Since it’s Wednesday on #JusJoJan, I’m going with a different prompt today and sharing my 2018 Reading Challenge. For the last few years I have been following the PopSugar Challenge and keeping track of my reading in a couple of ways. I am on Goodreads (I am everywhere) as Scr4pl80 and I list them there. I also keep a reading log in a small binder using some journal pages that I picked up from Modern Mrs. Darcy. It is a really cool way to keep track of what I am reading, what I want to read, what I have read, the challenges, etc.
I am trying to use books that I already have to fill the categories first. These are a few of the ones I have so far:
A book made into a movie you’ve already seen: Schindler’s List by Thomas Keneally. My husband and I recently watched this with our son. I had never seen it before and although we all know what happened during that terrible period, this story is very moving.
True Crime: Son – The Shocking True Story of Fred and Ruth Coe. Fred was a rapist in Spokane, Washington and Ruth was his mother who tried to kill to protect him. I’ve had this one on the shelf for a VERY long time and I’m trying to clear out to make room for new stuff.
The next book in a series you started: Map of the Sky by Felix J. Palma. Last year I read Map of Time, the first book in this series about time travel. It was pretty good and I’m looking forward to getting into this one.
A novel based on a real person: Not Dead Yet by Phil Collins. Even though he had to take some time off for health reasons, as he says, he is not dead yet. Hoping to see him tour again!
A book about death or grief: Act of Love by Paige Mitchell. This is the story of a 23-year-old who kills his older brother who was critically injured in a motorcycle accident and paralyzed from the waist down. Another one on my shelf for ages. I may have even read it but can’t remember it.
A book about time travel: Map of Chaos by Felix J. Palma. The last in the series about time travel.
A book that is also a stage play or a musical: Wicked by Gregory Maguire. I have not seen the play but it has been such a big hit that I figured I should at least read the book.
A book that you borrowed or was given to you as a gift: Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks. I got this for Christmas from my daughter so I thought I’d start with it. So far so good.
A book about or involving a sport: Boys Will Be Boys by Jeff Pearlman. It is the story of the “glory days and party nights of the Dallas Cowboys Dynasty.” The Cowboys have always been my husband’s favorite team and I must admit that while I am a baseball girl, the Cowboys do have the best looking uniforms (IMO) and some mighty fine looking quarterbacks, which makes them easy to watch.
A childhood classic you’ve never read: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas. I’ve seen the movies but never read the book.
A past Goodreads Choice Awards winner: 11/22/63 by Stephen King. Looking forward to this one too. It is about the assassination of JFK. Told by Stephen King, there’s gotta be some kind of twist.
A book you meant to read in 2017 but didn’t get to: How to Think Like Sherlock by Daniel Smith. It is supposed to “improve your powers of observation, memory and deduction.” Figured since I was getting older, improving the memory might not be such a bad idea.
A book with song lyrics in the title: Gold Dust Woman, the biography of Stevie Nicks by Stephen Davis. I just found this in the bookstore and had to have it. Ms. Nicks is my muse, my idol! Isn’t this cover just delightful?
Since I’ve set my goal at 25 books this year, at least I have half of them picked out. That should make it a little easier. How about you? Any reading goals for the year? Advice for some of the other categories:
Nordic Noir?
Book with alliteration in the title?
Set on a different planet?
Female author who uses male pseudonym?
Book by two authors?
Book that involves a bookstore or a library? This has got to be one for me given my job history of working in a library!
Thanks!
from Blogger http://asmile4ufromjanet.blogspot.com/2018/01/just-jot-january-2018_10.html
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Janet's Smiles 
I missed my reading target on Goodreads this year by a fair bit and as I’ve struggled to get my reading going this year, I decided to drop my target to 1 book/week. I did try to follow Goodreads A-Z challenge last year to get stuff already on my bookcase read, but that didn’t work either! Clearly I have no self-discipline. But I do have suggestions for your other categories ….
Nordic Noir – anything by Steig Larssen (Girl in the Dragon Tattoo series), Henning Mankel or Jo Nesbo – all crime stuff.
Set on a different planet – Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson is great but a chunky read, but a shorter & enjoyable read is “A Close and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers.
Book by two authors – Nicci French are a husband-and-wife team who write under a combination of their names, although not read any by them.
Book that involves a bookstore or a library – The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman.
I’ve sent you a friend request on Goodreads, so you can read my reviews in case they help with deciding if they’re your kind of thing!
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Thanks so much for those recommendations! I will definitely accept your friend request. I am going to use “The Body in the Library” by Agatha Christie for my library one but the Nordic Noir was a definite challenge. I might read The Martian for the different planet one. Just saw the movie again the other night and I think the book might be a fun read.
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Nice collection. I love Wicked. Have read the entire series. Enjoy!
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I didn’t even realize it was a series until I took the picture for this post!
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The others have some weird aspects but are still engaging. I like the dark humor.
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Great job on the challenge! I’m on there too and started that challenge, but then forgot about it. I did finish the one where you picked how many books you wanted to read. I said 50, I read 54 last year. Probably did pretty good with the one you did, but never took the time to fit them into the categories.
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I can only seem to find time to read right before bed which makes it take forever for me to finish a book. 25 is a good number for me, though I always hope to do more.
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I know what you mean. I read every chance I get. Waiting in line, at appointments, in the bathroom, while eating, etc. Even with just that, I can finish a book in a day or 2. Short books. 😉
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Reblogged this on J-Dubs Grin and Bear It and commented:
So I can find this again. Filling up my TBR queue.
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Thanks, glad I could be of assistance 🙂
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Wow! Fantastic reading challenge. I keep a handwritten journal of the books I read each year.
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I’m hoping the True Crime and the death or dying ones are not too depressing. I’ll definitely space them apart!
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Great reading challenge!
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Thanks Ritu. It has been fun stretching my reading to include things besides the usual Agatha Christie type mysteries that I read so often.
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