LibraryLover23's 2015 TBR Challenge

TBR Challenge List
1. The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander
2. The Cat Who Could Read Backwards by Lilian Jackson Braun
3. The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (finished 4/1/15)
4. The Power Of One by Bryce Courtenay
5. Suspension by Richard Edward Crabbe
6. American Gods by Neil Gaiman
7. The Beach by Alex Garland
8. The Summer Tree by Guy Gavriel Kay
9. Nancy's Mysterious Letter by Carolyn Keene (finished 3/25/15)
10. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
11. In The Garden Of Beasts: Love, Terror, And An American Family In Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson
12. The Soloist: A Lost Dream, An Unlikely Friendship, And The Redemptive Power Of Music by Steve Lopez (finished 8/18/15)
13. A Game Of Thrones by George R.R. Martin (finished 4/28/15)
14. All The Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
15. Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky
16. The Blind Mirror by Christopher Pike
17. The Sixth Wife: The Wives Of Henry VIII by Jean Plaidy
18. The Blue Bear: A True Story Of Friendship And Discovery In The Alaskan Wild by Lynn Schooler
19. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (finished 12/18/15)
20. Nights In Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks (finished 4/6/15)
21. In The Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming (finished 1/31/15)
22. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
23. Let The Circle Be Unbroken by Mildred D. Taylor
24. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter (finished 6/29/15)

I did something a little radical this time around, I was having a hard time choosing which titles I wanted so I just used a random number generator to pick numbers for me and then I chose those books based on where they fell alphabetically in my TBR list. It was actually pretty fun that way, I might do that from here on out!

That's a great idea. I use a random number generator for one of my Category Challenges. I like the idea of using it here too. Next year!

>1 LibraryLover23:

A Game of Thrones was on one of my 2014 lists but I never got around to it. Someday, someday...

That's a fun way to set the list - happy to see Nancy Drew on your list. Hopefully you make it to In the Bleak Midwinter as Julia Spencer-Fleming is one of my favorite authors. Happy reading!

>3 majkia: It actually worked out pretty well in that it gave me a nice variety. Plus I just liked seeing what it would come up with next. :)

>4 artturnerjr: Someday, someday is right. I think I bought that thing pre-TV show hoopla, I need to get to it soon!

>5 LittleTaiko: I read and enjoyed One Was A Soldier and vowed to go back and start at the beginning of the series sometime. I'm looking forward to it!

The Prydain series was a winner for me when I was young, haven't resampled them but I think they'd stand up to scrutiny (the fourth, especially.) I've seen the Wallflower movie and enjoyed it, so I'd imagine the book is good. If I was going to sample Bryce Courtenay that's the title I'd choose. American Gods was okay. Guy Kay's Fionavar trilogy is like nothing else he's written and was his first work, so if that's where you're starting with him just keep it in mind (i.e. if you don't care for it, definitely give one of his later works a try.) I couldn't get into the Kingsolver, but I wasn't of a mind to appreciate it when it was first published. I just read Larson's work about Chicago and this book sounds great too. A Game of Thrones ... of COURSE you should read that! :) McCarthy has a shot at long-term posterity, if any modern author does. I liked The Thirteenth Tale, great story for book lovers. My wife has read nearly everything by Sparks but I couldn't get into him and that was one of his titles I tried, although he's definitely studied the ins/outs of romance and the book has a point to it.

>7 Cecrow: Thanks for the comments! Regarding Guy Gavriel Kay, I have another of his on my shelves (The Lions Of Al-Rassan) that I want to try too. I've heard that the Fionavar Tapestry isn't his strongest work, but it was cheap at a book sale so I thought, why not? And regarding the Sparks book...I blame the random number generator. ;)

>8 LibraryLover23: I really enjoyed The Lions of Al-Rassan, but the Fionovar books were good--just not as strong, as they were his first.

Looks like you will have an enjoyable challenge!

I am pretty sure Game of Thrones will be on my TBR challenge list next year. :-)

I just read Beautiful Ruins this summer...while I was in Italy. It was lovely.

>9 ipsoivan: I've only ever heard good things about Guy Gavriel Kay so I'm looking forward to trying his stuff!

>10 abergsman: Now that sounds awesome. I envy you! :)

1. In The Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming
I won one of the more recent books in this series from Early Reviewers one time and I liked it so much I knew I wanted to go back and read the first book in the series someday. This one follows Reverend Clare Fergusson who stumbles across a baby who was left out in the cold on her church's doorstep. Along with the child is a note asking that he be left in the care of a local couple. Clare is new to town (Millers Kill, NY), and she quickly befriends the local police chief, Russ Van Alstyne, who takes her up on her request to shadow him throughout the investigation as she has firsthand knowledge of the church and its parishioners, particularly the two who were asked to be the baby's adoptive parents. The mystery in this one was strong with twists and turns that I didn't see coming, along with great characters and an evocative setting. Since I read a later book in the series I know where some plot lines are heading, but the thought that I have all the others in between to enjoy is a very pleasant one.

That title always has a positive review. I have got to get a copy of that.

Enjoy all the other Clare/Russ stories!

>13 billiejean: You definitely should!

>14 LittleTaiko: Thank you! I'm looking forward to dipping into them here and there.

2. Nancy's Mysterious Letter by Carolyn Keene
It was only fairly recently that I learned that Carolyn Keene is actually a pseudonym for a bunch of different authors who wrote this series of books, and I have to say, whoever wrote this one was maybe asleep at the wheel. It had so many outrageously coincidental moments (they're all like that, but this one seemed way over the top), and the mystery wasn't very compelling—Nancy helps a mailman find out who stole his mailbag, and a young woman finds out she's an heiress. That being said, there's still something charming about how old-fashioned everything is, and it's fascinating to see the world as it was then. But it's also laughably strange and disturbing too, there were some uncomfortable representations of African Americans, and this quote had my eyes popping out of my head: "Nancy proved herself to be a real girl, in that buying good-looking new clothes gave her a great thrill." (p. 101) I'm still a fan, I just have to mentally prepare myself before I read these books so I know what to expect!

It's the same with authors of Hardy Boys, Bobbsey Twins, several others related series - all pseudonyms. In the case of Hardy Boys it gets even more confusing; the first thirty or so books were all completely rewritten in the 1950s. You get too old an edition, you wind up with a very strange and completely different story.

There's a lot of dated stuff in them, but they still retain a lot of charm too. I read several Hardy Boys to my son a couple of years ago and he enjoyed them.

>16 LibraryLover23: - It's funny that you mention Nancy helping a young woman find out she's an heiress. That seemed to happen a lot in those books! I get wishing she'd figure out that I was one, but alas she never did! Ah well, I suspect there really aren't that many hidden heiresses.

>17 Cecrow: I agree. They are charming, despite their flaws!

>18 LittleTaiko: Yeah really! Maybe they started running out of ideas at a certain point. Or maybe lost heiresses were all the rage back then. :)

I think they were under some very strict rules when writing those series - no blood, no actual violence, etc. Theft, blackmail, smuggling etc. were the usual crimes the Hardy Boys faced. Try putting a slant on those to appeal to the stereotypical girl reader image that publishers had in mind during the 1950s and I guess you come up with a lot of heiresses, missing horses, jewellery, etc.

>20 Cecrow: Yeah, that makes sense. I don't think I've ever read any Hardy Boys, I'll have to try them sometime. Mysteries are my favorite genre so I'll try them in any form!

3. The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Hard to read at times, I think because it was oh-so-realistic, Charlie makes friends with a group of older kids who teach him how to have fun and participate more in life. It was a quick read, I think I read it in only a couple of sittings, but the depictions of abuse (mostly skated over, but they kept cropping up), made it hard for me to stomach. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't recommend it, on the contrary I thought it was a well-written depiction of teenage life.

>22 LibraryLover23:, I liked the movie, not sure I knew it was based on a book but it makes sense.

>23 Cecrow: The author of the book wrote the screenplay for the movie and directed it as well, so it follows the same storyline/tone pretty closely. I liked both the movie and book versions.

4. Nights In Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks
Enjoyable romance about two people who fall in love while spending a weekend at an inn. I think I could tell what the ending was going to be by about page 3, but I liked it nonetheless.

5. A Game Of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
I finally finished it! And it's only been on my list since 2009... To be honest I was rather intimidated to start it, and in fact, I did start it once before but it wasn't the right time for me so I set it aside. I was worried that the huge cast of characters would be too unwieldy for me to keep track of, but it turns out I had no problem keeping anybody straight (which might be a result of all the coverage the TV show has received, I was able to imagine certain actors as certain characters.) There were definitely some that I liked better than others (Arya, Dany, Jon and Tyrion), but I enjoyed the story as a whole. I feel like I should probably jump right into book 2 as I know my faulty memory probably won't hold me for long, but I might need to read it along with other books. I don't know that I can spend another solid month on just one, there are too many others I want to read!

>26 LibraryLover23:

Fantastic! Hopefully I'll be able to tackle that one soon, too (and enjoy it as much as you and so many others have).

>26 LibraryLover23:, I think you've named pretty much everybody's four favourite characters, lol. I like the various machinations in others' stories too and how the whole canvas plays out, but those tend to bring the highlights. And the second book is even better ...

I also have only read the first book. I am wondering if I will have to reread it before the next one. Hearing that book 2 is even better kind of makes me want to return to the story.

>27 artturnerjr: Yes, I hope you like it! The first time I tried to read it it just didn't click for me, so I'm glad I waited a bit. I'm now onto book 2 and loving it.

>28 Cecrow: Yeah, I guess it's not surprising at all that those are everybody's favorites! I too like seeing the same event from multiple characters' viewpoints, it gives the whole story that much more scope.

>29 billiejean: BJ, I jumped right into book 2 and it grabbed me right from the beginning, whereas the first book took a little longer for me to get into. If you don't have time to reread book 1 there are sites out there dedicated to plot lines, characters, etc. if you need a refresher. Here's just one that I found: http://www.shmoop.com/game-of-thrones-book/summary.html

>26 LibraryLover23: I am seriously considering adding the Game of Throne series to next year's TBR list. I don't want to watch the series until I read the books, and I am really itching to watch the tv version after my husband got hooked!

I've read and am addicted to the series, but didn't get through the first season of the show. I think I'm just not cut out for the format. I kept thinking, "this is all very pretty, but the books are better", lol. A tv show has to promote spectacle, while I value being inside the character's heads instead of having to interpret everything from externals.

Thanks for the link. That is a good idea. I think I will add book 2 to my list for next year. If I can find it. My kids have taken these books to the four corners of the world.

>31 abergsman: That's my motivation too (to watch the show), but I want to read the books first as kind of a purist thing. I hope you like them whenever you get to them!

>32 Cecrow: I pretty equally like books to movies/TV, provided it's done well of course! I think it's all the hype that I keep hearing about the show that's got me itching to watch it, and if I don't like it, at least I've got the books to fall back on.

>33 billiejean: Good luck finding the book BJ!

Both of my girls have packed all their books as they are moving. So if they have it, I won't get it until it is unpacked. On the bright side, I am organizing somewhat my books here. So if I have it, I should be able to find it. It has become something of a phenomenon. I heard somewhere that HBO knows how it all ends -- even though the last book is still not out (or is it?).

Two more books to go, hopefully the next in 2016. So from here on the show will start getting ahead of them. The two seem to be diverging more and more, but George Martin has said they will wind up in the same place.

Diverging, huh? Just because the plot is too complex?

>37 billiejean: I thought it was solely because from here on out they won't have the source material, but I'm not sure.

6. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
Don't know how to describe this one really, so much happens and so many characters are doing so many different things it's hard to summarize. It begins in Italy, when Pasquale meets Dee, an American actress who thinks she's dying and comes to his small village for some peace and quiet. It ends with one of the best epilogues I've ever read, giving closure to all of the characters, including ones who were just glossed over earlier in the story. Suffice it to say, this is not so much a page-turner but rather one that's meant to be read slowly and savored.

7. The Soloist: A Lost Dream, An Unlikely Friendship, And The Redemptive Power Of Music by Steve Lopez
Wonderful nonfiction about an LA Times reporter who befriends a homeless man who once went to school at Juilliard. A pretty unflinching look at mental illness and the atrocity of life along Skid Row, but ultimately uplifting.

8. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Gothic tale about a biographer who interviews a famous, reclusive author in order to write her life story. It involved "ghosts" and twins and crumbling English mansions. I liked the atmosphere of the story, loved the bookish parts, and actually guessed the solution to one of the mysteries which almost never happens.

Oh man, I did terribly with this challenge this year! Didn't even make it halfway. Ah well, reading in general kind of fell by the wayside there for a few months while I had other stuff going on. And I see that people are starting to come up with their next year's lists so I better start picking new books!

I think you did pretty well this year.

>42 LibraryLover23: If I read 12 out of the 24, I consider it a success. I view the alternate list as extra credit! So I think you did a great job!

>43 billiejean:, >44 abergsman: Thanks for the encouragement! I guess any books read off my shelves is an accomplishment!

That's the way I look at it, too.