I saw this reading challenge floating around social media, and being the challenge nut that I am, I decided to give it a try. I've already filled up about a third of it but I wanted to share my progress with you all! I encourage you all to do a reading challenge; you'd be amazed how it pushes you to read books that are out of your comfort zone.
1. A book with more than 500 pages: The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon
If you've read any books by this author, you know that most of her books have at least 700 pages. I was already halfway through this book when the New Year arrived so this worked out perfectly!
2. A classic romance: I'm thinking of reading either Sense and Sensibility, Madame Bovary, Lolita, or Passage to India since I already have these books on my reading list(s).
3. A book that became a movie: Babe: The Gallant Pig by Dick King-Smith
This book was already on my Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge so I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone. Not to mention it's a precious story and if you haven't seen the movie - what are you waiting for?
4. A book published this year: I'm on the waiting for my library's copy of Lauren Oliver's Vanishing Girls that comes out March 2015!
5. A book with a number in the title: Not really sure what to do with this one. Any suggestions?
6. A book written by someone under 30: Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat
This book was written when the author was 25. It was on the Oprah Book List too! This book was haunting and is a great global read.
7. A book with nonhuman characters: Here Be Monsters by Alan Snow
This is the perfect book for this category. The movie The Boxtrolls is based on this book!
8. A funny book: I Work at a Public Library: A Collection of Crazy Stories from the Stack by Gina Sheridan
This book has hilarious and real stories about people that come to the library from the point of view of library staff. Even if you don't work at library, read this for lots of laughs.
9. A book by a female author: Crash Course in Children's Services by Penny Peck
I didn't have a better category to put this book in, but it's an important one since I read this right before my job interview!
10. A mystery or thriller: Tunnel Vision by Susan Shaw
This is a YA book that was on my original reading list. Despite poor reviews, it still had an interesting "thriller" aspect.
11. A book with a one word title: Sweethearts by Sara Zarr
This was a book I had to read for my book club! I highly recommend it.
12. A book with short stories: Prom Nights from Hell by Meg Cabot and other authors
Eh, I would not recommend this book. I love Meg Cabot, but her short story was kinda awful.
13. A book set in a different country: On the Bright Side, I'm Now the Girlfriend of a Sex God
Ok, now before you judge me on this title, this book is part of a British series by Louise Rennison that I started when I was probably 13 and now I'm just curious how it ends.
14. A non-fiction book: Compost: A Family Guide to Making Soil from Scraps by Ben Raskin
My new hobby/fascination is composting and this book really drew me in because of it's unique construction and features (like pop-up pages!).
15. A popular author's first book: I haven't done my research for this just yet.
16. A book from an author you love that you haven't read yet: Lord John and the Private Matter by Diana Gabaldon
I'm working through her Outlander series and the Lord John series is a spin-off series.
17. A book a friend recommended: This will be an easy one to fill out. Most of my friends are book nerds too!
18. A Pulitzer Prize winning novel: Again, I haven't done my research yet.
19. A book based on a true story: Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
This is a book club selection and it's pretty awesome. The premise of the book is about a duchess in Brittany who is being forced to marry someone and her political advisers are not looking out for her best interests. The author uses real names and sticks with a basic accurate historical event. The assassin nuns...not so accurate!
20. A book at the bottom of your TBR list: The problem with this one is that I don't follow my list by any certain order. Not to mention, I have multiple TBR lists! I guess I'll just choose one I've been avoiding.
21. A book your mom loves: Not sure. It's either Scarlet Pimpernel or a Stephen King book. I'll have to ask her!
22. A book that scares you: Probably a Stephen King book, haha!!!
23. A book more than a 100 years old: That should be easy to find. I do love classics!
24. A book based entirely on its cover: I will have to browse when I'm at work!
25. A book you were supposed to read in school and didn't: There's a few, but not a lot. I was one of those kids who always did the assigned reading. I'll probably pull something from my college syllabi.
26. A memoir: Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham
It was definitely an interesting read, but it was hard for me to feel bad or empathize with someone who grew up in a privileged lifestyle. I also don't get the hipster hype. Nevertheless it was an interesting read.
27. A book with antonyms in the title: The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski
Well, I don't know if this counts towards antonyms but the book brings up the theme about how winners can even be cursed by what they win/receive. This was a book that I read for my book club and it's got a sequel in the near future. Another great YA read.
28. A book you can finish in a day: Lord John and the Hellfire Club by Diana Gabaldon
This was a novella that goes before Lord John and the Private Matter. I listened to it on audiobook on one of my day's off.
29. A book set somewhere you've always wanted to visit: I'm thinking it would have to be set in Europe. That shouldn't be too difficult.
30. A book published the year you were born: Ahh, readers, you'll have to wait until I find one before you can figure out my age!
31. A book with bad reviews: I'll have to do my research. Usually it's easy to find books with good reviews, but bad ones are a little harder. I'm going to look to Goodreads to help me out.
32. A Trilogy: Not sure. This category is weird because it means 3 separate books, unless I can find one that all three books are condensed into one. I will probably ask on Facebook for suggestions.
33. A book from your childhood: Not sure about this one. But now that I work in children's, this shouldn't be to hard to find.
34. A book with a love triangle: Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith
This was a weird story and a weird love triangle. But I mainly read it for my book club.
35. A book set in the future: I know this won't be hard to find, though I'm not a HUGE fan of science fiction.
36. A book set in high school: Every Day by David Leviathan
I read this book and this was really the only category available. Of course, it's not hard to fit any YA fiction in this category...and I read a lot of YA!
37. A book with a color in the title: Nothing yet.
38. A book that made you cry: Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern
This is another book club selection and reviewers say it's a mix between John Green and Rainbow Rowell - and I agree. Both authors have made me cry and so this book definitely did. If you read this book and like it, I recommend reading Me Before You by JoJo Moyes. Another book, though not YA that made me cry.
39. A book with magic: Hell Week by Rosemary Clement-Moore
It's the second book in the series where the main character fights off demons and other supernatural creatures.
40. A graphic novel: My co-worker who reads graphic novels suggested Same Difference or Fables.
41. A book by an author you've never read before: I'll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan
This was another book club selection. It was really good and I can't wait to read the sequel (if our library orders it)!
42. A book you own but never read: Oh lordy, there's so many to choose from - we'll see.
43. A book that takes place in your hometown: This one's difficult. Anyone know of any books that take place in Woodbridge, VA? Or Northern Virginia? Maybe I'll cheat and just use Washington, D.C.
44. A book that was originally written in another language: I was thinking Art of War.
45. A book set during Christmas: I'm going to wait until Christmas, but that shouldn't be hard to find, especially since my library has Christmas genre stickers on the book spines.
46. A book by an author who had your same initials: I was thinking something by Elizabeth Berg. But I'll scan the B section in Fiction again for other ideas.
47. A play: That should be easy to pick.
48. A banned book: I'll be sure to look one up.
49. A book based on or turned into a tv show: A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
I just finished this - oh man - way too long for my liking. I also do not recommend listening to it on audiobook. I couldn't remember who was related to whom and there were far too many names. In this situation, my strength lies with vision and actually seeing the character names. But I wanted to read this before I started watching the show!.
50. A book you started but never finished: Oh, there's so so many!
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