Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

One quarter down; three to go! Let's check in to see how everyone's doing.

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal?

2. Which book was your favorite?

3. Least favorite?

4. Who's your favorite new author?

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter?

1. 16 - behind goal (though no idea why its telling me i've only read 15)

2. The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman

3.Grumpy Old Men: The Secret Diary by Stuart Prebble

4. probably stephen king (just started getting into his books so hope this counts because he's more or less new to me as struggled to read a couple of his books when i was younger)and john green

5.The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman - not usually a graphic novel person but really enjoyed this book in the sense that it was moving

6. n/a - just enjoy reading whatever catches my attention for fun.

1. 32, ahead of goal. There are graphic novels counted in there, though.

2. Anathem, absolutely - although this has been a very high quality reading quarter which also included things like Thinking, Fast and Slow and Ancillary Justice.

3. There haven't been any huge thumb-down reads, really - I can't exactly complain that The Art of War didn't hold a lot of surprises for me. I was a bit disappointed by The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America, but I'm okay with having spent the time reading it.

4. Ann Leckie, Brandon Sanderson and Shirley Jackson.

5. Hmm - I had a couple of big Neal Stephenson reads in these months, and as a long-time fan I can't exactly claim surprise, but I keep rediscovering how funny he is. And it's nice to be giggling through thousand page long books featuring abstract mathematics, the antics of Leibniz and Newton, quantum physics, the removal of kidney stones in pre-anasthetic times, and so on.

Also surprised by how dewy-eyed it's possible to get over a graphic novel biography of Feynman.

6. The Zodiac quarterly challenge, probably? I prefer the quarterlies, usually.

Aj wrote: "1. 16 - behind goal (though no idea why its telling me i've only read 15)"

I've found that usually means it somehow didn't get an end date posted. Check your read list to see if that's the problem.

1. I'm at 54, one ahead of goal. I seem to just barely keep there, but I'd rather enjoy my books than speed through them.

2. Burial Rites by Hannah Kent. Excellent historical fiction. And for humor I loved One of Our Thursdays Is Missing by Jasper Fforde. This series is just so inventive and fun!!

3. Light in August by William Faulkner for my f2f bookclub. In a word: Boring. I had higher hopes for it.

4. I'd have to say Hannah Kent because she's new to me and the author of the book I liked best this quarter.

5. Not sure there were any surprises.

6. I enjoyed Dewey Decimal (almost finished) and Around the World (4 to go) for year-round challenges. For quarterly/monthly challenges, I'd say the Chinese Zodiac was my favorite.

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal?
22 books. I'm ahead of my goal, but all through January and half of February I was really behind

2. Which book was your favorite?
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

3. Least favorite?
Mother, Mother by Koren Zailckas

4. Who's your favorite new author?
Pamela Erens, Anthony Burgess and Chuck Palahniuk

5. What was the biggest surprise for you?
How good An Inspector Calls was. We had to read it for school so I thought it'd be terrible but I really enjoyed it. I was also surprised by how little I liked American Gods by Neil Gaiman.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter?
I like the Randomiser challenge and the Monopoly challenge, even though they are yearly ones.

1. I've read 14 books, and I'm behind on my goal. I think April will be a great month for me to catch-up though.

2. I'm tied on favorite books: Code Zero by Jonathan Maberry (because I'm such a huge fan of the series) and Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. Was pleasantly surprised at how much I loved this book.

3. The Boy Who Sneaks in My Bedroom Window by Kirsty Moseley.

4. Rainbow Rowell

5. Honestly, how great Fangirl was. I thought it was just going to be a fluffy quick read, but it turned into a lot more to me.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter? N/A

1. 13. I am 5 books ahead of my goal right now. I might have up raise it later!

2. I didnt have a book that was knock your socks off good but if I had to pick it would either be 50 shades of grey or Safe Haven.

3. Either the short book about Daniel Boone or Stories of Great Inventors. I read a lot of little books to start off the year.

4. I really like EL James and Charlaine Harris

5. That I actually got through Les Miserables (I finished it the first few days of the year) and that I really loved 50 shades of grey!

6. I am just doing the yearly challenges and I am doing the 2nd quarter challenges too. I really like the listopia one.

LynnB wrote: "Aj wrote: "1. 16 - behind goal (though no idea why its telling me i've only read 15)"

I've found that usually means it somehow didn't get an end date posted. Check your read list to see if that's..."

sorted! i think it was because there was no start date

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal?
I read 24 books, which currently puts me 10 books ahead of schedule to meet my goal.

2. Which book was your favorite?
I can't choose just one! I loved Gone with the Wind, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making and Oryx and Crake.

3. Least favorite?
The Nose and I was really disappointed by Telegraph Avenue

4. Who's your favorite new author?
Not new new, but new to me -- Catherynne M Valente! I absolutely adore the Fairyland series!

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)
That I was able to read so many books, including some pretty hefty classics.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter?
I liked the Chinese Zodiac Challenge best, but I have to give props to February's Explorations in Love Challenge because I think it's the one that pushed me out of my comfort zone the most.

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal? I'm at 73/225 which makes me 17 books ahead of schedule.

2. Which book was your favorite? One of my favorites was The Buddha in the Attic

3. Least favorite? I think Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell was the most disappointing for me.

4. Who's your favorite new author? New to me or New author in general? New to me would probably be Julie Otsuka. I'm not sure I read any debut authors yet.

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!) That I've gotten so far in my goal.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter? Hmm. The Chinese Zodiac one was pretty good.

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal?

24 read. Ahead of my goal so far.

2. Which book was your favorite?

The Night Circus

3. Least favorite?

Uglies

4. Who's your favorite new author?

Erin Morgenstern

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)

Until a discussion on female writers I was unaware of how many of my 5 star books were by women even though I'm an equal ops reader.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter?

I'm loving the goodreads authors challenge. Who knew there were so many?

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal?
62 books so far, 37 books ahead of schedule

2. Which book was your favorite?
The Cabinet of Curiosities by Douglas Preston
Very dark and gothic

3. Least favorite?
The Difference Engine by William Gibson
I just couldn't get into it even though I like reading other books from the same genre (steampunk)

4. Who's your favorite new author?
Helene Wecker (not sure if she's still considered new)

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)
That I can keep up on completing the challenges in this group.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter?
Recommended by Reading Challengers. Many awesome books in it's listopia.

1. How many books did you read?
31 - slightly ahead of schedule

2. Which book was your favorite?
Revolutionary Road, Richard Yates

3. Least favorite?
Swann's Way Everytime I wrote like this I got a D.

3. Who's your favorite new author?
John Irving- not exactly new &
Katherine Rue, who i read for my son's book club

4. What was the biggest surprise for you?
Although it was difficult to get into with such a huge cast of characters, George Eliot's Middlemarch gets better through the end. I'm looking forward to reading it again at some point.

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal? - 22 books, about three books behind schedule

2. Which book was your favorite? - The Rosie Project

3. Least favorite? - Lonesome Dove

4. Who's your favorite new author? - Graeme Simpson

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!) - The Divorce Papers

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter? - I really liked the Chinese New Year challenge

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal? I've completed 30 books, which puts me 12 ahead of schedule.

2. Which book was your favorite? It's really hard to pick just one. I really loved And the Mountains Echoed, but I thought In the Shadow of the Banyan and The Rosie Project were great too.

3. Least favorite? A Crime Unfit to Be Named

4. Who's your favorite new author? Jerrie Brock. She wrote Something Taken about a young girl abused by a corrupt cop, and has a sequel that I haven't gotten to yet, but will, very soon!

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!) I still don't like A Catcher in the Rye! I had thought that maybe I would like it better now than I did as a teenager, but no, I hated it again. ;-)

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter? Definitely, Lilac's Rainbow Challenge. It was so much fun seeing all the different rainbows that people made, and I read some really good books in the process!

1. How many books did you read? I have read 16 books so far. And have several on the go. Are you on pace with your goal? I am one book ahead of my goal. At one point I was 4 books ahead but some nonfiction books slowed me down.

2. Which book was your favourite? That is a hard one. I enjoyed We Are Water and The Ocean at the End of the Lane. I have a lot of 4 star books.

3. Least favourite? This is easier. Runaway and The Cat's Table

4. Who's your favorite new author? Neil Gaiman

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!) The book Perfume: The Story of a Murderer surprised me a lot. It was nothing what I expected it to be. I was expecting a kind of Jack the Ripper kind of book. I don't know why I thought that, I just did. I didn't expect the beautiful writing and the empathy I would feel towards the main character. Nothing in the book was what I was expecting.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter? I am really enjoying the yearly challenges. I think the Monopoly challenge is my favourite and I love the Listopia challenge. For the non-yearly challenges. I really like The Chinese Zodiac Challenge.

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal? Yes, I am two ahead right now.

2. Which book was your favorite?
Storm Cycle

3. Least favorite?
W is for Wasted

4. Who's your favorite new author?
Jo Nesbø

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)
Not sure what is meant by this question.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter?
I liked the Lilac Challenge.

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal?
39, so I'm ahead of pace

2. Which book was your favorite?
To Kill a Mockingbird, but I had several five-star books.

3. Least favorite?
I actually read a lot of good ones last quarter. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier was probably the worst.

4. Who's your favorite new author?
Katherine Applegate

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)
Watchmen. Never thought I'd like a graphic novel.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter?
I liked the Chinese New Year challenge.

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal? I read 23 books, and I'm two books behind on my goal according to the homepage tracker. I keep trying to catch up, but so far I've just been keeping pace. That doesn't bother me too much, though.

2. Which book was your favorite? No book stands out as an absolute favorite, partially because I read several good books. I'd probably have to go with The Book Thief.

3. Least favorite? The Secret Life of Pronouns: What Our Words Say About Us.

4. Who's your favorite new author? Stieg Larssen.

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!) I joined this group at the end of last year, and I have to say I'm a little surprised by how well challenges keep me motivated to read wonderful books. I'm also reading books that have been on my TBR list for ages, but that I wouldn't necessarily prioritize on my own. I like to think that my reading horizons were already pretty broad, but this group is making my reading even more fulfilling.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter? The Chinese Zodiac challenge was fantastic!

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal? 23 books so far. Slightly behind pace, but okay with that.

2. Which book was your favorite? The Golem and the Jinni but there were several 5 stars. It has been a good quarter!

3. Least favorite? The Time Keeper Not quite a 1 star, but I really disliked it.

4. Who's your favorite new author?
Too early to tell. I have to read at least 2 books from an author to get a good feel for their writing, but Edward P. Jones , Jennifer Clement, and Helene Wecker are strong contenders.

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!) The things in Nina Simone's autobiography I Put a Spell on You: The Autobiography of Nina Simone dropped my jaw several times

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter?

I am doing annual ones. The Member Recommended one is great!

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal?

18, so I’m actually 6 ahead of my goal. But this is my first time doing this so its all a learning curve this year.

2. Which book was your favorite?

Out of the books I hadn’t read before it would have to be Daughter of Smoke and Bone, I had been looking to read it for ages and finally got round to it. I was not disappointed.

3. Least favorite?

Lord of the Flies, hands down one of the worst books I had ever read will not be reading it again.

4. Who's your favorite new author?

Probably have to be Neil Gaimen, I loved my first read of him in American Godsand I have just started Stardust and I’m loving that too.

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)

I’d have to say the biggest surprise was the Hunger Games Trilogy, I’m still undecided about how much I like or dislike it. After what I heard about it having such a strong female lead I think I expected more and was very surprised at how off character the author went in the second book making romances out of thin air.

6. What was your favourite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter?

This was the first time I have taken part in the challenges I managed to complete the Daylight Savings Challenge even though I only thought I would manage two.

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal?

I have read 15 books so far. 8 books ahead of schedule.

2. Which book was your favorite?

The Fault in Our Stars

3. Least favorite?

Wednesday Wars. It was a book club pick. I would not have chosen it for myself.

4. Who's your favorite new author?

John Green

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)

How much I liked The Rosie Project.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter?

The Listopia Challenge. I need to get back to it, but I have plenty of time since I only picked 5 books to read and I have read 2 so far.

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal? yes, 35 with manga

2. Which book was your favorite? And the Mountains Echoed

3. Least favorite? too many, I am really bad picking books

4. Who's your favorite new author? Khaled Hosseini

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!) how much pressure I can take those challenges and reading basically. Sometimes reading feels like job, they are too many books I wanna read (usually same time, of course) And on the other hand, how much I like Agatha Christie books, maybe my sister reads some good books too

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter? I have done just group read but really interested to try those challenges (they are sounds so amazing) on April

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal?
I'm on pace with my goal. I read 14 books so far.

2. Which book was your favorite?
Black Mamba Boy

3. Least favorite?
I very easily give up on a book even when I have read half of it; so my ratings are seldom lower than three as I read only books that keep me interested. Nonetheless The Snow Child was a bit of a dissappointment. I even scanned through one chapter.

4. Who's your favorite new author?
Read the first in the Smiley's series and became aware I like to read all books in this series by John Le Carré.

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)
1984 surprised me and was actually the first real SF I read. SF is a genre I so far only read in comics.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter?
I like all the challenges I'm participating in.

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal? I have read 28 books which puts me ahead by a couple of books on my goal which is good.

2. Which book was your favorite? I've read lots of great books this quarter. Burial Rites closely followed by The Golem and the Jinni

3. Least favorite? Watched: When Road Rage Follows You Home

4. Who's your favorite new author? I started some new series so China Miéville and Scott Lynch

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!) I managed to read 5 books in one week which is an all time personal best.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter? I've not participated in too many this quarter so Lilac's Rainbow Quarter Challenge

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal?
I've read 33 books out of my 75. 14 books ahead of schedule.

2. Which book was your favorite?
I've rated 5 books with 5 stars so far this year. But I think my ultimate favourite has to be The Sunne in Splendour

3. Least favorite?
The Guardian was absolutely terrible.

4. Who's your favorite new author?
Melody Anne is a new favourite as well as Agatha Christie who I'd heard of but had never read before. I am eagerly looking forward to more from these new to me authors.

What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)
That I read 7 books in 1 week.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter?
I enjoyed both the Rainbow Challenge and the Chinese Zodiac challenge. It was fun finding books to fit in with the cirteria of the Zodiac. And I liked the pretty colours from the Rainbow challenge.

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal?
I read 15 books and I'm 5 books ahead of my schedule.

2. Which book was your favorite?
Mort, A Game of Thrones and The Rosie Project

3. Least favorite?
Blogging for Dummies.

4. Who's your favorite new author?
Ari Paulow

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)
That I managed to read so many books in 3 months. During past few years I've been reading around 20 books in a year, 24 last year.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter?
Chinese zodiac

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal? I read 59 books which put me 10 books ahead of my goal.

2. Which book was your favorite? The Fault in Our Stars with Soulless and Influx as runners up.

3. Least favorite? Tangled -- That was torture being stuck in that main character's head for 200+ pages. Bleh.

4. Who's your favorite new author? Patrick Rothfuss

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!) Even though everyone had been praising The Fault in our Stars, I hadn't wanted to read it because I thought it would be depressing. So I was thoroughly surprised by how much I ended up loving it. It had funny moments and sweet moments, not all sad.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter? Chinese Zodiac

1. I've read 14, which is 8 ahead of schedule :)
2. Favourite book so far: The Book Thief
3. Least favourite: The Fault in Our Stars
4. Favourite new author: Martin Zusak
5. Biggest surprise: that I underestimated how many books I could read in this time!
6. Favourite challenge - easily Lilac's Rainbow, combining two of my passions, reading and graphic design.

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal?
I read 36 which means I'm ahead of my goal, but I always anticipated needing to increase my goal at some point later in the year, unless something untoward happens to restrict my reading.

2. Which book was your favorite?
Me Before You

3. Least favorite?
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Six Other Stories

4. Who's your favorite new author?
Colleen McCullough

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)
How much I enjoyed the book, Sister of My Heart - I expected it might be rather trite, but it was very well written.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter?
I didn't participate in any monthly or quarterly challenges, but am enjoying the yearly Listopia challenge

Seeing this a bit late-

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal? 41 (including a few days of April). Ahead of goal right now :)

2. Which book was your favorite?

3. Least favorite? :p

4. Who's your favorite new author? Robin Sloan

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!) Finishing this up today and wow, what a book!

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter? So far I'm loving the Around the World challenge, because it's making me read books I normally would not read :)

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal?

18 - ahead of my goal

2. Which book was your favorite?

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

3. Least favorite?

White Teeth by Zadie Smith

4. Who's your favorite new author?

It would be between Helene Wecker and Diane Setterfield

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)

How much I'm enjoying becoming more active in this group, before I've just used the group to scout around and steal good book ideas but I'm currently involved in 3 yearly challenges and am now getting involved in the book of the month nominations and polls.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter?

The randomiser challenge is a fun one, it takes some of the choice out of my hands and is making me read books that I've forgotten about buried among the ever increasing TBR list.

1. I read 14 books in Q1. So far I'm out pacing my goal but I generally read more in the winter. I'm hoping I can keep up the momentum throughout the year!

2. The Fault in Our Stars

3.Secret Daughter

4. John Green

5. I've been trying to read more books that I normally wouldn't and I've had a few nice surprises. It's always good to get out of to to your comfort zone.

6. I really enjoyed lilacs rainbow challenge! It was nice to see your rainbow at the end

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal?

I've read 28 out of 65 books--I'm 11 ahead! If I read 64 books way before December, I'll up my goal.

2. Which book was your favorite?

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft---an absolutely fascinating book that I encourage all people who want to write to read!!

3. Least favorite?

Philomena: A Mother, Her Son, and a Fifty-Year Search--It doesn't match its movie at all and it isn't even really about Philomena!! Ugh, just no. Glad I only paid $2.

4. Who's your favorite new author?

Joyce Dennys--the two books I read by her--Henrietta's War: News from the Home Front 1939-1942 and Henrietta Sees It Through: More News from the Home Front 1942-1945--were charming!

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)

I was surprised that I enjoyed The Martian so much. Yeah, there was a lot of science, but the story was so compelling!

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter?

The Marathon Challenge is the only non-yearly challenge that I did in the first quarter, but I enjoyed it.

One quarter down; three to go! Let's check in to see how everyone's doing.

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal?
27, yes 2 ahead

2. Which book was your favorite?


3. Least favorite? Thought the author went off on his own agenda sometimes


4. Who's your favorite new author?Mariah Stewart

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)
Probably the fact that I actually read non-fiction books!

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter? I liked the first quarter Boxed Set challenge that helped get started on the yearly boxed set challenge. I also really liked starting two yearly challenges - the A-Z Character Challenge and the From Fiction to Reality - that one got me reading more non-fiction than I normally would.

I saw two challenges that I don't remember being part of the group, did I miss something?

Chinese Zodiac
Lilac's Rainbow Challenge

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal?

I ended up reading 34 books which is WAY more than I needed to in order to complete my challenge goal of 52 by the end of the year. However, I feel like I am right on target to complete all of the yearly challenges I have set for myself, so I am very happy with maintaining this level of reading speed.

2. Which book was your favorite?

There is just no competition- The Help. This book was SO FREAKING GOOD! If you haven't read it, you definitely should.

3. Least favorite?

Omon Ra- the writing style wasn't my cup of tea and the ending was extremely confusing.

4. Who's your favorite new author?

Either Kathryn Stockett or Deborah Harkness- I will be looking for more books from both of them next year.

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)

I am really surprised how easy it is for me to polish off ten or more books a month when this time last year I wasn't reading any, really. I was so focused on my writing that I forgot to read. I am very pleased with how much that has changed in such a short period of time.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter?

I was all about the "Build Your Own Boxed Set" Challenge. That was the one that got the most creative juices flowing and encouraged me to read the most off of my challenge list that I have created. I liked that I could mold it to fit my other reading goals easily but it made me feel smarter for being able to do it.

Sharon wrote: "I saw two challenges that I don't remember being part of the group, did I miss something?

Chinese Zodiac
Lilac's Rainbow Challenge"

This thread started in 2014, so those are probably challenges from a different year.

I'm bored at work, so I went looking through the old threads and decided to revive this one since the 1st quarter of 2016 just ended.

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal?
21 (about to finish 22nd book). Yea, over halfway to my goal!!

2. Which book was your favorite?
There’s a few that I really enjoyed:
Lady Midnight
Challenger Deep
The 5th Wave
Yes Please

3. Least favorite?
I was actually really disappointed in this book :( I was expecting so much more
Secret Brother

4. Who's your favorite new author?
Rainbow Rowell

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)
I didn’t think I was going to enjoy The 5th Wave but I ended up loving it!

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter?
I am doing a few right now that are year long. So right now my favourite would be the Pop Sugar Challenge. Definitely reading books I normally wouldn’t read

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal? 22. I am so far ahead that I have increased my goal to 60

2. Which book was your favorite? Morning Star by Pierce Brown. So good, it will be hard to find a better book this year

3. Least favorite? City of Bones by Cassandra Clare.

4. Who's your favorite new author? Pierce Brown. Although I did really like him before this quarter.

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!) War and Peace was actually quite an easy read for a Russian translation over 1000 pages long. I managed to read it in about 3 weeks

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any this quarter? I liked the reread challenge in February because it inspired me to revisit Middle Earth and revise my opinion of it

Kara wrote: "One quarter down; three to go! Let's check in to see how everyone's doing.

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal?

2. Which book was your favorite?

3. Least favorite?

4...."

1. So far I have read 37 books, and Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ says that I am 11 books ahead of schedule.

2. Stillness and Speed: My Story

3. The Defence. For a debut novel it wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either - at the best of times the writing was very predictable.

4. Scott Mariani. His Ben Hope series is fantastic! I read two books in a row and loved them, with Scott releasing a new book in a month's time - yippee!

5. The Darkest Day.

6. I haven't participated in any challenges so this is a N/A answer from me.

This thread is just a tad bit old, but it sounds fun!

1. How many books did you read? 7
Are you on pace with your goal? yes

2. Which book was your favorite? Cinder

3. Least favorite?
See Me by Nicholas Sparks. It's not a bad book but I've read better this year, and it's not Sparks' best.

4. Who's your favorite new author?
Danielle Paige! She is the author of the Dorothy Must Die series! It's YA but I don't care. I'm hooked on the books and novellas.

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!) That I read Cinder in under a week. It usually takes me about 3 weeks to finish a book.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter?
I didn't do a quarterly challenge but I'm currently doing the A to Z Character Edition Challenge. It's fun to reminisce on characters.

There's certainly no problem in resurrecting it!

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal?
I've read 37/150 books so far, making me 2 books behind Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ' suggested pace. I've read several long books, though, so I think I'll be able to catch up.

2. Which book was your favorite?
The Way of Kings, hands down.

3. Least favorite?
My one 2-star review so far is First Family which suffered from a completely unbelievable plot. Another disappointment was The Phoenix Endangered because I love the world so much, but this middle book of a middle trilogy was a bit of a mess.

4. Who's your favorite new author?
Brandon Sanderson.

5. What was the biggest surprise for you?
The leap day challenge was unexpectedly fun, and I picked a fantastic story in Silently and Very Fast.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter?
The Box Set challenge was great. I enjoyed putting together books by theme and it helped me knock out some books that have been on my shelf for way too long.

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal?
I'm on 77 books so far out of 180, which right not puts me at a slightly ludicrous 30 books ahead of schedule.

2. Which book was your favorite?
There's too many to pick from; I can't decide! If only I could list them all. I did give 5/5 to Waiting for Godot, Back From the Brink: The Autobiography, Watchmen, and Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore this year though, so one of those?

3. Least favorite?
Probably The Woggle-Bug Book. To be fair though, I didn't actually need to read it. I just thought I did.

4. Who's your favorite new author?
No idea, honestly. If I could only list them all again. Except for Watchmen, all my five-star books were by authors who were new to me though.

5. What was the biggest surprise for you?
That I actually like challenges and more directed reading! I dabbled in them last year, but I took part way more this year (I even made some up for myself), even if I still can't bring myself to go for too many monthly ones. I need that sweet spot of not being too constrained, you know? Adding to that, I feel like what I read this year as a result is way more cultured and distinguished, which I know sounds snobby as heck, and not that there was anything wrong with what I read last year, but now I'm kind of looking back and shaking my head with mild bemusement at myself. It's no big deal though. :)

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter?
Either I Spy or Around the World; though I didn't get much done in either of them, because they really struck that balance of constrained freedom for me, plus I like the idea of spreading myself around the world. I want to get a good bit further in those two in particular this quarter, but I'm also relishing the prospect of absolutely destroying the Award Winning Books challenge as well. Here's hoping. ^^

One quarter down; three to go! Let's check in to see how everyone's doing.

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal?
39/60 which is 24 ahead of goal, I've already increased my goal once this year, and I think I'm about to do it again.

2. Which book was your favorite?
Honestly, I haven't had a favorite. There isn't one book that I could really think about picking up again. I did really like From My Sisters' Lips and The Butterfly Mosque: A Young American Woman's Journey to Love and Islam, but I read those more so I could have suggestions for other people when they ask me about women in Islam. I'll never read them again.

3. Least favorite?
For sure, The Metamorphosis of a Muslim: Autobiography of My Conversion. I read this book for the same reason as I read the two above, and it was the exactly the opposite of the kind of book I would recommend to someone who wants to know something about women in Islam.

4. Who's your favorite new author?
G. Willow Wilson. To quote my friend who has also read her, "her writing is yummy!"

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)
That I like graphic novels. I have read a couple in the past as part of a challenge or book club, but now I'm choosing to read them on my own because I want to.

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter?
Most defiantly the Leap Day Challenge. It was so fun to see everyone get excited and list their books, and then complete their goal! Plus I got to read a book I would have never picked on my own, Silently and Very Fast.

It's was an awesome 1st quarter guys!

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal? 59 as of the end of March

2. Which book was your favorite?The Girl In The Ice AMAZING

3. Least favorite?Fatal Vision I love true crime but my god this book made me MAD too long and just too much!

4. Who's your favorite new author?Emancipation

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!) That I was able to read so much and enjoy most of it!

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter? I lead both quarterly challenges and loved them both

A fun idea to revive this :) I do monthly round ups on my thread, but I like the idea of a quarterly one too.


1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal?
37 books, putting me 12 books ahead of schedule. I may up my goal later on in the year, but it's always nice to have a buffer zone for busier times.

2. Which book was your favourite?
I've read 4 five star books, but I think top favourite was probably Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, very closely followed by A Darker Shade of Magic.

3. Least favourite?
The Goddess Within just really was not for me!

4. Who's your favourite new author?
Not sure. Though I'd like to read more Haruki Murakami.

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)
How much I enjoyed reading all sorts of historical fiction during the February Times Gone By challenge. I hit 7/9 time periods (out of an original goal of 5) and I think found a new genre that I now like!

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter?
February Times Gone By. As mentioned above I found a lot of books that surprised me, and I loved the 'constraint' of finding books within specific time zones.

Q1

1. How many books did you read? Are you on pace with your goal?
29 books in Q1, but 2 more finished day after. Yes, I'm on track. A bit slower right now with a lot on my mind with a sick cat, but I have 4 books or something ahead so it is still on track :)

2. Which book was your favorite?
To be honest there were many great ones, but I will have to say maybe The Martian or Throne of Glass for the non-rereads

3. Least favorite?
Gift, Alexander Kielland, this Norwegian classic hasn't aged well.

4. Who's your favorite new author?
Sarah J. Maas.

5. What was the biggest surprise for you? (Open to interpretation!)
The Martian, threw me on a major bookhangover!

6. What was your favorite challenge in this group if you participated in any in the first quarter?
I love most of them ecxept maybe the non-fiction, but that's just because I don't read them too much.

Emily wrote: "Sharon wrote: "I saw two challenges that I don't remember being part of the group, did I miss something?

Chinese Zodiac
Lilac's Rainbow Challenge"

This thread started in 2014, so those are proba..."
Emily I didn't even look at the dates in the thread, just thought Kara sent out a review for the quarter! That explains why some of the challenges sounded familiar but I knew they weren't ones from this quarter