2015 READING CHALLENGE SUMMARY FOR PL

I really enjoyed taking part in the 2015 Reading Challenge last year, and I wanted to document the books I read. If you want to learn more about the challenge click on the 2015 Reading Challenge link above, or visit my Pinterest boards. Link to the right!

I googled covers for the the books I read, and printed out photos for each book. I haven't written a review for every book, but instead written more about the kind of books I read and my most and least favorite.

The format is 9x12, but for the last page I cut a 9x3 strip from a full size all 3x4 pockets page protector.You see the page folded out below, and in the photo below that the last page is folded in, to reveal the back side of the cards. I only had one of those Book Review PL cards, so I scanned it in black and white and reprinted the image.

The top middle card here is a bonus card that Brandi Kincaid Thompson sent me, when I ordered a portrait doodle from her Etsy shop last summer. Love it!

Keep reading!

/Magdalena

READING CHALLENGES

The old year is to an end,and it's time to wrapup the 2015 Reading Challenge. Did you take part in the challenge this year? I really enjoyed as it got me back to reading books this year. I came nowhere near the 50 books the challenge called for, but my personal goal was to just read more. I enjoyed having the different boxes to check because it made look for new books and authors I may not have read otherwise. I have still stuck to what I enjoy, which is the horror genré, but I have still tried a few new things within my interest zone. Here is the list, and the boxes I have checked: 

At the beginning of the year I put up a Pinterest board where I pinned all the books of the year, plus a very short review of each book. All in all I read 14 books, 6 crime novels, 5 horror novels and 3 autobiographies. One of the autobiographies was more of a horror novel, very hard to tell what was real and not. 

The book I enjoyed the most was Mr Mercedes by Stephen King. I was surprised to find it to be a crime novel with no supernatural overtones whatsoever. The main characters is a very likable retired police officer and his cohorts are very likable as well. He is drawn into investigating a crime by the unknown perpetrator of a massacer of people queing up for a new job. 

I have set up a new board for the all new 2016 Reading Challenge. So far there's only the checkbox list, so if you want to take part this year but haven't seen the list, go check it out!

/Magdalena

READING PROGRESS

Did you join the 2015 Reading Challenge? I thought it was a great way to push myself to read a bit more, the way I used to before I discovered scrapbooking. And had kids. Ofcourse.

Since the new year started I have read seven books, and my list now looks like this: 

I have read:

• Headhunters by Jo Nesbo
• Styckerskan från Lilla Burma by Håkan Nesser
• Dregen: självbiografin by Dregen and Tore S Börjesson
• Himmelstrand by John Ajvide Lindqvist
• The Wicked Girls by Alex Marwood
• Revival by Stephen King

How did I like them?

All the books I read for this challenge will be posted to my "2015 Reading Challenge" Pinterest board with a very short review in the comments. 

Plans for future reading:

On my nightstand I have a pile of books waiting. They are Mr Mercedes by Stephen King, The Killer Next Door by Alex Marwood and Zombieöverlevnad - din guide till Apokalypsen (Zombie Survival - your guide to the Apocalypse) by Herman Geijer and Jimmy Wallin. I'm looking forwards to all of them! I traded my Himmelstrand copy for the Zombie Survival book. A good trade I think! Inside my nightstand the two parts of A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin have been waiting for quite some time. I love those books, but they're such a heavy read. They keep getting bumped down on my to-read list. I'm still looking for a book that will scare me. That's a tough one! I'm hoping to find a copy of House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski. Hopefully that one will do the trick.

How is your reading coming along this year?

/Magdalena

2015 READING CHALLENGE

Here's the link to the page. Isn't this a fun challenge? I will give this a go. The classic romance novel is a no way José for me, and I won't push myself to check them all. I think it's a great way to get to read some books I would have missed otherwise. Everyone makes it what they want, and I will check more than one box from one book.
The plan is to keep you (and me!) posted throughout the year, on how it's going and what books I'm reading. I would love your input and book tips too. The 2015 reading challenge will get it's own tab on my blog, so it will be easy to follow.

If you want a few tips from me, here are some:

HELL HOUSE by Richard Matheson (1971)
This will scare you! It scared the crap out of me, and I read lots of horror. Don't say I didn't warn you. And for those of you born in 1971 you can also check the "written in the year you were born" box. 

HORNS by Joe Hill (2010)
For those of you who, like me, aren't fans of romance novels but still want to check that "love triangle" box, this is it! Funny and thought provoking. And recently filmed with Daniel Radcliff (yes, Harry Potter) as the main character.

THE STAND by Stephen King (1978)
I've read this book at least 15 times. It's so good! And do pick the extended version it's so much better. My copy has 1421 pages - you can check the first box twice! Don't let the number of pages scare you. Getting through this book is well worth it. And it was made into a mini TV-series, so there's another box checked.

THE DRAINING LAKE by Arnaldur Indridason (2004)
This is part of a series about Police Detective Erlendur, but you don't need to read the previous books to enjoy this one. It starts out in Iceland, but quickly turns into a story about Eastern Germany during the cold war. Check the foreign language and country boxes. (Unless you're from Iceland ofcourse!)

THE HEROIN DIARIES by Nikki Sixx (2007)
What is it like to be addicted to heroin? Find out while reading the memoir of Nikki Sixx from Motley Crue. It's not a pretty story, but it does end well. There's a little spoiler for you. 

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN by John Ajvide Lindqvist (2004)
A vampire novel, but really a story of growing up, being bullied and finding friends. Read it!
Are you in?

/Magdalena