2016 Reading Challenge final round-up and 2017 challenge launch

Towards the end of the year,  I stopped checking the challenge list for things to read, so I wasn’t sure how many of these I would have managed. I’ve relaxed my rule on not including re-reads and I’m allowing books to appear in more than one category.

• a book published this year.
  The Hanging Tree by Ben Aaronovitch
  Poison or Protect, by Gail Carriger
  Angel of Storms, by Trudi Canavan (paperback published this year)
  Imprudence, by Gail Carriger
  Virgins: An Outlander short story, by Diana Gabaldon
• a book you can finish in a day.
  According to Yes by Dawn French
• a book you’ve been meaning to read.
  The Hunger Games Trilogy
  To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
• a book recommended by your local librarian or bookseller.
  The Versions of Us by Laura Barnett. Recommended by  White Rose Books in Thirsk.
• a book you should have read in school.
  To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee.
• a book chosen for you by your spouse, partner, sibling, child, or BFF.
  Recommended by my son:
  Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
  Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters
  Percy Jackson and the Titan’s Curse
  Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth
  Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian
• a book published before you were born.
  I’ve had to go to the re-reads for this category.
  The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers
• a book that was banned at some point.
  Third entry for To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
• a book you previously abandoned.
  I don’t think I ever managed this category. I did try Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell again, but stalled at about the same place as before.
• a book you own but have never read.
  having wandered round the house looking at bookshelves, I’m not sure I finished any books in this category. I’ve picked up various work books that I have for reference and read the odd chapter.
• a book that intimidates you.
  I really don’t think any book intimidates me, but these are the closest I can come to this category
  Girl Up, by Laura Bates. More stridently feminist than I am comfortable with, but I found this a really interesting read. Given that I’m going to be the mother of teenagers before too long, this is a good thing to read and understand the world they are growing up in.
  Jerusalem: The Biography, by Simon Sebag Montefiore. I don’t always manage to get to the end of historical books, but I enjoyed this one.
• a book you’ve already read at least once.
  See here for quite a long list. Towards the end of the year, I’ve also re-read
  The Island, by Victoria Hislop
  The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexander Dumas

New books read that don’t quite fit any of these categories.
The Pact, by Jodi Picoult
The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin
Happier at Home, by Gretchen Rubin
Better than before, by Gretchen Rubin
I really enjoyed these three books. Gretchen has spent a lot of time figuring out what makes her happier and trying different methods of improving her life and her habits. While we are quite different personality types, there was plenty of food for thought there.
Fast Exercise, by Michael Mosley
Vulcan 607, by Rowland White
Prudence,  by Gail Carriger
The Girl on the Train, by Paula Hawkins
The Road to Little Dribbling, by Bill Bryson

Over-all, the reading challenge did make me read some books I would never have picked up. The recommendation from your local bookshop category was particularly good. I’ve got into the habit of popping in there and picking up something every two to three months or so.

Here are the 2017 reading challenges from the same person (Modern Mrs Darcy).

I’m not particularly taken with either of them, so here is my own list, taking inspiration from both of them (and last year too).

I’ll include re-reads unless the category particularly excludes them and also allow books to appear in multiple categories.

First, looking at how I spend money on books:

• A book borrowed from the library
• A book on Kindle Unlimited
• A book that has been waiting on your bedside table for a long time
• A book you own but have never read
• A book from a second-hand bookshop
• A book bought in 2017 from an independent bookshop

Second, considering reading that will stretch my mind

• A book published before 1900
• A book from a Booker prize shortlist (any year)
• A book recommended by a friend or family member
• A historical book (can include biography/autobiography)
• An academic theological book
• A book by an #ownvoices or #diversebooks author

Third, including reading that will relax and restore me

• A Discworld book (re-read)
• A new book by a favourite author
• A book I have wanted to read for a while
• A book that inspires personal growth
• A spiritual classic
• Whatever I want to read