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PERSONAL CHALLENGES > Elora's Challenges 2016

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message 1: by Elora (last edited Jan 01, 2016 10:16AM) (new)

Elora Mitchell | 578 comments For 2016, I'd like to:

1. Read each of the Hidden Gems books.

2. Read a series I haven't read before.

3. Read something outside of my comfort zone.

Finally, I'd like to read a total of 30 books I haven't read before. :)


message 2: by Heidi (new)

Heidi | 6961 comments Mod
Good start!


message 3: by Brigid � (new)

Brigid ✩ | 2471 comments Mod
Nice goals, Elora! :D


message 4: by Elora (last edited Jun 11, 2016 07:49AM) (new)

Elora Mitchell | 578 comments Hidden Gems:

Jan: Erebos 5 epic stars
Feb: Bone Gap 5 stars--Loved it!
Mar: Wolf By Wolf 5 stars of awesomesauce
Apr: Tithe DNF
May: Free read month
June: Slayers 3 stars
July:
Aug:
Sept:
Oct:
Nov:
Dec:

Read a series I haven't read before: DONE

1. Illusive
2. Deceptive

1. Daughter of Smoke & Bone
2.Days of Blood & Starlight
3.Dreams of Gods & Monsters

Graceling (see DNFs below)

Read something outside of my comfort zone: DONE
1. Heist Society
2. Uncommon Criminals
3. Perfect Scoundrels

Read a total of 36 books I haven't read before:

1. Flip
2. Illusive
3. Deceptive
4. Bone Gap
5. Daughter of Smoke & Bone
6. Beastly Bones
7. The Rest of Us Just Live Here
8. Days of Blood & Starlight
9. Dreams of Gods & Monsters
10. Strings
11. Red Rising
12. The Knife of Never Letting Go
13. The Ask and the Answer
14. A Monster Calls
15. Monsters of Men
16. Heist Society
17. Uncommon Criminals
18. Perfect Scoundrels
19. Holes
20. Wolf By Wolf
21. Golden Son
22. Unwind
23. The Raven King
24. Morning Star
25. Illuminae
26. UnWholly
27. UnSouled
28. UnDivided
29. Anna and the French Kiss
30. All Fall Down
31. See How They Run
32. Ready Player One
33. A Court of Mist and Fury
34. The Girl Who Chased the Moon
35.
36.

Rereads of 2016:

Erebos
Horde
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

DNFs of 2016:

Graceling
I really wanted to love this one. (cover alone is awesome) It started out so fantastic, but the love story in the middle bogged me down, and I couldn't continue.

The Lies of Locke Lamora
This is definitely a case of "It's me, not you." Only 20 pages in and I had to put it down. The writing is superb, the action is fierce, but the constant opening paragraph and then retelling of what happened (from multiple points of view) wore on me hard. The opening points to a stellar novel and fun read, but I don't have the time to invest right now in a book that I keep rereading what has happened and have to remember whose point of view I'm reading.

Tithe
I just can't.


message 5: by Jenny (new)

Jenny (juliababyjen) | 1572 comments Awesome goals Elora!


message 6: by Elora (new)

Elora Mitchell | 578 comments Thanks, guys!


message 7: by Elora (new)

Elora Mitchell | 578 comments Still on track :)


message 8: by Jenny (new)

Jenny (juliababyjen) | 1572 comments Great job! I'm so glad you liked Bone Gap :)


message 9: by Elora (new)

Elora Mitchell | 578 comments I'm so glad you recommended it. I never would have given it a second glance. :)


message 10: by Elora (new)

Elora Mitchell | 578 comments Added the Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Daughter of Smoke & Bone, #1) by Laini Taylor series and Strings by David Estes


message 11: by Elora (new)

Elora Mitchell | 578 comments Added Red Rising (Red Rising Trilogy, #1) by Pierce Brown and The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking, #1) by Patrick Ness


message 12: by Heidi (new)

Heidi | 6961 comments Mod
Yay!


*b*l*u*e*m*o*o*n* | 986 comments Mod
Nice choices, Elora! Hows Red Rising?


message 14: by Elora (new)

Elora Mitchell | 578 comments It was good but not great. The MC is a know it all, who's great at everything, which was tiring. Other than that, though, it was full of action and discussed a lot about society and class.


*b*l*u*e*m*o*o*n* | 986 comments Mod
thanks. I've been meaning to pick it up, just been procrastinating!


message 16: by Elora (new)

Elora Mitchell | 578 comments finished The Ask and the Answer (Chaos Walking, #2) by Patrick Ness and A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness


message 17: by Heidi (new)

Heidi | 6961 comments Mod
Elora wrote: "finished The Ask and the Answer (Chaos Walking, #2) by Patrick Ness and A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness"

Such excellent reads back to back! I loved the Ask The Answer so much.


message 18: by Elora (new)

Elora Mitchell | 578 comments Heidi (Yup. Still here.) wrote: "Elora wrote: "finished The Ask and the Answer (Chaos Walking, #2) by Patrick Ness and A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness"

Such excellent reads back to back! I loved the Ask The Answer so much."


Me too! The character development in it was fantastic. (view spoiler)


message 19: by Brigid � (new)

Brigid ✩ | 2471 comments Mod
Uggh I agree! That part is so sad. :'(


message 20: by Kristen (new)

Kristen Taber | 506 comments I didn't notice this thread before. What an awesome idea. I'm following it now.


message 21: by Heidi (new)

Heidi | 6961 comments Mod
Elora I totally agree with your spoiler! Who ever thought you would think that way when you started the book??? I certainly didn't.


message 22: by Elora (last edited Apr 12, 2016 12:34PM) (new)

Elora Mitchell | 578 comments I finished Golden Son (Red Rising, #2) by Pierce Brown
It was sooo much better than the first book. Can't wait to see what Brown brings for the third!


*b*l*u*e*m*o*o*n* | 986 comments Mod
I want to read that trilogy, I just haven't had the chance to grab the book.


message 24: by Elora (new)

Elora Mitchell | 578 comments Finished Illuminae (The Illuminae Files, #1) by Amie Kaufman and Morning Star (Red Rising, #3) by Pierce Brown


message 25: by Elora (new)

Elora Mitchell | 578 comments *b*l*u*e*m*o*o*n* wrote: "I want to read that trilogy, I just haven't had the chance to grab the book."

It's really good!


message 26: by Elora (new)

Elora Mitchell | 578 comments Added: Unwind (Unwind, #1) by Neal Shusterman UnWholly (Unwind, #2) by Neal Shusterman UnSouled (Unwind, #3) by Neal Shusterman UnDivided (Unwind, #4) by Neal Shusterman


message 27: by Brigid � (new)

Brigid ✩ | 2471 comments Mod
Elora wrote: "Added: Unwind (Unwind, #1) by Neal Shusterman UnWholly (Unwind, #2) by Neal Shusterman UnSouled (Unwind, #3) by Neal Shusterman UnDivided (Unwind, #4) by Neal Shusterman"

YAY!! <3


message 28: by Elora (last edited Jun 11, 2016 07:51AM) (new)


message 29: by Elora (new)

Elora Mitchell | 578 comments Hidden Gems:

Jan: Erebos 5 epic stars
Feb: Bone Gap 5 stars--Loved it!
Mar: Wolf By Wolf 5 stars of awesomesauce
Apr: Tithe DNF
May: Free read month
June: Slayers 3 stars
July: The School for Good and Evil
Aug: Alive
Sept: Born Wicked
Oct: Promise of the Wolves
Nov: Front Lines
Dec:

Read a series I haven't read before: DONE

1. Illusive
2. Deceptive

1. Daughter of Smoke & Bone
2.Days of Blood & Starlight
3.Dreams of Gods & Monsters

Graceling (see DNFs below)

Read something outside of my comfort zone: DONE
1. Heist Society
2. Uncommon Criminals
3. Perfect Scoundrels

Read a total of 36 books I haven't read before:

1. Flip
2. Illusive
3. Deceptive
4. Bone Gap
5. Daughter of Smoke & Bone
6. Beastly Bones
7. The Rest of Us Just Live Here
8. Days of Blood & Starlight
9. Dreams of Gods & Monsters
10. Strings
11. Red Rising
12. The Knife of Never Letting Go
13. The Ask and the Answer
14. A Monster Calls
15. Monsters of Men
16. Heist Society
17. Uncommon Criminals
18. Perfect Scoundrels
19. Holes
20. Wolf By Wolf
21. Golden Son
22. Unwind
23. The Raven King
24. Morning Star
25. Illuminae
26. UnWholly
27. UnSouled
28. UnDivided
29. Anna and the French Kiss
30. All Fall Down
31. See How They Run
32. Ready Player One
33. A Court of Mist and Fury
34. The Girl Who Chased the Moon
35. Slayers
36. I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You
37. Magonia
38. The Last Leaves Falling
39: The Last Star
40. Ice Like Fire
41. Snow Like Ashes
42. The Monstrumologist
43. Eon: Dragoneye Reborn
44. The Moon Dwellers
45. The Hidden Oracle
46. The Killing Woods
47. The School for Good and Evil
48. Imposter
49. Riders
50. Look Into My Eyes
51. Dark Eyes
52. The Girl on the Train
53. Dread Locks
54. Alive
55. The Night Circus
56. Out of the Easy
57. Between Shades of Gray
58. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts 1 & 2
59. The Martian
60. Once We Were Brothers
61. Salt to the Sea
62. Poison
63. Soulless
64. Changeless
65. Blameless
66. Ghostly Echoes
67. Promise of the Wolves
68. My Lady Jane
69. Crooked Kingdom
70. The Book of Ivy
71. The Revolution of Ivy
72. Rook
73. Heartless
74. Timeless
75. The Female of the Species
76. An Ember in the Ashes
77. Blood For Blood



Rereads of 2016:

Erebos
Horde
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

DNFs of 2016:

Graceling
I really wanted to love this one. (cover alone is awesome) It started out so fantastic, but the love story in the middle bogged me down, and I couldn't continue.

The Lies of Locke Lamora
This is definitely a case of "It's me, not you." Only 20 pages in and I had to put it down. The writing is superb, the action is fierce, but the constant opening paragraph and then retelling of what happened (from multiple points of view) wore on me hard. The opening points to a stellar novel and fun read, but I don't have the time to invest right now in a book that I keep rereading what has happened and have to remember whose point of view I'm reading.

Tithe
I just can't.

Watership Down
I really wanted to like this one, but I think I don't like books with animals as the characters. I don't know why.

Aerie
This one held none of the magic of the first and became an angsty high school drama.

V for Vendetta
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the movie! I found out with this that I don't like graphic novels. :(

Hex Hall
nope.

Angelfall
nope.

A Thousand Pieces of You
This is another one that everyone is raving about, but I just couldn't feel it.


message 30: by Elora (new)

Elora Mitchell | 578 comments Whew....that was quite the update since I haven't done it since....June. lol.
Next year, I will definitely give monthly updates instead!
:)


message 31: by Heidi (new)

Heidi | 6961 comments Mod
Wow! That is a lot of reads Elora!


message 32: by Elora (new)

Elora Mitchell | 578 comments Heidi (Yup. Still here.) wrote: "Wow! That is a lot of reads Elora!"

Thanks! It was one of those things that didn't seem like it at the time, until I waited so many months to enter them all.


message 33: by Ashley Marie (last edited Nov 21, 2016 06:25AM) (new)

Ashley Marie Wow Elora! Are you planning on reading the Custard Protocol books? I'm looking forward to those, probably in the new year.

And I would like to submit for your consideration Locke & Key, Vol. 1: Welcome to Lovecraft (horror, if you're into that), The Complete Maus and Blue is the Warmest Color in the graphic novel category -- I really enjoyed V for Vendetta but the art was really different from others I've read and with all the blacks/grays everything kind of blended together to where I wasn't looking at the panels so much as reading the dialogue just to get through it. Graphic novels aren't for everyone but there are better options out there!


message 34: by Elora (new)

Elora Mitchell | 578 comments Ashley *Hufflepuff Kitten* wrote: "Wow Elora! Are you planning on reading the Custard Protocol books? I'm looking forward to those, probably in the new year.

And I would like to submit for your consideration [book:Locke & Key, Vol..."


Thanks for the recommendations! I was kicking around the idea of the Custard Protocol....next year sounds great--maybe a buddy read?
I'll have to check out those other books as well!


message 35: by Ashley Marie (new)

Ashley Marie Sure, a BR sounds great! My friend Piper and I have been reading the Parasol Protectorate books in the MacHalo group, but it seems like we're the only ones for now-- everyone else quit after the ending in Changeless.


message 36: by Elora (new)

Elora Mitchell | 578 comments Well that's a bummer! Let me know when you guys plan to start! :)


message 37: by Elora (new)

Elora Mitchell | 578 comments Thought I'd add this here as a recap of the year. It was one with a fantastic amount of reads!

My thanks to Ashley and Kat Stark for the numbered list�

Number of Books You Read in 2016: 93

Number of Re-Reads: 4

Genre You Read The Most From:
I actually don’t think I had any one genre stand out this year.

1. Best Book You Read In 2016?

I think I’ll have to go with Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys


2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

Aerie (Magonia, #2) by Maria Dahvana Headley

3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2016?

Good surprise: The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking, #1) by Patrick Ness

4. Book You “Pushed� The Most People To Read (And They Did) In 2016?

Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1) by Leigh Bardugo

5. Best series you started in 2016? Best Sequel of 2016? Best Series Ender of 2016?

Started: The Book of Ivy (The Book of Ivy, #1) by Amy Engel

Sequel: Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows, #2) by Leigh Bardugo

Series Ender: Morning Star (Red Rising, #3) by Pierce Brown

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2016?

Ruta Sepetys Ruta Sepetys
I had never read anything of hers before, but once I picked up the first book, I devoured the rest over the course of about three days. Her books are well-written, well-thought-out, and pure magic.

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

For me, this would have to be the The Parasol Protectorate Boxed Set Soulless, Changeless, Blameless, Heartless and Timeless by Gail Carriger
I don’t usually delve into the romance-y genre, but I feel this one is mis-labed. It should be in the action-packed, one-of-the-funniest, saddest, deepest-fluff-series-you’ll-ever-read genre.

8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows, #2) by Leigh Bardugo

9. Book You Read In 2016 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

I’m not sure on this one yet. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry I’ll definitely reread, but that was a late 2015 read for me.

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2016?

A Shadow Bright and Burning (Kingdom on Fire, #1) by Jessica Cluess This book was a DNF for me.

11. Most memorable character of 2016?

Mark Watney from The Martian by Andy Weir
For those of you who’ve read the book, I need not explain why.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2016?

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2016?

I have to go with two on this one: Scythe (Arc of a Scythe, #1) by Neal Shusterman and The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2016 to finally read?

Unwind (Unwind, #1) by Neal Shusterman I didn’t even know this book existed until this year.

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2016?

Too many to list. Several of Watney’s remarks in The Martian by Andy Weir and most of the journal entries from Scythe (Arc of a Scythe, #1) by Neal Shusterman

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2016?

Shortest: The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe

Longest: A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #2) by Sarah J. Maas

17. Book That Shocked You The Most?

Holes (Holes, #1) by Louis Sachar I wasn't expecting it to be that good.

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)

Kaz and Inej from Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows, #2) by Leigh Bardugo

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year?

Lord Akeldama and Alexia from The Parasol Protectorate Boxed Set Soulless, Changeless, Blameless, Heartless and Timeless by Gail Carriger

20. Favorite Book You Read in 2016 From An Author You’ve Read Previously?

Scythe (Arc of a Scythe, #1) by Neal Shusterman

21. Best Book You Read In 2016 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure?

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2016?

Crushing on characters really isn’t my thing.

23. Best 2016 debut you read?

It wasn’t published in 2016, but I have to go with An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes, #1) by Sabaa Tahir

24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

The Parasol Protectorate Boxed Set Soulless, Changeless, Blameless, Heartless and Timeless by Gail Carriger I just fell into that world.

25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

The Martian by Andy Weir

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2016?

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness A Monster Calls

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2016?

Illuminae (The Illuminae Files, #1) by Amie Kaufman The story was fantastic, but it was the format for this one that really made it stand out.

30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

Even though I liked it, I will definitely say The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis


*b*l*u*e*m*o*o*n* | 986 comments Mod
I love a lot of the books you picked as well. Monster Calls, The Martian and Unwind are all great picks!


message 39: by Jenny (new)

Jenny (juliababyjen) | 1572 comments Nice reading year Elora!


message 40: by Ashley Marie (new)

Ashley Marie Holy crap YES to the Scythe journal entries! And I can definitely agree with Female of the Species angering me the most. Great list, Elora!


message 41: by Heidi (last edited Dec 19, 2016 01:26PM) (new)

Heidi | 6961 comments Mod
Great list Elora - I like how positive it was (best instead of worst :)


message 42: by Elora (new)

Elora Mitchell | 578 comments *b*l*u*e*m*o*o*n* wrote: "I love a lot of the books you picked as well. Monster Calls, The Martian and Unwind are all great picks!"

Yes! Those were such good reads!


message 43: by Elora (new)

Elora Mitchell | 578 comments Jenny wrote: "Nice reading year Elora!"

Thanks, Jenny!


message 44: by Elora (new)

Elora Mitchell | 578 comments Ashley *Hufflepuff Kitten* wrote: "Holy crap YES to the Scythe journal entries! And I can definitely agree with Female of the Species angering me the most. Great list, Elora!"

Thanks, Ashley! Yes!! I was totally blown away by the journal entries. They could have been a book by themselves...


message 45: by Elora (new)

Elora Mitchell | 578 comments Heidi (Yup. Still here.) wrote: "Greta list Elora - I like how positive it was (best instead of worst :)"

Thanks, Heidi! Yes, the positivity is what drew me to this list in the first place. :)


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