Now that 2013 has come to an end, it’s time to count up the challenge books and see where I stand.
War Through the Generations: 2013 American Revolution Reading Challenge
Goal: 4-10
Books read: 3
Thoughts: I’m not happy that I failed to complete my own challenge, but I just wasn’t motivated to read about this war, even though I do find it interesting.
1. The Turncoat by Donna Thorland
2. Jack Absolute by C.C. Humphreys
3. Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2013
Goal: 25+
Books read: 37 — COMPLETED 🙂
Thoughts: This is always an easy challenge for me, so in 2014, I will set a higher goal to see if I can clear more historical fiction books off my shelves.
1. The Passing Bells by Phillip Rock
2. Circles of Time by Phillip Rock
3. The Secret of the Nightingale Palace by Dana Sachs
4. The Klipfish Code by Mary Casanova
5. A Future Arrived by Phillip Rock
6. The Flowers of War by Geling Yan
7. The Turncoat by Donna Thorland
8. The Crooked Branch by Jeanine Cummins
9. Every Man Dies Alone by Hans Fallada
10. The Heat of the Day by Elizabeth Bowen
11. The Clover House by Henriette Lazaridis Power
12. The End of the Point by Elizabeth Graver
13. The Last Telegram by Liz Trenow
14. The Wars by Timothy Findley
15. Seduction by M.J. Rose
16. The Gods of Heavenly Punishment by Jennifer Cody Epstein
17. Jack Absolute by C.C. Humphreys
18. The Last Van Gogh by Alyson Richman
19. Resistance by Carla Jablonski and Leland Purvis
20. Defiance by Carla Jablonski and Leland Purvis
21. Victory by Carla Jablonski and Leland Purvis
22. I’ll Be Seeing You by Suzanne Hayes and Loretta Nyhan
23. Ellis Island by Kate Kerrigan
24. City of Hope by Kate Kerrigan
25. Letters From Skye by Jessica Brockmole
26. Winter in Wartime by Jan Terlouw
27. Gracianna by Trini Amador
28. Rutherford Park by Elizabeth Cooke
29. His Majesty’s Dragon (Temeraire, Book 1) by Naomi Novik
30. Rising Sun, Falling Shadow by Daniel Kalla
31. The English German Girl by Jake Wallis Simons
32. Sophia’s War: The End of Innocence by Stephanie Baumgartner
33. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
34. The Lavender Garden by Lucinda Riley
35. Wolfsangel by Liza Perrat
36. Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
37. City of Women by David R. Gillham
The Pride & Prejudice Bicentenary Challenge
Goal: 9-12
Books read: 21 — COMPLETED 🙂
Thoughts: I really enjoyed this challenge, and I’m thinking about doing a Jane Austen challenge on my own in 2014.
1. Dear Mr. Darcy by Amanda Grange
2. Pride & Prejudice (Marvel Illustrated) by Nancy Butler and Hugo Petrus
3. The Man Who Loved Jane Austen by Sally Smith O’Rourke
4. Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen by Sally Smith O’Rourke
5. All Hallow’s Eve by Wendi Sotis
6. For All the Wrong Reasons by Mary Lydon Simonsen
7. A Walk in the Meadows at Rosings Park by Mary Lydon Simonsen
8. A Pemberley Medley by Abigail Reynolds
9. Darcy and Elizabeth: The Language of the Fan by Mary Lydon Simonsen
10. Old Friends and New Fancies by Sybil G. Brinton
11. Spies and Prejudice by Talia Vance
12. Mr. Darcy’s Promise by Jeanna Ellsworth
13. The Red Chrysanthemum by Linda Beutler
14. The Pursuit of Mary Bennet by Pamela Mingle
15. First Impressions by Alexa Adams
16. Second Glances by Alexa Adams
17. Holidays at Pemberley by Alexa Adams
18. Pride, Prejudice and Jasmin Field by Melissa Nathan
19. “Jane & Bingley: Something Slightly Unsettling” by Alexa Adams
20. Project Darcy by Jane Odiwe
21. Undressing Mr. Darcy by Karen Doornebos
Ireland Reading Challenge 2013
Goal: 4
Books read: 3
Thoughts: I love reading books set in Ireland, but time just got away from me this year. I had a 4th book picked out, but just didn’t get to it.
1. The Crooked Branch by Jeanine Cummins
2. Ellis Island by Kate Kerrigan
3. City of Hope by Kate Kerrigan
Dive Into Poetry Challenge 2013
Goal: 1
Books read: 2 — COMPLETED 🙂
Thoughts: I’m glad Serena challenges me to read poetry every year. I don’t think I could read as many poetry books as she does, but I’ll try to read a couple more next time around.
1. Eyes, Stones by Elana Bell
2. Love: Ten Poems by Pablo Neruda
Literature & War Readalong 2013
Books read: 4/12
Thoughts: I really love these readalongs, and even though I didn’t get to participate every month (either because of time or because I couldn’t get the book through my local library), I enjoyed reading the discussion posts. With the focus on WWI in 2014, I hope to participate more often.
February — The Flowers of War by Geling Yan
March — The Heat of the Day by Elizabeth Bowen
April — The Wars by Timothy Findley
June — Winter in Wartime by Jan Terlouw
Goodreads 2013 Reading Challenge — COMPLETED 🙂
Read: 102/100 books
Final thoughts:Â Overall, I think I did really well, just got a little pressed for time at the end of the year.
Did any of you participate in any reading challenges last year? How did you fare?
© 2014 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.