Category: Reading

Reading Books from Each Year of My Life 1986-2020

Published on by Meaghan Elizabeth

Hello! Welcome back to another reading challenge post. Last week I talked about how I enjoy setting reading challenges, and reading lists for myself. (You can check that post out here for some background.) Today I wanted to talk about another challenge that I am currently working my way through. I started this challenge in July of 2019 just after my birthday, and the goal was that it would be a year long challenge. Seeing as how we are almost at the 1 year mark, and I am only a third of the way through, that is not going to happen. So I’m extending it another year.

I got the idea when Emma from Drinking by My Shelf completed a challenge where she read a number of books from the day she was born. I really loved the idea, and started looking into doing that for myself. As I was looking for books that were published in 1986, I decided that I wanted to switch the challenge up a bit for myself, and read a book from each year of my life. Because I’m apparently incapable of setting challenges of reasonable length.

Because of the way the years work out, I’ll be reading 1 book more than my actual age. Since I am not going to be completing this challenge by this year’s birthday, I’ve added 2020 on to the list. So the challenge covers 1986-2020, which is 35 books. 35 books isn’t unreasonable for me to read in a year, but I like to read a wide variety of books, as well as reading more current books, which makes it more difficult.

There are some years where I am determined to read a specific book, or one out of a couple books. In these cases, even if I read a different book from that year, I’m not going to consider the slot completed, unless I get to the end of the challenge and find that I still haven’t picked up the preferred book. On the other hand, there are a some years where, if I happen across a book that fits the year but wasn’t on my initial list, then that’s the book I’ll put into the slot.

I’m also trying to not fill too many slots with multiple books in a series, if possible.This means that if an author I love releases a book a year, I’m not going to binge read their books and list them for 5 or 6 consecutive years. Make sense? One exception to this rule for now is The Discworld Series by Terry Pratchett – there are a few books from that series on the list of possible titles.

I decided not to list all the options I’ve included on my list because it’s so rough, and fluid, so I will just mention the books I end up using to fill the slot. I’ll try to give a progress update every few months, depending on how many books I get through in the time. For now, here are the books I have read so far. I have completed 13/35.

1986 – The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett
This is book 2 in the Discworld series. I enjoyed this one, though it’s not among my favourites. There were some great quotes and I liked it better than book 1, so it might even be one I re-read at some point. Stay tuned at some point in the future for more Discworld content, including recommended reading guides.

1988 – The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
This is a short, somewhat strange, book that is SO GOOD. I absolutely loved it and would 100% recommend it. It’s been less than a year since I read it first, and I’m already thinking about re-reading it.

1998 – Deja Dead by Kathy Reichs
This was a re-read. I decided it should have a place on this list since the Temperance Brennan series is a favourite for me and I read and re-read all of them regularly. These books are definitely “comfort reads” for me.

2000 – Storm Front by Jim Butcher
I mentioned this book in my Magical Readathon wrap up post. This is the first book in a Mystery-Fantasy series that I am really enjoying. I have read the first 2 books in the last two months and have the third out from my library already. I may write a more in depth look into the series in an upcoming post.

2011 – The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
This is a fantasy retelling of the story of Achilles. I didn’t love this as much as Circe, by the same author, but it was really enjoyable and I will definitely keep reading Madeline Miller’s books. If you enjoy Greek myth retellings, these are definitely ones to look into.

2012 – Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger
This is the first book in a Middle Grade fantasy series that I have started reading over the past year. I am loving it so much. The characters and the stories are so well written! It is without a doubt a new favourite series. There are 8 books out so far.

2013 – NOS4A2 by Joe Hill
This one was definitely out of my comfort zone, as it is horror, but I think I enjoyed it? I’m still not completely sure how I would rate it. It is very long, and it is the type of book that felt long. It is also the type of book that is supposed to make you uncomfortable at times.

2014 – Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Unpopular opinion – I didn’t really like this book. There. I said it. For the most part I enjoyed the first part of the book. But then there’s a twist/switch part way through that ruined the book for me. It wasn’t the twist itself, but everything that happened after the twist. I will probably still check out more Gillian Flynn in the future.

2016 – The Dry by Jane Harper
This is the first book in a Mystery/Thriller series set in Australia. It took me awhile to get into the story, but I’m not sure if I was trying to do too much while listening to the audiobook. I plan on picking up at least one more book in this series.

2017 – The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The internet loves this book. I will say that this wasn’t my favourite Taylor Jenkins Reid book – I think that place goes to Daisy Jones and the Six, but I really enjoyed this one. I love the writing style, and the way that it makes you feel like the characters mentioned could actually exist.

2018 – Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett
This is the first Robert Jackson Bennett book that I have read, as well as the first book in a new fantasy series. I loved the magic system in this book, and I really enjoyed the story and the characters. My favourite character is the talking key… are you intrigued? This was a five-star read for me and I cannot wait to pick up 2.

2019 – The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary
This was such a cute contemporary romance. I loved the writing, and I loved the concept, which is two people living in the same flat (apartment) that work completely opposite schedules and communicate primarily through sticky notes. Would highly recommend.

2020 – The Hand on the Wall by Maureen Johnson
This is the third and final book in the “Truly Devious” series. It is a young adult mystery series set in a strange boarding school with a mysterious past. I thought this one wrapped up the trilogy well, and I enjoy where they left the characters. I think book 2 might have been my favourite, but this is definitely a trilogy that I plan on re-reading.

Have you read any of these books? Do you have any suggestions for books I should read for the years that I have not yet completed?

Until next time,

Meaghan Signature

Reading the 1920’s: A Reading Challenge

Published on by Meaghan Elizabeth

Happy New Year! We have now officially entered into the Twenty-Twenties! …

The Great Gatsby book in front of Letterboard

Okay, so it’s clearly not January (though I’m not sure any one has informed the weather), and we are already well into this whirlwind that is 2020. This is a “reading goals for the new year” type post, which means that it is at least 4 months late. Because of that, I considered not even posting it. But then I figured that we still have 8 months left in the year, and it seems likely that this challenge will go into 2021, so I might as well just go for it.

A bit of background

I enjoy setting reading challenges for myself. I like to put together lists to challenge myself to read books within a specific theme. Sometimes the lists are seasonally themed, sometimes they are themed by genre or by some other category that interests me. I put these lists together all the time. I would like to think that I’m pretty good at putting together these lists.

What I’m not good at is completing these lists. I start strong, but then I gradually lose interest or motivation or, more often, come up with another shiny new challenge and the old challenge is left to sit unfinished.

Part of the problem is that I’m something of a mood reader. I like the idea of having a structured TBR, and it works for me for a while, but then I get really drawn to a certain author or a certain type of book, and that’s all I want to read. When I’m in one of those moods, forcing myself to read something else can push me into a slump. And then I don’t want to read anything. Which is no good.

The second part of the problem is that I put too many books on the list. Why put together a list of 10 books, when you can put together 20 books instead? Along with making a long list, I am prone to making the timeline too short. These two things together make the challenge unmanageable, and I inevitably just give up. Good challenges should stretch you without being completely unmanageable.

Despite these problems, I keep setting challenges. But I’m working on setting them better. I try to put a variety of genres on a list, and I leave myself open to swapping books out if I decide I have no interest in reading them. I’m also working on setting more accurate timelines. If a book list is long, it should have a long, even more open ended, timeline. Maybe eventually I will set myself a challenge that I can finish!

Onto the Challenge!

This year I decided that since we were entering into the Twenties, I wanted to devote some of my reading time to books set in or written in the 1920s. There are 20 books on this list, because that felt fitting. It’s a long list, but I’m trying to leave the timeline fairly open. I would love to read these all this year, but next year is still going to be the Twenties, so if it becomes a two year challenge, so be it.

The books cover many genres, so there should be something to fit into almost every reading mood. I’m also open to swapping out books if I change my mind, or find something better. I had a difficult time coming up with 20 books that I was interested in for this challenge, so there are a few on here that I already think I might not read. There are also a couple series, so there’s room for one series to take multiple slots if I get hooked.

Since I’m so late in posting this, I have already completed a couple of the books on this list. I’m not going to indicate that here, but I’m going to try and do a mid-year wrap up at the end of June where I’ll talk about my thoughts on the ones I’ve completed by then.

Onto The Books

Images of book covers

1. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie (1920)

This, Agatha Christie’s first novel and first in the Poirot series, was first published in 1920. I can’t remember if I’ve read this one before – so it may end up being a re-read. I wonder if I’ll still be surprised by the twist?

2. The Wasteland by T.S. Eliot (1922)

Though I’m familiar with the poem, and have read excerpts, I would like to be able to say that I’ve read the entire thing. I rarely pick up poetry, so this one will definitely stretch my reading.

3. Ulysses by James Joyce (1922)

I have added and removed this book from the list a number of times already. It is a big book, and I really don’t know if I’m going to enjoy it or not. I can already see this being one that I swap out.

4. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925)

It seems like everyone has heard of the Great Gatsby. I read this book during University, but it has never been one of my favourites. Since it is short, and an iconic book of the decade, I thought a re-read was in order. Perhaps I’ll like it better the second time around.

5. Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh (1930)

Though this book was published in 1930, it is set in the late 1920s. I have never read anything by Evelyn Waugh, but Emma from Drinking By My Shelf (YouTube) raves about this book, so I have decided to give it a try.

6. Whose Body by Dorothy L. Sayers (1923)

Sayers is the second mystery novelist on this list, but unlike Christie, I have not read any books by her yet. This is her first mystery featuring Lord Peter Whimsey. If I enjoy this one, then I think she has quite a few other books that I will be able to add to pick up and enjoy.

7. The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (1927)

When I discovered that there were Sherlock Holmes stories that fit into my publication period, I knew that they needed to be on this list. I am a lover of most things Sherlock Holmes, though I have not actually read all of the original stories. This collection includes the final set of 12 Holmes stories published in the Strand from 1921 to 1927.

8. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (1926)

I originally intended to have 20 different authors on this list, but I was having a difficult time landing on 20 books, and I know that I enjoy Agatha Christie. I am also 99% certain that I have not read this one.

9. Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne (1926)

As I was looking for books to include on this list, I realized that there were a number of classic children’s books written during this time period that I have not yet read. I have always loved Winnie the Pooh, but have read very few of the stories themselves, so I think I will read the stories between other books.

10. The Story of Doctor Doolittle by Hugh Lofting (1920)

I have watched the movie, but never read any Doctor Doolittle stories. And now with the new movie this year, it seemed like a perfect time to pick up this classic.

11. Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery (1923)

L.M. Montgomery is one of my favourite authors, and the Emily of New Moon series are some of my favourite books. I think the last time I read this series had to be when I was in high school, so I am very interested to see what I think of it as an adult.

12. The Secret of Father Brown by G.K. Chesterton (1927)

Another mystery! I have wanted to read something Chesterton for ages, but have never managed to pick one up. I am familiar with the Father Brown character, as I have listened to a couple stories that were turned into audio drama’s, so I am hoping that I will enjoy this one.

13. New Hampshire by Robert Frost (1923)

More poetry! Look at me go stretching my reading comfort zone (at least if we ignore all the comfortable mysteries included in this list). This collection includes some of Frost’s most well known poems.

14. The Diviners by Libba Bray

We have now officially reached the section of this list where books are set in the 1920s but written more recently. The Diviners is the first book in the series of the same name set in 1920s New York City. The series is tagged as both fantasy and mystery, and I love that combination!

15. The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle

I know very little about this book, other than that it is a short, dark fantasy set in New York in the 1920s. This one is recommended by Books with Emily Fox on YouTube. Sometimes with this type of book, it’s better to go in without knowing too much.

16. The Gallery by Laura Marx Fitzgerald

The Gallery has been on my library TBR for a couple years now but I have never felt the itch to pick it up. The description on Goodreads calls it “an historical art mystery set in the Roaring Twenties”… which sounds pretty amazing and right up my alley.

17. Born of Illusion by Teri Brown

I had not heard of this book before researching this list. With a description that includes words such as “magic,” “romance,” and the “New York Jazz age,” I am hopeful that it will be exactly my cup of tea.

18. Death at Wentwater Court by Carola Dunn

I am always looking for a new cozy mystery series to dive into. This is the first book in a cozy mystery series set in 1920s Britain. The description has me completely hooked, and I hope the book can deliver.

19. Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen

The front cover of this book practically screams 1920s. It is the first book in a series set in New York during the last summer of the jazz age. I’m not completely convinced that this is one that I will enjoy, because the genre is outside of my comfort zone. But I will give it a try.

20. Wildcard Slot

I didn’t intend to have a “wildcard” slot in this challenge. I had a book slotted into this spot, until I realized it wasn’t set in the 1920s. I’m not sure where I got my misinformation, but I had to remove the book, and I haven’t been able to find a replacement. I am open to suggestions!

Have you read any of the books on this list? If so, what are your favourites? Do you have any other books set in the 1920s or written in the 1920s that you would recommend?

Until next time,

Meaghan Signature

Magical Read-a-thon Wrap Up

Published on by Meaghan Elizabeth

In April, I participated in the Magical Read-a-thon, which is a month long read-a-thon inspired by the Harry Potter series. This is the third year it has been running, but the first time I have managed to participate. Even this time, I missed the start of it and didn’t get my TBR put together until part way through the first week, but I am so glad I finally managed to participate.

This is an exceptionally creative read-a-thon hosted and created by G from the YouTube channel Book Roast (here is this year’s intro post if you’re interested). The read-a-thon consists of two parts, the OWLs in the spring and the NEWTs in the summer. There are also shorter, special events throughout the year. The NEWTs build on the OWLs, but you can always jump in at any time.

The read-a-thon is divided into Hogwarts subjects that you pass by reading books that fulfill the related prompts. You read one book for one prompt. There is no doubling up. The subjects you pass in the spring (OWLs) will determine which subjects you can take in the summer (NEWTs), which in turn determine which career you can choose. G has created an amazingly detailed course and career guide that outlines all the possible careers, as well as the subjects you need to take to qualify for that career. There are 12 subjects, as well as some additional challenges if reading 12 books in one month is not enough of a challenge for you.

Even though I started part way through the first week, my goal was to read books for all 12 prompts. I wanted to leave myself as much choice as possible for the NEWTs later this year. I also went in with a specific career goal in mind (Curse Breaker), that way if it looked like I wasn’t going to be able to read all 12, I would have a smaller list to focus on. I wanted to make sure that the subjects I completed would actually lead to at least one career option.

I ended up reading 9 out of the 12 books. By part way through the third week, I was on track to read all 12 books but I lost most of my reading motivation at that point and it took me the entire last week to finish 1 book. I finished all 6 books for my chosen career, and I think that the extra subjects I read will give me some flexibility if I change my mind come summer. Overall, I am really happy with my results.

Without further ado, let’s get to the prompts and the books I read!

Books lined up in a row. Image by Pexels from Pixabay

OWLS I passed for my Career Path

1. Ancient Runes – A book with a heart on the cover or in the title

Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody – 4 Stars
This book has been on my TBR since it came out a couple years ago. I had heard some mixed reviews, so I kept putting it off and letting it sit on my library wish list, taunting me every time I would scroll through trying to decide what next to read. I am so glad that this prompt finally forced me to pick it up, because I really enjoyed it! It is a fantasy set in a Las Vegas type city. There is magic and danger, and ever raising stakes. I will definitely be picking up the next book shortly.

2. Arithmancy – Read a book outside your favourite genre

The Test by Sylvain Neuvel – 3 Stars
This was a last minute swap in to my TBR when I realized that I didn’t have enough short books on my list. The Test is a short, science fiction book, set in a not too far in the future UK. The main difference in this world is the peculiar test immigrants need to pass to be granted citizenship. I am not going to give too many details, because it is better to go in blind, but overall I really enjoyed it.

3. Charms – A book with a white cover

Kingdom of the Blind by Louise Penny – 5 Stars
I started reading Louise Penny a couple years ago, and this one is my favourite so far. Penny has a beautiful writing style, and she writes intricate, character driven mysteries. The mysteries are suspenseful and well written, but just as much emphasis is placed on character and human nature. The more I read, the more I fall in love with her quirky cast of characters.

4. Defence against the Dark Arts – A book set at sea or on the coast

Murder on Cape Cod by Maddie Day – 3 Stars
This one was another last minute swap in as I was struggling to find a book available at the library that fit the prompt. I stumbled across this one available as an audiobook. This book is a cozy mystery set in a small tourist town in Cape Cod. The main character owns a bike shop, which I thought was unique. The read was enjoyable, and overall it was well written. My one complaint is that the wrap up was too abrupt and I didn’t think there were quite enough clues to point to the culprit’s identity. I do plan on picking up more from this author.

5. Potions – A book under 150 pages

In Conclusion, Don’t Worry About It by Lauren Graham – No rating
Since this is a graduation speech converted into a book, I decided not to give it a rating. I have had it on my TBR for a long time now, because I really like Lauren Graham, and it did not disappoint. I would definitely recommend it in audiobook form, as it is read by the author, which is the perfect way to read this type of book.

6. Transfiguration – A book or series that includes shapeshifting

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer – 4 Stars
There may come a time when I don’t want to read another Beauty and the Beast retelling, but now is not that time. This is the first book in a fantasy series that takes a really fun twist on the classic story. The main character, a teenaged girl with Cerebral Palsy is amazing. She is fierce and kind and I absolutely loved her. I am so excited to pick up book two.

Bonus OWLS I passed (not in my career path)

7. Astronomy – A book where you read the majority when it’s dark

Stormfront By Jim Butcher – 3 Stars
This was the read-a-thon of getting though books that have been on my TBR forever. Stormfront is the first book in a fantasy series set in a Chicago where magic and the supernatural exists. The main character, Harry is a Private Investigator, and he is the only openly practicing wizard around. As such, he often consults with the police to solve magic related crimes. I really enjoyed this book, and I have already have book two from the library. I hear it only gets better from here.

8. History of Magic – A book featuring witches or wizards

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo – 4 Stars
Up until this point, I had liked but not loved, all of the Leigh Bardugo books that I had read. I am happy to say that this one has changed that. I loved the combination of fantasy and mystery, and the Yale university setting. It took me awhile to get into the story, since the beginning is very much an information dump, but once I got past that, I was hooked. I cannot wait for the next book in the series.

9. Muggle Studies – A book from the perspective of a muggle (Contemporary)

One More Moment by Samantha Chase – 3 Stars
Completing this point was all luck. I missed the start of the read-a-thon by almost a week, and was please to discover that the first book I read in April would fit one of the prompts. This is the third and final book in a contemporary romance series where each book is focused on a different member of one rock band. I have really enjoyed this series, and Chase’s books are perfect for when I want a light, fun romance.

OWLS I did not complete

10. Care of Magical Creatures – A book with a creature with a beak on the cover

11. Herbology- A book with a title starting with an M

12. Divination – A book picked at random off your TBR (use a random number generator)

Do you enjoy participating in read-a-thons? If so, what are your suggestions for ones I should check out next?

Until Next Time,

Meaghan Signature

Books And Travel? What’s The Connection?

Published on by Meaghan Elizabeth

In both my first post (which you can read here if you missed it), and on my About page, I have mentioned that my intention is for this blog to be focused around both travel and books. But I haven’t really talked about the reasons why I think that those two topics can be combined in one place.

When I was trying to decide on what type of blog I wanted to start up this time, I kept getting hung up because I wasn’t sure if I wanted to write about just travel. Don’t get me wrong, travel is a great topic on it’s own, and there is so much that can fall under the travel umbrella. My concern wasn’t about having a shortage of things to write about. The main stumbling block was that I didn’t know if I was ready to give up on the idea of writing about books and reading.

The last blog that I started was focused on books and stories. I didn’t get very far with that blog for a variety of reasons, but in trying to decide on my next project, the topic was persistent in popping up in my mind. Reading, books, and stories more generally, are such a big part of my life that I wasn’t ready to give up the idea of writing about the topic.

On the other hand, I knew I didn’t want to work on a blog that was exclusively about books and reading. I wanted to write about other things, and more specifically, I wanted to explore the world of travel blogging. Mixed into all of these considerations was the blogging advice that stress how you should keep your topic narrow. It might seem like a good idea to write about anything and everything, but in practice it’s very hard to pull off. So, what was a girl to do?

After thinking about it for a long while, and working through all of the reasons why it wasn’t a good idea, I finally decided that despite all those reasons, I was going to write about both. I know, I know, shocker. But I kept coming back to the idea that travel and reading might actually work as partner topics. I started thinking about how for me, travel and reading are connected in a lot of different ways. And the more I thought about it, the more I started thinking that, if they’re connected for me, they might be connected for others too.

Not yet convinced of the connections? Let me explain the main points of my thought process.

Image of a book lying open on an open map
Exploring the world through books and travel

1. Books can be a major source of Travel Inspiration

I don’t know if you can relate, but at least a portion of my travel inspiration comes from books that I have read, either directly or indirectly. Have you ever read a book that described a place so well you couldn’t help but wish you were there? Have you ever then gone and researched that place afterwards to see what it might be like to travel there? Have you ever loved a place in a book so much that you booked a trip to that place – maybe not right away – but at some point after you read the book?

When I was a child I fell completely in love with the Anne of Green Gables series, and then in turn with all of L.M. Montgomery’s works. Each additional book that I read made me want to visit Prince Edward Island more. Eventually, I talked about wanting to go so much, that we decided to travel there as a family one summer. Now, my obsession with the Green Gables series obviously wasn’t the only deciding factor, but I know for a fact that if we hadn’t gone that summer, my love for the Anne and Emily books would have driven me to the Island sometime in my life.

2. Travel can be a major source of Reading Inspiration

On the flip side, sometimes travelling to, or being interested in a place in real life, can influence the books that we choose to read. Reading about places that we love can make us feel like we’re back there. I will always love reading books set in London, England, for example, because they remind me of the year I lived there.

We might also pick up books because they are set in a place that we would love to go someday. Sometimes a place grabs hold of our imagination in such a way that even if we never travel there in person, we find ourselves gravitating towards books or movies set in that location. I can’t say when it happened exactly, but at some point in my childhood, I became fascinated with Russia. I will probably never travel to Russia, but I have read many a book primarily because of that setting.

3. Reading can be a form of Travel

Apart from providing us with the inspiration to travel, reading can be a form of travel all on its own. Obviously, books can’t physically transport us to different places (though I think we can all agree that it would be pretty cool if they could), but they do transport us to different worlds while we are reading them. While this might be most apparent within the Fantasy genre, with books that are quite literally set in different worlds, I think it can be true for all genres. A really good book will make you feel like you were living in the world within it’s pages.

Narnia. Middle Earth. Hogwarts. A little house on an unforgiving prairie. All of these, and more, are places that I have travelled to through the pages of books. I am certain that, if you’re a reader of fiction, you have a list like this of your own. I would argue that Non-Fiction also does this in it’s own way, even though the world within the pages is familiar to us. I thought it would be really fun to explore reading from this angle.

4. Books travel with us

This last point may be a stretch, but I think it’s still valid. For people who read, books are an important part of our travel packing. Tablets, phones and e-readers have made travelling with books infinitely more easier, but I don’t think I’ve ever gone on a trip where I didn’t bring at least one book along with me, even before these technologies were an option. I can remember camping trips where I would have packed more books than clothes if I had been fully in charge of my packing. Audiobooks have saved me from many a noisy hostel experience, and ebooks have been a major source of entertainment on bus rides that felt never ending.

The lists of “Beach Reads” that start to come out early summer every year suggest that it’s not too much of a stretch to say that there are books, or types of books, that are good for certain types of trips. Beach Reads. Camping Reads. Plane Reads. Books to listen to on a long road trip… I think that this also could be a fun avenue to explore.

I hope from all that, you can get an idea of what I see when I think about combining these two topics. Maybe as I go, I’ll find that I focus on one over the other, or maybe the topic of this blog will shift into something that I haven’t considered yet. In any case, I’m excited to start writing about travel and reading both alone and combined, and seeing where the journey may take me.

Do you have any stories about a time when a book you read inspired a trip you took? Let me know in the comments!

Until next time,

Meaghan Signature

For the stories that take you on adventures, and the adventures that turn into stories.