As the new year approaches, it’s time to review how I did with the challenges I took on this year.
Top on my list was the Back to the Classics challenge hosted by Books and Chocolate, and I’m pleased that I did manage to read one book from each of the twelve categories.
- A 19th Century Classic: Armadale by Wilkie Collins
- A 20th Century Classic: Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
- A Classic by a Woman Author: The Constant Nymph by Margaret Kennedy
- A Classic in Translation: The Fairy Tales of Hermann Hesse
- A Very Long Classic Novel: Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
- A Classic Novella: The Aspern Papers by Henry James
- A Classic with a Person’s Name in the Title: Dr Thorne by Anthony Trollope
- A Humorous or Satirical Classic: The Towers of Trebizond by Rose Macaulay
- A Forgotten Classic: Saplings by Noel Streatfeild
- A Nonfiction Classic: Three Houses by Angela Thirkell
- A Classic Children’s Book: An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott
- A Classic Play: The Matchmaker by Thornton Wilder
Then there was the Book Blog Discussion Challenge hosted by Feed Your Fiction Addiction and It Starts at Midnight. My goal was to do one post per month, putting me at the “Discussion Dabbler” level. I really enjoyed this opportunity to mix up the content on my blog, and the discussion posts garnered many interesting and thoughtful comments. My personal favorites: Does reading matter? and Are there too many book blogs?
Here are links to all the monthly topics:
- January: What makes a great book blog design?
- February: Why do so many books have the same title?
- March: What makes a good book title?
- April: Does spelling matter?
- May: Does reading matter?
- June: How do you find “under-the-radar” books?
- July: What do you like about your blogging platform?
- August: Are there too many book blogs?
- September: What would you like to read for Witch Week?
- October: Do you like to talk about books?
- November: Do I need a niche?
- December: Is blogging worth it?
I wasn’t supposed to do any more challenges, but I couldn’t resist the Once Upon a Time Challenge at Stainless Steel Droppings, which features some of my favorite genres. I read one book from each of the four categories:
- Fairy Tales: Bitter Greens
- Myth: The Penelopiad
- Folklore: The Golem and the Jinni
- Fantasy: The Valley of Song
I had a wonderful time time with all these challenges this year, but next year I’m hosting one of my own, Reading New England, and I’ll need to focus on that. I’ll also be continuing with the 2016 Book Blog Discussion Challenge. I know I’ll keep reading classics but I’m not sure which ones at this point.
What challenges did you participate in this year? What are your plans for next year?
The Emerald City Book Review Archive 
Oooh – I need to go back through your discussion posts – I loved your one on if there are too many book blogs.
LikeLike
That was a good one, with so much great commentary from readers.
LikeLike
What wonderful challenges, Lory, all ones I’m tempted to do next year — if only I hadn’t already decided on what to go for in 2016! But several individual titles appeal, such as the Hesse Fairy Tales and The Penelopiad. Like Sarah above I must catch up on some of the interesting posts I somehow missed.
Myself, I’ve used the prompts on a Reading Challenge which I first saw posted by Goodwill Librarian on Facebook (http://wp.me/p2oNj1-1c0). I’m a handful of categories off finishing all fifty, but I don’t mind completing them in January. Next year I’ve tasked myself with more open-ended cues so that not finishing won’t imply that I’m some kind of failure! “It’s the taking part that counts,” I keep telling myself…
LikeLike
I like categories (I’ve decided to do the Back to the Classics Challenge again for that reason), but fifty of them sounds like a lot even to me! Do, do try to keep up the spirit of “it’s all for fun” and not berate yourself for incompletion. That would be dreadful.
LikeLike
I try not to join challenges (even though I always want to!). I am such a mood reader and not great at reading from a list. Having said that, though, I love making the lists in the first place. And, I’m feeling very tempted to give the Back To the Classics a try this year. I do also like to jump into a challenge at the last minute if my mood takes me there. Like your Reading New England challenge – I will probably not sign up for it, but I’m hoping to jump in and read a book or two for it if I can. 🙂
LikeLike
Some people seem to absolutely thrive on challenges — I’m astonished by the lists I see on some other blogs — while others find them depressing opportunities for failure. I would hate to make anybody feel THAT way, so I hope mine can simply be a chance for anybody who wants to read some New England books to find and link up with like-minded folks. Last-minute jumping-in is welcome!
LikeLike
Congratulations on such a successful challenge year! I think I also need to go back and read some of your reviews and blog discussion posts.
LikeLike
When they’re all grouped in one place, it does make it tempting to go through and read them again. 🙂
LikeLike
Congrats on doing so well on all your 2015 challenges! You managed to read more classics than I did. 🙂 I’m looking forward to Reading New England next year. It should be fun. There’s a Reading England challenge that I’m signing up for, too. And two challenges are about my limit. Happy reading! (And have a very Merry Christmas!)
LikeLike
I was rather impressed I managed to stick with it for all twelve categories. It helped that some of them were quite short (novella, children’s book, and play). I’m glad you’re including Reading New England as one of your challenges next year! It’s going to be fun.
LikeLike
Great list for the Back to the Classics Challenge! Doctor Thorne is one of my favorites by Trollope. Thanks for participating in the Back to the Classics Challenge and congratulations on finishing!
LikeLike
Thank you, Karen, I enjoyed the different categories that helped me to diversify my reading. Looking forward to next year!
LikeLike
Congratulations on completing the challenges.
In particular I really enjoy the entries that center around bookish discussions.
I look forward to your entries in 2016!
LikeLike
I also look forward to more discussions in 2016. I started them on a whim but now they are one of my favorite parts of the blog. Thanks for your participation!
LikeLike
Way to go with the challenges! You totally rocked them. I especially liked seeing all the discussion posts. I only did 1 challenge last year, but I vary from year to year – doing as much as 10 once.
LikeLike
I enjoyed all of them, so it was a very successful year for me. It’s great that each of us can choose what works for us.
LikeLike
Great job on your challenges. Right now, I’m trying to decide which challenges to do in 2016. There are so many that sound interesting, but I don’t want to go overboard!
LikeLike
There are so many interesting ones, and I’m so impressed by people who can keep track of multiple challenges at once. I have to stick to two or three.
LikeLike
Congrats on finishing the classics challenge–I didn’t quite get all the categories done myself. There are some great books on your read list that I hope to get to myself, and some favorites (I loved Dr Thorne!).
Good luck with your 2016 reading challenges and Happy New Year of reading!
LikeLike
Thank you, Jane. I should keep going with my Barsetshire Chronicles reading…I hope you have a very happy new year too!
LikeLike