2025 Reading Challenge discussion

My updated personal goal for 2014 is 125 books. So far, I have 109 in.

I've just finally finished a couple of books that I had started in 2013, so everything I read from this point on goes toward my goal for the year.

1. Something Taken
2. And the Mountains Echoed
3, An Elegant Solution
4. The Color War
5 Crystal Ships
6. Things We Set on Fire
7. Prayers for the Stolen
8. The Death Class: A True Story about Life
9. A Star for Mrs. Blake
10. In the Shadow of the Banyan
11. Grandpa's Garden: The Story of Us
12. Nostalgia
13. The Rosie Project
14. Struggles of the Women Folk
15. World War I: The Best One-Hour History
16. Like Father, Like Son
17. The Catcher in the Rye
18. Rebecca
19. Birds of the Nile: An Egyptian Adventure
20. A Crime Unfit to be Named
21. Pegasus: Journey to a New Eden
22. Music City
23. King of the Mountain
24. Z2
25. Dublin in the Rain
26. Abiding Heart
27. Stranger Things
28. Playtime
29. The Joshua Effect
30. The Doll.
31. Warp World
32. Bird with the Heart of a Mountain
33. So Much a Part of You
34. The Ocean at the End of the Lane
35. Peacock Swamp: The Nine
36. The Atlantis Gene
37. The Survivor's Guide to Eternity
38. Journal of Eva Morelli
39. The Monsernan Agreement
40. In the Blood
41. Infliction
42. Life After Life
43. Betrayal of the Order
44. In Paradise
45. Player Piano
46. Touched with Fire
47. The Joy Luck Club
48. The Falling Sky
49. Havana Lost
50. An Untamed State
51. The Last Runaway
52. Divergent
53. Epilogue
54. Insurgent
55. The Blessings
56. Allegiant
57. One Pink Line
58. The Little Girl Waits
59. Cross
60. Evolution
61. Out of the Black: Odyssey One Book Four
62. Beatha: A Badger's Story
63. A Little Something
64. Pigeonwings
65. Unspoken Bonds
66. Fahrenheit 451
67. The Rocking Horse
68. Image of Deceit
69. Something Returned
70. Botticelli's Bastard
71. My Brilliant Friend
72. The Atlantis Plague
73. All the Light We Cannot See
74. The Member of the Wedding
75. The Lotus and the Storm
76. The Golden Hour
77. 600 Hours of Edward
78. Of Mice and Men
79. The Virtues of Oxygen
80. Blue Coyote Motel
81. Whale Talk
82. Killing Time
83. Snow Falling on Cedars
84. Out of Peel Tree
85. Finding Arun
86. Winter Candle
87. For Whom the Bell Tolls
88. A World That We Expect
89. Linear Shift, Part 1
90. The Spiral Library, The Successor
91. Tei, A Memoir of the End of War and Beginning of Peace
92. The Book Thief
93. A Scattered Life
94. Firefly Beach
95. The Years of Zero
96. Every Ugly Word
97. The Forgotten Girl
98. Xingu
99. Nanny
100. Caught in a Moment
101. Rain Girl
102. The Greatest Speech, Ever
103 My Whispers of Horror: Letters Telling Women's True Tales from Ex-USSR Nations
104. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
105. Beyond God: A Scientist's Search for the Meaning of Life in the 21st Century
106. The Case Against the Supreme Court
107. On Two Feet and Wings
108. Firefly Lane
109. Queen Lucia

I've set up another personal challenge for the year, and plan to do a complete alphabet of book titles. So far, I have most of the alphabet mapped out, but I'm still looking for a few to fill in:


A. And the Mountains Echoed (Khaled Hosseini)
B. Birds of the Nile: An Egyptian Adventure (N.E. David)
C. Crystal Ships (Richard Sharp)
D. Death Class: A True Story about Life (Erika Hayasaki)
E. An Elegant Solution (Paul Robertson)
F. Firefly Lane (Kristin Hannah)
G. The Greatest Speech, Ever (James L. Cotton, Jr.
H. Havana Lost (Libby Fischer Hellmann)
I. In the Shadow of the Banyan (Vaddey Ratner)
J. Journal of Eva Morelli (Maryann D'Agincourt)
K. King of the Mountain (P. J. Dunn)
L. The Last Runaway (Tracy Chevalier)
M. The Montsernan Agreement (Kris Kramer)
N. Nostalgia (Dennis McFarland)
O. The Ocean at the End of the Lane (Neil Gaiman)
P. Prayers for the Stolen (Jennifer Clement)
Q. Queen Lucia (E.F. Benson
R. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
S. Something Taken (Jerrie Brock)
T. Things We Set on Fire (Deborah Reed)
U. Unspoken Bonds (Michelle Grey)
V. The Virtues of Oxygen (Susan Schoenberger)
W. A World That We Expect (J.D. O'Guinn)
X. Xingu (Edith Wharton)
Y. The Years of Zero Seng Ty
Z. Z2 (Sherrie Cronin)

I've also completed Lilac's Rainbow Challenge for the first quarter.

I'm also doing the Randomizer challenge for 12:


123 Journal of Eva Morelli by Maryann D'Agincourt
243 Silencing Orpheus by J. Warren
346 Finding Arun by Marisha Pink
242 Beyond God: A Scientist's Search for the Meaning of Life in the 21st Century by Emmanuel Papadakis
104 Extraordinary Retribution by Erec Stebbins
215 Killing Time by Joanne Clancy
488 Moonlight Sacrifice by Rob Cummings
037 Nostalgia by Dennis McFarland
510 Hard Land to Rule by Anthony Whitt
386 The Greatest Speech, Ever by James L. Cotton Jr.
420 A World That We Expect by J.D. O'Guinn
129 In This Moment by Autumn Doughton

I'm about to start And the Mountains Echoed for the January group read. Lucky enough to have found it at the library today!

I absolutely loved this book! So emotional, and such well-drawn characters!

Hi Claire,

If you like the dystopia books I would recommend Unwind for your "U" book. I would post a link but I am on my phone and you can't post links form phones. Another "U" book is Unholy Night. That one I haven't read but it is on my list. The author also wrote Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. It would probably be a fantasy book.


For X I just finished book 3 of the Enders Game series. It is called Xenocide. You would need to read the first two books before reading Xenocide.


Good luck.

Thanks for the recommendations, Jodi! I actually think I have a book for U, but I'm undecided on it for now, so it's good to have some other ideas. I do like dystopia books, so I'll definitely consider Unwind.

Claire wrote: "I've set up another personal challenge for the year, and plan to do a complete alphabet of book titles. So far, I have most of the alphabet mapped out, but I'm still looking for a few to fill in:

..."

If you still looking for books for Q, Claire, I was looking at my TBR list and found I had Q & A by Vikas Swarup (the story of Slumdog Millionaire - a friend read it and said it was good...) and Questions of Travel by Michelle de Kretser (I think it would be classed as literary fiction and it won the Miles Franklin award last year - not that that necessarily means it will be good!).

And I have lots for L - I read and enjoyed Lighthouse Bay by Kimberley Freeman and The Lavender Keeper by Fiona McIntosh, but you'd have to enjoy historical fiction for those. I also read and enjoyed a more espionage-style book - The Library of Gold (also called The Book of Spies) by Gayle Lynds. And I want to read The Library of Shadows by Mikkel Birkegaard.

Thanks, Kathryn! I'll check those out when I get a chance.

I love the alphabet challenge! I may have to take your idea! Good luck with your reading goal

Alissa, thank you! Good luck with yours as well.

After some thought I've decided to also add the String Theory challenge for ten books. I'll decide what book to start with later.

My String Theory challenge list is starting to take shape:

1. Crystal Ships by Richard Sharp has a character who works as a flamenco dancer.
2. Bird with the Heart of a Mountain by Barbara Mariconda is about a sixteen-year-old flamenco dancer during the Spanish Civil War.
3. For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway, set in the Spanish Civil War.


More to come...

Another book for Q is Quiddich through the ages by jk rowling. It goes along with the Harry Potter series. I haven't read it yet but I'm working my way through HP this year so I'll get to it.

I've also just decided to do the Around the World in Books challenge for at least 10:


North America The Blessings completed
Central America Prayers for the Stolen completed!
Caribbean Havana Lost completed!
West Europe Bird with the Heart of a Mountain completed!
East Europe and Former Soviet Union In Paradise Completed!
Africa Birds of the Nile: An Egyptian Adventure completed
Middle East On Two Feet and Wings Completed!
South Asia And the Mountains Echoed completed!
Southeast Asia In the Shadow of the Banyan completed!
Australia & South Pacific The Rosie Project completed!

Yay! Challenge completed!

I'm going to do the Finish the Series challenge for the second quarter.

I've completed the Tales of the Lore Valley series released so far by Kris Kramer.


I've completed the Divergent series as well:



There is another series that I've read that has one more book being published in May, that I also plan to read to complete that series. I've already read:



The final book will be published in May:

This last book's release date has been pushed back to July, so I won't be able to complete this one until then. But I have it on preorder for my kindle and will have it on July 8th.

I'm also in for at least 10 books for the #readwomen2014 2nd quarter challenge. This goal was increased to 25 when I realized the challenge had been extended to the end of the year:


1.Bird with the Heart of a Mountain Barbara Mariconda
2. So Much a Part of You Polly Dugan
3. Journal of Eva Morelli Maryann D'Agoncourt
4. Havanna Lost Libby Fischer Hellman
5. Divergent Veronica Roth
6. One Pink Line Dina Silver
7. Peacock Swamp: The Nine Katie Femia
8. The Last Runaway Tracy Chevalier
9. Unspoken Bonds Michelle Grey
10.Blue Coyote Motel Dianne Harman
11. Life After Life Kate Atkinson
12. The Joy Luck Club Amy Tan
13. The Falling Sky Pippa Goldschmidt
14. An Untamed State Roxanne Gay
15. The Blessings Elise Juska
16. Pigeonwings Heide Goody
17. The Rocking Horse Gloria Zachgo
18. Image of Deceit Jill Shannon
19. My Brilliant Friend Elena Ferrante
20. The Member of the Wedding Carson McCullers
21. The Lotus and the Storm Lan Cao
22. The Virtues of Oxygen Susan Schoenberger
23. Killing Time Joanne Clancy
24. Out of Peel Tree Laura Long
24. Finding Arun Marisha Pink
25. Tei, a Memoir of the End of War and Beginning of Peace Tei Fujiwara
26. A Scattered Life Karen McQuestion
27. Firefly Beach Meira Pentermann
28. The Spiral Library Evren Sener

After seeing how many books I've already read, I decided to increase my goal from 75 to 125. I'm not sure I'll get there, but it will be fun trying!

I also committed to the May mimi-birthday challenge for two books:

For the book published the year I was born, I chose and have completed it.

For the book by an author who shares my birth year (I couldn't find any who shared my birth date that I was interested in reading) I chose: and will finish it in the next few days.

UPDATE: As expected, I finished The Joy Luck Club to complete the challenge.

I'm doing the July Hoarders Challenge for 5 books:

1. Read the book that has been on your Goodreads TBR list longest.

Finished, a story about animal activists trying to protect badgers in England that are being killed in order to prevent transfer of disease to cattle. It was okay.

2. Read a book from your physical book shelf or any other stash of books.
Interesting character study of a young girl who pins her hopes of a better life on accompanying her brother and his new bride on their honeymoon.

3. Read a book you got as a gift or for free.

Finished. An astounding character study of a couple who are living every parent's worst nightmare. I HIGHLY recommend this one, but be prepared, it's a very difficult read.
4. Read a group read that you missed.

Finished. I can see why this is considered a classic, and is required reading in many high schools. Even though it was written over 60 years ago, it's still relevant, and a valid warning to those who are willing to allow others to control their thoughts.


5. Read the next book in a series that you've neglected.

This sequel to Something Taken tells the story of how a woman's actions as a young runaway come back to haunt her more than 25 years later when she is charged with killing a police officer who had been abusing her. It's a very good lesson in not giving up on yourself, or on anyone that you believe in.

I'm also doing the Summer Vacation Spell Out Challenge for 5 books (even though I only wish I were going to Paris!):


P
Completed. A riotously funny story about the Archangel Michael banished from heaven and trying to figure out how to live as a human, with "help" from his neighbor, Satan.
A
The second in a planned trilogy, this sci-fi thriller tracks the efforts to stop a plan to eliminate the majority of earth's population through genetic manipulation by an alien species.
R
Completed. An interesting, if unlikely, story about a young girl kidnapped, who returns to her small home town years later, and only then discovers who she really is. Heartwarming and sentimental, it's still a good read.
I
Completed. A trusting woman from North Carolina meets up with a jaded detective when her husband is found to have lived a double life. A few good twists in this detective story, and a positive resolution for the likeable main characters.
S
Completed. of how a woman's actions as a young runaway come back to haunt her more than 25 years later when she is charged with killing a police officer who had been abusing her. It's a very good lesson in not giving up on yourself, or on anyone that you believe in.

I've decided to do the Banned Book Challenge for September, and have committed to reading five books:

1. (added to my TBR list July 21, 2014)
Completed. A poignant story about the friendship that develops between a polio victim confined to an iron lung and a young widow who is one of the volunteers who help her.
2. (#30 on the top 100 list)Completed. I really didn't like this book, I generally don't like Hemingway. Lots of redundant dialogue, not much action until the last 50 pages.
3. (challenged in multiple years) Completed. A Steinbeck classic about itinerant farm workers, one of whom is developmentally disabled.
4. (#33 on the list of challenged books from 2000-2009) Completed. This is a beautiful character study about how easily people can judge others unfairly. Set in the 1950s, it deals with a Japanese American man accused of murdering a neighbor.
5. (I have honestly never heard of Chris Crutcher before!)Completed. Uplifting story about a group of high school misfits who form a swim team and battle the more popular athletes and the town bullies.