2025 Reading Challenge discussion

I'm aiming for 100 books this year which is an increase on 15 on the previous year.

Book Total 115/100
Page Total 31,223/35,000

Total written by women 44

Short Book (less than 200 pages) 56
Medium Book (201-400 pages) 37
Long Book (401-700 pages) 15
Doorstopper (Over 701 pages) 6

Randomiser Challenge

13 - Keeping You a Secret
33 - Love
98 - Lifeguard - read March 19th
127 - Chemical Z
169 - The Sandman, Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes
217 - Sword of the Guardian
238 - Florida Roadkill
346 - The Romanov Bride
393 - Casino Royale - read August 2nd
479 - Red Queen - Read February 16th

3/10

Message 30 in thread

ReadWomen2015 - Finished!!

How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell ★★★★
Tomb Raider Volume 2: Secrets and Lies by Gail Simone (not new to me) and Rhianna Pratchett ★★★★
The Paper Magician by Charlie N Holmberg ★★
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard ★★★
I Was Here by Gayle Forman ★★★★
Silverwood by Betsy Streeter ★
Material Girls by Elaine Dimopolous ★★★
Rage: A Love Story by Julie Anne Peters ★★★
The Dark Victorian: Risen Volume One by Elizabeth Watasin ★★★★
Agnes Moor's Wild Knight by Alyssa Cole ★★★
Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton ★★★★
Edward Scissorhands Volume 1: Parts Unknown by Kate Leth ★★★
Hunting a Lady by Caitlin Ricci and Cari Z ★★★
Legend by Marie Lu ★★★★
The Woodcutter by Kate Danley ★
Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen ★★★★
The Selection by Kiera Cass ★★★
A Royal Romance by Jenny Frame ★★
Euphoria/Dysphoria by Michelle Browne ★★★★
The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken ★★★

20/20

Message 46 in thread

Complete Works Challenge -- ABANDONED

For now I'm going to commit to one author - Robin Hobb - I've read one of her trilogies so I'm not going to include that one but here are the others. She also has a book coming out in September but I won't commit to reading that one in case I can't afford to get it.

The Liveship Traders Trilogy
Ship of Magic - read February 13th
The Mad Ship - read February 27th
Ship of Destiny - read May 10th

The Tawny Man Trilogy
Fool's Errand - read May 13th
Golden Fool - read May 25th
Fool's Fate - read July 22nd

The Rain Wilds Chronicles
The Dragon Keeper
Dragon Haven
City of Dragons
Blood of Dragons

Soldier Son Trilogy
Shaman's Crossing
Forest Mage
Renegade's Magic

Others
The Willful Princess and the Piebald Prince

6/14

Message 55 in thread

Favourite Genres Challenge

Kara's Favourites
Natural History Nonfiction
Magical Realism The Paper Magician
Business Nonfiction
Post-apocalyptic The Water Knife

Zara's Favourites
Religion The Wicked + The Divine, Vol. 2: Fandemonium
Fiction I Was Here
Young Adult Ms. Marvel, Vol. 2: Generation Why
Chick-Lit Agnes Moor's Wild Knight

Craig's Favourites
Heroic Fantasy - Mistborn: The Final Empire
Military Science Fiction
Classics - The Count of Monte Cristo
Gaming Fiction

Cassandra's Favourites
Social Science Fiction Unwind
World History
Biography-Memoir Girl, Interrupted
High Fantasy Ship of Magic

11/14

Message 22 in thread

The Listopia Challenge

Best Dystopian and Post-Apocalyptic Fiction - 3/10

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Legend by Marie Lu
Unwind by Neal Shusterman

The Best Epic Fantasy - 3/10

Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb
Fool's Errand by Robin Hobb

Best YA Fiction with GLBTQQI themes / characters - 2/5

Rage: A Love Story by Julie Anne Peters
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Total - 8/25

Message 21 in thread

I Spy Challenge

1. Color - Red Queen February 16th
2. Number - 1st to Die April 25th
3. Things That Grow - Trees, Vol. 1 March 4th
4. Seasons - Angel: After the Fall, Volume 1 September 9th
5. First Name Agnes Moor's Wild Knight March 26th
6. Places
7. Body Part - Bred in the Bone: A Jasmine Sharp and Catherine McLeod Novel January 6th.
8. Weapon
9. Body of Water - The Ocean at the End of the Lane September 1st
10. Form of Water - Mistborn: The Final Empire February 1st
11. Product of Fire
12. Celestial Body
13. Architecture
14. Senses - I Have Heard You Calling in the Night September 9th
15. Royal Title - Rat Queens Special: Braga #1 February 4th
16. Family Member
17. Elements - The Water Knife March 13th
18. Time of Day - The Midnight Club April 26th
19. Metal - Silverwood February 28th
20. Emotion/Feeling - The Mad Ship February 27th
21. Animal/Insect - How to Train Your Dragon January 1st
22. Something to Read - The Supervillain Handbook: The Ultimate How-to Guide to Destruction and Mayhem February 2nd
23. Gender Identifier - Dead Girl Walking January 12th
24. Paranormal Being - When the Devil Drives January 1st
25. Occupation - Lifeguard March 19th

19/25

Message 91 in thread

1st Quarter Challenge: One, Two, Buckle My Shoe - Completed!!

1. One, two, Buckle my shoe;
finish a series
Bred in the Bone: A Jasmine Sharp and Catherine McLeod Novel - Finished January 6th.

2. Three, four, Open the door;
read a new genre or author (or both for those who are game)
Mistborn: The Final Empire - Finished February 1st.

3.Five, six, Pick up sticks;
finish a previously unfinished book
Mind the Gap, Volume 1: Intimate Strangers - Finished February 21st.

6. Eleven, twelve, Dig and delve;
read an old favourite
The Secret of the Old Clock - Finished March 5th

7. Thirteen, fourteen, Maids a-courting;
read a romance novel
Agnes Moor's Wild Knight - Finished March 26th

9. Seventeen, eighteen, Maids a-waiting;
read a book you've been waiting to read
Dark Places - Finished January 9th

6/6

Message 26 in thread

January

1. When the Devil Drives by Christopher Brookmyre. Finished January 1st. 361 pages. ★★★★

This was a reread for me. I enjoyed it but I do have come complaints over the female lead constantly being saved a man.

2. How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell. Finished January 1st. 214 pages. ★★★★

I've never seen the film of this despite wanting to and people are saying that this is very different from the film. I absolutely loved this book, it is fun and witty and a real delight.

3. Grip of the Shadow Plague by Brandon Mull. Finished January 4th. 512 pages. ★★★

This is by far the greatest book in this series so far. It is long without being boring, it manages to stay frantic and fast pace for all of the pages.

4. Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary by Brandon Mull. Finished January 6th. 535 pages. ★★

Every book is starting to feel really formulaic, there is a specific set of things that happens in every book and it has gotten old.

5. Bred in the Bone: A Jasmine Sharp and Catherine McLeod Novel by Christopher Brookmyre. Finished January 6th. 407 pages ★★★★

The story gets even more personal for Jasmine, Catherine and Fallan. It is an excellent ending to the series.

6. Wildfire Volume 1 by Matt Hawkins. Finished January 7th. 128 pages. ★★

This was ok, not really anything special.

7. Dark Places by Gillian Flynn. Finished January 9th. 424 pages. ★★★★

Dark and twisted with completely unlikable characters. I was hooked the whole way through,

8. The Last Day of Christmas: The Fall of Jack Parlabane by Chris Brookmyre. Finished January 11th. 56 pages. ★★★★

An excellent little story to launch the new Parlabane book.

9. Dead Girl Walking by Chris Brookmyre. Finished January 12th. 384 pages. ★★★★★

What a wonderful to bring back Parlabane after years of absence! I've missed him so much. We get to meet some fantastic new people as well as see some familiar faces.

10. Grindhouse by Elle Chambers. Finished January 13th. 62 pages.

11. Keys to the Demon Prison by Brandon Mull. Finished January 22nd. 593 pages. ★★

Well it wraps up all the loose ends with a nice neat bow but I'm so glad this series is over. I'm so bored of the same thing happening in every book. The series peaked at book three but was rubbish either side of that.

February

12. Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson. Finished February 1st. 541 pages. ★★★★

An excellent start to a series that I will have to continue. The magic system, Allomancy, is fascinating and the characters were fun and well developed.

13. The Supervillain Handbook: The Ultimate How-to Guide to Destruction and Mayhem by King Oblivion. Finished February 2nd. 192 pages. ★★

This book has a really good premise and I definitely know everything I need to about becoming a supervillain but it became old really fast. It repeats the same joke over and over and I'm glad it was so short.

14. Saga, Volume 4 by Brian K Vaughan. Finished February 4th. 144 pages ★★★★

As always the Vaughan and Staples duo hits the ball right outta the park. The story is touching and funny at the same time and the art is superb. Every single issue is incredible.

15. Tomb Raider Volume 2: Secrets and Lies by Gail Simone. Finished February 4th. 132 pages. ★★★★

I am really going to miss Gail Simone on this series but Rhianna Pratchett has shown that she is the perfect person to guide Lara through her adventures. This series has action, emotion and even the occasional shine of humour. Wherever this version of Lara Croft goes I will follow.

16. Sex Criminals, Vol. 2: Two Worlds, One Cop by Matt Fraction. Finished February 4th. 128 pages. ★★★★

This series has everything going for it, magical sex and a heavy dose of relationship realism. The ability to stop time when you orgasm is obviously something that is out of this world and yet Fraction and co. manage to take an incredible premise and infuse it with realistic characters that are portrayed honestly even when that honesty hurts.

17. Rat Queens Special: Braga #1 by Kurtis J Wiebe. Finished February 4th. 29 pages. ★★★★

This is a one shot issue focusing on Braga, an excellent character with a wonderful story. I really enjoyed getting to see her backstory. I can't wait for the Rat Queens to finally come back to me again, although I'm holding off judgement on the new artist until I finally hold issue 9 in my hands.

18. Ms. Marvel, Vol. 2: Generation Why by G Willow Wilson. Finished February 4th. 136 pages. ★★★★

This version of Ms Marvel is one of my favourite things in the world. She's geeky, strong, funny and Muslim and I love her. In this volume she gets to meet Wolverine and go up against the Inventor. She learns a lot about teamwork, friendship and being a hero. I wish I had some teenage girls in my family because I would want them all to read this.

19. The Fade Out, Vol. 1 by Ed Brubaker. Finished February 4th. 120 pages. ★★★★

I'm not entirely sure if the story, art or colours are my favourite thing about this. Or maybe it's the stories of real life Hollywood that it houses at the back of each issue. I'm not only enjoying this noir comic immensely but I'm learning so much about that era of Hollywood and I hope this comic continues for a long time.

20. The Paper Magician by Charlie N Holmberg. Finished February 5th. 224 pages. ★★

This book has so much promise but fails to deliver on so many levels. If you're going to set a book in a particular era of English history don't make it so obvious than you're an American writer with exactly zero knowledge of that period of history. There was an entire passage of this book that read like it was set in a modern day American high school. If the writer insists on writing high school style (Grades, really?! We don't call our school years grades, do some reading) instalove then she should stick to modern day because at least there will be fewer mistakes. As for the actual story it had shining moments and I was moved at aspects of it. The entire magic system is incredibly detailed and utterly fascinating.

21. Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb. Finished February 13th. 880 pages ★★★

Have you ever really enjoyed a book but at least partially disliked every single character. That's this book. Most of the characters were whiny, arrogant, selfish and so god damn annoying - so just like real people then.

22. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. Finished February 16th. 320 pages. ★★★

Although many aspects of this plot are very similar to many YA books it was interesting enough to be worthy of reading and warrant a very strong three star rating.

23. I Was Here by Gayle Forman. Finished February 17th. 280 pages. ★★★★

I can't review this book very well at all because of the amount of overwhelming emotions in it. As someone who has been through the same situation as the character in the book I can say that it is the first book to be true to the emotions I felt.

24. Chew, Vol. 3: Just Desserts by John Layman. Finished February 20th. 128 pages ★★★

I love this series although it took me a while to get into this volume because of how long it was since I read volume two. I find that the comics jump around in story a little more than I'd like but the story as a whole is really good.

25. Chew, Vol. 4: Flambé by John Layman. Finished February 20th. 120 pages. ★★★

I already love Olive, what a great introduction to the series! This volume was better than the last one. I think that the first volume was amazing and then it went downhill a little but it seems like it is picking up again. The characters are great but I need to stop reading this when I've just eaten!

26. Mind the Gap, Volume 1: Intimate Strangers by Jim McCann. Finished February 21st. 168 pages ★★★

I enjoyed this but I just didn't love it. The art was pretty except that half of the characters looked the same.

27. The Mad Ship by Robin Hobb. Finished February 27th. 906 pages. ★★★

A lot of the characters in this series are still making me really angry but I'm really enjoying it. It tackles some really harsh issues such as slavery and rape and handles them with a lot of maturity, even though the perpetrators make me want to scream and yell with rage.

28. Silverwood by Betsy Streeter. Finished February 28th. 320 pages. ★

I can't put my finger on exactly what I disliked about this book but I was really bored by the whole thing.

Everyone is reading Mistborn! I feel like it's the next really popular series. Happy you enjoyed it (:

Thanks :) it was my TBR twin read for February, I picked it up to read the first couple of chapters and before I knew it I was finished!

Oh wow! I love/hate when that happens because I feel bad for reading it faster than my buddy but a book that you can't stop reading is the best.

I went on a little bit of a comics binge, I'm now completely up to date with all of the comics that I've been getting for a while but there is a huge stack of ones for me to try next to my bed.

Good luck with your challenges, Stefani! What has been your favorite book so far?

According to the star ratings Dead Girl Walking but I can't speak highly enough of the comics I've been reading.

I'll have to check them out! I'm trying to get into more comics and graphic novels. I have the second Saga volume on hold at the library right now.

Saga is an excellent comic and the one that was my gateway into comics when it first came out. Now my pull list at my local comic store is longer than my food shopping list!

I get most of my comics from the library, but I realize that I do have a comic store near me. I might have to go check it out and at least browse their selection to get more of a sense of what's out there. The Sandman, Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes was my first experience with comics last year, and it got me interested in reading some more.

6K Extravaganza Challenge - Completed!!

1. Read a book where the main character goes through a major life milestone or read a book that was written in a major milestone year in your life.
Ship of Magic

2. Read a book that was recommended to you by a friend or read a book that includes written communication (letters, invitations, emails, text messages, etc.)
I Was Here

3. Read a book where the characters wear different clothing than you usually do or read (or re-read) a book with a favorite character of yours.
Red Queen

4. Read a book that takes place in Europe or read a book has to do with cooking.
Chew, Vol. 3: Just Desserts

4/4

Spring Break Spell Out


T - Trees, Vol. 1 by Warren Ellis
E - Criminal, Vol. 1: Coward by Ed Brubaker
N - New Girl by Harper Bliss
E - Material Girls by Elaine Dimopoulos
R - Lazarus, Vol. 3: Conclave by Greg Rucka
I - Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
F - Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
E - The Dark Victorian: Risen Volume One by Elizabeth Watasin

8/8

Message 26 in thread

March

29. Criminal, Vol. 1: Coward by Ed Brubaker. Finished March 1st. 126 pages. ★★★★

This was my first look at Brubaker's early work after being a really big fan of his later stuff. I think the dialogue is tighter and snappier in his new stuff but it is easy to see that without the incredible foundation of comics like this his work would not be as great as it is.

30. Trees, Vol. 1 by Warren Ellis. Finished March 4th. 160 pages. ★★★

I was bored at the beginning, angry at the end and delighted in the middle.

31. The Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene. Finished March 5th. 210 pages ★★★

I've decided to revisit the books I loved as a child whenever I'm feeling blue. I loved the Nancy Drew books but never read all of them or in order. The first book was a little hard to read at first because it took a while to adapt to the way everything easily falls in place or sets up for later in the book. Once getting used to that (it is a kids book after all) I smiled until the very end.

32. The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi. Finished March 13th. 384 pages. ★★★★

This was a brutal look at a future with a lack of water. It was slow going at first but around the 20% mark it picked up and I loved it.

33. Chew, Vol. 5: Major League by John Layman. Finished March 14th. 120 pages. ★★★★

This comics is getting progressively better with every volume. Olive is by far the most interesting character and I am looking forward to seeing where the whole story goes.

34. Chew, Vol. 6: Space Cakes by John Layman. Finished March 14th. 158 pages. ★★★

This comic starts off really funny and then breaks my heart. I've also realised what it is about the art that annoys me, the way he draws women really grates on my nerves. Not enough Olive.

35. Chew, Vol. 7: Bad Apples by John Layman. Finished March 14th. 128 pages. ★★★

Quite a light volume considering the horrible thing the Chu family are going through.

36. Ghosted, Vol. 1: Haunted Heist by Joshua Williamson. Finished March 15th. 144 pages ★★★

Tries to be all dark and twisted at points but mostly a light read with a dickhead main character.

37. Miracleman, Vol. 3: Olympus by Alan Moore. Finished March 15th. 328 pages. ★★

I'm not sure why I continue to read this, probably because it is on my pull list for my gf and I read all the comics that come into the flat but by god I hate this. Volume 2 was actually pretty decent which is probably why this volume angers me so much. I despise every single character.

38. Harley Quinn Valentine's Day Special (2015-) #1 by Amanda Connor. Read March 15th. 48 pages. ★★★★

I enjoyed this way more than a lot of the Harley comics lately. It was fun and delightful.

39. Lazarus, Vol. 3: Conclave by Greg Rucka. Finished March 16th. 144 pages. ★★★★

This was great. We got a real look into what it is like to be a Lazarus and not just for the Carlyle's. Getting to see them all interact in their own way was fascinating and I'm hoping for a lot more of this in the future.

40. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. Finished March 17th. 1276 pages. ★★★★

Although things fall together a little too easily at points this classic is simply wonderful.

41. Bob's Burgers Volume 1 by Chad Brewster. Finished March 18th. 138 pages. ★★★

Nothing special but still delightful. I had a smile on my face the entire time of reading. Definitely recommended for fans of the show.

42. Batgirl, Vol. 1: Burnside by Cameron Stewart. Finished March 18th. 176 pages. ★★★

The comic is a mixed bag and writing the actual review of it tired me out.

43. Lifeguard by James Patterson. Finished March 19th. 432 pages. ★★

I only really read this book because my mum gave me a lot of books she was getting rid of which makes me obliged to read them before I take them to the charity shop. It was a nice, quick, light read to start off my holiday (if you can call a thriller light reading). It wasn't anything special and the main character pissed me off. "Oh I'm falling in love with this woman I've gone on one date with, oh she's dead? Now I'm immediately falling for another woman." Horrible character.

44. Material Girls by Elaine Dimopoulos. Finished March 21st. 336 pages. ★★★★

I expected to despise this but it surprised me. It started off as a YA book with shallow characters and a horrific world but it turned into an intelligent critique of teen culture and a look at sustainable clothes.

45. New Girl by Harper Bliss. Finished March 21st. 18 pages. ★★

These books are my light holiday reading. I read them poolside and enjoy them well enough. I don't love them and with this one in particular I quickly forgot which character was which because they lacked any real depth.

46. Wetter by Harper Bliss. Finished March 21st. 16 pages. ★★

I enjoyed this one more than New Girl but it could do with there being a little more substance to it.

47. Rage: A Love Story by Julie Anne Peters. Finished March 23rd. 296 pages. ★★★

This was simultaneously an easy and a difficult read. It sets out to highlight domestic violence in a lesbian relationship and looks at the causes of violence as well as the outcomes. I really liked the story and some of the characters but I also couldn't help but feel like the main character acted more like 13 than 18 at times.

48. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld. Finished March 24th. 448 pages. ★★★

This book unfortunately suffers from being the book where I finally got ridiculously fed up of how mid teens act in YA books. It is a good premise and it is done well but I wish the characters were a little older. I should probably start reading NA instead. Or maybe teens act a little more grown up now than they did 8 years ago. Not any of the ones I happen to encounter on a daily basis but maybe there are some out there who would be likely to insight a rebellion/overthrow the government/cause the kind of havoc they always cause in YA books now.

49. The Dark Victorian: Risen Volume One by Elizabeth Watasin. Finished March 25th. 136 pages. ★★★★

Why isn't this longer?! This should be at least twice as long. I want more. I want so much more. More of all of the characters and all of the supernatural and just give me more alright?

50. Agnes Moor's Wild Knight by Alyssa Cole. Finished March 26th. 38 pages. ★★★★

Another one that I wish gave me a hell of of a lot more. I love Agnes, I loved her knight, I would happily read entire, very long, novels about them.

51. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn. Finished March 26th. 272 pages. ★★★★

I have a couple of problems with Gillian Flynn's books.One of those is that I want to dislike them because they are so twisted but that is the exact same reason I love them. The other, much bigger, problem is that every time I go on at someone about how they should read her books because the characters are so damn dark, twisted and flawed that they are some of the most believable and real characters people think I'm crazy.

52. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. Finished March 27th. 548 pages. ★★★

This book got an extra star for reminding me of my early teens because I absolutely loved it then. There are many pros and cons of this book. Any book about books is a good book for me but it was also disappointing in places. Stop preaching about the value of books to your readers, we are already fully converted to the book worshipping.

53. Seeker by Arwen Elys Dayton. Finished March 29th. 448 pages. ★★★★

Well this was a lovely little surprise. I was expecting a straight up fantasy book but it had a SciFi twist. After the author stopped trying to show off everything she knew about Scotland and Hong Kong it became a thoroughly enjoyable book. I will definitely read the next one.

March Challenge: The Oscars - Completed!!

1. Read a book that has won multiple literary awards or a book in which a competition plays an important part.
Sharp Objects (Won a couple of crime fiction awards)

3. Read a book over 500 pages or read a classic.
The Count of Monte Cristo

4. Read a book with a child protagonist or read a book where a character's wildest dream comes true.
Inkheart

5. Read a book that is part of a series or read a book by an author you've read before
Criminal, Vol. 1: Coward by Ed Brubaker

6. Read a book by an author that is dead or in which the main character deals with death.
The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi

5/4

1st Quarter Round Up



Book Total 53/100 - might put my total goal up now that I've managed to read more than half in a quarter of the year.
Pages Total 14,962/35,000 - also might increase this.
Challenges
March:Oscars - Finished
Spring Break - Finished
6K Extravaganza - Finished
1st Quarter Challenge - Finished
I-Spy Challenge - 14/25
Listopia Challenge - 4/25
Favourite Genres Challenge - 7/14
Complete Works Challenge - 2/14
ReadWomen2015 - 11/15
Randomiser Challenge - 2/10

Wow! This is so impressive and so well organized. I am relatively new to Good Reads and am intrigued by such organization to people's reading lives. Really like the idea of a quarterly round up to track progress. Thanks for putting this in a place where it can be shared.

Thanks, Amy. I've been on GR for a few years now and it's taken me a while to come up with a system that is both organised enough but easy for me to update.

April

54. Outcast: Volume 1: A Darkness Surrounds Him by Robert Kirkman. Finished April 1st. 152 pages. ★★★

A lot of potential in this comic but it doesn't really meet it in volume one.

55. Edward Scissorhands Volume 1: Parts Unknown by Kate Leth. Finished April 1st. 124 pages. ★★★

The story is a little bland but some of the artwork is incredible.

56. Birthright, Vol 1: Homecoming by Joshua Williamson. Finished April 4th. 128 pages ★★★

This looks like a really light fantasy comic but it has darker elements that are fascinating. I look forward to seeing what happens with it.

57. The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson. Finished April 6th. 590 pages. ★★★★

This was a decent follow up to the first book. I liked the twist at the end except for one part of it that I guess will be covered in the next book.

58. Hunting a Lady by Caitlin Ricci and Cari Z. Finished April 18th. 45 pages. ★★★

This was pretty good, a nice and quick read but certainly nothing special.

59. 1st to Die by James Patterson. Finished April 19th. 462 pages. ★★

It was readable but predictable and the characters were a little annoying.

60. The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderon. Finished April 25th. 572 pages ★★★

A decent enough ending to the story arc but I found that it dragged and repeated itself a little.

61. The Midnight Club by James Patterson. Finished April 26th. 368 pages. ★★★

Probably the best of the Patterson's I've read so far. Still crappy and rushed writing with wooden and unbelievable characters but there were moments that were truly emotional and gripping.

I slowed down massively on my reading throughout April and so far in May between moving flat and breaking up of my partner of nearly five years. Life has got to stop getting in the way of reading!

that's happened to me. I'm sorry! :(

May

62. Ship of Destiny by Robin Hobb. Finished May 10th. 789 pages ★★★

Probably my least favourite in the series. I think a lot of the way certain characters were treated started to really grate on me. I could rant about it a lot but instead I'll just get back to reading!

63. Fool's Errand by Robin Hobb. Finished May 13th. 661 pages ★★★★

What a delight to be back in the company of Fitz and the Fool! Although I did enjoy the Liveship Traders trilogy and I definitely love seeing how they all connect I am delighted to be back in the country and with the characters that first made me fall in love with Robin Hobb's work.

64. Legend by Marie Lu. Finished May 18th. 305 pages. ★★★★

There are many cliches in YA dystopians that usually make me furious but this one manages to be full of the usual cliches (special snowflake, insta-love) but also be a compelling and exciting read. I'd definitely recommend it to fans of the genre.

65. Golden Fool by Robin Hobb. Finished May 25th. 709 pages ★★★★

Although not much happens in this book it's still a really good continuance of the overall story.

Alison wrote: "that's happened to me. I'm sorry! :("

Life eh?! If only it would understand that reading is much better and stop throwing heartbreak, jobs, moves and stuff in the way!

June

66. The Woodcutter by Kate Danley. Finished June 4th. 346 pages ★

Total disappointment. Just a really bad attempt at shoving as many fairy tale things as possible into one book.

67. Velvet, Vol. 2: The Secret Lives of Dead Men by Ed Brubaker. Finished June 20th. 128 pages. ★★★★

An incredible second arc. As always the art and colouring are beautiful and the storyline moves along at a really good pace while slowly revealing bits of plot without rushing.

68. Rat Queens, Vol. 2: The Far Reaching Tentacles of N'rygoth by Kurtis J Weibe. Finished June 20th. 128 pages. ★★★★

I was sceptical about replacing the artist halfway through an arc although I do fully believe that they were right to replace him morally. Thankfully I was wrong to be sceptical, the new artist manages to fully capture the queens and the world.

69. Roche Limit Volume 1 by Michael Moreci. Finished June 20th. 128 pages. ★★★

I liked this but also didn't like it. The concept was really good and the artwork was stunning but there was something not quite right about the whole thing.

70. Unwind by Neal Shusterman. Finished June 28th. 335 pages. ★★★★

This book was incredible. Although the premise is of course unrealistic the way it is carried out is incredible. As someone who has a very firm stance on women's rights I was a little worried about how this book would tackle those issues. There is one point in the book where a group of teenage boys have a very thoughtful conversation about when a person becomes a person and it could have gone horribly but it was well put across and all points of view were represented. The characters are realistic and the situations they go through are thought provoking and horrible.

2nd Quarter Round Up



Book Total 70/100
Pages Total 20,954/35,000
Challenges
I-Spy Challenge - 16/25
Listopia Challenge - 7/25
Favourite Genres Challenge - 7/14
Complete Works Challenge - 5/14
ReadWomen2015 - 15/15
Randomiser Challenge - 2/10

Although I'm still ahead on my yearly challenge I'm a little disappointed that I read so little this quarter. The second quarter of the year kicked me in the ass. I broke up with my partner of a very long time, moved flat, got a new job, started dating again. Hoping that now my life is getting back on track I can get back on track with the reading!

July

71. Ms. Marvel, Vol. 3: Crushed by G Willow Wilson. Finished July 12th. 112 pages ★★★★

As always Ms Marvel continues to be incredible!

72. Drifter Volume 1: Out of the Night by Ivan Brandon. Finished July 12th. 128 pages ★★★

This was good but not great, I think it's one of those comics that has the potential to be incredible but isn't quite living up to that yet.

73. ODY-C, Vol. 1 by Matt Fraction. Finished July 13th. 136 pages. ★★★★

The artwork and the colouring. Jeez I could talk about how amazing the artwork and colouring are for years. This comic made my head hurt but mostly in a good way. I have a passing knowledge of Greek mythology but I've never read Homer's Odyssey which would help a lot.

74. Intersect, #1 by Ray Fawkes. Finished July 13th. 128 pages. ★★★

I'm not sure if this was absolute genius or batshit crazy. The lines between the two are often a little blurred.

75. Wayward, Vol. 1: String Theory by Jim Zub. Finished July 13th. 144 pages ★★★★★

I have been waiting for this comic for years without knowing it. Ass kicking teens? Check. Japanese mythology? Check. Beautiful art? Check. Heartfelt storytelling? Check.

76. Alex + Ada, Vol. 1 by Jonathan Luna. Finished July 14th. 128 pages. ★★★★★

I was not expecting to love this as much as I did. It is always the stories about non-humans that explore exactly what it is that makes us human.

77. Alex + Ada, Vol. 2 by Jonathan Luna. Finished July 14th. 128 pages. ★★★★

An excellent second volume. I love these characters.

78. Alex + Ada, Vol. 3 by Jonathan Luna. Finished July 17th. 136 pages ★★★★

What an ending. I have to try and pick myself up and put the pieces back together after this.

79. Harley Quinn Vol. 3: Kiss Kiss Bang Stab by Amanda Connor. Finished July 17th. 176 pages. ★★★

Still as average as ever but an extra star for the Valentine's issue.

80. Chrononauts, Vol. 1 by Mark Millar. Finished July 19th. 120 pages ★★★★

Totally crazy but fun trip through time.

81. The Wicked + The Divine, Vol. 2: Fandemonium by Kieron Gillen. Finished July 19th. 168 pages ★★★★

This comic leaves me broken, in a good way. What a brave way to finish the volume!

82. Saga, Volume 5 by Brian K Vaughan. Finished July 19th. 144 pages ★★★★

Brian K Vaughan's storytelling plus Fiona Staples's art work together to totally kick me in the heart.

83. Fool's Fate by Robin Hobb. Finished July 22nd. 914 pages. ★★★

Not my favourite of the series but still a good story.

August

84. Casino Royale by Ian Fleming. Finished August 2nd. 181 pages ★★

If I look past the horrific sexism and predictable plot it's not half bad.

85. Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen. Finished August 3rd. 192 pages ★★★★

Loved it.

86. The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson. Finished August 5th. 396 pages ★★

Predictable and a little boring.

87. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. Finished August 23rd. 232 pages ★★★★★

This is one of those books (like Girl, Interrupted) that is too personal to each reader to be reviewed properly. My life experiences will differ from every other reader's so how I relate to the book will differ to. I laughed, I cried and now I feel emotionally raw.

September

88. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. Finished September 1st. 272 pages ★★★★

Truly wonderful book. The sole of my foot feels permanently itchy since finishing it though...

89. I Have Heard You Calling in the Night by Thomas Healy. Finished September 9th. 224 Pages ★★★

I loved and hated this book. I really loved Thomas's journey and Martin but I also really disliked Thomas as a person.

90. Red Dragon by Thomas Harris. Finished September 20th. 348 pages. ★★★★

This book had me totally gripped. I had absolutely no idea what to expect because I'm one of those rare people who has never seen any of the Hannibal films. Made me want to read the books, watch the films and get stuck in with the tv show.

91. Angel: After the Fall, Volume 1 by Brian Lynch. Finished September 29th. 144 pages. ★★

Very disappointed with this comic. Was expecting so much more.

92. Willow: Wonderland by Jeff Parker. Finished September 29th. 144 pages ★★

This was just ok. Nothing special which is very disappointing.

93. The Selection by Kiera Cass. Finished September 30th. 336 pages. ★★★

This book was better than I expected. I've taught myself to let go of all the judgement for the typical cliches and predictable plots when reading YA dystopians and I'm glad I did because it meant I really enjoyed this.

3rd Quarter Round Up



Book Total 92/100
Pages TotalChallenges
I-Spy Challenge - 19/25
Listopia Challenge - 8/25
Favourite Genres Challenge - 11/14
Complete Works Challenge - Abandoned
ReadWomen2015 - 16/20
Randomiser Challenge - 3/10

October

94. Secret Six Vol. 1 by Gail Simone. Finished October 1st. 144 pages ★★

I'm mostly reading this comic because I love Gail Simone but I'm seriously considering taking it off my pull list because it isn't great.

95. Harley Quinn Road Trip Special #1 by Amanda Connor. Finished October 2nd. 48 pages ★★★

Any Harley comic that gives me Poison Ivy at the same time is awesome. Having Catwoman along for the ride was an added bonus!

96. A Royal Romance by Jenny Frame. Finished October 5th. 264 pages ★★

Had the potential to be great but fell flat.

97. Euphoria/Dysphoria by Michelle Browne. Finished October 30th. 279 pages ★★★★

I really enjoyed this, it was gritty and gruesome and I loved the characters and the world.

Wow! You're really on your way to meeting your goal, Stefani! I'm super impressed.

I just want to point out that I'm impressed you abandoned a challenge and are owning it so thoroughly. I will admit, I'm afraid to walk away from someone once I've committed to it. The Complete Works challenge has been my hardest challenge to keep to this year, and I don't know if I'll make it. I'm just getting a bit tired of the author...

Thanks for your inspiration! Hopefully I can take a page out of your book. :)

November

98. The Martian by Andy Weir. Finished November 8th. 369 pages. ★★★★

I loved this, the science went totally over my head but I really appreciated that, it felt so much more real that way.

99. The Glass Magician by Charlie N Holmberg. Finished November 14th. 222 pages. ★★★★

This series is really picking up for me, I can't wait to get stuck in to the third.

100. The Master Magician by Charlie N Holmberg. Finished November 18th. 226 pages. ★★★

I really liked this series but for me this wasn't quite as good as book 2

101. Live and Let Die by Ian Fleming. Finished November 20th. ★★

Racist drivel with some action

102. Moonraker by Ian Fleming. Finished November 25th. ★★★

This was pretty predictable from page 1 but I still really enjoyed it. Definitely better than the 2nd book.

103. Orphan Black, Vol. 1 by John Fawcett. Finished November 25th. 124 pages ★★★

This added a lot to the background of the characters but wasn't as good or as tense as the show.

104. Tomb Raider Volume 3: Queen of Serpents by Rhianna Pratchett. Finished November 25th. 144 pages ★★★★

This has been an incredible bridge between the Tomb Raider games. I can't wait to start the game now. I feel like I'm going in with much more of an idea of who LAra Croft is.

105. Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz. Finished November 29. 256 pages. ★★

This book is the exact same as Moonraker only with a teen protagonist.

Advent Calendar

24 short stories. 1 a day.

Future Visions: Original Science Fiction Inspired by Microsoft
1. Hello, Hello by Seanan McGuire
2. The Machine Starts by Greg Bear
3. Skin in the Game by Elizabeth Bear
4. Machine Learning by Nancy Kress
5. Riding With the Duke by Jack McDevitt
6. A Cop's Eye by Blue Delliquanti and Michele Rosenthal
7. Looking for Gordo by Robert J Shaw
8. The Tell by David Brin
9. Another Word for World by Ann Leckie

The Collected Stories of Philip K. Dick 1: The Short Happy Life of the Brown Oxford
10. Stability by Philip K Dick
11. Roog by Philip K Dick
12. The Little Movement by Philip K Dick
13. Beyond Lies the Wub by Philip K Dick
14. The Gun by Philip K Dick
15. The Skull by Philip K Dick
16. The Defenders by Philip K Dick
17. Mr Spaceship by Philip K Dick
18. Piper in the Woods by Philip K Dick
19. The Infinites by Philip K Dick
20. The Preserving Machine by Philip K Dick
21. Expendable
22. The Indefatigable Frog by Philip K Dick
23. The Crystal Crypt by Philip K Dick
24. The Short Happy Life of the Brown Oxford by Philip K Dick
25. The Builder by Philip K Dick
26. Meddler by Philip K Dick
27. The Great C by Philip K Dick
28. Out in the Garden by Philip K Dick
29. The King of the Elves by Philip K Dick
30. Colony by Philip K Dick
31. Prize Ship by Philip K Dick
32. Nanny by Philip K Dick
33. Paycheck by Philip K Dick
34. Variable Man by Philip K Dick

34/24

Congratulations on meeting your challenge goal! What have been some of your favorites this year?

Thanks! Although my reading goal itself has been met I haven't done very well with my yearly challenges.

I've read a lot of comics that I adored. Stand outs for that are probably The Wicked + The Divine, Vol. 2: Fandemonium, both of the Saga volumes I read (4&5), all three Alex + Ada, Vol. 1 volumes, Wayward, Vol. 1: String Theory, ODY-C, Vol. 1 (even though I understood very little), Ms. Marvel, Vol. 3: Crushed, Lazarus, Vol. 3: Conclave and The Fade Out, Vol. 1: Act One.

Gillian Flynn blew me away when I sped through Dark Places and Sharp Objects. My favourite author came back with one of my favourite characters in Dead Girl Walking. The Final Empire was my favourite fantasy of the year while The Ocean at the End of the Lane was a close second.

My emotions were ripped apart and put back together again by I Was Here, Girl, Interrupted and The Perks of Being a Wallflower. That last one came to be at my house with no one knowing how.

Finally The Martian and The Water Knife probably top my favourites list overall. They both felt so realistic and I couldn't put them down.

Didn't mean to pick so many but it was so hard narrowing them down!

December

106. Point Blanc by Anthony Horowitz. Finished December 4th. 282 pages. ★★

I'm not entirely sure why I'm reading this series as they're aimed at teen boys but I read a few of them when I was in my teens and sometimes you just want to retreat into known places you know? Anyway, this one was definitely better than the first one.

107. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken. Finished December 5th. 488 pages. ★★★

This book fell to the usual cliches but other than that it was really good.

108. Skeleton Key by Anthony Horowitz. Finished December 7th. 368 pages ★★★

I'm really enjoyig this series, think I'll be getting it for my little brother.

109. Bitch Planet, Vol 1: Extraordinary Machine by Kelly Sue DeConnick. Finished December 9th. 156 pages ★★★★★

Absolutely incredible. Feel like I've been waiting my whole life for a comic like this.

110. Future Visions: Original Science Fiction Inspired by Microsoft by Elizabeth Bear. Finished December 10th. ★★★★

Good collection of stories, pretty mixed. Some incredible, some rubbish.

111. Drifter, Vol. 2: The Wake by Ivan Brandon. Finished December 14th. ★★

Nice artwork but rubbish comic, removing from pull list I think.

112. Eagle Strike by Anthony Horowitz. Finished December 17th. 322 pages ★★★

Loved this one, the final scenes were really gripping.

113. Scorpia by Anthony Horowitz. Finished December 18th 388 pages ★★★

Good book but didn't like the direction it took. Would've been more interesting if Ryder's dad had stayed immoral

114. Ark Angel by Anthony Horowtiz. Finished December 22nd 323 pages ★★★

These books do get more unbelievable as they go on but they are still very much readable.

115. Snakehead by Anthony Horowitz. Finished December 25th 398 pages ★★★

The book managed to finally poke fun of itself for the fact that sheer luck seems to get Alex out of most situations.

116. The Collected Stories of Philip K. Dick 1: The Short Happy Life of the Brown Oxford by Philip K Dick. Finished December 27th 432 pages ★★★

Some really good stories, some really rubbish ones.

117. Crocodile Tears by Anthony Horowitz. Finished December 31st. 385 pages ★★★

Another enjoyable read if a little predictable.

That's great! It is hard to narrow down a few favorites, especially when you read from so many genres.

I have The Wicked + The Divine, Vol. 2: Fandemonium sitting on my shelf right now. I was entranced by the first volume, so I'm super excited to get to the second.

The artwork alone on the Wicked + the Divine is incredible, combine that with the story and it just blows me away!

Fourth Quarter Round Up



Book Total 117/100
Pages Total 32,040/35,000

Book Total117/100
Pages Total 32,040/35,000