2025 Reading Challenge discussion
ARCHIVE 2017
>
Clare's 65 for 2017
message 1:
by
Clare
(new)
Dec 02, 2016 05:36AM
A New Year and another goal increase
reply
|
flag
Book 1:***
The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism
Naoki Higashida
Mixed feelings about this one - an interesting read providing some insight into life with Autism but find it hard to believe it was actually written by a 13yr old boy and how much was lost (or added) in the translation from Japanese
Challenges: Dewey Decimal; Pop Sugar 2017; Around the World through Language
Book 2:****
Not My Father's Son
Alan Cumming
Fascinating insight into the harrowing events in his childhood and coming to terms with the abuse he suffered alongside the investigations and filming of Who Do You Think You Are telling the tale of his grandfather's life.
Challenges: Dewey Decimal, Pop Sugar 2017, Genre Bingo 2017
Book 3:****
Cinder
Marissa Meyer
Loved this futuristic retelling of Cinderella
Challenges: Genre Bingo 2017, Serial Reader 2017, The Listopia Challenge 2017, Popsugar 2017, January Myths around the World
Book 4:****
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay
J.K. Rowling
Screenplay for the film of the same name - interesting to read after watching the film
Challenges: Popsugar 2017, January Myths around the World
Book 5:*****
Winnie-the-Pooh
A.A. Milne
What else do you read on Winnie The Pooh Day?!
Challenges: Listopia Challenge 2017, Popsugar 2017
Personal Challenges: BBC The Big Read, Book Trust's 100 Best books for Children
Good luck with your goal Clare :)
Book 6:****
A Morbid Taste for Bones
Ellis Peters
A reread
Challenges: Serial Reader 2017; A - Z Locations; Genre Bingo
Book 7:*****
Wonderstruck
Brian Selznick
Loved the story of Ben and Rose and the way their separate stories are told first before it all comes together at the end. Would have been a prefect pairing with The Story of My Life for last year's From Fiction to Reality challenge if I'd got it earlier.
Challenges: Popsugar 2017
Book 8:***
Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging
Louise Rennison
Late to this as I grew up with The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4 and Bridget Jones's Diary but enjoyed this light-hearted funny read in the same vein.
Challenges: Serial Reader 2017; Popsugar 2017; Genre Bingo 2017; Listopia 2017
Personal Challenges: BBC The Big Read, Book Trust's 100 Best books for Children
Book 9:****
The Heiress of Linn Hagh
Karen Charlton
An enjoyable read, historical fiction set in Northumberland partly based on the author's own family history research. Love solving the mystery alongside and great to see my deductions were right at the end. Not so sure about the budding relationship between Detective Lavender and Magdalena but this won't stop me reading the other books in the series.
Challenges: Serial Reader 2017; A-Z Locations; Genre Bingo
Personal Challenges: Reading around Britain
Book 10:*****
Hollow City
Ransom Riggs
Enjoyed the follow-up more than the first book Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children - the original characters have grown and developed and come into their own particularly Bronwyn. Introduced to some new peculiar characters who will hopefully be with us for the final book - Addison and the twins.
Challenges: Serial Reader 2017; A-Z Locations; February Spanning the Globe
Pop Sugar - need to decide which category
Book 11:*****
South: the Endurance Expedition
Ernest Shackleton
Yes I knew the basics from school but this was an inspiring read -an amazing tale of survival against the odds. The claustrophobic wait whilst the Endurance was trapped in the ice before it eventually succumbed to the ice and the long arduous journey over sea and land with minimal clothing, equipment and rations.
Challenges: Dewey Decimal Non-Fiction; A-Z Locations; Pop Sugar; February Spanning the Globe
Book 12:****
Scarlet
Marissa Meyer
Challenges: Serial Reader; A-Z Locations; February Spanning the Globe
Personal Challenges: Reading around the World
Book 13:****
Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders
Vincent Bugliosi
Challenges: Dewey Decimal Non-Fiction; A-Z Locations; Pop Sugar 2017; Genre Bingo; February Spanning the Globe
Personal Challenges: Every Year
Book 14***
What Doesn't Kill You
Laura E. James
Challenges: A-Z Locations; February Spanning the Globe
Personal Challenges: Reading Britain, Reading around the World
Book 15 - short story***
The Signal-Man
Charles Dickens
Interesting story - introduced to this short ghost story by my daughter as they'd read part of it at school and she wanted us to read it together after school.
Book 16***
Harry Paye: A Romance of Old Poole
Herbert S Carter
Interesting local historical novel based on the life of Harry Paye and set in medieval Poole and the surrounding area.
Henry Paye, also known as Harry or Arripay was a pirate or smuggler from Poole in the 14th / 15th century. Paye led naval raids along the coast of France and Spain. In 1405, a combined fleet of French and Spanish ships attacked Paye's native town of Poole in retaliation for Paye's raids.
Book 17**
How to be Happy
Cara Stein
Needed a self help book for the bingo challenge and this was short, concise and free. Not rocket science but an okay read. Recommends aiming for a ratio of 3:1 happy:sad things to feel happier and tips to help achieve this - will start to try and write down five things I'm grateful for every night before bed.
Challenges: Genre Bingo; March the women in the book challenge
Book 18***
Bridget Jones's Baby: The Diaries
Helen Fielding
Quick fun read - saw the film first and loved it.
Who's the daddy? Book: Daniel or Mark? Film: Jack or Mark?
Challenges: Serial Reader, March the Women in the book challenge
Book 19:*****
The Marvels
Brian Selznick
Loved this book, although having read Hugo and Wonderstruck I was expecting the pictures and writing to be more intermingled and was pleased to still enjoy this book as much as Hugo.
Added the house to my long list of places to visit.
Book 20:****
Enid Blyton: The Biography
Barbara Stoney
Loved Enid Blyton as a child - grew up reading the Magic Faraway Tree, Famous Five, Secret Seven, Malory Towers, St Clares, adventure series, mystery series etc - and this was a fascinating insight into the complex woman behind the books. Thought I'd seen or knew most of what she wrote but I didn't know the half of it - amazed at what a prolific writer she was and still found time to reply to her fan letters and support numerous charities.
Challenges: Dewey Decimal, Pop Sugar 2017, Genre Bingo, March the Women in the book challenge
Book 23:****
White Gold
Rachel Amphlett
Challenges: Serial Reader, Popsugar 2017
Longterm challenges: Reading Britain
Book 24:***
The Housewife Assassin's Handbook
Josie Brown
Quick enjoyable satire taking multitasking to extremes
Challenges: Serial Reader
Book 25:****
Three Lives Down
Rachel Amphlett
Interesting thriller especially as we move towards Brexit
Challenges: Serial Reader
Book 26:*****
A Game of Thrones
George R.R. Martin
Very late to this - finally started to watch Game of Thrones this year - watched the first series, then decided needed to read the books before watching more. First book done and impressed with how faithful TV series is to the book. Some interesting characters: Jon, Arya, Bran, Tyrion, Daenerys and some horrible characters: Littlefinger, Jamie, Joffrey. Now onto Book 2 before I watch the second series
Challenges: Serial Reader, Listopia Challenge, Popsugar 2017, April Clear the Shelves
Book 27:***
Favorite Greek Myths
Bob Blaisdell
A quick read - a reintroduction to the Greek Myths
Challenges: April, Dewey Decimal
Book 29:***
Forsaken
Jana Oliver
Okay book - read to assess suitability for 10yr old daughter
Challenges: Serial Reader
Book 31:***
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Gabriel García Márquez
Had high expectations for this and although enjoyed reading wasn't as good as expectations
Challenges: Around the World Languages,
Book 34:***
The Story of Tracy Beaker
Jacqueline Wilson
Challenges: Listopia
Long term: Book Trust 100 Best Books for Children, BBC The Big Read
Book 41:**
Aunt Bessie Decides
Diana Xarissa
Didn't grab me
Challenges:
Long term challenges: Around Britain
2025 Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit (other topics)The Lost Boy (other topics)
The Thorn Birds (other topics)
Redwall (other topics)
Glass Sword (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Michael Finkel (other topics)Camilla Läckberg (other topics)
Colleen McCullough (other topics)
Brian Jacques (other topics)
Victoria Aveyard (other topics)
More...
