Books

 2016 World Reading Challenge

Hosted by Dorothee at life is a journey, the idea of this reading challenge is to explore the world by books from different continents and countries. To join the challenge, select and read seven books, one book from each continent. I have finished up this challenge, and although all the authors weren’t native to the continents, the books gave good introductions to each continent.

–Africa: Lion in the Valley (Amelia Peabody #4), Elizabeth Peters (this is a historical mystery series about archaeologists, but the author spent considerable time digging in Africa and gives a lot of historical and geographical information in each novel)

– Asia: The Piano Teacher, Janice Y.K Lee (set in Hong Kong by a Hong Kong author)

– Australia/Ozeania: Jellicoe Road, Melina Marchetta (set in Australia by an Australian author)

– Europe: The Revolving Door of Life (44 Scotland Street #10), Alexander McCall Smith (set in Scotland by a Scottish author)

– North America: Anne’s House of Dreams (Anne #5), L.M. Montgomery (set in Canada by a Canadian author)

– South America:  The Mapmaker’s Wife: A True Tale of Love, Murder, and Survival in the Amazon, Robert Whitaker (nonfiction book by an author who lived in Ecuador)

– Antarctica (or a book with a journey from one continent to another): Shackleton’s Stowaway, Victoria McKernan (YA historical novel based on fact and well-researched)

This challenge is hosted by Bev at My Reader’s Block.

2016 Color Coded Challenge

This was my fourth year for this challenge and although I try to read my own books for this as much as possible without resorting to library books, only four were my own books this year. I love this challenge and hope to do it again in 2017!

Here are the rules:

*Read nine books in the following categories.

* Any book read from January 1 through December 31, 2016 will count.

1. Blue: Blue Lily, Lily Blue, Maggie Stiefvater
2. Red: Bloodroot (China Bayles #10), Susan Wittig Albert
3. Yellow: Yellow Brick War (Dorothy Must Die, #3), Danielle Paige

4. Green: Anne of Green Gables (Anne #1), L.M. Montgomery
5. Brown:  Brown Girl Dreaming, Jacqueline Woodson
6. Black: The Raven King (Raven Cycle #4), Maggie Stiefvater
7. White: Red Berries, White Clouds, Blue Sky, Sandra Dallas

8. any other color in the title/on the cover: Tales from Silver Lands, Charles J. Finger
9. word that implies color: Rainbow Valley (Anne of Green Gables, #7), L.M. Montgomery

Today is the first day of fall and I’ve completed my Goodreads challenge goal. I usually pick 120 books/year for this challenge and watch during the year how I keep up. Goodreads says I am 34 books ahead of schedule by finishing this early!

2016 Prequel & Sequel Challenge wrap-up

I did this challenge last year and signed up for Amateur (25-50 points) but more than doubled the Veteran level, so this year I signed up for the Veteran level, hoping that wasn’t too ambitious. But it’s now August, I’m well past the Veteran threshold of 101+ points so I’m calling this challenge for 2016. I finished 3 series, which means that all books have been published, and got up to date on 6 other series, as well as farther along in many more. So success on series reads!

And here is the list: [Read more…] about 2016 Prequel & Sequel wrap-up

I‘m joining this YA challenge hosted by Whole Latte Books. It was just announced last month when she couldn’t find another YA challenge but runs all year long. You can sign up here if you want to join. Since I’ve already read some YA books this year, I’ll begin this sign-up post with what I’ve already read and add the remaining books in my wrap-up post in December.

1. The Heir (Selection #4), Kiera Cass
2. Lair of Dreams (Diviners #2), Libba Bray
3. Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows (HP #7), J.K. Rowling
4. Blue Lily, Lily Blue, Maggie Stiefvater
5. Night Study (Soulfinders #2) Maria V. Snyder
6. Happily Ever After (Selection 0.4, 0.5, 2.5, 2.6), Kiera Cass
7. The Fifth of March: A Story of the Boston Massacre, Ann Rinaldi
8. Anne’s House of Dreams (Anne #5), L.M. Montgomery
9. The Siren, Kiera Cass
10. Stars Above (Lunar Chronicles #4.5), Marissa Meyer
11. Anne of Green Gables (Anne #1), L.M. Montgomery
12. The Trials of Apollo: The Hidden Oracle (Apollo #1), Rick Riordan
13. The Raven King (Raven Cycle #4), Maggie Stiefvater
14. The Wrath & the Dawn (Wrath & Dawn #1), Renee Ahdieh