lot as predicted. The book definitely had more layers than I thought it would. The world-building was exceptional. It was ..."
Will you be continuing with
? I'm weird and I loved Fire just a smidge more than Graceling. Although I loved Graceling too :) I did read them out of order because I received Fire as a Christmas present from a good friend, and if not for her I might have never discovered it.
Just finished book 1
I like this series but I don't love it. I'll still read the last book though as I want to know how it ends.
If I read the next one does that count in this challenge???
Jennifer wrote: "Will you be continuing with Fire (Graceling Realm, #2) by Kristin Cashore ? I'm weird and I loved Fire just a smidge more than Graceling. Although I loved Graceling too :)I did read them out of order because I received Fire as a Christmas present from a good friend, and if not for her I might have never discovered it...
Probably, but not until the new year. I'm trying to finish up all the reading challenges without buying more books for this year.
The description says it's not the same characters.
Book 2 (owned, TBR)
4 stars.
This book isn't as socially powerful as The Hate U Give, but it is dam good and special in its own way. Set in the same city, but following an all-new cast, the book explores how the choices we make can be inspired by our loves, dreams, and poverty. I liked it a lot. The characters were very realistic.
Finished book 2:
Loved it! It was so good.
Amy wrote: "Just finished book 1 I like this series but I don't love it. I'll still read the last book though as I want to know how it ends.
If I read the next one does t..."
Amy wrote: "Just finished book 1
I like this series but I don't love it. I'll still read the last book though as I want to know how it ends.
If I read the next one does t..."
Yeah it will count
OK guys I feel like I have left you all hanging here but I think I have everything updated now. If I missed somebody let me know :)
Finished 1 of 6:
My expectations were super crazy high for this one so it was a teeny tiny bit disappointing to me (I probably would have gone 5 stars if I had zero expectations, but as it was I went with 4 stars - still really good!)
(updating my post #14)
♦ One or more of the books that have been on your TBR (To Be Read) Goodreads bookshelf for 6 months or more
Amy wrote: "Finished book 2:Loved it! It was so good."
NICE!
mich wrote: "Finished 1 of 6: My expectations were super crazy high for this one so it was a teeny tiny bit disappointing to me (I probably would have gone 5 stars if I had z..."
I love this book a lot, but I can see how everyone saying they love it raises the expectations.
My expectations always affect my ratings, no matter how hard I try to not let it lol it's my curse.I'm not sure yet if I'm going to read the 2nd book. I accidentally spoiled myself about something that happened in there when I read someone's review comments (this happened YEARS ago and I was hoping I'd forget the spoiler but I haven't yet lol)
mich wrote: "My expectations always affect my ratings, no matter how hard I try to not let it lol it's my curse.I'm not sure yet if I'm going to read the 2nd book. I accidentally spoiled myself about somethin..."
I loved both books and even though I have read them so all spoilers are open I would read them again. Maybe as time passes you will be up for the next book.
You probably know what specific spoiler I'm talking about (view spoiler) We'll see though -- maybe I'll read it.
Finished book 3:
I really enjoyed it, especially the last half of the book. I can't wait to read the rest of the series. I listened to you Mich and didn't read any of the blurbs for the next book or any reviews so I had no spoilers. Definitely the way to go with this one.
Finished
- TBR list for 6+ months. I loved this book! Loved the historical aspect, plus a bit of a mystery too.Finished
- Physical bookshelf 6+ months. This book was okay. I gave it 3/5. Since I already owned the second one I went ahead and read that too, and it was fantastic. I really enjoyed the ending. Since it's just a duology not bad. Kind of a slow, meh, start, but a great finish.*Updated post #11
Finished my fourth book
(Adult)
This surprised me actually. I've put it off for ages thinking it would end up in the "lost interest" pile but I'm glad it didn't as I really enjoyed it.
Amy wrote: "Finished my fourth book (Adult)
This surprised me actually. I've put it off for ages thinking it would end up in the "lost interest" pile but I'm glad it didn..."
I remember liking this one a lot when I read it too, Amy!
Diane wrote: "OK guys I feel like I have left you all hanging here but I think I have everything updated now. If I missed somebody let me know :)"Probably my own fault for making my tracker post a bit confusing, but I'm actually at 2/6 right now.
So glad you read Graceling, Melanie!! Loved that series. Haha, soooo many books on my TR! I don't actually own that many books since I'm a library nut, and I've been trying not to read books where the whole series isn't out, so that might be the only thing that works for me for this challenge!
Thinking of reading:
Some of these are books that have been on my TR since 2011, y'all!
I actually do have a shelf of series-to-finish that I haven't looked at in a while -- some good books on there, too!
Got ya Maree! I loved the whole Gradeling series -I think a reread would be great for me.
book 3
This is a very tropey YA-dystopia-romance. Although there were A LOT of flaws in the storytelling and plot, it has some frustratingly interesting world-building. As such, even though I didn't love this story, I am reading the next in the series.
Here's my prediction (because that's what I do): (view spoiler)
Finished my third book! The Graveyard BookWorking on this challenge has proved more difficult than I'd originally thought - apparently I've gotten away from YA lately lol
I finished my first
This has been on my TBR forever since I read The Hunger Games and heard the this was the inspiration/ rip off depending on who was saying it. I can definitely see people saying Hunger Games was a rip off because many of the plot points were things that were touched upon in Battle Royale. In Hunger Games I was very empathetic with the characters and the whole feel and horror of that kind of situation. Battle Royale came off as dry weirdly detailed and unemotional for me. It was hard to get through. I am glad I finished but it was only a 2 -2.5 star for me.
Book 4
3.5 stars
I kind of knew I would like the book before I started reading it. It follows 3 groups of refugees from 3 different times. The stories are all similar as we humans have consistently treated refugees the same way throughout history. Some with compassion; others with disdain. Some with charity; others with hate. It was well done. but kind of simultaneously depressing and uplifting. I don't favor realistic fiction. Refugee dragons are less distressing to read about.
Finished book 5,
I wasn't a big fan. I've actually given up on this series now after not being able to get through the next one Bloodwitch. I thought the first one had potential but it's just not happening.
Finished book 6,
I enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to reading the last one.
Book 5 (series)
3 stars
A reference book of Norse mythology characters and some short stories via the world of Magnus Chase. It wasn't amazing because it didn't have actual plot, but it was a fun light read.
Book 6 (TBR)
4 stars
This was a poetry in verse story. I read Crossover last year and have wanted to read more of what this author has to offer. This book follows Nick, who loves soccer, whose dad makes him read the entire dictionary, whose parents are splitting up, who gets bullied at school, who is too shy to ask out a girl he likes. It was really easy to believe the characters and their lives. The story is full, and the poems are good as individual works. I very much like this writing.
I totally felt the same way about the Selection series, Melanie! I was interested enough to keep reading, but thought there were serious flaws. And I'm going to have to check out Refugee. Sounds interesting, especially in today's day and age.I read that one too, Diane, and have to agree about the unemotional nature of it, but it was super thought provoking in a different way than Hunger Games, I thought. But I also wondered if the culture played a role, since it's a Japanese novel translated, right?
Ok, did some catching up over Thanksgiving! I've now read:
Pretty meh overall. It was fine, but don't think I'll read the next in the series.
This read like a proclamation of why hackers are protecting society by stopping the government's intrusiveness and protecting privacy. An interesting perspective.
I thought this was the third book in a different series and was super confused when I started it. But it was ok. At least I finished the series.
Guess I'm figuring out why I hadn't finished these series before, lol. Also ok, but it had been a while since I read the first and second book. Still an interesting world, I just think more could have been done with it.
Maree wrote: "I totally felt the same way about the Selection series, Melanie! I was interested enough to keep reading, but thought there were serious flaws. And I'm going to have to check out Refugee. Sounds in..."Yeah I think the translation probably contributes to the dryness of the writing but also think there may be other cultural differences in preferences that make the writing style less attractive to somebody that is from a different culture.
book #7 (round 2?, which I am unlikely to finish)
This is a quirky tale that is difficult to describe and a classic to boot. The MCs and world-building are both interesting and it has a warm fuzzy ending, so I approve.
3.5 stars
Well I will count #7 as extra credit! :) All the top students like extra credit!
I finally finished #3
I started out this quarter doing a reread of the Red Raising books to work up to this but burned myself out! Over all this one was OK but I was not as enthralled as I was with the others. The second half was much better for me and of course it left with a cliff hanger that I NEED to know more about! I will eventually read what ever comes next from Pierce Brown.
Rated YA-MA
Books mentioned in this topic
Spencer's Mountain (other topics)The Toll (other topics)
Thunderhead (other topics)
Scythe (other topics)
Thunderhead (other topics)
More...
We always end the year with my favorite challenge, the shelf-clearing, catch-up and get some closure challenge.
At long last, we get to FINISH WHAT WE STARTED!
Description
This much needed (for me), end-of-the year challenge runs from October 1 through December 31, 2019.
Read books from the following " finally get around to" categories to participate:
♦ One (or more) of any books in a series that you've started but not continued in over 6 months (Prior to 4/1/2019). It can be an ongoing or a completed book series.
♦ One or more of the books that have been on your TBR (To Be Read) Goodreads bookshelf for 6 months or more (Prior to 4/1/2019)
♦ One or more of any book that you've had in your possession for 6 months or more. Physical or ebook, owned or borrowed! (Waiting to be read since 4/1/2019 or earlier). Obviously we'll have to use the honor system for this one. :)
♦ Any book that you previously started, but never finished for some reason (Prior to 4/1/2019) - Feel free to peruse your "put down" folders ;)
The Goal is to read 6 books. Feel free to Mix and Match!
Nitty-Gritty Details:
-No Books with a pub date falling after 4/1/2019.
-Books must be more than 150 pages to qualify
-Audio books are allowed
-No more than 3 books from the same series
-No more than 3 newer releases from 2019 will be allowed (must be published prior to 4/1/2019)
-1 non-YA book is allowed (Non-YA = middle grade, New Adult, or Adult).
I'll be keeping track of participants progress (as much as possible) in post #2. Participants will be listed alphabetically by their name and the number on the post made to declare their participation.
When posting your progress, please remember to use the number of that original post as well.
Let’s see how much we can catch up on, readers and feel free to do more than one round if you feel the need to clear those shelves!
TO THE BOOKSTACKS!!