2014 Wrap-Up: Reading Challenges

Reading Challenges
I only entered two challenges last year. I'm not one to join things unless I know I could conquer them. But perhaps that is why they are called challenges because they're goading provoking encouraging you to go beyond what you are capable of. 
Take for example the Goodreads Reading Challenge which I enter every year and would always set a hundred books to read as a challenge. I've done well so far but last year I topped the cake when I went beyond 125 books (a number set after I conquered 100) and ended reading 155 books. This year I set it initially at 100, then 125 when I got past and finally 150 when I remembered that I read 155 last year.
Tall order? Perhaps since I barely scraped that 150. I hit a reading slump towards the end of the year and since we're not counting fanfiction, which I read plenty, then *shrugs* I barely passed...

BUT! 2014 was a great reading year though. You can read my Best Books I've Read in 2014 post. I initially wanted to have a Top 10 list but I counted more than that as favorites for the year.

I also joined the Reading Outside the Box challenge, hosted by Alison at The Cheap Reader, which hoped that the reader would branch out to other genres and not miss out on a good book just because it wasn't their cup of YA tea.

• Read a Chunkster: Read a book with 600+ pages.
• Drop Dead Demons by A&E Kirk - It's only 598 pages long but it's the longest book I've read so far. I initially thought that was A Discovery of Witches because how condensed the book was but according to Goodreads stats, it's this.
• Reading by Ear Listen to an audiobook
• I wanted to listen to The Help because of Octavia Spencer. But... not yet.
•  Gathering Dust: You’ve had this book for years and you still haven’t read it.
• Dark Mirror by M.J. Putney
• Science Fiction
• Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
• Picture Book
• Eh, I don't have a picture book in my possession. Oh wait! I forgot my young cousin forgot his book here when he visited last summer. I can't believe I forgot about that.
• Graphic Novel
• Star Blacks by Youko Maki - There are some who make distinctions between graphic novels, comics and manga. I'm one those. But Star Blacks is the closest to a graphic novel (and the only one I've read this year) I've got.
• Poetry or Novel-in-Verse
• I like poetry. I'll collect it of course, that book, but I would just read individual pieces of poetry unlike sitting down and reading a book full of it.
• Young Adult Fiction
• Marking Time by April White - probably the best book discovery I've had this year. I've been wanting to read this since last year when I came across it. It wasn't until this June when I took the plunge and bought it. It so happened that Tempting Fate's (the sequel) release was just around the corner therefore, I didn't have long to wait. However! Stalking Nature is not until next year!
• Loved by Others: Other people really love this book but for whatever reason you haven’t read it yet.
• Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
• Second Chance: You read this book a while back and didn’t enjoy it, didn’t finish it, or were on the fence about it. Time to give it another try!
• I tried with some books but like the first time I've opened them, I wasn't really into them.
• Mystery
• A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee
• Accidentally Watched the Movie First: You didn’t realize the movie was based on a book until after you watched it. Ideally you haven’t read the book yet.
• The Help by Kathryn Stockett - One of the best movies I've watched this year.
• Try a Classic
• A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle - Influenced by watching Sherlock and Elementary, I wanted to read this again.
• Historical Fiction
• Queen of Someday by Sherry D. Ficklin
• Contemporary Fiction
• Night School by C.J. Daugherty - There are no vampires here. It's not paranormal. Why is this series shelved in the paranormal genre in Goodreads?
• Middle Grade Fiction
• Pennyroyal Academy by M.A. Larson
• Fantasy
• Lichgates by S.M. Boyce
• Award Winner
• Mortal Enchantment by Stacey O'Neale
• Lost in Translation: This book was originally written in another language.
• Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier -I've also watched the movie adaptation. The Saphirblau or Sapphire Blue movie is already out but there are no English subtitles yet.
• Non-Fiction Book
• I stay away from this unless absolutely necessary. I will try to read one before the year is out.
• Self Published
• The Faerie Guardian by Rachel Morgan
• Relive the Magic Reread: a book you really enjoyed as a kid but haven’t touched it since then.
• I've reread a bunch of books this year but I've read none of them as a kid. Besides, I usually read the books I've enjoyed when I was little about once a year.
• Biography or Memoir
• I've been meaning to finish reading Princess Masako: Prisoner of the Chrysanthemum Throne.
• Romance
• Sweet Unrest by Lisa Maxwell
• Adult Fiction
• A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Since the October update, I haven't checked the remaining boxes for one reason or another... Oh! wait! I could add another check! I've read Jessica Zafra's Twisted Travels which is a good book full of the author's sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek humor. This book was my companion during those long train rides and even longer times stuck in traffic.

Maybe this year, definitely this year, I'll do things that I know I am capable of -more than capable- doing, not just in reading books but in life as well.