Semi-Charmed Winter Book Challenge 2015 Final Report

 

I've participated and finished in previous challenges hosted by Megan at Semi-Charmed Kind of Life , but I wasn't sure I was going to complete this one.  Until.  I started creatively changing books.  And, I finished on the LAST day of the challenge. 

My final list:

 

 5 points: Read a book that has between 100 and 200 pages.
Night by Elie Wiesel (115 pages) - COMPLETED November 16, 2015 5/5

10 points: Read a debut book by any author. (The book does not have to be a 2015 debut.)
Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy (336 pages) - COMPLETED November 3, 2015 4.5/5

10 points: Read a book that does not take place in your current country of residence.
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah (France/438 pages) - COMPLETED December 18, 2015 5/5

10 points: Read a book that someone else has already used for the challenge. — Submitted by SCSBC15 finisher Kristen @ See You in a Porridge. Hey! I know her
updated:  Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill - from Kristen's list - I had read a different book with a paranormal storyline, and I wasn't wanting to read another, so what I read was:
I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh (387 pages) from Bev's list - COMPLETED January 4, 2016 4.75/5

15 points: Read a book published under a pseudonym (e.g. Robert Galbraith, Sara Poole, J.D. Robb, Franklin W. Dixon, Mark Twain, etc.). — Submitted by SCSBC15 finisher Megan M.
The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling/455 pages) - COMPLETED November 14, 2015 1/5

15 points: Read a book with “boy,” “girl,” “man” or “woman” in the title (or the plural of these words).
The Boy Kings of Texas by Domingo Martinez (456 pages) - I read Tweak (see below/last category), and it was released with a "companion book", so I really wanted to read that instead...but I was on the waitlist at the library, then I had a few days with no reading due to migraines, so...it was close!:
Beautiful Boy by David Sheff (336 pages) COMPLETED January 31, 2015!! 3.5/5

15 points: Read a book with a one-word title (e.g. Attachments, Americanah, Uglies, Wild, etc.).
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (208 pages) COMPLETED November 28, 2015 4/5

20 points: Read a book with a person's first and last name in the title (e.g. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, The Story of Edgar Sawtelle).
The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth (470 pages) - Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick (288 pages) was sitting on my bookshelf at home wanting to be read - COMPLETED January 16, 2016 3/5

20 points: Read a food-themed book. — Submitted by SCSBC15 finisher Jamie @ Whatever I Think Of!
The Dinner by Herman Koch (292 pages) COMPLETED November 5, 2015 3.5/5

20 points: Read a book with a verb in the title. (For any grammar nerds out there, I mean “verb” in the most general sense, so gerunds count. For non-grammar-inclined people, just use any book that appears to have a verb in the title!)
I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson (371 pages) - After waiting on the library wait list and my turn still hasn't happened, I chose:
Dancing with Myself by Billy Idol (352 pages) COMPLETED January 14, 2016 4/5

30 points: Read two books with the same title (by different authors). — Submitted by SCSBC15 finisher bevchen @ Confuzzledom.
Finders Keepers by Stephen King (448 pages) COMPLETED December 25, 2015 4/5 and Finders Keepers by Belinda Bauer (393 pages) COMPLETED December 11, 2015 4/5

30 points: Read a nonfiction book and a fiction book about the same subject (e.g. a biography and historical fiction novel about the same person; two books about a specific war or event; a nonfiction book about autism and a novel with a character who has autism, etc. The possibilities are endless!).
Crank by Ellen Hopkins (fiction/538 pages) COMPLETED December 31, 2015 4/5 and
 Tweak by Nic Sheff (non-fiction/336 pages) COMPLETED December 29, 2015 4.5/5

Yep, I completed the challenge, so my own personal streak continues.....do you participate in book challenges?  Do you finish?  Or do you use them to encourage reading participation with no pressure to finish?

Ten Things That Made Me Happy This Week

After a mini-hiatus from this link-up, I'm back. Why don't you join me and the hosts Lindsay and Krysten?

• Hugs from the stepson
• Jacaranda trees blooming
• Book Challenge by Erin finished its third installment with the most readers completing the challenge ever!
• Semi-Charmed Winter Book Challenge '15 began, and I'm on book #3
• Nominees for Goodreads Choice Awards announced, so I found even more books to add to my "to read" list
• Kristen is coming to see me in Australia!  I mean, sure, she's coming to see her family. Sure, it's in 2017. But, Kristen is coming to see me!
• The little boy dressed as a dinosaur while trick-or-treating who profusely thanked me for the popcorn. His mother explained he couldn't have candy. I'm guessing diabetic?  He was so cute and so grateful. 
• Phone calls with the parentals 
• Celebrating a friend's job offer with a glass of champagne 
• This list: 19 places where you can get bomb-ass American food in Sydney. I think a food tour is in order. 
  
  What made you happy this week?

Semi-Charmed Kind of Life Winter Book Challenge 2015

 

Dude.  Y'all.  I know.  I'm blowing up the posts today.  But, I had my "Ten Things That Made Me Happy" post all set, and then I got rolling & ranting about Lamar Odom, and then I saw that Megan announced her categories for the Semi-Charmed Winter 2015 Book Challenge, and, well, you know, I love me a book challenge and a chance to make a book list.  (I also love me a good run-on sentence.)

Here it is:

 

 5 points: Read a book that has between 100 and 200 pages.
Night by Elie Wiesel (115 pages)
10 points: Read a debut book by any author. (The book does not have to be a 2015 debut.)
Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy (336 pages)
10 points: Read a book that does not take place in your current country of residence.
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah (France/438 pages)
10 points: Read a book that someone else has already used for the challenge. — Submitted by SCSBC15 finisher Kristen @ See You in a Porridge. Hey! I know her
updated:  Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill - from Kristen's list - this works perfectly for me, because Kristen chose a book from my list for this category AND Heart-Shaped Box is sitting on my bookshelf at home waiting to be read.
15 points: Read a book published under a pseudonym (e.g. Robert Galbraith, Sara Poole, J.D. Robb, Franklin W. Dixon, Mark Twain, etc.). — Submitted by SCSBC15 finisher Megan M.
The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling/455 pages)
15 points: Read a book with “boy,” “girl,” “man” or “woman” in the title (or the plural of these words).
The Boy Kings of Texas by Domingo Martinez (456 pages)
15 points: Read a book with a one-word title (e.g. Attachments, Americanah, Uglies, Wild, etc.).
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (208 pages)
20 points: Read a book with a person's first and last name in the title (e.g. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, The Story of Edgar Sawtelle).
The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth (470 pages)
20 points: Read a food-themed book. — Submitted by SCSBC15 finisher Jamie @ Whatever I Think Of!
The Dinner by Herman Koch (292 pages)
20 points: Read a book with a verb in the title. (For any grammar nerds out there, I mean “verb” in the most general sense, so gerunds count. For non-grammar-inclined people, just use any book that appears to have a verb in the title!)
I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson (371 pages)
30 points: Read two books with the same title (by different authors). — Submitted by SCSBC15 finisher bevchen @ Confuzzledom.
Finders Keepers by Stephen King (448 pages) and Finders Keepers by Belinda Bauer (393 pages)
30 points: Read a nonfiction book and a fiction book about the same subject (e.g. a biography and historical fiction novel about the same person; two books about a specific war or event; a nonfiction book about autism and a novel with a character who has autism, etc. The possibilities are endless!).
Crank by Ellen Hopkins (fiction/538 pages) and Tweak by Nic Sheff (non-fiction/336 pages)

I'm pretty pleased with this list.  There's YA, historical fiction, and thrillers; books from my bookshelf & books I'll get from the library.  Have you read any of these?  Thoughts?