Thursday, February 2, 2017

Challenge Complete: Semi-Charmed Winter 2016


photo via Instagram


Megan offers up two Semi-Charmed Book Challenge per year. One in summer and one in winter. It's one of the few category-based challenges that I still do--because I've been on a mission to read primarily from my own teetering TBR stacks and so many category-based challenges require categories that I just don't have hanging out in my piles. But Megan's categories are always fun, so I love to join in. I did struggle a bit more this year (more because of holiday-time-crunch than anything) and managed to finish the last needed book just under the wire on January 31st.

Challenge Categories (with my books read):
 
5 points: Freebie! Read any book that is at least 150 pages long. 
Black Widower by Patricia Moyes [212 pages] (11/6/16)

10 points: Read a 2016 finalist (longlist or shortlist) for one of the following literary prizes: National Book Award, Man Booker or Man Booker International.
When the Sea Turned to Silver by Grace Lin [National Book Award Finalist; 384 pages] (1/24/17)

10 points: Read a brand-new release (something published between November 1, 2016, and January 31, 2017).

The Jekyll Revelation by Robert Masello (477 pages) [publish date 11/8/16] (11/15/16)
 
15 points: Read a book by an author of a different race or religion than you.
March: Book Two by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin & Nate Powell [192 pages] (1/27/17)

15 points: Read a book featuring a main character who is of a different race or religion than you.
The Black Count by Tom Reiss [414 pages] (1/21/17)

20 points: Read a modern retelling of a classic (e.g. an Austen Project novel, Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler, etc.) — Submitted by SCSBC16 winner Kaity.
Grendel by John Gardner [174 pages] (12/28/16)

25 points: Read a book with an alcoholic beverage (neat or cocktail) in the title. — Submitted by SCSBC16 winner Kerry. (And she was nice enough to come up with a long list of suggestions for you!) 
Cocktails & the Killer by Peter Cheyney [159 pages] (11/30/16)

30 points: Read a book with a character that shares your first or last name. (Alternate spellings are okay, e.g. Megan and Meghan or Smith and Smyth.) — Submitted by SCSBC16 winner Ericka.
Beverly Gray's Mystery by Clair Blank [207 pages] (11/22/16)

30 points: Read two books: a nonfiction book and a fiction book with which it connects. For example: A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie and one of Christie's mystery novels that features poison, or The Monuments Men and All the Light We Cannot See. The possibilities are endless, so have fun with this one! — Submitted by SCSBC16 winner Bev. (And remember you must finish both books to get the 30 points! No partial points will be awarded.)
The Life & Times of Miss Jane Marple by Anne Hart (bio of Christie's detective; 161 pages) AND The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie (3rd Miss Marple mystery; 151 pages) [both reviewed 11/13/16]
 
40 points: Read two books: one by an author whose first name is the same as the last name of the author of the other book. For example: You may read a book by Martin Cruz Smith and a book by George R.R. Martin, or a book by James Joyce and a book by Joyce Carol Oates. The shared name must be spelled exactly the same, no variations. — Submitted by SCSBC16 winner Jamie. (And remember you must finish both books to get the 40 points! No partial points will be awarded.)
The Unconscious Witness by R. Austin Freeman [258 pages] (1/28/17) AND A Losing Game by Freeman Wills Crofts [224 pages] (1/31/17)
 

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