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Okay, I have to be upfront. The Popsugar challenge was to read 52 books this year. I failed, but I did try hard. I ended my 2015 reading challenge with 46 books read, which I am super impressed with. I am glad I challenged myself, but I am looking forward to just reading whatever I want this year, without worrying about satisfying different categories. But if you are a fellow bookworm and have never challenged yourself before, I highly recommend it. It will definitely push you outside of your (reading) comfort zone.
I have placed a little love heart and description next to my favourite reads of the year. You can also click on each book, which will take you to the individual review on my Hayley Lately posts.
1. A book with more than 500 pages
♥ Outlander by Diana Gabaldon: I think reading this book kind of ruined the challenge for me one month, as it was just SO LONG. But the historical fiction tale is worth it. I also really enjoyed watching the TV show afterwards (and listening to all the Scottish accents). Although it was a mammoth read, I am looking forward to tackling its sequel this year.
2. A book that became a movie
Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
3. A book published this year
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
4. A book with a number in the title
5. A book written by someone under 30
Looking for Alaska by John Green
6. A book with nonhuman characters
♥ Mime Order by Samantha Shannon: This is the second book, following on from The Bone Season. It’s an excellent sci-fi novel that features clairvoyants, auras, and so much more in futuristic London. If you like The Hunger Games and Divergent, this is the next hit.
7. A funny book
8. A book by a female author
Summer Sentence by Carolynn Carey
9. A mystery or thriller
10. A book with a one word title
11. A book of short stories
♥ Shy Feet by Frances M Thompson: A great collection of short stories from a fellow blogger. I loved that each of her stories were unique and travel-themed.
12. A book set in a different country
I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella
13. A non-fiction book
14. A popular author’s first book
♥ Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn: Her first book may be more twisted than Gone Girl. Although I am not a regular thriller reader, this book’s story had me hooked from the beginning. If you like Gone Girl, then pick this up immediately, and then read Dark Places.
15. A book from an author you love but haven’t read yet
16. A book a friend recommended
♥ We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler: This novel had a totally awesome and unexpected surprise, that I am sure no one will see coming.
17. A Pulitzer Prize-winning book
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
18. A book based on a true story
♥ Wild by Cheryl Strayed: Yeah it’s been majorly hyped up, but this novel deserves it. It is honest, interesting, and you will feel like you are walking alongside Strayed.
19. A book at the bottom of your to-read list
20. A book your mum loves
The Happiest Refugee by Ahn Do
21. A book that scares you
♥ The Boy in the Suitcase by Lene Kaaberbol and Agnete Friis: Another thriller that had me hooked. It was excellently told from four different perspectives and includes a couple of plot twists along the way.
22. A book based entirely on its cover
The Happiness Show by Catherine Deleny
23. A book you were supposed to read in school but didn’t
♥ Paper Towns by John Green: After reading Looking for Alaska, I fell in love with John Green’s humorous and relatable style of writing. I enjoyed Paper Towns and I think I will definitely read another of his novels this year.
Source
24. A memoir
How Starbucks Saved My Life by Michael Gates Gill
25. A book you can finish in a day
26. A book with antonyms in the title
♥ Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty: Another great novel, with a nice twist at the end, by an Aussie writer. Her other novels have made it on to 2016’s wishlist.
27. A book set somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit
The Misremembered Man by Christina McKenna
28. A book that came out the year you were born
29. A book with bad reviews
The Wrong Girl by Zoe Foster-Blake
30. A trilogy
♥ The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins: I am so glad I finally read this series. Such good books and I liked that the movies followed closely with the story lines.
31. A book from your childhood
The True Story of Butterfish by Nick Earls
32. A book with a love triangle
♥ The Selection by Kiera Cass: For YA readers, this is a fantastic and easy-to-read futuristic love story trilogy. It comes complete with a Hunger Games love triangle too.
33. A book set in the future
34. A book set in high school
35. A book with a colour in the title
36. A book that made you cry (the movie inevitably will)
37. A book with magic
38. A book by an author you’ve never read before
39. A book you own but have never read
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
40. A book that takes place in your hometown
♥ The Fix by Nick Earls: Earls is a great Australian writer. I love his style and his interesting plots. I highly recommend checking him out. 48 Shades of Brown is a classic.
41. A book set during Christmas
Surviving Christmas by John Grisham
42. A book written by an author with your same initials
My Criminal World by Henry Sutton
43. A book based on or turned into a TV show
44. A book you started but never finished
♥ The Summer Garden by Paullina Simons: I was so happy to finish this historical fiction trilogy. This is the final novel, which follows the romance of a girl and a soldier in Russia during World War II. It is one of those hard to put down books, as the story will grip you from the beginning. After some 2000 pages, you will feel like your friends with the protagonists.
Happy reading, fellow bookworms!
If you have any recommendations on what I should read this year, please let me know! As you can see, I read a variety of genres.
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Love Liane Moriarty’s books!
I can’t wait to read her other books this year