888 reading challenge complete…
Near the end of last year I signed up for the 888 challenge- which challenged participants to choose 8 books in 8 categories for 2008. 8 overlaps were allowed meaning a total of at least 56 individual titles needed to be outline. Due to a mid-year international move my list changed slightly throughout the challenge however the ending was the same- I read all the books on the list below!
Completing the 888 challenge was also part of my 101 things in 1001 days list- so I will be able to cross it off! Reading 100 books in a year was also on my list and between November 2007 & November 2008 I completed this also. I keep track of all the books I read in my diary & in a word document so that I can remember when I read certain books. Sometimes I forget to add some though (usually kids books that I read in the bookshops or to the kids when I was a kindy teacher)- I would of read over 100 books in that year but based on the lists I kept I technically reached the 100 recorded books in mid November. I only started recording the books I read in about August of 2007 but I am glad I am doing it now.
Of all the books I read in the last year my favourites would have to have been the following.
Losing Kei- Suzanne Kamata
The Salaryman`s Wife- Sujata Massey
The Babymoon- Melanie La`Brooy
The Kite Runner-Khaled Hosseini
Bar Flower- Lea Jacobson
The Book Thief- Marcus Zusak
Overall, I read many great books over the last year and have about 4 books on the go at the moment (2 Non-Fiction, 1 Novel, 1 book of short stories)
I am debating about whether to do the the challenge again next year but with another international move planned it is hard to write a list of books to read over a year not knowing whether you will be able to take the books on your list with you etc. So I think I will give it a miss- but I on the lookout for a good mini challenge for the new year so let me know if you find any good ones.
So, what are the best books you have read during 2008? What do you think I should read in 2009?
Below is my list from the 888 challenge!
Favourite authors- Chose this category for obvious reasons
1. An offer you can`t refuse- Jill Mansell(Jun)
2. Change of Heart- Jodi Picoult (Jun)
3. Wife for Hire- Janet Evanovich (Cross over-mar)
4. Cage of Stars- Jacqelyn Mitchard* (Jan)
5. Prisoner of Earth- Jeffrey Archer (Cross over-Nov)
6. Dear John- Nicholas Sparks* (Cross over- Mar)
7. Lean Mean thirteen- Janet Evanovich (Cross over-Jan)
8. Black Cat- V.C Andrews (Cross over-Feb)
In a series- Chose this category since I have started a couple of different series but need to catch up on them, plus also already had a couple of these books on my shelves
1. Broken Flower- V.C Andrews* (Feb)
2. Scattered Leaves- V.C Andrews (Oct)
3. Lean Mean thirteen- Janet Evanovich (Cross over-Jan)
4. Fearless Fourteen- Janet Evanovich (Aug)
5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Harrows- J.K Rowling*(April)
6. Skinny Bitch- Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouim (Jan)
7. Key Lime Pie Murder- Joanne Fluke (Jun)
8. Honky Tonk Kat- Karen Kijewski ( Oct)
Read because I moved back to Australia and got new books!- Choose this because had an unplanned mid year move (This is a major change from my original list- lucky changes were allowed!)
1. Lessons in Heartbreak- Cathy Kelly (Jun)
2. You Drive me Crazy- Carole Matthews (May)
3. It`s a Kind of Magic- Carole Matthews (Jul)
4. Bad Behaviour- Shelia O`Flanagan (Aug)
5.Tales from the Crib- Jennifer Coburn (May)
6. The Babymoon- Melanie La`Brooy (Sep)
7. The Alibi- Sandra Brown (Oct)
8. Second Chance- Jane Green (Nov)
Mystery/Suspense/Thriller- Chose this since mysteries etc are one of my most read style of books, this and chick-lit
1. Bell, book & scandal- Jill Churchill* (Nov)
2. Chocolate chip cookie murder- Joanne Fluke* (Jan)
3. Strawberry Short Cake murder- Joanne Fluke (Feb)
4. Count Down- Iris Johansen *(May)
5. Dream man- Linda Howard* (Feb)
6. Ricochet- Sandra Brown* (Apr)
7. Open Season- Linda Howard (Apr)
8. Play Dirty- Sandra Brown (Aug)
Chick-lit- What I read just as much, if not more than mysteries….
1. Baby Proof- Emily Giffin* (Jan)
2. You Could Do Better- Stephanie Lehman* (Feb)
3. Marshmallows for breakfast- Dorothy Koomson*(Jun)
4. Those Faraday Girls- Monica McInerney* (Mar)
5. Artistic Licence- Katie Fforde* (Sep)
6. Remember me- Sophie Kinsella (Oct)
7. Certain Girls – Jennifer Weiner (Jun)
8. Wife for Hire- Janet Evanovich (Cross over-Mar)
Young Adult/Children Fiction- Thought I should go back to some books that make me the reader I am today, and also read some other YA fiction that has had a lot of good reviews or awards!
1. Alison- Margaret Watts (One of my favourite books as a teenager- reread)* (Dec)
2. Dear Venny, Dear Saffron-Libby Hathorn (same as above)* (Nov)
3. The Book Thief- Marcus Zusak* (Nov)
4. Gossipgirl- Cecily Von Ziegesar*(Jun)
5. Kira Kira- Cynthia Kadohata* (Jan)
6. All American Girl- Meg Cabot* (Mar)
7. On the Jellicoe Road^ Melina Marchetta* (May)
8. Black Cat- V.C Andrews (Feb- Cross over)
Japanese authors/books about Japan- Live(d) in Japan so thought I should try to read some more books that have come from here…
1. In Praise of shadows- Junichiro Tanizaki*(Cross over-April)
2. Snow Country- Yasunari kawebata* (Cross over-Jan)
3. Kitchen- Banana Yoshimoto* (Jan)
4. South of the border, west of the sun- Murakami Haruki*(Cross over-Aug)
5. Yakuza moon- Shoko Tendo* (Feb)
6. Goodbye Tsugumi- Banana Yoshimoto (Feb)
7. Losing Kei- Suzanne Kamata (May)
8. Bar Flower- Lea Jacobson (Apr)
Male Authors- I am trying to broaden my reading horizons a little bit and it seems that most of the books I do read are by female authors…Hopefully this will help me get started on my quest to broaden my reading horizons.
1. The Complete Polysyllabic Spree- Nick Hornby* (Feb)
2. For one more day- Mitch Albom* (Oct)
3.South of the Border West of the Sun-Haruki Murakami (Cross over- August)
4. Dear John- Nicholas Sparks* (Cross over- mar)
5. Snow Country- Yasunari kawebata* (Cross over-Jan)
6. In Praise of shadows- Junichiro Tanizaki*(April)
7. Prisoner of Earth- Jeffrey Archer (Cross over-Nov)
8. The Kite Runner- Khaled Hosseini (Apr)
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I’m awestruck! I’m really impressed by how many books you’ve read! I wish I could say the same! I should set myself a goal to read at least one book a month in 2009. I really want to start a book club to help motivate me! Hope you and Shun had a good Christmas and are enjoying the break!
Hi Lulu, I really recommend “The Man Drought- and other social Issues of the New Century” by Bernard Salt. He is a statistician and he writes all this interesting stuff about the lack of men in Australia, Baby boomers, Gen x, Gen Y, environmental issues etc. The content doesn’t sound all that thrilling I know, but his writing style is really similar to Francis Whiting and it is a really funny book to read (and you learn quite a bit about that stuff that you feel you “should know” about this day and age and Australia). Definitely give it a go- I picked it up at Boarders in the city.
Also – Down Under by Bill Bryson, he has a really humourous writing style and you learn heaps about Australia’s history, politics etc (very handy when people in Japan start firing all these questions at you about Australia)
Hi Lulu
It is great that you read so many books! I think books are my biggest vice, I spend way more than I should on them, but I just can’t stop! In fact, I just ordered another book online not 2 hours ago, heh. My husband at least feels like book shopping is more worthy than say, clothing shopping or baby-stuff shopping, and so he doesn’t complain toooo much about the loads and loads of English books that clutter up our house!
A couple of favorites that I read this year:
Sweetness in the Belly, by Camilla Gibb. About an English woman raised in Morocco by a Sufi mystic after her parents, a couple of irresponsible hippies, are murdered. She eventually ends up in Ethiopia and makes a home there until political turmoil forces her, and loads of other Ethiopians, to flee the country for England, which brings things full circle — she’s become a refugee in her “own” country. I think that anyone like us, who have spent time straddling two cultures, will really appreciate this book. Plus it is really well written!
I’m not usually too big on chick lit, but I did read one this year that I thought was pretty great, called Little Earthquakes, by Jennifer Weiner. It is about a group of women who meet in their childbirth class, and follows them as they become mothers and shows how motherhood changes them and their relationships with their husbands. As a new mom, I could really relate, and it had some sappy parts that almost made me cry. I bet you’d like it, since you are contemplating motherhood in the not-too-distant future.
Hi Lulu,
Hope you guys has a great Christmas! I just read a book called “The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas”
by John Boyne which is set in Germany during Hitlers time. It’s told through the eyes of a 9 year old boy. I won’t say much more except, it was a quite enjoyable and quick (i read it in 2 hours) read. You should try it if you get a chance.
Katie- I love to read! I think there is something about getting caught up in a book that is just an amazing feeling. Sometimes I hate to put a book down, even to go eat or something, as it feels like I will miss something! hehe, silly I know. I would be happy to reccomend some good books to you for your 2009 resolution to read more. I could probably give you a couple also- I give them all away fairly soon after I read them now knowing that I will be moving back overseas.
Beckie- I have not heard of “The Man Drought- and other social Issues of the New Century” by Bernard Salt but I will check it out.
I enjoy Bill Bryson though but have not read that one. My favourite of his is called “The mother Tongue” and anyone interested in the English language should read that.
Thanks for the reccomendations.
Jessica in China- I will definitely check out the first book you mentioned ( I have read little earthquakes before though- I read another book by Jennifer Wiener recently also called certain girls which was good as it was written from a mother and daughter perspective) as it sounds fantastic.
Buying books are a huge vice of mine also! Luckily I found a couple of cheaper second hand place near our place in Japan- In Australia though, with all the choice, I spend WAY too much. I also love AMAZON!
Jessica from in the burrow- Will definitely check it out- Have added it to my list! I have a very long list of books I want to read! Although most of the time it is just authors to remember.
Thanks for all the suggestions everybody!
I can’t wait to read Janet Evanovich’s 14th book! I’m so excited to see your list of books. I’m hoping to do a personal inventory of all my reading in 2008 as well. It wasn’t easy with an infant, but I read more than I thought I would, so I was proud of myself. How did you like Kira Kira?
Hi Coffeegrl, I love Janet Evanovich! Number 14 was good!!!! I am happy to hear that you got a bit of reading done even with an infant- I hope to be able to continue reading even with a bub!!!
I liked Kira Kira- I would read her other book but I can not find it here in Oz.
What was your favourite book of the year?