Reading Challenge Complete

This year, I decided to do a  reading challenge off Facebook and I quickly filled up most of the categories.  However, once I reached a certain point, I was reading more off my other challenge of reading all the Newbery books and so I finally finished the last category on the reading challenge this week.

A book by an author with your same initials:  The Lost Years by J.M. Dillard

I've been meaning to read this forever since I have the four book "Lost Years" series of Star Trek in a boxed set.  I ended up reading it off Scribd because it was just easier to read it digitally.  I find myself embracing digital books more every year.  Anyway, this book is set after the Enterprise returns from her five year mission and we see Kirk promoted to admiral while Spock and McCoy resign from Starfleet.

My book count for the year according to Goodreads is 255.  Not too shabby.

Here's the complete reading challenge:

• A book with more than 500 pages - Insurgent
• A classic romance - Sense and Sensibility
• A book that became a movie - The Princess Bride
• A book published this year - The Mermaid's Sister
• A book with a number in the title - 1776
• A book written by someone under 30 - Flawless
• A book with nonhuman characters - Dragon Kiss
• A funny book - Fortunately, the Milk
• A book by a female author - Dear Mr. Henshaw
• A mystery or thriller - Broken Symmetry
• A book with a one-word title - Paperboy
• A book of short stories - Thistle and Thyme: Tales and Legends from Scotland 
• A book set in a different country - A Day on Skates: The Story of a Dutch Picnic
• A nonfiction book - 41: A Portrait of my Father; Killing Patton
• A popular author's first book - Star Trek The Next Generation #5 Strike Zone
• A book from an author you love that you haven't read yet - The Cuckoo's Calling
• A book a friend recommended - Off to Be a Wizard
• A Pulitzer Prize-winning book - Nazi Germany and the Jews: The Years of Extermination, 1939-1945
• A book based on a true story - The Road From Home
• A book at the bottom of your to-read list - The Winter Room
• A book your mom loves - Lad: A Dog
• A book that scares you - Doll Bones
• A book more than 100 years old - A Little Princess
• A book based entirely on its cover - Orphan Train
• A book you were supposed to read in school but didn't - The Lantern Bearers
• A memoir - I Am Not Spock, I Am Spock
• A book you can finish in a day - El Deafo
• A book with antonyms in the title - Over Sea, Under Stone
• A book set somewhere you've always wanted to visit - Born With Teeth
• A book with bad reviews - The Glass Magician
• A trilogy - The Lord of the Rings
• A book from your childhood - Sarah Plain and Tall
• A book with a love triangle - Unsouled
• A book set in the future - Legacy Code
• A book set in high school - Go Ask Alice
• A book with a color in the title - Brown Girl Dreaming
• A book that made you cry - The Crossover
• A book with magic - The Eye of the World
• A graphic novel - Farscape Vol 5 Red Sky at Morning
• A book by an author you've never read before - The Dream Coach
• A book you own but have never read - The Bronze Bow
• A book that takes place in your hometown (home state) - Caddie Woodlawn
• A book that was originally written in a different language - Pippi Longstocking
• A book set during Christmas - The Dark is Rising
• A book written by an author with your same initials - The Lost Years
• A play - William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, A New Hope
• A banned book - The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things
• A book based on or turned into a TV show - Pretty Little Liars
• A book you started but never finished - Mere Christianity

Reading Challenge - September

I had the time to read some more Newbery books as well as a few series and the new Bill O'Reilly "Killing" series book.

To Be a Slave by Julius Lester - A Newbery Honor, nonfiction account of what slavery was really like, from the early days of slave ships to sharecropping after the war.
The Silkworm (Cormoran Strike #2) by Robert Galbraith - I liked The Cuckoo's Calling and book three is coming out next month so I had to read this.  A good mystery.  Will keep you guessing.  Definitely not for kids though.
Bill O'Reilly's Legends and Lies: The Real West by Bill O'Reilly - I have enjoyed O'Reilly's "Killing" series and listened to this on Audible.  Very interesting biographies of some of the Western legends.
Getting Near to Baby by Audrey Couloumbis - A pair of sisters spend the morning on the roof of their aunt's house, reliving the circumstances of their baby sister's death in flashbacks.
The Great Fire by Jim Murphy - A nonfiction book about the Great Chicago Fire.
On My Honor - Tragedy happens when two boys go for an ill-advised swim in the river.
Missing May by Cynthia Rylant - Summer misses her deceased aunt.
Somewhere in the Darkness by Walter Dean Myers - A dying, escaped convict spends time with his estranged son before he dies.
Killing Reagan by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard - A look at Reagan - his days as an actor who went into politics, his almost-assassination as president and his decline into Alzheimer's.

Portuguese Irregular Verbs by Alexander McCall Smith
- The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs - Van Igelfeld is mistaken for a veterinarian with disastrous results.  He also has adventures in Italy and on a cruise ship.
-At the Villa of Reduce Circumstances - Van Igelfeld has adventures at Cambridge and Colombia.
The Selection by Kiera Cass
-The Selection - America is chosen to be one of thirty-five women chosen as potential brides for the prince in a post-apocalyptic Bachelor-type contest.
-The Elite - America makes the cut to the final six girls but she is still unsure if she loves the prince or still has feelings for her first love, who is now a palace guard.
-The One - Tensions with the rebels continue to get ugly and the true nature of the current king is revealed.  Who will the prince pick to be his bride?
Star Trek New Frontier by Peter David
-The Returned (Parts 1, 2 and 3) - Captain Calhoun leads his ship into a pocket universe bent on revenge against the race that wiped out his planet and finds an even worse race.  Meanwhile, Robin Lefler and Mark McHenry return to New Thallon.

Reading Challenge - August

A book more than 100 years old - A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

I got this book for free off Kindle (it's public domain since it's over 100 years old, published in 1905) and the audio was discounted via Audible and Whispersync for Voice.  I listened to the book while I waited for the girls to fall asleep every night.  I have seen both the Shirley Temple movie and the updated 1995 movie.  The movies do deviate from the book some but the premise is the same.  Sarah Crewe, comes to live at Miss Minchin's boarding school when her father suddenly dies and she is forced to become a servant.

Other Books:
Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer - I read books 1 and 2 last month.  This book adds Cress, a Rapunzel-like Lunar shell who is imprisoned in a satellite who has fallen in love with the gallant Captain.  I can't wait for Winter.
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher - This book was recommended to me at book club.  The main character receives a box of cassette tapes from a girl who committed suicide talking about her reasons why she did it.
Precious Moments Stories from the Bible by Sheri Dunham Haan - I've been reading this book a Bible story at a time with my girls.  It has the stories arranged topically and incorporates Precious Moments illustrations.
The Witches of Worm by Zilpha Keatley Snyder - A disappointing read about a girl who rescues a kitten who turns out to be a witch's cat.
Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush by Virginia Hamilton - A ghost story.  Tree cares for her intellectually disabled older brother while her mother is out working.  Meanwhile, the ghost of her uncle haunts the house.  It's an interesting story but the dialect bogs things down occasionally.
Dragon's Gate by Laurence Yep - Otter joins his father and uncle as Chinese immigrants working in horrible conditions on the transcontinental railroad.
Clean Slate (Jim Knighthorse #4) by J.R Rain - Detective Knighthorse is back and this time he's investigating whether or not the death of a famous actor was real or faked.
Crooked Little Lies by Barbara Taylor Sissel - A story about a web of lies surrounding Lauren, who is recovering from a TBI and Annie who is looking for her missing brother..
The Good Neighbor by A. J. Banner - A "suspense" novel which I found predictable about a couple relocated due to their house burning down.
The Narrow Lutheran Middle by Daniel Deutchlander - A look at the different pitfalls Christians often fall into on our earthly journey.
Dragonwings by Laurence Yep - An authentic look at Chinese immigrants in the time surrounding the San Francisco.
Decision Points by George W. Bush - (abridged audiobook, read by the author) Former President Bush looks back in hindsight at the defining points of his life and presidency.

Reading Challenge - July

I slowed down a bit in July and ended up reading The Princess Diaries series because the library was having a special book club party for the new Royal Wedding book.  It was a fun series to read but I skipped from book 5 to the new book.

Books:
The Wanderer by Sharon Creech - Sophie travels with her uncles and cousins on a boat over the Atlantic.
The Dark-Thirty: Southern Tales of the Supernatural by Patricia C. McKissak - An interesting collection of African American folktales from the American south.
Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George - Julie is an Eskimo who runs away from an arranged marriage and is adopted by wolves.
Forgive Us Our Sins: Homosexuality in Light of the Bible by Richard D. Starr - A summary of what the Bible says about homosexuality co-written by a pastor and a man who lived most of his life as a homosexual.
Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson - A novel in poetic form about a boy who lost his parents in a fire and copes with living with a foster parent.
Shiloh by Phillis Reynolds Naylor - A Newbery winner about a boy who rescues and hides a dog form his abusive master.
Shabanu Daughter of the Wind by Suzanne Fisher Staples - Shabanu is the daughter of a camel herder who is preparing for her older sister's wedding.
An Unwelcome Quest by Scott Meyer - Magic 2.0 series book 3.  Todd, a wizard who was exiled by the others, returns and traps some of the wizards in a computer simulation.
Homesick: My Own Story by Jean Fritz - Based on actual experiences, Jean is an American girl growing up in China.
Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery by Russell Freedman - A nonfiction children's book about the famous first lady.
A Visit to William Blake's Inn by Nancy Willard - A collection of poems based on the works of William Blake.
Sugaring Time by Kathryn Lasky - A picture book about the process of making maple syrup.
Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee - The "original" To Kill a Mockingbird with an adult Jean Louise is ok but needs editing.
Anpao: An American Indian Odyssey  by Jamake Hightower - A novel composed of different Native American legends woven together written by a man who apparently claims to be Native American but may not actually be Native American.
The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
--Cinder - Linh Cinder is a cyborg who has a chance encounter with the prince in this sci fi/robot version of Cinderella.
--Scarlet - Cinder is on the run but meanwhile, in France, Scarlet is dealing with her grandmother's disappearance and the appearance of the mysterious Wolf.
The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
--The Princess Diaries - Mia finds out that she is the only heir to the throne of Genovia.
--Princess in the Spotlight - Mia finds out that her mother is pregnant and prepares for a huge televised interview.
--Princess in Love - Mia has a secret admirer but is he the same guy as her crush?
--Princess in Waiting - Mia spends her Christmas in Genovia but all she can think of is her new boyfriend.
--Princess in Pink - Mia wants to go to prom with Michael but he doesn't want to go.
--Royal Wedding - The 11th volume, Mia is now an adult and still dating Michael while the press hounds them about not getting married.

Reading Challenge - June

My binge of books continues!  I have now completed 30 years of Newbery books (not entirely in chronological order) and read 185 books off the list total.  This month, I read some non-youth fiction as well.

Books:
Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Lawson - This book will bring up memories of reading the Little House books except this has a twist.  A 16 year old orphan girl tries to prove up her uncle's homestead claim in World War I era Montana.
The Master Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg - Two years after The Glass Magician and Ceony is preparing for her Magician test.
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale - An interesting take on the Grimm Fairy Tale.
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins - It seems to be a popular book right now so I read it.  It's about a woman who watches this couple at their house from the commuter train every day until one day the woman disappears.
Eyes on You by Katie White - A somewhat flat but readable mystery about Robin, a rising TV news star and author who suddenly receives a bunch of threats.
Sins of the Father by Jen Blood - The second Erin Solomon mystery where Erin investigates that her father may have been a serial killer.
Better World by Autumn Kalquist - The new prequel to the Legacy Codes series.
Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary D. Schmidt - A historical fiction piece based on the eviction of the residents of Malaga Island, Maine in 1911.  Funny at times but very sad at the end.
Abel's Island by William Steig - A novella about a marooned mouse.
Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor - A very intense book about racism in the deep South at the turn of the century.
The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane by Russell Freedman - An interesting nonfiction book about the famous Wright Brothers.
Nothing But the Truth by Avi - An unconventional novel about a boy who is suspended for humming the National Anthem.
Volcano: The Eruption and Healing of Mount Saint Helens by Patricia Lauber - An interesting account of the Mt. St. Helens' eruption with some interesting information about how nature recovered afterwards.
Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer - A novel about a man who runs against a corrupt mayor in Wisconsin.
In the Beginning by Virginia Hamilton - A collection of different creation stories from around the world.

Reading Challenge - May

This month, I ended up rereading several books that I read as a child.  I am also very close to finishing the reading challenge.  Only three more books to go!

A book based entirely on its cover -  Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

I've seen this book lurking around the "popular" section of Overdrive so I decided to read it.  The cover looked interesting.  It was a bit more on the adult side compared with all the children's novels I've been reading.

A book set somewhere you always wanted to visit - Born with Teeth by Kate Mulgrew

This book is Kate Mulgrew's memoirs (best known as Captain Janeway on Voyager).  A great deal of the book is set in Ireland, which is somewhere I've always wanted to visit since I'm a quarter Irish myself.  It was a very interesting read about a very interesting woman.

A book you were supposed to read in school but didn't - The Lantern Bearers by Rosemary Sutcliff

There weren't really any books in this category because I read everything I was supposed to read in grade school and high school even if I didn't like it.  The only book that possibly fits in this category is The Lantern Bearers which I was supposed to read for children's lit in college.  I tried to read it again and only made it halfway through.  It's supposed to be this great book but I just can't get into it.  Sad.

A book that you own but have never read - The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare

I bought this book way before I was married (pretty sure I got it on clearance) but only now got around to reading it.  It is set at the time of Jesus and involves the Zealots.

A book that was originally written in a different language - Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgrin

This book was originally written in Swedish.  I read it as a child but somehow don't like it so much as an adult.

Others:
Kira Kira  By Cynthia Kadohata - A Newbery winning book about a Japanese American family who work in a poultry factory.  I think it's a bit slow in the plot for my taste.
The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson - A short story about a hobo who finds an evicted family living under "his" bridge in Paris.
Joey Pigza Loses Control by Jack Gantos - The second Joey Pigza book where Joey spends the summer with his father who takes away his medication and figures he can fight ADHD cold turkey with will power (idiot!).
Men of Athens by Olivia Coolidge - A boring, historical fiction/nonfiction attempt at the history of Athens.
Tales from Silver Lands by Charles J. Finger - A set of short stories from South America and didn't impress me.
Up a Road Slowly by Irene Hunt - The story of a girl who is sent to live with her school teacher aunt after her mother dies.  I actually liked it.
Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton and Me by Pattie Boyd - The story of a woman who inspired several love songs.
Rifles for Watie by Harold Keith - A Civil War novel about the experiences of a Kansas boy in the war.
Penny From Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm - An account of Penny's summer.  The conflict in the middle is just awful.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - I read this in high school but decided to re-read it and decided that I like and understand it much better as an adult.
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh - Another re-read of a book from my childhood. Harriet spies on her neighbors and records everything in her notebook but has issues when her nanny leaves and her friends read her notebook.
The Cricket in Time's Square by George Selden - An animal fantasy about a cricket who lives in a newsstand in New York and plays concerts.  I'm pretty sure this is also a re-read as I think I read it in grade school as an independent read.

Reading Challenge - April

Once again, I've been reading up a storm.  I went to set a goal of 100 books to read in 2015 and found that I've read 105 so I upped the goal to 150.  I'm almost done with my reading challenge!  Just a few categories more.

A book with a number in the title - 1776 by David McCullough

I enjoyed the audio version of this book.  It's a narrative about the year 1776 with the events of the revolutionary war.

A funny book - Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman

A father goes out to get milk for his children and doesn't return for a long time.  When he gets back, he has a tale involving space aliens, pirates and a time-traveling stegosaurus.

A book of short stories - Thistle and Thyme: Tales and Legends from Scotland by Sorche Nic Leodhas

This is a collection of stories from Scotland. I really liked them.

A book a friend recommended - Off to be a Wizard by Scott Meyer

A computer program leads Martin to the Middle Ages where he tries to pose as a wizard.  I also read the sequel, Spell or High Water which was also great.

A book your mom loves - Lad: A Dog by Albert Payson Terhune

I had to call my mom to find out what books she actually likes because she's not a prolific reader.  This was a favorite from her childhood and I found that it wasn't that bad.

A book with antonyms in the title - Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper

I was having problems finding a book for this category, until I found a list and realized that I'd already read one a few months ago!  Hooray for scratching off lists.

A book with bad reviews - The Glass Magician by Charlie N. Homberg

I originally didn't read this sequel to The Paper Magician because a lot of the early reviews were negative.  I actually thought it was okay.

A play - William Shakespeare's Star Wars Verily, A New Hope by Ian Doescher

I listened to the Audible version of this great Shakespearean Star Wars.   There was even a "hey nonny nonny" song in it.  I liked it so much, I also managed to squeeze in listening to The Empire Striketh Back.

Other books -
Star Trek The Next Generation #10 A Rock and a Hard Place by Peter David - Commander Riker is temporarily reassigned to a terraforming project and the Enterprise gets a new and possibly insane first officer.
The Tillerman Cycle #1-3 by Cynthia Voigt
- Homecoming - After their mother abandons them, Dicey leads her siblings on foot to Bridgeport.
- Dicey's Song - Dicey and her siblings adjust to life with Gram.
- A Solitary Blue - Jeff's mother walks out on Jeff and the Professor but causes issues when she tries to reenter his life when he is older.
King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry - A story about a well bred Arabian horse who is passed from owner to owner in France with his handler boy.
Call it Courage by Armstrong Sperry - I didn't like this book about a boy who is afraid of the sea.
Scorpions by Walter Dean Myers - The writing was really good but the plot lost me with all the gangs and such.  It's not really my thing.
What Hearts by Bruce Brooks - An interesting story of a boy told in four sections but the book lost me when it got to the baseball section.  Sports fantasy is not one of my favorites.  The ending wasn't great either.
The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron - The 2007 Newbery medal winner about a girl named Lucky who is searching for her higher power.
Al Capone Does my Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko - A pretty serious book about a family who lives on Alcatraz Island with an Autistic daughter.
The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex - The book that the movie Home is based on.
Shen of the Sea by Arthur Bowie Chrisman - The 1926 Newbery medal winner and a disappointing collection of Chinese tales.

Reading Challenge - March

I read a bunch of books this month.  I've been plowing through the books on Scribd.  I'm also making the most of Audible.

A classic romance - Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austin

I love the movie with Emma Thompson so I used Whispersync for Voice to read it with an Audible audiobook and the matching Kindle edition.

A book published this year - The Mermaid's Sister by Carrie Anne Noble

I got this book off Kindle First (before it was even released!) so it's pretty hot off the presses.  I really liked it.  It was a fantasy about a girl whose sister is turning into a mermaid and they have to figure out how to get her to the ocean.

A book written by someone under 30 - Flawless by Sara Shepherd

This is the sequel to Pretty Little Liars but I was not impressed.  Shepherd was just shy of 30 when this was released.

A popular author's first book - Star Trek The Next Generation #5 Strike Zone by Peter David

This is Peter David's first Star Trek  novel.  You can tell that it's a bit rusty but it still has his signature wit.

A Pulitzer Prize Winning Book - Nazi Germany and the Jews: The Years of Extermination, 1939-1945 by Saul Friedländer

This is a rather long, thorough and sometimes rather dry but extremely sobering account about the Holocaust in Germany.  This is the middle book of a three book series on the subject.  I learned a lot that I did not know about the holocaust.

A book based on a true story - The Road From Home by David Kherdian

The author writes about his mother's childhood during the Armenian genocide in Turkey.

A memoir - I Am Spock by Leonard Nimoy

I technically already covered this category but I finally read the second autobiography by Leonard Nimoy which is just as good as the first.

A book from your childhood - Sarah Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan

I read this book in fifth grade and watched the movie.  I didn't like it then but I enjoy it now as an adult. 

A Book Set in High School - Go Ask Alice by Anonymous

I've seen this book in B&N several times so I read it on Scribd.  It's the dark tale of a middle class girl who gets sucked into the world of sex and drugs, even running away from home several times.  It peddles itself as a true story but I read that there is some controversy about that.

A book that takes place in your hometown (home state) - Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink

This is another book from my childhood and was read to me in fourth grade.  It is set in my home state of Wisconsin and even mentions the town I went to school in (New Ulm).

A banned book - The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler

I've seen this on the challenged list several times so I got it on Overdrive from my library.  It was an extremely interesting book about a teen who deals with her own self-identity, including her weight issues.  

A book based on or turned into a TV series - Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepherd

I got this for free on Kindle awhile back and I was extremely drawn into the mystery of "A."  Sadly, the second book was a bit of a disappointment for me.

Other books - 
Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorenson - I got the audiobook on Scribd and chapter 4 from from a completely different book!  Otherwise, it was a good book and a Newbery winner. 
Auschwitz: A New History by Laurence Rees - I decided to read this to get more information about the infamous camp
Clapton:The Autobiography by Eric Clapton - A candid memoir about the famous guitarist. 
All the Blue Eyed Angels by Jen Blood - An Erin Solomon mystery about the death of a cult 
Commodore Perry in the Land of the Shogun by Rhoda Blumberg - A nonfiction book about Perry's trip to isolated Japan to secure trade.
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson - The story of a foster child who wants to run away to live with her mother
Dogsong by Gary Paulsen - Hopefully the last Paulsen book I'll ever read, this is about an Eskimo boy who goes out with a team of dogs 
Calico Bush by Rachel Field - The story of a bound-out French girl who travels with an English family to settle in the American colonies
The Bears on Hemlock Mountain by Alice Dalgliesh - A little boy discovers that there are really bears on Hemlock Mountain.
The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh - Sarah travels with her father to build their family's new house in a land full of Indians
Ramona and her Father by Beverly Cleary - Ramona's father loses his job.
Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary - Ramona's father goes back to school to be a teacher and things don't go right for Ramona
The Wish Giver by Bill Brittain - Three children and a shopkeeper buy wishes for 50 cents from a mysterious man.
The Planet of Junior Brown by Virginia Hamilton - A book about Junior Brown and his friend Buddy.

Reading Challenge - February

My bookwormish tendencies have come out with a vengeance.  My new HP Stream 7 makes reading ebooks so much easier and I decided to get a subscription to Scribd.  I like their interface a lot better than Oyster.  It's also a dollar cheaper per month and has audiobooks.  I have not tried the audiobooks yet.  If you want to try it, I can get you a 2 month trial if I refer you (which you can get through me instead of the one month trial you would get by just signing up - don't worry, you can cancel it at any time if you don't like it).

The tablet as has also allowed me to read books from my library on Overdrive.

Here are my reads for February:

A book with more than 500 pages - Insurgent by Veronica Roth

I enjoyed Divergent, so I read the sequels.  I read Allegiant as well but I couldn't find a category for it.  All three of them are long but quickly paced so I read them fast.

A book with nonhuman characters - Dragon Kiss by E.D. Baker

I have the first six books in the Tales of the Frog Princess but only finally got around to finishing the series on Scribd.  The main character in this installment is a dragon.  I also read A Prince Among Frogs which completes the series.

A book by a female author - Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary

I had never read this book before because the cover looked boring but I enjoyed the book,  I have read many of Cleary's other books as a child and loved them.

A book at the bottom of your to-read list - The Winter Room by Gary Paulsen

I'm not a bit Paulsen fan because I hated Hatchet but this has a Newbery honor and it was on Overdrive so I read it even though I was going to wait to get a copy from the library.  It wasn't horrible.

A book that scares you - Dolly Bones  by Holly Black

I didn't want to read this book because it sounded so creepy but it wasn't as bad as I thought.

A book you can finish in a day - El Deafo by Cece Bell

A 2015 Newbery Honor book and a graphic novel.  I loved this book!  Since it was a graphic novel, it was a very quick read.

A book with a love triangle - Unsouled by Neil Shusterman

This is the third book following Unwind.  There is a love triangle between Conner, Risa and Cam.  Cam is the "rewound" person made from carefully selected unwind parts.

A book set in the future - Legacy Code  by Autumn Kalquist

I got this for free off Kindle.  It's a novella about the human race escaping earth and looking for a new planet.  I also read the sequel, Paragon.

A book with a color in the title - Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

This book was heavily favored to win the Newbery this year but it had to settle for an Honor instead.  It is Woodson telling the story of her childhood in poetry.

A book that made you cry - The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

This book won the Newbery medal this year but I wasn't thrilled when I found out it was about basketball.  Instead, I ended up loving it and it made me cry at the end.

A book set during Christmas - The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper

I actually read the whole "Dark is Rising" sequence (Over Sea Under Stone, Greenwitch, The Grey King  and Silver on the Tree) but this is the second book.  It is set around Christmas when Will turns 12 and discovers his destiny (dun dun duh!).

Other books: The Thief  by Megan Whalen Turner and The Moorchild by Eloise Jarvis McGraw which are both 1997 Newbery Honor books. A Gathering of Days by Joan W. Blos is a Newbery Medal winner.

Reading Challenge - January

Here is my update on the books I have read this month.  Follow along with what I read on my Goodreads (contact me for that info) or follow my Newbery quest at neverendingbookquest.blogspot.com.  I have listed the different reading challenges in its own tab on this blog.

A book that became a movie: The Princess Bride by William Goldman

I had recently read As You Wish (which I highly recommend) and decided to go back and reread the original book. 

A mystery or a thriller: Broken Symmetry by Dan Rix

I got this for free on Kindle.  It is about people who have the ability to go in and out of mirrors.  It as ok.

A book with a one-word title: Paperboy by Vince Vawter

This book was one of the 2014 Newbery Honor books and I really liked it.  It is about a boy who stutters and takes over his friend's paper route for the summer, during which he finds out many things.

A book set in a different country: A Day on Skates: The Story of a Dutch Picnic by Hilda van Stockum

This book is a 1935 Newbery Honor book that has become public domain.  It is set in Holland and talks about a brother and sister who go on a skating picnic with their teacher and classmates.

A nonfiction book: 41: Portrait of my Father by George W. Bush and Killing Patton by Bob O'Reilly

I don't tend to read a lot of nonfiction but I found both of these books to be interesting.  I also listened to both books on Audible.  George W. Bush was encouraged by historian David McCullough to write a book about his father because John Quincy Adams, the only ever son to ever become president after his father, had not written a book about John Adams and McCullough would have loved it if he had.  It was very interesting and I learned a lot about the state of affairs during the elder Bush's presidency.  I have also read O'Reilly's previous three "killing" books (Killing Lincoln, Killing Kennedy and Killing Jesus) and I really loved them.  I didn't know a lot about Patton but I do now after listening to the book.  I love how he uses a lot of first person accounts and kind of weaves a web so that you understand what was going on in the world at the time of the person's death.

A book from an author you love that you haven't read yet: The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (J. K. Rowling)

I was pleasantly surprised by this good old fashioned private detective novel after my intense disappointment with Rowling's A Casual Vacancy.

A memoir: I Am Not Spock by Leonard Nimoy

I have had this book for awhile but have not read it yet.  I loved the conversations between Spock and Nimoy.

A book with magic: The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

I do like fantasy so I thought that I should really try to read some of The Wheel of Time series.  This was a first book.  It was long and bogged down in places but it was pretty good.

A graphic novel: Farscape Vol 5. Red Sky at Morning by Rockne S. O'Bannon

I was missing this volume in the Farscape comic series that tracks the crew of Moya after the events of the Peacekeeper Wars.

A book by an author you've never read before: The Dream Coach by Anne Parrish

This book was a 1925 Newbery Honor book and is public domain.  It was a little "out there" for my tastes, talking about a coach that delivers dreams to children around the world.