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Challenges > Sarah's 2011 Reading Challenge

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message 1: by Sarah (last edited Oct 14, 2011 04:39AM) (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) Here is my list of books I already own and some non-fiction selections that I plan to read next year:

JAN:
1.City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
2.Linger by Maggie Stiefvater
3.Chocolat by Joanne Harris
4.Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang
5.Graceling by Kristin Cashore

FEB:
1.Mistress Shakespeare by Karen Harper
2.The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
3.American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld
4.Beautiful Child by Torey Hayden
5.The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

MAR:
1.The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman
2.Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
3.The House at Riverton by Kate Morton
4.The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
5.My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands by Chelsea Handler

APR:
1.Nefertiti by Michelle Moran
2.The Road by Cormac McCarthy
3.The Gates by John Connolly
4.Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
5.The Sherlockian by Graham Moore

MAY:
1.Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe
2.In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
3.Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
4.A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

JUNE:
1.A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb
2.Ahab's Wife by Sena Jeter Naslund
3.A Rose for the Crown by Anne Easter Smith
4.The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

JULY:
1.The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wrobleski
2.Through a Glass Darkly by Karleen Koen
3.1776 by David McCullough
4.Columbine by Dave Cullen
5.The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff

AUG:
1.Katherine by Anya Seton
2.The Awakening by Kate Chopin
3.The Women by T.C. Boyle
4.Annie's Ghosts by Steve Luxenberg
5.Mistress of the Revolution by Catherine Delors

SEPT:
1.Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson
2.White Oleander by Janet Fitch
3.The Piano Teacher by Janice Y. K. Lee
4.Mao's Last Dancer by Li Cunxin


OCT:
1.The Ghost Writer by John Harwood
2.Dracula by Bram Stoker
3.whichever Outlander book I need to read next
4.The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
5.Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

NOV:
1.Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood
2.The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
3.The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent
4.Ten Days in a Mad House by Nellie Bly
5.This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper

DEC:
1.A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote
2.True Colors by Kristin Hannah
3.A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
4.The Lives They Left Behind by Darby Penney

Alternates:
1.Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
2.The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
3. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak


message 2: by Gitte (new)

Gitte (gittetofte) I've also thought about reading City of Bones within the next month or so!


message 3: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) Gitte wrote: "I've also thought about reading City of Bones within the next month or so!"

I keep hearing great things about this series, so I'm anxious to check it out! Maybe we could do a buddy read :-)


message 4: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) Jo wrote: "There are some great books on there! Good luck!!"

Thanks Jo! Good luck with your challenge too :-)


message 5: by Gitte (new)

Gitte (gittetofte) Sarah wrote: "Gitte wrote: "I've also thought about reading City of Bones within the next month or so!"

I keep hearing great things about this series, so I'm anxious to check it out! Maybe we could do a buddy..."


would love to :-)


message 6: by Angela (new)

Angela (bookangel2) | 220 comments Some fantastic books here, Sarah. I'm inspired to make my own list!


message 7: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) This is my first time actually making a list/reading schedule, so I'm a little nervous about my ability to stick with it. Hopefully the knowledge that it's posted here for all to see will keep me accountable ;-)


message 8: by Angela (new)

Angela (bookangel2) | 220 comments Sarah wrote: "This is my first time actually making a list/reading schedule, so I'm a little nervous about my ability to stick with it. Hopefully the knowledge that it's posted here for all to see will keep me a..."

I've never made a list like this before either, but there are so many wonderful books on my shelves and in my book piles, that thought it might keep me more focused this coming year. Who knows??? :0)


message 9: by Diane (last edited Dec 18, 2010 09:25AM) (new)

Diane  (dianedj) Sarah - GREAT books on your list. I've read the Zookeepers Wife and Rebecca (march); The Story of Edgar Sawtelle; and White Oleander. I have quite a few TBRs in common with you too: In Cold Blood and Dracula(that I have on one of my challenges), Alias Grace, and The Women. Looks like a great reading year for you.


message 10: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) Just finished my first book of the new year - City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (3.75*)! It was a fun, fast-paced story. Great way to start off a new year of reading :-)


message 11: by Angela (new)

Angela (bookangel2) | 220 comments Sarah wrote: "Just finished my first book of the new year - City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (3.75*)! It was a fun, fast-paced story. Great way to start off a new year of reading :-)"

Glad you enjoyed your first of the year, Sarah! What will you read next? I loved Chocolat.


message 12: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) Thanks! Right now I'm reading Graceling and The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox. I just started Chocolat this morning, so I'm only about 20 pages in.


message 13: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) Just finished Chocolat - great story! Hoping to finish Graceling today and get started on Wild Swans this weekend.


message 14: by Curlyhair (new)

Curlyhair Hi Sarah, pleased you've made a good start on your reading challenge. Keep up the good reading.
Amanda


message 15: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) Thanks Amanda!


message 16: by Kerri (new)

Kerri Did you ever see the movie, Sarah???? I'm supposed to be reading Chocolat for one of my December BIO's (guilty pleasure). I did see the movie (loved it) and was wondering how that would affect my opinion of the book.
I hope to start Graceling as soon as I finish up my Steinbeck novels....4 down, 2 to go....hopefully I'll be ready by Monday.


message 17: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) No, I never saw the movie. Maybe I'll see if the library has a copy of it.
I'm loving Graceling so far. Can't wait to discuss it with you!


message 18: by Shelli (new)

Shelli Sarah wrote: "No, I never saw the movie. Maybe I'll see if the library has a copy of it.
I'm loving Graceling so far. Can't wait to discuss it with you!"


I really enjoyed Graceling too!


message 19: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) Finished Graceling earlier this week - gave it 4.5*! Just finished Linger this morning and gave it 4*. I liked it better than Shiver. The story seemed to progress faster in this book. Can't wait for the third book - Forever!
Now I'm going to start Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China. I'm ready for something serious after all the YA I've read this month.


message 20: by Shelli (new)

Shelli Can't wait to see what you think of Wild Swans.


Kat (A Journey In Reading) (ajourneyinreading) Oh I loved The Awakening...... Chopin and Wharton really knew how to shake things up in their world.

In Cold Blood was really good....

The Glass Castle was good too, you tend to get really irritated at the parents though.

Great list!


message 22: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) Kat - I'm really excited about The Awakening. I read a short story by Chopin in a lit class a couple years ago called "The Story of an Hour" and I knew I must read more of her.


message 23: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) Finally finished Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China and I gave it 4.5*! Amazing - extremely sad and horrifying because it's true but definitley amazing! I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a thought-provoking and meaningful nonfiction book. I learned so much about Communist China from this book, but it read like a novel because it was told from a personal point of view.


message 24: by Shelli (new)

Shelli Great job on your January list!


message 25: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) Haha - it only took me til Feb. 4 to complete it! Fortunately my Feb. reads are shorter!


message 26: by Angela (new)

Angela (bookangel2) | 220 comments Sarah wrote: "Finally finished Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China and I gave it 4.5*! Amazing - extremely sad and horrifying because it's true but definitley amazing! I would recommend this book to..."

It's a pretty impressive read!


message 27: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) Just finished Room by Emma Donoghue and gave it 3 stars.I had a hard time reading it from a five year-old's perspective, but I ended up liking it well enough despite the narration.


message 28: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) I just finished Mistress Shakespeare by Karen Harper and I absolutely loved it! I was not aware of the great mystery about William Shakespeare's marital status before reading this book. After finishing the book I googled Shakespeare and found that the plot of the book was based on factual people and events, which makes it all the more intriguing.


message 29: by Shelli (new)

Shelli I'm going to have to move this up!


message 30: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) Just finished The House on Mango Street. I didn't like it :-(


message 31: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) Finished Beautiful Child yesterday. It was required reading for one of my classes. Great but heart-wrenching read!


message 32: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) Just finished reading the ARC of Paoby Kerry Young. Here's a link to my review if you're interested:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10...


message 33: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) Just finished off my last February challenge book - American Wife. It was great, gave it 4*! Going to start My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands by Chelsea Handler tonight. Looks like it will be pretty funny ;-)


message 34: by Angela (new)

Angela (bookangel2) | 220 comments Glad to hear that you enjoyed American Wife - it's another one that's on my shelves somewhere!


message 35: by Shelli (new)

Shelli I'm reading American Wife later this year too so I am really glad to hear you liked it so much!


message 36: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) Just finished My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands by Chelsea Handler. I didn't like it :-(


message 37: by Shelli (new)

Shelli You are doing great on your list!!!! I keep reading books not on my list!!!!


message 38: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) Bad moderator! *wags finger disapprovingly* ;-)

Jk - looks to me like you're pluggin' away. 27 books already this year?! Sheesh!


message 39: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) Finished The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson yesterday. I loved it - gave it 4.5*!


message 40: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) Just finished Rebecca today. Amazing book - I gave it 5*!


message 41: by Angela (new)

Angela (bookangel2) | 220 comments You're doing so well with your list, Sarah. I think I'm going to be falling behind if I'm not careful!


message 42: by Sarah (last edited Mar 25, 2011 05:51AM) (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) I finished reading my First Reads win last night - Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers. It was a fast read and pretty enjoyable, but the ending kind out of fizzled out a little.


message 43: by Carina (new)

Carina (simplycarinaxo) Sarah wrote: "Finished Graceling earlier this week - gave it 4.5*! Just finished Linger this morning and gave it 4*. I liked it better than Shiver. The story seemed to progress fast..."

I loved Shiver and Linger! - I can't wait for Forever either- there's so many possibilities left open on what may happen!!

Sarah wrote: "Just finished Rebecca today. Amazing book - I gave it 5*!"

My friends reading it at the moment she said it's good too - I think I will add that to my list of books to read for my reading challenge this year too!


message 44: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) I finished The House at Riverton by Kate Morton a few days ago and really enjoyed it!


message 45: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) Wow, I'm falling way behind on my challenge. I just finished The Sherlockian by Graham Moore yesterday for my local book club. I found it very entertaining, although I probably would have enjoyed it more if I were at all familiar with Sherlock Holmes.


message 46: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) Just finished listening to Fallen on audio. It was just okay for me.


message 47: by Marilyn (new)

Marilyn Rice (marilynlrice) | 4 comments fantastic, Sarah. keep going, I'm sure you will get through them with your determination!


message 48: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) Thanks for the encouragement Marilyn :-)


message 49: by Angela (new)

Angela (bookangel2) | 220 comments I feel the same about my challenge, Sarah, but I'm sure we'll manage....she says, optimistically! :0)


message 50: by Sarah (new)

Sarah (sarah23l) 24. Nefertiti by Michelle Moran - 4.5*

I highly reccommend all of her books to anyone who loves historical fiction!


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