Fun 2015 Reading Challenge that I’m going to do. Just look at how cool this one is!

I’m doing my first challenge this year too. With Eleanor & Park I was able to check YA off. Yay!
So for a book over 500 I’ll throw Heart of the West by Penelope Williamson into the suggestions. I want to re read it so of course want everyone else to read it too, lol.
My fave classic romance is Jane Eyre, but think I might rec Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.
I try and stay away from too scary of books but for my challenge I’m using Birdbox by Josh Malerman. I might not read it otherwise. One I read that I found scary is The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston. True crime scares me most of all so am not ssure why I read it.
I’m tackling The Goldfinch too for an award winner category.

Whoa, Maryse. Just looked at pic. Your list doesn’t even cover all the tasks. Wow.

Oh this looks fantastic!

I loved Wuthering Heights – far more ‘bold and the beautiful’ drama and excitement I thought, compared to Pride & Prejudice. Just my first thought 🙂

My brother is reading the Red Hot Chilli Peppers book and the photos in that book alone shocked me. Hard core childhood!

I like this challenge list! I may just try it myself. Oh YAY! You added Rosie Project back in, I just adored that book! (another super funny one was Fate Book)… and Goldfinch…. I want to read that too. I am afraid I will be bored and then it will prove I have no taste! LOL! That’s why I haven’t read it.

Oh, one more, lol. For a memoir Paris in Love by Eloisa James. It’s a lovely read and a pretty fast one, which may be nice with the length of this list.

Bev & I already discussed Goldfinch lol, it’s looooong but you’ll learn all about restoring antiques, I’d love to hear how you guys like it though, Boris was quite a character. I’m going to read Middlesex this year, that won a Pulitzer, it’s by the guy who wrote the Virgin Suicides. i loved P&P and Wuthering heights, but probably Rebecca the best

The challenge sounds like fun. I am going to suggest Heat by R Lee Smith for the over 500 pages book. I love this author. I started with Heat and then read all her other books.

Wow, this challenge overwhelms me. Lots to think about…

You HAVE to read Gone with the Wind. One of my all time favorites!! It’s a long one too…almost 1,000 pages. Epic epic story!

Hi Maryse! Firt off i LOVE your blog….it gives me so many new reads 🙂 i just wanted to recommend JJ Mcavoy’s “Ruthless People” as a potential read for a book written by someone under 30.

Adam Black~MichelleS is going to be SO stoked, lol.
No clue had to Google antonym. Read definition and then like “um that makes sense, probably should of known that”, lol..

I like how you have done your research and totally planned everything out ahead of time. You have given me inspiration.

Oooh, this looks fun, and your choices so far are interesting. I’ve haven’t read Pride and Prejudice too. I did read Emma, but for some reason, not the one everyone speaks of. You’ll love the Kane series. It’s your type of book. The two characters are insane and it works. Good luck with Gone with the Wind. It was a DNF for me. I still have yet to see the movie too.

I can’t wait to see what else you pick.

Pulitzer Prize – God of Small Things. Still get goosebumps.

Oh will have to check out Rebecca (P & P/ Wuthering Heights alternative).

I’m getting lots of ideas!

No one has mentioned Pygmalion (My Fair Lady) for the classic? :-0 it’s my all time fav

Love this challenge but don’t think I have the willpower to stick to it. 🙁

Oh for goodness sake, antonym is the opposite of synonim. “Oppossite” get it? Easy to remember.

Synonym (sp) gotta love auto correct…only works when it’s wrong

Daaaaannnnnnggggg! That list is epic. My hat is off to those that can complete this challenge. 😀

Ohh, just an idea for the “book set in a different country” category — I recently read an EPIC new adult second chance romance set in Budapest! It came out a few weeks ago and it was really unique — the heroine is studying abroad there and meets a mysterious *swoonworthy* stranger. It’s called Erasing Faith 🙂

Bev – hahaha – you know me so well….. do I make it THAT obvious that Adam Black is the ultimate make-no-apologies hot fae alpha dude? Even hotter than Ryder and Rain. Who didn’t shed a tear at the end of his book, huh? He melted me….

I’m in Texas, where it is supposed to be all sleety and cold and gross this weekend, so it’s going to be the PERFECT reading weekend!! Can’t wait. What I wouldn’t give for a 5 star read… you know, that After Hours surprise, or Golden Dynasty wowza!

Wow I love this challenge…. now I’m going be thinking about it all day.

Maryse! You never read or saw Gone With the Wind? An all-time favorite!

I started reading Gone With The Wind in October. And I’ve barely made a dent. LOL
(But, to be fair, it’s in hard copy which means I’m not carrying it everywhere and reading a minute here and there all day like I do with all my Kindle books.)

Gone with the Wind= best. book. ever.
Pick that baby up now!!

I love this reading challenge…

A book from my childhood I love,read and ‘re-read many times: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery .I want to read it again.

I’m obsessed! Just printed the list and laminated it (hey it has to last the year right?) A couple that will be hard for me, classic romance…. Pulitzer prize winner…not sure…. 100 year old book…. Book from school….. A book the year I was born ugh….book turned TV show… A graphic novel (what is that?)…. Book originally written in different language.

I will be looking and depending on recommendations from you guys!!

Jean, here’s a highly recommended graphic novel for you. Raphael was my first brooding bad boy crush!! I’m not kidding! https://www.amazon.com/Teenage-Mutant-Ninja-Turtles-I/dp/0915419092

OMG, how fun!! I’m in. 😀

I didn’t know Taylor Jenkins Reid had another one coming out…YAY!! *skipping around*

Jean, I’m doing a challenge that has a graphic novel too. I know nothing about them but have seen a lot of buzz and good things for Saga so I think I may go with it.

Kay, TMNT?? Really? Bev, I’ll have to check Saga out too. So graphic novel is like a comic book?? I feel stupid!

Amy!!! Is that you?? Missed ya! Wait, did I miss a comment about Taylor Jenkins Reid book?

Jean – if you haven’t read Girl with a Dragon Tattoo yet that would be a great book for nor originally written in another language.

Tracy I have read it and loved it….. much better than the movie!

Tracy, Thank you. One of my tasks is another language also. That was one of the first books I downloaded and didn’t even think of it. Finally time to read it. I watched the movie, Daniel Craig one, and liked it, though one part was hard to watch, so can’t imagine reading it.

Oh yes TMNT. The original graphic novels are nothing like what TMNT is now. The original story is very dark and quite violent and brooding. That’s how I remember them, at least. My 25-year-old hard copies are packed away with all my cherished old books: original Vampire Diaries, Scarlett, A Wrinkle in Time… I need to dig them out and reread them!

I need help with A Popular Author’s 1st book–I can’t find anything that looks good!

C’mon Jean they’re heroes in a half shell.
. Never read the comics but man the toys, movie, etc so popular when I was a kid.

*looks at Maryse innocently* Fallen Crest High is set in a high school. Just saying…

I’ve got a good start on this. I’ve read a book released this year (Falling Away), and a one word title book (Insight by Jamie Magee). I bought Maze Runner (book to movie) since it looks so good, and was only 1.99. Dead of Winter fits at least 3 categories so I’m holding off on placing that. I’m with you Maryse on non-human…Burned! *squee*

Oh, Pulitzer prize choice, To Kill a Mockingbird. I’ve yet to read it or see the movie, but it sounds good.

Tessa I know everyone says it but To Kill a Mockingbird is my very very favorite book.

Bev, lol I do love them. Michelangelo was always my favorite!

I haven’t read To Kill A Mocking Bird either.. Hmmmm..

Kay, A Wrinkle in Time! Loved that book!

I would like some suggestions on a popular author’s 1st book too!

Jean! *hugs* The book by TJR is Maybe in Another Life. Maryse linked it above and OMG does it sound good!!

Mindi and Jean, any particular genre for a popular author’s first book?

I’m loving all of these suggestions from you ladies! 😀

Loved a Wrinkle in Time, though I associate it with earthquakes. I had ordered it with those reading program things in school, and the day I got it was the day of the Whittier earthquake.

First books. https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/13822.Best_First_Book_by_New_Author

Amy, preferably “our” kinda genre! Lol! I was hoping there was some hidden gem out there by one of our popular authors that I just didn’t know about!

Amy–I’m thinking like Jean for the “our” kind genre!

Hmmm…okay, so are we looking for angsty, emotional, make-us-cry books? I need to do a little digging, but off the top of my head I can think of Pulled. It’s not crazy angsty, but there were a couple of parts that made me cry. I am pretty sure it was A.L. Jackson’s first book. Not sure if she’s considered a “popular” author, but I’ve liked her books. Which should be reason enough, right? *snort*

Oh, and check out the link from Tessa…it’s perfect! Sea of Tranquility is listed there. *sigh* I LOVED that one.

Great list… I love your blog Maryse….. Thanks for all the great recommendations…..

Olive Kitteridge is a very good book, but I don’t really think of it as a collection of short stories. Perhaps, it is more a collection of episodic, united stories centering around the life and evolution, or lack there of, of a single character. I’m assuming a collection of short stories is what is meant by a “book of short stories.” If you are looking for a collection of short stories try Jhumpa Lahiri’s Interpreter of Maladies. Like Olive Kitteridge, it also won the Pulitzer and is very good. Also, Tenth of December by George Saunders got a lot of attention a couple years ago. It is a collection of short stories and a National Book Award finalist.

OK Amy I have to check out Pulled. Don’t think I’ve read anything by that author but I could potentially have downloaded some of her books! Haha! Oh I do have Come to Me Quietly and the Regret series, neither of which I’ve read. Let me look at Pulled.

Loved, loved, loved Sea of Tranquillity…. Well never forget it!

These categories are making me remember so many good books. I got to thinking about an authors first book and what my first “romance” novel was and it was The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen E Woodiwiss. I remember hiding them from my mom. I’m pretty sure I devoured all of them and thus began my romance with romance novels! ❤️

Thanks Amy & Tessa–Night Owl is going to my top spot for author’s 1st book!

Question. Does anyone know if the author of SOT plan to write another?

Thanks for that link Tessa! I’m thinking Gabriel’s Inferno, Beautiful Bastard or Consequences. The only one I don’t have downloaded already is Gabriel’s Inferno. Which one would you guys pick?

Night Owl…MANATEE!!!!!!

Jean, I also read AL Jackson’s Take This Regret series and When We Collide, and they were pretty good as well.

Bev, SOT?

Tracy, I hid Flowers in the Attic from my ultra-conservative mom. *giggle*

Jean–Beautiful Bastard was good!

I need some recommendations for a book with bad reviews–this is a hard one!

Beautiful Bastard was good. Very alpha romantic. Consequences… Mind messery for sure. I kept reading it, asking myself, why am I reading this? I swear, it was great, and horrible at the same time (definitely dark). I still cant believe people thought Anthony was bbf worthy, but it was one of those books that was good enough to stay with you. Gabriel’s Inferno… Blah. Lots of people liked it, but I thought the heroine was snooty and acted way too much like she was better than everyone else.

Thanks for the feedback! I’m thinking Beautiful Bastard it is!

Amy Sea of Tranquility. I was being a lazy typist.

Ohhhh, got it now Bev. But I don’t know if she is writing any others…

I love a good book list! A couple titles that have romance elements that would fit in different categories…

Nicholas and Alexandra by Robert Massie – It’s nonfiction, the story of Czar Nicholas and his wife Alexandra (though you probably already guessed that). Even knowing what was going to happen, it was really very engrossing. At its heart, it is a great, if tragic, love story.

Foreign Affairs by Alison Lurie – It won the Pulitzer in 1985 and is a pretty short (about 300 pages), easy, witty read.

A Book that scares you: Heart Shaped Box is soo good! It’s a very cool story and freaky too! Also, just read one called Afraid by Jack Kilborn … I sincerely cannot read this at night.
Love Triangle: you could continue on with the Kathleen Turner series. They get better and better each book!
Wild by Cheryl Strayed,… Fantastic writing! True story! It’s awesome!
🙂 this is fun

I already know which book I’ll be reading for “A book that scares me.” I’ve read it before. Back in high school I think and it horrified me. It’s the only book I still remember as truly terrifying me. It’s The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum.

I mean, how do you know the book scares you unless you’ve already read it?

Ya you’re right Lyndsi! Maybe it should be “A Book You Are Afraid To Read”. That way you can read something new as opposed to one you have read. I was always afraid to read The Exorcist… But read it anyway and it was fantastic!

A book you started but didn’t finish….. Does this mean I’m going to have to finish Forbidden?? No, I can’t do it! Lol.

I am so excited about this!!

For anyone looking for a non-fiction book I HIGHLY reccomened ‘Tuesday’s with Morie’ by Mitch Albom. It is one of my all time favorite books and I will pick it up from time to time just to read a chapter because the messages in the book are amamzing and you can apply them to your everyday life.

Harry Potter, yes yay you. Great book great series that just gets better and better.
So, the book that makes you cry, is it suppose to be a re read or just take chances on books you think has the potential to make you cry?
So, the home town I’d think some of you would have to stretch that to State or another close town or city?

Maryse… For number 37 The Color Purple, For a book that scares you…maybe The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro

Oohh I read the strain a while back. It was wicked.

The Law of Attraction by NM Silber would be great for #8, Maryse. Her series, Lawyers in Love, is hilarious!

As for funny, anything by N.m. Silber rocks. She writes the Lawyers in Love series.

The Law of Attraction by n.M. Silber.
She is a fairly new writer and she is HILARIOUS and HAWT!!!

Again, High School… Fallen Crest High.

On a more serious note, I’ve been wanting to read Vampire Knight. It’s a graphic novel that sounds right up my alley, but just hearing graphic novel just makes me anxious. This is the perfect reason to read it.

I can’t believe you haven’t read anything from Barbara Speak yet! Omg you need to get on that girl! They will leave you breathless I PROMISE!

I would suggest reading The Last of the Mochicans followed by Into the Wilderness by Sara Donati. There are six books in this series and it is set after the time of Last of the Mochicans. I loved the movie so much I was hungry for this series set in this time. It could fit into a couple categories on your list. I think I might try this challenge too. My book club read Before I Go to Sleep and it was good.

Can I suggest Razorblade Kisses, it can be for a book that made you cry or an author you haven’t read before. The author is RL Griffin, the book was released on 8th Jan and is a fantastic read x

Color in title….have to say it, Written in Red.
Highschool ( feel like I need to duck from Tessa) Eleanor & Park.

Noooooo!!! *grins* Okay, I haven’t read Eleanor & Park, so I have no opinion. Maybe I should add that to my HS choice.

Eleanor and Park?? That one was good! I felt so bad for Eleanor with her situation, but it was so sweet. I was a kid in the eighties, and all of those things like mix tapes and Walkmans and the clothes (oh lord *shaking head*) felt like a flashback.

Hurt for her and choices she had to make. Loved, loved Park. The comic books and tapes, the reader & music lover in me swooned at those,lol.

Maryse, I’m having so much fun looking at your choices as you put them up.

I spent the good part of a working day today with my colleague deciding which books will fit each catagory. We’re so excited to be doing this and I’m starting with my first book tonight, a book that was published the year I was born. Lucky me that was Roald Dahl’s Boy. Thanks so much for sharing this challenge. I’m going to post it far and wide.

Since finding Goodreads and your blog 2 years ago, I’m getting a lot more pleasure (and sometimes pain too

Maryse, I love your blog and I hold you personally responsible for increasing my reading pleasure for the last three years. This challenge is wicked. I’m in too. I’m only starting in February, but I discovered I’ve already ticked some of the boxes in January. You are right that it is fun planning what to read too. I had a day off today and worked on my list. I’m still struggling with some categories.
I’ve been very scared with Mud Vein in January, I gave it 5 stars, but since I read it before finding the challenge, I’m going to be brave and choose another one. Can please someone recommend a 5 star horror or dark-scary theme which you would say is a 4.5 or 5 star read, preferably with some romance in it? I would recomend Love Remains by Glen Duncan. It is not horror, just shocking to the bone. It left me psychologically numb and horrified. I think the end was controversial and not so great, but the subject matter was and it gave me one of the first book hangovers I’ve ever had. I was devastated and enraged about it. I could not stop thinking about it for weeks, and I came to it time and time again in my head for years to come, especially in the context of my work as a Psychotherapist. I even discussed with a friend things about one of the characters, like: “could you remain non-judgemental about what this guy did, if you were his therapist?” A difficult one. So please people, suggest a good book to be scared about (better psychologically than dismemberment, please)

Thank you guys, you are great and I took copious notes about recommendations already

For American readers, I would recommend Five Quarters of an orange by Johanna Harris, the woman who wrote Chocolat, for the “book set in another country” it’s set in the UK during WWII. It is unforgettable. Also Chocolat will do. I love this author. All 4-5 reads

Hi Teresa! I don’t read a lot of “scary” or suspenseful books (I prefer to get turned inside out with angst ;)), but there are some great ladies on here who could probably give you some good recommendations in that category. And, of course, Maryse always has an abundance of info available. Right now there is a lot of chatter on the bargain post from last Friday, so I would try posting this question over there.

Oh, and Love Remains sounds like it’s right up my alley but I don’t see it on Amazon. 🙁

Here Teresa…
https://www.maryse.net/news/bargain-and-freebie-ebooks/latest-bargain-e-books-reader-recommendations-january-30th-2015.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Maryse+%28Maryse%27s+Book+Blog+-+Paranormal+Romance+Book+Reviews%29

Amy, I only have Love Remains on paperback. Not sure if it’s ever been on digital. I have a well thumbed copy I could definitely send it by post if you want.

Amy, thank you for pointing me in the right direction. I think I’m going to go for Gone Girl. It was already in my TBR but I’m a bit afraid of going there in this category, I end up being scared, battered and bruised by many books but I don’t know it before hand.
Happy challenge. And I would recommend the Regret trilogy for the din-fest. Love them all. Pulled is also good. I love AL Jackson, all her books are 4-5 star reads for me.

I’m also struggling to think if a banned book. Not sure if it means a book currently banned in the “free world” or one that has been banned at some time in some country, in which case it might be easier to find (After all I grew up in 1960s Spain with an almost illiterate dictator, so it should not be difficult at all. So far I can only think of Last Tango in Paris or Lady Chatterley’s lover. Any other ones?

Yeah, I prefer angst too. I’m addicted to it actually. In January. It seems that I won a jackpot already: Mud Vein, The Opportunist, Dirty Red and the thief!!!! I’m ticking a lot of boxes with those 4. And something never before experienced. Four books with a perfect 5-star score for me. And all by Tarryn Fisher. I’m in awe of her talent!

I think I’m getting too excited about this challenge. Three posts in a row 😉
I found this other book blog which us all about books from different countries
https://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/thelist/

How sweet of you to offer that, Teresa! 😀 The Opportunist series, Mud Vein (I equally loved and hated that book…definitely a 5-star) and AL Jackson??? Oh, you are a kindred spirit!! I *love* both of those authors. I read Pulled and liked it so much that I tried her Regret series and When We Collide (it was actually when they had the old cover pictures), and they didn’t disappoint.

The only banned book I can think of that *I* have read is Her Master’s Courtesan by Lily White, but that was just banned from Amazon so I’m not sure if it counts. But it traumatized me. Seriously. And I like dark reads. I’m pretty sure Maryse read and reviewed it but can’t remember for sure.

Hang out some more and you’ll see that the lovely ladies here get excited like that about what we read…you’re in good company. 😉

I’m working on this list too and since I have such similar literary taste and obsession with books as you do, here are my suggestions:

#35 Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. Wil Wheaton reads the audiobook and is AMAZING!!! I struggled to get into this book when I read it but when I listened to it I could NOT STOP!!! 5 stars on my Goodreads list!

#40 How about The Exile by Diana Gabaldon?

I don’t know where you’d put it in the list but what about Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal, by Christopher Moore? I haven’t read it yet but the Goodreads reviews look great and it looks hysterical and unique!

And one more that I highly suggest if you haven’t read it yet, The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls…my all time fav non-fiction (memoir).

Oh wait, one more…Dreams of Joy by Lisa See…fits a couple categories and SO good!

Gah! How could I forget my fav fav?!?! Put this somewhere, anywhere, on this list!

The Name of the Wind (Kingkiller Chronicle) By Patrick Rothfuss

How about #41?! Unless you’ve read this book, you haven’t read this author! Or technically it fits in #36 as well. Or boot Harry and put this at #39…its so much better!!!

#37 book with color in it…have you read Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier? It’s the first of a trilogy. It was originally written in German so it fits #44 as well.

Short Stories – I read True: 3 Short Stories by Barbara Cutrera. Having problems finding a Play as well as written in a different language.

Going to read Harry Potter for my banned book.

PS – Kim Jones is under 30 so read Red for that one though it could have gone under several others.

Harry Potter was banned? I’d never heard that.

Yay! Love seeing your updates. I have quite a few to get through too but we got this! Marrow was my one word title 😉 How was the one that got away (yellow cover) – I just checked out that one…heard it might be a fit for one of the categories.

I am so on board with this.. Hopefully it will broaden my horizons, I feel like I’m in a book funk