Literary Exploration discussion

Lyndi wrote: "I have completed the challenge!!! You can see my completed card above. I also chose to read the optional genres instead of just picking one of the two on the ones that had options making my total b..."

Congratulations Lyndi!

Nice job Lyndi.

I finished the Hard Challenge in June and really wanted to read other stuff. I got the "other stuff" out of my system and now it's September and I'm ready to continue. Except for Poetry. Not gonna happen. Update: I did read poetry and it was really tortuous. I just find my mind wandering no matter what type of poetry I read. It's just not my cup of tea. I'm looking forward to doing this again next year!
Easy Challenge
01/04/14 Classics - The Return of Sherlock Holmes
04/08/14 Fantasy - The Princess Bride
04/04/14 Graphic Novels - The Encyclopedia of Early Earth
05/07/14 Historical Fiction - The Kitchen House
04/16/14 Horror - NOS4A2
05/11/14 Literary Fiction - Frog Music
02/07/14 Mystery - Last Bus to Woodstock
02/04/14 Non Fiction - I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
04/23/14 Romance - Outlander
04/13/14 Science Fiction - Never Let Me Go
03/26/14 Thriller - Dark Places
04/27/14 Young Adult - The Book Thief

Hard Challenge
03/22/14 Adventure - Around the World in Eighty Days
05/04/14 Auto-Biography/Biography - Not the Mother I Remember: A Memoir
05/16/14 Chick-Lit - Me Before You
05/03/14 Drama - The Glass Menagerie
05/03/14 Humour - You're Not Doing It Right: Tales of Marriage, Sex, Death, and Other Humiliations
05/20/14 Paranormal - x0
05/09/14 Philosophical - Your Soul's Gift: The Healing Power of the Life You Planned Before You Were Born
11/24/14 Poetry - Selected Poems by Oscar Wilde
05/31/14 Pulp – (Hard-Boiled or Noir) - The Maltese Falcon
05/26/14 Steampunk -Airborn
06/05/14 Victorian - The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

Insane Challenge
02/16/14 Children's Book -Heidi
10/11/14 Dystopian/Post-Apocalyptic - The Handmaid's Tale
10/04/14 Epic - The Lies of Locke Lamora
08/26/14 Erotica - Backstage Pass
10/22/14 Espionage - The Spy Who Came In from the Cold
10/30/14 Gothic -Rebecca
10/18/14 Magical Realism - The Golem and the Jinni
10/05/14 Self Help/Educational - Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead
09/27/14 Short Stories - This Is How: Proven Aid in Overcoming Shyness, Molestation, Fatness, Spinsterhood, Grief, Disease, Lushery, Decrepitude & More. For Young and Old Alike.
10/10/14 Travel - Travels with Charley: In Search of America
09/21/14 True Crime - In Cold Blood
07/12/14 Urban Fantasy - Neverwhere
02/27/14 Western - Lonesome Dove

Did the easy challenge in 2013 and 2014. Will do the hard challenge next year.

Insane Challenge

I completed the Hard Challenge today so I am moving up to the insane challenge. I am updating my links to the hard challenge books here as well.

Action/Adventure The Fellowship of the Ring 6/29/14 *****
Auto-Biography/Biography Alex Stewart: Portrait of a Pioneer2/26/14 *****
Chick-Lit The Thorn Birds 9/22/14 *****
Childrens Book Danny the Champion of the World 1/6/14 ****
Classics The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie1/1/14 ***
Contemporary/Drama Lottery 2/14/14 ****
Cyberpunk/Steampunk Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea 5/9/14 ****
Dystopian/Post-Apocalyptic Brave New World 5/23/14 *****
Epic The Two Towers 7/6/14 *****
Erotica Fanny Hill, or Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure12/5/14 ***
Espionage The Day of the Jackal 12/13/14 *****
Fantasy The Color of Magic 1/9/14 ***
Graphic Novels How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You 5/3/14 ***
Gothic Wide Sargasso Sea 3/30/14 ****
Historical Fiction Winter Garden 1/28/14 *****
Horror Frankenstein 4/30/14 ****
Humour Three Men in a Boat 1/4/14 *****
Literary Fiction The Sound and the Fury 2/10/14 ****
Magical Realism One Hundred Years of Solitude 3/7/14 ***
Mystery The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time 5/2/14 ****
Non Fiction The Eighty-Dollar Champion: Snowman, the Horse That Inspired a Nation 2/18/14 ****
Paranormal/Supernatural Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch 4/7/14 ****
Philosophical A Clockwork Orange 1/14/14 ****
Poetry Plume: Poems 5/28/14 *****
Pulp – (Hard-Boiled or Noir)The Postman Always Rings Twice 9/24/14 ****
Romance I Capture the Castle 2/4/14 ****
Science Fiction The War of the Worlds 1/18/14 ***
Self Help/EducationalValues-Based Financial Planning : The Art of Creating and Inspiring Financial Strategy 12/21/14 ***
Short Stories A Good Man is Hard to Find and Other Stories 5/14/14 ****
Thriller Perfume: The Story of a Murderer 5/18/14 ****
TravelNotes from a Small Island10/15/14 ****
True Crime In Cold Blood8/27/14 ***
Urban FantasyFables, Vol. 1: Legends in Exile 12/9/14 ***
Victorian The Jungle Book 3/13/14 ****
Western Blood Meridian: Or the Evening Redness in the West12/20/14 ***
Young Adult A Tree Grows in Brooklyn 4/15/14 *****

Bonus points points (can be exchanged for bragging rights) for
Translated Fiction Embers1/22/14 ****
and books over 800 pages.

3 MORE TO GO.

Short stories
true crime
western

the irritating genres

I have finished this challenge. Not sure that I would commit to this again, but I'm glad I did it this year.

Action/Adventure Master and Commander May 29
Auto-Biography/Biography Wait Till Next Year Aug 28
Chick-Lit Bridget Jones's Diary Feb 3
Childrens Book Charlotte's Web Sep 27
Classics Their Eyes Were Watching God Apr 11
Contemporary/Drama The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry June 1
Cyberpunk/Steampunk Leviathan July 26
Dystopian/Post-Apocalyptic The Road Sep 11
Epic The Lord of the Rings Apr 28
Erotica A Sport and a Pastime June 13
Espionage Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy Jan 5
Fantasy Neverwhere March 12
Graphic Novels Watchmen Jan 17
Gothic Frankenstein June 23
Historical Fiction All Quiet on the Western Front May 15
Horror NOS4A2 May 22
Humour The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy May 3
Literary Fiction A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Aug 2
Magical Realism Death with Interruptions Aug 14
Mystery Still Life Apr 5
Non Fiction One Summer: America, 1927 Jan 12
Paranormal/Supernatural Something Wicked This Way Comes Jan 29
Philosophical The Stranger Sep 3
Poetry I Could Pee on This: And Other Poems by Cats Mar 8
Pulp – (Hard-Boiled or Noir) The Big Sleep May 8
Romance Rose Harbor in Bloom May 24
Science Fiction The Forever War Mar 23
Self Help/Educational How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines July 1
Short Stories CivilWarLand in Bad Decline May 6
Thriller Touch & Go June 1
Travel Following Atticus Mar 31
True Crime Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil Feb 8
Urban Fantasy The Magicians Apr 11
Victorian The Invisible Man June 9
Western All the Pretty Horses Feb 14
Young Adult The Perks of Being a Wallflower Apr 22

Congratulations Laurie!

Congratulations Laurie. I really like the list of books you read, it has given me some ideas of books I'd like to check out.

Short stories complete. A random collection of sci fi which was actually fun to read.

True crime also complete. In cold blood by Truman capote. Excellent reading.

Only one to go now. The western. I'm going to read the red pony by John Steinbeck.

Finished final book.
Western John Steinbeck the red pony

Finished and completed well ahead of deadline means this year i have two months of free reading ahead, unlike last year when i had thee days lol. Fantastic challenge with some genres extremely hard to read but that is what I love about this.
So here is my completed list

Action/adventure the tournament Matthew Reilly FINISHED
Auto/biography Abraham Lincoln: vampire hunter FINISHED
Chick lit Bridget jones 3 Helen fielding FINISHED
Children's diary of a wimpy kid Jeff Kinney FINISHED
Classics bleak house dickens FINSHED
Contemp/drama The Help Katheryn Stockett FINISHED
steampunk clockwork princess Cassandra Clare FINISHED
Dystopian/post insurgent Veronica Ruth FINISHED
Epic Clash Of Kings George Martin FINISHED
Erotica kresley cole kiss of a demon king FINISHED
Espionage lee child trip wire FINISHED
Fantasy ship of magic robin hobb FINISHED
Graphic walking dead vol 2 FINISHED
Gothic beautiful darkness kami Garcia FINISHED
Historical captive queen Alison weir FINISHED
Horror dean koontz Face of fear FINISHED
Humour terry prattchet the colour of magic FINISHED
Literary the remains of the day Ishiguro FINISHED
Magical Realism The Snow Child FINISHED
Mystery Patricia cornwell Scarpetta FINISHED
Non fiction The Ascent of Man FINISHED
Paranormal/ supernatural moon called Patricia Briggs FINISHED
Philosophical Sophie's world FINISHED
Poetry paradise lost FINISHED
Pulp sue grafton d is for deadbeat FINISHED
Romance shiver Maggie stiven FINISHED
Sci fi Enders game FINISHED
Self help/edu the secret rhonda byrne FINISHED
Short stories Citizen In Space FINISHED
Thriller Jo nesbo the redbreast FINISHED
Travel under the Tuscan sun FINISHED
True crime In Cold Blood FINISHED
Urban fantasy Bitten Kelley Armstrong FINISHED
Victorian Etiquette and Espionage Gail Carriger FINISHED
Western the red pony john Steinbeck FINISHED
Young adult Days of Blood and Starlight Lainey Taylor FINISHED

Well, I finally finished this Insane challenge. Except for poetry. But I don't feel right about not even attempting the poetry genre so I would love any recommendations for someone who has a difficult time with it. I tried searching for something but it's very intimidating. And something with a humorous slant may be a good fit.

I'm so glad I found Goodreads. This is the first year I've participated in a challenge and it's been so satisfying. I've read books that I would have never chosen on my own. I've increasingly been watching less TV in favor of reading and a lot of shows that I really used to enjoy have failed to keep me engaged. It's like my brain is finally getting the nourishment that it requires and can't tolerate the empty calories of TV anymore. I'm definitely doing the challenge again next year and can't wait to see what genres will be on the list!

Andrea

What about the cats by ts Eliot. I can't remember the full title but that is fun

Post 10 - Insane Challenge - all finished.

Liz wrote: "What about the cats by ts Eliot. I can't remember the full title but that is fun"

Thanks for the suggestion Liz! I already settled on Selected Poems by Oscar Wilde because his writing always makes me LOL.

Cool. Oscar Wilde is fun too

Cool. Oscar Wilde is fun too

I'm done! Msg 44. :)

Insane Challenge - done and done!
Adventure – The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
Auto-Biography/Biography – Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland
Chick-Lit – Your Roots Are Showing by Elise Chidley
Children’s Book – Matilda by Roald Dahl
Classics – Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Contemporary/Drama
• A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff
• As You Like It by William Shakespeare
Cyberpunk or Steampunk
• Sherlock Holmes: The Will of the Dead by George Mann
Dystopian/Post-Apocalyptic – Divergent by Veronica Roth
Epic – A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
Erotica – Best of Best Women’s Erotica 2 edited by Violet Blue
Espionage – Solo: A James Bond Novel by William Boyd
Fantasy – The Neverending Story by Michael Ende
Graphic Novels – Arrow Vol. 1 by Marc Guggenheim
Gothic – Night Film by Marisha Pessl
Historical Fiction – Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
Horror – The Shining by Stephen King
Humor – Sex Criminals: One Weird Trip (Vol. 1) by Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky
Literary Fiction – The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Magical Realism – The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
Mystery – Wicked Autumn by G. M. Malliet
Non Fiction – Detroit: An American Autopsy by Charlie LeDuff
Paranormal/Supernatural
• Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
• What’s a Witch to Do? By Jennifer Harlow
Philosophical – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Philosophy, edited by Eric Bronson
Poetry – The Moments, the Minutes, the Hours by Jill Scott
Pulp (Hard-Boiled or Noir) – Odds On by Michael Crichton writing as John Lange
Romance – Finding It by Cora Carmack
Science Fiction – Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
Self Help/Educational
• The Big Picture: 11 Laws That Will Change Your Life by Tony Horton
• Assessing Student Learning by Linda Suskie
Short Stories – One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories by B.J. Novak
Thriller – Dare Me by Megan Abbott
Travel – All Over the Map by Laura Fraser
True Crime – The Man in the Rockefeller Suit by Mark Seal
Urban Fantasy – Bitten by Kelley Armstrong
Victorian – Middlemarch by George Eliot (pen name of Mary Ann Evans)
Western – The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson
Young Adult – Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Tiffani wrote: "Insane Challenge - done and done!
Adventure – The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
Auto-Biography/Biography – Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland
Chick-Lit – Your Roots Are ..."

Congratulations, Tiffani. You have an interesting list of books. I've never heard of several of them which gives me some ideas for the 2015 challenge.

Laurie wrote: "Tiffani wrote: "Insane Challenge - done and done!
Adventure – The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
Auto-Biography/Biography – Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland
Chick-Lit –..."

Thank you. It was definitely an interesting year of reading.

I've completed my challenge with reviews on all the books;


Action/Adventure - Beowulf by Anonymous *
Auto-Biography/Biography - Little Failure by Gary Shteyngart
Chick-Lit - Landline by Rainbow Rowell
Childrens Book - The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Classics - War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy ***
Contemporary/Drama - Loaded by Christos Tsiolkas
Cyberpunk/Steampunk - The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers
Dystopian/Post-Apocalyptic - On Such a Full Sea by Chang-rae Lee
Epic - Oydssey by Homer *
Erotica - Fanny Hill, or Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure by John Cleland
Espionage - The Ways of the World by Robert Goddard
Fantasy - The Gospel of Loki by Joanne M. Harris
Graphic Novels - Sex Criminals Volume #1 by Matt Fraction
Gothic - The Monk by Matthew Lewis
Historical Fiction - The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
Horror - Zone One by Colson Whitehead
Humour - Books by Charlie Hill
Literary Fiction - My Life as a Fake by Peter Carey
Magical Realism - Seconds by Bryan Lee O'Malley
Mystery - The Black-Eyed Blonde by Benjamin Black
Non Fiction - 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
Paranormal/Supernatural - By Blood We Live by Glen Duncan
Philosophical - The Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe *
Poetry - Ariel by Sylvia Plath
Pulp – (Hard-Boiled or Noir) - Time to Murder and Create by Lawrence Block
Romance - A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean
Science Fiction - Shovel Ready by Adam Sternbergh
Self Help/Educational - Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction by Jonathan Culler
Short Stories - The Last Girlfriend on Earth and Other Love Stories by Simon Rich
Thriller - Skinjob by Bruce McCabe
Travel - Round Ireland with a Fridge by Tony Hawks
True Crime - Provenance by Laney Salisbury and Aly Sujo
Urban Fantasy - Alif the Unseen by G. Willow Wilson
Victorian - Middlemarch by George Eliot
Western - The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson
Young Adult - Divergent by Veronica Roth

I'm done! I completed 36 of 37 books. My last one in Espionage was a DNF after several attempts of trying to get into it. Oh well, there's always next year. Thanks for the fun challenge. :)

I completed the challenge today.

Action/Adventure The Fellowship of the Ring 6/29/14 *****
Auto-Biography/Biography Alex Stewart: Portrait of a Pioneer2/26/14 *****
Chick-Lit The Thorn Birds 9/22/14 *****
Childrens Book Danny the Champion of the World 1/6/14 ****
Classics The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie1/1/14 ***
Contemporary/Drama Lottery 2/14/14 ****
Cyberpunk/Steampunk Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea 5/9/14 ****
Dystopian/Post-Apocalyptic Brave New World 5/23/14 *****
Epic The Two Towers 7/6/14 *****
Erotica Fanny Hill, or Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure12/5/14 ***
Espionage The Day of the Jackal 12/13/14 *****
Fantasy The Color of Magic 1/9/14 ***
Graphic Novels How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You 5/3/14 ***
Gothic Wide Sargasso Sea 3/30/14 ****
Historical Fiction Winter Garden 1/28/14 *****
Horror Frankenstein 4/30/14 ****
Humour Three Men in a Boat 1/4/14 *****
Literary Fiction The Sound and the Fury 2/10/14 ****
Magical Realism One Hundred Years of Solitude 3/7/14 ***
Mystery The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time 5/2/14 ****
Non Fiction The Eighty-Dollar Champion: Snowman, the Horse That Inspired a Nation 2/18/14 ****
Paranormal/Supernatural Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch 4/7/14 ****
Philosophical A Clockwork Orange 1/14/14 ****
Poetry Plume: Poems 5/28/14 *****
Pulp – (Hard-Boiled or Noir)The Postman Always Rings Twice 9/24/14 ****
Romance I Capture the Castle 2/4/14 ****
Science Fiction The War of the Worlds 1/18/14 ***
Self Help/EducationalValues-Based Financial Planning : The Art of Creating and Inspiring Financial Strategy 12/21/14 ***
Short Stories A Good Man is Hard to Find and Other Stories 5/14/14 ****
Thriller Perfume: The Story of a Murderer 5/18/14 ****
TravelNotes from a Small Island10/15/14 ****
True Crime In Cold Blood8/27/14 ***
Urban FantasyFables, Vol. 1: Legends in Exile 12/9/14 ***
Victorian The Jungle Book 3/13/14 ****
Western Blood Meridian: Or the Evening Redness in the West12/20/14 ***
Young Adult A Tree Grows in Brooklyn 4/15/14 *****

Bonus points points (can be exchanged for bragging rights) for
Translated Fiction Embers1/22/14 ****

I have completed the Insane challenge.


✔ Action/Adventure: The Alchemyst by Michael Scott finished 7/11-14
✔ Auto-Biography/Biography: Himmelbegravelsen by Xinran finished 1/11-14
✔ Chick-Lit: What Stays in Vegas by Beth Labonte finished 2/16-14
✔ Childrens Book: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman finished 3/2-14
✔ Classics: John Macnab by John Buchan finished 1/13-14
✔ Contemporary/Drama: Speechless by Hannah Harrington finished 2/28-14
✔ Cyberpunk/Steampunk: A Clockwork Christmas by J.K. Coi finished 3/26-14
✔ Dystopian/Post-Apocalyptic: Night of the Purple Moon by Scott Cramer finished 2/27-14
✔ Epic: Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher finished 12/20-14
✔ Erotica: Seduction and Snacks by Tara Sivec finished 3/8-14
✔ Espionage: Casino Royale by Ian Fleming finished 8/6-14
✔ Fantasy: Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch finished 3/31-14
✔ Graphic Novels: Becoming by Kelley Armstrong finished 2/15-14
✔ Gothic: Dracula by Bram Stoker finished 10/4-14
✔ Historical Fiction: Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness finished 2/26-14
✔ Horror: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman finished 5/3-14
✔ Humour: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion finished 3/4-14
✔ Literary Fiction: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro finished 8/4-14
✔ Magical Realism: The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey finished 7/12-14
✔ Mystery: Death du Jour by Kathy Reichs finished 3/31-14
✔ Non Fiction: Drifting Home: A Family's Voyage of Discovery Down the Wild Yukon River by Pierre Berton finished 6/22-14
✔ Paranormal/Supernatural: Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews finished 1/4-14
✔ Philosophical: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde finished 10/5-14
✔ Poetry: The Spell of the Yukon and Other Poems by Robert Service finished 7/4-14
✔ Pulp – (Hard-Boiled or Noir): Skin Game by Jim Butcher finished 6/16-14
✔ Romance: A Little Christmas Magic by Sylvie Kurtz - finished 1/2-14
✔ Science Fiction: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams - finished 3/7-14
✔ Self Help/Educational: Introvert by Anna Skyggebjerg - finished 11/22-14
✔ Short Stories: Steel and Other Stories by Richard Matheson - finished 2/7-14
✔ Thriller: Wild Justice by Kelley Armstrong - finished 6/16-14
✔ Travel: Hell of a Journey: On Foot Through the Scottish Highlands in Winter by Mike Cawthorne - finished 3/7-14
✔ True Crime: PARENTS WHO KILLED THEIR CHILDREN: FILICIDE by R.J. Parker - finished 10/30-14
✔ Urban Fantasy: Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch finished 2/14-14
✔ Victorian: Madman's Dance by Jana Oliver finished 11/18-14
✔ Western: All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy finished 9/9-14
✔ Young Adult: The Demigod Diaries by Rick Riordan finished 4/13-14

Renée wrote: "OK for my first attempt at a challenge I'm going all out with the insane one. I'll update as I choose the books and finish them.

✔Action/Adventure - Hell Island★★★ --- Dec 7th
✔Auto-..."

Finished - all up this year I've read 140 books and still 2 days to go :) Looking forward to next years challenge.