Tuesday, January 10, 2012

A-Z Reading Challenge

Keith gave me a Kindle for Christmas.  Mmm...I like it...  In fact, I'm having way too much just fiddling with it to actually READ something.  I think I'll be getting a lot of use out of it, especially as I haven't really read much at all over the last two years due to graduate school.  Yes, I've read all of Harry Potter over again, and I've read a smattering of other things, all of which I've read before, but I haven't taken the time to branch out and read something NEW.  So, yes, the Kindle and I will be great friends.  What should I name it??

Anyway, my friend, Melinda, posted a great reading goal on her blog.  The idea is to read 26 books over the course of the year: one book for every letter of the alphabet. 

So, I'm signing myself up and putting my little free time to better use.  My list of books to read is below.  Want to read along?

A:  Amazing Grace, by Eric Metaxas
B:  Beauty and the Beast, by Marianne and Mercer Mayer
C:  Crossed, by Ally Condie
D:  Dangerous to Know, by Tasha Alexander
E:  The Elect Lady, by George MacDonald
F:  Flipped, by Wendelin Van Draanen
G:  Graceling, by Kristin Cashore
H:  The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
I:  Inheritance, by Christopher Paolini
J:  A Jane Austen Education, by William Deresiewicz
K:  Kindred Spirit: A Biography of L.M. Montgomery, by Catherine Andronik
L:  The Little Prince, by Antione de Saint-Exupery
M:  Midnight in Austenland, by Shannon Hale
N:  No Name, by Wilkie Collins
O:  The Odyssey, by Homer
P:  Princess of the Midnight Ball, by Jessica Day George
Q: The Mysterious Mr. Quin, by Agatha Christy
R:  The Redheaded Princess, by Ann Rinaldi
S:  The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis
T:  The Tenant of Windfell Hall, by Anne Bronte
U:  The Unfinished Angel, by Sharon Creech
V:  Vixon, by Mary Elizabeth Braddon
W:  The Walking Drum, by Louis L'Amour
X:  House of Learning: Getting More from Your Temple EXperience, by Richard & Kathleen Walker 
Y:  Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories, by Dr. Seuss
Z:  Zachary Pill, the Dragon at Station End, by Tim Greaton

I do have to say that this list was incredibly difficult to compile.  It has literally taken me days to write it up, which is probably because any book that actually sounded good to read I've already read.  So, I had to do a lot of research.  What made the list were mostly books I already had but never read, what I hope the library carries, and books I could download to my Kindle for free.  And the nice thing about this challenge is that I can change my books anytime.  If I start something and don't like it, I can find something else.  And I don't have to read them in alphabetical order.  In fact, I've already finished reading letters H and P.  Which letter should I go for next?

2 comments:

Melinda said...

I'm so happy you are doing this too! I'm also happy that you have children's books on you list. I want to know what you think of Crossed (it's next on my list)and The Unfinished Angel. I usually really like Sharon Creech's books. Good luck!

Erin said...

Yay!! This may mean that I see you more often on goodreads. Good luck on your alphabet reading. I am impressed that you were able to find a book with X and Z. When I first saw what you were doing, I was hoping that you were not planning on reading all the Sue Grafton novels because some of them are really bad.