2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge discussion

I "just" made it to 50 books read in 2011. I'm "hoping" to complete 50 books by the end of 2012. With that in mind, I don't think I should raise my reading challenge past 50 for 2013.

19,523/25,000 pages read

I love your sun! I think I'll add something like this on my challenge too.
P.S. Make lists! Check your online library and look up the subjects you prefer to read. You can sort by Publication Date to get the newer reads at least my online library is like this. Lists get you excited and all those books mean a lot of opportunities for a good read always.

Adriana wrote: "I love your sun! I think I'll add something like this on my challenge too.
P.S. Make lists! Check your online library and look up the subjects you prefer to read. You can sort by Publication Date t..."

Thanks Adiana! :)

1st book of 2013!

1. Assassin's Quest by Robin Hobb
Completed: Jan 4, 2013
Rating: 4/5 stars

This is the 3rd book of the Farseer Trilogy. I never read a Robin Hobb book before reading this trilogy. I really enjoyed Hobb's writing style and look forward to reading the Liveship Traders and Tawny Man trilogies.

2. The Dog Stars by Peter Heller
Completed: Jan 5, 2013
Rating: 4/5 stars

3. Some Kind Of Fairy Tale by Graham Joyce
Completed: Jan 7, 2013
Rating 2.5/5 stars

4. The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks
Completed: Jan 10, 2013
Rating: 5/5 stars

5. Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt
Completed: Jan 11, 2013
Rating: 2.5/5 stars

6. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Completed: Jan 17, 2013
Rating: 5/5 stars

7. The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian
Completed: Jan 19, 2013
Rating: 4/5 stars

This book is not in my typical genre that I choose to read. I can't say that I "enjoyed" the book, after all who can "enjoy" reading about a genocide. I can say that I am glad that I read The Sandcastle Girls and learned about a part of history that I previously knew little about. Though it was a difficult read at times, I was drawn to the story and had a hard time putting the book down until I had finished.

Looks like you are way on your way to 50 books this year!

Jessica wrote: "Looks like you are way on your way to 50 books this year!"

I usually start the year strong, then slow down as life gets busy. I guess I need a good start to make up for that. ;)

8. The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
Completed: Jan 25, 2013
Rating: 4/5 stars

9. The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
Completed: Jan 27, 2013
Rating: 4/5 stars

10. Home Front by Kristin Hannah
Completed: Jan 30, 2013
Rating: 3/5 stars

11. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
Completed: February 7, 2013
Rating: 2/5 stars

Oh no! Only 2 stars for Cloud Atlas. I have been looking at reading it, but not sure now with a 2 star rating. Was it really disappointing?

Jessica wrote: "Oh no! Only 2 stars for Cloud Atlas. I have been looking at reading it, but not sure now with a 2 star rating. Was it really disappointing?"

Hi Jessica,

Don't let me dissuade you from reading Cloud Atlas. I was pretty torn with my feelings about the book. I could probably upgrade it to a 2.5 star book, but that's basing it completely on my enjoyment level - not really any fault of the book. As you know it's a very highly rated read. I generally enjoy historical fiction and fantasy books, but decided to read Cloud Atlas because my daughter was reading it at the same time. It's not the typical book I would choose for myself. I did find the style of the book interesting. It's comprised of six short stories. The first half of the book gives you half of each story (A, B, C, D, E, F), then the second half the book works backward with the second half of each story (F, E, D, C, B, A). I enjoyed some of the stories, but in the end it's not the type of book that left me feeling that I couldn't put it down or that I wanted to read more from this author. I gave it a 2 star rating because 2 stars on GR stands for "it was okay". You might read it and love it.

12. Falls the Shadow by Sharon Kay Penman
Completed: February 13, 2013
Rating: 5/5 stars

Oh my goodness how I loved this book! I am looking forward to reading more of Sharon Kay Penman's novels.

13. Shadow's Edge by Brent Weeks
Completed: February 23, 2013
Rating: 4/5 stars

14. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Completed: Feb 16, 2013
Rating: 4/5 stars

15. Shadow on the Crown by Patricia Bracewell
Completed: March 5, 2013
Rating: 4/5 stars

16. Niccolo Rising by Dorothy Dunnett
Completed: March 19, 2013
Rating: 4/5 stars

17. Beyond the Shadows by Brent Weeks
Completed: March 28, 2013
Rating: 3/5 stars

18. The Reckoning by Sharon Kay Penman
Completed: April 12, 2013
Rating: 4/5 stars

19. One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd by Jim Fergus
Completed: April 21, 2013
Rating: 3/5 stars

20. The Long Ships by Frans G. Bengtsson
Completed: May 14, 2013
Rating: 3/5 stars

21. The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Pötzsch
Completed: May 23, 2013
Rating: 3/5 stars

22. Sheepfarmer's Daughter by Elizabeth Moon
Completed: May 30, 2013
Rating: 3/5 stars

23. The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart
Completed: June 6, 2013
Rating: 4/5 stars

24. Monster Hunter International by Larry Correia
Completed: June 16, 2013
Rating: 2/5 stars

25. Royal Mistress by Anne Easter Smith
Completed: June 25, 2013
Rating: 4/5 stars

26. 1776 by David McCullough
Completed: July 13, 2013
Rating: 4/5 stars

27. The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell
Completed: July 18, 2013
Rating: 5/5 stars

28. Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian
Completed: July 22, 2013
Rating: 4/5 stars

29. Emperor: The Death of Kings: A Novel of Julius Caesar by Conn Iggulden
Completed: July 30, 2013
Rating: 4/5 stars

Lisa, The Last Kingdom looks really interesting--I may need to give it a read.

Kara wrote: "Lisa, The Last Kingdom looks really interesting--I may need to give it a read."

I really enjoyed it. I just bought the next 2 books in the series.

30. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
Completed: August 6, 2013
Rating: 3/5 stars

31. A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers
Completed: August 12, 2013
Rating: 4/5 stars

32. Raven: Blood Eye by Giles Kristian
Completed: August 22, 2013
Rating: 4/5 stars

33. Legacy by Susan Kay
Completed: September 7, 2013
Rating 5/5 stars

Have you read any Neil Gaiman books that you've completely loved? I've read two but have only just liked them.

Adriana wrote: "Have you read any Neil Gaiman books that you've completely loved? I've read two but have only just liked them."

That was my first Neil Gaiman book. I liked it well enough to finish it, but I probably won't be picking up another Gaiman book for a while.

I actually saw from another group member that Everywhere by him was rated 5 stars. I'll give it a go one of these days.

Craig wrote: "Lisa, Adriana, I can see I'm going to have to sell you on the merits of Gaiman...well, I like a challenge :)"

I might try another one some day. :)

34. The Widow of the South by Robert Hicks
Completed: September 21, 2013
Rating: 4/5 stars

35. The Lions of al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay
Completed: September 26, 2013
Rating: 5/5 stars

36. A Great and Terrible King: Edward I and the Forging of Britain by Marc Morris
Completed: October 2, 2013
Rating: 3/5 stars

37. Rise to Rebellion by Jeff Shaara
Completed: October 19, 2013
Rating: 5/5 stars

38. The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo
Completed: October 27, 2013
Rating: 3/5 stars