This final list looks different than the one in my original, or even my mid-year, post. I decided it was more important to see how many challenges I could accomplish than it was to be true to the original list. For me, reading has never been about forcing myself to read specific books within a certain time frame, unless it was school related. Since this entire endeavor was only for personal gain, I tried hard to keep this challenge fun while also using it to expand on the variety of books I read throughout 2016. If my counting is correct, 33 of the books listed below were named in the original post. Some books have been moved around, while others were simply replaced.
1. A book you meant to read in 2015, but didn't -- The Gracekeepers by Kirsty Logan *
2. A book set in a different continent -- I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak*
3. A book from the Goodreads Choice Awards 2015 (winner or nominated) -- The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins *
4. A book by an author you discovered in 2015 -- The Dumb House by John Burnside*
5. A book with a title beginning with the 1st letter of your name -- Shrill by Lindy West*
6. The highest rated on your TBR -- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Illustrated Edition by J.K. Rowling and Jim Kay*
7. A book about books -- The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Forde*
8. A classic book with less than 200 pages -- Candide by Voltaire*
9. A book that was mentioned in another book -- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee*
10. A book by an author you feel you should have read by now -- Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll*
11. A book from the Rory Gilmore challenge -- The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath*
12. A childhood classic -- The BFG by Roald Dahl*
13. Reader’s Choice -- Just Kids by Patty Smith*
14. A book with one of the five W’s -or H in the title (Who/What/Where/When/Why/How) -- Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling*
15. A book set in the past (more than 100 years ago) -- Persuasion by Jane Austen*
16. A book from the top 100 mystery novels -- And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie*
17. A book with a beautiful cover -- Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (Vintage Classics Bronte Series edition)*
18. A book on a summer/beach reading list -- Bridget Jone's Diary by Helen Fielding*
19. A non-fiction book -- Sex Object by Jessica Valenti*
20. A book with a first name in the title -- Anne of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery*
21. A book from the Goodreads Recommendations page -- Fifth Avenue, 5 AM; Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and the Dawn of the Modern Woman by Sam Wasson (currently reading)
22. The first book in a new to you series -- City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (The Mortal Instruments series)*
23. The next book in a series you are reading -- Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon*
24. A "between the numbers" book of a series (0.5, 1,5, 2.5, etc.) -- Four by Veronica Roth *
25. A book whose main character is in a profession that interests you -- The Art Forger by Barbara A. Shapiro*
26. A book everyone is talking about -- The Girls by Emma Cline*
27. A book with a beautiful title (in your own opinion) -- When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi*
28. A biography, autobiography, or memoir -- Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl by Carrie Brownstein*
29. A book by an author who writes under more than one name -- Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith/J.K. Rowling*
30. A fairytale from a culture other than your own -- Angela Carter's Book of Fairytales
31. A work of young adult fiction -- Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins*
32. A historical fiction book -- Voyager by Diana Gabaldon*
33. The 16th book on your TBR -- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon*
34. A book about mental illness -- Brain on Fire by Susannah Calahan*
35. An award winning book -- Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates*
36. An identity book - a book about a different culture, religion or sexual orientation -- Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz*
37. A book that you've seen the movie of but haven't read -- Silver Linings Playlist by Matthew Quick*
38. A book about an anti hero -- A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess*
39. A previous suggestion that did not make it into the list -- The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead* (Read an Oprah Book Club book)
40. A novella from your favorite genre -- Animal Farm by George Orwell*
41. A book about a major world event (fiction or non-fiction) -- Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow (currently reading)
42. A top 100 fantasy novel -- The Princess Bride by William Goldman
43. A book about a thing that goes bump in the night -- A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness*
44. A book you're embarrassed to read in public -- City of Glass by Cassandra Clare* (I wouldn't really say I'm ashamed of reading much in public but trying to describe this series to my family made me question myself)
45. A book related to a hobby or passion you have -- Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter*
46. A crime story -- In Cold Blood by Truman Capote*
47. A book with a type of food/drink in the title -- Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur*
48. A dystopia -- Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro*
49. A book with a great opening line -- 1984 by George Orwell (currently reading)
50. A book originally written in a language other than English -- Blindness by José Saramago*
51. A short story from a well-known author -- The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury*
52. A book published in 2016 -- The Yoga of Max's Discontent by Karan Bajaj*
All finished books are marked with *
The books on this list range from classics, new releases, translated fiction, non-fiction, children's books, YA novels, and historical romances. They're written by a mixture of authors spanning cultures, continents, times, genders, and races. 2016 has brought me some of my new favorite books written by truly brilliant authors and I can't wait to see what 2017 brings!
-S
