2022 Reading Challenge discussion

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message 1: by Kara (new)

Kara (karaayako) | 3980 comments Now that 2012 is finished, tell us about your reading for the year!


Number of books read:

Best book (and why):
Worst book (and why):

Favorite new author:

New genre(s) tried:



message 2: by Lilac (last edited Dec 31, 2012 02:39PM) (new)

Lilac  (lilac_wales) | 867 comments Number of books read: 97

Best book (and why): One? You're asking for one?! I can only narrow it down to 3 I'm afraid (and even that was hard):
Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor - Beautiful, beautiful writing which was so smooth and poetic that I could barely put it down.
Unwind by Neal Shusterman - Explored themes sort of close to me and the author went really deep into things not usually discussed in the YA genre.
Animal Farm by George Orwell - Perfectly executed and a great representation of real life.

Worst book (and why): Vampire Academy. It was the last book I read and truly awful, full of teen gossip and really shallow characters and the plot was sort of ridiculous.

Favorite new author: George Orwell and Laini Taylor

New genre(s) tried: I got into fiction for older people more this year, before then I read YA and kids fiction almost exclusively.


message 3: by Kara (last edited Dec 31, 2012 02:36PM) (new)

Kara (karaayako) | 3980 comments Number of books read: 146

Best book (and why): Ready Player One -- I read a lot of science fiction, and it starts to get formulaic after a while. This book, on the other hand, was fresh and creative and funny. Loved.
Worst book (and why): Fish!: A Proven Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results -- Ugh. Bad business books just need to go. Trite, poorly written, no new ideas, super boring.

Favorite new author: China Miéville

New genre(s) tried: crime & mystery


message 4: by Megan, Challenges (new)

Megan (lahairoi) | 6835 comments Number of Books read: 81

Best Book (and why): Diana Gabaldon's "Voyager" because I loved "Outlander" and hated "Dragonfly in Amber" so I was pleasantly surprised with the third book. I also really enjoyed "The Paris Wife", "Committed" by elizabeth Gilbert, and "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver.

Worst Book: The Sailor Who Fell From Grace by the Sea - not my type of book at all, depressing and unresolved.

Favorite New Author: Bernice McFadden

New Genre tried: Science non-fiction


message 5: by Kelsi (last edited Jan 01, 2013 12:15PM) (new)

Kelsi (essentiallybooked) | 750 comments I read 66 books.
Best book: East of Eden. I don't think I need an explanation. The characters were greatly developed, the story is mind blowing and the list could go on and on and one
East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Worst Book: Death Comes to Pemberly. The author made Elizabeth weird and the book was so boring! Not true to Jane Austen whatsoever. Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James

Favorite New AuthorRick Riorden, John Steinbeck, F. Scott Fitzgerald

New genre: Young Adult in general.


message 6: by Nathan (new)

Nathan (nthnlwly) Number of books read: 128


Best book (and why): Gone Girl - a thrilling and completely mind-blowing mystery! This is a story that will stay with you for a long time. I believe it was the only addition I made to my "favorite" shelf this year.
Worst book (and why): This is tied between Almost Perfect and Doctor Who: Magic of the Angels. Almost Perfect was awful and upsetting, an emotional roller coaster in a bad way. Magic of the Angels was just a huge disappointment. I was really looking forward to it and it let me down hard.

Favorite new author: Tough question. I didn't read two books by any "new-to-me" author this year, as far as I can remember. I'll have to say Marissa Meyer and Gillian Flynn.

New genre(s) tried: I'm going to say Classic here, because while I'd read classics before, it wasn't ever my choice until this year! This year I also made a habit of reading picture books and children's literature, which I really enjoyed doing.


message 7: by Kathryn (new)

Kathryn | 581 comments Number of books read: 33 (those read since Oct + what I can remember I read earlier this year before I started using Goodreads)

Best book (and why): The Help by Kathryn Stockett The Help by Kathryn Stockett – love the books where someone bucks the system to help the group oppressed by the system and this one was beautifully written

Worst book (and why): I’ve got a few one-star reads, but the stand-out worst book for me - in fact, I couldn't even finish it - (and it’s won’t be a popular choice – most people seem to think it’s fantastic) is Cloudstreet by Tim Winton Cloudstreet by Tim Winton. I just couldn’t get into it. Some of his descriptions are great, but there are a lot of them and others are just over the top. I found the story depressing and with not much real plot. It may not have helped that I was listening to an audiobook and the narrator had a very strong Australian accent which put me off. I’d listened to 3 hours, it didn’t seem to be getting any better and I thought I had better things to do with 9 hours than listen to what remained.

Favorite new author: I enjoyed reading No Sex in the City by Randa Abdel-Fattah No Sex in the City by Randa Abdel-Fattah, however her other books appear to be more YA reads so not sure how much I would enjoy. I also read Kate Grenville for the first time and will read more of her books.

New genre(s) tried: It’s not exactly a new genre, but I read a lot more non-fiction books last year than I normally do, from Jeffrey Archer's A Prison Diary to Valerie Barnes' A Foreign Affair A Passionate Life In Four Languages A Foreign Affair A Passionate Life In Four Languages by Valerie Barnes , Chocolate Wars The 150-Year Rivalry Between the World's Greatest Chocolate Makers by Deborah Cadbury Chocolate Wars: The 150-Year Rivalry Between the World's Greatest Chocolate Makers by Deborah Cadbury and a story about a library cat Dewey The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World.


message 8: by [deleted user] (last edited Jan 01, 2013 05:05AM) (new)

Number of books read: 58

Best book (and why): 11/22/63 by Stephen King. It was an all round good read and an easy read.

The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlaine came a very close second. An amazing book.

Worst book (and why): Skippy Dies by Paul Murray. It was slow and drawn out.

Favorite new author: Maeve Binchy and Diane Chamberlain

New genre(s) tried: I tried a little bit of everything in 2012


message 9: by Toni (new)

Toni | 234 comments Number of books read: 43

Best Book: Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln or The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. I chose these two because they are both outside what I would normally read and I loved them both.

Worst Book: Uncommon Bond by C.L. Gillmore. Makes The Bridges of Madison County or anything by Nicholas Sparks look like a masterpiece.

Favorite New Author: Rennie Airth in a landslide. His John Madden mystery series were the find of the year for me.

New Genre: Two that aren't exactly new but I would say are less common but are earning more space on my TBR list are Non Fiction/History and Magic Realism. These are the two lists on my Listopia challenge in 2013.


message 10: by Nidia (last edited Jan 01, 2013 05:28AM) (new)

Nidia (thatgirlreads) | 103 comments Number of books read: 20

Best book (and why): The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. I found it very engrossing and the character development was excellent. 11/22/63 by Stephen King. It held my interest from beginning to end (and it was a loooong book). It is writing like this that made me a Stephen King fan in the first place.

Worst book (and why): I didn't dislike anything I read enough to say it was a complete waste of time and I regret reading it. If I have to choose I guess it is a tie between Beauty Queens and Fifty Shades of Grey. Both were longer than they needed to be.

Favorite new author: New to me--Agatha Christie

New genre(s) tried: I didn't stray from my usual genres.


message 11: by Johanna (new)

Johanna | 766 comments Number of books read: 71, but there were few short stories as well counted in there.

Best book (and why): No way I can go for one book, so here´s my favourites of all the 5 star (or almost 5 stars or more than 5) books:
Slammed (Slammed, #1) by Colleen Hoover Point of Retreat (Slammed, #2) by Colleen Hoover Forsaken (Daughters of the Sea, #1) by Kristen Day Awaken (Daughters of the Sea, #2) by Kristen Day The Host (The Host, #1) by Stephenie Meyer The Hallowed Ones (The Hallowed Ones, #1) by Laura Bickle Fifty Shades Trilogy Bundle Fifty Shades of Grey; Fifty Shades Darker; Fifty Shades Freed by E.L. James The Book Thief by Markus Zusak Shiver Trilogy Boxset (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #1-3) by Maggie Stiefvater The Hunger Games Trilogy Boxset (The Hunger Games, #1-3) by Suzanne Collins Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver Coraline by Neil Gaiman


Worst book (and why): Hytti nro 6 by Rosa Liksom , so sorry to say this but it was just too boring for me.

Favorite new author: Kristen Day

New genre(s) tried: Erotica. Also read one/two books of these genres, which I don´t do that often:

historical fiction, sci-fi, contemporary fiction (not romance), ya contemporary (not paranormal), western romance, crime/mystery, horror, classics


message 12: by Karina (new)

Karina (karinargh) | 807 comments Number of books read: 115

Best book (and why): Tough question - I gave 5 stars to 32 books in 2012, and have many favourites among them. Like Kara, I loved Ready Player One, but I think the most spectacular SF fun came from the space opera Leviathan Wakes and its sequel. It had everything - space, alien plague, and likeable characters!

Worst book (and why): I gave 2 stars to one single book; The Stars, Like Dust. I really like Asimov and most of his books, but this early novel of his was really, really painful to read. I think it's actually the worst attempt at romance writing I've ever been exposed to...

Favorite new author: This was the year I first read anything by Vernor Vinge, and he certainly became a favourite, once I'd ploughed through all three novels from the Zones of Thought-universe.

New genre(s) tried: Not exactly new to me, but I don't think I've read science history for leisure before, at least not to this extent. I followed this with some assorted nonfic, which I never expect to enjoy as much as fiction, but I did! Especially loved The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human.


message 13: by Kai (new)

Kai (uchinaguchi) Number of books read: 28

Best book (and why): Cat's Eye and The Things They Carried were the books that made my head throb like my heart. Absolutely stunning and magical.

Worst book (and why): John Dies at the End. I don't have much words to express the utter enjoyment I had finishing this book. Imagine, if you will, a tiny animated mouse whispering "yay" as it picks a piece of lint it confuses for a crumb.

Favorite new author: Margaret Atwood

New genre(s) tried: Biography


message 14: by Megan, Challenges (new)

Megan (lahairoi) | 6835 comments Kai wrote: "Number of books read: 28

Best book (and why): Cat's Eye and The Things They Carried were the books that made my head throb like my heart. Absolutely stunning and magical.

Worst book (and why): Jo..."


Atwood is one of my favs too!


message 15: by Grace (new)

Grace  (sweetiepie1000) Number of books read:

Best book (and why): The Last Silk Dress
It was the longest book I have read so far.
It had a great plot. I just loved it.

Worst book (and why): Tuesdays at the Castle
I read the first chapters it had no plot. It was really boring.

Favorite new author: Ann Rinaldi

New genre(s) tried:
Mostly YA


message 16: by Nathan (new)

Nathan (nthnlwly) Nidia wrote: "Favorite new author: New to me--Agatha Christie"

YAAY! I love Agatha Christie, Nidia!


message 17: by Soelo (new)

Soelo | 59 comments Number of books read: 101

Best book (and why): Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff - I have read some fictional accounts of her life but had no idea what was real and what was made up. Also, she discusses both sides of facts that historians cannot agree on.

Worst book (and why): The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland... I like fantasy but this was too "Alice in Wonderland" for me.

Favorite new author: Linda Buckley Archer

New genre(s) tried: Short Story collections - I've read some Romance themed ones before, but this year I read 3 that weren't. One I liked, but the other two were very uneven.


message 18: by Kai (new)

Kai (uchinaguchi) Megan wrote: Atwood is one of my favs too!

Honestly, I found this book in my apartment laundry room and I let it sit there for a week in case someone forgot it and then I read it and was blown away with how amazing it was.

I haven't read anything else by Atwood, but hopefully that'll change.


message 19: by Kara (new)

Kara (karaayako) | 3980 comments I <3 Atwood as well but haven't yet read Cat's Eye. Adding it to my TBR now!

I've already gotten quite a few recommendations from this thread. You all are awesome.


message 20: by Toni (new)

Toni | 234 comments Kelsi wrote: "I read 66 books.
Best book: East of Eden. I don't think I need an explanation. The characters were greatly developed, the story is mind blowing and the list could go on and on and one
[bookcover:Ea..."


East of Eden has been my favorite book since I first read it a million years ago. Love Steinbeck!


message 21: by Karen (new)

Karen | 18 comments Hello! I have no idea how many books I read this last year . . . my resolution is to keep count!

Best book and new genre are tied together: I absolutely LOVED "Let's Pretend This Never Happened." I don't read much biography/memoir, but I've read this book several times now. Always makes me laugh--even when I know what's coming! Close second would be "Redshirts" by John Scalzi (I've probably misspelled that). Anyone who has affection for the crew of the starship Enterprise will get a kick out of this one.

Worst book . . . I slogged through "50 Shades of Grey" to see what the big deal was.

Favorite new author: Jenny Lawson. I'm on her blog now every day. Yes, I need a life :)


message 22: by Devynne (new)

Devynne Best book : The Host (The Host, #1) by Stephenie Meyer I loved this book and it was one of those books I really didn't think I would like at all :)

Worst book : The Half-Life of Planets by Emily Franklin I didn't really get it. And i couldn't get into it so i gave it 3 stars.

New author : Maggie Stiefvater i just loved her work on Scorip Race and now i read her writer's blog to help with my writing.

New Gener: Real life.I just now got into reading real life stories manly about people with horses like the book Rescued by a Horse True Stories of Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Healing by Cheryl Dudley


message 23: by Megan, Challenges (new)

Megan (lahairoi) | 6835 comments Devynne wrote: "Best book : The Host (The Host, #1) by Stephenie Meyer I loved this book and it was one of those books I really didn't think I would like at all :)

Worst book : The Half-Life of Planets by Emily FranklinI did..."


Totally agree about "The Host". I expected to not like it and read it reluctantly because it was forcibly loaned to me, then ended up liking it so much more than any of the Twilight books.


message 24: by Ashley (new)

Ashley Number of books read: 120

Best book (and why): The Thirteenth Tale - I read this book a few months ago and I still find myself thinking about this book!

And Then There Were None - I don't find many books these days that make me want to keep reading and finish in one day. There is nothing like a good "who dunit" mystery.

Worst book (and why): Carry the One - This book was the most depressing book I read in 2012, and the language was a bit rough for my taste.

Frankenstein - This is one of the most boring books I have ever read. I'm just glad I completed it.

Favorite new author: Agatha Christie (Thanks Trevor!!) and Kristin Hannah

New genre(s) tried: Memoirs and I tried to start reading more Non-fiction.


message 25: by Danielle (new)

Danielle (dmansell) | 135 comments Number of Books Read: 70

Best Book and Why - Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater - out of the 9 5/5 books I read this year this is the one I keep thinking about. I loved everything about this book, characters, story line, writing style. It was pretty much perfect for me.

Worst Book - Rampage by William P. Wood - I rad a lot of mediocre books this year but this one was really bad. Disjointed, zero flow, unlikable characters. I kept reading because I was interested in how they were going to win the court case in the book only to end up having it happen off stage and summarized in one paragraph. Extremely frustrating.


message 26: by Nathaly (new)

Nathaly | 356 comments Number of books read: 25

Best book (and why): A Thousand Splendid Suns A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini . The story totally engulfed me. I felt like the characters were real people living out real lives.I love this book.

Worst book (and why): Taken Taken  by Selena Kitt I gave this book 2 stars. It really had not plot and was boring at times...

Favorite new author: Khaled Hosseini

New genre(s) tried: Everything. I hadn't read much in a really long time. This group has helped me expand my horizons in genres that I know I would have never tried.


message 27: by Sharon (last edited Jan 02, 2013 01:00PM) (new)

Sharon (sharint) | 740 comments Number of books read: 170

Best book (and why): I only gave 5 books a total of 5 stars (I think my criteria/expectations for a 5 star book went up) Liked this one a lot, I was glad it didn't have something terrible happen at the end like I was expecting but at the same time it wasn't all sunshine and roses :)

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Worst book (and why): if I hadn't been reading this for one of the challenges I would have never have finished reading it ... sorry to those who like it.

Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

Worst book I didn't finish: Nothing could have made me keep reading this book

The Stupidest Angel A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror by Christopher Moore

Favorite new author:Ally Condie

New genre(s) tried: sci-fi


message 28: by Nathan (new)

Nathan (nthnlwly) Ashley wrote: "Favorite new author: Agatha Christie (Thanks Trevor!!) and Kristin Hannah"

haha, you're quite welcome. :P


message 29: by Kathryn (new)

Kathryn | 581 comments I agree, Sharon - I loved The Help and hated Like Water for Chocolate! How did you like the sci-fi books you tried? That isn't one of my usual genres either.


message 30: by Nathaly (new)

Nathaly | 356 comments Thanks Kara for making this thread. I've added some books to my TBR shelf.


message 31: by Robyn (new)

Robyn | -15 comments I love this thread as well, will be using it to add to my own TBR shelf


message 32: by Sharon (new)

Sharon (sharint) | 740 comments Kathryn wrote: "I agree, Sharon - I loved The Help and hated Like Water for Chocolate! How did you like the sci-fi books you tried? That isn't one of my usual genres either."

I read 3 that would fit in the sci-fi
Ender's Game (Ender's Saga, #1) by Orson Scott Card Cinder (Lunar Chronicles, #1) by Marissa Meyer Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury


message 33: by Kathryn (new)

Kathryn | 581 comments Fahrenheit 451 sounds interesting. I don't really want to keep adding to my TBR list at the moment, but might let that one slip through!


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