Reading Challenges 2021

[Aquarii]

3 hours ago, WolfDreamer said:

My overall goal is 50 books this year. I am also trying to get through as many of the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge tasks as possible, so I am using those tasks to help select the books I read. I'm still going to be my usual picky self, through, rather than just choose any book they recommend. I did not complete the entire Read Harder challenge last year, but because of the challenge I read some amazing new books I might not otherwise have bothered with or even heard about.

 

I am aiming for 50 this year as well! I am not doing the Read Harder Challenge. I did not even know it existed, but I will have to keep it in mind for next year. I would consider jumping in this year, but I already created my own challenge based on genres and I already have most the books picked out and everything, lol. So, maybe next year.

[Scaly Freak]

15 hours ago, WolfDreamer said:

I don't know about this year's list. I mean, there are some great categories, but some of them have me hesitant, not because I'm opposed to reading something from those categories but because I know some will require a greater sacrifice of both time and emotional expense, neither of which I have much of at the moment.

 

that is actually one of my primary concerns with the list as well. However, I have hopes that by the time August or September roll around, my emotional bandwidth and mental health situation will be much improved.

[WolfDreamer]

I created a Word document and brainstormed the titles I plan to read for the Read Harder Challenge. Again, these are not etched in stone, and I'm not certain I will read all of them, but at least I have a plan.

 

I tried to mix it up and include some graphic novels as well as some YA or children's books, even when that wasn't part of the challenge requirements, because 1) I love graphic novels, 2) I can read some of the children's books with my daughters, and 3) I doubt I will be able to read 50 novel-length books this year (especially since some of the titles on the list creep between 500-900 pages).

 

I've already completed one of the books on the challenge list, the book of nature poetry. I read The Lost Words by Robert McFarlane and Jackie Morris. It's a beautiful book about words from nature that are all but lost from the vocabulary of children today, illustrated with delightful images of the objects defined by these words. I read it with my daughters, and they were mystified by the hidden images as well as the letters that spelled out each word. They were also surprised to learn that some words they knew well (acorn, dandelion, among others) were not known by other children, and we talked about why that might be true for some kids.

 

I am still reading Spoiler Alert, and I have a confession to make: I really like it. Last night I intended to read chapter 5 and stop, but I ended up reading to chapter 7.

 

 

 

 

[Artemis Prime]

Priory of the Orange Tree was so good! Highly recommend. It hits all the high fantasy notes without feeling like a retreading of Tolkien. And it empowers women without making such a big deal of it that it starts to take away from the story *cough* live action Mulan *cough*

Started Range yesterday, which is about the benefits of generalizing instead of being a specialist. It's making my Ranger Brain so happy.

[Scaly Freak]

I need a little help with my Book Riot challenge. Specifically, their suggestions for a fan fic either made me cringe, or go "um... who?"

 

Surely there must be non-awful fan fiction out there for either Lucifer, Firefly, the Persona franchise, or at the very least for Xena, Hercules, or Dexter? Death Note or Ruroni Kenshin would also work... and of course the Dark Souls franchise.

 

Help me, Rebellion, you're my only hope. 😛 

[Artemis Prime]

15 hours ago, Scaly Freak said:

Surely there must be non-awful fan fiction out there for either Lucifer, Firefly,

I found this page full of Firefly recs. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/FanficRecs/Firefly

Can't personally vouch for any of them, but it seems like a good starting point.

If you want a published book, goodreads has a list of fanfiction but it's rather overwhelmingly harry potter and twilight.

If you're willing to bend the rules a little, Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl is a fun read about a girl who is obsessed with writing fanfiction. The series she's obsessed with is fake but very clearly a harry potter knock off. I think Geekerella is in the same vein, the obsession here is a sci-fi tv show, but I've never read it. 

[MezzotheLefty]

Book reading thread? Sign me up!

 

My Goodreads goal is 15. I love books but as mama to a toddler and an infant, I don't have a lot of free time (or hands!) to enjoy physical books.

 

I use Libby to checkout audiobooks and digital books on my phone. ☺️

 

[Scaly Freak]

3 hours ago, Artemis Prime said:

I found this page full of Firefly recs. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/FanficRecs/Firefly

Can't personally vouch for any of them, but it seems like a good starting point.

 

It definitely does. Thank you! This will definitely help.

[Artemis Prime]

56 minutes ago, MezzotheLefty said:

I use Libby to checkout audiobooks and digital books on my phone. ☺️

 

I would definitely count these in your goodreads goal, but it's your call.

[Scaly Freak]

2 minutes ago, Artemis Prime said:

I would definitely count these in your goodreads goal, but it's your call.

 

I would as well, and I do for my reading. Books are books.

[Paisley]

Ohhh can I join too. 

 

I always see the reading lists and think I should really do that, but I just don't have the mental capacity to try and find books to fit into each category.  Does anyone know if there are book suggestion lists for something like the read harder challenge where they give you come options for each category?

 

I've been trying to expand my reading and at the beginning of the year I started a list of all the books I was reading so I could look back and see if there are any obvious gaps etc.

So far this year I've read:

 

Tomorrow when the war began Series by James Marsden - a dystopian YA series I re-read the first three books  (Tomorrow when the war began, The Dead of Night, A Killing Frost) and got halfway through the fourth before getting a bit bored.  

The Only Girl in the World by  Maude Julien - Auto Biography

The Bridgertons Series  by Julia Quinn  I've read the first 6 and half way through 7 - Romance

Rumble Fish, That was Then, This is now and Tex by S.E. Hinton - Was inspired by my daughters ELA class reading The Outsiders to go back and re read these as an Adult.  They are certainly a lot different now than they were when I read them as a teen. 

 

I'm in the middle of reading

Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker. I just need to wait till I can get it out of the Library again to finish it - it took me too long to read and it automatically returned.  

and 1984 by George Orwell.  Not sure if I'm going to be able to finish this -I'm finding it really hard to get into and believe  

 

I've gotten some good inspiration from the thread so far.  I'd like to check out Spoiler Alert and Priory of the Orange Tree.  I want to try some new fantasy stuff - its a genre I love but I tend to just re read the same books over again.  I need something new!

[Scaly Freak]

37 minutes ago, Paisley said:

I always see the reading lists and think I should really do that, but I just don't have the mental capacity to try and find books to fit into each category.  Does anyone know if there are book suggestion lists for something like the read harder challenge where they give you come options for each category?

 

Book Riot offers suggestions. 

 

The actual challenge is on this page: https://bookriot.com/read-harder-2021/

 

Scroll down to the list, and each category/item is a link that takes you to a page with suggestions.

[Paisley]

6 hours ago, Scaly Freak said:

 

Book Riot offers suggestions. 

 

The actual challenge is on this page: https://bookriot.com/read-harder-2021/

 

Scroll down to the list, and each category/item is a link that takes you to a page with suggestions.

Thanks for this - not sure how I missed it first time around.  Now off to find some more books to read

[Scaly Freak]

On 2/1/2021 at 8:16 AM, WolfDreamer said:

I am still reading Spoiler Alert, and I have a confession to make: I really like it. Last night I intended to read chapter 5 and stop, but I ended up reading to chapter 7.

 

I picked up my copy from the library's curb side service yesterday and have been enjoying it so far. The less than subtle jabs at the last two seasons of Game of Thrones make me happy.  

[Scaly Freak]

On 1/13/2021 at 7:23 PM, miss_marissa said:

 

For #10, might I suggest

 

You may! And my library district has it, so I have now submitted a loan request.

[WolfDreamer]

On 2/7/2021 at 1:09 AM, Scaly Freak said:

The less than subtle jabs

 

She actually takes quite a few "less than subtle jabs" at pretty much the entire entertainment industry. It is definitely one of my favorite things about the book.

 

I have completed three of the challenge categories:

 

Read a fan-fic: "No Reservations: Narnia"

Read a book of nature poems: The Lost Words by Robert McFarlane and Jackie Morris

Read a book featuring a beloved pet where the pet doesn't die: The Tea Dragon Society

[miss_marissa]

On 2/5/2021 at 5:09 PM, Scaly Freak said:

I need a little help with my Book Riot challenge. Specifically, their suggestions for a fan fic either made me cringe, or go "um... who?"

 

Surely there must be non-awful fan fiction out there for either Lucifer, Firefly, the Persona franchise, or at the very least for Xena, Hercules, or Dexter? Death Note or Ruroni Kenshin would also work... and of course the Dark Souls franchise.

 

Help me, Rebellion, you're my only hope. 😛 

 

On 2/6/2021 at 1:02 PM, Paisley said:

I always see the reading lists and think I should really do that, but I just don't have the mental capacity to try and find books to fit into each category.  Does anyone know if there are book suggestion lists for something like the read harder challenge where they give you come options for each category?

 

 

On 2/6/2021 at 1:41 PM, Scaly Freak said:

 

Book Riot offers suggestions. 

 

The actual challenge is on this page: https://bookriot.com/read-harder-2021/

 

Scroll down to the list, and each category/item is a link that takes you to a page with suggestions.

 

 

I've also been able to find user curated lists on goodreads in the past:

https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/152441-book-riot-s-read-harder-challenge

I'd start here

[Scaly Freak]

14 minutes ago, miss_marissa said:

I've also been able to find user curated lists on goodreads in the past:

https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/152441-book-riot-s-read-harder-challenge

I'd start here

 

I had completely forgotten that I have Redshirts on my Kindle wishlist! Fanfic found!

[Paisley]

9 hours ago, miss_marissa said:

I've also been able to find user curated lists on goodreads in the past:

https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/152441-book-riot-s-read-harder-challenge

I'd start here

Thanks for the link.  I had a look through it,  but there are just soooo many options on there.  I think I'll stick with the list from the original link if I want to try anything otherwise I'll spend more time looking for a book than actually reading it.

 

I finished the last two books in the Bridgerton Series over the weekend and I've now started on City of Saints and Thieves which was listed under

Read a realistic YA book not set in the U.S., UK, or Canada on the read harder list.  Not a bad read so far, though I'm not a great fan on books written in the first person.  On the other hand I have to finish the book cause I really want to know how it ends it has engaged me which is good.

 

Spoiler

List of Books Read 2021

Tomorrow when the war began by James Marsden

The Dead of Night by James Marsden

A Killing Frost  by James Marsden

The Only Girl in the World by  Maude Julien

The Bridgertons Series   books 1-8 by Julia Quinn  

Rumble Fish by  S.E. Hinton

That was Then, This is now by  S.E. Hinton

Tex by S.E. Hinton 

 

[WolfDreamer]

1 hour ago, Paisley said:

otherwise I'll spend more time looking for a book than actually reading it.

 

[Scaly Freak]

On 2/9/2021 at 8:52 PM, Scaly Freak said:

 

I had completely forgotten that I have Redshirts on my Kindle wishlist! Fanfic found!

 

Amazon wants $11 for the ebook. Screw that.

 

Library request submitted.

[Paisley]

Spoiler

List of Books Read 2021

1. Tomorrow when the war began by James Marsden

2. The Dead of Night by James Marsden

3. A Killing Frost  by James Marsden

4. The Only Girl in the World by  Maude Julien

5 - 12.The Bridgertons Series   books 1-8 by Julia Quinn  

13. Rumble Fish by  S.E. Hinton

14. That was Then, This is now by  S.E. Hinton

15. Tex by S.E. Hinton 

16. City of Saints and Thieves by Natalie C Anderson

 

 

Well I finished City of Saints and Thieves last night.  It was quite a good read but I think I'd like to go back and read something on the same topic but actually written by someone who lived there, not just a visiting American.  Off to see what I can find.

[Artemis Prime]

Just went through my Goodreads Want to Read shelf to check what my library has. I now have 118 books on my library list and 73 on my Overdrive wish list. Things are getting a little out of hand over here. (she says as she goes out to look for more recommendations)

[Scaly Freak]

14 minutes ago, Artemis Prime said:

Just went through my Goodreads Want to Read shelf to check what my library has. I now have 118 books on my library list and 73 on my Overdrive wish list. Things are getting a little out of hand over here. (she says as she goes out to look for more recommendations)

 

 

[pureleeawesome]

On 2/4/2021 at 9:23 PM, Artemis Prime said:

Priory of the Orange Tree was so good! Highly recommend. It hits all the high fantasy notes without feeling like a retreading of Tolkien. And it empowers women without making such a big deal of it that it starts to take away from the story *cough* live action Mulan *cough*

 

I tried starting this but don't think I had the brain energy at the time to give it attention. Might have to loan it back out from the library again and give it a second shot.