Reading Challenges 2016: Update + Round Up

Fun fact: I didn’t read a single book in December. Not. One. In my defence: I did read course notes, papers, essays, and one exam. Fun times. Of course, that leaves this final Update slash Round up seeming rather pointless, but oh well, I promised you one final look at how I did this year.

So let’s get started!

1. Goodreads 2016 Reading Challenge

At the beginning of this year, I set this one at 100 books. Somewhere in August (I think) I not only got to that goal, but bumped up my total goal to 150. And I even surpassed that! (only by  6 books, but still -proud moment!)

2016 Reading Challenge

Saar has
completed her goal of reading
150 books in
2016!

hide

156 of 150 (100%)

view books

2. Modern Mrs Darcy Reading Challenge:

If I’m not mistaken, this was actually the first of my Reading Challenges I completed – so yay for that!

• A book published this year: Mythologies Américaines, Dany Laferrière (April)
• A book you can finish in a day: Thirteen Clues for Miss Marple, Agatha Christie (March)
• A book you’ve been meaning to read: Le Petit Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (May)
• A book recommended by your local librarian or bookseller: Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens (January)
• A book you should have read in school: L’Ignorance, Milan Kundera (January)
• A book chosen for you by your spouse, partner, sibling, child, or BFF: Carry On, Rainbow Rowell (June)
• A book published before you were born: Persuasion, Jane Austen (January)
• A book that was banned at some point: Moby Dick, Herman Melville (January)
• A book you previously abandoned: La Princesse de Clèves, Madame de Lafayette (April)
• A book you own but have never read: Don Quichotte de la Manche – Livre 1, Cervantes (January)
• A book that intimidates you: Cette Grenade dans la main du jeune nègre est-elle un fruit ou une armée?, Dany Laferrière (April)
• A book you’ve already read at least once: Northern Lights, Philip Pullman (January)

3. Popsugar 2016 Reading Challenge

So close, yet so far away! I got all but 2 of this one, but honestly: I can’t remember ever reading a self-improvement book. Even if I interpret that term very broadly! I guess I’ll just have to live with not having completed this one 🙂

• A book based on a fairy tale: Beauty and the Beast, Jenni James (March)
• A National Book Award winner: All the Pretty Horses, Cormac McCarthy (July)
• A YA bestseller: All the Bright Places, Jennifer Niven (May)
• A book you haven’t read since high school: Northern Lights, Philip Pullman (January)
• A book set in your home state: De Achterblijvers, Lydia Verbeeck (March)
• A book translated to English: Pippi Longstocking, Astrid Lindgren (May)
• A romance set in the future: The Next Together, Lauren James (June)
• A book set in Europe: The Subtle Knife, Philip Pullman (January)
• A book that’s under 150 pages: Le Roman de Brut, Wace (January)
• A New York Times bestseller: After You, Jojo Moyes (July)
• A book that’s becoming a movie this year: Me Before You, Jojo Moyes (July)
• A book recommended by someone you just met: The One, Kiera Cass (August)
• A self-improvement book: 
• A book you can finish in a day: 84, Charing Cross Road, Helene Hanff (February)
• A book written by a celebrity: A Mother’s Gift, Britney Spears (May)
• A political memoir: Bezonken Rood, Jeroen Brouwers (October)
• A book at least 100 years older than you: Persuasion, Jane Austen (January)
• A book that’s more than 600 pages: Moby Dick, Herman Melville (January)
• A book from Oprah’s Book Club: 
• A science-fiction novel: The Elite, Kiera Cass (August)
• A book recommended by a family member: Abeltje, Annie M.G. Schmidt (May)
• A graphic novel: Kuifje en de Alph-Art, Hergé (September)
• A book that is published in 2016: Mythologies Américaines, Dany Laferrière (April)
• A book with a protagonist who has your occupation: The Fine Art of Pretending, Rachel Harris (June)
• A book that takes place during Summer: Five on a Treasure Island, Enid Blyton (May)
• A book and its prequel: The Selection, Kiera Cass (August)
• A murder mystery: The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side, Agatha Christie (February)
• A book written by a comedian: 
• A dystopian novel: The Queen, Kiera Cass (August)
• A book with a blue cover: The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (May)
• A book of poetry: USA, 1927, Paul Morand (February)
• The first book you see in a bookstore: Carry On, Rainbow Rowell (June)
• A classic from the 20th century: The Complete Tales, Beatrix Potter (February)
• A book from the library: Boys, Bears and a Serious Pair of Hiking  Boots, Abby McDonald (March)
• An autobiography: L’Enigme du Retour, Dany Laferrière (January)
• A book about a road trip: Volkswagen Blues, Jacques Poulin (April)
• A book about a culture you’re unfamiliar with: Cette Grenade dans la main du jeune nègre est-elle un fruit ou une armée, Dany Laferrière (April)
• A satirical book: Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, Molière (March)
• A book that takes place on an island: The Amber Spyglass, Philip Pullman (January)
• A book that’s guaranteed to bring you joy: Just Between Us, Cathy Kelly (March)

4. stxrybooks 2016 Reading Challenge

Fun fact: I didn’t actually realise I’d finished this one until I started writing this post just now. So there’s that 🙂

(Also, when I’m talking about interpreting terms very broadly: that’s basically what I did on this one, I feel like 🙂 )

• A book you bought so long ago, but still haven’t read: Le Petit Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (May)
• A book with a charachter that is very similar to you: Five on a Treasure Island, Enid Blyton (May)
• A non-fiction book about something you’ve always wanted to know more about: Problems in SLA, Michale H. Long (June)
• A book by a female author: Nord Perdu, Nancy Huston (January)
• A book you never got to read in 2015: Don Quichotte de la Manche, Cervantes (January)
• A book that will be a complete mindfuck: We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, Karen Joy Fowler (July)
• A book filled to the rim with magic: Sleeping Beauty, Jenni James (February)
• A book you’re to scared to read when it’s dark out: Bezonken Rood, Jeroen Brouwers
• A book of which you really liked the movie, but haven’t read the book yet: Abeltje, Annie M.G. Schmidt (May)
• A book that makes you want to visit the place it’s set: Pippi Longstocking, Astrid Lindgren (May)
• A classic that you never made time for: Le Cid, Pierre Corneille (March)
• A book that shows a different point of view: Der Kleine Prinz, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (May)
• A book with short stories: Les Laids, Marie de France (January)
• A book that involves a lot of mystery: The Thirteen Problems, Agatha Christie (February)
• A book about a person that really inspires you: Altijd Acht Gebleven: over de kinderliteratuur van Annie M.G. Schmidt, Tin van Buul (March)
• A book that makes you want to be a hero: Carry On, Rainbow Rowell (June)
• A graphic novel: Kuifje en de Alph-Art, Hergé (September)
• A book of poetry: USA, 1927, Paul Morand (February)
• A book by an unfamiliar author: Volkswagen Blues, Jacques Poulin (April)
• A book that has been published in 2016: Mythologies Américaines, Dany Laferrière (April)
• A book with a dark and mysterious cover: De Zeven Kristallen Bollen, Hergé (September)
• A book from a random recommendationalist: Snow White, Jenni James (February)
• A book with a surprising love element: The Crown, Kiera Cass (August)
• A book with lots of mythical creatures: Good Omens, Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman (October)
• A book that reminds you of another season: Just Between Us, Cathy Kelly (March)
• A book no one wants you to read: Keep me Posted, Lisa Beazley (September)
• A book that you own that is the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen: The Complete Tales, Beatrix Potter (February)
• A book that makes you a complete mess: All the Bright Places, Jennifer Niven (May)
• A book you started but never finished: What She Wants, Cathy Kelly (April)

5. Around the World Challenge

Can we just take a moment to appreciate the fact that, even if i didn’t finish all the mini-challenges, I did surprisingly good on this one? I mean, just look at that amount of dots!



6. Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge

Yeah.

So then there’s this one.

Suffice it to say: I’ve got a looooong way to go. 

Anyways, that’s how I did on my 2016 Reading Challenges – how did your reading go this last year? Be sure to let me know below!

-Saar