Monday, December 9, 2013

2013 Reading Challenges Wrap Up (Part 1)

OK, so this is one of the consequences of joining too many reading challenges in a year: you must post a lot of wrap ups during December! As I’ll be busy with Book Kaleidoscope—will you join too?—I will post my wrap up in two parts. This is the first one.

Narrative Poem Reading Challenge by Listra (Half-Filled Attic)


Level: Homer (read < 4 narrative poems)
Plan: to read 3 narrative poems
Result: read 2 narrative poems

I passed this challenge but have only finished two narrative poems, instead of three as I intended to at the beginning. I picked Dante for this challenge, and managed to read Inferno and struggling a bit through Purgatorio, but I totally failed with Paradiso. I have tried to read few chapters, but I didn’t understand it a bit, although I have read the analysis too. I guess Paradiso is much too theological for me, and it’s far from fun. But at least, this challenge has encouraged me to read narrative poems, and more importantly, to finally read Dante! I especially like Inferno, because Purgatorio is already theological in the last chapters. Thanks to Listra for hosting this challenge!


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New Authors Reading Challenge 2013 by Ren (Ren’s Little Corner)


Level: Middle (read 12-20 books)
Plan: to read 12 books
Result: read 13 books

I still have one more book for this challenge, and I think I would be able to finish it before end of the year (will update later). But at least I have exceeded the target of 12 books. I’m glad I can finally read books of these new authors. Several of them become my new favorites: Herman Melville, George Bernard Shaw, Laurie R. King and Henry James. And of course, it was delighted to get to know the famous Dante. Thanks to Ren for hosting it, and for spoiling us with giveaways along the year!

Books I've read:


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Level: Beaucoup (read 6 books)
Plan: to read 6 books
Result: read 6 books

This one is perhaps the most successful reading challenge I am joining this year as, not only that I reached the target, I could also stick with the book choices, just as what I intended from the beginning. Thanks to Words and Peace for hosting it, France is always dear to my heart, and even my most favorite author is a French: Emile Zola!

Books I've read:
1. Candide by Voltaire
2. The Masterpiece by Emile Zola
3. La Bete Humaine by Emile Zola
4. The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas (re-read)
5. Cinta Sejati (translated short stories collections) by Guy de Maupassant
6. Saint Joan by George Bernard Shaw


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2013 TBRR Pile Mystery Reading Challenge by Maria @ HobbyBuku’s Mystery Stories


Challenge: read 12 books
Result: read 7 books

Actually I was not sure I’m going to complete this challenge as I don’t read many popular books now. However, I still enjoy reading them sometimes, and I ended up reading seven books for the whole years. Laurie R. King with her Mary Russell’s series becomes my new favorite, and I plan to read more from her. And of course, the biggest surprise is that J.K. Rowling wrote a detective series! As expected, I love it very much. Thanks for Maria for hosting it, I’m sorry I couldn’t be more productive….

Books I've read:
1. The Confession – John Grisham
2. The Mystery of Edwin Drood - Charles Dickens
3. In Cold Blood - Truman Capote
4. The Dante Club - Matthew Pearl
5. The Beekeeper’s Apprentice – Laurie R. King
6. The Cuckoo's Calling - Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)
7. The Accused: Theodore Boone #3 - John Grisham


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This one is not a challenge, it’s a fun event to read children literatures. I ended up reading 5 books. Three of them are my rereading of Harry Potter (I only included 3 early series, the next 4 are not for children—in my opinion). There’s nothing special with the children books I have read, maybe I’m never a big fan of children literature anyway… Thanks to Bzee and Maria for hosting it!

Books I've read:
4. Kidnapped – Robert Louis Stevenson
5. Matilda - Roald Dahl

To be continued to part 2….


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