The Book Challenge discussion

My challenge isn't really about how many books I read, I just have a lot of books that I want to read, and I thought this summer would be the perfect opportunity to cross them off my list!

BOOKS I WANT TO READ OVER THE SUMMER:


Fifty Shades Series:
1. Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James DONE
2. Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James DONE
3. Fifty Shades Freed by E.L. James DONE

The Olympians Series:
4. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan DONE
5. The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan DONE
6. The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan DONE
7. The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan DONE
8. The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan DONE

The Lorien Legacies:
9. I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore DONE
10. The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore DONE
11. The Rise of Nine by Pittacus Lore DONE

The Middle-Earth Universe Series:
12. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien DONE
13. The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien DONE
14. The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien DONE
15. The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien DONE
16. The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien DONE

Charles Dickens:
17. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens DONE
18. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens DONE
19. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens DONE

20. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee DONE

21. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky DONE

22. Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer DONE

F. Scott Fitzgerald:
23. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald DONE
24. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald DONE

25. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger DONE

George Orwell:
26. 1984 by George Orwell DONE
27. Animal Farm by George Orwell DONE

10 Australian Books to Read Before You Die:
28. Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay DONE
29. The Secret River by Kate Grenville DONE
30. The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas DONE
31. The Magic Pudding by Norman Lindsay DONE
32. Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey DONE
33. The Harp In The South by Ruth Park DONE
34.The Power of One by Bryce CourtenayDONE
35. A Fortunate Life by A.B. Facey DONE
36. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak DONE
37. Cloudstreet by Tim Winton

38. The Host by Stephenie Meyer DONE

The Immortals Series:
39. Evermore by Alyson Noel DONE
40. Blue Moon by Alyson Noel DONE
41. Shadowland by Alyson Noel DONE
42. Dark Flame by Alyson Noel DONE
43. Night Star by Alyson Noel DONE
44. Everlasting by Alyson Noel DONE

#1 Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James

I surprised myself by how much I loved this book. When I originally set out to read this book, I didn't think that it would have such a strong plot. I thought it was all erotic and sexual (which it was), but I was surprised that it has shocks, and ups and downs, and actually a real plot.

The characters. Mr. Grey, was charming, beautiful and polite. He is also flawed, controlling and well, fifty shades of 'messed-up'. Ms. Steele, was also a great character. She was young, pretty and smart, and was smitten for Christian, even more than I was.

Overall, I loved this book. It was surpising, and sweet and erotic, and I would recommend that you give it a go :D

#2 Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James

The second book in the series, was, in my opinion, even better than the first one. It was cute, sweet and heart warming in some parts. Of course, it was still sexual and erotic (it wouldn't be fifty shades if it wasn't), but E.L. James focused on Ana & Christian's relationship. We learnt the terrible truth about Christian's past, and his belief that he's not unworthy of love. We see the lost and vulnerable side to Mr. Grey. Yet, there relationship builds, and gets stronger, and makes me giggle and smile about how sweet they are together.

This new side to Mr. Grey, makes me love him even more than I did in the first book. And Ana is charming as ever, but not as innocent.

I recommend everyone read this book (of a suitable age), even if you didn't like the first one :)

#3 Fifty Shades Freed by E.L. James

Amazing. A brilliant end to a brilliant trilogy! The plot was tense and intriguing, with shocks at the end of every chapter. Ana & Christian's relationship had it's ups and downs. We found out the truth about Mrs. Robinson, and more about Christian's path. A few plot twists that made me hungrily devour the next chapter, desperate to find out what happened next.

I read all of the books in less than a week. Yes, the writing could have been better, but at the same time I loved it the way it was. The characters were charming, yet annoying, and I loved them how they were.

Big thanks to E.L. James for writing this wonderful trilogy :D

#4 The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas

I actually really liked this book. I loved that it was told from different people's perspectives, and that, throughout the book, you're opinion on whether 'the slap' was right or wrong changed.

The characters were confusing and frustrating and very real. I loved the fact that this book is set in Melbourne, where I live, so I knew the places they were talking about, making the book seem so much more real.

Overall, after reading it I believe that it was the right choice to put this on the 10 Aussie Books to Read Before You Die List, and I'm glad that I took the time to read it :)

#5 The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Wow! I loved this book! It exceeded my expectations! The characters were well described, and the plot of the book was exciting and adventurous!

I recommend you read it! Can't wait to go see the movie next week! :D
Looking forward to reading the the Lord of the Rings trilogy!

#6 The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

This book was pretty good, although I didn't enjoy it as much as I enjoyed the movie. It was good, reading it through the perspectives of both, Clare and Henry.

#7 Evermore by Alyson Noel

This was about the fourth time I've read this book, and it was just as good as the first time! The characters were interesting, as was Ever's psychic abilities.

Can't wait to read the second one again.

#8 Blue Moon by Alyson Noel

Again, I had read this book a few times before, but I'd forgotten most of what happened, so it was good not knowing what exactly was going to happen.

This book was pretty good. I didn't like it as much as the first one, and near the end Ever was so frustrating and annoying because she was so reckless and impulsive with her decisions.

Overall 4/5 stars, can't wait to start the next one!

#9 A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

I decided to read this book because I watched the movie adaption, and thought it was a pretty good story. I liked the book, it warms your heart!

I give it 3/5 stars!

#10 Shadowland by Alyson Noel

This book was pretty good, although some parts were frustrating, where I was yelling at Ever not to make the decisions she makes, but if she hadn't the series might not have had 6 books :D

I give it 4/5 stars!

#11 Dark Flame by Alyson Noel

This book was very good, but extremely frustrating. Everything seemed to be going wrong throughout this book, and then finally in the last few chapters, when everything's going pefectly, Jude comes along and screws it all up. Argh!

Now, I need to go read the next one! I give it 4/5 stars!

#12 Night Star by Alyson Noel

Wow, this was the first time I'd read this book, and I found I really enjoyed it. I was super excited, to see what would happen in the next chapters, and to find out what Damen's secrets were. This series, seems to be dragging out a bit, but I can't wait to go read the final book!

I give it 4/5 stars :)

#13 Everlasting by Alyson Noel

I loved this book! This was my first time reading this book, and it was so good. For the last 100 pages, my heart was pumping and I was so nervous what was going to happen. Let's just say the ending couldn't have gotten any better, it was amazing! I'm gonna be sad to say good bye to Ever and Damen. Well, until I read the series again!

I give it 5/5 stars!

#14 The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

I'd watch the movie and really enjoyed it, and the book was very good. It was similar in ways to the Hobbit which I had read a few weeks earlier. Although the actual journey was very different. J.R.R. Tolkien's writing is superb.

The only thing I didn't like was that this book took me longer than usual to read it, though I was away for a few days during that time. I'm excited to read the next one and I hope I can finish it quicker.

#15 The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay

This book is about a young english boy living in Africa during WWII. At the start he has to go to a boarding school, where he is picked on and beaten for not being a German. Then he meets a young man, who is a champion boxer, and decides he wants to be the next welterweight boxing champion.

The Power of One, was on the 10 Aussie books to read before you die and it deserves to be. It was a beautiful book, one I definitely recommend you do read it. It's not just about boxing, but a young boys journey in a religious and racist world.

#16 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I downloaded this book on iBooks today and read it in less than a hour. It was quite interesting actually, how Benjamin ages backwards. It was an easy read, quite a short story.

#17 The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

I give it three and a half stars.

It was way different from what I expected. It took me until almost the end to realise that Charlie was mentally unstable.

The way this book was written was so frustrating, and how on almost every page one of the characters would start crying. I'm almost the same age as Charlie but I didn't find that I related to Charlie or anyone in the book on any level. I don't smoke, do drugs, drink or anything that he does, except reading, which I obviously do.

Here's to hoping that the movie will be better! At least it has a great cast!

#18 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I read this book on my iPod in a couple of days, and I really enjoyed it. The plot was a little confusing at times but it was a good book. I recommend you read it! Can't wait for the movie coming out in a few months!

#19 The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien

Took me a few weeks to finish this book but I enjoyed it. I'm halfway through the movie now, and it's really good so far! I love how there all in different places on different journeys and they keep flashing between them. Can't wait for the third one!

#20 Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer


Let me start off by saying that I was extremely upset when I first found out what had happened, and I seriously hope that Stephanie Meyer finishes writing this book. I loved it.

You got to see a different side of Edward. There were scenes that made me laugh and even though he was a bit stalkerish at times, I loved him. Bella was annoying at the start, but I liked her by the end, although she's better in Twilight. I liked the fact that in this book is that you get to hear what other people think and you also get to see Edward interacting with his vampire family. I also liked how it fit in perfect with Twilight, showing Edward's perspective of things with other scenes added in as well.

I give this book -well the unedited first 12 chapters - a 4/5 stars.

#21 The Host by Stephenie Meyer

I've read this book many times before, but I don't think I've ever enjoyed it as much as I did this time! This is my favourite book that Stephenie Meyer has written! The plot is intriguing and unique, the characters make you laugh and cry! It's just an amazing book! I can not wait for the movie to come out in less than 20 days! I'm so excited for it!

I give this book a well deserved 5/5 stars!

#22 Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey

I heard about this book watching the First Tuesday's book club, and it was on the 10 Aussie Books to Read Before You Die. And as it should be. This book was very good! I really enjoyed reading it! The writing is very good, and the plot is intriguing. I recommend you read it!

I give it 4/5 stars!

#23 The Magic Pudding by Norman Lindsay

I didn't have high expectations for this book, but they still weren't met. Maybe I might have liked it more when I was younger. The storyline was repetitive, but you can't expect much from a children's book. Even so, the story was violent and even racist in some parts.

I give it a 1/5 stars!

#24 Picnic At Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay

I read this book almost two years ago, and I'd forgotten how much I'd actually liked it. It's actually a very good story. I enjoyed the mystery of it. The movie, I'm sad to say, wasn't as nearly as good. I just really want to know whether it's a true story or not!

I give it 3/5 stars!

#25 Animal Farm by George Orwell

This book was a little strange. It's about the Russian Revolution in 1917, but it's only symbolic, as it's about farm animals who revolt against the owner of the farm.

I give it 3/5 stars!

#26 I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a nice, easy read, with an interesting storyline. Now, off to watch the movie!

I give it 4/5 stars!

#27 The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore

This book might have even been better than the first one! I loved how it was written from Four and Seven's perspectives, showing two stories happening at the same time and how they interlocked with each other. Wish they were making a movie sequel!

I give it 4/5 stars!

#28 To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

I'd been wanting to read this book for a while (which is why I put it on this list) so I was super excited when I found out we were reading it for school. So for our holiday homework we had to read this book! And I really enjoyed reading it. I loved the way it was written, and I loved how honest it was, about life back then. It deals with issues such as racism and inequality, all told from the eyes of Jean Louise 'Scout' Finch, an eight/nine year old tomboy. A great read, I recommend it for anyone. It was brilliant - a must read for everyone! 5/5 stars!

#29 A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

This was a terribly hard book to read. Half of the words used when describing things, I'd never even heard of before, but I'm glad I read it, if only so I can tell people that I've read it.

I give it 3/5 stars!

#30 The Secret River by Kate Grenville

I really enjoyed this book. Kate Grenville is an excellent writer, and this was an excellent book. I loved how if you didn't know better, you would have thought it was actually written two hundred years ago. This is a must read for all Australians!

I give it 4/5 stars!

#31 The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

The first thing that came to my mind while first reading the book - PERCY'S ONLY TWELVE?! Having just watched the movie where Logan Lerman looked like an adorable sixteen yr old, I was a bit flabbergasted.

The second thing was how different it was from the movie - well how different the movie was from the book. I did enjoy the movie, and it took me a while to like the book, as I was constantly comparing it but the ending was good. So overall I give it 4/5 stars!

#32 The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

I definitely liked this book better than the first one yet maybe that was because I wasn't constantly comparing it to the movie. Even so, I really liked Tyson's character, he was fun to read, and Percy was just as awesome as ever. Can't for the movie thats coming out in August!

I give it 4.5/5 stars!

#33 The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan

This might just be my favourite Percy Jackson book so far. They introduced some new characters - some bad, some good - and a really exciting plot line. I really hope they make a movie of this one!

I give it 4/5 stars!

#34 The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan

After reading the 3rd Percy Jackson book, I was eager to get the 4th one, so I was devastated to find that my school library didn't have it. Fortunately I found a reliable site on which I can read the final 2 books.

This book was good. Maybe not quite as good as the last one I read, but it was up there. I give it 4/5 stars!

Now only 10 books left to read for my challenge!

#35 The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

The Last Olympian is the fifth and final book in the Percy Jackson series. And it was great- a terrific end to a terrific series. I'm so glad I decided to read the PJ books! This book was exciting, and intriguing, and the ending was perfect! Plus, the PERCABETH romance at the end - finally <3

I give this one 5/5 stars!

35 down, 9 to go.

#36 The Harp In The South by Ruth Park

I decided to read this book because it was one of the ten Australian books to read before you die. It was good, but it's probably not something I would read again. It was set in Australia, many years ago, and shows how life was back then. I give it 3/5 stars!

36 down, 8 to go.

#37 The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien

This was my favourite book of the trilogy, even though it took me almost a month to read. I'd watched the movie before seeing it so I knew what was going to happen, but there were some scenes -particularly near the end in the shire - that weren't in the film. The movie was just as visually beautiful as the others, and with an amazing storyline, it's not a surprise that I cried near the end.
I give it 5/5 stars!

37 down, 7 to go.

#38 A Fortunate Life by A.B. Facey

This really is a story of Australia. It was better than reading a history book of Australian History because it was actually entertaining, and it gave you someone's personal experience of life a hundred years ago.

This book really deserved to be on the Top 10 Australian books to read before you died. It was a very good story, hard to believe that Albert went though all these hardships and still managed to think of his life as a fortunate one. I recommend that all Australian's read this book, especially if you want to know more about Australian life back generations ago.

I give it 5/5 stars!

38 down, 6 to go.

#39 The Rise of Nine by Pittacus Lore

The Good: I liked meeting the other members of the Garde especially Nine. I loved the interactions between Nine and Four. And getting to read from multiple perspectives was awesome.

The Bad: Every time one of the Garde gets in a bad situation, they always seem to get out of it, by some miracle, or by conveniently developing a new legacy. Even though I wouldn't want any of the remaining Loric people to die, it did seem a little unrealistic that there was no casualties. Even major injuries were fixed up in minutes. And the thing I hated most about the book was John/Four's obsession with Sarah Hart. Even though she's whiny and annoying (although apparently she didn't betray him) for some reason he thinks that she's the only one for him. It frustrates me so much!

But it did have an interesting plot line, and interesting characters. So I give it 4/5 stars!

39 down, 5 to go.

#40 The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien

J.R.R. Tolkien is a fantastic writer, and I love the rest of his work - but sadly I had to mark this book as 'unfinishable'. I barely read 30 pages before I had to give up - as I couldn't even tell what I'd read. The Silmarillion is all about the history of Middle Earth, and it's more a reference book then a novel, so if that interests you, then you'll probably have more luck with reading it than I did. I know lot's of people loved this book but it just wasn't for me. So I give it 1/5 stars.

40 down, 4 to go.

#41 Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

This is only the 2nd book I've read by Charles Dickens, and I have to say that I enjoyed it much more than 'A Tale of Two Cities'. It did take me a while to finish this book, and it wasn't very exciting, but it had a nice plot and likeable characters. I did watch the 2012 movie adaption of this, before reading it, which may of made it easier to understand. Overall I give it 3/5 stars!

41 down, 3 to go.

#42 The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

This was a great book. The way it's written is a bit strange, and the whole book is narrated by Death, but I loved it. The Book Thief is about a girl named Liesel, who is living in Germany during WW2. There's not much else I can say without giving anything away, but this book will probably also make you cry. It deals with harsh themes and of course death, so beware before you start reading. I give this book 5/5 stars!

42 down, 2 to go.

#43 1984 by George Orwell

This book took me a few weeks and it wasn't very exciting, but it definitely was thought-provoking. The characters weren't very likeable and the plot wasn't too good, but it raised some great points...almost like an essay. But I think everyone should read it & I'm glad that we're reading it for school next year. I give this book 3.5/5 stars!

43 down, 1 to go.