2025 Reading Challenge discussion

Happy 2016, all!

“May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.” -Neil Gaiman

I'm looking forward to diving into new books and challenges in 2016!

I have a slight idea of how I'll organize this thread throughout the year but it might change here and there along the way.

Goals For This Year:
*Read 115 Books
*Read Proust
*Read Seamus Heaney; I've been interested in his poetry for some time and want to get around to reading more.

Thanks for visiting,
Ariel [motavant]

Unfettered by Shawn Speakman

Currently Working On:

 2016 Reading Challenge [95 of 115 Read]
  I Spy: Book Titles Edition [19 of 25 Read]
  Recommended by Reading Challengers Challenge [7 of 10 Read]
  Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge 2016 [18 of 24 Read]
 2016 A to Z Challenge: Character Edition [25 of 26 Read]
 4th Quarter challenge: Race to the Finish [9 of 29 Read]/[16 of ~29 Remaining Challenges Completed]
 Monthly challenge: November Marathon [0 of 10 Read]



Completed Challenges

  February Challenge: Times Gone By
  First Quarter Challenge: Group Reads
  1st Quarter Challenge: Box Sets
 10 K Member Celebration Challenge
 July Challenge: The Fellowship of the Ring
 August Challenge: Your New Book Friend
 The 2016 GoodReads Choice Awards Challenge
 September Challenge: Your Book Reflection
 Third Quarter Challenge: Finish the Series
 September Challenge: Mirror, Mirror
 October Challenge: Outside Your Comfort Zone
 The 10 Candy Challenge

1. The Orenda by Joseph Boyden; review
2. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir; review
3. The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker; review
4. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard; review
5. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie; review
6. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel; review
7. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman;review
8. Room by Emma Donoghue; review
9. Brotherhood in Death by J.D. Robb; review
10. Vicious by V.E. Schwab; review
11. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin; review
12. Slade House by David Mitchell; review
13. The Witches: Salem, 1692 by Stacy Schiff; review
14. Voices from Chernobyl: The Oral History of a Nuclear Disaster by Svetlana Alexievich; review
15. Some Kind of Fairy Tale by Graham Joyce; review
16. The Pearl by John Steinbeck; review
17. Winter by Marissa Meyer; review
18. Uprooted by Naomi Novik; review
19. Liar by Rob Roberge; review
20. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See; review
21. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey; review
22. A Lady in the Smoke: A Victorian Mystery by Karen Odden; review
23. The Wicked Boy: The Mystery of a Victorian Child Murderer by Kate Summerscale; review
24. Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard; review
25. Dreams and Stones by Magdalena Tulli; review
26. The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey; review
27. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss; review
28. The Winner's Kiss by Marie Rutkoski
29. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
30. The Story of a New Name by Elena Ferrante
31. Fine, Fine, Fine, Fine, Fine by Diane Williams
32. Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
33. Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay by Elena Ferrante
34. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
35. Dog Run Moon by Callan Wink
36. Trigger Warning: Short Fictions and Disturbances by Neil Gaiman
37. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
38. The Story of the Lost Child by Elena Ferrante
39. American Gods by Neil Gaiman
40. The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler
41. The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black; review
42. In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume; review
43. The Unfinished World: And Other Stories by Amber Sparks
44. The Invoice by Jonas Karlsson
45. Sawbones by Melissa Lenhardt; review
46. The Narrative of John Smith by Arthur Conan Doyle; review
47. Each Vagabond by Name by Margo Orlando Littell; review
48. The One-in-a-Million Boy by Monica Wood; review
49. Ink and Bone by Lisa Unger; review
50. Smoke by Dan Vyleta; review
51. Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets by Svetlana Alexievich; review
52. The Buccaneers by Edith Wharton; review
53. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak; review
54. The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien; review
55. The Rook by Daniel O'Malley; review
56. Horns by Joe Hill; review
57. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton; review
58. Girl & Flame: A Novella by Melissa Reddish; review
59. The Stationmaster by Jirō Asada; review
60. The Academy: A Short Story by Robert Dugoni; review
61. Third Watch by Robert Dugoni; review
62. Nimona by Noelle Stevenson; review
63. Stiletto by Daniel O'Malley; review
64. The Language of Dying by Sarah Pinborough; review
65. Harry Potter: The Prequel by J.K. Rowling; review
66. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts One and Two by J.K. Rowling; review
67. The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas; review
68. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell; review
69. The Last One by Alexandra Oliva; review
70. Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs; review
71. Black Box by Jennifer Egan; review
72. All Summer in a Day by Ray Bradbury; review
73. The Bear Came over the Mountain by Alice Munro; review
74. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas; review
75. The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien; review
76. Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay; review
77. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman; review
78. Apprentice in Death by J.D. Robb; review
79. The Road by Cormac McCarthy; review
80. The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss; review
81. The Lightning Tree by Patrick Rothfuss; review
82. The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss; review
83. Snow, Glass, Apples by Neil Gaiman; review
84. Upstream: Selected Essays by Mary Oliver; review
85. The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien; review
86. The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore; review
87. My Sister's Grave by Robert Dugoni; review
88. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness; review
89. The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante; review

Books Read + Reviews Continued...

90. Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach; review
91. A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler; review
92. Love Letters to the World by Meia Geddes; review
93. My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand; review
94. Day of Honey: A Memoir of Food, Love, and War by Annia Ciezadlo; review
95. Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf; review
96. The Case of the Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Neil Gaiman; review
97. The Turnip Princess and other newly discovered fairy tales by Franz Xaver von Schönwerth; review
98.
99.
100.

I SPY: BOOK TITLES EDITION
Duration: January 1 - December 31, 2016

[Read: 21 of 25]

Read a book that contains in its title a word that can be found in each of the classic book titles. The word needs to be there in its entirety; however, homographs (words that are spelled the same but mean different things) and words within words count. Articles (a, and, the) and any two letter words do not count.

1. Of Mice and Men
    >> The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante; Abandonment.
2. A Tale of Two Cities
    >> Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts One and Two by J.K. Rowling
3. Gone with the Wind
    >> The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
4. A Wrinkle in Time
    >> Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets
5. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
    >> The Lightning Tree by Patrick Rothfuss
6. The Little Prince
    >> The Turnip Princess and other newly discovered fairy tales by Franz Xaver von Schönwerth
7. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass
    >> Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard
8. Brave New World
    >> The Story of a New Name by Elena Ferrante
9. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
    >> Dreams and Stones by Magdalena Tulli
10. The Joy Luck Club
    >> The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas
11. The Diary of a Young Girl
    >>Girl & Flame: A Novella by Melissa Reddish
12. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
    >> The Case of the Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Neil Gaiman
13. The Book Thief
    >> The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler
14. The God of Small Things
    >> American Gods by Neil Gaiman
15. Around the World in 80 Days
    >> The Unfinished World: And Other Stories by Amber Sparks
16. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
    >> Dog Run Moon by Callan Wink
17. The Time Traveler's Wife
18. All Quiet on the Western Front
19. The Old Man and the Sea
    >> The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
20. Where the Red Fern Grows
    >> Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
21. Island of the Blue Dolphins
    >> A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler
22. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe
23. Girl With a Pearl Earring
    >> The Pearl by John Steinbeck
24. The Call of the Wild
    >> A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
25. The Good Earth

Recommended by Reading Challengers Challenge
Duration: January 1 - December 31, 2016


[7 of 10 Read]

1. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
2. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
3. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
4.The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
5. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
6. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
7. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
8. The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
9. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
10. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge 2016
Duration: January 1 - December 31, 2016

[18 of 24 Read]


1. Read a horror book
     >>Slade House by David Mitchell
2. Read a nonfiction book about science
     >>Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
3. Read a collection of essays
     >>Upstream: Selected Essays by Mary Oliver
4. Read a book out loud to someone else
5. Read a middle grade novel
     >>A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness; I wasn't sure if I'd use this for this challenge but just saw that it was nominated for a GoodReads Choice Award in middle grade/children's fiction.
6. Read a biography (not memoir or autobiography)
     >> The Wicked Boy: The Mystery of a Victorian Child Murderer by Kate Summerscale
7. Read a dystopian or post-apocalyptic novel
     >> The Last One by Alexandra Oliva
8. Read a book originally published in the decade you were born
9. Listen to an audiobook that has won an Audie Award
10. Read a book over 500 pages long
     >> A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
11. Read a book under 100 pages
     >> The Pearl by John Steinbeck
12. Read a book by or about a person that identifies as transgender
13. Read a book that is set in the Middle East
14. Read a book by an author from Southeast Asia
15. Read a book of historical fiction set before 1900
     >>The Orenda by Joseph Boyden; set in seventeenth century Canada.
16. Read the first book in a series by a person of color.
     >> An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
17. Read a non-superhero comic that debuted in the last three years
     >> Nimona by Noelle Stevenson (Published in 2015)
18. Read a book that was adapted into a movie, then watch the movie. Debate which is better.
     >>I read And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie and watched the 1945 film by the same name last night. You have to love those black and white light flares and fuzzy frames! I preferred the book because I felt more depth in the characters whilst reading than I did during the film. However, I did like the bits of humor thrown in and enjoyed the ending twist.
19. Read a nonfiction book about feminism or dealing with feminist themes
     >> Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay
20. Read a book about religion (fiction or nonfiction)
     >> The Witches: Salem, 1692 by Stacy Schiff
21. Read a book about politics in your country or another (fiction or nonfiction)
     >> Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets
22. Read a food memoir
     >> Day of Honey: A Memoir of Food, Love, and War by Annia Ciezadlo
23. Read a play
     >> Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts One and Two by J.K. Rowling
24. Read a book with a main character that has a mental illness
     >> One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

Update:

I've read An Ember in the Ashes (3.5 stars) and The Orenda (5 stars) and added them to the 2016 Book Riot Read Harder Challenge for numbers 7 & 15.

good luck with your challenge know you will make it!

@Blagica, thank you! Good luck as well!

2016 A to Z Challenge: Character Edition
Duration: January 1 - December 31, 2016


[25 of 26 Completed]

A -- Ahmad from The Golem and the Jinni
B -- Mare Barrow from Glass Sword
C -- Carries an Axe from The Orenda
D -- Dieter from Station Eleven
E -- Elias from An Ember in the Ashes
F -- The Falcon from Uprooted
G -- Gisa Barrow from Red Queen
H -- Harding from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
I -- Irene Ammerman from In the Unlikely Event
J -- Jack from Room
K -- Kino from The Pearl
L -- Levana from Winter
M -- Mitch from Vicious
N -- Nathan from Slade House
O -- Ona Vitkus from The One-in-a-Million Boy
P -- Peter from Some Kind of Fairy Tale
Q -- Quickbeam from The Two Towers
R -- Roarke from Brotherhood in Death
S -- Snow Flower from Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
T -- Tyrion Lannister from A Game of Thrones
U -- Ursula Monkton from The Ocean at the End of the Lane
V -- Vera Claythorne from And Then There Were None
W -- Paul Wilcox from A Lady in the Smoke: A Victorian Mystery
X --
Y -- Yrch (Elvish name for Orc[s]) from The Fellowship of the Ring
Z -- Zaccariah Ramsy from Each Vagabond by Name

First Quarter Challenge: Group Reads
Duration: January 1 - March 31, 2016


[3 of 3 Read]; finished.

1. The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
2. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
3. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

The 2016 GoodReads Choice Awards Challenge
Duration: January 1, - December 31, 2016

Possible Categories:
Fiction
Mystery & Thriller
Historical Fiction
Fantasy
Romance
Science Fiction
Horror
Humor
Nonfiction
Memoir & Autobiography
History & Biography
Science & Technology
Food & Cookbooks
Graphic Novels & Comics
Poetry
Debut Goodreads Author
Young Adult Fiction
Young Adult Fantasy
Middle Grade & Children's
Picture Books

Possible Books:
>> Category: Graphic Novels & Comics
Angel Catbird, Vol. 1 by Margaret Atwood; coming out Fall 2016.
>> Category: Memoir & Autobiography
Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay; coming out June 14, 2016.
>> Category: Historical Fiction
The Queen of the Night by Alexander Chee; coming out February 2, 2016.
>> Category: Science Fiction
The Last Days of New Paris by China Miéville
A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab
>> Category: Nonfiction
What Kind of Creatures Are We? by Noam Chomsky
The Bassoon King: My Life in Art, Faith, and Idiocy by Rainn Wilson
>> Category: YA Fiction/Fantasy
Heartless by Marissa Meyer
A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir
>> Category: Mystery & Thriller
(Gothic Mystery) Mr. Splitfoot by Samantha Hunt
The Fugitives by Christopher Sorrentino
Square Wave by Mark de Silva
>> Category: Fiction
Unspeakable Things by Kathleen Spivack
(Fiction/Short Stories)
The Book of Memory by Petina Gappah
Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler
>> Category: Fantasy
The Lives of Elves by Muriel Barbery
>> Category: Humor
Bardo or Not Bardo by Antoine Volodine

[18 of 10 read]

1. Brotherhood in Death by J.D. Robb
    ♦ Genre: Fiction/Fantasy
    ♦ Published: February 2, 2016
    ♦ Read: 2/3 to 2/4/16
    ♦ Review

2. A Lady in the Smoke: A Victorian Mystery by Karen Odden
    ♦ Genre: Historical Fiction
    ♦ Published: March 29, 2016
    ♦ Read: 3/9 to 3/11/16 (ARC)
    ♦ Review

3. The Wicked Boy: The Mystery of a Victorian Child Murderer by Kate Summerscale
    ♦ Genre: History & Biography
    ♦ Published: July 12, 2016
    ♦ Read: 3/11 to 3/12/16 (ARC)
    ♦ Review

4. Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard
    ♦ Genre: Young Adult Fiction/Young Adult Fantasy
    ♦ Published: February 6, 2016
    ♦ Read: 3/12/ to 3/14/16
    ♦ Review

5. The Winner's Kiss by Marie Rutkoski
    ♦ Genre: Young Adult Fiction/Young Adult Fantasy
    ♦ Published: March 29, 2016
    ♦ Read: April 2016
    ♦ Review

6. Fine, Fine, Fine, Fine, Fine by Diane Williams
    ♦ Genre: Fiction/Short Stories
    ♦ Published: January 26, 2016
    ♦ Read: April 2016
    ♦ Review

7. The Unfinished World: And Other Stories by Amber Sparks
    ♦ Genre: Fiction/Short Stories
    ♦ Published: January 25, 2016
    ♦ Read: April 2016
    ♦ Review

8. Dog Run Moon by Callan Wink
    ♦ Genre: Fiction/Short Stories
    ♦ Published: February 9, 2016
    ♦ Read: April 2016
    ♦ Review

9. Sawbones by Melissa Lenhardt
    ♦ Genre: Historical Fiction
    ♦ Published: March 29, 2016
    ♦ Read: June 2016
    ♦ Review

10. Each Vagabond by Name by Margo Orlando Littell
    ♦ Genre: Fiction
    ♦ Published: June 1, 2016
    ♦ Read: June 2016
    ♦ Review

11. The One-in-a-Million Boy by Monica Wood
    ♦ Genre: Women's Fiction/General Fiction (Adult)
    ♦ Published: April 5, 2016
    ♦ Read: July 2016
    ♦ Review

12. Ink and Bone by Lisa Unger
    ♦ Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Horror/Supernatural
    ♦ Published: June 7, 2016
    ♦ Read: July 2016
    ♦ Review

13. Smoke by Dan Vyleta
    ♦ Genre: Historical Fiction/Alternative Historical Fiction
    ♦ Published: May 24, 2016
    ♦ Read: July 2016
    ♦ Review

14. Girl & Flame: A Novella by Melissa Reddish
    ♦ Genre: Fiction
    ♦ Published August 16, 2016
    ♦ Read: July 29, 2016 (ARC)
    ♦ Review

15. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts One and Two by J.K. Rowling
    ♦ Genre: YA Fiction/Fantasy
    ♦ Published July 31, 2016
    ♦ Read: August 7, 2016
    ♦ Review

16. Stiletto by Daniel O'Malley
    ♦ Genre: Fantasy/Urban Fantasy/Fiction
    ♦ Published June 14, 2016
    ♦ Read: August 5, 2016
    ♦ Review

17. The Last One by Alexandra Oliva
    ♦ Genre: Science Fiction/Dystopia, Thriller
    ♦ Published July 12, 2016
    ♦ Read: August 16-17,2016
    ♦ Review

18. Apprentice in Death by J.D. Robb
    ♦ Genre: Fiction/Fantasy
    ♦ Published: September 6, 2016
    ♦ Read: 9/6 to 9/8/2016
    ♦ Review

First Quarter Challenge: Box Sets
Duration: January 1 - March 31, 2016

[total completed: 11 of 11]/FINISHED

YA Fiction Addiction
[4 of 4 completed]
1. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
2. Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard
3. Winter by Marissa Meyer
4. The Winner's Kiss by Marie Rutkoski

The Weather Outside
[4 of 4 completed]
1. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
2. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
3. The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
4. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

Get Shorty
[3 of 3 completed]
1. The Unfinished World: And Other Stories by Amber Sparks
2. Fine, Fine, Fine, Fine, Fine by Diane Williams
3. Dog Run Moon: Stories by Callan Wink

February Challenge: Times Gone By
Duration: February 1 - February 29, 2016

[2 of 2 read] - FINISHED

5. Read a book that takes place during the Dark or Middle Ages.
  >> A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
6. Read a book that takes place during rise of colonization around the world.
  >> The Witches: Salem, 1692 by Stacy Schiff

Getting back into the swing of things with Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None.

Looking forward to checking out the 1945 film tonight to see how it compares.

Just finished Brotherhood in Death, the newest release in the In Death series. I had to take a break from other books in order to start it as soon as I got it - total series junkie here.

I'm glad to say I felt like this book far surpasses the most recent ones in the series. It feels like a renewal of the appeal(s) of the series to me and just wow. It was very hard to read/very hard content but I can't stop going on about it. Anyone who has fallen for the first books of the series will be really stoked about this book, imo.

I really like the In Death series. It's really kept up the quality over its 40+ books. Especially, to me, when you compare it to series like Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series or the Sookie Stackhouse series. Both of which had a really rapid drop off in quality.

Bella wrote: "I really like the In Death series. It's really kept up the quality over its 40+ books. Especially, to me, when you compare it to series like Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series or the Sookie Stackhouse series. Both of which had a really rapid drop off in quality. "

I haven't read those but I would agree about its quality as a whole. Even in the recent books that had a bit of a drop off for me, the depth of character was still there and I was always stoked to read about one of the main characters. Its been such a great series to get into over the years.

Finished A Game of Thrones tonight; I kinda hate that it's already over lol.

Paused in reading The Witches: Salem, 1692 to read David Mitchell's Slade House; very quick read but a great one.

Recommend it to anyone that's doing the 2016 Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge for the Horror category. Especially if you've read his previous novel, The Bone Clocks.

Ariel wrote: "Finished A Game of Thrones tonight; I kinda hate that it's already over lol."


... there are still 4 to go ... just saying ;-)

Good luck with your challenges (but you're already doing great :)

@Kiwi: Let me just...



lol

Thank you, good luck with yours as well!

Finished February Challenge: Times Gone By.

Read The Pearl by John Steinbeck today. Very short story but it's a new favorite. Wow.

March #readwomen Challenge
Duration: March 1, 2016 to March 31, 2016

[4 of 11 read; Goal 4 of 4 read/finished]

1. Re-read your favorite book.

2. Read a book new to you by an author you have previously read.
Winter by Marissa Meyer

3. Read a book written by an author under 30.
Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

4. Read a book about the Eastern Cultures.
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

5. Read a book by an author that is not White.

6. Read a book of essays.

7. Read a comedy book.

8. Read a graphic novel

9. Read a book about women during war.

10. Read a book about an LGBTQIA issue.

11. Read a book sci-fi/ fantasy book.
(Fantasy) The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

Just finished reading The Wicked Boy: The Mystery of a Victorian Child Murderer by Kate Summerscale. I got it as an ARC from NetGalley and it will be published in July - really rec it for anyone looking for a biography for the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge or the 2016 GR Awards Challenge.

It's a solid biography and it's very atmospheric. (My Review).

Prolonged and unexpected break from GR as well as a spotty, weird, thoroughly disheartening hiatus/breakup with reading in general. Thank goodness for Neil Gaiman books and comfort reads because I'd still be in the slump if it weren't for American Gods and Trigger Warning: Short Fictions and Disturbances.

Let's not do that again, brain. We need books. Lots and lots of books.

The 10K Member Celebration Challenge
Duration: May 1 - June 30, 2016


[5 of 10 read; Goal 5/FINISHED]

1. Home, 10,000 members...read a book that has more than 10,000 ratings on Goodreads.

>> In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume, review

2. Math: 100 x 100 = 10,000. So for this one, read a book that has 100 in the title or has 100 or so pages.

>>The Narrative of John Smith by Arthur Conan Doyle (120 pages), review

3. Some more Math: A myriagon is a polygon with 10,000 sides. Sci-fi and fantasy novels often also have a lot of sides. So for this one, read a book that falls into the science fiction or fantasy genres.

>> The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black (fantasy), review

4. U.S. History: Salmon P. Chase was the face of the $10,000 greenback, and he was the Secretary of the Treasury under Abraham Lincoln. So for this one, read a fictional or non-fictional book about U.S. history before 1900.

>> Sawbones by Melissa Lenhardt, review

5. World Geography: There is no €10,000 note, but if there was, it would have some beautiful European architecture on it. So for this one, read a book that takes place in Europe or is about an amazing piece of architecture.

6. Psychology: It is assumed that each neuron in the human brain is connected to 10,000 others. Read a book about human behavior or a book about someone’s mental health

7. Biology: There are about 10,000 species of birds. Read a book with bird (or a type of bird) in the title or a book with a bird on the cover.

8. Language Arts: Imagine you could read 10,000 books. That was your job. You could read whatever you wanted, where would you start? Read the book you would start with if you could have the job of reading 10,000 books.

9. Technology: It is believed that storytelling is a 10,000 year old technology dating back to our earliest civilizations. Read a book that is based on a myth or about a culture before the common era.

>> The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler (based on the myth of mermaids/sirens/water-breathers, fortune telling/tellers, curses), review

10. Extra Curricular: It takes approximately 10,000 hours to become an expert at something. Read a book, fiction or nonfiction, that has to do with the activity you would love to become an expert at.

July Challenge: The Fellowship of the Ring
Duration: July 1 - July 31, 2016


[4 of 9 read; Goal: 6 of 5 read]

1. Frodo Baggins is the ringbearer. Read a book where the main character carries on a family tradition or where the main character struggles against a great evil.

Read: Smoke by Dan Vyleta

2. Samwise Gamgee constantly demonstrates his loyalty to Frodo and the quest. Read a book where loyalty is a key value.

Read: The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

3. Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck loves boats, maps, and exploration. Read a book where the main character is anxious to go on an adventure or where they regularly use a nickname.

4. Peregrin "Pippin" Took is from one of the most powerful hobbit families and his name means "traveler in strange countries." Read a book where the main character is part of a famous or noble family, or read a book where traveling is a major focus.

Read: The Buccaneers by Edith Wharton; review

5.Aragorn Elessar was orphaned as a child and fostered by the elves, learning the strength and wisdom of the elves. Read a book where the main character is orphaned or fostered, or read a book where the main character shares Aragorn's strength.

Read: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak; review

6. Boromir of Gondor is a mighty warrior intent on protecting his people. Read a book where protection is a major motivation of the main character.

Read: The Rook by Daniel O'Malley; review. The main character, Myfanwy Thomas, works for a secret British government agency called The Checquy which tries to protect the public from supernatural attacks.

7. Gimli, son of Glóin is a dwarf with a fierce personality and fighting style. He quarrels with Legolas throughout the book because of the longstanding feud between their races. Read a book where one of the main characters struggles with an inherent prejudice or where the main character matches Gimli's fierceness.

8. Legolas Greenleaf is an elf and a very sharp-sighted archer. His name "Legolas" literally means Greenleaf. Read a book where the main character is very skilled or where the main character has a name with a literal meaning.

Read: Horns by Joe Hill; review. The main character is named Ignatius Martin Parrish which make his initials 'IMP' - a small devil, demon, or fiend, which has a very literal meaning in the book.

9. Gandalf the Grey is an extremely powerful wizard. Read a book with a strong magic user.

Third Quarter Challenge: Finish the Series
Duration: July 1 - September 30 2016

[Books Read: 7 of 7]; Completed

The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss
[3 books in series, 1 previously read]
• The Wise Man's Fear (#2) [Read from September 9 to 14, 2016; review]
• The Lightning Tree ( #2.4) [Read on September 15, 2016; review]
• The Slow Regard of Silent Things (#2.5) [Read on September 16, 2016; review]

In Death Series by J.D. Robb
[43 books in series, 42 previously read]
• Apprentice in Death [Read from September 6 to 8, 2016; review]

Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
[Series Completed]
• Library of Souls [Read from August 20 to 21, 2016; review]

The Lord of the Rings
• The Fellowship of the Ring [Read from July 16 to 21, 2016; review]
• The Two Towers [Read from August 21 to 30, 2016; review]
• The Return of the King [Read from September 19 to 25, 2016; review]

Signs You’ve Found Your New Book Friend:
Duration August 1, 2016 - August 31, 2016

[4 of 3 Read]; Completed

1. Choose a book from your favorite genre and see who else in the group loves that genre too.

• Read: Stiletto by Daniel O'Malley
• New Book Friends: [Who else loves science fiction/fantasy?]

2. Re-read one of your favorite books that is always on your shelf ready to read and see who loves the same book.

3. Find a book that is highly rated by other members of the group (See our Recommended by 2016 Reading Challengers Listopia).

• Read: Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell; review

4. Find a book you are reading just for the fun of it, and not because it is a great literary masterpiece, and see who shares your guilty pleasure.

• Read: The Last One by Alexandra Oliva; review
• New Book Friend: Dystopian novels are a big guilty pleasure for me. Add in an apocalypse and I'm there.

5. To find a book for this task, you must ask someone from this group to recommend a book to you that they own.

6. Read a book written by a favorite author and see who else loves that same author.

• Read: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts One and Two by J.K. Rowling
• New Book Friends: [Who else loves J.K. Rowling?]

7. Read a non-fiction on any subject that interests you and see who also shares your same interest.

8. Read any book you have been longing to read and recommend it to another member of the group so that you can create a lasting memory together.

I feel like I've been slacking on updating in this group unfortunately. I actually think I've just been reading slower, that spending a chunk of August reading Gone With the Wind threw me off a tad even though I meant to spread it out.

So, for future reference, I suck at spreading heftier books across a specific time frame lol.

September Challenge: Mirror, Mirror
Duration: September 1 - 30, 2016

[Goal: 4; 4 of 4 read]/Completed

1. Sometimes the mirror is made of glass or water and reflects the character’s true nature to the reader, to other characters and even to the character looking into the mirror. Read a book where a mirror plays a major role.
* Here is a link to some examples to get ideas.

    • Read: The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien; review
    • I kept seeing the palantir as a seeing-glass/mirror. Especially since it translates to "one that sees from afar;" each character that looks into the palantir sees something far from them but their natures are each reflected in the palantir as well.

2. The mirror is not always a reflective surface. Sometimes two characters share several qualities that are used to complement and highlight each other’s traits. Read a book where one character mirrors another character in the story.

    •Read: The Road by Cormac McCarthy; review
    • Father and son have a necessarily codependent relationship in The Road and it's a pretty common mirror. (view spoiler)[The son grows more independent intellectually and morally and the father weakens/becomes sick; the father is hard where the son is still soft - a desperate yearning for kindness and purpose mirrors and highlights bitterness and the grief of someone who feels that kindness has died. (hide spoiler)]

3. In the same vein, twins quite often mirror each other. They can be identical physically but have completely different personalities. They can look different but be alike in every other way. Read a book that has at least one set of twins as main characters.

4. Sometimes the events in the story itself reflect back on past experiences or incidents. Read a book where the story reflects back on a similar event or events in the past.

    •Read: The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss; review
    • Kvothe recounts his past to Chronicler.

5. What do you see when you look in the mirror? Have you seen yourself in a book? Read a book where you see part of yourself in one of the main characters or their experiences.

    •Read: Apprentice in Death by J.D. Robb; review
    • Unfortunately I'm not a badass LT living in the future with Roarke, a fat and happy cat named Galahad, and, yes, even the bony and stony Summerset, but one of the many reasons I love this series is Dallas' backstory and how Robb/Roberts has portrayed her character. Some experiences mirror - some personality traits because of those experiences as well.

September Challenge: Your Book Reflection Challenge
Duration: September 1 to 30, 2016

[Goal 3; 4 of 3 read]

1. Read a book with a character that has the same first name as you.

2. Read a book that was written the same year you were born.

3. Read a book set in the same place where you grew up.

4. Read a book set in the same place where you live now.

5. Read a book with a character that has the same occupation as you.

6. Read a book with a character that is the same age as you are right now.

7. Read a book with a character that has the same hair and eye color that you have.

     • Read: Apprentice in Death by J.D. Robb; review
     • Peabody has dark brown hair and dark (brown - in previous books) eyes.

8. Read a book with a character that has the same hobbies that you have.

     • Read: The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss; review
     • Chronicler and Kvothe: learning, writing/love of telling a story.

9. Read a book with a character that shares the same relationship dynamic with his/her parents that you do.

     • Read: The Road by Cormac McCarthy; review
     • This might seem an odd comparison... (view spoiler)[ but I saw many similarities in my relationship with my mom compared with father and son's relationship in The Road. Notably their necessary codependence in the wake of chaos; my mom and I were each other's life rafts after my dad died and it was and often continues to be excruciating to search out my own shape in the midst of that. Also similar was that dynamic of ward/protector, scared child/encourager, and hopeful child/angry (angry and hurting) adult. (hide spoiler)]

10. Read a book with a character that has the same number of children that you have.

     • Read: Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman; review
     • Richard Mayhew or Door - 0 children

Outside Your Comfort Zone Challenge
Duration: October 1 - October 31, 2016

[3/3 Read]; Completed

♦ Genre: Nonfiction > Food Memoir
      Read: Day of Honey: A Memoir of Food, Love, and War by Annia Ciezadlo; review

♦ Genre: Nonfiction > Science
      Read: Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach; review

♦ Genre: Fiction > Middle Grade Novel
      Read: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness; review

The 10 Candy Challenge
Duration October 1, 2016 to October 31, 2016

[5/4 Read]

1. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups - creamy chocolate and salty peanut butter makes the perfect combination. Read a book where two very different characters work together to make the perfect plot.

Read: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness; review. (view spoiler)[The combination of Conor and his Monster is the impetus of the plot. Conor and the Monster are different in many ways; at first you see them as very different entities simply because one is a modern kid and the other is steeped in lore, it's a confrontation between realism and magical realism. It's also a confrontation between two halves of Conor himself. (hide spoiler)]

2. M&M’s - chocolate covered in yummy candy coating probably filled with wonderful nuts. Read a book where a character goes a little bit nuts but things work out well.

Read: The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante; review. Not sure I can say that things work out particularly well; more that (view spoiler)[a balance to things begins to take shape even though the situation still sucks and there's a lot unresolved (hide spoiler)].

3. Snickers - nougat, caramel, and peanuts coated with chocolate gives this candy bar a funny name. Read a humorous book sure to make you laugh.

Read: Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach; review. I think it was billed as being funnier than it was but there was enough quirk and chuckles for it to still be seen as humorous.

4. Hershey’s Chocolate Bar - the classic milk chocolate bar. Read a classic novel that is sure to delight you.

5. Kit Kat - a chocolate covered wafer biscuit bar that is known for giving you a break. Read a book that is a quick and snappy read that is great for to read when you have a few minutes break in your day.

Read: Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf; review.

6. Twix - butter cookie, caramel, and coated with chocolate that also comes in many different versions and is popular all around the world. Read a book that is so popular it has been translated into many different languages.

7. 3 Musketeers - a fluffy nougat filled chocolate bar that can have so many different flavors. Read a book of short stories filled with many different plot lines.

8. Hershey’s Cookies and Cream - the name of the candy bar says it all and while the candy bar is less than 25 years old, it’s already a top 10 hit! Read a book was written in the last few years and is on the New York Times Best Sellers List.

9. Milky Way - chocolate malt nougat topped with caramel makes this candy bar out of this world. Read a book that is about outer space and traveling through the stars.

10. Almond Joy - coconut based center topped with an almond or two coated in dark chocolate and it’s mysterious how it all works but it does. Read a book mystery made up different parts that make a satisfying whole.

Read: My Sister's Grave by Robert Dugoni; review. The story is broken up into two parts. The first part is told in the present and through episodes of flashbacks, these lead up to the reveal in the second part that connects aspects of the first.

I was just making up a list of books I'd like to get to before the end of the year and challenges I need to complete - this is a perfect 4Q challenge.

I'm not sure of a goal #; I think I'll just put the # of books I need to finish for the year and update it if there are any additional books I end up adding. I'll also track challenges completed/challenges to be completed.

4th Quarter Challenge: Race to the Finish
October 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016

[9 of 29 Books Read]
[ 16 of ~29 Challenges Completed/Challenges To Be Completed]

♦ Yearly Challenge: [95/115 Books Read]
      - Remaining: 20 Books
      - Books Read: Challenge Link

♦ I Spy: book Titles Edition: [19/25 Books Read]
      - Read: 3/9 Books
      - Titles to Spy:
        1. Of Mice and Men
            Read: The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante
        2. The Little Prince
        3. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
        4. The Time Traveler's Wife
        5. All Quiet on the Western Front
        6. Island of the Blue Dolphins
            Read: A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler
        7. Fried Green tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe
        8. The Call of the Wild
            Read: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
        9. The Good Earth

♦ Recommended by Reading Challengers Challenge: [7/10 Books Read]
      - Remaining: 3 Books
      - TBR:
        1. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
        2. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
        3. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

♦ Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge: [18/24 Books Reads]
      - Read: 3/9 Books
      - Remaining Challenges:
        1. Read a nonfiction book about science.
            Read: Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
        2. Read a book out loud to someone else.
        3. Read a middle grade novel.
            Read: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
        4. Read a book originally published in the decade you were born.
        5. Listen to an audiobook that has won an Audie Award.
        6. Read a book by or about a person that identifies as transgender.
        7. Read a book that is set in the Middle East.
        8. Read a book by an author from Southeast Asia.
        9. Read a food memoir.
            Read: Day of Honey: A Memoir of Food, Love, and War by Annia Ciezadlo

♦ 2016 A to Z Challenge Characters Edition: [23/24 Books Read]
      - Remaining: 1 Book
      - Remaining Letters:
        1. X --

♦ October Challenge: Outside Your Comfort Zone [3/3 Books Read]
      - Remaining: 0 Books/COMPLETED
        1. Genre: Nonfiction > Food Memoir
            Read: Day of Honey: A Memoir of Food, Love, and War by Annia Ciezadlo
        2. Genre: Nonfiction > Science
            Read: Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
        3. Genre: Fiction: Middle Grade Novel
            Read: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

♦ October Challenge: The 10 Candy Challenge [5/4 Books Read]/COMPLETED
      - Books Read:
        1. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
        2. My Sister's Grave by Robert Dugoni
        3. The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrane
        4. Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
        5. Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf

November Marathon Challenge
Duration: November 1st - 30th, 2016

[Read: 0 of 10+]

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