Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

This is my second year trying this challenge. This year, I have five more books to go so I'm cutting it pretty close but hopefully I'll complete it. I had a lot of fun planning my 2017 list!

Books Completed:
38/52

Pages Read:


2017 List:
1. A book from the Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Choice Awards 2016
Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton - Read 1/8/17 �
2. A book with at least 2 perspectives (multiple points of view)
A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir - Read 1/28/17 �
3. A book you meant to read in 2016
Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova -Read 10/6/17 �
4. A title that doesn't contain the letter "E"
A Bollywood Affair by Sonali Dev - Read 2/5/17 �
5. A historical fiction
Between Two Fires by Mark Noce - Read 3/13/17 �
6. A book being released as a movie in 2017
The Beguiled by Thomas Cullinan - Read 7/9/17 �
7. A book with an animal on the cover or in the title
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden - Read 1/16/17 �
8. A book written by a person of color
Home by Nnedi Okorafor -Read 4/5/17 �
9. A book in the middle of your To Be Read list
Dark Currents by Jacqueline Carey - Read 3/1/17 �
10. A dual-timeline novel
Paper Chains by Elaine Vickers - Read 11/2/17 �
11. A category from another challenge (Pop Sugar 2017: A steampunk book)
Soulless by Gail Carriger -Read 3/29/17 �
12. A book based on a myth
Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones -Read 9/27/17 �
13. A book recommended by one of your favorite authors
Radio Silence by Alyssa Cole - Read 8/7/17 �
14. A book with a strong female character
Forbidden by Beverly Jenkins -Read 2/13/17 �
15. A book written or set in Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland)
The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald
16. A mystery
A Perilous Undertaking by Deanna Raybourn -Read 4/15/17 �
17. A book with illustrations
Bitch Planet #1 by Kelly Sue DeConnick - Read 5/28/17 �
18. A really long book (600+ pages)
Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey
19. A New York Times best-seller
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
20. A book that you've owned for a while but haven't gotten around to reading
Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn - Read 9/18/17�
21. A book that is a continuation of a book you've already read
A Poisoned Season by Tasha Alexander - Read 5/11/17 �
22. A book by an author you haven't read before
Written in Red by Anne Bishop - Read 4/10/17 �
23. A book from the BBC "The Big Read" list
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - Read 3/31/17 �
24. A book written by at least two authors
These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker and Cindy Anstey - Read 10/1/17 �
25. A book about a famous historical figure
Queen Hereafter: A Novel of Margaret of Scotland by Susan Fraser King
26. An adventure book
Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
27. A book by one of your favorite authors
When a Scot Ties the Knot by Tessa Dare -Read 9/9/17 �
28. A non-fiction
Whoever Fights Monsters: My Twenty Years Tracking Serial Killers for the FBI by Robert K. Ressler -Read 11/1/17 �
29. A book published outside the 4 major publishing houses (Simon & Schuster; HarperCollins; Penguin Random House; Hachette Livre)
The Virtuous Feats of the Indomitable Miss Trafalgar and the Erudite Lady Boone by Geonn Cannon
30. A book from Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Top 100 YA Books
To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han -Read 2/25/17 �
31. A book from a sub-genre of your favorite genre (fantasy)
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs -Read 8/31/17 �
32. A book with a long title (5+ words, excluding subtitle)
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender-Read 11/9/17 �
33. A magical realism novel
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
34. A book set in or by an author from the Southern Hemisphere
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty - Read 6/22/17 �
35. A book where one of the main characters is royalty
A Kiss at Midnight by Eloisa James
36. A Hugo Award winner or nominee
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin -Read 8/25/17 �
37. A book you choose randomly
The Darkness Knows by Cheryl Honigford - Read 2/20/17 �
38. A novel inspired by a work of classic literature
Dear Reader by Mary O'Connell -Read 9/23/17 �
39. An epistolary fiction
Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole
40. A book published in 2017
Florence in Ecstasy by Jessie Chaffee - Read 7/8/17 �
41. A book with an unreliable narrator
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier - Read 3/27/17 �
42. A best book of the 21st century (so far)
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
43. A book with a chilling atmosphere (scary, unsettling, cold)
Affinity by Sarah Waters
44. A recommendation from "What Should I Read Next"
The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
45. A book with a one-word title
Changeless by Gail Carriger
46. A time travel novel
Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness - Read 6/9/17 �
47. A past suggestion that didn't win (A book with a color in the title)
Red as Blood and White as Bone by Theodora Goss -Read 8/30/17 �
48. A banned book
This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki -Read 11/4/17 �
49. A book from someone else's bookshelf
A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn - Read 2/6/17 �
50. A Penguin Modern Classic - any edition
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
51. A collection (e.g. essays, short stories, poetry, plays)
Difficult Women by Roxane Gay - Read 4/21/17 �
52. A book set in a fictional location
The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin -11/3/17 �

Oh, you'll read some of my favorites (Uprooted, The Night Circus, Big Little Lies), I hope you'll enjoy them. We'll share several reads, it seems it's time for us to read Rebecca and Garden Spells :)

Zaz wrote: "Oh, you'll read some of my favorites (Uprooted, The Night Circus, Big Little Lies), I hope you'll enjoy them. We'll share several reads, it seems it's time for us to read Rebecca and Garden Spells :)"

Definitely! I've been wanting to read Rebecca since I saw the Hitchcock film years ago, and I keep hearing that Garden Spells is a must-read.

Rebecca is a wonderful book! I enjoyed the Tad Williams series and a tree grows in Brooklyn. Looks like a great list and gives me inspiration..

Claire wrote: "Rebecca is a wonderful book! I enjoyed the Tad Williams series and a tree grows in Brooklyn. Looks like a great list and gives me inspiration.."

Thanks! I'm looking forward to reading some of these books that have long been on my to-read list but for some reason haven't gotten to yet. This challenge is a good excuse!

Current Challenge Status:

Books Read in January


January Re-Cap
I didn't get to read quite as many books for the challenge as I had planned to. I got a little bogged down in January by starting books that I wasn't really into, and it made it hard to complete the books I chose for the challenge. Of the books in January, only The Bear and the Nightingale stood out as a five-star read to me. Rebel of the Sands showed promise but didn't fully deliver for me, and I didn't really care for A Torch Against the Night, but I really liked the first book in that series so it was quite a bit to live up to. I hope the other books I picked for the challenge hold up to my expectations!!

Current Challenge Status:

Books Read in February


February Re-Cap
I'm still a little behind and doing 3 books a month instead of the 5. I enjoyed 2 out of the 3 I read in February, and I'm still trying to figure out what challenge category to read for next. I might re-work a few things on my list so better suit what I'm in the mood to read. I read one of my challenge books for March, so if I read a few more before the end of the month I'll maintain my current pace. I just need a book vacation to have time to read more!

Stephanie wrote: "Zaz wrote: "Oh, you'll read some of my favorites (Uprooted, The Night Circus, Big Little Lies), I hope you'll enjoy them. We'll share several reads, it seems it's time for us to read Rebecca and Ga..."


Rebecca is one of my old favorites. If any of you do audio books ever, this is a great choice for listening :-)

Tracy wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "Zaz wrote: "Oh, you'll read some of my favorites (Uprooted, The Night Circus, Big Little Lies), I hope you'll enjoy them. We'll share several reads, it seems it's time for us to r..."

That's good to know! I haven't been having much luck with audiobook narrators lately and end up going with the print version.

Stephanie wrote: "Tracy wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "Zaz wrote: "Oh, you'll read some of my favorites (Uprooted, The Night Circus, Big Little Lies), I hope you'll enjoy them. We'll share several reads, it seems it's ti..."

Narrators are hit or miss with audio. Usually I hate them. I loved listening to Rebecca I think more than I loved reading it ( but I think I've read it at least 4 times)

Other audio books that I thought were amazing: Outlander !!!!!, NOS4A2 ( narrated by the actress who plays "Red" on Orange is the New Black), and Close your Eyes Hold Hands :-)

Current Challenge Status:

I decided to be a bit more flexible with sticking to my initial list and swapped out a few books just depending on what I've been able to get a hold of from the library or what I've been in the mood for. I'm trying to have fun with the challenge and not take it too seriously if I end up switching out a book to fill a certain category.

Completed Categories So Far:
1. A book from the Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Choice Awards 2016
2. A book with at least 2 perspectives (multiple points of view)
4. A title that doesn't contain the letter "E"
5. A historical fiction
7. A book with an animal on the cover or in the title
8. A book written by a person of color
9. A book in the middle of your To Be Read list
11. A category from another challenge (Pop Sugar 2017: A steampunk book)
14. A book with a strong female character
22. A book by an author you haven't read before
23. A book from the BBC "The Big Read" list
37. A book you choose randomly
41. A book with an unreliable narrator
49. A book from someone else's bookshelf

Favorite Book So Far From the Challenge:
Probably Rebecca. I fell in love with Daphne du Maurier's writing and the atmosphere of the book!

I have really wanted to read Rebecca since I started actually using GR in 2015. I don't know what's been holding me back. Your mention here has pushed me to go pick up a copy sooner than later. Happy to hear someone else loved it. It's so popular here in different groups. I think it was a mystery/thriller group I seen it in originally and a member felt really strongly about it as well.

Also, congrats on your progress :-))

Amy wrote: "I have really wanted to read Rebecca since I started actually using GR in 2015. I don't know what's been holding me back. Your mention here has pushed me to go pick up a copy sooner than later. Hap..."

I would recommend it! I love the movie so I already knew what would happen plot-wise, but I still found surprises reading the book as far as understanding the characters and their motivations. It's definitely a book I will probably re-read in the future.

I just read Rebecca too, and it was incredible! Daphne du Maurier's writing is so engaging, and the book is so atmospheric. I can see myself re-reading it at some point. I really loved it!

Current Challenge Status: Midway Check-In
I'm a little bit behind schedule (5 books behind to be exact), but I think I can still make it through my list! Most recently my favorite book read for the challenge was Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty.

Completed Categories
1. A book from the Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Choice Awards 2016
2. A book with at least 2 perspectives (multiple points of view)
4. A title that doesn't contain the letter "E"
5. A historical fiction
7. A book with an animal on the cover or in the title
8. A book written by a person of color
9. A book in the middle of your To Be Read list
11. A category from another challenge (Pop Sugar 2017: A steampunk book)
14. A book with a strong female character
16. A mystery
17. A book with illustrations
21. A book that is a continuation of a book you've already read
22. A book by an author you haven't read before
23. A book from the BBC "The Big Read" list
34. A book set in or by an author from the Southern Hemisphere
37. A book you choose randomly
41. A book with an unreliable narrator
46. A time travel novel
49. A book from someone else's bookshelf
51. A collection (e.g. essays, short stories, poetry, plays)

20 Books in 2 Months
Well, I fell a little behind in all of my reading challenges as I moved to L.A. a few months ago then went on a big trip and now am finally settling back into my reading life. I still want to finish this challenge (for once!!) so I'm gearing up to read 20 books in the next 2 months so that I can meet it. I'm changing up a few of the books that meet each challenge but that way I can still read books that I'm in the mood for that also fit the different categories.

So far, I still need to read:
10. A dual-timeline novel
15. A book written or set in Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland)
18. A really long book (600+ pages)
19. A New York Times best-seller
20. A book that you've owned for a while but haven't gotten around to reading
24. A book written by at least two authors
25. A book about a famous historical figure
26. An adventure book
29. A book published outside the 4 major publishing houses (Simon & Schuster; HarperCollins; Penguin Random House; Hachette Livre)
30. A book from Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Top 100 YA Books
32. A book with a long title (5+ words, excluding subtitle)
33. A magical realism novel
35. A book where one of the main characters is royalty
39. An epistolary fiction
42. A best book of the 21st century (so far)
43. A book with a chilling atmosphere (scary, unsettling, cold)
44. A recommendation from "What Should I Read Next"
45. A book with a one-word title
48. A banned book
50. A Penguin Modern Classic - any edition

Well, it's December and I tried my best....

I didn't get quite as close to completing as I might have hoped, and will still try to fit a few more into my reading month. Remaining categories:

15. A book written or set in Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland)
18. A really long book (600+ pages)
19. A New York Times best-seller
26. An adventure book
29. A book published outside the 4 major publishing houses (Simon & Schuster; HarperCollins; Penguin Random House; Hachette Livre)
33. A magical realism novel
35. A book where one of the main characters is royalty
39. An epistolary fiction
42. A best book of the 21st century (so far)
43. A book with a chilling atmosphere (scary, unsettling, cold)
44. A recommendation from "What Should I Read Next"
45. A book with a one-word title
50. A Penguin Modern Classic - any edition

Sadly there are just too many books to read and not enough days left in 2017! The books I'm currently reading don't fit any of the categories and I haven't been in the mood to start any of the ones that I initially planned to read. The ones I at least want to attempt before 2017 is done are:

15. A book written or set in Scandinavia - The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend
26. An adventure book - Dealing with Dragons
33. A magical realism novel - Garden Spells
42. A best book of the 21st century - The Night Circus

We will see how far I get with those before I attempt any more!

I am in the same boat as you! Some of the books I planned to read are too long to complete by the end of the year, and a few I had planned to get from the library (I check for their availability when planning) are no longer there! Other books/categories I am not in the mood for. Oh! And I did too many side reads that didn't fit the categories!

I will keep on reading what I am reading, but my end of the year challenge score won't be what I hoped for.

I loved Garden Spells and it was a super quick read

Tracy wrote: "I loved Garden Spells and it was a super quick read"

I've had it on my to-read list for awhile now and I actually own it so I figure I can squeeze it in before the year is done :)

MJ wrote: "I am in the same boat as you! Some of the books I planned to read are too long to complete by the end of the year, and a few I had planned to get from the library (I check for their availability wh..."

Good to know I'm not alone! I got so close to finishing last year, but this year there were just so many other books that came up that didn't really fit the categories. I work in a library so I end up checking out wayyyy too many books to read at once!

Stephanie wrote: "MJ wrote: "I am in the same boat as you! Some of the books I planned to read are too long to complete by the end of the year, and a few I had planned to get from the library (I check for their avai..."

Omg if I worked in a library I would never see the light of day!! lol

Haha, I've the same problem with the library, I pick stuff that is almost at the bottom of my TBR and don't read what I scheduled.
I also enjoyed a lot Garden Spells, it was an easy and cute read :)

Stephanie wrote: "MJ wrote: "I am in the same boat as you! Some of the books I planned to read are too long to complete by the end of the year, and a few I had planned to get from the library (I check for their avai..."
Stephanie I work in a library as well and I also do the same thing! I tell myself i can read them all and then only read 1 or 2 before they have to be returned.

Stephanie wrote: "MJ wrote: "I am in the same boat as you! Some of the books I planned to read are too long to complete by the end of the year, and a few I had planned to get from the library (I check for their avai..."

Last year? I finished with 3 books left, and then this year I thought I could catch up and read those 3 extra books ON TOP of this year's challenge. I got one crossed off my list. I don't think I will be carrying over my 20+ books I'll have left from this year into 2018!!!

Stephanie and Veronica: I have one term left of my library tech program. I am planning to work in an academic or specialized library, and thus (hopefully)avoid the massive pile of books in my home. I worked as a clerk years ago, and I usually had no less than 20 books stacked around the house. I might have a bit of a problem!

MJ wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "MJ wrote: "I am in the same boat as you! Some of the books I planned to read are too long to complete by the end of the year, and a few I had planned to get from the library (I ch..."

That's exciting that you're finishing your program soon! I worked in a college library before and I didn't have an issue with checking out such huge piles of books then so you should be safe :)

Veronica wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "MJ wrote: "I am in the same boat as you! Some of the books I planned to read are too long to complete by the end of the year, and a few I had planned to get from the library (I ch..."

The library worker TBR pile struggle is real! Plus I just started a job where I get to do material selection which means I have to read all kinds of books for "work" aka I just want to read them and justify having huge piles of books around my apartment.