2015 Reading Challenge [Closed] discussion

Hello there Avid Readers! I’ve been considering what I learned from this reading challenge...what I’ve gotten out of it…what surprised me…what’s worth repeating. Call it end-of-the-year melancholy.

Each of us, no matter if we are fast readers who zipped through the list or deliberate & methodical who lingered over each book….we have read a great many books already this year. (go us!) And I’m nosey: what have you gained from this challenge?

o What book(s) would you or have you recommend(ed)??
o What was the biggest surprise, positive or negative?
o Was there something you learned in all this?
o Will you do it again?

Books I've recommended: (book with antonyms in title) Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford and (banned book) Of Mice & Men by John Steinbeck
Biggest surprise: (book on bottom of list) Life of Pi by Yann Martel -- started reading it in 2005 and didn't like it so didn't finish it - I'm totally surprised how much I'm enjoying it now that I'm reading it again!
Learned: How interesting it is to read by choosing books using "ideas" - I've read and enjoyed books and authors I've never read before - in future, I need to continue to explore more -- and not just stay with those authors with whom I'm familiar.
Do it again: yes, but I feel like I've run a reading marathon in 2015 - it's very hard to read a book a week, especially if over 300 pages - so I might skip a year. Altho that could change once I see the suggested ideas for 2016!

o What book(s) would you or have you recommend(ed)?
Hollow World, Genesis, Bird Box, Stargirl, Big Little Lies, Uprooted, Nimona, The Emperor's Blades.

o What was the biggest surprise, positive or negative?
Positive: I enjoyed books in genres I usually don't read. I was happy to discover new authors. I liked too to discuss and recommend books, things I usually never do.
Negative: I've to read books in genres I usually don't read and was bored by them.

o Was there something you learned in all this?
Judge a book by the cover :p
And "read plenty of Goodreads Choice Awards", there are very interesting things in there.

o Will you do it again?
Yes, I'm doing our own challenge for 2016, I almost planned all my books already and want to start reading them now.

This is a great idea! I'll be intrigued to see other people's answers.

What book(s) would you or have you recommend(ed)?
The Color Purple , The Handmaid's Tale , The Complete Persepolis , Battle Royale , and if anyone is a Veronica Mars fan and has seen the TV show and the movie then I would highly recommend both The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line and Mr. Kiss and Tell

What was the biggest surprise, positive or negative?
I read a couple of romance books which I thought I was probably going to really hate (The Promise and All the Bright Places) but I actually ended up quite enjoying them (although I still didn't quite love them). There were also a few books which either ended up being below my expectations and some that exceeded them, so I had quite a few surprises this year.

Was there something you learned in all this?
That I actually do enjoy a lot more genres than I seem to think I do, and that it's good to go out of your comfort zone every so often as you don't know what you might find.

Will you do it again?
Yes! My list is already made and planned and is sitting in the plans folder in the group for next years challenge.

What book(s) would you or have you recommend(ed)
I'd have to give this some thought, but the one that comes to mind is Operation Mincemeat -- the true story of how the British navy fooled the Germans into moving their troops so that the Allied forces could retake Sicily. It turned the tide of the war. A great read. Also, Big Little Lies Strangers on a Train 84 Charing Cross Road.

What was the biggest surprise, positive or negative? Biggest surprise for me was that the Sci-Fi genre has books that I really enjoyed and should keep in my reading mix. And also Based on a True Story. (See above.)

Was there something you learned in all this? Absolutely. Thanks to this challenge the scope of books I will read is forever expanded. And for that I am grateful.

Will you do it again? Yes. But not this year. I do, however, have a mini-list of categories that I want to fulfill based on the categories from 2015 and some from the 2016 categories.

What book(s) would you or have you recommend(ed)?? The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly (I swear to God, people must be sick of me banging on about this book), Frankenstein, The Color Purple, Middlesex, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Awakening ... actually quite a lot more too. I have read some absolute crackers this year, a few of which I wouldn't have if it hadn't been for the challenge.
What was the biggest surprise, positive or negative? My biggest surprise was definitely The Color Purple - a book that never really hit my radar in any significant way, but I fell in love with it. It's a new favourite. Also Big Little Lies, and I don't seem to be alone here in saying that it's not the kind of book that I'd usually read, but it was really, really good! My big negative surprise was Life of Pi, which was, as far as I'm concerned, a complete waste of time. That's the censored version.
Was there something you learned in all this? I learned that I can't bank on loving or hating something just because of its genre.
Will you do it again? Absolutely - I'm a card-carrying member of the 2016 challenge we created together, my list is done & I'm itching to start.

And something else ... I just wanted to say how much this group has helped me this year. It has been my (to paraphrase Her Majesty) annus horribilus. I've been dealing with the breakdown of my marriage (14 years together, married 10 years), I've been hospitalised with appendicitis, and then had to deal with the shock of them finding a cancer in my appendix. This group & the challenge has been such a wonderful escape for me, and although you haven't all realised, you've been a great support. So thank you, from the bottom of my (broken) heart.

Jody wrote: "What book(s) would you or have you recommend(ed)?? The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly (I swear to God, people must be sick of me banging on about this book), [book:Frankenstein|18490..."

Wow, Jody. I started the reading challenge this year for the same reasons: struggling marriage, starting the empty nest thing, floundering with where my life should go from here. The reading challenge gave me something stable and solid to focus on every single day. I spent the summer recuperating from a ruptured appendix, too!! I've made new friends and as Biana said, I am experiencing "End of the Year Melancholy." I have two more books to go. I plan to savor them and this experience.

Biana wrote: "Hello there Avid Readers! I’ve been considering what I learned from this reading challenge...what I’ve gotten out of it…what surprised me…what’s worth repeating. Call it end-of-the-year melancholy...."

Biana, et al. This year of reading has been a lifesaver. My biggest surprise is that I am actually going to ACCOMPLISH the challenge!! I definitely will do it again.

Reading various genres was not something I would have done on my own. I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed the graphic novel immensely. And I found serious, timely, personal THERAPY in the most unexpectedly stories. I'm talking - life-changing. What rays of sunshine I experienced because I joined each of you on this delicious journey!!

Books I recommend: Ten Cents a Dance, Stitches, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and Carry Me Home.

Biggest disappointment: Believe it or not, Mary Poppins. I had high hopes for that one, for several reasons. Very odd, indeed.

Thank you, Biana, for opening this discussion topic!!

Oh Jody, I'm so sorry for what happened to you, I hope you're doing better. I'm glad we were able to help you through it in our way. Even though we only talk about books, it's great to feel the connection between all of us!

Jean, you should totally come to the 2016 group to discuss any of the books you read! No need to fill all the categories, you know the spirit ;)

Jenny, I so agree that reading is a therapy! Sometimes you find meaning in places you would never have!

I never even considered how much this group may help some people, but I'm really glad it's helped you both! This is probably the nicest online community I've ever come across, I've never seen anyone on here being nasty or spiteful to other members and I've never seen anyone attacking others for their point of view and that is worryingly hard to find on the internet these days. So I would actually like to say thank you to all the members of this group (and the overall community of Goodreads) for how open-minded and nice to everyone they are. I guess open-mindedness is one of the perks that comes with reading a lot, but being nice is something that definitely comes from the person themselves and it has made this challenge and group all the more welcoming and enjoyable.

I think the moderators have had a great deal to do with this. Kudos to the moderators!!

For me too, some books were soothing this year, so I took care to choose similar subjects for several 2016 categories.

I'm happy the group was a nice escape for some members when life was (very) difficult. I find very pleasant to have a so friendly group of persons who share the same love for reading, even if it's not in the same genres. I'm enjoying a lot to discuss books or see opinions about them (and the book comments in my timeline are a funny touch too) :)

Jody...thanks for opening up. I believe we have all be struggling...some more than others. And yes, it's a great way to help ourselves get through those hard times. I hope that you find the strength to keep on keeping on!

My reason for joining this group in the first place was that I was trying to rebuild after similar issues. When you lose that companion, there is a big hole to fill! I didn't regret the divorce but dang! I sure missed my best friend.

And....we learned, friends can be found in the strangest of places!!

Sophie wrote: Jean, you should totally come to the 2016 group to discuss any of the books you read! No need to fill all the categories, you know the spirit ;)

Well thanks, Sophie. That's mighty neighborly of you! I just may do that!

Jody -- I, too, am so sorry to hear of your troubles. And pleased to think that this widely dispersed yet connected group played some small role in getting you through. Whether it was a connection you felt you made with a group member or whether it was the books themselves that helped you ...just know there are people out there who are wishing you well.

As Emily Dickinson said "There is no frigate like a book to take us worlds away ..."

Jody, I'm sorry to hear about what you went through. Thank you for sharing this with us. I'm glad you were able to find an escape and support through this group. I've only been here for a couple of months but I've already come to really love this community. There's just something special that happens when book lovers come together.

What book(s) would you or have you recommend(ed)??
The Name of the Wind, Calling Me Home, The Housekeeper and the Professor, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, The Awakening, Fahrenheit 451, and Kafka on the Shore Those are my favorites from this year's readings.

What was the biggest surprise, positive or negative?
I read books across different genres this year, genres that I don't usually read, and I was surprised to find that I loved a lot of them. A negative surprise was that I didn't love certain books that were super hyped up: The Fault in Our Stars, Crazy Rich Asians, 1Q84. I didn't dislike them. I just didn't think they were amazing.

Was there something you learned in all this?
Don't be afraid to try new kinds of books because you might end up liking them.

Will you do it again?
Yes! I've read a lot more this year than I have for a very long time.

Thanks everyone. I'll be very happy to leave 2015 behind. Worst. Year. Ever. Can't say 2016 will be an improvement but at least I should be able to read a lot of books!

I think this group has been great too. I'm so excited about how we set up our categories for next year.

o What book(s) would you or have you recommend(ed)?? - Never Never, Soaring, Love, in Duology: The Love in English and Love in Spanish Bundle, Where Sea Meets Sky, Cinder & Ella - Loved these books.
o What was the biggest surprise, positive or negative? - Kamikaze Kangaroos!: A trip around Oz in a van called Rusty - It was so much fun to read, and I will definitely be reading his other books. Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly because I don't really read memoirs, but this was very interesting, and I enjoyed it. The Selection - the series was very entertaining, and my daughter was reading it too, so it was nice to be able to discuss it together. Eat, Pray, Love took me forever to read, and I was close to abandoning it.
o Was there something you learned in all this? That I should get out of my comfort zone more often.
o Will you do it again? Absolutely, I've got most of my 2016 books set up already.

Is it crazy that I've already decided what I want to do for 2017? I'm not going to plan. I'm going to make myself read in order and pick a book that suits my mood each week.

Ella, Kamikaze Kangaroos looks epic! I've wanted to go to Australia for years, it is going to be a good introduction.
And I'm going to New Zealand next year, do you think Where Sea Meets Sky is a good intro too?

Can you believe, I lived in Australia for 37 years and never went to NZ? It's actually pretty embarrassing. I'm so jealous that you are going!

Oh Jody that's a miss! But I guess there is already so much to discover in Australia... I've been dreaming going to both countries for years, I can't believe it is finally happening! I'm meeting my boss Tuesday to negotiate one month holiday... :D

I have never been to Western Australia or the Northern Territory either - another two big misses. But funnily enough, I never had the wanderlust until I moved to Switzerland, and now I'm like VISIT ALL THE PLACES!!

I suppose I should answer my own question, huh? Silly me!

What book(s) would you or have you recommend(ed)??
I work at a college with a professor who is on the NASA panel for the Mars explorer. One of the other professors and I were reading The Martian and quizzed Prof. Fisk about the details. He said that the science was solid. I loved that I had a kind of connection to REAL Mars. AND…the book was fantastic. I’ve recommended and purchased it for all sorts of people. Other books include Eleanor & Park, Midnight in Austenland and maybe even Pines.

What was the biggest surprise, positive or negative?
I’m going to echo what others have already said…the variety of genres that interested me…that was a surprise. I read a book by Orson Scott Card that wasn’t a space opera and I was spellbound by his writing style…I had to find more. On the other hand, I hope I never have to read a nonfiction book again. That was torture.

Was there something you learned in all this?
Learning, ah learning. I think that our lives are one learning experience after another and we just need to open our eyes to see them. Some of these books really moved me, made me think differently. Some were pure entertainment. The friends I’ve made…ah, friends. I think what I learned was not to be afraid to try something new. Yes, it bombed a couple times (Pulitzer Prize Novel, shutter) but there were far more wins.

Will you do it again?
Even if we didn’t have the team already preparing us for a new list…I would do it again! I would use the same list and go for it. I would get recommendations from the library. I would ask friends. I would randomly grab a book from the “just returned” rack. Oh yes, this is my new way of being. And you know what? I’m proud to say I’m an avid reader!

Sophie wrote: "Ella, Kamikaze Kangaroos looks epic! I've wanted to go to Australia for years, it is going to be a good introduction.
And I'm going to New Zealand next year, do you think Where Sea Meets Sky is a ..."

Yes, definitely on WSMS. The author Karina Halle actually used to be a travel writer. It's a love story, so if you like those, it's a bonus.

What book(s) would you or have you recommend(ed)??
I have recommended several of the books I read this year. There have been some really great ones: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?,Frankenstein,Lucky Man,The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared and The Martian

What was the biggest surprise, positive or negative?
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?,and Frankenstein were the biggest surprises from this challenge. I was not expecting to really enjoy either book but ended up loving both of them enough to recommend them to others.
I also did not expect to enjoy older books so much. I have generally avoided them because of negative experiences with "literature" in high school. My son is now discovering this same things. I am glad that he was introduced to some great works at home first.

Was there something you learned in all this?
I have discovered some great new authors, been part of some great book discussions both in this group and in the real world and did not notice the dreary months of February or November here in Southern Ontario.
This is also the first year I have every tracked the books I have read. It was surprising how much I do read, and the variety of books I read. I was also losing my way in my reading journey. My enjoyment of reading was waning and this challenge gave me more focus to find other authors and books.

Will you do it again?
:D I have already started my list for next year. I have also invited 3 others to join next years challenge to extend the fun. I look forward to expanding my reading horizons with all of you again next year.