Up until this year, the only reading challenge I've ever done was the Goodreads challenge. I thought I'd branch out a (teeny) bit more this year, so I'm including the Popsugar 2015 Reading Challenge and the 2015 Book Blog Discussion Challenge hosted by Feed Your Fiction Addiction and It Starts at Midnight. I'd be lying if I told you that I wasn't at all nervous, but I am definitely game.
My Goodreads challenge for last year was 52, but I ended up reading 68 books. This year, since I'm no longer in school and (in theory) have more time at my disposal, I decided to challenge myself to reading 100 books. I've already finished one, and I'm more than halfway into the next, so I feel pretty good about my start so far.
Some of the ideas I have for discussion posts:
- Time management as it relates to blogging/reading/real life
- Books turned into movies
- ARCs
- Reading/book soundtracks
- Keeping track of my TBR/Goodreads shelves
This one is the most daunting, but I took every single one of these books from my TBR lists, so that should help keep me from feeling overwhelmed. Here's what I've got planned so far, although I have zero qualms about changing my mind at any point throughout the year:
A book with more than 100 pages: Grave Mercy by Robin LaFeversread 1/2/15- A classic romance: Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
- A book that become a movie: Queen of the Tearling (cheating a little since this hasn't been released yet...but it is in development! If this doesn't look like it's going anywhere, I'll substitute this for something more appropriate.)
- A book published this year: First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen
- A book with a number in the title: 99 Days by Katie Cotugno
A book written by someone under 30: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafiread 1/30/15- A book with nonhuman characters: Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman
- A funny bok: Yes, Please by Amy Poehler
- A book by a female author: Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout
- A mystery or thriller: In the Woods by Tana French
- A book with a one-word title: Sabriel by Garth Nix
- A book of short stories: The Assassin's Blade - Sarah J. Maas (I know novellas and short stories are not the same thing but this is as close as I'm likely to get to short stories.)
- A book set in a different country: Forbidden by Kimberley Griffiths Little
- A nonfiction book: Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth
- A popular author's first book: Sheltering Rain by Jojo Moyes
- A book from an author you love that you haven't read yet: Deep Blue by Jennifer Donnelly
- A book a friend recommended: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
- A Pulitzer Prize-winning book: Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
- A book based on a true story: The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
- A book at the bottom of your to-read list: Atonement by Ian McEwen (I've seen the movie, and I know I don't like how this ends, but I'm going to read it anyway now.)
- A book your mom loves: The Color Purple by Alice Walker
- A book that scares you: The Likeness by Tana French
- A book more than 100 years old: The Sonnets by Shakespeare
- A book based entirely on its cover: The Princess in the Opal Mask by Jenny Lundquist
- A book you were supposed to read in school but didn't: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos (I actually wrote my senior thesis on this book....but never finished the back half. Still got an A *pats self on back*)
- A memoir: Wild by Cheryl Strayed
- A book you can finish in a day: The List by Siobhan Vivian
- A book with antonyms in the title: Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
A book set somewhere you've always wanted to visit: Wicked by Jennifer L. Armentrout (NOLA, baby!)read 1/5/15- A book that came out the year you were born: Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood
- A book with bad reviews: The Uninvited Guest by Sadie Jones (I went through my TBR and found a book with the lowest average rating: 2.98. Not super low, but low enough that I might not have made it a priority otherwise.)
- A trilogy: The Mara Dyer Trilogy by Michelle Hodkin
- A book from your childhood: Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (a favorite re-read)
- A book with a love triangle: Shadow & Bone by Leigh Bardugo
- A book set in the future: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
- A book set in high school: P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han
- A book with a color in the title: Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen
- A book that made you cry: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (I only cried during two books last year, so this is difficult to predict, but I did do a bit of research. If I don't cry, I'll keep looking for a tear-jerker)
- A book with magic: Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
- A graphic novel: Soulless: The Manga, Vol. 1 by Gail Carriger
A book by an author you've never read before: The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoskiread 1/30/15- A book you own but have never read: Possession by A. S. Byatt
- A book that takes place in your hometown: Delirium, Lauren Oliver [Portland, ME] (I'm not originally from Maine, but I've lived in and/or near Portland for the last 11 years).
- A book that was originally written in a different language: Grimm's Fairy Tales
- A book set during Christmas: Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle
- A book written by an author with your same initials: Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan (different middle initial, but still SB!)
- A play: Much Ado About Nothing by Shakespeare
- A banned book: Flowers in the Attic by V. C. Andrews
- A book based on or turned into a TV show: Mr. Kiss and Tell by Rob Thomas [based on Veronica Mars, aka the best thing ever]
- A book you started but never finished: The Book Thief by Markus Zuzak
And there you have it! These are 52 of the books that are going toward my goal of 100 books to read in 2015!
Are you doing any challenges? Have you done challenges in the past? If so, what were your thoughts/do you have any advice?
Good luck with your challenges this year, Sarah. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you!!
DeleteThis is amazing and you're so detailed about it! GO YOU! I've joined up to quite a few challenges, mostly a bookish bingo and the goodreads challenge and also a Fairy Tale retelling challenge! I'M EXCITED! I hadn't done any challenges before this year (apart from Goodreads) so I'm keen to see if I can stick to them all. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by @ Paper Fury!
Good luck on your challenges!
DeleteGood luck with your challenges! It's so sad to say that I probably haven't picked up a single book this year. Reading is definitely something I need to get back on, it's quite motivating seeing your reading goals :)
ReplyDeletebecky ♡ star violet
Thank you! Everybody in my family reads a lot, so I didn't have much of a choice :)
DeleteI really REALLY want to read Wicked by Jennifer L Armentrout! It seems awesome but I don't know what people think about it. And go you for trying the challenge! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI liked it! I thought it was about a 3.5. I was glad I read it, but it's not a book I'll find myself re-reading over and over. I'll definitely keep going with the series.
DeleteI wanted to join some challenges this year too but alas, college. Like you, I usually do the Goodreads challenge though. I'm really liking the looks of Popsugar challenge though, seems fun! Good luck with all of these!
ReplyDeleteThis is my first year free from college, and I am sooooo enjoying having the time to read for pleasure! I don't think I've read this much since I was in high school.
DeleteWhoa, good luck on the challenges! It's so cool that you're doing this. They look really scary but I'm sure you'll manage :)
ReplyDeleteI wish you luck on your challenge. I'm hoping to finally sign up for some next year, I just didn't have the time in 2015 :(
ReplyDeleteNice challenges!! I'm doing the discussion one and the goodreads challenge. Good luck on the Popsugar check list one! :D
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