The 2015 Annual Reading Challenge List Thread (2024)

To read 100 novellas & short stories, and to read books bought in 2014 and earlier

Goal Read 100 books DONE
Goal Focus on books purchased in 2014 or earlier
Goal Finish 100 novellas & short stories
Goal Finish 15 magazines

Novellas & Short Stories Read: 26

Spoiler:

Magazines Read: 4

Spoiler:

Baen Books TBR: 157 Read: 1

Spoiler:

Kobo Books TBR: 147 Read: 3

Spoiler:

Barnes & Noble TBR: 29 Read: 1

Spoiler:

Audiobooks TBR: 303 Listened: 29
Includes short stories and novellas

Spoiler:

Amazon TBR: HUGE Read: 8

Spoiler:

Other Publishers TBR: 32? Read:

Spoiler:

Books Read

January
001. 4/5 Tall, Dark & Hungry - Lyndsay Sands (audio)

My favorite of the paranormal romances. Audiobook had good reader!

002. 5/5 Fellowship of the Ring - J R R Tolkein (audio)

Just as good decades later!

003. 4/5 Love Bites - Lyndsay Sands (audio)

Good, but it doesn't grab as well as the other books in the early series.

004. 5/5 Single White Vampire - Lyndsay Sands (audio)

Love this one. Better in audio for the humor.

005. 2/5 Guidebook to Murder - Lynn Cahoon

Didn't interest me.

006. 5/5 Dune - Frank Herbert (audio)

Just as good as when I read it decades ago.

007. 1/5 All the Windwracked Stars - Elizabeth Bear [abandoned] (audio)

To grim. Couldn't get into it. Abandoned 1/3 way through.

008. 5/5 Starship Grifters - Robert Kroese (eread + audio)

So very funny.

009. 5/5 Reaper Man - Terry Pratchett (audio)

This was great! Loved it. Death has his challenges.

010. 5/5 Nearly Departed in Deadwood - by Ann Charles (audio)

I really enjoyed this cozy and looking forward to next installment.

011. 3/5 Solaris - Stanislaw Law (audio)

This was an 'ideas' book. The plot was great, but I got bored.

February
012. 5/5 Optical Delusions in Deadwood - Ann Charles

Still loving this series. Great mystery cozy.

013. 2/5 The Dreadful Debutante - M C Beaton

Dreadful. Hard to believe this well-known author wrote this bad.

014. 1/5 Murder in Miniature - Margaret Grace [abandoned]

Didn't finish. Didn't like the writing style.

015. 4/5 How I Spent My Summer Vacation - Gillian Roberts

Fast, to the point and funny.

016. 5/5 The Two Towers - J R R Tolkien (audio)

Great action in this novel. Audio is supurb.

017. 2/5 I Could Chew On This - Francesco Marciuliano

I might be biased, but I preferred the cat one.

018. 5/5 Her Royal Spyness - Rhys Bowen (audio)

Loved this mystery cozy. I'll be listening to more.

019. 5/5 Tough Cookie - Diane Mott Davidson (audio)

Another good mystery. Fast pace. Recipes I'm going to try!

020. 5/5 This World Is Taboo - Murray Leinster (audio)

021. 4/5 The Secret Life of Bletchley Park - Sinclair McKay

Very good history. Lively.

022. 5/5 A Royal Pain - Rhys Bowen (audio)

Another enjoyable cozy

023. 2/5 Darkness Dawns - Diane Duvall [abandoned]

Story was ok, but the immortals are unrealistically modern.

March
024. 4/5 Sticks & Scones - Diane Mott Davidson (audio)

Another great story. Some issues with it but good.

025. 5/5 Morgue Drawer: Do Not Enter - Jutta Profijt (audio)

Love, love, love this series. An unusual mystery cozy with a ghost.

026. 3/5 Murder in Merino - Sally Goldenbaum

I liked this series, but it's getting stale.

027. 3/5 To Marry an English Lord - Gail MacColl & Carold McD. Wallace

Lively history of the wealthy in turn of the 19th century.

028. 1/5 Bite Me Your Grace - Brooklyn Ann [abandoned]

Book sucked on several levels. No more freebee vampire novels.

029. 5/5 Gin & Daggers - Jessica Fletcher/Donald Bain

As delightful as the TV show on which it is based. Sensible cozy.

030. 5/5 The Chase - Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg (audio)

Great story. Cross between cozy and thriller

031. 5/5 1632 - Eric Flint (audio)

This was a great story, even if far fetched.

032. 5/5 Manhattans & Murder - Jessica Fletcher/Donald Bain

I thought this had a great plot. Loved it!

033. 1/5 Karen Memery - Elizabeth Bear [abandoned]

Not my cup of tea. I don't plan to read any more by this author.

April
034. 4/5 Hard Magic (book 1 Grimnoir Chronicles) - Larry Correia (audio)

NOT a detective story. More an alternative universe thriller with magic.

035. 4/5 Rum and Razors - Jessica Fletcher/Donald Bain

Very good cozy!

036. 5/5 Witches Abroad - Terry Pratchett (audio)

Totally hilarious.

037. 4/5 Triplanetary - E E Doc Smith (audio)

Great pulp fiction

038. 4/5 A Bite To Remember - Lyndsay Sands (audio)

Another winning paranormal romance. Lots of humor.

039. 3/5 Help Fund My Robot Army - John Joseph Adams ed.

Funny in parts.

040. 5/5 The Cat Who Saw Red - Lilian Jackson Braun (audio)

Lots of cat antics drawn out into great humor. Good murder mystery.

May
041. 5/5 Small Gods - Terry Pratchett (audio)

It's tough to be a god. Even with a devout believer.

042. 4/5 Day of the Triffids - John Wyndham

This was a very good apocalyptic story

043. 5/5 From Doon With Death - Ruth Rendell (audio)

Great story. Happened to start the same day I heard the author had passed.

044. 3/5 The Last Little Blue Envelope - Maureen Johnson (audio)

This sequel I didn't enjoy as much, although it had merit.

045. 4/5 Brandy & Bullets (Murder She Wrote) - Donald Bain

I really enjoyed but it lacked a certain spark.

046. 5/5 Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card (audio)

Totally loved this. Can see why it is popular.

047. 5/5 Martinis & Mayhem (Murder She Wrote) - Donald Bain

Fast plot; a little too much left to the end, but the getting there was good.

June
048. 5/5 Wasp - Eric Frank Russell

I still love this story.

049. 4/5 Sentinals From Space - Eric Frank Russell

A bit dated, but still loved it.

050. 5/5 Three To Conquer - Eric Frank Russell

This reads almost like detective noir.

051. 5/5 Next of Kin - Eric Frank Russell

Love this story every time I read it!

052. 4/5 Sinister Barrier - Eric Frank Russell

More of a thriller than science fiction.

053. 5/5 Entities - Eric Frank Russell

Includes all his main books. I included in listing since there were 3 novellas.

July
054. 5/5 A Deadly Judgement - Jessica Fletcher/Donald Bain

Another great mystery!

055. 4/5 A Palette For Murder - Jessica Fletcher/Donald Bain

Good story. Not as gripping.

056. 5/5 Lords & Ladies - Terry Pratchett (audio)

Hilarious.

057. 3/5 Dragon Actually - G. A. Aiken

Read this a long time ago. Funny. Still!

August
058. 4/5 Silvertip - Max Brand

Good ole western, where the good guy gets beaten...for awhile.

059. 5/5 The Exiles - William Stuart Long

Australian historical fiction. Not a stodgy history.

060. 5/5 The Settlers - William Stuart Long

Gripping. Had a hard time putting it down.

061. 4/5 Victoire -Clare Darcy

Another enjoyable Regency romance.

062. 4/5 Chopping Spree - Diane Mott Davidson (audio)

Didn't hold my attention as much as her other cozies.

063. 4/5 Eugenia - Clare Darcy

Regency romance.

064. 5/5 Double Shot - Diane Mott Davidson (audio)

Lots of action in this one and Goldy is a suspect.

September
065. 4/5 Cecily - Clare Darcy

Regency romance

066. 5/5 Allegra - Clare Darcy

Funny Regency romance

067. 5/5 Dark Torte - Diane Mott Davidson (audio)

Loved this one. Couldn't put it down.

068. 4/5 Silence of the Loons - Minnesota Crime Wave

Anthology. Some of these stories are OUTSTANDING!

069. 4/5 The Traitors - William Stuart Long

Really good, but a little compared to the previous 2.

070. 4/5 Gwendolen - Clare Darcy

Regency romance. Pretty good.

071. 2/5 Silver Metal Lover - Tanith Lee

I liked this in my 20s. Could barely finish in my 50s. What happened?

072. 4/5 Georgiana - Clare Darcy

Regency romance. Pretty good.

073. 5/5 Lydia - Clare Darcy

Regency romance - pretty funny. Completed all author's books.

074. 5/5 Midnight Riot (Rivers of London) - Ben Aaronovich (audio)

Fabulous book. Narrator adds to the humor.

075. 4/5 15 Tales of Murder, Mayhem & Malice - MN Crime Wave

Some great stories in here. Anthology of MN mystery/crime writers

076. 1/5 War Cry #1 - Jim Butcher

Clearly, my enjoyment of comic books ended decades ago.

October
077. 4/5 Soothsayer - Mike Resnick

Sortof of a galactic gunslinger western.

078. 3/5 Outlander - Diane Gabaldon (audio)

Mostly a historical romance with a little fantasy thrown in.

079. 1/5 Vampire Academy - Richelle Mead [abandoned]

I gave it up. Not my type of book.

080. 3/5 The Highland Fling Murders - Jessica Fletcher/Donald Bain

Good mystery, but not supurb.

081. 4/5 On Basilisk Station - David Weber

Slow beginning, but great story! Military Sci-fi

082. 5/5 Vigilante - Stephen J Cannell (audio)

GREAT detective novel! I look forward to reading the earlier ones.

083. 5/5 The Murder of Roger Akroyd - Agatha Christie (audio)

Fabulous murder mystery. I recommend it!

084. 4/5 Murder on the QE2 - Jessica Fletcher/Donald Bain

Good murder mystery; Enjoyed a new temporary main character too!

085. 2/5 The Huddlers - William Campbell Gault

Lukewarm science fiction by a good detective novel writer.

November
086. 5/5 The Martian - Andy Weir (audio)

Loved this book! Lots of trials but a lot of humor too!

087. 2/5 Dragons Queen - Michelle Pillow

Could have been way better. What a shame - great ideas, poor result.

088. 4/5 Manhunt - Janet Evanovich

Nonsensical scene, but funny romance

089. 5/5 Glazed Murder - Jessica Beck

This was fun! I enjoyed this cozy!

090. 2/5 Encounter With Venus - Elizabeth Mansfield

Too many unlikely scenes for a Regency novel.

091. 5/5 A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms - George R R Martin (audio)

Absolutely delightful. Recommend it to anybody. Lots of humor.

December
092. 5/5 Men at Arms - Terry Pratchett (audio)

This is so funny. Features Carrot. He is more than he lets on.

093. 5/5 Coma - Robin Cook (audio)

Great suspenseful book!

094. 2/5 The Earl's Inconvenient Wife - Ruth Ann Nordin

Good romance writer, bad historical romance writer.

095. 3/5 Something From The Nightside - Simon Green (audio)

Great story, sucks you in. Constant repeat of "the Nightside" irritates.

096. 4/5 In the Dead of Summer - Gillian Roberts

Another interesting mystery in this series.

097. 5/5 Sweet Revenge - Diane Mott Davidson (audio)

A fast paced mystery that involves all main characters so far!

098. 2/5 The Snow Queen - Hans Christian Anderson (audio)

Didn't much care for it.

099. 5/5 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens (audio)

3 different audio versions. Loved them all.

100. 5/5 Ghost - Peter Straub (audio)

Wonderful story! Different basis from movie.

101. 5/5 A Christmas Story - Jean Shephard

ok, movie was much better, more polished

102. 5/5 Time Traders - Andre Norton (audio)

Excellent story - not even dated.

103. 5/5 The Explorers - William Stuart Long

Outstanding story!

Legend:
1 No interest, didn't finish or hated.
2 It didn't completely suck. Enjoyed some of it.
3 Average. Enjoyed reading.
4 Really enjoyed. Might read again.
5 Among the best read this year. Keeper. Would read again.

Series

In Death

Spoiler:

Vorkosigan Saga

Spoiler:

The 2015 Annual Reading Challenge List Thread (2024)

FAQs

What is the 12 months to read 12 books challenge? ›

Make it your goal to read from a category each month: 12 books in 12 months. The structure of this challenge will allow you to stay committed, and the flexibility of the categories provides virtually limitless options. Once you finish a book, cross off its category, and then move on to another one.

How do I see past reading challenges on Goodreads? ›

From the left navigation, locate your Reading Challenge. Select View Challenge. Your previous challenges appear on the right navigation of your Reading Challenge page.

How many books do you need to read for the summer reading challenge? ›

The aim of the Summer Reading Challenge is to read at least six library books, but it's also up to your local library service to decide how to give out the stickers. The best thing to do is ask at your local library as they will be able to let you know how many stickers you will get for each book or library visit.

What are reading challenges? ›

Reading challenges include poor vocabulary, incorrect pronunciation, wrong spellings, slow reading pace, and flawed grammar . These areas account for more than 90% of the challenges faced by learners in reading skills .

Can I read 30 books a year? ›

Read 20 pages to start the day.

At that pace (7 books per 10 weeks) I'll read about 36 books in the next year. Not bad. Here's why I think this pattern works: 20 pages is small enough that it's not intimidating. Most people can finish reading 20 pages within 30 minutes.

What is the 12 month reading challenge 2024? ›

The Challenge

The Mass Center for the Book has chosen a reading theme for each month of 2024. To participate in the challenge, read at least one book each month that fits the theme. E-books and audiobooks count, too!

Why are books not showing up on my reading challenge Goodreads? ›

If a book is missing from your Reading Challenge progress, it's possible the book's read date is set for a different year or set to “Read” without a finish date. If you've re-read a book, you're able to set multiple read dates for each time you read the book.

How to see Goodreads challenge stats? ›

You have to use the desktop site and go to My Books/stats.

Can you remove a book from Goodreads reading challenge? ›

Any book with a read date in the current year is automatically counted toward this year's Reading Challenge goal. To remove a book from this year's Reading Challenge, you must update your book's read date to another year or remove the read date.

How many books is impressive to read in a year? ›

Reading five books put you in the top 33 percent, while reading 10 books put you in the top 21 percent. Those of us who read more than 50 books are the true one-percenters: people who read more books than 99 percent of their fellow Americans.

What if you want to read 100 books in a year? ›

There are 52 weeks in a year, meaning you need to read about two books a week if you want to read 100 books in the year. This amounts to an average of 3.5 days to read each book. This may sound daunting, but remember, some books will be shorter and only take a day or two to read.

Do audio books count on the Summer Reading Challenge? ›

You can use any books you like to complete your Challenge: fiction, fact books, poetry, joke books, picture books, audio books and comics all count! You might have books at home you'd like to read.

What are the three types of struggling readers? ›

Researchers have identified three main types of struggling readers. There are students with specific-word, specific-comprehension and mixed-reading difficulties. Teachers can help students access books with vocabulary that matches their ability by employing popular strategies to help struggling readers.

What are the top 5 learning disabilities? ›

The top five most common learning disabilities are dyslexia, ADHD, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and dyspraxia. Each of these conditions can present with a range of symptoms and can be diagnosed through a combination of medical and educational assessments.

What are the three common reading problems? ›

Types of Reading Disorders
  • Word decoding. People who have difficulty sounding out written words struggle to match letters to their proper sounds.
  • Fluency. People who lack fluency have difficulty reading quickly, accurately, and with proper expression (if reading aloud).
  • Poor reading comprehension.
Mar 5, 2020

What is the 12 in 12 reading challenge? ›

The concept is simple: Read 12 books, each book recommended by a different person, by the end of the year. You can't pick your own books! It has to be a recommendation from a friend, a fiend, an influencer.

What is the Year of books challenge? ›

The goal is to match one book to each prompt, for a total of fifty-two books over the course of the year. Prompts are related to everything from specific titles, to cover designs, authors, genres, settings, themes, characters, etc. (Think of it like a giant bookish scavenger hunt!)

How long to read 12 Rules for Life? ›

The average reader will spend 6 hours and 49 minutes reading this book at 250 WPM (words per minute).

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